Kern County Sheriff's Office

Happy New Year! Here's to 2021!

On behalf of our KCSO family, Happy New Year's Eve! . Please bring in the new year responsibly. . #NYE #KCSO #KernCounty #HeresTo2021

Merry Christmas from all of us at the Sheriff's Office!

K-9 Hero is going undercover as a reindeer this Christmas Eve! Happy howlidays from the Kern County Sheriff's Office!

The Kern County Sheriff’s Office and the California Department of Justice have resolved a four-year investigation with a settlement that implements modest reforms. You can read more about the 59-page settlement here:

In Memoriam: Sheriff's Sergeant John E. McCave Sergeant McCave was a 20-year veteran. End of watch December 23, 1975, when he suffered a massive heart attack while on duty.

WATCH LIVE: Sheriff Donny Youngblood is holding a press conference with Kern County Board of Supervisors Chair Leticia Perez and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra regarding the California Department of Justice’s oversight efforts in Kern County.

Today, the Dreams and Hope For the Children program sponsored some of our Sheriff's Activities League families with gifts. It's part of their 9th Annual Christmas Gift of Love event . Thank you!

Advisory: Deputy-Involved Shooting On October 28, 2020, at about 2:47 pm, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office received a call of a victim of a shooting in the 900 block of Water Street in Bakersfield. It was also reported that the suspect was armed with a rifle and fled on foot in an easterly direction. At about 3:00 pm, a deputy arrived on scene and contacted the suspect in the 3100 block of Dartmouth St. The suspect walked away from the deputy, refusing verbal commands. As th...e deputy followed, the suspect brandished a firearm and fired at the deputy. An officer-involved shooting occurred. The suspect continued to flee, running westbound to Nelson St where he began shooting at the Sheriff’s helicopter whose pilots were coordinating ground personnel. A perimeter was established around the neighborhood while deputies and allied agencies attempted to relocate the suspect and evacuate residents. The suspect was located holding a semi-automatic weapon in the backyard of a residence in the 3000 block of Dartmouth St. A second officer-involved shooting occurred, resulting in the suspect being shot. The suspect was transported to a local area hospital for treatment. No deputies were injured. The original victim in the 900 block of Water St. was in stable condition following this incident. Homicide Detectives responded to the scene and assumed the investigation. Detectives were able to identify the suspect as Justin Esqueda (DOB 7/28/1990) while he was being treated at the hospital. Esqueda has been absentee booked on six counts of attempted murder of a peace officer, one count of felon in possession of a firearm, one count of felon in possession of ammunition, and one count of possession of a short-barreled rifle pending court proceedings. Three deputies were involved in the officer-involved shootings. They have all been placed on routine administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Anyone with information about this event is encouraged to contact the Kern County Sheriff’s Office at (661)861-3110.

Check out the winners of our Halloween Costume Contest! First prize : Rodriguez kids submitted by their mom, Nikki Rodriguez Second: Elijah Saldana submitted by Amber Cortez Third: Piper and Kaiden Connolly submitted by their mom Candice Klocke

#WhileYouWereSleeping... the Kern County Sheriff's Office was busy keeping our community safe. Here's what you missed over the weekend. On Friday, December 18, 2020, at 9:29 p.m., deputies responded to a gas station on Olive Drive for a robbery. Deputies discovered a male wearing a hooded sweatshirt had entered the store, brandished a firearm, and demanded money. When a customer entered the store, the suspect fled. The suspect was not located. There was not any loss to the s...tore and no one was injured. On Sunday, December 20, 2020 at 2:58 a.m., deputies were dispatched to Ray Street for a suicidal subject claiming they were armed with a handgun and threatening to hurt others. When deputies arrived, they saw an adult male standing outside. The adult male became combative with deputies. While deputies were struggling with the adult male, the suicidal subject exited the residence and left running. Deputies quickly confronted the subject, who was not found in possession of a firearm. No evidence of a firearm being discharged at the residence was located. On Sunday, December 20, 2020 at 11:56 a.m., deputies responded to Orange Street for a victim of a stabbing. The adult male victim was transported to a local hospital and is expected to survive. On Sunday, December 20, 2020 at approximately 7:45 p.m., deputies responded to Morning Drive for a found juvenile. The reporting party said they encountered a toddler running in the street. Deputies contacted the babysitter who said the child opened the unlocked front door and walked away. The child’s mother had gone to the store moments before, and was unaware of the situation. Deputies released the child to the mother.

