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In This Issue...
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CRIMEBEAT
Soquel
Friday, Nov. 10
Child Molestation
and Sexual Battery
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff arrested Michael Jay Turner, 27, of Soquel on charges of child molestation and sexual battery. He was booked into the County Jail, with bail set at $450,000. The Sheriff’s Office said it started investigating Turner when deputies learned that Turner had videotaped himself inappropriately touching at least two prepubescent children whom he knew.
It was found that Turner had also videotaped himself touching an unconscious adult woman in a sexual way, according to police, and that he had maintained a hidden camera in a bathroom. Using the bathroom camera, he violated the privacy of several other people, according to the Sheriff’s Office which has recovered the video evidence of Turner’s acts.
Turner was guitarist for a Santa Cruz area heavy metal band Decrepit Birth until the announcement of his arrest. On Nov. 5, he was fired by band members. Band members expressed their dismay on the band's web site concerning Turner's alleged crimes, writing, “We are absolutely sickened at this. … We thought we knew Mike over the years. … We trusted him and he violated people very close to us.”
Because of the nature and frequency of Turner’s alleged transgressions, investigators believe there may be other victims whom they have not yet identified. Anyone with information on the case or about additional victims is asked to call the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office at 831-454-2311 or to leave information on the anonymous tip line at 831-454-2847.
Capitola
Friday, Nov. 10
10:35 p.m.
221 Esplanade
Domestic Dispute and DUI
Capitola Police officers responded to a call of a domestic disturbance in a car parked outside the Margaritaville Bar. Witnesses reported that what appeared to be a boyfriend and girlfriend were fighting. When the officers arrived, their vehicle was underway. Officers pulled the vehicle over and found the driver, Ronald Paulo, 41, to be under the influence. His blood alcohol reportedly exceeded 0.08 percent. He was arrested and taken to jail. In further questioning of Paulo and his companion, police found that Paulo had battered the woman. She had reportedly been sitting in the parked car when the fight took place. The police said Paulo pulled her out of the car and her upper body hit the driver’s door as she fell to the ground. Paulo was also charged with battery.
Aptos
Saturday, Nov. 11 â€" Friday, Nov. 17
A String of Vehicle Break-ins
The Sheriff responded to five separate incidents of vehicle break-ins in Aptos the week of Nov. 11-17. In each case, entry to the vehicle was gained by breaking a window. On Saturday, Nov. 11, a woman parked her car at 1743 Calypso Drive. When she returned, the passenger window had been smashed. The rock was still inside. On Monday, Nov. 13, two break-ins were reported: one at 2 p.m. at 7564 Soquel Drive, in which the driver’s side window was broken and a stereo taken, and one at 5:15 p.m. at 6500 Soquel Drive, in which again the driver’s side window was broken and an attempt was made but failed to remove the stereo. Thursday, Nov. 15, the resident at 931 Pinehurst Drive reported that someone had used a garage-door opener to access her garage. The suspect then reportedly smashed the vehicle’s rear window and stole a purse and wallet from the vehicle and other items from the garage. On Friday, Nov. 17, at 12:30 p.m. a fifth vehicle break-in was reported. This time the passenger window was broken and a purse stolen. No arrests have been made.
Capitola
Friday, Nov. 11
7 a.m.
1200 41st Avenue
Vehicle Burglary and
Theft Using a Credit Card
The Capitola Police responded to a report of a break-in of a vehicle parked outside Spa Fitness on 41st Avenue. The vehicle’s front passenger window was shattered, and the victim reported that various items were missing from inside the vehicle. Later that day, the victim notified police that her credit card had been used at the Shell station on 41st Avenue. No suspects have been arrested. The case has been forwarded to detectives for follow-up.
Capitola
Sunday, Nov. 12
12:30 a.m.
602 Gilroy Drive
Taser Used on DUI Suspect Resisting Arrest
Capitola Police used a Taser to arrest Paul Munster, 31, of Aptos after Munster resisted arrest. Police pulled Munster over while he was driving on Gilroy Drive early Sunday morning. The officer on duty, Officer Marquis Booth, suspected Munster was intoxicated and had him perform a series of field sobriety tests. The officer then tried to arrest Munster for driving under the influence but, according to Booth, Munster ran. The officer pursued Munster, catching up with him quickly. Munster turned, tried to hit Booth in the face, and then continued to run, police reported. Again Booth ran after Munster, finally catching up with him in front of 602 Gilroy Drive. When Munster clenched his fist and started to turn as if to strike Booth again, police said, the officer fired his Taser, hitting Munster on the shoulder and back. Munster fell to the ground. Booth reportedly ord-ered him to stay down, but when Munster tried to get up in defiance of the order, Booth hit him with the Taser a second time. Munster stopped resisting at that point, according to police, and was arrested for DUI, assault on a peace officer, and resisting arrest. The police took Munster to the hospital to gain medical clearance before booking him into the County Jail.
