THE MAN WHO LED SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES ON A HIGH SPEED CHASE THIS MORNING HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A WANTED SEX OFFENDER. AUTHORITIES SAID 33-YEAR-OLD CLARENCE ESTEEN JUNIOR, (PREVIOUSLY CONVICTED OF RAPE) WAS ALSO HIGH ON CRACK WHEN HE TRIED TO ELUDE AUTHORITIES. HE DROVE AT SPEEDS UP TO 110 MILES PER HOUR. THE CHASE STARTED ON WEST ALISAL STREET AND WEST BLANCO ROAD IN SALINAS AT 3:13 A.M., WHEN HE REFUSED TO PULL OVER. THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOUND ESTEEN WAS WANTED ON A NO-BAIL FELONY WARRANT FOR ALLEGEDLY BEING A PAROLEE AT LARGE, AND FAILING TO REGISTER AS A SEX OFFENDER. ESTEEN ABANDONED HIS VEHICLE AND RAN OFF INTO THE WOODS, WITH DEPUTIES IN CHASE. WHEN THEY CAUGHT UP WITH HIM, HE BECAME COMBATIVE, SO A TASER WAS USED TO FINALLY TAKE HIM INTO CUSTODY.

A MAN WAS FOUND GUILTY IN MONTEREY COUNTY, AFTER A 2-DAY JURY TRIAL. IGNACIO SAUCEDO WAS CONVICTED ON 1 COUNT OF MISDEMEANOR CRIMINAL THREATS. FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS SAUCEDO MADE NUMEROUS THREATS TO HIS EX-GIRLFRIEND. SHE REPORTED TO POLICE THAT IN ONE INSTANCE HE STATED HE WOULD USE A CHAINSAW TO CUT HER INTO PIECES. SAUCEDO WAS SENTENCED TO 3-YEARS PROBATION, AND 60 DAYS IN JAIL.

THIEVES FORCED THEIR WAY INTO THE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER IN DAVENPORT LATE MONDAY NIGHT OR EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. THE SUSPECTS CUT POWER TO THE BUILDING BEFORE ENTERING TO AVOID TRIGGERING MOTION DETECTOR LIGHTS. ONCE INSIDE, THEY STOLE ABOUT $1,400 WORTH OF ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT. A COPIER, FAX MACHINE, PRINTER AND TWO CD PLAYERS WERE REPORTED MISSING. CENTER EMPLOYEES ALSO DISCOVERED THE INTRUDERS HAD TAKEN A VARIETY OF FOOD ITEMS FROM A STORAGE ROOM.

A 20-YEAR-OLD WATSONVILLE WOMAN WAS CITED FOR HIT-AND-RUN AFTER A WITNESS SAW HER STRIKE A CAR AT THE CABRILLO COLLEGE CAMPUS LAST WEEK. BRIANNA HERNANDEZ DAMAGED THE REAR BUMPER AND A TAILLIGHT ON THE PARKED CAR WHEN SHE TRIED TO PULL INTO AN ADJACENT SPACE. A WITNESS WHO OBSERVED THE INCIDENT WROTE DOWN THE LICENSE PLATE NUMBER OF HERNANDEZ?S CAR AND OTHER DESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION AFTER WATCHING HER DRIVE AWAY WITHOUT STOPPING. WHEN CONTACTED BY POLICE HERNANDEZ REPORTEDLY ADMITTED TO HITTING THE CAR. SHE TOLD POLICE SHE DID NOT LEAVE A NOTE BECAUSE SHE WAS FRUSTRATED, AND WAS LATE FOR CLASS. SHE AGREED TO REIMBURSE THE OTHER VEHICLE OWNER FOR THE DAMAGES.