Imperial Valley Press Quick News

Imperial man dies of injuries in Thursday night wreck

JACUMBA --- A Marine who is a native of Imperial died today at a San Diego area hospital from his injuries following a single-vehicle car wreck that occurred late Thursday on Interstate 8, a California Highway Patrol officer said.

Francisco Ramos, 20, was a passenger in a U.S. government-owned Chevrolet Uplander driven by fellow Marine, identified as  18-year-old El Centro man Michael Villasenor, that was heading east on Interstate 8, Highway Patrol Officer Brian Pennings of the El Cajon station said.

For an unknown reason Villasenor drifted off the roadway and veered off into the center divider, plunging about 50 feet an embankment where the minivan came to rest on its roof, Pennings said. Villasenor was taken by ambulance to Sharp Memorial Hospital with minor injuries but Ramos, who was resuscitated at the scene of the 10:45 p.m. crash, was flown to the hospital. Ramos died from his injuries at 6:50 a.m., Pennings said.

The crash occurred west of Jacumba.

By SILVIO J. PANTA, staff writer 

Court hearing postponed a week for NAF member involved in crash

A restitution hearing for a Naval Air Facility El Centro member was postponed a week from today.

Eloy Richard Garcia, who is out of custody, was ordered by Imperial County Superior Judge Barrett Foerster to appear March 26 at 9 a.m. in jail court for the hearing that would determine how much he would have to pay in connection with a drunk-driving crash that occurred more than a year ago in El Centro.

Garcia, of Los Angeles, has pleaded guilty to his role in the Jan. 28 early morning chase that ended when an El Centro police officer plowed into a moving big rig at Fourth Street and Commercial Avenue. Garcia lead police on a 70 to 80 mph pursuit in city street while he was riding a motorcycle.

By SILVIO J. PANTA, staff writer

Girl, 10, in serious condition following traffic-related incident in Brawley

BRAWLEY --- A 10-year-old Brawley girl remains in serious condition after suffering head trauma this week when an unlicensed motorist ran over her at K Street and Imperial Avenue, a Brawley Police commander said today.

The girl whose name was not released because of her age was first taken to Pioneers Memorial Hospital following the incident Tuesday before she was taken to Loma Linda University Medical Center, Brawley Police Cmdr. Brett Houser said.

The driver of the Chevrolet Tahoe involved in the afternoon incident, Gabriel Roman, is a 30-year-old Brawley man who, Houser said, has been cited in the past for driving without a license. Roman was cited again Tuesday as an investigation into the collision is under way, Houser said.

The girl was heading south on Imperial Avenue on her bicycle while the 3:30 p.m. collision occurred, Houser said. Roman was traveling west on K Street, the police commander said.

By SILVIO J. PANTA, staff writer

Transient attempts suicide off I-8 overpass

A female transient tried to kill herself by jumping off the Eighth Street overpass of Interstate 8 on Tuesday, according to the El Centro police.

Witnesses reported seeing a Hispanic female jump off the overpass and onto the interstate, while other witnesses driving on I-8 reported seeing the 40-year-old woman hit the pavement and crawl to the shoulder of the road, El Centro police Sgt. Jeff Mason reported.

"The female was alert and communicating with others" when they arrived on scene, Mason said.

The woman was airlifted to a San Diego hospital with head injuries, but her condition this morning was not available, Mason said.

Read ivpressonline.com and Thursday's edition for more information.

--- RICHARD BROWN, rbrown@ivpressonline.com

Supes approve China trip; Heber Community Foundation to vote tonight

The Imperial County Board of Supervisors approved sending one staff member on a trip with two members of the Heber Public Utility District.

The conversation began with discussions about massages, one of the scheduled activities on the trip agenda.
It all came down to a difference in cultures, said Supervisor Jack Terrazas.

Massages are not back-alley dealings in China, but rather are very common, he said. It was put on the schedule, and rejecting a part of Chinese culture is an insult there.

