September 4, 2012 (El Cajon )--The Medical Examiner's office has identified Maria, Josephine Newman, 51 of La Mesa as the victim who died Sepember 1 after trying to climb out of a pickup truck in El Cajon.  According to witnesses, she was hanging on the passenger side of the vehicle while it drove north on Orlando at 12:07 p.m., when she fell and was struck by the pickup.

Police seek help to find the driver, who fled the scene. The vehicle is described as a 1969-72 Chevy pickup, light blue with a white stripe and a faded white camper shell.  It may have a construction-type sign on the driver’s door. The license plate and identity of the driver are unknown.

September 1, 2012 (El Cajon) –  Able Torres, 29, has been arrested and charged with murder following a stabbing death in EL Cajon at 11 p.m. last night. The identity of the victim, 18, has not yet been released by authorities.

August 30, 2012 (San Diego)--After several consecutive years of declines, crime rates in San Diego County are on the upswing in the first half of 2012 compared to the same period last year – however, both violent crime and property crime rates are still the second lowest in the past ten years, according to a SANDAG report released Tuesday.

August 17, 2012 (San Diego)--The San Diego FBI warns of a new Citadel malware platform used to deliver ransomware named Reveton. The ransomware lures the victim to a drive-by download website, at which time the ransomware is installed on the user’s computer. Once installed, the computer freezes and a screen is displayed warning the user they have violated United States federal law.

August 14, 2012 (Alpine) – In response to the alarming teen fatality trend the Alpine Sheriff’s Station is hosting “Start Smart” for parents and teens (ages 15- 20) on August 23 at 7 p.m. at the Viejas Training Center, 5000 Willows Road, Alpine. The goal of the program is to reduce the number teen driving related injuries due to drunk and distracted driving.

August 10, 2012 (San Diego)--Detectives from the San Diego Police Department’s Robbery Unit have arrested a man suspected of being the mastermind of a criminal enterprise that included a series of strong arm robberies throughout the county. Cedric Johnson, 33, was arrested on August 7 in Los Angeles at his parole agent’s office.

July 29, 2012 (Los Angeles) An Amber Alert has been issued statewide today for a missing 16-year-old, Eunice Serrato, who was allegedly kidnapped by two men. The victim, from San Ardo, Monterey County, was allegedly taken at 9:45 p.m. last night by a father and son driving a white 4-door 1990 Acura Integra with license 4SAE963.  The son is described as “armed and dangerous” and may have a gunshot wound, authorities indicate.

Serrato is Hispanic, 5 feet 5 inches tall, 130 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a pink jacket, blue jeans and sandals.

July 28, 2012 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police Officer Jarred Slocum, injured during a shooting last August on Prince Street will be medically retiring from those injuries.  He and his family will be moving out of San Diego.  The El Cajon Police Officer’s Association and the El Cajon Elk’s Lodge 1812 will be hosting a benefit for Jarred and his family at the El Cajon Elk’s Lodge 1812, 1400 East Washington Ave., El Cajon on August 10 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Did a violent film trailer trigger shootings by San Diego man? Preview depicted an attack on a movie theater 

By Miriam Raftery

July 20, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Friends and neighbors reacted with shock at news that former San Diegan  James “Jimmy” Eagan Holmes, 24, is under arrest for the mass shooting earlyl this morning of 71 people in a Colorado movie theater. 

A night of fantasy turned deadly when Holmes allegedly burst into an Aurora, Colorado movie theater where a midnight screening of “The Dark Knight Rises,” a Batman movie was playing.

July 11, 2012 (La Mesa) – La Mesa-Mount Helix Patch reports that Roshawn Lamar Broadnax, 20, a former Helix Charter High School track and field star, has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and spousal abuse.