Santa Cruz County sheriff’s deputies closed down Highway 1 north of Davenport in both directions and put the nearby elementary school on a shelter-in-place order for over two hours Tuesday afternoon while they pursued a suspect, who was apprehended after an hourslong manhunt.
Crime
Official questions Adrian Gonzalez’s ‘authentic’ reform despite good behavior in custody
Juvenile justice workers told a Santa Cruz jury Monday that Adrian Gonzalez has been “respectful and engaged” in treatment while in custody for the rape and murder of 8-year-old Madyson Middleton in 2015. But one official questioned whether Gonzalez’s rehabilitation progress reflects “authentic” reform.
Westside’s Parish Publick House holds fundraiser for shooting victims Friday
The Parish Publick House will host a fundraiser and benefit concert Friday night for two victims of a Nov. 15 drive-by shooting on Santa Cruz’s Westside. Rich Brookes, one of the victims of the shooting, says he is grateful for the support and hopes to attend.
‘It’s a miracle’: Victim of Westside drive-by shooting defies the odds
Following a Westside Santa Cruz drive-by shooting in mid-November, the two victims, Merrill Roberts and Richard Brookes, have returned home, where they continue their recovery. Oceanside resident Roberts said it is a “miracle” that he is not dead or paralyzed.
Court views video of Gonzalez’s confession as his trial for release resumes
Adrian Gonzalez’s trial for release continued Monday with a video from the Santa Cruz Police Department showing Gonzalez confessing to killing 8-year-old Madyson Middleton to police just two days after Middleton was reported missing in 2015. The trial will continue on Tuesday.
Bystanders rescue victim after vehicle crashes into ocean off West Cliff Drive
Two bystanders jumped into the water Monday morning to rescue a victim whose vehicle had gone over a cliff on Santa Cruz’s Westside.
Police arrest one adult, one juvenile in Westside Santa Cruz shooting
The two suspects, a 20-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy from Monterey, face charges of attempted homicide, shooting at an inhabited dwelling or occupied vehicle, and conspiracy to commit a crime in the Nov. 15 shooting that injured two bystanders on Santa Cruz’s Westside.
Jury trial for Adrian Gonzalez’s release begins
The trial to determine Adrian Gonzalez’s freedom began Thursday afternoon after three days of jury selection. Attorneys gave their opening statements as they prepare for a multiweek trial that will stretch until at least the end of the year.
Police: Victims caught in crossfire of suspected Westside gang shooting expected to survive
A shooting near the Parish Publick House on Santa Cruz’s Westside on Friday evening injured two men who were described as innocent bystanders and are expected to survive. Police are investigating nearby surveillance footage but say they are still searching for leads on the suspected shooter.
Man and dog killed in overnight hit-and-run in Live Oak
California Highway Patrol officers responded to a hit-and-run crash at 7th Avenue and Eddy Lane in Live Oak that left a man and his dog dead at the scene early Wednesday.

