Latest news with #BrendaAlvarez
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
4 linked to California-based cargo theft ring tied to Mexico arrested
VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. - Several suspects have been arrested in connection with the theft of more than $1.5 million in cargo from various locations across Southern California, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Department. Investigators believe the suspects are linked to thefts utilizing "fence" locations to store stolen cargo before being transported to Tijuana, Mexico. What we know Between December 2024 and January 2025, a Southern California-based cargo theft crew targeted Camarillo, resulting in over $500,000 in property loss. An investigation revealed the theft crew used stolen vehicles to navigate Camarillo and targeted semi-trucks to steal large trailers filled with retail property. The stolen goods were transported to "fence" locations, with final destinations in Tijuana, Mexico. The investigation led to the recovery of stolen cargo valued at approximately $1.5 million. Victims of the cargo thefts include East Coast-based company E-Lo Sportswear, Amazon, Craftsman, Samsung, TJ Maxx, and Converse. The suspects arrested are identified as Victor Alvarez, Brenda Alvarez, Mauricio Heriberto Gachicoa, and Otto Javier Rivas. They were booked on charges of auto theft, cargo theft, and conspiracy. Each is being held on $250,000 bail. Arrest warrants have been issued for Jose Antonio Hurtado-Bernal and Luis Rivera. What's next The investigation remains active. Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of related cargo theft is encouraged to contact Detective Ledesma or Detective Song at 805-388-5115. The Source Information for this story is from a press release published by the Ventura County Sheriff's Department on May 12, 2025.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Yahoo
4 arrested in alleged cargo theft ring tied to Mexico
Authorities in Ventura County have arrested four people in connection with an alleged cargo theft ring responsible for stealing more than $1.5 million in goods. Detectives served search warrants at locations across the region – homes, storage facilities, and businesses. They found stolen cargo at every site, and the big-ticket items were guns, drugs, and cash, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office said in a news release on Monday. Victor Alvarez, 40, of Camarillo, Brenda Alvarez, 41, and Otto Javier Rivas, 38, of South Gate, and Mauricio Heriberto Gochicoa, 43, of Tijuana, were taken into custody and booked into Ventura County Jail on suspicion of auto theft, cargo theft, and conspiracy. Arrest warrants were issued for two more men who were allegedly involved. The arrests followed a months-long investigation into thefts that targeted industrial areas in Camarillo between December 16, 2024, and January 5, 2025. The suspects stole passenger vehicles to travel into Ventura County, then used stolen semi-trucks to haul trailers loaded with retail goods, authorities said. On December 16, thieves stole a U-Haul from Postal Magic, according to the sheriff's office. The next day, they were caught on surveillance casing the Harbor Freight Distribution Center. On New Year's Eve, they stole four semi-trucks from Custom Packaging Supply and returned to Harbor Freight, where, according to investigators, they hitched trailers filled with cargo. They also stole two pickup trucks from nearby neighborhoods. The emptied trailers were later found in the City of Commerce and near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. Authorities said the suspects returned on January 5 to break into a Plush Beds trailer before transferring its contents to a box truck and fleeing. Investigators linked the stolen goods to fencing operations in South Gate and San Diego, with the final destination believed to be Tijuana, Mexico, authorities said. 'With assistance from the CHP Border Division, investigators were able to identify additional victims of cargo theft from California and throughout the country, including major corporations such as Amazon, Craftsman, Samsung, TJ Maxx, and Converse. Investigators also located stolen cargo from an East Coast-based company, E-Lo Sportswear,' the news release stated. The suspects were each being held on $250,000 bail. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CNN
30-04-2025
- CNN
1 person died, 10 injured after a boat ‘shattered the whole back' of a ferry in Florida
