July has seen the most cars stolen of any month this year, with 64 taken as of Monday, the most recent date available. The final tally could be at least 10 cars higher.

Current data from the Berkeley Police Department show a 10% increase over last year at this time, with about 340 cars stolen as of Monday.

On a recent day in Berkeley, police got eight reports of stolen cars. Two days later, they got six more. Most days see two or three cars taken.

This week, Berkeley police described how an investigative lead from one recent case took them to an East Oakland chop shop, where they found "more than 50 vehicles that had been stripped for parts, along with several vehicles that had been completely burned."

During the investigation, police also found four Hondas stolen from Berkeley, along with a fifth car, that were "staged for pickup" in East Oakland between 50th Avenue and 66th Avenue along the railroad tracks.

"Each vehicle had been stripped of parts, with the engines removed," Berkeley police said this week.

Officers set up surveillance and saw several people load the stolen engines into a pickup truck the next morning, on July 23, police said.

Members of the Alameda County Regional Auto Theft Task Force (CHP officers, Oakland police and Alameda County Probation) then picked up the surveillance, which led them to the chop shop.

There, they arrested two men on suspicion of possession of stolen property, dismantling or tampering with a vehicle, and operating a chop shop, police said.

One of the men was also arrested on an outstanding warrant for robbery and assault with a deadly weapon, BPD said.

As of this week, neither man is in custody, with charges not yet filed, according to police and jail records.

"The investigation remains ongoing as detectives work to identify additional suspects connected to this operation," Berkeley police said in a prepared statement.

Most-stolen cars in Berkeley: Honda Accords, Civics

Honda Accords and Civics made since 2024 have been the biggest targets for auto theft in Berkeley this year, police said.

During their recent investigation alone, they identified more than 25 Honda sedans that had been taken in recent weeks.

Even with the apparent increase, Berkeley auto thefts still appear to be lower than they have been in years.

In their announcement this week, Berkeley police credited Flock license plate readers and other tools for helping find the stolen cars.

They thanked the Oakland Police Department, Alameda County Regional Auto Theft Task Force, California Highway Patrol and Union Pacific Police Department "for their collaboration and assistance throughout this investigation."

Berkeley police tips to limit auto theft

Berkeley police said the following preventive tips can help reduce the risk of auto theft.

• Use a steering wheel lock
• Park in a well-lit area or secured garage whenever possible
• Consider installing an On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) port lock to prevent thieves from accessing a port that can be used to "program new keys and steal keyless-start vehicles in a matter of minutes."

Read more facts about auto theft from the California Highway Patrol.

On Wednesday evening, investigators arrested 19-year-old Darius Tate, described in court papers as an ex-boyfriend with a "history of domestic violence" with the victim, a 19-year-old woman with a 1-year-old baby.

According to court records, the two had dated for six months but were no longer together at the time of the crime.

During Wednesday's arrest, detectives "recovered two loaded handguns and additional evidence believed to be connected to the shooting," Berkeley police said Thursday.

Scroll down for updates to the story.

Tate is now being held in two separate cases, including on suspicion of attempted murder, with arraignment set for Friday, according to booking records.

Police have been looking for Tate, who lives in Hayward, since the June 14 shooting in South Berkeley, according to court papers.

That night, he showed up unannounced at his ex-girlfriend's apartment at about 11, police wrote. They argued and he was violent with her, according to court papers.

When Tate left, she went outside, concerned he would damage her car, which he'd done before, police wrote.

As she walked toward the car, which was parked near Adeline Street and Ashby Avenue, Tate popped out from behind a bench or bushes, ran at her and started shooting, according to court papers.

As the young woman fell to the ground, Tate ran toward Ashby BART and disappeared — but not before stealing cash from the woman's car, according to police.

An elderly woman offered to drive the victim to the hospital, police wrote.

The young woman initially accepted but got out of the car when the driver started going the wrong way.

The victim flagged down police outside the Ashby Stage at 1901 Ashby Ave. The Berkeley Fire Department rushed her to Highland Hospital, the regional trauma center, for care.

The injuries to the young woman's face were extensive, according to early reports, leaving teeth and tissue in the street.

