Crime

July 21:

El Roble Elementary School was put on lockdown when police arrested a man on 3rd Street who barricaded himself into a home. Robert Candelaria eventually surrendered to police and was arrested for a parole violation.At 11:20 a.m. GPD got word that Candelaria, 29, was at a home on the 1000 block of Third Street. Officers surrounded the home, with guns drawn and after 45 minutes of non-compliance, Candelaria surrendered and was arrested.At approximately 12:30 p.m. El Roble was notified by GPD of the nearby incident. All doors were shut and locked, window shades were drawn and nobody was allowed in, or out of the school. Officials from Gilroy Unified School District informed all bus drivers and maintenance staff of the lockdown. After police cleared the scene, students were released without incident.

Former Gilroy Police Chief Denise Sellers said allegations of scandalous sex charges against officers in her department are false, the result of “a disgruntled employee making accusations that aren’t true.”

Police Chief Scot Smithee and Mayor Roland Velasco responded Friday to a suit that alleges members of the department had sex parties, exposed themselves in front of minors and harassed a female employee who wouldn't take part in the activities and warned others about them.

After a nationwide search, the City of Gilroy didn’t need to look far beyond the city’s limits for a police chief. Last Wednesday, during his official swearing in ceremony at New Hope Church Scot Smithee came out of retirement to become the Gilroy Police Department’s newest police chief.

Tuesday's National Night Out drew thousands of families to downtown Gilroy, a crowd many estimated to be much larger than last year's edition of the annual event.

One person died in a three car collision on US Highway 101  Sunday.

Tyler Fhurong, of Gilroy, and Darren Chaytor, of Hollister, were killed instantly at 5:20 a.m. on Wednesday in South Sacramento in a car accident on Interstate 5 north of Laguna Boulevard.  The vehicle, a 2007 Isuzu panel truck driven by Chaytor, 31, with Fhurong, 21, in the passenger seat, collided at high speed with the rear end of a semi-truck pulling a trailer that was stopped in traffic by a previous accident that morning northbound on I-5. The driver of the semi-truck, after feeling the impact of the collision, pulled to the shoulder of the highway with the Isuzu still attached. According to the California Highway Patrol, both the driver and passenger were not wearing seatbelts, but due to speed and the location of the Isuzu's cab and the impact with the trailer, it is not likely that either would have survived the accident. Fhurong, a graduate of Christopher High School in 2014, was a former baseball and football player and was an infielder with the Gavilan College baseball team.  Friends of Fhurong took to Twitter and Facebook immediately after hearing the news and expressed their condolences and shared fond memories.  "I can't believe this happened... I don't know why bad things happen to good people, it's unfortunate Rest In Peace," said Alexa Larios on Facebook as she shared memories they shared in high school. "RIP Tyler Fhurong," said Damon Boyle on Facebook. "Taken way too soon. Honored to play ball and have gotten to know you back in high school." "I'll never understand," said @Zachloo1 on Twitter. "Condolences to the Fhurong family and everyone else affected. The epitome of a good guy. RIP Tyler." "RIP Tyler Fhurong," said @Akber408. "Another homie let into heavens gates and into Gods hands. Prayer and Love to his family!!" CHP reports that the vehicle was owned by Nor-Cal Specialties Inc. in San Jose. The company could not be reached to confirm.  

For perhaps the first time in its history, a veteran Gilroy police captain has been demoted from the department’s second highest rank to its lowest, according to city officials.

April 1: An unknown person committed forgery, stealing a victim's checks from the mail on Monte Bello Drive. The suspect wrote a check for $760 for a Best Buy gift card.