MADERA COUNTY – The Madera County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a Madera man, killed by gun fire late Sunday night. According to preliminary reports, Shaun Lafiet Foster, 34, and a 43-year-old unidentified Caucasian female, were sitting on a couch in a vacant lot near a home on Ellis Street.

OAKHURST – Sheriff John Anderson received a warm welcome as the featured speaker at this month’s meeting of the Mountain Democrats in Oakhurst. When the group gathered at the Sweetwater Steakhouse for a breakfast meeting on Saturday, Mar. 2, Anderson was there to talk about the challenges facing law enforcement in Madera County.

MADERA COUNTY – A San Jose resident was killed on Wednesday, Feb. 27, when the car he was driving was struck by a 2009 Dodge, driven by a resident of Oakhurst, according to the CHP. Charles Mark Hagood, 57, of Oakhurst, was eastbound on SR-152, just east of Road 7 at approximately 65 mph when, for unknown reasons, he allowed ...

COARSEGOLD – Residents of Indian Lakes who were headed home this evening were met with a virtual wall of law enforcement at Road 417, allowing in only those who live in the area. Both Road 417 and Lucky Lane near the Chukchansi Casino had CHP officers and sheriff’s deputies stationed at the entrances from Highway 41, showing a strong presence ...

MADERA COUNTY – A Fresno woman, convicted on Mar. 24, 1983 of first degree murder has been denied parole for at least the next three years, according to Madera County District Attorney Michael R. Keitz. Jackie Skeels, 53, was convicted of drowning her boyfriend’s 9-year-old son, Steven Brown, in the San Joaquin River on Aug. 23, 1982.

MADERA COUNTY – Even with the major reductions in staff and budget, the Madera County Sheriff’s Department reports that crime was down in most areas during 2012. Several staff positions were not funded in the current budget, and therefore the department lost two sergeants, one clerical position and 12 deputy sheriffs. These were in addition to three deputy positions eliminated ...

COARSEGOLD – Power was knocked out to a swath of homes along Road 400 near Yosemite Lakes Park on Saturday, Feb. 23, when a pickup crashed into two power poles. Tamara Gurgel, 50, of North Fork, was driving a Ford Ranger pickup north on Road 400 at what is presumed by CHP to be an unsafe speed. For unknown reasons, ...

MADERA – A Madera man is facing 59 years to life in state prison after being convicted of attempted murder. Carlos Gene Maldonado, 37, of Madera, was convicted on Feb. 14 by a Madera County jury of one felony count of attempted first degree murder, and three additional felony counts of assault with a firearm, according to District Attorney Michael ...

MADERA- Jessica Tancredi and Channa Hammond were sentenced to state prison yesterday for their attempted felony carjacking, according to Madera County District Attorney Michael R. Keitz.

OAKHURST – A three vehicle accident on Road 426, just west of Oakridge Drive near the Llama Ranch, slowed traffic and damaged all vehicles, but no one was seriously injured in the crash. At 12:35 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 22, a 2004 Lexus, driven by Amanda Keller, 21, of Simi Valley, was headed westbound toward Oakhurst when the driver lost ...