Yesterday afternoon an accident occurred in front of the Jackson Creek Plaza located just off of Hwy. 49. Apparently the driver of this green truck was pulling out of the parking lot in front of Longs Drug Store and attempting to turn left towards downtown Jackson. For an unknown reason the driver of the truck did not seen the red SUV that was headed south on Hwy. 49 out of Jackson. As a result the red SUV hit the green truck T-boning it and causing the truck to spin around and land up against the guardrail on the opposite side of the road. The Jackson Police Department and Jackson Fire responded to the accident.

 

At 9:55pm last night a single vehicle accident was reported on Shakeridge Rd near Hale Rd. The vehicle left the roadway hitting a tree and trapping a 17 year old male inside. The victim was extricated and transported to Sutter Amador Hospital with a laceration to his head.

Last night around 10:45 pm a structure fire behind locked gates at 7500 Lake Amador Drive was reported to emergency dispatchers. First responders reported that a large column of smoke and flames were visible from Hwy 88 upon their approach. The first two emergency personnel to arrive on scene were Amador County Sheriff’s Deputies who reported a fully involved structure engulfed in flames.

Tis the season to be generous and that is exactly what was happening as 40-50 motorcycles roared into Kit Carson, a Jackson area nursing home. Russ and Linda Knight, owners of The Knight’s Motorcycle shop in Plymouth, championed the drive and arrived with members of several clubs, two of which were the Messengers and Knight rides. All riders brought gift items to the residents of the home, bringing some additional cheer to the lives of the elderly.

 

The Amador County Public Health Department is sending a video message trying to help you stay that way- healthy, this holiday season. Because person-to-person spread can play a significant role in the spread of some illnesses, hand hygiene is a critical element of any outbreak prevention and control strategy.  During outbreaks of flu, and as a preventative measure, everyone is advised and reminded to wash their hands frequently to prevent the propagation of the illness.

Amador, Calaveras and Alpine County Taxpayers will pay an additional $12.8 million for the Highway 4 bypass around Angels Camp, a 27 percent price increase that just became widely known last week when state transportation officials began breaking the news to local planners. According to Charles Field, the Executive Director of the Amador County Transportation Commission, three fourths of this $12.8 million cost increase, or around 9.8 million dollars, will come out of tri-county shares of available State funds. This means, according to Field, that Amador as well as Calaveras and Alpine, will have to wait that much longer to get any funding for major State Highway widening or bypass projects. The earliest date of funds availability being 2012 or possibly even later.

Last night at the Jackson City Council meeting several important matters top the agenda beginning with a moment of silence for Jacob Strohm. Strohm was a former Amador Co. Supervisor and was involved with the founding of the Jackson Main St. Program and the Jackson Business Association.(1st clip) Next was  the swearing in and seating of incumbent City Councilman Andy Rodriguez and the newly elected Council Member Connie Gonsalves.Gonsalves formerly served on the Amador County Planning Commission.

A preliminary hearing was held before Judge David Richmond last Friday on the matter of murder charges facing Ione resident David Jackson.  Jackson is accused of murder, elder abuse and receiving stolen property in the murder of John Baker, 73 years old, of Ione.  During the preliminary hearing, Officer Garrett Henderson of the Ione Police Dept. testified that the body of Ione resident John Baker was discovered by his caretaker at about 4 pm. on 7/26.  Officer Henderson secured the scene and called the DA's Office for assistance. Officer Henderson testified that he had also spoke with the defendant's sister, who called police twice in the early morning hours of 7/26 to report that the defendant had called her claiming to have killed a 13 year old boy in a fight.  Officer Henderson contacted the defendant outside of his apartment a little after 1 am. on 7/26.

Weekend accidents kicked off with an accident on Tabeaud Road just east of East Clinton Road. Kevin Flock, 19 of Pioneer, was traveling east bound on Tabeaud Road at 45 mph when according to Officer Patrick Ong’s report, he attempted to negotiate a sharp blind curve located at the intersection of E. Clinton Road and Tabeaud. Ong notes that this intersection has a limited sight alignment of less than 100 feet. As Flock entered the curve, his speed was too fast according to Ong’s report, and the rear tires of his 1998 Nissan began to break traction on the roadway and as a result the vehicle began to spin in a clockwise motion. In an effort to control the spinning vehicle, Flock steered into the spin and accelerated. Thomas Caudell, 42 of Pine Grove was traveling westbound on Tabeaud Road at 25 mph approaching the same curve that Flock was trying to negotiate.

The Amador County Sheriff’s Office has released a press release on the pursuit and arrest of a wanted man. On November 28, 2006 the Amador County Sheriff's Office was involved in a high-speed pursuit of a stolen vehicle from the Pioneer area of Amador County to Wilseyville in Calaveras County.  As a result of that investigation the suspect was identified as Joseph Lee Wages a 24 year old transient from Amador County.  On December 4, 2006 the Amador County Sheriff’s Office obtained a warrant of arrest for Joseph Wages charging him with grand theft auto, felony evading, resisting arrest and threats against an executive officer, bail was set in the amount of $150,000.00 for his arrest.