Berkeley police have determined that De Martini was in the wrong in the collision with a Prius at 7:05 pm on Monday. De Martini was skateboarding in the street in violation of the California Vehicle Code, which requires skateboarders to use sidewalks if they are available. The CVC reads: “No pedestrian may walk upon any roadway outside of a business or residence district … Continue reading »]]>

Friends set up a shrine to the 18-year old skateboarder hit by a car on Marin Avenue. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel

Update 6:20 p.m. According to the Berkeley Police Department, Tyler De Martini died today at 4:10 p.m.

Berkeley police have determined that De Martini was in the wrong in the collision with a Prius at 7:05 pm on Monday. De Martini was skateboarding in the street in violation of the California Vehicle Code, which requires skateboarders to use sidewalks if they are available. The CVC reads: “No pedestrian may walk upon any roadway outside of a business or residence district otherwise than close to his or her left-hand edge of the roadway.”

Original story: The 18-year old skateboarder who was hit by a car Monday evening while traveling on Marin Avenue is still in grave condition, according to Berkeley police.

The youth, who lived in Berkeley but attended El Cerrito High School, was hit by a 54-year old man driving a Prius around 7:05 pm on Jan. 30. The driver was heading eastbound on Marin negotiating a  left hand/northbound turn onto Tulare when the two collided, according to Berkeley police. There was no alcohol involved in the collision and the driver was not charged.(...)

Read the rest of Skateboarder hit by car dies of injuries (115 words)

By Frances Dinkelspiel. | Permalink | 86 comments |
Post tags: skateboard accident, Tyler De Martini

A man was driving eastbound on Ashby near Harper Street around 3:10 pm when a red car pulled alongside him. Someone in that car fired shots and then sped south towards Oakland, according to Sgt. Mary Kusmiss of the Berkeley Police Department. The victim, who was not injured, drove east, away from the scene. Several bullets had been fired into his car.

Berkeley police … Continue reading »]]>

The shooting took place on Ashby near Harper in south Berkeley

Berkeley police are investigating a drive-by shooting that took place on Ashby Avenue on Jan. 2.

A man was driving eastbound on Ashby near Harper Street around 3:10 pm when a red car pulled alongside him. Someone in that car fired shots and then sped south towards Oakland, according to Sgt. Mary Kusmiss of the Berkeley Police Department. The victim, who was not injured, drove east, away from the scene. Several bullets had been fired into his car.

Berkeley police shut down a section of Ashby Avenue for about one hour to investigate the shooting. They also canvassed nearby neighborhoods, according to Sgt. Kusmiss.

The drive-by shooting came ten days after assailants shot two people on Sacramento Street near Woolsey. No suspects have been arrested for that crime. One of the victims remains hospitalized.

BPD is urging anyone who may know anything about this crime to call the BPD Homicide Detail at (510) 981-5741 or the 24-hour BPD non-emergency number of (510) 981-5900 and mention the crime when calling. If a community member wishes to remain anonymous, he/she is encouraged to call the Bay Area Crimes Stoppers (BACS) at (800)-222-TIPS (8477). Any information may be critical to solving this crime. Sometimes the smallest or seemingly insignificant detail can be the key to arresting the suspect or suspects in any crime.

By Frances Dinkelspiel. | Permalink | 5 comments |
Post tags: Berkeley crime, Berkeley drive-by shooting, Berkeley Police Department

In this partial list of recent crimes in Berkeley from Dec. 25-29, Sgt. Kusmiss also included a snapshot of what police have … Continue reading »]]> 2011 will wind down as one of the safest years in Berkeley. There was only one homicide this year — the March 8 slaying of Toby Eagle in the back yard of his Blake Street home — compared to five killings in 2010. This is lowest number of murders in Berkeley since 2001, according to Sgt. Mary Kusmiss.

In this partial list of recent crimes in Berkeley from Dec. 25-29, Sgt. Kusmiss also included a snapshot of what police have been doing, along with information on specific police calls. For other sources of information on crime in Berkeley see Community CrimeViewand Crimemapping.com.

Quick Facts - What BPD Officers are doing:

Between  Sunday, December 25, 2011 at 1:33 a.m. and Thursday, December 29 at 9:22 a.m., BPD officers were dispatched and handled 21 welfare checks of community members throughout the City of Berkeley.

Between Sunday, December 25, 2011 at 11:58 a.m. and Thursday, December 29 at 3:48 p.m., BPD officers made 26 pedestrian stops throughout the City of Berkeley.(...)

