Month: June 2024

By Larry Judkins

Glenn County Observer

An Orland woman died Monday morning following a vehicle crash at County Roads M and 24.

The accident occurred at about 8 a.m. on June 24. The location was initially reported as Roads M and 21, but this was soon updated to M and 24.

Scanner broadcasts indicated that three vehicles were involved; however, both the CHP Traffic website and the Willows CHP’s media release say that only two vehicles were involved.

According to the California Highway Patrol, one of the vehicles was a 2016 Jeep Rubicon and the other was a 2004 Honda Accord.

The scanner also stated that there were three victims involved: two women and one child. If the information from the scanner is correct, then the CHP improperly withheld not just the child’s name, but all other information regarding him or her, including the fundamental fact that a child was involved.

In California, the identities of all accident victims are public information and cannot legally be kept secret by law enforcement agencies. Government entities can legally withhold the name of someone who was killed in an accident pending notification of next of kin, but once next of kin has been told, the government is obligated to release the information.

Unlike the CHP, the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office may have given the child’s name as an “Involved Party,” although this is by no means certain. The sheriff’s log for June 24 lists Alma Esly Bautista-Michel of Orland as the deceased; Jorge Eduardo Bautista (her son) of Orland as the next of kin; and Juan Leyva-Rodriguez of Orland as an “Involved Party.”

According to the CHP’s news release, at about 8:04 a.m. on Monday, June 24, a 46-year-old Orland woman (later identified by the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office as Alma Esly Bautista-Michel) was driving a Honda Accord east on County Road 24 at an unknown speed, approaching the stop sign at County Road M.

Sandy Barragan, 27, of Orland, was driving a Jeep Rubicon south on County Road M, approaching the intersection with Road 24. There is no stop sign for southbound vehicles on County Road M at Road 24.

CHP investigators believe that Alma Esly Bautista-Michel drove the Honda into the intersection as Sandy Barragan was approaching from the north in the Jeep. The front end of the Jeep collided with the driver’s side of the Honda, causing the Jeep to spin around in a counterclockwise direction and come to rest partially blocking the intersection.

The Honda was pushed in a southeasterly direction, causing it to spin around and come to rest facing west, just east of Road M.

According to scanner broadcasts, extrication, presumably for the occupant or occupants of the Honda, was necessary. A call-out for extra help from the Orland Fire Department was made, and two ground ambulances, as well as the FlightCare helicopter, were requested.

After the person was extricated, CPR began. Sometime later, FlightCare was cancelled and Alma Bautista-Michel was transported by ground ambulance to Glenn Medical Center in Willows, according to the sheriff’s log.

She was pronounced deceased at about 9:42 a.m., and a coroner’s investigation was initiated.

According to the CHP’s news release, the driver of the Jeep, Sandy Barragan, was transported with minor injuries to Enloe hospital in Chico.

Both drivers were wearing their seat belts at the time of the collision. It is unknown if the safety equipment for the child, if there was a child in one of the vehicles, was in use.

By Larry Judkins

Glenn County Observer

The Orland Police Department is asking for help from the public in identifying the suspect in the armed robbery of the Speedway convenience story on Hoff Way early Sunday morning.

At about 3:33 a.m. on Sunday, June 10, Orland police officers responded to a report of an armed robbery at the Speedway gas station and convenience store, 1185 Hoff Way.

Responding officers confirmed that a robbery had occurred.

The suspect is a middle-aged man who entered the store, brandished a handgun, and demanded money.

He fled the area in an unknown direction with an undisclosed amount of cash.

In its press release sent out late Thursday afternoon, the Orland Police Department included two photographs of the suspect, apparently taken from the convenience store’s security camera.

This reporter for The Observer notes that in one of the photos, the suspect is holding the handgun in his left hand, which strikes the reporter as slightly odd unless the suspect is left-handed.

Two calls were made late Friday morning to the Orland Police Department to ask whether it is a realistic possibility the suspect is indeed left-handed.

Unfortunately, neither call was answered by a living human being.

Anyone with information regarding the incident or suspect identity is asked to contact Officer Ryan Martindale, Case #24-0344, at the Orland Police Department, 530-865-1616.

Yes, these bee sculptures are killer! The bees are the work of local artist Jake Midgley and were created in recognition of Orland as the Queen Bee Capital of North America. The worker bee can be seen along the Highway 32 off-ramp of northbound Interstate 5, on the east side of the freeway, while the queen bee is alongside the Highway 32 off-ramp of southbound I-5, on the west side of the freeway. The bees, which have long been in the works, were finally placed on their pedestals on Tuesday, June 11. The queen bee measures about nine feet in length, while the worker bee is about six feet.

By Larry Judkins

Glenn County Observer

The name of the man whose body was found Thursday morning, June 6, in an Orland alley was released to The Observer on Tuesday, June 11.

The Glenn County Sheriff’s log gives his name as Nazario Salvador Vasquez of Orland. The Orland Police Department log gives his age as 81.

According to the sheriff’s office, at about 6:07 a.m. on June 6, Anthony Cortes Farjardo of Wasco, Kern County, contacted the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office to report an unresponsive man in the alley that runs from the Orland Car Wash, 7 Walker Street, south to Colusa Street.

An Orland police officer responded and confirmed Nazario Vasquez was deceased. Deputy Chavez responded and initiated a death investigation.

Deputy Chavez later contacted the decedent’s next of kin, Ana Cruz of Orland, and she was told of Vasquez’s death.

In a message accompanying a GoFundMe plea for financial help, a family member wrote, “We still don’t know why he died. He was perfectly fine before leaving the house.”

Since late November of 2022, Vasquez had numerous encounters (more than 20) with law enforcement, especially the Orland Police Department.

Most of these incidents were for alleged public intoxication, and many of them resulted in Vasquez being booked into the Glenn County Jail with $0.00 bail, to be released when sober.

It should be noted by all that excessive drinking of alcohol while exposed to very hot weather can lead to serious medical issues, such as heat stroke.

By Larry Judkins

Glenn County Observer

A body was found Thursday morning in an alleyway in Orland.

The report came in shortly before 6 a.m. on June 6.

The man’s body was located on the east side of the alley that runs from the Orland Car Wash south to Colusa Street.

The body was near the northeast corner of a small, trash- and weed-infested vacant lot. It may have been there for a day or more.

The body was first noticed by an area resident who could see it near the weeds.

The man was lying face-up. This reporter did not notice any obvious signs of foul play, and it is thought he may have died from a medical issue.

As of this time, the man’s identity has not been released, pending notification of next of kin. The person is reportedly known to the Glenn County law enforcement community.

The incident is being investigated by Officer Brandon Sutton of the Orland Police Department. The coroner’s case is being handled by the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office.

Watch The Observer for an update.