A ferry ushering families from a popular sand sculpting competition in Florida was struck by a recreational boat Sunday evening in an apparent hit-and-run, killing one ferry passenger and injuring several others, police and witnesses said. The ferry was carrying people to and from the Sugar Sand Festival in Clearwater, CNN affiliate WFTS reported. The collision happened around 8:40 p.m. Sunday near the Clearwater Memorial Causeway Bridge when a 37-foot recreational boat carrying about six people struck the 40-foot ferry carrying about 45 people, according to Clearwater Police and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The recreational boat 'overrode nearly three-quarters of the ferry,' said Clearwater Police Department Chief Eric Gandy during a Monday news conference. Of the 10 people injured, six of them were transported to local hospitals as trauma alerts, Gandy said. The incident was declared 'a mass casualty incident by the fire department due to the number of injuries,' according to Clearwater police. The man who died was identified as Jose Castro, 41, of Palm Harbor, just a few miles north of Clearwater, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife spokesperson Hailee Seely. Officials have not released the names of the people injured. The US Coast Guard and Florida Fish and Wildlife are investigating the cause of the crash. Fish and Wildlife will lead the investigation, Clearwater police said. The ferry, as an inspected commercial vessel, falls under the jurisdiction of the Coast Guard, which will review compliance with the Code of Federal Regulations, according to Nicole Groll with USCG. Brenda Alvarez, who is about eight months pregnant, was on the ferry with her husband and two young children when a crew member started yelling, 'Hey, hey, hey!' the family told CNN affiliate WFTS. Alvarez's husband turned around to see a large boat 'just come through' the ferry, he said. The other boat 'shattered the whole back of' the ferry and 'left a huge dent,' Brenda Alvarez told WFTS. 'We can't understand how fast they were going.' Officers arrived to find a 'chaotic scene,' Clearwater city spokesperson Rob Shaw told CNN affiliate Bay News 9. Nearby 'good Samaritans' used their own boats to help evacuate passengers. The ferry came to rest on a sandbar, so some on board were able to walk to shore. But 'firefighters had to go into the water and help some people,' Shaw said. Kristin Vincelli, who was also leaving the festival, shared video with CNN showing emergency vehicles rushing toward the waterfront. The recreational boat did not stay at the crash scene but it is unclear if the collision is being investigated as a hit-and-run, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Captain Matthew Dallarosa. 'There is evidence that shows that the (recreational boat) did remain there for a period of time and then ultimately ended up at the Belleair Boat Ramp,' Dallarosa said Monday. Those injured in the collision were triaged at a separate boat ramp nearby, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife. So far, authorities have released few details about the boat that hit the ferry. As of Tuesday morning, no arrests had been made, Seely said. This story has been updated with additional information. CNN's Michelle Watson, Sarah Dewberry, Sara Smart and Martin Goillandeau contributed to this report.
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Distressing 'mayday' audio of Clearwater ferry boat crash released by Florida Coast Guard
Distressing new audio has revealed the moment a Clearwater ferry boat crashed in Florida, leaving one dead and at least a dozen injured, some of them seriously. 'Mayday, mayday, mayday, there's been a boat collision! The Clearwater ferry, underneath the Clearwater Memorial Causeway. The Clearwater ferry is adrift,' the controller was heard shouting as the two vessels collided. Officials, who called it a 'mass casualty' accident, said a private boat struck the ferry near the Memorial Causeway bridge on Sunday night before speeding away from the scene. The Clearwater Ferry was shuttling festivalgoers to and from the final night of the 17-day Sugar Sand Festival when it was hit by a private boat carrying six people. The 37-foot private boat and the driver were found three hours after it fled the scene, police said. The US Coast Guard said that on-scene reports indicated that all 45 people on the ferry and all six people on the boat were accounted for. All of those injured were aboard the ferry, according to Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The person who died has not been identified. On Monday morning, the Coast Guard said a total of 12 people were taken to a local hospital. The Clearwater Ferry (pictured after the crash) was shuttling festival goers to and from the final night of the 17-day Sugar Sand Festival when it was hit by a private boat carrying six people No one was detained and alcohol did not play a role in the crash, an officer with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission said Monday afternoon. All of the identified victims were adults, though there were some children on the vessel as well, they added. Many people suffered broken bones and head injuries, among others, police said. The horror crash caused 'quite a chaotic scene,' Clearwater Fire and Rescue public information officer Rob Shaw told WFLA. 'It was quite a chaotic scene when we got here. There were some patients being picked up by neighboring boats,' he recalled. 