Read the rest of Police blotter: recent crime in Berkeley (742 words)

By Frances Dinkelspiel. | Permalink | 4 comments |
Post tags:

At its height, there were about 70 tents pitched at the park with a population of about 150 … Continue reading »]]>

Dan Stone packs up his tent at the Occupy Berkeley encampment in case they are removed from Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park in Berkeley, California, late Wednesday, December 21, 2011. Photo: David Yee

In the two months since Occupy Berkeley set up camp in Civic Center Park, Berkeley police have responded to 33 calls for service to the park, 24 of which were classified as crimes. The most serious of these included an attempted rape, a stabbing, and a few assaults. Police also issued 46 citations for smoking in a public space and drinking alcohol.

At its height, there were about 70 tents pitched at the park with a population of about 150 people.

Berkeley police released this partial list of activity at the Occupy Berkeley camp.

10/23/11 11:25 p.m. – Battery
Did not wish police services

10/24/11 11:11 a.m. – Assault with a Deadly Weapon (Felony) – a Stick, Brandishing, Threats, Battery
A victim from Occupy Berkeley to safety at the Public Safety Building after a known woman suspect living in a tent there attacked and threatened him, causing lacerations to the side of his face. The suspect accused the victim of stealing her money and then attacked him. The suspect allegedly scratched his face with her fingernails, pulled out a knife and chased him, trying to stab him, and then picked up a picket sign stick and beat him. She threatened to have the victim killed by her acquaintances from Oakland. There were people in the area/likely numerous witnesses in Occupy Berkeley at the time, but nobody would cooperate with BPD officers on scene.(...)

Read the rest of Police Blotter: Occupy Berkeley (1,479 words)

By Frances Dinkelspiel. | Permalink | 35 comments |
Post tags: Occupy Berkeley

Under the threat of eviction, protestors at Occupy Berkeley took down about 40 tents in Civic Center Park Wednesday night, preparing for the raid that never came.

As a 10 pm deadline to stop camping in the park loomed, many activists were packing up their gear and loading it up on trucks. Some had stashed their possessions in a safe place, but had returned to the park to confront the police if they showed … Continue reading »]]>

Craig Evans keeps watch as his wife sleeps in their tent. Photo: David Yee

By Frances Dinkelspiel and Judith Scherr

Under the threat of eviction, protestors at Occupy Berkeley took down about 40 tents in Civic Center Park Wednesday night, preparing for the raid that never came.

As a 10 pm deadline to stop camping in the park loomed, many activists were packing up their gear and loading it up on trucks. Some had stashed their possessions in a safe place, but had returned to the park to confront the police if they showed up. Soon, only about 29 out of about 70 tents remained.

“I’ve got my stuff packed but I’m not leaving,” a man who identified himself as Cincinnati said as the deadline loomed. “I’m going to take the streets.”

But the desire to confront police and stand ground was shared by only some of the 150 people who have made up Occupy Berkeley. Maxina Ventura, who has been staying in the park off and on with her children ever since it started two months ago, took down her tent on Wednesday. She said she could no longer stand behind the radical fringe of protestors who seemed determined to fight police at all costs.

“We had to make it clear we were not a front for those people,” said Ventura.

Berkeley police, acting on orders from interim City Manager Christine Daniel, handed out notices on Dec. 20 that the city would no longer look the other way during the park’s 10 pm to 6 am curfew.(...)

Read the rest of Despite eviction notice, no raid on Occupy Berkeley (1,107 words)

By guest. | Permalink | 18 comments |
Post tags: Christine Daniel, Jesse Arreguin, Kriss Worthington, Occupy Berkeley

This is a partial list of recent crimes in Berkeley based on information from the Berkeley Police Department and the UC Berkeley Police Department. For other sources of information on crime in Berkeley see Community CrimeView and Crimemapping.com.

Robbery, Shattuck Avenue and Center Street

On Saturday, December 3, at approximately midnight a robbery occurred at the corner of Shattuck and Center. The victim, a 21-year old male, was standing at a bus stop when a male came up behind him. The victim turned around … Continue reading »]]>

This is a partial list of recent crimes in Berkeley based on information from the Berkeley Police Department and the UC Berkeley Police Department. For other sources of information on crime in Berkeley see Community CrimeView and Crimemapping.com.

