January 21, 2013 (San Diego) – In an effort to combat underage drinking, Sheriff’s deputies and agents from Alcoholic Beverage Control conducted a sting operation on January 12 using minors as decoys to test retailers and servers.  Out of 15 locations checked in Ramona, Poway, San Marcos, Vista, Oceanside and Encinitas, five provided alcohol to the decoys, resulting in six employees receiving citations.

The program was enabled by a $100,000 grant from the ABC. Similar operations will continue through June, the Sheriff’s office advises. 

January 18, 2013 (El Cajon ) – Raymond Lee Goodlow, 53, of El Cajon is hospitalized after being shot multiple times by an El Cajon Police officer at 9:29 a.m..   According to police, Goodlaw was illegally riding his bicycle on the sidewalk and refused to pull over when an officer attempted to stop him in the 1300 block of East Main.

Police and witnesses say the officer ordered the man to halt and get down on the ground, but that instead, Goodlaw reached into the waistband of his pants.  Fearing that he had a gun, the officer fired several times, witnesses report.

Goodlow did not have a gun. He did, however, have two knives  that were discovered by paramedics while treating his injuries, Lt. Tim Henton said.

January 16, 2013 (San Diego) – The San Diego Sheriff is warning the public to beware of phone scammers posing as members of the Sheriff’s Department.  There are at least two separate scams.  One involves canceling arrest warrants or court appearances for a fee.  The other scam entails notifying the victim that they have won a prize, then asking for payment for taxes.  Scroll down for details.

January 15, 2013 (Encanto)--San Diego Police Department Homicide Unit detectives are investigating an officer involved shooting that occurred in the Encanto neighborhood of east San Diego.

According to police, on Saturday, January 12 around 1:17 a.m., a San Diego police officer patrolling the area saw a car speeding eastbound in the 5400 block of Imperial Avenue.  The officer attempted to stop the car for the speeding violation; however the driver failed to yield to the officer’s police lights and siren. Two other officers assisted in the pursuit, chasing the car to the 6500 block of Brooklyn Avenue. 

January 14, 2013 (Tierrasanta) – San Diego Police officers responded to a call at 10700 Esmeraldas Drive in Tierrasasnta, where a witness reported a gunshot. After learning that the suspect owned multiple firearms, officers surrounded the house. Moments later, the suspect exit the rare of the home, armed with an assault-style rifle.

Officers ordered him several times to drop the weapon.  “Officers showed superior restraint as the suspect refused to comply,” said Sergeant E.J. Dayrit.  “Eventually the suspect turned the weapon upon himself and fired, in an attempt to kill himself.” The suspect inflicted wounds to his face and head area.

January 12, 2012 (El Cajon ) – El Cajon Police responded to a 911 call reporting shots fired at noon today at 1010 Leslie in El Cajon.  Police located three victims, all with non-life threatening gunshot injuries. Possible suspects are described as three black men and a Hispanic man, all in the 20s, who may have arrived in a newer black four-door vehicle.

“A number of witnesses at the scene were uncooperative and many reported they did not see anything,” Lt. Mike Moulton said. The suspects’ identities are unknown.

By Miriam Raftery

January 8, 2013 (San Diego)—Samuel McDowell, 72, has been charged with the murder of three women in Los Angeles. But authorities reveal he has lived in 24 states and has a long history of violence—including vicious assaults on women here in San Diego back in the 1980s.  He lived in San Diego in the ‘80s and in El Centro in the ‘90s and early 2000s.

He was convicted of assault locally, including strangling a prostitute and throwing another woman out of his car on Highway 94 after sexually assaulting her. Yet he was soon back on the streets after serving brief time behind bars. Prior to that time he was acquitted of attempted murder in Florida and suspected of murder and attempted murder in Mississippi.

By Miriam Raftery

January 5, 2013 (Lemon Grove) – Casey Tschida, 32, has been arrested by Portland, Oregon police for the murder of Jennifer Rene Krajnak on January 3. 

“Ms. Krajank and Tschida were acquaintances and were at a bar in Lemon Grove prior to the murder,” Lt. Glenn Giannantonio with the Sheriff’s Homicide Unit said.  “The two left the bar at separate times and Tschida approved Ms. Krajnak as she was walking home. Tschida shot her once in the head and left her lying in the street.”