Police quickly secured an arrest warrant for Tate alleging attempted murder, but he proved to be elusive, authorities said.

That changed Thursday when they arrested him in San Leandro, according to jail records.

Darius Tate. BPD

Tate has no prior charged cases in Alameda County Superior Court, and no listed arrests before Wednesday.

In addition to the arrest warrant alleging attempted murder, Tate was also arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, robbery and loaded gun possession in connection with the shooting.

A second case, from April 30, lists domestic violence and vehicle tampering charges.

That day, at 11:25 a.m., police say Tate threw his ex-girlfriend on the ground and took her keys before damaging her car in the 2900 block of Adeline Street (in the same area as the June shooting).

He is being held without bail at Santa Rita Jail.

Young woman shot, Berkeley police investigating

The woman, estimated to be 19 years old, was shot in the face, according to early reports.

The Berkeley ScannerEmilie Raguso

Update: In a statement Thursday afternoon, police shared more details about this week's arrest, and said they had also arrested the suspect's mother, as an accessory after the fact.

Ann Fernandez. BPD

Ann Fernandez, 53, is being held on $100,000 bail, with arraignment also set for Friday, according to booking records.

According to BPD, Fernandez picked up Tate after the shooting — as captured on surveillance footage — and gave him a change of clothes to help him get away.

On Wednesday, detectives found Tate and his mother at an apartment complex in San Leandro, arresting Tate when he came outside, police said.

BPD used a drone, from the Alameda County Sheriff's Office, inside the complex during the search, authorities said.

They later arrested Fernandez elsewhere in San Leandro, police said.

In the immediate aftermath of the shooting at Adeline and Ashby, family members said the victim was "fighting for her life" in the ICU and unable to breathe on her own.

She lost half of her teeth in the attack, they said.

As of this week, Berkeley police said the young woman is "continuing to recover from her injuries."

As of July 30, Berkeley and UC police had investigated two injury shootings and six non-injury shootings this year.

Last year at this time, there had been eight non-injury shootings and a non-fatal police shooting.

Update, 8:40 p.m. The Alameda County district attorney's office has charged Darius Tate with attempted murder, domestic violence (from April and June), vehicle tampering and vandalism, according to court records.

The Scanner will continue to follow the case.

The separated bike lanes are set to run from The Alameda west to the Ohlone Greenway (at Peralta Avenue) when Hopkins Street is repaved in 2027-28.

A preliminary estimate for total project costs — which include pedestrian safety improvements and painted bike lanes from Sutter Street to The Alameda, among other features — is around $20 million, with up to $6 million of that related to the protected bike lanes. Staff cautioned Tuesday night that more detailed financial assessments won't be done until later.

More than 120 people turned out to comment in person or called in via Zoom to make their voices heard.

The two public camps were evenly split between those pulling for protected bike lanes — citing safety and climate concerns — and those staunchly opposed, worried about impacts to their bustling neighborhood shopping district.

Mayor Adena Ishii limited public comment to three hours to allow adequate time for council debate and action. The meeting did not end until nearly 1 a.m.

When it came time to vote, council members Brent Blackaby, Ben Bartlett and Shoshana O'Keefe (who represents the North Berkeley district where most of the project is located) put forward alternatives to the main plan from Rashi Kesarwani — but they ended up one vote shy of a majority despite support from Igor Tregub.

" This is absolutely madness," O'Keefe said, emotion in her voice, shortly before the vote. "Please do not force this expensive, disruptive, unwanted plan on District 5. We do not want it, and there are other alternatives."

When the alternatives failed, O'Keefe and Blackaby (Berkeley Hills) were the only two to vote against the main motion, citing the lack of support in their districts.

In addition to cost, they also raised questions about parking, with the removal of an estimated 145 parking spaces out of 274 spots along Hopkins Street.

"We've never removed all the parking before along a busy commercial corridor," O'Keefe said. "We don't know what would happen."

Proponents of the plan, the council majority and community members alike, including Walk Bike Berkeley, said Berkeley cannot afford to waiver.