Capitola
Friday, Nov. 12
8:05 a.m.
109 San Jose Avenue
Man Asleep in Car
and Vehicle Vandalism
According to police, the owner of a Triumph returned to his parked car to find someone he didn’t know sound asleep inside. A Capitola Police officer was dispatched to investigate. The officer made contact with the man in the car, a La Selva resident who reportedly didn’t recall how he got there. The car cover had been damaged but, since there was no proof that the suspect had caused the damage, no arrest was made.
Capitola
Saturday, Nov. 13
2:06 p.m.
4100 Block of Gross Road
Possession of a
Stolen Shopping Cart
Capitola Police were dispatched to a mini-storage business on the report that a person refused to leave the premises. At the scene, police found Josip Zizak, 55, pushing a Longs Drugs shopping cart filled with used clothes and papers. Zizak was cited for possession of a stolen shopping cart.
Aptos
Wednesday, Nov. 15
10:01 a.m.
7171 Mesa Drive
Prowler
A suspect attempted to enter the home on Mesa Drive and was confronted by the home’s resident. The suspect reportedly fled and was then seen getting picked up by a second suspect in a silver sedan. Santa Cruz Sheriff’s deputies were called to the scene but neither suspect was intercepted.
Capitola
Thursday, Nov. 16
5:12 p.m.
1855 - 41st Avenue
Neglect of Parental Duties
A Capitola Police officer on foot patrol at the Capitola Mall was flagged down by one of the Mall security guards. The guard had found two young girls, ages four and six, unattended in the Mall food court. After half an hour of searching, the police reported locating the girls’ mother in a store about 150 feet away from the food court. No arrest was made, according to police, but the case was sent to the District Attorney’s office for potential prosecution on child neglect charges.
Capitola
Friday, Nov. 17
4:54 p.m.
4015 Capitola Road
Shoplifting and
False Identification
A Capitola Police officer was dispatched to Sears on Capitola Road on a report of shoplifting. The suspect, Job De Jesus Monobe, 22, of Santa Cruz reportedly had a number of the store’s clothes inside his backpack. Police also found wire cutters in the backpack, which Monobe was reportedly using to remove security sensors from the clothing. Jesus Monobe tried three times to give the officer false identification, said police, before finally providing his actual name. The officer arrested Monobe for shoplifting and for giving false identification to a peace officer. Police say they found 11 aliases that Jesus Monobe has used in the past, each with a different date of birth.
Watsonville
Friday, Nov. 17
3 p.m.
2 School Way
Theft of Vehicle and Other Property
A 52-year-old man reported the theft of a white 1988 Dodge Ram truck from the campus of the Monte Vista Christian School in Watsonville. The suspect apparently entered the unlocked truck and, on finding the keys inside, drove the vehicle away. The truck owner said that the truck contained construction tools and that the suspect also took an airless spray-painter and a weed-wacker from an open carport. No arrests have been made.
Capitola
Saturday, Nov. 18
10:48 a.m.
Hwy 1 and Park Avenue
Possession of a Marijuana
The Sheriff pulled over Thomas Hansman, 57, of Santa Cruz on Hwy. 1 at Park Avenue for a vehicle code violation. The subject was found to be on felony probation. Search of Hansman’s van turned up more than six pounds of bulk marijuana. Search also turned up a scale, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Hansman was cited, arrested and remains in custody at press time. The vehicle was stored.
Santa Cruz
Tuesday, Nov. 21
Controlled Burn
at Wilder Ranch
California State Parks conducted a controlled burn at Wilder Ranch in mid-November. Working over a period of three days the week of Nov. 13 and one day the next week, Parks officials burned a total of 110 acres.
“We plan on managing those areas as coastal grasslands,” said Chris Spohrer of State Parks. “That’s why we use fire.”
The area evolved with fire and grazing and according to Spohrer, without period burns the park lands would convert to coastal scrub. Spohrer expressed gratitude for the public’s support of the program.
“We really appreciate the community putting up with smoke for a few days,” he said.
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