By Miriam Raftery

July 26, 2018 (El Cajon)—A 75-year-old man suffered multiple non-life threatening stab wounds tonight in an attack at Second Street and East Madison Avenue in El Cajon. Witnesses called police at 7:55 p.m. to report the victim was on the ground near the intersection.

The suspect fled west on Madison, says Lieutenant Jason Taub, adding, “Witnesses were able to keep the suspect under observation and advise the police department of his current location.”

By Miriam Raftery

July 19, 2018 (Ramona) – A driver who reported his vehicle had been stolen at gunpoint has been arrested for filing a false report to conceal his involvement in a crash in Ramona.

According to Sgt. Jeremy Sheppard with the Sheriff’s department, Luis Solis, 19 and with a juvenile passenger have been charged with filing the false report after the Toyota Forerunner that Solis was driving rolled over at 630 Gem Lane in Ramona.

By Jose A. Alvarez, County of San Diego Communications Office

Video courtesy of San Diego County Meth Strike Force

July 11, 2018 (San Diego's East County) - Fourteen people were arrested Tuesday evening by law enforcement agencies from East County during saturation patrols and probation compliance checks in known hot spots for drug-related crime.

East County News Service

June 28, 2018 (El Cajon) -- The San Diego Regional Hate Crimes Coalition and the El Cajon Police Department are hosting a free community Forum on hate crimes, law enforcement and community resources. The event will be held on Tuesday, July 17 from 6-8 p.m. at the El Cajon Police Department’s community room at 100 Civic Center Way.

Please RSVP to Shastity.urias@usdoj.gov or call (619) 546-9399.

 By Miriam Raftery

Update June 28, 2018 -- The victim has been identified as Juan Martinez, 47, of Lemon Grove who suffered serious injuries to his upper body. The Medical Examiner's report determining cause of death has been sealed and the Sheriff's homicide investigation continues.

 June 22, 2018 (Lemon Grove) – An injured man who pounded on a door seeking help last night in Lemon Grove has died. A homicide investigation has been launched into the death of the man, who has not yet been identified.

 Startled residents called 9-1-1 shortly before 9 pm. after hearing banging on their door in the 7600 block of Lemon Avenue. When deputies arrived a short time later, they found a man who was lying on the ground, unresponsive, with visible injuries to his upper body.

By Miriam Raftery

June 21, 2018 (Spring Valley) – The Gas House 64 marijuana dispensary at 8818 Troy Street is the latest of many illegal pot shops to be shut down in Spring Valley.

Although marijuana use is legal in California, new marijuana dispensaries are illegal in the unincorporated parts of San Diego County.  Rancho San Diego Sheriff’s deputies served an abatement notice on the dispensary’s owners yesterday morning for violating a zoning ordinance.  Large amounts of marijuana, marijuana edibles, paraphernalia and other items were seized, though no arrests were made.

By Miriam Raftery

June 16, 2018 (Ramona) -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Violent Crimes Task Force (VCTF) ask your help to identify a man believed responsible for robbing two banks in Ramona and a bank in Mira Mesa over the past week.

Dubbed the “Skinny Bandit”, he is described as a light-skinned black man in his mid 20s to 30s, between 6 ft. and 6 ft. 6 inches tall with a slender build, weighing 140 to 170 pounds.  He claimed to have a weapon and in one robbery, threatened to shoot the teller, but no weapon was seen.

Below are details on each of the three robberies:

East County News Service

June 14, 2018 (Ramona) – Ramona Sheriff’s deputies responded to multiple silent robbery alarms at Chase Bank, located at 1467 Main Street in Ramona, on Tuesday, June 12^th shortly before 4 p.m.

A witness told deputies that a man threatened that he had a gun. No one was injured in the robbery, but the suspect fled before deputies arrived.

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.