Bay Area
News Briefs

July 9, 2007

Bay City News

Oakland stabbing victim dies

One of three victims of a stabbing Sunday night in Oakland has died, according to the Oakland Police Department.

The apparent homicide happened in the 2300 block of 92nd Avenue, police said.

All three victims were transported to Highland Hospital.

The victim who died was pronounced at around 10 p.m., police said.

A second victim was listed in good condition, and the third suffered a minor laceration to the face.

No suspects have been arrested, police said. The incident is under investigation.

Victims of Tenderloin attack expected to survive

Two people shot Saturday night in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood in a suspected gang-related attack are both expected to survive, an operations officer said Sunday.

The shooting was reported in the 1100 block of O'Farrell Street shortly before 10 p.m., the officer said.

The female victim, who was reportedly struck once, suffered only minor injuries, according to the officer.

The male victim was struck twice, according to police, and listed in critical condition.

Both victims were transported to San Francisco General Hospital and are expected to survive, the officer said.

No suspects have been identified or arrested in connection with the shooting, but police were investigating it as a possible gang-related incident, the officer said.

Vacaville man arrested for arson and murder

Vacaville police arrested a man early Sunday after an officer allegedly saw him riding a bicycle away from a suspected arson fire that killed an 88-year-old woman.

Police and fire officials received a report of a fire in the 100 block of Anita Court at about 12:40 a.m. Sunday, Vacaville police Sgt. Bob Denton reported.

One of the responding officers saw a man, later identified as 38-year-old Vacaville resident Richard Lee Strand, leaving the area on a bicycle, according to Denton. Police initially detained Strand on suspicion of a weapons violation and possession of fireworks, according to police.

Meanwhile, police and fire investigators discovered that an 88-year-old woman who had been inside the home when the fire was started had been unable to escape from the blaze and died inside the house.

A 75-year-old man who was also in the home when the fire started was able to escape the flames, Denton said.

According to Denton, fire investigators are still conducting the initial phases of their investigation, but so far believe that the blaze was intentionally set.

Police have also developed information allegedly linking Strand to the fire, Denton said.

Strand is currently being held in the Solano County jail on suspicion of arson and murder while police and fire officials continue to investigate the case.

Police nab alleged child molester in decoy operation

Petaluma police arrested a man on Thursday after he allegedly sent an e-mail offering to pay a police officer posing as child for sexual acts, police reported.

The alleged correspondence began with an e-mail around 4 p.m. Thursday from 23-year-old Don Senarathmudalige of San Rafael to a Petaluma Police Detective, who Senarathmudalige believed was a child.

In the electronic message, Senarathmudalige allegedly expressed interest in meeting the "child" for sex, and offered to give money to the "child" in exchange for oral sex.

Petaluma Police Detectives allegedly met Senarathmudalige at East Washington Street near Payran Street in Petaluma, where he and the decoy had agreed to convene, and arrested him for attempted oral copulation with a minor and attempted pandering.

Senarathmudalige was taken to Sonoma County Jail and is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Salinas supermarket thieves still at large

Salinas police are looking for two men who allegedly robbed the San Miguel Market at gunpoint Saturday.

Two men entered the market, located at 51 San Miguel Avenue, at about midnight. One of the men, who was armed with a bolt-action rifle, held the clerk at gunpoint while the second man went behind the counter to empty the register, police reported.

As the two suspects were leaving the store with stolen cash and a bottle of tequila, one man accidentally discharged the rifle, striking the sidewalk, police reported.

No injuries were reported. The two suspects were last seen fleeing on foot towards Pajaro Street.

The man with the gun was described as an unknown race male wearing black pants, a gray sweatshirt, white shoes and a white bandana over his face. The second suspect was described as a Hispanic male in his late teens or early 20s, about 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing about 150 pounds. He was dressed all in black and carrying a black backpack with gray trim, police reported.

Richmond police investigate house fire

Although a house fire that broke out Saturday at noon was contained to the garage, the three occupants of the house have been displaced, Richmond Battalion Chief Marcus Rayon said Sunday.

Neighbors and a person driving by in a car saw smoke rising from a single-story house in the 1800 block of Coalinga Avenue and pounded on the front door to inform the occupants, Rayon said.

The fire department was alerted at 11:58 a.m. and responded to the scene, where they were able to contain the fire to its point of origin in the garage.

The fire was controlled by 12:24 p.m., and caused an estimated $40,000 to $50,000 in damage, according to Rayon.

Rayon said that while most people who are displaced by house fires receive assistance and shelter from the Red Cross, there were no reports indicating the three occupants had opted for assistance from the organization.

"My guess is that they ended up with family or friends," Rayon said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

East Palo Alto man injured in Highway 101 accident

A driver whose vehicle plunged off the side of an embankment on U.S. Highway 101 Sunday morning was severely injured and arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, a California Highway Patrol dispatcher said.

The driver, an 18-year-old man from East Palo Alto, was reportedly lying on the ground when officials arrived at the scene at around 5:35 a.m., a dispatcher said.

The crash occurred off northbound U.S. Highway 101 by the east and westbound transition roads to state Highway 92, CHP said.

He was taken to Stanford Hospital for treatment.

CHP believes alcohol was a factor in the crash.

MLB All-Stars to appear in parade Tuesday

Major League Baseball fans will get to see their favorite ball players up close at the third annual MLB All-Star Game Red Carpet Show parade on Tuesday.

The parade begins a noon at The Embarcadero and Brannan Street and runs southwest along The Embarcadero to AT&T Park, ending at Willie Mays Plaza on the corner of King Street and Third Street.

The event will feature appearances by the American and National leagues all-stars, managers, and future hall of fame stars Cap Ripken, Jr. and Tony Gwynn, MLB officials said.

The event is free and open to the public.

Copyright © 2007 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

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