Latest news with #KCSO
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Officer-involved shooting ruled within KCSO policies
An incident review board has determined an officer-involved shooting last month in east Bakersfield was within the policies of the Kern County Sheriff's Office, the agency reported Monday. A KCSO news release said the 42-year-old man involved in the shooting, Sadi Geovani Diaz, was armed with a hammer, a machete and a firearm when deputies encountered him shortly after 6:30 a.m. May 9 in the 600 block of Water Street. It said a female victim had been shot by Diaz and had to be sent to a hospital for treatment. Diaz also was taken to a hospital for treatment of his injuries. Diaz was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, burglary, kidnapping, kidnapping with a firearms assault on a peace officer and carrying a loaded firearm without registration, the release said. The incident board made its determination Friday. Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to call KCSO at 661-861-3110 or Kern Secret Witness: 661-322-4040.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Where is Travis Decker now? Authorities issue alert in this area with special Father's Day message
A massive manhunt for Travis Decker, a triple-murder suspect, is underway in the United States. Decker, 32, has been accused of killing his three minor daughters – Paityn Decker, 9; Evelyn Decker, 8; and Olivia Decker, 5. The three children were found murdered in Washington after being last seen leaving to be with Decker on a "planned visitation.' The search for Decker is active in Kittitas County, with deputies asking residents and visitors to remain vigilant. On Father's Day, the Kittitas County Sheriff shared a Facebook post urging the public to contact authorities if they know anything about the suspect's whereabouts. 'KCSO deputies and Kittitas County Regional Tactical Response Team members are still active in the border areas of our county nearest the last believed location of suspected murderer Travis Decker,' the post reads. 'We ask everyone, especially in the northern reaches of our county, to be alert for suspicious peo, dad accused of killing his 3 minor girls in Washington?ple or circumstances. If you see Travis Decker, call 911 immediately. If you believe you have intelligence about him or this investigation in our county, call Kittcom at 509-925-8534.' It adds, 'A special thanks to 97 Rock House coffee for their hospitality, including parking, throughout this operation. And to all the men and women in law enforcement who are apart from their families this Father's Day: Thank you for your work to seek justice for the victims in this incident and to keep our community safe.' Officials previously said that Decker, who is homeless,is wanted for three counts of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree kidnapping. Police said he is a former member of the military with "extensive training' and may pose a "significant risk.' Decker was last seen wearing a light shirt and dark shorts. He has been described as 5 feet, 8 inches tall with black hair and brown eyes.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
KCSO: 2 pedestrians struck, trapped under vehicle being pursued by deputy
Two pedestrians walking in an Oildale alley were struck and trapped under a vehicle whose driver fled on foot following a slow-speed pursuit Saturday night, according to the Kern County Sheriff's Office. A deputy at about 9:11 p.m. tried to stop the vehicle for an equipment violation and on suspicion that the vehicle was stolen, KCSO reported. But the driver didn't yield and a pursuit began. The driver went south through an alley, went of North Chester Avenue, before turning east, just south of Lincoln Avenue. The driver hit the pedestrians as he turned, KCSO said in a news release. The driver ran away, but was caught by the initiating deputy nearby. More deputies arrived, lifted the vehicle and rescued the two pedestrians, who were taken to Kern Medical with what KCSO said were moderate to serious injuries. Their names were not released. The suspect, whose name was not released, was arrested on suspicion of felony hit and run, resisting an officer and evading, KCSO said.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The reasons aren't fully clear, but overdose deaths are down in Kern, US
Overdose deaths, specifically from opioids, are on the decline across the nation and data from the Kern County Coroner's Office shows local deaths are down as well. According to KCSO, there were 189 fentanyl-related overdose deaths in Kern County in 2024, down from 297 in 2023, a roughly 36% decline. The decline is part of a broader trend nationally. Opioid overdose deaths declined sharply from 2023-2024, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the CDC, 48 states and the District of Columbia all saw decreases in overdose deaths from December 2023 to 2024, a 26% decrease nationwide. California's reported overdose deaths dropped by 24%, the most of any West Coast state. Only Nevada and South Dakota saw an increase in overdose deaths, both by less than 4%. It's not entirely clear what's driving the decline, and experts are pointing to a range of factors. "Over the past, I'd say this calendar year, we have seen an increase in the people who are coming into our treatment system," said Ana Olvera, an administrator with Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services. "More people have accessed our treatment system than in years past, even coming out of COVID, which is a good sign for us," Olvera said. The increased availability of treatment programs and the overdose reversal drug naloxone were likely contributors to the decrease, she said, as well as reduced stigma about seeking treatment. Olvera also pointed to the passage of Proposition 36, which increased penalties for certain crimes. "Just from that — working with the courts and people who are eligible for this program that have a treatment-mandated felony — we have seen an increase of folks who are eligible and who come into our system of care," Olvera said. BHRS and other health care providers have increased their treatment options, Olvera said. The county's 24-hour substances-use-disorder hotline, which helps connect people with treatment, has seen higher call volume over the years, she said. "The call center is how most people access treatment in our substance use system," Olvera said. The average number of calls has increased from 908 in the 2018-2019 fiscal year to 1,272 in 2023-2024. From July 2024 to April of this year, there were 1,061 calls. There's no doubt overdose deaths are dropping, but exactly why is still a matter of conjecture. The Opioid Data Lab at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill tracks information related to opioids and its researchers have said there's no single explanation for such a steep, nationwide decline in overdose deaths. "Ascribing a single national explanation for the drop in overdoses is not grounded in data," the lab said in a February analysis. Even with the large decline in deaths, the mortality rate from drug overdoses remains high, with most states still recording death rates higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from the CDC and the California Department of Public Health shows overdose deaths peaking in 2023 before dropping sharply in 2024. According to CDPH, Kern County's opioid-related overdose deaths reached an all-time high of 321 in 2023. That was up from 308 in 2022 and 274 in 2021. As of April 30, Kern had seen 50 fentanyl-related deaths so far this year, according to KCSO.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Yahoo
KCSO seeks man missing since June 2024
The Kern County Sheriff's Office asked for the public's help Friday in finding a 43-year-old man last seen almost a year ago. A department news release said Steve Rodriguez was wearing a striped shirt, light blue jeans and black shoes when he was last seen by his family on June 23, 2024. It described him as Hispanic, standing 5 feet 11 inches and weighing 145 pounds with brown hair, black eyes. It said he has a "Vanessa" tattoo on his neck, one on his right arm that says "Julio" and one on his back with the name "Irma." Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asking to call KCSO at 661-861-3110 or the Secret Witness Line, 661-322-4040. The case reference number is 2024-00083044.
