Latest news with #SanBernardinoSheriff
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
Arrest made after teen girl mauled by pack of ten or more dogs while jogging in California
A man has been arrested after a teenage girl was brutally mauled by more than 10 large-breed dogs while jogging in California, leaving her nearly 'unrecognizable.' Tracy Azpeitia, 17, was out jogging near her home in Newberry Springs on July 17 when she was surrounded and violently attacked by at least 10 dogs, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. Nearly a month later, 61-year-old Craig Arthur Simmons was arrested on suspicion of being the owner of an animal causing serious injury or death, authorities announced. On Wednesday, after conducting surveillance in the area, officers spotted Craig riding his bike down his driveway, where he was taken into custody in connection with the dog mauling. Following an interview at the police station, he was booked into the High Desert Detention Center without incident. Tracy's nightmare unfolded just after 8am, as she was jogging to a workout facility near the community center along the 30000 block of Newberry Road - a remote, desert area in Southern California. Moments later, she was suddenly attacked by '10 or more large-breed dogs,' prompting a nearby resident who heard her screams to call 911. 'The dogs bit the victim several times on her legs and arms. The bites caused large lacerations, abrasions, and removed flesh,' the sheriff's office said in a written statement. A total of 16 dogs were seized from the area by San Bernardino County Animal Control following the attack, with investigators noting the animals were neither leashed nor fenced. Carlos Ramirez, Tracy's stepfather, said the teen suffered hundreds of bites across her body, requiring more than 500 stitches to close lacerations and wounds from the attack. 'It was not one dog or two dogs, it was a lot,' Ramirez told ABC 7 News. 'I mean, they bit every part of her body you could think of except for her ankles.' A good Samaritan ultimately intervened, bringing the brutal attack to an end and preventing even more serious injuries. The attack left the teenage girl so severely injured that her own mother said she was unrecognizable when she arrived at the scene. 'I didn't know who she was,' Tracy's mother, Maria Azpeitia, told the outlet. 'She was so dirty, covered in dirt, so I couldn't recognize my daughter. I recognized her bra, that's what I recognized.' 'I thought they ripped her arms off,' she tearfully added. 'That's what it looked like.' 'I got close to her and [she asked me] "Mom, am I still pretty?" and I said, "Yeah, you're beautiful."' A total of 16 dogs were seized from the area by San Bernardino County Animal Control following the attack, with investigators noting the animals were neither leashed nor fenced (pictured) A GoFundMe page launched by Tracy's family to support her recovery and ongoing medical care has raised $28,615 of its $30,000 goal as of Thursday evening. 'She was getting ready to do her senior year of high school this year,' the description read. 'Now, because of this, she has to stay home and go to several doctor's appointments and rehab.' 'Due to the trauma, she cannot sleep at night; she's having nightmares,' it added. Local residents have since raised growing concerns about the ongoing presence of stray and unrestrained dogs in the area. 'We have been in situations where we're out walking, and all of a sudden dogs rush out from a fence, or out of nowhere, and start circling around us,' Kristine Watson, a Newberry Springs resident, told ABC7. The dogs are currently being housed at the Barstow Humane Society, about 17 miles from the attack site. Craig's bail was set at $30,000, with an initial court appearance scheduled for Friday.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Yahoo
A teddy bear appeared to be wrapped in human flesh. Turns out it was a prank.