Winners of our Halloween costume contest will be announced tomorrow (Friday) at 7:10am on Fox 58 and will be posted on our social media pages later in the morning.

In Memoriam: Search and Rescue Volunteer Richard O. Slates Richard Slates was a mechanical engineer at China Lake Naval Weapons Center and he volunteered with the Kern County Sheriff's Office, China Lake Mountain Search and Rescue Group. End of watch December 21, 1966, when he fell to his death while assisting park rangers with a search near the summit of Telescope Peak in Death Valley National Monument.

Just Huey, checkin’ out his helicopter. #nationalcatday #catsofinstagram #hueythecat #kerncountysheriffsoffice #airsupport

***UPDATE: Suspect was arrested last night in Whittier, CA, and will be booked into the LASO Jail.***

Thank you BELFOR Property Restoration for thinking of us on this #nationalfirstrespondersday

On December 17, 2020, the Kern County Sheriff's Office Critical Incident Review Board convened to consider the use of lethal force by Deputy Christopher Gonzalez, Detective Vidal Contreras and Deputy Miguel Orozco on October 28, 2020, which resulted in the death of Justin Esqueda. The Critical Incident Review Board consisted of Chief Deputy Larry McCurtain, Chief Deputy Damian Nord, and Acting Chief Deputy Avery Simpson. After reviewing all the facts involved in this case, th...e Critical Incident Review Board determined the force used by Deputy Christopher Gonzalez, Detective Vidal Contreras and Deputy Miguel Orozco in this incident was within departmental policy. All three Deputies have been returned to duty following the findings of the Critical Incident Review Board.

#WhileYouWereSleeping the Kern County Sheriff’s Office was busy keeping our community safe. Here’s what you missed overnight. At 3:20 a.m., deputies responded to a business on Rosedale Highway for a burglary alarm. When deputies arrived, they located a suspect in the fenced lot of the business looking through vehicles. When the suspect saw the deputies, he ran. Deputies chased the suspect for approximately a quarter mile. Deputies located the suspect hiding under a vehicle. The suspect surrendered without incident and was taken into custody.

Advisory: Suspect arrested for kidnapping On October 24, 2020, at 11:45 p.m., the Kern County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a vehicle accident at the corner of Airport Dr and Norris Rd. The reporting party said a male subject was attempting to take a child in one of the vehicles. Deputies arrived and found two males on the ground, with one male holding the other male down. Deputies detained the parties and determined that Quincy Dean (34 y/o) was driving his vehicl...e and following another vehicle in front of him. Dean crashed into the other vehicle at the intersection of Airport and Norris Rd, causing the other vehicle to pull over. When they pulled over, Dean exited his vehicle, ran up to the other vehicle and grabbed a 5-year-old female juvenile and attempted to pull her out of the back seat. The juveniles father pulled Dean away and held him on the ground until deputies arrived. Dean was unknown to the victim and her family. Dean was arrested for kidnapping and vandalism and booked into the Central Receiving Facility. The family in the vehicle he struck were uninjured.

This is your last chance to submit your kid’s costume photo/video for our contest - it ends tomorrow (Wednesday) at 4pm. The contest is for kids 12 and younger and is law enforcement themed. We look forward to seeing what your kiddos come up with!

Every year, we look forward to our Shop With a Cop event, where we take children from the Sheriff's Activities League shopping for presents. Due to COVID-19, we had to make a few adjustments this year. Introducing... 'Gift From a Cop'!

Today is #nationalfinancialcrimefighterday & around here Reserve Deputy Linkswiler is our financial crime fighting superhero. Not only does he handle the bulk of our financial crime investigations... he does it for free as a volunteer reserve deputy. #crimedoesntpay and sometimes #crimefightingdoesntpay #reservedeputy #superhero

Today, the U.S. Marshals Service honored three staff members from KCSO’s Lerdo Detention Facilities for their hard work and determination. Congratulations to Lieutenant Kevin Wright, Clerical Support Supervisor Emalea Saba, and Detention Senior Deputy Kelcy Pilkington. Great work!