"There are many things that are different and that are done differently," Terrazas said.

It is important that the people investing a lot of money in Imperial County get to meet and put a face to a name and project, said Supervisor Gary Wyatt.

Many groups have been coming on tours of the area because of trips that began in 2006, he said. The county needs to continue promoting the area instead of pulling back.

The item, pulled from the consent agenda for discussion, was approved on a 4-1 vote, with Supervisor Wally Leimgruber dissenting, as he favored having the investors come to Imperial County, he said.

It will go before the Heber Community Foundation at 5:30 p.m. tonight at Sunrise Desert Apartments in Heber.

Read tomorrow's edition online or in print for more information.

-- Elizabeth Varin, staff writer

Supes approve Dial-A-Ride reductions

A day of the West Shores Dial-A-Ride service was cut for residents with a unanimous vote Tuesday.

The Imperial County Board of Supervisors voted to cut the day as a way to make up for the low number of riders.

"It is not with pleasure that" the board took action, said Supervisor Gary Wyatt at the meeting.

The board passed the change in the contract with ARC-Imperial Valley to be effective March 1, 2010, according to the board agenda fact sheet.

Read tomorrow's edition online or in print for more information.

-- Elizabeth Varin, staff writer

Health care district meeting postponed because agenda was posted late

CALEXICO --- The 5:30 p.m. meeting of the Heffernan Memorial Healthcare District that was scheduled for Wednesday has been postponed until noon Friday because the agenda was posted too late, attorney Orlando Foote said.

The agenda for the regular board meeting had to be posted 72 hours, or three calendar days, before the session could convene as required by law, said Foote, who represents the health care district.The meeting had to be re-scheduled, Foote said.

The health care district's office is located at 101 W. Hacienda Drive, Suite 9. For more information call 760-768-8998.

By SILVIO J. PANTA, staff writer

 

Bomb threat leads to evacuation at De Anza Junior High School

CALEXICO --- The entire student body, teachers and staff at De Anza Junior High School were evacuated today after authorities received a possibly fraudulent 911 call about two bombs at the campus, a Calexico Police sergeant said.

All the students were sent to the grassy area on the east side of the junior high school shortly after officials at the California Highway Patrol received the 2:07 p.m. call about the bomb threat, Calexico Police Sgt. Armando Marquez said.

It appeared that "more than likely" the threat was a hoax but police didn't want to take any chances as they waited for the students to be let out safely so authorities could then conduct their search around the campus, Marquez said. No injuries were reported.

By SILVIO J. PANTA, staff writer 

Four people died in separate vehicular incidents in the Imperial Valley

Four people died in the Imperial Valley from traffic-related crashes this past weekend, according to the Imperial County Coroner's Office.

On Friday, a 64-year-old Brawley resident, Clay Talbott, died at Pioneers Memorial Hospital following a crash involving a single vehicle that was reported at about 5:24 p.m., Imperial County Supervising Coroner Charles Lucas said today. Talbott died at the hospital about a half an hour after the incident.

Also on Friday, a Glendale, Ariz. resident, identified by Lucas as Dayton Widick, died in the Buttercup area from his injuries when the all terrain vehicle he rode overturned. The incident involving Widick was reported at 6:30 p.m., Lucas said.

A 42-year-old Calexico man, Joel Reyes Lizarraga, inexplicably veered into the eastbound lane of Highway 78 near McConnell Road and collided into a pickup truck hauling a trailer, Lucas said. The crash occurred east of Brawley early Saturday, Lucas said. Lizarraga was driving west on Highway 78 when the 12:30 a.m. was reported, Lucas said.

On Sunday, a 24-year-old El Centro man, identified as Jose Antonio Flores Jr., died at the scene when he was ejected from the ATV he rode after striking a berm in the open desert of the Superstition Mountain area, Lucas said. Flores wore a helmet during the incident, Lucas said.

By SILVIO J. PANTA, staff writer