In what police called "a very bizarre incident," officers arrested a man after what appeared to be a teddy bear wrapped in human flesh was left outside a Southern California convenience store. Hector Corona Villanueva, 23, of Victorville was arrested in connection to the macabre prank on charges of reporting an emergency knowing it to be false and intentionally and wrongfully planting evidence to falsely present as real, the San Bernadino Sheriff's Department reported. Just after noon local time on Sunday, July 13, the sheriff's department said, Victorville Police Department officers responded to a suspicious circumstances call at the AMPM gas station on Bear Valley Road. "Callers indicated a teddy bear made of what looked like human flesh was left in front of the business," the sheriff's office wrote in a news release. An investigator with the San Bernardino County Coroner office responded and collected the teddy bear, officials said. Gas leak disaster: House explodes during New Jersey flooding, nearby homes damaged Teddy bear found with 'human flesh' examined by coroner After further examination, officials said, the sheriff-coroner department's office determined the teddy bear "is not made of any type of human remains or skin." A motive in the case was not immediately known. As of July 15, Villanueva was not listed as an inmate in the local jail. It was not immediatly known whether he had obtained legal counsel in the case. "Incidents such as this take up valuable emergency resources and put the public at risk, possibly delaying response time to legitimate calls for service," the department wrote. "We would like to thank those that reported information that was helpful during the investigation of this case." Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Victorville police at 760-241-2911 or sheriff's office dispatch at 760-956-5001. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78CRIME or visit website at Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@ and follow her on X @nataliealund. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Teddy bear wrapped in what looked like human skin found outside store Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Yahoo
Mom, holding infant, monitors 12-year-old she let move the car. Car hits her, she drops the baby
A test drive in Victorville resulted in injury and potential criminal charges for a mom who allowed her 12-year-old child to move a car — only for the vehicle to strike the parent, causing her to drop her infant. San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies arrived Wednesday about 3:40 p.m. at the gated Rancho Seneca apartment complex, near the 15 Freeway. Authorities discovered the mother, whom they chose not to name, allowed her 12-year-old to attempt to move the family vehicle into the complex's parking lot. The mother stood nearby and watched, holding the infant in her arms, as the tween directed the car toward the spot. In the process of parking, the vehicle door slammed into the mother, causing her to fall to the ground and drop the infant. Read more: 4-year-old boy dies after driver crashes into Los Angeles building and flees The infant sustained head injuries, officials said, and was flown nearly 45 miles south to Loma Linda University Medical Center for care. There was no information provided on the severity of the baby's injuries or whether the mother was also hurt in the incident. San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputies did not respond to calls for more information. The Sheriff's Department referred to the incident as "cruelty to a child" but did not confirm whether the case was forwarded to the San Bernardino County district attorney's office for the possible filing of charges. The district attorney's office did not respond to a call or email requesting comment. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Yahoo
Victorville sex offender suspected of raping teenage girl
Investigators arrested a registered sex offender from Victorville over the weekend on suspicion of raping a 16-year-old girl, law enforcement officials said. Ardy Vance Thompson, 50, was taken into custody Saturday afternoon, according to San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department officials and county booking records. He was booked on suspicion of rape by force or fear, as well as two other charges related to child molestation and sexual assault. The alleged attack took place on June 24. Thompson picked up the victim in a dark gray, two-door, hatchback 2009 Hyundai Accent, according to a a sheriff's department statement. "The victim was given marijuana and driven out to a deserted area west of National Trails Highway in the unincorporated area of Oro Grande where Thompson sexually assaulted the victim," the statement said. Detectives identified Thompson as a suspect with the help of surveillance camera footage and obtained an arrest warrant, officials said. The suspect was found and arrested in the area of Washington Street and Bluff Road in Colton about 4:30 p.m. Saturday, records show. Thompson is registered with the state as a "violent sex offender," and investigators suspect there may be additional victims, the sheriff's department statement said. Bail was set at $1.5 million pending legal proceedings, records show. More: Silverwood Lake closed through July 4 weekend due to fire, all reservations cancelled Anyone with information was urged to contact Deputy R. Morales at the Victor Valley Station at (760) 552-6800, or Sheriff's Dispatch at (760) 956-5001. Information may also be provided anonymously to the We-Tip hotline at (800) 782-7463. This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Victorville sex offender suspected of raping teenage girl
CBS News
01-07-2025
- CBS News
Man crashes into sheriff's deputies' car on e-bike while allegedly carrying illegal drugs in Inland Empire
A man in the Inland Empire allegedly gave deputies a fake name and tried to flee from them before riding an electric bicycle into the back of a sheriff's department squad car while carrying drugs, authorities say. According to the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department, deputies performing a proactive patrol in Rancho Cucamonga around 1:39 p.m. Monday stopped a man who was riding an e-bike. The man, identified as a 42-year-old Los Angeles resident, allegedly gave the deputies a fake name when approached. While one of the deputies was exiting his vehicle to speak more to the man, the man fled the scene on the bike. The man then allegedly rode through the parking lot and crashed into the back of the deputies' marked vehicle, authorities said. The man then attempted to flee on foot but was quickly detained by deputies. He tossed a backpack during the brief foot pursuit. Deputies eventually found a large amount of methamphetamine packaged in several individual baggies. A scale was also found inside. Authorities took the man to a local hospital for evaluation following his crash, then to West Valley Detention Center for booking. He was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance for sale and transportation of a controlled substance. It was also determined that the man was on active probation for previous charges of resisting an executive officer and possession of a controlled substance with two or more priors. No additional details were made available.
