News

MADERA – While the brave men and women of Cal-Fire fight the Ferguson Fire in Madera, Merced and Mariposa Counties, a criminal investigation conducted by the Madera County Sheriff’s Department was turned over this week to the Madera County Distrcit Attorney’s Office regarding the Madera County Fire Department.  The existence of the criminal investigation isn’t being discussed in the open Board of Supervisors meetings but it was confirmed last week to BVN by Madera County Council Regina Garza.

The county, which contracts its county-wide fire services though the State of California, provides office support staff to the state which houses its offices on the first floor of the Madera County Government Center in Madera. Earlier this year the county was informed by a whistle-blower within the department of an employee, who may have access to approve her own hours on the county’s payroll system, had allegedly padded her paycheck with over 100 unearned hours.

BAKERSFIELD – A man who walked away from the Male Community Reentry Program (MCRP) in Bakersfield on July 15, 2018, was apprehended today in Bakersfield.

Following investigative leads, agents from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) Office of Correctional Safety (OCS) located Ronald Brooks, 31, at Valley Plaza Mall in Bakersfield. He was arrested after a short pursuit on foot. He was taken into custody and transported to North Kern State Prison.

FRESNO -  Scott Radtke, 56, of Clovis, was arraigned today on a nine-count indictment charging him with bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. According to court documents, Radtke owned California Motoring Company, a car dealership in Clovis. Beginning as early as January 1, 2016, and continuing through June 2017, Radtke executed a scheme to defraud banks. When customers wanted to buy vehicles that Radtke’s dealership did not have in its inventory, Radtke offered customers the opportunity to buy them from other dealerships.

Radtke received up-front payments from the customers or their banks, but did not give that money to the other dealerships. Instead, he spent it on business and personal expenses. Radtke then signed the customers’ names on sale documents and loan applications, which led banks to issue loans without the customers’ knowledge or authorization. Radtke’s actions involved at least 48 vehicles and over $2 million in fraudulently obtained goods and funds.

CHOWCHILLA -  In response to a strong demand by the community, the Chowchilla City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to place a 1 percent public safety sales tax measure before its voters this November. This measure is in response to concerns raised by the public during a recent survey that, while a majority of Chowchilla residents say they feel save in the City, there is a widespread perception that crime is increasing. 

Sixty-one percent of the public stated in the survey that residents are safe in Chowchilla, but 80 percent say that crime in the City is on the rise.  Additionally, gangs and drugs rank among the City’s most serious problems. The Public Safety Transaction and Use Tax will be dedicated solely for the needs of the Police and Fire Departments. 

FRESNO – Friday evening the  Fresno Police Department Dispatch received three different 911 calls at The Parkway Inn located at 959 North Parkway near Freeway 99, regarding a man threatening people and pointing a scope rifle at at least three different people in the parking lot, to include a child.

It was later determined that the suspect, a Hispanic male adult with a shaved head, wearing dark clothing was indiscriminately firing the weapon at windows of other rooms, cars and other objects within the parking lot area.  Patrol officers and special response team officers arrived within two minutes of the call. 

FRESNO - The Fresno Police Department Traffic Unit conducted a DUI/Driver’s License checkpoint on 7/14/18, at First St./Tulare Ave. between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. Checkpoints are placed in locations that have the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence and provide the greatest safety for officers and the public.

In recent years, California has seen a disturbing increase in drug-impaired driving crashes. Fresno PD supports the new effort from the Office of Traffic Safety that aims to educate all drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you might be impaired enough to get a DUI. Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI.