The Weekly Dump 3.27.20

Santa Cruz Still Shut Down Over Coronavirus

Another week of basically a shut down town and more on the way this week. People are getting bored and going outside more, which I think is fine as long as you are keeping safe distances from each other. Mental health is just as important as physical health right now. The latest report said there were 32 “documented” cases in Santa Cruz County, which doesn’t really mean shit if testing isn’t available. We have literally no idea how many people have it, which is why such drastic measures need to be taken. So please stay inside unless you absolutely have to go out, or going out alone is ok but stay away from other people. Wash your hands and carry hand sanitizer with you at all times. Don’t congregate in groups. Anywhere. Use the time for some introspective thinking. Find a new hobby. Revisit an old hobby. Read books. Deep clean your house. But PLEASE don’t get infected or infect others by congregating in groups. Love thy neighbors. Don’t kill thy neighbors.

Live Oak Man Stabbed to Death

Last Saturday around 9PM, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence on the 800 block of Brommer Street in Live Oak for a report of a stabbing. When they arrived, they found a 35 year old male suffering from multiple stab wounds who died at the scene despite deputies efforts to save him. A 35 year old male suspect was arrested in front of the home. Deputies reported the victim and suspect knew each other (apparently they were roommates), and the suspect was arrested and charged with murder. He is being held on $750,000 bail.

Traveling Riverside Blues

Wednesday night around 10PM, SCPD responded to the area of Ocean and Riverside for a report of a stabbing. When they arrived, they found a male victim who had apparently been stabbed in the shoulder. The suspect left in a white truck before SCPD arrived on scene, but was later caught by deputies from the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s department at a gas station in Rio Del Mar. He was charged with assault with a deadly weapon.

Armed Robbery Suspect Arrested Downtown

Last Thursday afternoon, a man was getting money from an ATM on the 100 block of Church Street when he was approached by another man brandishing a knife and demanding his money. When the victim started to walk away, the suspect followed the man before he called SCPD to report he was being robbed. During the investigation, SCPD Detectives were able to identify the suspect and he was arrested. He was on “pre trial release” (otherwise known as “Jim Hart’s Get Out of Jail Free Card”) from a previous arrest earlier this month. On March 1st, just 3 weeks ago, the same guy was arrested and charged with 3 felonies, including domestic violence, false imprisonment, and vandalism. And three weeks later he’s trying to commit armed robbery in downtown Santa Cruz! The wheel has come off the clown car here and we’re headed for the ditch!

Revenge of the Scythe

Wednesday afternoon around 4:30PM, Santa Cruz Sheriff’s deputies responded to the 100 block of Buena Vista Drive in Freedom for a report of a roommate disturbance of some kind. When they arrived, they found one man who attacked another with a sickle of some kind. They also found methamphetamine on him. He was arrested but only for a few hours. His bail was set at $25K and he bonded out.

Social Distancing Strategy Pays Off For SCPD

Early Thursday morning, the front glass door of the Valero Gas Station on the 1300 block of Ocean Street was smashed in. SCPD responded to the scene but the suspects had apparently left when the store alarm went off and before they got there. Officers decided to try “social distancing” themselves from the scene, pretending to leave the scene but waiting nearby to see if the suspects would return. About a half hour later, Dumb and Dumber came back, still carrying the ax they used to smash the window. One guy went into the building while the other acted as a lookout. Police walked right up on them. A 32 year old transient was arrested and is facing charges that include possession of burglary tools, commercial burglary and conspiracy to commit a crime. He’s been arrested 4 times locally in the past 5 months. His 44 year old transient buddy was also arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit a crime.

Suspected Rapist Evades Local Authorities

Friday afternoon around noon, a man in his fifties apparently raped his former girlfriend at a local hotel on Broadway and Ocean. When SCPD arrived at the scene, the suspect had already fled. The victim received medical attention at the scene while a Project ROPE was put out to try to locate the suspected rapist. SCPD had a positive ID and the man’s name from the victim’s statements.

Turnstiler of the Week

Tuesday around 6PM, SCPD responded to some kind of altercation involving two males fighting in the lobby of Denny’s on Ocean Street. One man was possibly holding some kind of weapon. Arrested 19 times locally since 2015. We’ve been coddling this clown for the past 5 years. Last check he was still sitting in county jail on a $5K bond. But we can be sure he’ll be back! Then around 6 hours later, SCPD responded to an alarm going off at Santa Cruz Pawn on Cedar Street, where they saw the same guy jogging away with an antique black powder style pistol that he had stolen from the pawnshop. The 27 year old transient was again arrested for commercial burglary. Living up to his title!

Not Worth Getting Shot Over

Monday night around 6PM, a man witnessed two people trying to steal an expensive tool of some kind (worth over $1K) on the 300 block of Kings Highway in Boulder Creek. He got in a vehicle and proceeded to follow the thieves until the passenger pointed a gun out the window and shot it a couple times. The victim then pulled over and called the Sheriff’s department. Nobody was arrested and they have no suspects. Hopefully the victim at least got the make, model, and plate of the get away car.

