Crime

The Gilroy Police Department made dozens of arrests this past week. Some of the offenses included burglary, driving under the influence, infliction of corporal injury on a spouse, possession of a controlled substance, selling or aiding in selling stolen property, evasion of a peace officer and conspiracy to commit a crime. Here is the police blotter from Sept. 5 through Sept. 12.

Drugs

A house fire in an east Morgan Hill neighborhood caused about $50,000 worth of structure damage Wednesday night, according to authorities.About 6:18 p.m. the 911 dispatch center received a call reporting the fire on Darnis Circle, according to CalFire Fire Prevention Specialist Pam Temmermand. The blaze started in the garage of the home, and spread to the attic, Temmermand said. Crews estimate about $50,000 worth of damage was inflicted by the blaze.The fire started accidentally, but authorities did not elaborate on the cause.No injuries were reported.  

A San Jose man was arrested after leading Morgan Hill police on a high-speed chase that originated with a report of loud music, police said. About midnight Wednesday, officers responded to the area of Del Monte Avenue and Preservation Way after someone called to report loud music coming from a parked Lexus, according to an MHPD press release. As officers arrived on scene, the vehicle fled to a home on the 15000 block of Del Monte Avenue and three occupants of the Lexus fled into a house, police said. Police ran the Lexus’ license plate and learned the vehicle’s registered owner was wanted on a no-bail warrant, the release said. Officers questioned two of the three people who fled into the nearby residence, and they were uncooperative. Officers stayed at the scene to keep an eye on the parked Lexus, and after about an hour the car was seen leaving the residence, police said. Officers tried to stop the vehicle but the driver led police on a high-speed pursuit to San Jose, where the driver abandoned the vehicle and attempted to continue to flee on foot on Aborn Road. Police caught up to the suspect, later identified as Brandon Harrell, 23 of San Jose, and arrested him, according to police. Harrell was booked at Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of evading an officer, resisting arrest and a felony warrant. Anyone with information about this incident can contact Morgan Hill Police at (408) 779-2101 or the anonymous tip line at (408) 947-7867. 

After staking out a stolen vehicle outside a Morgan Hill hotel, officers arrested three suspects on suspicion of counterfeit currency and controlled substance violations, police said.

The Gilroy man who was arrested for directing suspected illegal medical marijuana dispensaries in Gilroy, Morgan Hill and and San Jose is set to go to trial for a separate case in which he is accused of embezzling $1.6 million in a grand real estate scheme. 

The Hollister woman who pleaded no contest to trying to slip sleep-aid medication to toddlers under her care at a Morgan Hill daycare facility was sentenced to six months in Santa Clara County Jail Monday, according to authorities. Deborah Gratz, 59 of Hollister, was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Kenneth Shapero following a hearing at South County Courthouse in Morgan Hill. She was sentenced to six months in jail followed by four years of formal probation, with a list of conditions for her release during probation, according to Deputy District Attorney Sumerle Davis. In May, Gratz pleaded no contest to five counts of attempted child endangerment as part of a plea bargain with the D.A.’s office. The misdemeanor charges stem from Gratz’ attempt to put a sleep-aid drug known as Sominex into the sippy-cups of some children under her care at Kiddie Academy daycare in Morgan Hill, authorities said. Gratz had worked at the daycare business since 2007, and has worked in the childcare field for about 20 years. The attempted drugging occurred in early March, according to police. Another employee of Kiddie Academy saw Gratz place an unknown substance into the sippy cups of about 10 toddlers between the ages of 1 and 2. Staff at Kiddie Academy determined that Gratz had placed the over-the-counter sleep-aid medication in the children’s drinks, police said. The staff fired Gratz and reported the attempted drugging to Morgan Hill police. Officers investigated the incident, and arrested Gratz March 11 at her home in Hollister. None of the children were harmed by Gratz’ actions, police said. Police added that Gratz had a “spotless” record during her career as a daycare professional until the incident at Kiddie Academy was reported. Gratz remains out of custody, but she is required to report to South County Courthouse to begin serving her six-month sentence in jail Sept. 27, Davis said.

The Gilroy Police Department made dozens of arrests this past week. Some of the offenses included DUI, possession and exhibiting a deadly weapon. Here is the police blotter from Aug. 28 through Sept. 4.

The Gilroy Police Department responded to an armed robbery that occurred at 3:57 p.m. Tuesday at the Chevron Gas Station, located at 401 Leavesley Road in Gilroy.

The former executive director of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association pleaded guilty Thursday to charges that he embezzled funds from the nonprofit organization while he was employed there.