East County News Service

City has had 20 fatalities and 205 injury collisions with pedestrians in the past three years

June 11, 2018 (El Cajon) – The El Cajon Police Department will step up pedestrian safety enforcement operations in the month of June, focusing on collision causing factors involving motorists and pedestrians.  Routine traffic patrols will focus efforts in trouble spots, while special targeted patrols will also be deployed to crackdown on drivers and pedestrians who violate traffic laws meant to protect all roadway users, says Lieutenant Steve Kirk.

East County News Service

June 1, 2018 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police seek public help to identify suspects in a stabbing overnight that left the victim with life-threatening injuries, according to Lt. Jason Taub with El Cajon Police Department.

Police responded to a call shortly before 2 a.m. from a caller who said an acquaintance was “bleeding out,” and then hung up.

By Miriam Raftery

 May 27, 2018 (Lakeside) – The Sheriff seeks public help to locate Robert Tate Allen, 45.  He is wanted for stabbing another man last night around 10:10 p.m. during an argument in the 9600 block of Winter Gardens Blvd. in Lakeside.

 According to Sergeant John Delocht, the suspect pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim’s arm, severing an artery. The victim stumbled into a neighbor’s residence for help. Deputies quickly arrived and applied life-saving measures. The victim was taken to a hospital where he is in serious but stable condition.

 Allen is a bald-headed white man around 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 190 pounds. He drives a black four-door sedan and is known to frequent East County. He is considered armed and dangerous.

By Miriam Raftery

May 25, 2018 (Campo)—A grandmother and a second bystander came to the aid of a school bus driver confronted by a man armed with a knife, while an older student helped youngsters escape out a back exit.

The bus was heading to Campo Elementary School around 8:30 a.m. when Matthew Barker, 37, of Campo boarded the bus near Jeb Stuart road. The driver told him to leave, but instead advanced toward students until the driver blocked his way.

By Miriam Raftery

May 21, 2018 (Santee) – An e-mail threat that referenced a possible act of violence at an unnamed high school in Santee prompted additional law enforcement patrols today at Santana and West Hills High Schools.

According to Sgt. William Amavisca at the San Diego Sheriff’s Department, “The investigation has found no evidence to suggest the threat has any validity. There is currently no immediate threat to either campus or student thus far.”

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Mugshots.com owners Thomas Keesee (left) and Sahar Sarid (right)

May 17, 2018 (Sacramento) -- California Attorney General Xavier Becerra has announced charges of extortion, money laundering, and identity theft against four defendants who are allegedly behind the “exploitative” website Mugshots.com. The owners of Mugshot.com, arrested in Florida, now have their own booking mugshots and face prosecution in California.

East County News Service

May 10, 2018 (Spring Valley) – The Sheriff’s department today announced it has begun serving 10-day notices on illegal marijuana dispensaries in Spring Valley and will arrest violators who don’t vacate the premises. The action comes after the Sheriff and County Planning and Development Services served over a dozen search warrants on illicit dispensaries from mid-2017 to early 2018 on Spring Valley pot shops, seizing 7,000 pounds of marijuana, five firearms and $85,000 in cash.

By Miriam Raftery

May 6, 2018 (Santee) – A sobriety and driver license checkpoint conducted by Sheriff’s deputies in Santee last night near Mission Gorge Road and State Route 125 resulted in five DUI (driving under the influence arrests). In addition, six citations were issued for suspended/revoked or no driver’s licenses and eight vehicles were impounded.

By Kendra Sitton

April 26, 2018 (Jamul) — ECM has new details on an attempted kidnapping of an 11-year-old girl walking between Oak Grove Middle School and Jamul Primary School on Tuesday.

The 6th grade student was using a dirt trail in the rural area frequented by other kids and even Oak Grove’s cross-country team. Near the bottom of the trail behind a baseball dugout, a man suddenly grabbed her backpack from behind, possibly in an attempt to knock her off her feet. She stood firm and then the suspect grabbed her arm tightly, so much so she described it as feeling like her arm was going to explode. She was able to escape and run towards the school.

Source: Sheriff’s Department

April 24, 2018 (Rancho San Diego) -- Investigators from the Rancho San Diego Sheriff’s Station want your help locating a man wanted in connection with theft, burglary, and fraud in the East County.

On April 1st between 12:00 p.m. and 1:45 p.m., someone stole a checkbook from the glove box of a vehicle that was parked in the 2100 block of Merlyn Place in unincorporated El Cajon.

By County News Center, County of San Diego Communications Office

April 12, 2018 (San Diego) - Don’t fall for it if someone claiming to work at the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department calls you on the phone and tells you to pay up or you’ll go to jail.

The Sheriff’s Department advises you to hang up because it’s a scam. No Sheriff’s employee would ever contact a member of the public by phone to demand payment. The way the con works is criminals tell people they have an outstanding warrant for their arrest — or that they have a summons for them to appear in court for missing jury duty service. The criminal might even use the name of a real Sheriff’s deputy which they can easily find by doing an internet search. Another trick is they might use Caller ID spoofing, which makes it appear that the call is coming from a Sheriff’s facility. Don’t let those details convince you its real.

By Miriam Raftery

April 7, 2018 (Lakeside) – “My life changed forever during the early morning hours on Memorial Day, May 30, 2017,” says Korren Knapp Grada.  That’s when she suffered horrific injuries after being struck by two hit-and-run vehicles in I-8 near the Lake Jennings exit in Lakeside. 

How she got there remains a mystery, though she believes she was drugged by a man and was seeking to escape harm when she scaled a fence onto the freeway.

She’s shared her story with East County Magazine in hopes that someone can shed light on what happened, perhaps recognizing strangers in photos taken on her cell phone the night before. She also hopes to thank a good Samaritan who stopped and saved her life. 

Most of all, she needs help with staggering medical bills for multiple surgeries needed to save her life and help her on her long road to healing; you can donate at https://www.gofundme.com/helpkorren.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Google Earth

April 4, 2018 (La Mesa) – Yesterday, La Mesa Police sent a community alert out warning motorists to avoid the area of Center Drive and Grossmont Boulevard near Grossmont Center shopping mall and Grossmont Medical Center, due to police “actively searching the area” for a man reportedly sighted openly carrying a gun.

By Miriam Raftery

April 3, 2018 (El Cajon) – Robert Diedrich, 53, suffered a minor, non-life threatening gunshot wound to his stomach tonight at his home.  He was treated and released at the scene, according to Lt. Randy Soulard with El Cajon Police.

By Miriam Raftery

March 31, 2018 (Spring Valley) – Two young men robbed a Valero gas station at 2835 Sweetwater Road in Spring Valley shortly after noon today.  One of the suspects, described as a black male juvenile, pointed a silver .357 magnum at the store clerk and demanded cash. The other suspect was described as a Hispanic juvenile.