Crime

A fifth grade teacher accused of sexually assaulting two Morgan Hill students filed a motion to allow his release from custody upon posting bail.

The Gilroy Police Department recently made arrests for a variety of crimes, including participation in an illegal street gang, possession of an assault weapon, possession of a controlled substance for sale, robbery, driving under the influence and battery on a police officer. Arrests were recorded in the GPD blotter between Oct. 2 and 9. All suspects remain innocent until proven guilty.

During an Oct. 7 hearing for accused child molester John Arthur Loyd, 52 of Hollister, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office revealed a second victim had come forward accusing the Morgan Hill Unified School District teacher of inappropriate contact.Loyd, a teacher at Paradise Valley Elementary School, faces a maximum penalty of life in prison after being arrested Oct. 2 on suspicion of sexually assaulting a student in his classroom. “There are two victims that we know of,” Deputy D.A. Tim McInerney said at South County Courthouse Oct. 7.The hearing at South County Courthouse was Loyd’s first court appearance since his arrest by Morgan Hill police, who initially accused him of sexually assaulting a single child. Police have continued to investigate the possibility he had additional victims. Loyd remains in custody after Superior Court Judge Alfonso Fernandez denied him bail, at least until his next scheduled appearance Oct. 17. Loyd appeared in court wearing a brown Santa Clara County Jail jumpsuit. McInerney said no bail is “standard” for defendants accused of sexually assaulting children. Loyd faces a total of four counts in relation to his contact with the two child victims. Each count carries a possible sentence of 15 years to life in prison. Police arrested Loyd after a student at Paradise Valley Elementary School told school staff the teacher had inappropriate contact with her. Detectives continued to investigate whether or not there were more victims, and the D.A.’s complaint—served to Loyd just before the Oct. 7 hearing—noted an additional victim had been located. McInerney identified the second reporting victim only as a minor female “student,” but he declined to specify when asked if she was a student at the same school, citing concerns about protecting her identity. After the hearing, the prosecutor called the allegations against Loyd “very disturbing.”“We treat these crimes very seriously,” McInerney said. Loyd waived his formal arraignment at the Oct. 7 hearing, and the judge set his plea hearing for Oct. 17. Loyd’s attorney Larry Biegel told the judge he might consider filing a motion to reduce bail at the next hearing. Biegel added outside the courthouse after the hearing that he doesn’t know much about the case so far, as he only found out about the second alleged victim during the proceeding.When Fernandez asked Loyd if he had been served with the D.A.’s complaint, he indicated he had and displayed the paperwork which he handed to Biegel. Biegel said outside the courtroom that he will “look at the facts” before commenting on the allegations. “He’s been a teacher in that district for many years with a good reputation,” Biegel said. “(The allegations) are a shock to a lot of people who know him.” Loyd’s father attended the hearing, but he declined to comment on the accusations. Loyd has been a teacher in MHUSD since 2000, according to district staff. He began teaching at Nordstrom Elementary School and was transferred to Paradise Valley Elementary in southwest Morgan Hill in 2008. Authorities did not specify how they found out about the second victim. MHUSD Superintendent Steve Betando said in a letter to parents of Paradise Valley students that Loyd was “immediately placed on administrative leave” following his arrest, and will remain on leave until the facts are determined. The letter was dated Oct. 3. Betando also scheduled two informational meetings with parents at the school this week to answer questions and respond to concerns about the case. The first of those meetings took place about the same time as the Oct. 7 hearing at South County Courthouse. Police said Oct. 3 that Loyd has no previous criminal history. MHUSD Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Fawn Myers added that Loyd’s personnel file does not contain any write-ups or reprimands. Counselors at MHUSD middle and high schools have also been notified to offer further support to their students, Myers added. Police have been working with MHUSD staff to notify parents and to determine if Loyd made similar contact with any other students throughout his career at MHUSD.Anyone with information about this case can contact MHPD Det. Mindy Zen at (408) 779-2101 or the anonymous tip line at (408) 947-7867.

County prosecutors dropped murder charges against a Gilroy doctor initially accused with hiring another man to murder his 74-year-old wife. Dr. German Baldeon, 68, emerged from the South County Courthouse in Morgan Hill Oct. 7 a free man, after evidence came to light clearing his name of any involvement in the April 1 stabbing death of Doris Mae Knapp in the couple’s home on the 1400 block of Bristlecone Court.

A fifth-grade teacher at Paradise Valley Elementary School was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a female student inside his classroom, according to Morgan Hill police.John A. Loyd, 52 of Hollister, was arrested Oct. 2 on suspicion of lewd and lascivious acts with a child younger than 14, lewd and lascivious acts upon a child as a caretaker, annoying or molesting a child and preventing or dissuading a witness, police said. Loyd is accused of sexually assaulting a child victim on more than one occasion inside his classroom at the campus located at 1400 LaCrosse Drive, police said. The crime allegedly occurred earlier this month. Police have so far declined to release further information about the victim, including her age or whether or not she was regularly in Loyd’s classroom during instructional hours. Detectives are working with Morgan Hill Unified School District to notify parents and are asking parents to talk to their children to determine if there are anymore victims, according to MHPD Capt. Shane Palsgrove. Parents are encouraged to notify police before attempting a detailed interview with their child, Palsgrove added. Loyd was booked into Santa Clara County Jail following his arrest, and he remains in custody. Anyone with information about this case can contact MHPD Det. Mindy Zen at (408) 779-2101 or the anonymous tip line at (408) 947-7867. 

The Gilroy Police Department recently made arrests for a variety of crimes, including possession of ammunition by a felon, trespassing, vandalism and inflicting bodily damage on a spouse. Arrests were recorded in the GPD blotter between Sept. 22 and 29. All suspects remain innocent until proven guilty.

Police arrested a 38-year-old Gilroy woman Sept. 20 and charged her with attempted murder. Tanika Billie Johnson allegedly stabbed another Gilroy woman multiple times before she was taken into custody, according to a Gilroy Police Department press release.

The Gilroy Police Department recently made a variety of arrests for crimes including prowling, child endangerment, first-degree burglary, driving under the influence and identity theft. Arrests were recorded in the GPD blotter between Sept. 8 and 15.

A San Jose man and Campbell woman were killed in a Saturday morning accident on Highway 152 west of Lover's Lane, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Two Hollister men died in a traffic accident on U.S. 101 in Morgan Hill early Sunday morning, according to authorities. The two men were traveling southbound on the freeway in a 2005 Nissan about 1:30 a.m. Sept. 21, according to the California Highway Patrol. For an unknown reason, the vehicle traveled off the roadway onto the right shoulder just south of the Tennant Avenue exit and collided with a sign post, authorities said. Both occupants of the vehicle suffered fatal injuries as a result of the collision. The Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office identified the driver as Colton Moag, 23, and the passenger as Tyler Raisbeck, 30. Both were Hollister residents.