OAKHURST – An accident on Highway 49 near Goldside Drive caused traffic backup for nearly an hour as the scene was cleared. Around 4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 7, Sean McMahon, 25, of North Fork was pulling out of a driveway on the east side of Highway 49, in a 1996 Jeep towing a trailer, preparing to head south.

BASS LAKE – An afternoon cruise to the mountains ended with major front end damage and a tow for two teens from Fresno. The young men were eastbound along the north shore of Bass Lake on the very winding Road 432, when they entered a tight curve at too high a rate of speed, according to CHP at the scene.

OAKHURST – Traffic was stopped in both directions on Highway 49 this evening while emergency personnel cleared a wreck just south of Griffin Lane. Colton Herold, 26, of Madera was southbound in a Ford F250 just after 9 p.m. on Friday, May 3, when he drove his truck off the right shoulder of the road, where it crashed into a ...

OAKHURST – Heavy Friday afternoon traffic and ill-advised turning in front of McDonalds led to another crash on Highway 41 this afternoon. At about 4:20 p.m. on Friday, May 3, Scott Hester of Oakhurst was northbound on Highway 41 in a 2012 Honda Civic, waiting in the center divide for a left turn into the McDonalds parking lot.

MADERA COUNTY – Sheriff’s deputies arrested an Oakhurst man last night, found to be in possession of potent prescription medication, marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Dominic Nathan Vanderhorst, 18, was taken into custody in a shopping center off Highway 49 after the Sheriff’s Office received reports of several juveniles loitering in the area just before 7 p.m.

MADERA COUNTY – The homicide case against Dustin Gran suffered a setback today according to Madera County District Attorney Michael R. Keitz. Gran is charged with first degree murder in the 2008 death of Krista Pike. The venue for the trial was changed to Stanislaus County by the Madera Superior Court in December 2011.

MADERA – Those who drink and drive this Saturday may come face to face with a CHP officer and the inside of a patrol car. The Madera Area of the California Highway Patrol will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License Checkpoint on Saturday, May 4, between the hours of 6 p.m. to 1 a.m., somewhere within the unincorporated area of Madera ...

MADERA COUNTY – Sheriff John Anderson has announced six significant personnel changes in the Sheriff’s Office. Six native sons, all familiar faces, were sworn in or promoted to new positions on Wednesday, May 1. Four men were sworn in as deputies, one deputy moved to the ranks of detective, and a mountain detective was promoted to rank of Sergeant.

COARSEGOLD – A woman suspected of driving while intoxicated drove off the road and through a fence yesterday just north of Yosemite Springs Parkway on Highway 41. Patricia Blauvelt, 45, of Fresno, was northbound on Highway 41 in a 1995 Toyota Camry at about 3:10 p.m. on Wednesday, Apr. 24, at what she later told CHP was 55-60 mph. Due ...

Sheriff Issues Credit Card Fraud Alert – MADERA COUNTY – Sheriff John Anderson is issuing a credit card fraud alert to all cell phone users. Sheriff Anderson was advised by local bank officials today who reported that at least two customers so far have received one of two text messages on their cell phones: “Visa Cards has been blocked,” or ...