"This is about more than just a bike lane on one street," said Councilman Mark Humbert (Claremont-Elmwood), who co-sponsored the Kesarwani plan with Mayor Ishii. "It's about what kind of a city we want to be and what we're willing to do to live up to our professed priorities and principles."

Humbert stressed that the protected Hopkins bike lanes are consistent with the city's Bicycle Plan, Climate Action Plan, Vision Zero Action Plan and Declaration of a Climate Emergency.

" If we are to fight back against the people who say that climate change is a hoax, we here in Berkeley cannot act like climate change is a hoax by refusing to take action in our community and in our lives," he said.

Councilman Terry Taplin (West Berkeley) echoed those concerns.

" These are things that we continuously adopt and declare as priorities," he said. "Far too often, the choice comes to us and, perhaps previously at times, council has not stepped forward in the way that it should have. And I think tonight we can correct that."

Plan supporters repeatedly emphasized that protected bike lanes, also called "cycle tracks," have been found to be safer for all road users and are associated with either improved or neutral economic conditions — not economic doom.

Mayor Ishii said she had gotten more than 1,000 emails about Hopkins Street in the past week alone, and said the concept of protected bike lanes in the neighborhood had been "a source of controversy" for at least 10 years.

Ishii reminded the crowd that the city had designated Hopkins as a high-injury corridor due to its three fatalities and 46 pedestrian and bicycle crashes (including five with suspected serious injuries) from 2011 to 2026.

" I am deeply invested in ensuring that our streets are safe for all users, pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. And that is why I support bike lanes on Hopkins Street," she said. "Cyclist infrastructure improves safety for everyone."

She urged patience, saying the time to answer the open questions would come after the vote.

And there are certainly questions, including impacts to local merchants and a longtime neighborhood church; pool and sports field access, included ADA spots and loading zones; how limited driveway visibility might impact road users; and emergency access.

The city has also discussed installing meters to help manage parking turnover.

Kesarwani (who represents Hopkins west of Sacramento Street) said the Berkeley Fire Department had signed off on the cycle track concept as far as "workable emergency access."

Tuesday night, Berkeley Fire Chief Dave Sprague said his department would do a closer analysis of emergency vehicle turning movements, impacts on evacuation times, and emergency access on and near Hopkins once Public Works comes up with a full design set.

O'Keefe asked Interim Public Works Director Wahid Amiri about what kind of coordination there had been with Zero Waste staff to determine how garbage trucks and local buses would fit in the roadway should they meet.

"They would have to maneuver in a calculated manner," Amiri said, which could pose challenges, he added, "depending on the driver skillsets."

"We know there are going to be challenges," he told her. "The specific challenges haven't been identified. All we know is there are going to be challenges."

O'Keefe and Blackaby both urged their colleagues to keep in mind the trade-offs for the city and the neighborhood when the new bike lanes go in.

Blackaby said, by his rough calculations, Hopkins Street could lose 10,000 people a week who currently come by car and don't plan to start biking.

"Many of them are my constituents or Councilmember O'Keefe's constituents. They're going to have to figure out other things to do.  And that's a shift, and that's something that we should just be honest about," he said. " It's not just about parking spots. It's about who's going to use this neighborhood."

O'Keefe's alternative would have paved Hopkins and added painted bike lanes, while directing the city to develop Rose Street into a robust bike boulevard (which is part of the city's bike plan).

Blackaby, Bartlett and Tregub voted with her on that proposal, but it died for lack of a fifth.

Blackaby then put forward his substitute plan (co-sponsored by Bartlett), which asked staff to come up with a viable alternative to the Hopkins cycle track — to connect North and West Berkeley in the Hopkins/Ada/Rose corridor — and then compare them side by side.

His plan would not have delayed Hopkins Street repaving or bike lanes, he said, since that's not set to happen until 2027-28.

But his proposal met the same end as O'Keefe's.

Kesarwani said she felt her Hopkins Street proposal was " the right one for now" — describing the changes as "necessary and overdue."

She said her plan would help protect seniors as well as the many children who walk and bike to school in the corridor every day.

"All of us deserve a safer street," she said.

The Berkeley City Council is now on recess until Sept. 15.

