Police blocked off a section of Gallant Circle in Citrus Heights, following a shooting on Feb. 1, 2021. // CH Sentinel
By Mike Hazlip— Sirens and sounds of a helicopter could be heard near Sylvan Corners on Monday evening as police responded to a shooting in the area.
Citrus Heights Police Sgt. Eric Dias told The Sentinel in a phone call Monday night that officers responded to the 7600 block of Gallant Circle and found an adult male in his 50s who had been shot. The incident occurred shortly before 8 p.m.
Dias said officers provided first aid to the man until paramedics arrived. The man was then transported to a nearby hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Police said the initial call came in from a resident who said he had shot someone in his driveway. Both individuals involved knew each other, according to Dias.
“An altercation started in front of the house between these two people and ultimately ended with one person being shot by the other,” Dias said.
Dias said the reporting party was not in custody. Police scanner radio traffic during the incident indicated the man who fired shot(s) had a concealed carry permit for a firearm, but Dias could not confirm this or other details about the incident.
He said the investigation was in the early stages and stated more information would be released as it becomes available.
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A head-on collision behind Raley’s Tuesday night sent one man to jail and several people to the hospital, according to Citrus Heights police.
Updated Aug. 19, 3:12 p.m.–
A head-on vehicle collision on a residential side street behind Raley’s Tuesday night sent several people to the hospital and one man to jail on felony DUI and reckless driving charges, according to a Citrus Heights police sergeant on scene.
Sgt. Eric Dias said witness reports indicate the truck was driving recklessly and at “heavy speeds” while traveling south on Zenith Drive around 8:15 p.m., with the vehicle crashing head-on into a Chrysler PT Cruiser after trying to pass another car in the opposite lane of traffic.
Both vehicles sustained significant damage and Dias said the two occupants of the PT Cruiser were transported to a local hospital with unknown — but likely non-life-threatening — injuries. He said the driver of the truck refused medical treatment, but was later sent to the hospital prior to being booked in jail. The 36-year-old driver faces charges of felony reckless driving and “felony DUI causing injury,” the sergeant said.
Nearby resident Denee Cagle said she was out walking on Zenith Drive with her husband and 9-month-old daughter when she witnessed the collision after almost being hit by the truck. She said the Dodge Dakota pickup had begun speeding and swerving just prior to colliding head-on right in front of her. The truck flipped on its side, ending up in front of a home on Zenith Drive near Brimstone Drive after knocking down a mailbox and spraying debris in the driveway.
Cagle said she could have been walking right where the truck landed, had she not stopped to talk with a neighbor. She said the neighborhood has a history of drivers speeding “up and down the street” and advised others to stay alert while walking, “because you never know what’s coming up behind you.”
Crews responding to the scene had the debris cleaned up and vehicles towed off by about 9:30 p.m.
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Citrus Heights Police Sgt. Eric Dias stands next to a new 2015 Ford Interceptor SUV.
Updated June 29, 9:49 p.m.–
Citrus Heights police are rolling out a fleet of new 2015 patrol SUVs and will be auctioning off their 2006 patrol cars in favor of what officers say is a better-handling, faster, safer, and more “roomy” vehicle.
Although Citrus Heights residents have been seeing police SUVs in use around town since the end of 2013, Police Sgt. Eric Dias said the department had only purchased a limited number initially and had them retrofitted for K-9 or sergeant use only. He said the first patrol units hit the streets in June this year, with more to follow in the next few months.
Through a discounted rate, the SUVs cost about $28,200 for the base unit, with an additional $4,800 for additional equipment through Ford like a backup camera and blind-spot notification sensors. Dias said an additional $12,500 is put into the vehicle to install items like computers, radios and lights, bringing the total price to about $45,500.
In charge of managing Citrus Heights Police Department’s vehicle fleet, Sgt. Dias said the decision to go with SUVs rather than cars came after Ford discontinued its Crown Victoria Police Interceptor line in 2011. He said the automaker since released two “police package” vehicles, with its car version based on the Taurus platform and the SUV version based off the Explorer.
Dias called the Police Interceptor SUVs “essentially Ford Explorers,” except for a police package that includes upgraded electrical, cooling and braking systems, as well as contoured seats that accommodate officers’ waist gear.
The new SUVs are popular among officers and include several advantages over the discontinued Crown Victorias, such as all-wheel drive (AWD), standard bullet-stopping ballistic panels on side doors, larger storage space, and a more efficient 304-horsepower V6 engine, compared to the Crown Victoria’s 250-horsepower V8.
According to Sgt. Dias, License Plate Reader technology will also be featured on two of the new SUVs, bringing CHPD’s total up to six LPR-equipped vehicles. Dias said the department uses the camera technology “strictly for criminal vehicles,” like tracking stolen vehicles and high-risk probationers, rather than finding cars with expired tags.
Several Citrus Heights officers interviewed by The Sentinel all expressed a preference for the SUVs over the Crown Victorias, citing more space inside, AWD handling advantages, and various tech features the older “Crown Vics” don’t have.
“As it is, it’s an all-around better vehicle,” said Officer Anthony Boehle, commenting the SUVs were built and engineered as pursuit-rated vehicles by Ford. “It’s not a Porsche or Ferrari or anything else — however, in my 20 years, it’s probably the best police vehicle I’ve ever driven.”
Although the older model 2006 patrol cars are being rotated out this year, Sgt. Dias said residents will still see the department’s 2011 model Crown Victorias patrolling the streets for several years, due to CHPD purchasing about a dozen of the cars back in 2011 after hearing the cars would be discontinued.
Dias said the 2006 patrol cars are up for replacement due to increased maintenance costs as the vehicles put on miles over the years. He said the vehicles typically see a little over 100,000 miles of use before being replaced, and have a “vigorous maintenance program” that includes routine service and oil changes every 3,000 miles.
In addition to wear-and-tear from mileage, he said patrol vehicle life is also affected by extended idling – a practice he said officers get asked about all the time. Dias said police idle their vehicles for a variety of reasons, including protecting temperature-sensitive electronic equipment in the vehicle, as well as to compensate for battery draw from emergency and interior lights, computers, radios and charging units that are consistently on in the vehicle.
That idling also plays a role in the gas mileage averages of police vehicles.
“With the eight (SUVs) that we have on the street right now, we’re realizing a two mile per gallon increase,” said Dias — although clarifying that number might drop once the latest vehicles are used for patrol. He said the Crown Victorias averaged about nine miles per gallon, while the SUVs have so far seen about 10 to 12 miles per gallon with sergeant and K-9 use.
Dias said within three months, the older 2006 Crown Victorias will have all been replaced by the 2015 model SUVs. He said the department plans to keep the remaining 2011 model police cars on the streets until they are eventually rotated out and replaced with SUVs.
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Three juveniles were arrested early Wednesday morning after a witness’ husband detained them in the middle of the street following an alleged vehicle break-in, according to a press release from the Citrus Heights Police Department.
Stock photo, Citrus Heights Sentinel.
Police say the incident occurred around 2 a.m. on the 7300 block of Parkvale Way, where a neighbor observed the teens breaking into a vehicle. Officers found and arrested the suspects on Blackthorn Way and Tupelo Drive, where the witnesses’ husband had caught them.
Stolen electronics from the vehicle were discovered on one of the suspects, and the other two had property which police say appeared to be stolen — although ownership is still being investigated. Police say the witness was able to identify the suspects, who range in age from 15 to 17 years old.
The teens were arrested for possession of stolen property, conspiracy and possession of burglary tools.
The press release, sent by Sergeant Eric Dias, reminded owners to not leave valuables in their vehicles — especially in plain view.
