Forcible Rape at Motel 6
Police arrested a 34-year-old San Juan Bautista man, Alvaro Caldera, after he allegedly raped a woman in a hotel bathroom last week. The victim was at Motel 6 on Monterey Street with Caldera and other friends when she went to use the bathroom at 5:30 a.m. on March 8. While in the bathroom, the 250-pound suspect entered and began to make sexual advances toward her and eventually raped her by force or fear. A second suspect was cited but released for being witness to the rape – or “encouraging” it, according to police. Caldera was taken to Santa Clara County jail.
Man arrested for meth possession
Jerry Luna, a Gilroy man and passenger of a blue 4-wheel-drive stopped on Maple Street near East Sixth Street, was allegedly found with a bindle of methamphetamine when police gave him a probation check at 3:19 p.m. on March 9. He was taken to county jail for possession of narcotics and for probation violation, and will be kept there until his court date.
Woman coerces boy into grand theft
Thirty-eight-year-old Gilroy woman, Cynthia Gallegos, filled a cart full of food, cleaning items and birthday party goods at Walmart on Camino Arroyo, and instructed her 11-year-old nephew to push the cart out of the store without paying while she waited in her van in the store’s parking lot, according to police. She was arrested for grand theft and was taken to county jail.
DUI arrest
Domingo Maqueda, 55 of Watsonville, was arrested for driving under the influence after police allegedly spotted him swerving on the 700 block of First Street at 1:09 a.m. on March 11.
Drunk customer punches bartender, misses
An assault was averted at the Longhouse Restuarant at 1:50 a.m. on March 11 when a drunk customer tried to punch the bartender after the bartender refused to serve him more alcohol. Security dragged him away as he threw a punch to the bartender but missed. The case was referred to the District Attorney’s office for review.
Armed Robbery
The Santa Clara County Federal Credit Union branch located at 6915 Camino Arroyo was robbed of an undisclosed amount of cash on March 6, according to Gilroy Police Sgt. Pedro Espinoza. GPD has only vague physical descriptions of the two males involved in the robbery. Both suspects had handguns and forced employees to lie on the ground as they filled a bag with cash. One suspect wore a black ski mask and black clothes, while the other covered his face with a black bandana and wore a white hooded top with a red stripe across the chest. The suspect with the white and red hooded top is approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall. Both suspects fled the scene in an unknown vehicle. No injuries were reported during the robbery. The case is now in the hands of GPD detectives.
