Category: kion-local-news

Jeanette Bent

CENTRAL COAST, Calif. (KION-TV) — PG&E prepared for high winds and wet weather ahead of the storms along the Central Coast Tuesday.

“The company is monitoring these weather systems and has positioned crews and resources to support the safe and swift response to any storm-related damage and restore power that may result from the forecasted heavy rain and strong winds,” announced PG&E Tuesday.

According to PG&E, 40 to 55-plus mph winds are continuing to slam the Central Coast Tuesday and could even grow to 50 or 60 mph winds in certain spots.

They also said that several inches of rain and heavy snow above 6,000 feet should be expected.

“After a brief pause Wednesday, a second storm will arrive Thursday and is expected to deliver wind, rain and high-elevation snow through Friday,” they continued.

“We are particularly mindful of high winds and saturated soil because of recent rains. We are monitoring to make sure no tree lines or debris gets into our lines and cause a power outage,” said Teresa Alvarado, Vice President for PG&E’s South Bay and Central Coast Region. “If it does, which we do expect, we have crews on standby ready to respond.”

PG&E set up an Operations Emergency Center at the Santa Cruz PG&E Yard Tuesday, where they monitored the extreme storm activity.

“The Santa Cruz and Monterey Mountains are expected to see the brunt of the storm with trees becoming a major hazard,” wrote PG&E in a statement Tuesday.

PG&E wants to make these storm preparation tips available to the public:

Never touch downed wires, instead, call 9-1-1 and then PG&E at 1-800-743-5002

Use generators safely

Use flashlights, not candles

Have a backup phone

Have fresh drinking water and ice

Secure your outside furniture

Turn off appliances

Safely clean up and please call 8-1-1 or visit 811express.com at least two full business days before digging to have all underground utilities safely marked

Jeanette Bent

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) — CHP Santa Cruz announced Tuesday afternoon that Highway 9 was fully closed just north of the junction with upper Highway 236 due to downed wires.

They reported that it has since been reopened.

Utility crews were dispatched to the scene Tuesday afternoon.

Austin Castro

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) — Darius Avery Whyte, one of the suspects in a Bolsa Knolls attempted murder from November, was in court Tuesday for a preliminary examination setting.

He has been scheduled for a readiness preliminary hearing calendar call on April 22 followed by a preliminary hearing on April 24.

Whyte and alleged accomplice, Devin Wolfgang Vandorhoef, were arrested at the end of November for a stabbing incident in Bolsa Knolls.

Preliminary hearing Tuesday for the Canadian suspects arrested in an attempted murder; DA’s office

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) — The preliminary hearings for attempted murder suspects Devin Wolfgang Vandorhoef and Darius Avery Whyte have been postponed to early February.

They were originally scheduled for Tuesday but prosecutors say the case has a “tremendous amount of discovery evidence” that they’d like to go through, so they’ve requested more time.

Vandorhoef and Whyte were arrested at the end of November for a stabbing incident in Bolsa Knolls.

Monterey County Sheriff’s Office arrest two Canadian suspects for attempted murder in Bolsa Knolls; Sheriff’s Office

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) — The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office announced that they’ve arrested two suspects, 25-year-olds Devin Wolfgang Vandorhoef and Darius Avery Whyte in connection with a stabbing that took place Sunday night on the 300 block of Bollenbacher Drive in the Bolsa Knolls.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, they received reports of a stabbing just before 10 p.m. Sunday, and upon arrival, found three people with stabbing injuries. All of the victims were transported to the hospital and treated for their wounds.

Monterey County Sheriff Detectives said that Vandorhoef and a female victim had previously met through a gaming platform and after a “year’s long obsession,” he flew from Canada (where he lives) to California.

Vandorhoef showed up at the home on Bollenbacher Drive, knocked on the door and said he was a delivery driver to a man who opened the door, according to the sheriff’s office. They also said that Vandorhoef was holding a package containing handcuffs, duct tape and knives. They said that they do not know how the items were intended on being used.

Deputies say that Vandorhoef forced himself inside and started to stab the man who opened the door. When the victim’s girlfriend tried to defend her boyfriend (the stabbing victim), she was also stabbed and strangled, according to the sheriffs.

During the struggle, deputies say that the suspect sustained multiple critical stab wounds.

The second suspect, Whyte, was initially contacted near the scene and claimed he had no knowledge of what happened, according to deputies.

The sheriff’s investigation showed that Whyte was an accomplice of Vandorhoef and had knowledge of Vandorhoef’s intentions. As a result, Whyte was arrested Monday morning on a flight at San Jose Mineta International Airport. Deputies say that the was headed back to Canada.

The sheriff’s office says that they are holding Vandorhoef on $4,150,000 bail and Whyte on $1,000,000 bail, both men charged with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit attempted murder, among other charges.