Map: Serious and fatal crashes on and near Hopkins Street in Berkeley since 2016

Note: Click the small box in the left corner below for a list of incidents.

The results were clear: We got more comments, more subscribers and more reader engagement with our work. And when we polled you afterward about the experience, 87% of responding readers said we should keep comments open for good.

Today, I'm happy to share an update: Open comments are here to stay.

Over the past few months, many readers shared thoughtful, candid feedback about potential consequences to open comments. We read every response. Rather than gloss over those concerns, I want to address the most common worries in more detail.

Some wondered whether a bigger pool of commenters would mean more ranting and less substance. But during the monthlong pilot, that's not what we saw. We saw more voices added to the conversation.

And, in case you’re worried, moderation guardrails remain. Comments that flood the feed, add nothing new or turn nasty can be hidden or removed, and repeat offenders will be banned.

Several of you also pointed to cautionary tales elsewhere in local news, and we understand why. The difference between TBS and other comment sections, we believe, is that we require readers to log in with a verified email address before leaving remarks. That alone filters out most trolls.

While more comments may mean a bit more work, moderation remains manageable. Most issues are typically resolved after a warning. And, if moderation becomes more daunting, we'll adjust. 

Most of all, we’re excited about the expanded pool of 13,000-plus registered readers — paying members as well as free subscribers — who can now comment.

For members who feel they are losing a perk, here's our thinking: The most valuable incentive we can offer is a thriving publication with a comments section worth reading. The pilot suggested open comments help on both counts. Membership still comes with real benefits, and we're always considering new ways to boost support. If you have ideas, we want to hear them.

How to comment on The Berkeley Scanner

The rules haven't changed: Anyone with a verified email address who is signed in to the TBS website can comment.

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After registering, update your profile and add a short bio right from the comments section — just click the circle next to the comment box to customize your settings.

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Our longstanding comments policy remains in effect, and we reserve the right to delete comments that violate the rules. That means:

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Thank you for all of the feedback to help inform this decision. We’ll see you in the comments section!

Berkeley police tracked down Israel Pierson in Dublin and arrested him 10 hours after the crime, according to booking records.

Someone in the 1300 block of Ashby Avenue called 911 for help just after 3:30 a.m. Saturday, records show.

Police say Pierson used a pry tool to get inside, then kicked his way through a locked bedroom door.

Scroll down for an update to the story.

There, he confronted his ex-girlfriend and cut her head with a knife, authorities say.

When the woman's roommate tried to intervene, Pierson cut her leg with a knife. (Neither woman ultimately accepted hospital transport.)

Pierson then fled with the women's phones as police and firefighters were responding, BPD said.

On Saturday, Berkeley police secured a warrant for Pierson's arrest and picked him up in Dublin, recovering evidence related to the case, police said.

He was arrested on suspicion of robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, domestic violence, burglary and grand theft, among other crimes, according to booking records.

Israel Pierson. BPD

As of Tuesday, the 20-year-old man remains in custody without bail. His city of residence was not immediately available.

Pierson has no charged cases listed in Alameda County Superior Court.

But, according to arrest records, the San Joaquin County sheriff's office picked up Pierson in 2025 on suspicion of robbery and conspiracy.

In May, police in Fremont arrested him on suspicion of receiving stolen property and giving false information to a peace officer, according to public records.

He's now being held at Santa Rita Jail with arraignment set for Wednesday.

The Scanner has requested his booking photograph from Berkeley police and will add it to this story when it becomes available.

Update, 4:35 p.m. The booking photograph has been added to this story.

Update, 6:40 p.m. The Alameda County district attorney's office has charged Pierson with attempted murder, burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, domestic violence and two counts of grand theft, according to court records.

"Todd Walker live[s] on through us."

Now, six months later, there are signs his gifts are, indeed, living on, according to many who knew him well.

Including at the Todd Walker Live Free Center, the Berkeley violence prevention program where he worked. After his death, it was renamed in his honor.

"He was like our North Star," said the Rev. Michael "Mike" Smith of Berkeley's McGee Avenue Baptist Church, which partners with the city's Live Free program and helped get it going two years ago. "It's still an open wound."