PELLET B testing dates are right around the corner. If you're interested in becoming a deputy sheriff, this is step one. Any questions, please email [email protected]

Advisory: KCSO makes arrest in Ridgecrest for weapons On October 22, 2020, at 10:15 p.m., a Kern County Sheriff's Office deputy assigned to the Ridgecrest Substation made a traffic enforcement stop on a vehicle at the intersection of North Brown Road and Inyokern Road for a traffic violation. During the traffic stop the driver, CHARLES HOLMES was found to be in possession of narcotics paraphernalia and placed under arrest. While searching the vehicle deputies located a load...ed rifle, several high capacity magazines, body armor, and a hand grenade. HOLMES was discovered to be a convicted felon and was prohibited from possessing the firearm, ammunition, body armor, and hand grenade. The Kern County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad responded to the scene and disposed of the hand grenade. HOLMES was taken to the Mojave Jail and booked in on multiple weapons violations, narcotics violations and other violations. See more

To enter the costume contest, send your video to crimeprevention at kernsheriff dot org We can’t wait to see your kiddo’s costume!

This morning, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office and the Bakersfield Police Department, in partnership with High Desert Distributing, delivered 500 Christmas food baskets to families in need throughout our community. The baskets consisted of two large boxes of food, including a turkey, potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, fruits, canned goods, bread, drinks, and some presents to put under the Christmas tree. The families who received baskets were chosen through referrals made by de...puties and officers from both agencies. Deputies and officers also volunteered to deliver the baskets themselves. Staff members who made deliveries remained inside their vehicles, and volunteers loaded their patrol cars to allow for contactless deliveries. We are honored to give back to our community every day, but there’s just something special about paying it forward during the holidays. Thank you, Kern County, for your overwhelming generosity and for making this event a success every year.

Each year the Kern County Sheriff's Office participates in the DEA’s Drug Take Back Day where members of the public can turn in unused or expired medications. Unfortunately, this year we aren’t able to participate. BUT that shouldn’t stop you from turning in those old meds. There are many locations around Kern County to drop off unused medications. Check out this flyer for more information.

In Memoriam: Search and Rescue Volunteer Charles J. Banning End of watch October 23, 1974, while engaged as a diver recovering a vehicle and drowning victim from a canal in the Delano area.

On December 15, 2020, a Kern County Sheriff's Office patrol deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle on Seventh Standard Road at Galpin Street, in Bakersfield, for a traffic violation. During the traffic stop, a Sheriff's Office K-9 alerted on the vehicle. The deputies located and seized approximately 15lbs of methamphetamine (estimated street value of $136,000.00) and one kilogram of cocaine (estimated street value of $80,000.00). Martin Vergara-Villalobos (32) and Jose Vegara-Villalobos (46) were arrested and booked into the Kern County Sheriff's Office Jail for conspiracy, transportation of methamphetamine and cocaine, sales of methamphetamine and cocaine, and a traffic infraction pending court proceedings.

****UPDATE: Suspect was arrested 12/17/20 in Whittier, CA and will be booked into the LASO Jail.**** KCSO Searching for Attempted Murder Suspect On December 15, 2020, at approximately 8:44 p.m., Kern Valley Substation deputies responded to a residence in the area of Elk Street and Park Way in Bodfish, California, regarding an assault with a deadly weapon. Upon arrival, deputies contacted a 57-year-old female victim who stated Phillip Martinez assaulted her with a metal pipe. ...The victim sustained major injuries and was airlifted to a Kern County hospital for treatment. The victim is in stable condition and is expected to survive her injuries. Martinez fled the residence prior to the deputies’ arrival, and his whereabouts are unknown at this time. A felony warrant was issued for Martinez’s arrest for attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, battery causing serious bodily injury, and criminal threats. This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with additional information regarding this incident is requested to contact the Kern County Sheriff’s Office at 661-861-3110 or Secret Witness at 661-322-4040.

KCSO Investigating Deadly Collision in Wasco On December 15, 2020, at approximately 8:19 p.m., Wasco Substation deputies were dispatched to the area of Highway 46 and North Leonard Avenue for an injury traffic collision. Upon arrival, deputies learned two vehicles were involved in a head-on collision. The adult male driver of one of the vehicles was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver's adult female passenger was transported via ambulance to a local hospital with mod...erate injuries. Deputies determined the 61-year-old female driver of the other vehicle, Margaret Fladhammer of Oceano, California, was driving under the influence. Fladhammer sustained only minor injuries. Fladhammer was arrested and booked into the Central Receiving Facility for driving while under the influence of drugs resulting in bodily injury, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of paraphernalia. Anyone with additional information regarding this incident (2020-00172732) is requested to contact the Kern County Sheriff’s Office at (661) 861-3110 or Secret Witness at (661) 322-4040.