Robbery, Shattuck Avenue and Center Street

On Saturday, December 3, at approximately midnight a robbery occurred at the corner of Shattuck and Center. The victim, a 21-year old male, was standing at a bus stop when a male came up behind him. The victim turned around and the suspect demanded his wallet. Fearing for his safety, the victim gave the suspect the cash from his wallet.  The suspect fled on foot southbound on Shattuck. BPD officers detained a male matching the description of the suspect on Shattuck and Haste. The suspect was positively identified by the victim and taken into custody. The victim was not physically injured during the encounter.

The suspect arrested is described as John Hee Lee, an Asian male, 29 years of age. The UCPD site has a photo of the suspect.(...)

Read the rest of Police blotter: Recent crime in Berkeley (951 words)

By lance. | Permalink | 2 comments |
Post tags: Berkeley crime, Berkeley Police Department

“This is a quality of life issue and, as community leaders, we should  engage in a dialogue with media organizations to try to find some solutions,” Arreguin said.

Choppers are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration and there is therefore a limit to how … Continue reading »]]>

It's been a news-heavy few months in Berkeley recently with an unusually high number of media helicopters taking to the skies

The city government will consider taking action on the issue of the noise pollution caused by news helicopters with councilmember Jesse Arreguín (district 4) bringing an item to the consent calendar at Tuesday’s City Council meeting this week.

“This is a quality of life issue and, as community leaders, we should  engage in a dialogue with media organizations to try to find some solutions,” Arreguin said.

Choppers are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration and there is therefore a limit to how much Berkeley’s leaders can do to restrict their time in the air.

Because it’s been a news-heavy few months in Berkeley recently — with the Occupy Cal protests, a shooting on campus as well as a series of earthquakes —  media helicopters have been taking to the skies at a particularly high rate, causing angst among local residents.(...)

Read the rest of City looks to tackle noise issue from news helicopters (362 words)

By Tracey Taylor. | Permalink | 73 comments |
Post tags: Berkeley City Council, Federal Aviation Administration, Jesse Arreguin, KTVU, News helicopters, Noise pollution, Occupy Cal, Shooting at UC Berkeley

Now that police have rousted the Occupy Wall Street encampments in New York’s Zuccotti Park, and at the Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, it is more important than ever to maintain a physical … Continue reading »]]>

The mood at the new Occupy Cal encampment was calm Wednesday morning. Photos: Frances Dinkelspiel

A few dozen bleary eyed protestors who spent Tuesday night camped on the steps of Sproul Hall vowed Wednesday morning to stay in UC Berkeley’s main square as long as possible, even though UC Berkeley police announced numerous times Wednesday morning that the tent encampment was illegal.

Now that police have rousted the Occupy Wall Street encampments in New York’s Zuccotti Park, and at the Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, it is more important than ever to maintain a physical presence at Cal, some protesters argued. For that reason, many declined to go over to San Francisco today to join other Occupy protesters in picketing the offices of some of the UC Regents.(...)

Read the rest of After night of camping, weary Cal protesters settle in (359 words)

By Frances Dinkelspiel. | Permalink | 5 comments |
Post tags: Occupy Cal, Occupy Wall Street

But plans by protesters to demonstrate at a Regents’ meeting scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday this week at Mission Bay have been foiled, as the meeting has been rescheduled at the advice of law enforcement officials.

Meanwhile, the … Continue reading »]]>

Peaceful demonstrations at Occupy Cal on November 9th. Photo: Tracey Taylor

With the dismantling by police of the Occupy Oakland camp early this morning, the Occupy focus has shifted to UC Berkeley where students are preparing to hold a general strike on Tuesday. Reports suggest that Occupy Oakland protesters may march to Berkeley to join Occupy Cal demonstrations tomorrow too.

But plans by protesters to demonstrate at a Regents’ meeting scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday this week at Mission Bay have been foiled, as the meeting has been rescheduled at the advice of law enforcement officials.

Meanwhile, the violence used by police on November 9th continues to draw comment. Writing in the Huffington Post, cultural commentator Jesse Kornbluth points to reports that say several UC Berkeley faculty were assaulted in the clashes, as well as students. They included 70-year-old former Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Hass, and English Professors Celeste Langan and Geoffrey O’Brien.

Cal professor Robert Reich, who is delivering the Mario Savio Memorial Lecture tomorrow, has agreed to move its venue from the Pauley Ballroom to the Mario Savio Steps in Sproul Plaza at the request of the Occupy Cal General Assembly.(...)

Read the rest of After Oakland eviction, Occupy focus shifts to UC Berkeley (452 words)

By Tracey Taylor. | Permalink | 10 comments |
Post tags: Occupy Cal, Occupy Wall Street, UC Berkeley