The following is a press release from the Ukiah Police Department. The information has not been proven in a court of law and any individuals described should be presumed innocent until proven guilty:
On 09/05/2024 at approximately 6:40 pm, Ukiah Police Department (UPD) Officers were alerted by the Flock automated license plate recognition system that a reported stolen vehicle was traveling the streets of Ukiah. UPD Dispatch was able to verify that the Dodge Ram had been reported stolen to the Ukiah branch of the California Highway Patrol, and the vehicle was still at large.
A short time later a UPD Officer located the stolen Dodge Ram parked and unoccupied in the 700 block of South Oak Street in Ukiah. UPD Officers then observed a female enter the driver’s side of the stolen vehicle, and a male get into the passenger’s seat. UPD Officers performed a high-risk felony stop on the vehicle, and the two occupants were detained without incident.
After questioning, it was determined that the female subject had no knowledge that the vehicle was stolen and had not driven the Dodge Ram to the location. The female was later released with no charges. The male subject, who was identified as Ukiah transient Lorenzo Cruz, admitted to driving the vehicle to the location and claimed to have gotten the vehicle from a friend.
Numerous items of evidence were found inside the vehicle linking it to Cruz, including rounds of ammunition, one of which was located on Cruz’s person. Cruz was a convicted felon with a long history of firearms-related offenses, prohibiting him from possessing ammunition. Curz was also found in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Cruz was arrested and booked into the Mendocino County Jail for charges of 496d(a) PC- possession of a stolen vehicle, 30305(a)(1) PC- possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, 11377(a) H&S- possession of a controlled substance, and 11364(a) H&S- possession of drug paraphernalia. The stolen Dodge Ram was towed and stored so that it could be returned to its rightful owner.
As always, UPD’s mission is to make Ukiah as safe a place as possible, and we are grateful for the help and support that we receive from the community. If you would like to know more about crime in your neighborhood, you can sign up for telephone, cellphone, and email notifications by clicking the Nixle button on our website; www.ukiahpolice.com.
Ukiah is the new Lake County.
Without those Flock cameras no one would know this was a stolen vehicle.
I’m not one to judge books by their covers but I’m fairly certain that one look at Lorenzo Cruz would be enough to ascertain that he wasn’t the rightful owner of the pictured truck!
But yet you judge a book by its cover anyway….
I’ve only read reviews of this book. They’re not good reviews.
You’re might as well be illiterate if we are using this metaphor.
I realize metaphors can be complex and lead frustrated readers to judgement.
Truth-“slayer” is more like it