We love the communities that we serve, and today, some of that love was returned. Thank you Jennie for dropping by with some homemade cookies! Jennie brings us sweets every year during the holidays, and we are so very grateful.

KCSO arrests man in Wasco for weapons violations: On December 12, 2020, at 11:30 p.m., a Wasco Substation Deputy conducted a traffic enforcement stop on a red Honda sedan in the area of E Street and Highway 46. Deputies contacted the driver, Mario Pacheco, 20 years old, and an unknown Hispanic male passenger. During the investigation, Pacheco fled from Deputies in his vehicle. After a short pursuit, Pacheco yielded to Deputies in the area of Annin Avenue and Rose Street. De...puties found the right front passenger had fled Pacheco’s vehicle. The passenger was not located. A loaded .40 caliber handgun was found to have been discarded from Pacheco’s vehicle near the Wasco Gas convenience store. Pacheco was arrested and transported to the Central Receiving Facility where he was booked for multiple weapons violations and delaying an investigation.

On Saturday, December 12, 2020, at approximately 6:11 p.m., Deputies from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a residence in the 14500 block of Caliente Creek Road in Twin Oaks, for a reported victim of a shooting. When Deputies arrived, the adults at the residence were rendering aid and performing CPR on the victim, who was suffering from a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Medical personnel arrived, took over life-saving measures, however, the victim succumbed t...o their injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene. Homicide Detectives responded and assumed the investigation. All the individuals present at the residence at the time of the shooting remained at the scene and were cooperative throughout the investigation. The individual who was identified to have been involved in the physical altercation leading up to the shooting was detained and interviewed by detectives. Based on the investigation, interviews conducted with the subject involved in the shooting, and the witnesses who saw the shooting, the subject detained was released pending further investigation. The investigation will be sent to the Kern County District Attorney’s Office for review. The identity of the victim will be withheld pending notification by the Coroner’s Office. Anyone with information about the homicide is urged to contact the Sheriff’s Office at (661)861-3110 or Secret Witness at (661)322-4040.

HOLIDAY HOURS: The Kern County Sheriff’s Office is always open, but the holiday season will impact hours for some public services. The County of Kern will be observing a period of winter recess which includes all non-holiday business days between Christmas and New Year, specifically December 28th, 29th, and 30th. While we will be available to respond to calls for service, many of our lobbies/counters will be closed to the public.

The Kern County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the two men seen in this video. On Saturday, December 12, 2020 at 2:35 p.m., two black adult males approached a residence in the 2000 block of Terrace Way and rang the doorbell. An elderly couple, both attached to oxygen machines, was home at the time. After there was no answer at the door, the two males approached the side door to the residence and kicked it several times, breaking the door.... The elderly female homeowner watching this from the bedroom, called 911. One of the suspects partially enters the bedroom through the broken door. At this point, the suspect hears or sees the elderly woman, and flees the scene. A neighbor reported seeing three black males leaving the residence in a dark-colored SUV. Anyone with information is urged to contact KCSO at (661) 861-3110 or the Secret Witness Hotline at (661) 322-4040.

We’ve teamed up with Carnicería La Carreta to give local children a Christmas they deserve! All donations will be added to our Christmas baskets that local law enforcement personnel will distribute to families in need. New, unwrapped toys for all ages can be dropped off at both Carnicería La Carreta locations through tomorrow, December 12th. ... 3015 Calloway Drive #16 Bakersfield, CA 93312 5792 Stine Road Bakersfield, CA 93313 Thank you Kern County!

On December 10, 2020, the Kern County Sheriff's Office Critical Incident Review Board convened to consider the use of lethal force by Deputy Philippe Tampinco on November 10, 2020, which resulted in the death of Daniel David Reyes. The Critical Incident Review Board consisted of Chief Deputy Larry McCurtain, Chief Deputy Damian Nord, and Acting Chief Deputy Avery Simpson. After reviewing all the facts involved in this case, the Critical Incident Review Board determined the fo...rce used by Deputy Tampinco in this incident was within departmental policy. Deputy Tampinco has been returned to duty following the findings of the Critical Incident Review Board.