Exporting Our Low Hanging Fruit

Three men from Santa Cruz County were arrested by Mendocino County Sheriff’s deputies for burglary, conspiracy and felony vandalism after they ransacked and graffitied a residence in Branscomb. MCSO Deputies responded to a call about a burglary in progress occurring at a residence in Branscomb, an unincorporated community in Mendocino County located eight miles west-southwest of Laytonville. A homeowner said he had returned to his residence after cutting wood on his property and discovered the three men had burglarized and ransacked his home and had removed a large locked gun safe from a storage building to the driveway area in front of his residence. The homeowner told Deputies he knew two of the men personally, and the homeowner gave them the address of one man’s mother who lived nearby. When deputies showed up there, they found all three men. After searching a vehicle that belonged to one of the men that was parked in front of the home, they recovered property taken during the burglary. The three men were arrested for burglary, conspiracy and felony vandalism, with one getting an additional charge of criminal threats. All three men were booked into the Mendocino County Jail where each was held on a $50K bond. Two of the men were from Soquel and the other man was from Santa Cruz.

In His Time of Dying

This past Wednesday night, SCPD responded to reports of a suspected drunk driver who was pounding on doors of nearby homes claiming to be dying from COVID-19. The 42 year old Santa Cruz man was arrested for DUI. His vehicle was impounded and he was also medically cleared by doctors and determined not to be symptomatic of anything but being drunk and stupid.

Taking the High Road to County Jail

Monday night around 11PM, SCPD responded to the 100 block of High Street where they arrested a 24 year frequent flyer on the County Shuffle for burglary. He’s been arrested locally 18 times in the past 8 months. He was arrested 9 times in one week last July. His bail was set at $25K and last check he’s still in county jail.

Angry Old Man Arrested in Scotts Valley

Wednesday afternoon around 3:30PM, Scotts Valley Police responded to the 100 block of Whispering Pines Drive where they arrested a 65 year old man for making criminal threats, possession of a sawed off shotgun, and resisting arrest. This is right next to a pretty major intersection for Scotts Valley (Scotts Valley Drive and Mount Hermon Road) His bail was set at $25K and he’s out of jail already. He was also arrested (and obviously released) 2 weeks ago.

The City Council Phones It In

In what was almost certainly the last time we have to suffer through another city council meeting with Drew Glover and Chris Krohn participating, the Santa Cruz city council held their meeting online to avoid spreading any risk of the coronavirus. It was painful to watch and an anti-climactic end to the reign of progressive terror of the “brand new council”. Glover wanted to hold some kind of special meeting to discuss the homeless and the coronavirus one more time, but he was on the losing end of that request. A majority, including Cummings, chose to wait and see what the county does before proceeding further, basically shutting out both Glover and Krohn from any future decision making here. I’m sure Glover and Krohn would have loved to have gone out in a bombastic fit of righteous indignation. But instead, they go out quietly and with a lot of irrelevance. We have bigger issues to worry about than their hurt pride, and now we actually have a city council that can work together and actually get shit done. Imagine that.

Obnoxious Narcissists Vs. SCPD! Who You Got?

SCPD Patiently Deals With Obnoxious Narcissists at Town Clock

So after that video happened, SCPD and the city dragged their collective ass for a couple more days, allowing Keith McMuffin and Bad Mom to basically encourage lots of old, immune compromised, homeless people to come on down! They’ve got vouchers for free motel rooms and the price is right, even if means ultimately dying of coronavirus or killing others. People swarmed down there the next day, after SCPD refused to kick them out as promised, and there’s little doubt people passed the coronavirus around that day like a bowl of Food Not Bombs slop. It was a narcissistic, reckless, irresponsible, STUPID fucking thing to do, which they seemed particularly proud of doing. Wait until some of these people get sick and maybe die. Then we’ll see how proud they are. And the city and county are just as culpable for anyone getting sick or dying as Krusty McMuffin and Side Show Bob are. The people who made it happen are culpable. The people who allowed them to make it happen are culpable. After two days of Krusty’s carnival of coronavirus, the city finally had enough and shut him down. Or did they? Last check, he set up his dumpster fire in San Lorenzo Park.

I’ve been told by pretty credible sources the person who coddles this guy and his group more than anyone is Santa Cruz District Attorney Jeff Rosell, who seemingly can’t find a reason to arrest this guy or shut him down, despite the fact he flagrantly breaks the law every day he’s allowed to set up his viral handouts. They just pop up wherever they want and break numerous health and safety laws, in addition to regular trespassing violations. Apparently he refuses to prosecute Keith McMuffin and Food Not Bombs and so he gets a free pass to do whatever he wants with the DA’s blessing. I think we need to know why. So I’d love to have people ask him here! Why is this group allowed to break the law constantly with no repercussions?

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