Police/Fire


Hard losing your best friend when you’re 21

(Editor’s Note: Hayfork is about as far as one can go from Escondido and remain in California, a distance of approximately 700 miles. Yet, two Escondido men were caught up in a recent incident resulting in the death of one. Jason Paul Brady, 40, who attended Orange Glen High School, immediately confessed to police to the April 4 murder of Amanda Patton, 21, and James…


Grand theft package, San Marcos: Sheriff’s Department goes viral video seeking thief

The Video UPS bandit must be stopped, according to San Diego County Sheriff’s investigators. A woman who allegedly stole two UPS packages worth $100 from a San Marcos resident fell afoul of the residence’s surveillance cameras. San Diego County Sheriff’s investigators took the unusual step Monday of releasing a kind of reality TV-meets-package-theft video as a means of bringing the alleged package snatcher to justice….


Escondido man confesses to Hayfork, Trinity County double homicide

If you know Jason Paul Brady, he probably never is coming home to Escondido. The 40-year-old  Escondido wanderer confessed Tuesday to killing two people at a Hayfork residence Monday night, Trinity County Sheriff’s investigators said. Deputies said they received reports of a “suspicious circumstance” around 11:30 p.m.  Arriving at the residence on Carter Gulch Road, they spotted a person in the home, who then ran…


Kindergartener aims pellet gun at teacher (UPDATED — Boy suspended by school)

Thursday nearly ended with a bang at Oak Hill Elementary School when a kindergarten student reportedly showed up with a pellet gun and threatened his teacher and possibly other students. The unidentified 5-year-old boy brought the pellet gun in his backpack, according to Escondido police. He became upset during class, took the gun out of his backpack and aimed it at the teacher, police said….


Two fires in two days on same block fuel arson-suspicious minds

“We’re caught in a trap I can’t walk out Because I love you baby” — Elvis Presley The 1100 block of North Escondido Boulevard went all “Suspicious Minds” early Monday, March 13 as the second of two fires that broke out within 24 hours of each other at two residences was knocked down. The first fire — “We can’t go on together” — broke out…


Puhleeze: DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint, Sheriff’s drones, county homicide rate

DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint deja vu March 11 When exactly one alleged DUI driver is stopped out of 1,393 vehicles at the last Escondido DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint, but you have a $309,726 grant to set up DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoints, what do you do? Obviously, set up another DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint. That’s going to be the case on Friday, March 11. The checkpoint will be set up…


Escondido Police Cadet orientation set

To be a cop or not be a cop, if that is the question, the Escondido Police Department provides some answers at 7 p.m. Monday, March 7. Escondido Police and Explorer Post 2600 holds an orientation night event at that time at EPD’s community room at 1163 N. Centre City Pkwy at that time for Police Cadet applicants. All applicants must be at least 16…


People Behaving Badly: Weekday edition

High-speed stolen truck chase ends in Escondido living room crash A burglary suspect earned a trip to jail by way of a hospital Wednesday when he allegedly led police on a brief high-speed chase through Escondido in a stolen truck and then bailed out of the still-moving vehicle, sending it crashing into a home, Escondido police said. The suspect was the only person injured in…


People behaving badly: Weekend edition

Man shot in each foot during 20-person brawl Hot foot doesn’t even begin to describe the scene just before midnight Sunday when a man got shot once in his left foot and once in his right during a late-night free-for-all. An estimated 20 people mixed it up around Rock Springs Road near West Lincoln Avenue, Escondido police Lt. Al Owens said. A suspect identified as…