On December 7, 2020, at 11:43 p.m., Wasco Substation deputies were dispatched to the Circle K at 1395 Palm Avenue for a brandishing of a handgun investigation. When deputies arrived, they discovered the suspects had driven by the victim and brandished a firearm while threatening the victim. The suspects fled the area in a silver Honda van. Deputies located a similar vehicle driving in the area of D Street and 4th Street in Wasco and initiated a traffic stop. When the vehi...cle stopped, the front passenger exited and fled on foot. The remaining occupants were detained. The suspect that fled on foot was not located. During a search of the suspects, a 25-caliber handgun was located on one of the male juveniles. The 3 occupants of the vehicle, two 15-year-old male juveniles and one 16-year-old female juvenile, all from Wasco, were arrested for carrying a loaded firearm, criminal threats, brandishing a handgun, conspiracy, and participation in a criminal street gang.

On Tuesday, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Air Support Unit responded to the Kern Canyon to attempt to locate a missing person and his vehicle. The air unit located the missing vehicle over the side of Hwy 178. They landed along the riverbank and confirmed the missing person was with the vehicle and was deceased, along with a dog. The California Highway Patrol and KCSO Search and Rescue responded and recovered the missing person and his vehicle. This incident is being investigated by the California Highway Patrol. Please use extreme caution when traveling our county roadways.

The Kern County Sheriff's Office continues to encourage the community to voluntarily follow the guidelines set by the California Department of Public Health. If you are out in public, it is important to protect yourself by wearing a mask and social distancing. We trust in the community to take precautions as appropriate.

Today at noon, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services will issue a region-wide emergency alert, asking residents to stay home except for essential activities. The following alert will be sent via text message through the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system to cell phone users across Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley: New public health stay at home order in your area. COVID-19 is spreading rapidly. Stay home except for essential activity. Wear a mask. Ke...ep your distance. Visit covid19.ca.gov ***This message is informational only, and individuals who receive wireless alerts should not contact law enforcement or call 9-1-1.*** The geographically-targeted text messages will be sent to residents in the San Joaquin Valley Counties of: Calaveras, Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, San Benito, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tulare, and Tuolumne.

Due to the Governor’s stay at home order being implemented in our region, all public visitation at the Lerdo and CRF Jail Facilities has been suspended until further notice, starting Sunday 12/6/20.

The holiday season is always a special time of year. It's also a time when many people fall victim to theft and other holiday crime. As a community, we can never be too careful, too prepared or too aware. The Kern County Sheriff's Office wishes you a safe, happy and peaceful holiday season. #CrimePrevention #HappyHolidays #KCSO #HolidaySafety

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Officer Andy Ornelas and @chpantelopevalley. Officer Ornelas is survived by his wife, mother, father, brother, and sister. Officer Ornelas was a member of the Department for four years.

If you're interested in a career in law enforcement, the very first step is taking and passing the PELLET B examination. If you have any questions, please email [email protected]

On Tuesday, December 1, 2020 at 7:59 a.m., the Kern County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a dead body near Corn Camp Road and CA-58 in Buttonwillow. When deputies arrived, they discovered a deceased male. Homicide detectives are now investigating the suspicious death.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Kern County Sheriff's Office!

The Kern County Sheriff’s Office is currently searching for Keith Lamont Bryant. He is wanted for attempted murder and spousal abuse from an incident which occurred on 11/21/2020 in Mojave, CA. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to contact the Sheriff’s Office at (661)861-3110 or the Secret Witness line at (661)322-4040.

Internet safety is more important than ever. That's why our Crime Prevention Unit offers free presentations to educate and inform our community on how to stay safe.

The Kern County Sheriff’s Office is aware of the Governor’s new limited stay-at-home order that is set to go into effect on Saturday, November 21, at 10 p.m. The Sheriff’s Office encourages the community to voluntarily follow the guidelines set by the California Department of Public Health. If you are out in public, it is important to protect yourself by wearing a mask and social distancing. While it has always been our policy to encourage this responsible behavior, the Kern ...County Sheriff’s Office will not be enforcing the 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew. Deputies will not respond to calls for service that are based solely on non-compliance with the COVID-19 guidelines. We will continue to address reports of criminal activity related to public safety and our Kern County citizens. We trust in the community to take precautions as appropriate.

