According to the Associated Press a former state prison guard from Mule Creek State Prison has plead guilty to smuggling methamphetamine into MCSP and delivering it to inmates, Sacramento County prosecutors said. John Charles Whittle, 47, a 22-year veteran of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, admitted taking methamphetamine to an inmate at Mule Creek State Prison. Internal affairs investigators said they intercepted a package mailed to Whittle’s home in the Sacramento suburb of Citrus Heights on Aug. 17.

The Jackson Fire Department volunteers remained busy in January with a total of 83 calls leaving the average number of calls fairly high for the New Year at 2.8 calls per day. Last year in January there were at total of 73 calls. Medical calls ranked highest on the call log with 58 calls or 69% of the calls received in January. Vehicle accidents followed far behind with 13% of the calls or 10 calls. There were 9 public assistance calls last month with fire related calls ranked at 6% or a total of 5 calls. Also in the month of January there was one hazardous materials calls. 18% of the 83 calls were calls volunteers responded to outside of the Jackson City limits. 

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Director Ruben Grijalva announced yesterday a new name for CDF…CAL FIRE. Assembly Bill 1423 went into effect January 1, 2007 allowing the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to be referred to as CAL FIRE where appropriate. "The formal name of our department hasn't changed," said Director Grijalva. "Over the last 100 years our mission has become increasingly complex and the length of our full department name reflects that. The use of CAL FIRE incorporates all aspects of our department -- Fire Protection, Resource Management, and the Office of the State Fire Marshal.”

On January 3, 2007 the Amador County Sheriff’s Office responded to Mission Electronics located at 11968 Hwy 88 in the Amador Plaza to the report of the theft of a 42” LCD flat screen television valued at $1950.00 from the loading area.  During the investigation, deputies obtained surveillance video of the area.  The video depicted a blue Ford Bronco as possibly being involved.  Law enforcement personnel in the area were provided this information and requested to be on the lookout for the vehicle. On January 19, 2007 at approximately 0930 hours, a deputy sheriff patrolling the Amador Ridge Shopping Center spotted a blue Ford Bronco matching the description of the one possibly involved in the theft.  Deputies detained the vehicle at the Safeway Gas Station located at 12110 Industrial Boulevard.  It was determined that the vehicle displayed license plates not issued for that vehicle.

The Sutter Creek Police Department recently released their crime statistics for the year 2006 and according to Sgt. Brian Klier of the Sutter Creek Police Dept. arrests were up dramatically in 2006, over 2005 numbers. In 2005 there was a total of 265 arrests in the Sutter Creek City limits. In 2006 that number jumped 63% to 431 arrests. Out of those arrests 34 of them were Felony arrests, a 31% increase above 2005’s 26 Felony arrests. Drunk driving arrests jumped an unprecedented 173% in 2006. In 2005 there were 11 Drunk Driving arrests while in 2006 there were 30. Unlicensed drivers were also on the rise with 121 arrests for driving with out a license in 2005 and 232 in 2006, causing a 92% increase. There were 90 Warrant arrests in 2006 causing a 100% jump over 2005’s 44.

Cold weather conditions combined with inattentiveness to the roadway continued to wreck havoc over the weekend. On Friday morning an accident occurred on Latrobe Road when Robert Liad 55 and of Sutter Creek was driving his 1995 Jeep northbound on Latrobe Road at about 35-40 miles per hours. According to Officer Mike LeMaster’s report Liad was attempting to use his cell phone and while looking down at his phone he inadvertently let the Jeep drift off the eastern edge of the road. Liad immediately turned hard to the left to bring the vehicle back onto the road and subsequently turned too far causing the Jeep to continue in a northwest direction across the southbound lane of Latrobe Road. The vehicle began to spin in a counter clock wise motion of the west roadway edge. The right side of the Jeep dug into he dirt shoulder causing it to roll onto its side and into a barbed wire fence. Liad was uninjured; however the accident is a reminder to pull over when distracted while driving- like when making cell phone calls.

John Wadsworth has been ordered to appear for felony sentencing at 10am this Wednesday morning. The ordeal began on September 19th when Amador High School was placed under lock down due to an angry parent who was thought to be armed and dangerous. Apparently 34 year old Wadsworth left his home in Ione when he learned that the Child Protective Services were questioning his children in regards to an Ione Police Department domestic violence case involving both their mother and Wadsworth.

Chief of Police Scott Morrison proudly introduced 3 new Reserve Police Officers to the Jackson City Council on Monday. Laurie Smith, Rachel Brager and 27 year CHP veteran John Kellogg joined the Department. Morrison also presented Kellogg with two resolutions from Assemblyman Alan Nakanishi and Senator Dave Cox’s Office for his 27years of dedicated service on the California Highway Patrol. Later under Administrative reports Morrison reported that due to Detective Chris Mynderup’s outstanding work the suspect who attacked School District employee Jeff Baxter is in custody. He also reported that the suspect is being investigated for several other crimes throughout the City of Jackson. Also good news, the couple responsible for an arson that occurred on Amador Street in April of 2006 could be facing conviction for their crimes. Carletta Johnson and Sean Rowell, on the night of April 30th, threw two incendiary devices at a home located on Amador Street causing the home to burst into flames and endanger the occupants within. Sean Rowell has been convicted of Arson with special circumstances with Explosive Devises, while Carletta Johnson was given a 3 year sentence upon her conviction of arson. Rowell will be appearing soon in Amador Superior Court for sentencing.

The totals are in for 2006 accidents in the Amador Unit of the California Highway Patrol and the numbers are up over 2005 numbers and interestingly enough, the same as 2004. 636 accidents were reported on Amador County Roadways in 2006, up from 582 reported in 2005. These numbers include only reports at the CHP, and exclude the cities of Ione, Jackson, Sutter Creek and Plymouth. Of the 648 accidents reported in 2006 350, or over half, were injury accidents.  March and April of 2006 saw the highest accident totals, generally, according to Public Information Officer Craig Harmon, due to inclement driving conditions because of the severe storms that impacted the county during those months.

What started as a minor mechanical fire ended in a blaze for a truck driver this last Sunday. The blaze occurred on Defender Grade Road in Pioneer around 3pm. The owner indicated he had a mechanical failure. The blaze started in the engine and quickly spread throughout the vehicle and then to some surrounding trees. Firefighters from the 10th Battalion responded and extinguished the blaze. The truck was completely destroyed in the fire. No one was reported as injured.