Police seek public’s help in finding stalker suspect

San Diego Union Tribune – San Diego,CA,USA
ENCINITAS: Four spot fires that burned along Interstate 5 yesterday
were likely sparked by a passing vehicle and not considered to be
suspicious, Encinitas …

SAN DIEGO: San Diego police child abuse detectives are seeking public assistance in finding Jaime Robles Melendez, 53, wanted in connection with the stalking of a 13-year-old girl in the area of Euclid and Imperial avenues in Oak Park in eastern San Diego.

Melendez is described as Hispanic with brown eyes and brown hair, 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing 130 pounds. He has various tattoos on his arms and uses numerous aliases, including Jaime Nevares Ochoa, Jesus Castello, Miguel Calderon and Francisco Garcia.

Although the girl no longer lives in the area, police say Melendez still frequents the location looking for her.

Anyone with information on Melendez is asked to call the Child Abuse Unit at (619) 531-2260 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-TIPS. – J.H.
Youths near church seen tossing Molotov cocktails

LEMON GROVE: Some juveniles were seen hurling what was reported as Molotov cocktails in front of St. Philip-the-Apostle Episcopal Church last night, authorities said.

A small fire occurred, but no damage was reported, officials said.

Witnesses called the Sheriff’s Department at 7:48 p.m. and said some juveniles had tossed Molotov cocktails on the ground in front of the church on Hardy Drive, then ran away. Deputies and the Lemon Grove Fire Department investigated. – P.R.

Four small fires off I-5 not considered suspicious

ENCINITAS: Four spot fires that burned along Interstate 5 yesterday were likely sparked by a passing vehicle and not considered to be suspicious, Encinitas fire authorities said.

Crews responded to three small brush fires east of the freeway near Birmingham Drive and a fourth fire near Santa Fe Drive at 11:30 a.m.

One fire burned up to the fence of a home on Playa Riviera, said Encinitas Fire Division Chief Scott Henry.

Traffic on northbound I-5 remained backed up late into the day. – K.D.

County buys 16 vehicles for backcountry fires

The county has bought nine new fire engines and seven water trucks and plans to give them to fire agencies that protect the backcountry.

The equipment costs $4.2 million.

County Supervisors Bill Horn and Dianne Jacob joined fire officials at a news conference yesterday in Kearny Mesa to announce the purchases. – K.K.

Border Patrol agent on ATV injured in collision

OTAY MESA: A Border Patrol agent riding an all-terrain vehicle was thrown from it and hospitalized with minor injuries yesterday. He had been struck by a vehicle driven by a guard from the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility.

The collision was reported on Alta Road at the prison’s driveway about 5:50 a.m., said California Highway Patrol Officer Brad Baehr.

The guard, on his way to work, apparently did not see the ATV and turned in front of it, Baehr said.

The agent was treated for a possible dislocated shoulder and back pain, Baehr said. – M.A. and G.G