On November 18, 2020, the Kern County Sheriff's Office Critical Incident Review Board convened to consider the use of lethal force by Deputy Jason Ayala on October 3, 2020, which resulted in the death of Mickel Lewis. The Critical Incident Review Board consisted of Chief Deputy Damian Nord, Chief Deputy Larry McCurtain, and Acting Chief Deputy Avery Simpson. After reviewing all the facts involved in this case, the Critical Incident Review Board determined the force used by De...puty Ayala in this incident was within departmental policy. Deputy Ayala has been returned to duty following the findings of the Critical Incident Review Board.

ADVISORY: KCSO Investigating Double Homicide On November 18, 2020, at about 5:50 pm, Kern County Sheriff’s Office Deputies were dispatched to a reported shooting with multiple victims in the intersection of Niles Street and Fairfax Road. When deputies arrived, they located evidence of a shooting, and two victims suffering major injuries inside a nearby vehicle. Deputies and medical personnel quickly attempted lifesaving measures, however, one of the shooting victims was prono...unced deceased at the scene. The second victim was treated and transported to an area hospital, however, succumbed to their injuries prior to arriving at the hospital and was pronounced deceased. Homicide Detectives responded and assumed the investigation. Numerous witnesses reported seeing a male subject shooting multiple times into the victim’s vehicle before reoccupying the suspect vehicle and fleeing the area. The investigation is ongoing. The identity of the victims will be withheld pending notification by the Coroner’s Office. Anyone with information about the homicide is urged to contact the Sheriff’s Office at (661) 861-3110 or the Secret Witness hotline at (661) 322-4040.

Today, our Communitywide Advisory Council toured KCSO headquarters to learn more about the department. Back in October, we announced the council in collaboration with MLK CommUNITY Initiative. We hope this council will help bring the community’s concerns to the table and strengthen relationships between local law enforcement and the communities we serve. The Sheriff’s Office believes the Communitywide Advisory Council will assist in achieving our goal of being the premiere law enforcement agency in the nation.

Meet our new PIO, Danielle Kernkamp! The Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer is responsible for the release of information to the public and media. Danielle will serve as the main point of contact for the media and handle daily inquiries from the news media, initiate news releases on developing events, and provide interviews for news reporters. She will respond to major events to relieve incident commanders of the responsibility of dealing with the media so they can focus on the situation before them. Please join us in welcoming her to the KCSO team!

The Kern County Sheriff’s Office would like to warn the public about a phone scam targeting residents in the area. A person claiming to be with the Kern County Sheriff’s Office calls and/or leaves a voicemail regarding a missed court date, saying a warrant will be issued if the victim does not return their call. They leave a callback number with a recording that says it is the Sheriff’s Office, even using names of actual employees of KCSO. This is a scam. Anyone who receives ...a call from an unknown person requesting money should research the matter prior to providing any funds or personal information. You can do this by locating the organization’s telephone number online and contacting them directly. When you take a phone call you suspect to be a scam, you can ask the caller for their name, employee identification number and callback number as well as a reference number for the matter they are calling about. This information can be used to contact the organization directly to determine the validity of the request. If you receive suspicious telephone calls that you believe to be a scam, you are urged to contact the Kern County Sheriff's Office communication center at (661) 861-3110, or your local law enforcement agency, to report the incident.

ADVISORY: Man Arrested After Pursuit in South Bakersfield On November 16, 2020, just before 7 a.m., KCSO deputies were flagged down by a citizen near the Motel 6 located at 8223 E. Brundage Lane. After speaking with the citizen, deputies determined an armed robbery had occurred. A white 2006 Ford Cargo Van, with an attached trailer, was stolen during the incident. The victim said the trailer had approximately $30,000 worth of items on it, and one of the suspects brandished a ...handgun during the incident. Four suspects were involved in the robbery and vehicle theft. Later that same day at 6:12 p.m., a citizen reported two males occupying a white van brandished a handgun at him near the intersection of S. Union Avenue and Wilson Road. Deputies were dispatched to the area. Upon arrival, deputies saw the white van and initiated a traffic stop. The driver refused to stop and led deputies on a short pursuit. The van came to a stop after colliding into a street sign near the intersection of Rodney Street and Ethrum Avenue. Both suspects fled on foot. After a search of the area, one of the suspects, identified as 30-year-old Bobby Wright, was arrested. The second suspect was not located, and no firearm was found. Deputies identified the van as the same one that was stolen during the armed robbery earlier in the morning. During a search of the van, stolen property belonging to the victims of the robbery was found in the van. The stolen trailer was located at a nearby residence. The suspect, Bobby Wright, was booked into CRF for felony possession of a stolen vehicle and three felony warrants. Deputies are conducting follow-up investigation into the armed robbery to determine if Wright was involved. The second suspect who fled from the van is still outstanding and deputies are working to identify him. The investigation is on-going. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Kern County Sheriff's Office at 661-861-3110 or Secret Witness at 661-322-4040.