Smith grew up with Walker. Over the years, they worked together in several programs, often based from McGee Baptist, where Walker was a member.

Smith recruited Walker for Berkeley's Live Free program as it was developing.

"Most of the team had a relationship with Todd that predated this work," Smith said. "And so [his death] was very personal. The adjustment was very difficult."

It's only all these months later, he added, "that we're getting our second wind."

A second wind that coincides with what would have been a significant milestone for Walker, Smith said: Today, July 27, would have been his 65th birthday.

To mark the event, Live Free hosted a public celebration for Walker on Sunday at Seventh Street and Bancroft Way with dominos, spades and pinochle tournaments, and other festivities. It continues Monday evening with a balloon release. And a private birthday event for friends and family is planned for later this week.

"I can't speak for everybody at Live Free, but once he passed away it's like the laces in the tennis shoes came out," said Senon Nails, known by many as "Snoop," a Live Free life coach who also grew up with Walker. "Every time we took a step, it's like our foot came out of the shoe."

"We're just now finding some laces — to lace these shoes and get back out on these streets."

Street tested, Todd Walker was committed to peace

Walker, who died of a heart attack at his home in El Sobrante, spent much of his adult life helping people caught up in violence, on the verge of it, or actively trying to move on and survive in legit ways, versus criminal. He helped both strangers and friends.

"Todd has kept a lot of people alive," Nails said. He counts himself one, after years of addiction, arrests and prison. "I'm really grounded right now and it's because of him."

Walker's drive stemmed in large part from his own struggles as a young person, close calls, bad decisions, scares and regrets, family and friends said.

One of six brothers, Walker's family moved from Alameda to Berkeley when he was about 6, settling in the southwest part of the city. He attended Berkeley public schools, graduating from Berkeley High in 1976.

As a teen, Walker fell into the street drug scene, desperate for a few bucks, influenced by a risky peer comfort zone that all too easily becomes a dangerous trap, friends said.

But unlike many, Walker did a complete turn-around in his 20s, after being hit hard by the shooting death in Berkeley of a member of his crew, Nails said.

He quit the lifestyle.

"In the drug world, it's dog eat dog. He was a dude that transcended into that good person. People say it can't happen, but it can," Nails said.

Standing as living proof that major change is possible, no matter how hard you're hurting, or how confused or stuck you feel, fueled Walker's lifelong urge to help others in the rocky boat he'd once been in, friends and family said.

Sometimes it was a paid job, such as with Live Free. Sometimes a volunteer. A hobby. An avocation. Spiritual calling. For Walker, it was all of these.

"If you were needing something, he'd give you his last," said Lena Reese, his girlfriend who lived with him in El Sobrante at the time of his death.

Regardless of a person's circumstances, Reese added, including if they were in trouble with others, or the law.

"He's still gonna lift you up and put you on your feet," she said.

In many ways, this commitment stemmed from family values, said Ralph Walker, one of Todd's brothers.

"My mother started going out feeding the homeless on Gilman Street," he said. "We grew up around a lot of people who were less fortunate."

Walker "was a people person," Ralph said. "He loved people, and people loved him."

After high school, Walker worked as a custodian at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, eventually finding satisfying work as funeral assistant then director at Oakland's Baker Prado Funeral Home, where he stayed for 20 years. He retired last year.

He started at Baker Prado cleaning carpets, working his way up, his brother said.

Walker had two daughters, Tenisha and Tajah, and four grandchildren. Family was at his center, many said.

"Tremendous relationships, tremendous amount of respect"

Walker had been trying to retire for good when the Live Free calling came, said Reese, his partner: "He's a person who just can't sit; he's got to get up and do something."

To Pastor Smith, Walker was a perfect fit. They'd worked closely on other violence prevention efforts, as well as broader community outreach, helping the poor, the homeless, the sick.

Rev. Michael "Mike" Smith. Courtesy

A national program started in Oakland in 2011 by the Rev. Michael McBride, Live Free uses a community-based intervention model where life coaches and outreach workers forge trusting relationships, often where they live or grew up, to try to guide people away from negative choices.

Most, like Walker, have lived experience in street violence — it's a culture they get.

