Coroner’s Jury Finds December, 2015 Shooting Death In Moraga Was Suicide
A coroner’s inquest into the shooting death of a Moraga man outside his Donald Drive home has determined that Scott Rickman took his own life as police officers attempted to negotiate with him. The December 2, 2015 incident shut down most of Donald Drive and stunned a community unused to gun violence. Moraga police had…
Lafayette Police Treating Rosedale Avenue Death As “Suspicious”
Police in Lafayette are looking into aspects of the death of a 66-year-old woman they found during a welfare check on Rosedale Avenue Wednesday night. Officers were dispatched to the 800 block of Rosedale around 7:32 p.m. to check on a person a relative had told them had not responded to attempts by a relative…
Suspect In Orinda Beating Case Arrested By U.S. Marshals; Attempted Murder Charges Filed
The suspect in a recent attempted homicide in Orinda has been arrested, according to information released by the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff. Falealea Tytus Maka, 21, was detained last Wednesday by a US Marshals’ Fugitive Task Force and the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff Warrant Service Unit. On February 13,…
Lafayette Teacher Found Guilty Of Child Porn Possession; Sentenced To Jail Time, Probation In Plea Deal
A News Release issued by the Office of District Attorney Mark Peterson Friday: On Thursday April 7th, 2016, David Prashker was found guilty of Possession of Child Pornography, in violation of California Penal Code section 311.11(a). On February 18th, 2016, investigators from the Contra Costa County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force served a search…
Moraga’s Great Depression – Making More Holes To Fix The Big One At Rheem Center
A joke making the rounds around Moraga these days has town leaders seeking a new motto for the town seal at a town meeting, the motto drawn from some frequently seen local landmark. A hand at the back of the room raises and the resident is recognized, the resident offering: “Road Work Ahead?” Call it…
Martinez Man Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison For Interstate Sex With Minor; Child Pornography
Press release issued Wednesday by the City of Martinez and United States Attorney’s Office: OAKLAND – Blake Robert Johnston was sentenced to 30 years in prison late yesterday, and ordered to serve a lifetime on supervised release, for traveling across state lines with the intent to engage in sexual acts with a minor, announced United…
Calling All Car (Fans) – Lafayette PD Asks If You Can ID This Car
A NEWS24/680 reader came through for Lafayette PD on a case they were handling not long ago and they’re back with a similar task after a burglary on Laurel Drive in their city March 22: “The image of this vehicle was obtained during one of our residential burglary investigations,” writes Chief Eric Christensen. “(We’re) looking for one…
Heroin Overdose In Orinda Starbucks Sunday Spotlights Recent Influx Of Young Users
NEWS24/680 readers who were present at the time expressed their shock and concern Sunday after a 17-year-old teen was discovered in the bathroom at the Theater Square Starbucks – unconscious and with a heroin needle still in his arm. Orinda Police Chief Mark Nagel confirmed an account of the incident posted on our Facebook page…
Orinda Council Studies Short-Term Lease Agreements After Camino Encinas Violence
Stunned by the beating of a Florida man attacked during a party at an Orinda home rented through Airbnb, the city council is taking a hard look at so-called “transient” housing arrangements, and evaluating how they should be handled in future. The council, spurred by Mayor Victoria Smith, queried adjacent cities and towns after the 21-year-old…
Wags Weigh In On Future Of Moraga’s $3.5 Million Sinkhole – Downtown Swimming Center?
Locals venturing downtown to Moraga’s suburban core of late have been coming up with suggestions for finalizing the work Mother Nature started when steady rainfall opened up a sinkhole at the corner of Autohaus Stuttgart March 13. “Moraga’s Grand Canyon” may not be as big as those we’ve seen in Florida and other parts of the country,…