'Good Samaritans were trying to help, there were other patients who were walking ashore because some of the shallow waters here off the bridge, so they were able to. Those who could were able to walk ashore and get medical help.' Following the terrifying incident, Clearwater Ferry issued a statement, saying how 'heartbroken' the company was to hear of the fatal collision. 'We are heartbroken for the person who lost their life, everyone who was hurt, and their families,' the company said. 'We deeply appreciate the dedication of the first responders and others who rushed to help Sunday night. We are cooperating with the investigation. Safety is the top priority for PSTA and the Clearwater Ferry.' A distressed-looking pregnant woman who was aboard the ferry said she could not feel her baby moving as she headed to the hospital. Brenda Alvarez, who is 31 weeks pregnant, was on the ferry with her husband and two kids in Clearwater that night. 'We are actually going to go to the hospital right now to get checked because I'm a little worried I haven't felt the baby move,' she told ABC Action News. 'It's very scary.' Alvarez fell between two seats when the collision occurred. She said the impact caused her 'whole body to hurt.' 'We just wanted to get to our cars and get home. We never, you never expect anything to happen,' she added. She went on to say that it's hard to truly comprehend 'how fast [the other boat] was going, how that was even logically possible. 'It's horrible. It shattered, it shattered the whole back of the boat, left a huge dent,' she said. But Alvarez praised first responders who bravely rushed in to assist her children off the ferry. Both vessels are currently being secured as evidence, FWC officials said. They are also canvassing the area and going through all the 911 calls made at the time of the crash.
Irish Examiner
28-04-2025
- Irish Examiner
Florida boat collision leaves one dead and at least 10 people injured
A recreational boat crashed into a ferry transporting 45 people on the final day of a sand-sculpting festival in Florida, killing one person and injuring at least 10 others, officials said. The crash late on Sunday in calm waters off Clearwater on the western Florida coast set off an emergency response due to the high number of possible casualties. Video of the accident released by law enforcement on Monday at a news conference showed the recreational vehicle ploughing into the ferry. 'We were just enjoying the ride and all of a sudden we heard the first mate yelling, 'Hey hey hey,'' Marco Vacheco, who was on the ferry with Brenda Alvarez and their two young children, told TV station WFTS. 'And we looked back behind us and this big yacht just came through the boat.' First responders gather on a beach near where the Memorial Causeway Bridge in Clearwater after the crash (Douglas R Clifford/Tampa Bay Times/AP) The operator of the recreational boat was co-operating with authorities, and a breathalyser test showed no alcohol impairment, officials said. The recreational boat stayed in the accident area for a short time; officers encountered it about 3.5 miles away. Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were working with the State Attorney's Office to determine if any charges would be filed, officials said. Emergency dispatchers answering 911 calls from the accident scene heard 'horrific screaming' in the background, said Clearwater Police Chief Eric Gandy. The injured passengers had broken bones, soft-tissue injuries and head injuries, said Tony Tedesco, EMS chief for Clearwater Fire Rescue. All of those injured were adults aboard the ferry. Rescue workers gather at the Seminole boat ramp north of the crash scene (Douglas R Clifford/Tampa Bay Times/AP) 'When our crews first arrived, they found themselves in the water trying to rescue people,' Mr Tedesco said. 'On top of that, they're trying to figure out who was the most injured.' The ferry came to rest on a sandbar just south of the Memorial Causeway bridge. 'You never expect any of this to happen,' Brenda Alvarez said. 'We can't understand how fast they were going, like how that is even logically possible that they hit and were able to get off like that.' The family was not injured in the crash. The US Coast Guard said in a social media post that on-scene reports indicated that all 45 people on the ferry and all six people on the boat were accounted for. 'All local hospitals have been notified. Multiple trauma alerts have been called with helicopters transporting two of the more seriously injured,' the post said. Investigators search the wreckage of the Clearwater Ferry after the crash (Douglas R Clifford/Tampa Bay Times/AP) Videos on social media showed several first responders rushing to the scene with lights flashing. Several Good Samaritans also helped the ferry passengers get to safety, officials said. Sunday was the last day of the Sugar Sand Festival, a 17-day sand-sculpting festival in Clearwater Beach. The Coast Guard said the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission will lead the investigation into the cause of the crash.