KCSO Investigating Shooting on Niles St. On November 14, 2020 just before midnight, the Kern County Sheriff's Office responded to Stella’s Sand Trap in the 3100 block of Niles Street for reports of a shooting. When deputies arrived, they found a male victim with a gunshot wound to his abdomen. He was transported to a local hospital and is currently in stable condition. Through the investigation, deputies learned the victim and the suspect were involved in an argument in the parking lot of Stella’s Sand Trap. The suspect shot the victim at the scene and fled before deputies arrived. No suspect information is available at this time. If you know anything about this, contact KCSO at 861-3110 or the Secret Witness hotline at 322-4040.

In Memoriam: Sheriff's Sergeant Clayton H. Yearick End of watch November 15, 1949, in a plane crash. Sergeant Yearick was en route to Trona to search for escapees from the Kern County Jail.

In Memoriam: Sheriff's Deputy William "Joe" Hudnall Deputy Hudnall was a 9-year veteran. End of watch November 14, 2006, as a result of a traffic accident while transporting a prisoner from the Kern Valley area to the Central Recieving Facility in Bakersfield.

#flashbackfriday It’s as true today as it was a year ago. ************************ When you're trying to work and your partner has the "Friday feels!" #finallyfriday #KCSO

In Memoriam: Sheriff's Citizen Service Unit Volunteer Arthur Freier End of watch, November 11, 1995, after a passing motorist hit him while he placed fares at the scene of a major traffic accident in Mountain Mesa.

Advisory: Suspect arrested for stealing $6,000 worth of pomegranates. On November 2, 2020, Kern County Sheriff’s Office Rural Crime Investigation Unit detectives responded to the area of 25th Avenue and Twisselman Road regarding a theft of pomegranates. Detectives located a truck parked on the side of the road that had a tarp covering the bed of the truck. After removing the tarp, detectives saw the entire bed of the truck was full of pomegranates. Ermelindo Garcia, age 55, f...rom Kettleman City, California was located near the truck. During the investigation, it was determined Garcia stole the pomegranates from a nearby farm. The pomegranates were valued at approximately $6,000. Garcia was arrested and booked into jail for violation for PC 487(B)(1)(A), Grand Theft of Fruit, and HS 11377(a), possession of a controlled substance. During the last month, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Rural Crime Investigation Unit and North Area Substation has made three additional arrests related to theft of pomegranates from farms in Kern County. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to call the Kern County Sheriff’s Office at 661-861-3110 or the Secret Witness Line at 661-322-4040.

In Memoriam: Tehachapi Constable Thomas H. Godwin End of watch October 22, 1876, after being shot in a Tehachapi business.

Advisory: KCSO assists Kern County Probation with arrest On October 20, 2020, the Kern County Probation Department conducted a probation search at a residence in the 10500-block of Enger St. They located Nicholas Grisso (35 y/o) at the residence in possession of illegal gaming equipment and other items. Deputies with the Kern County Sheriff's Office responded and assisted probation with a search of the residence. Deputies located five false unemployement cards, two note books containing various names and social security numbers for people unrelated to Grisso, ammunition, methamphetmaine, heroin and two illegal gaming machines. Grisso was booked into CRF for a probation violation and multiple open charges.

Advisory: KCSO seeking assistance in locating a suspect wanted for vehicle theft and escape On 10/19/2020, at 8:30 p.m., Charles Wilson was arrested for vehicle theft, possession of a stolen vehicle and burglary in the 3100 block of Edison Hwy in Bakersfield. Once Wilson was arrested and placed in the rear of a patrol car, Wilson was able to break out of the patrol car and flee on foot. He has not been located. An arrest warrant has been issued for his arrest. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Kern County Sheriff’s Office at 661-861-3110 or Secret Witness at 661-322-4040.