Sheriff’s patrol deputies found her, still alive, beside the road at 7600 Pacific Avenue near Olive in Lemon Grove, but she died a short time later at a local hospital.  

January 5, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) –a white KIA  SUV and a dark red Nissan sports car racing at speeds over 100 mph crashed into the center divider on I-8 west near College Avenue around 9:40 p.m. last night.   California Highway Patrol also seeks a third vehicle, a white sedan, seen fleeing the scene that may also have been racing.

January 2, 2013 (Lakeside) – A 74-year-old woman and her daughter have been hospitalized for treatment of injuries after a fire at their home at 13265 Lakeview Granada in Lakeside yesterday.  Sheriff’s deputies arrived at 4:26 p.m. to assist firefighters from the Lakeside Fire Department at the fully engulfed structure fire.

“The elderly woman told deputies her daughter had intentionally set the fire. Deputies detained the adult suspect, pending the investigation,” said  Sergeant Curt Goldberg with the San Diego Sheriff.  The mother also told a dispatcher that her daughter set the blaze deliberately.

December 31, 2012 (Encinitas) – San Diego Sheriff asks residents countywide for help to identify three males who forcibly tried to kidnap an 18-year-old woman today in Encinitas.  The suspects drove an older black pickup truck with orange horizontal stripes near the fenders and gardening gear in the truck bed. 

After she was pulled into the truck, the victim reportedly punched the driver and bit another suspect before fleeing to a nearby home for help.

The driver is described as a heavy-set Hispanic man, age 30-40.  A young Hispanic or white male with a thin build, possibly a juvenile, got out of the passenger side and ordered the victim to get in the truck, then pulled her in when she refused.  Another passenger has a thin build and is believed to be Hispanic, age 25-35.

Photo courtesy of ECM news partner 10 News

December 29, 2012 (Santee)—Jayme Midland, 25, was killed when the Volkswagen Beetle he was driving on State Route 52 was struck head-on by a Chevy pickup truck driving on the wrong side of the highway. 

The woman driving the truck suffered moderate injuries.  After treatment at Sharp Memorial hospital, she was arrested for gross vehiclular manslaughter while intoxicated. She has been booked into the Las Colinas Detention Facility, according to the California Highway Patrol.

 Midland,  a resident of Clairemont, was declared dead at the scene. The accident occurred shortly before 1 a.m. on eastbound 52, just east of Mast Boulevard in Santee.

Photo courtesy of ECM news partner 10 News

December 27, 2012 (Harbison Canyon) – A gunman who broke into a home in Harbison Canyon today is now hospitalized after a woman inside fought back in self defense.  ECM news partner 10 News reports the man  demanded  cash and shot at two women in the residence. Fortunately, one of the victims was able to wrestle the gunman to the ground, grab the gun and strike him on the head with the weapon.

December 23, 2012 (Rancho San Diego) – From 8 p.m. last night until 2 a.m. this morning, deputies and officers from the San Diego County Avoid 15 Task Force conducted a DUI sobriety and driver license checkpoint near the 2800 block of Jamacha Road in the uninincorporated area of El Cajon. A total of 34 vehicles were sent into secondary screening and 10 field sobriety tests were conducted on drivers. Two DUI arrests were made along with three felony arrest for possession of a controlled substance, and eight citations. In addition, four vehicles were  impounded at the checkpoint--one because the driver's license was suspended or revoked and three because the drivers were arrested.

Coalition participates in local ‘Sticker Shock’ campaign

December 21, 2012 (El Cajon)--Several high school teens spent Wednesday afternoon in a “sticky” situation as a part of MADD’s “Sticker Shock,” a public awareness campaign to limit youth access to alcohol and remind those over 21 that it is illegal to provide alcohol to minors.

Working with local merchants, members of the East County Youth Coalition placed stickers that read, “Hey you!! It is ILLEGAL to provide alcohol for people under 21!!” on cases of beer at 7-Eleven, Town and Country Liquor and several other stores located near Second Street.