FIREFIGHTERS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES IN MONTEREY COUNTY ARE BEING HONORED IN MARINA TONIGHT.    THE 12^TH ANNUAL FIREFIGHTER’S MEMORIAL SERVICE IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 5 P.M.     FIRE ENGINES WILL LEAVE MARINA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT AND HEAD WEST ON RESERVATION ROAD, THROUGH TO ST. JUDE’S CHURCH, WHERE A SMALL RECEPTION WILL BE HELD FOLLOWING THE PROCESSION.

A 5 YEAR OLD BOY IS IN A SAN JOSE I.C.U. WITH MAJOR HEAD TRAUMA DUE TO NEGLECT. YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, SOMEONE CALLED THE MARINA POLICE DEPARTMENT TO REPORT THAT A 5-YEAR-OLD WAS UNDER WATER AND ALLEGEDLY “PASSED OUT.”   THE BOY WAS FLOWN TO A SAN JOSE TRAUMA CENTER, AND DOCTORS TOLD MARINA POLICE HE HAD SEVERE HEAD TRAUMA DUE TO ABUSE AND NEGLECT. AN INVESTIGATION LED POLICE TO JULIAN CHRISTOPHER DIGGS OF MOSS LANDING, WHO WAS ARRESTED AT THE HOSPITAL AND TRANSPORTED TO MONTEREY COUNTY WHERE HE IS CURRENTLY BEING HELD ON CHARGES OF CHILD ENDANGERMENT, POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE AND VIOLATION OF PROBATION.

FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS YEAR, HOLLISTER POLICE HAVE PURSUED THE SAME MAN ON FOOT.    ON MONDAY, HOLLISTER POLICE ARRESTED 38 YEAR OLD MICHAEL SMITH FOR POSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE, RESISTING ARREST AS WELL AS A PAROLE VIOLATION.    AT APPROXIMATELY 10:00 P.M. A HOLLISTER POLICE OFFICER ATTEMPTED TO STOP A VEHICLE ON THE 1700 BLOCK OF AIRLINE HIGHWAY FOR A TRAFFIC VIOLATION.  THE SUSPECT DROVE INTO A BURGER KING PARKING LOT, THROUGH THE DRIVE-THRU EXIT AND THEN FLED HIS VEHICLE ON FOOT.    SMITH LED OFFICERS ACROSS A BUSY HIGHWAY AND THROUGH A DIRT LOT BEFORE RUNNING TO A  NEIGHBORHOOD PIZZA PLACES’ PARKING LOT, BECOMING EXHAUSTED AND GIVING UP.   SMITH WAS BOOKED INTO SAN BENITO COUNTY JAIL, AND IS CURRENTLY BEING HELD THERE WITHOUT BAIL.

A SHOOTING IN SEASIDE HAS LEFT MULTIPLE CARS DAMAGED. AT APPROXIMATELY 9:45 P.M. YESTERDAY SEASIDE POLICE OFFICERS RESPONDED TO THE 1700 BLOCK OF LUXTON STREET WITH REPORTS OF SHOTS FIRED. ONCE AT THE SCENE, OFFICERS DISCOVERED A PARKED CAR THAT HAD BEEN HIT BY GUNFIRE, AND IT WAS DETERMINED ANOTHER VEHICLE HAD ALSO BEEN HIT, BUT THE VICTIM WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AWAY AND FLEE THE AREA. NOBODY WAS REPORTED INJURED, AND THE INVESTIGATION IS CURRENTLY ONGOING.