"Todd had a lot of pull because of his longstanding relationships. Tremendous connections, tremendous relationships, tremendous amount of respect," Smith said. At his funeral in February, 700 people showed up.

"He was well loved," said Kentrell Killens, Live Free's field service director in Berkeley. "He used his relationships. He pulled in family members and parental figures. He pulled in other cultures and peer groups. He knew the power of influence."

In community intervention, workers show up at crime scenes, hospitals, funerals, prison cells, tense huddles in living rooms or cars, in the hopes of connecting people to pathways out of trouble, to services and resources that believe everyone has potential, and in second chances, maybe third or fourth.

And standing by them as they try to change. It takes mutual trust.

"In violence prevention, it's really about buying time. If we can get them to say not today, hopefully we can get them to say not tomorrow either. Eventually we hope to see them winding down, dwindling down," said Killens.

Walker found ways to teach on the field, in the funeral home

Walker brought his touch to many other settings, too.

During his decades of coaching and directing the Berkeley Cougars, a community youth football league, he kept an eye out for kids vulnerable to trouble, and was right there with support. And they knew it.

Same with the East Bay Heat youth track club he helped bring back from dormancy with his brother Ralph.

A sports nut, Walker played football in high school, and was a die-hard 49ers fan, as well as enjoying most major sports. He saw sports as an excellent medium for communicating with young people, filled with teaching moments, his friends said.

"What started to hit [Walker] the most was when he started to see the same men he was coaching at these homicides," said Killens, who also met Walker when they were kids.

Over the years, Killens said, Walker's players became victims as well as offenders.

Violence prevention was also woven into Walker's work at the funeral home, where he helped lay to rest many people killed by gunfire, of all ages, including people he knew.

He set high standards for peaceful services when a death triggered beef among community members, including gang rivals, Killens said. Services could become scenes of retribution, and get rowdy, tense.

Not under Walker's watch.

"He started having rules. He expected respect, he gave respect. People sat down and the room went quiet," Killens said. "He said, 'This is how we're going to do it for the family.'"

Walker also brought young people to the funeral home to see the deceased to show them, straight up, what death looks like.

"I don't want to see you at a funeral home, I don't want to be at your service next," he'd tell them.

Tajah Walker, Walker's youngest daughter, said: "He saw the potential in the youth, recognizing that many of them just needed someone who believed in them. He was a father figure to many, younger and older."

As hurting colleagues heal, they take Todd Walker with them

Walker was one of six full-time Berkeley Live Free outreach workers, a group so small that the loss of one creates an imbalance, a gap. Today, they work out of an office on Adeline Street, shared with Live Free California, a sister effort.

Life coaches, outreach workers. And credible messengers, or mentors with lived experience in street life and the justice system now turning things around, who get a stipend for their help.

In 2024, the city funded a two-year $2 million Live Free pilot program as part of its Reimagining Public Safety initiative. Some of this funding was for analysis by the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, based in Oakland.

Around $450,000 in grant money boosted this pot last year and, as of the city's recent budget, which added $200,000, the program is funded through June 2027, Smith said.

2024 Berkeley crime snapshot: Most crimes saw steep drops

In 2023, Berkeley saw a significant spike in serious crime reports, but nearly all the numbers plummeted in 2024.

The Berkeley ScannerEmilie Raguso

Two years isn't long enough to really measure the program's impact statistically. It launched at a time the city, as well as the nation, were seeing a decrease in violent crime.

But the City Council took steps to keep the program alive even in today's tough budget times — and expressed strong support in recent meetings.

Similar intervention programs exist nationwide, especially in high crime cities, often with strong community buy-in. A recent published review of the research on the credible messenger approach concluded it shows promise, and needs more study.

Compared to nearby cities, Berkeley has low rates of gun violence. Last year, the city had no injury shootings due to street crime.

But any shooting across the East Bay, from Antioch to Berkeley, from Oakland to Vallejo, could have a Berkeley connection and impact, Killens said, with residents as victims or as perpetrators.

Live Free has seen it all. The work doesn't stop at city borders.

"We try to prevent one situation from developing to two or three. Which is almost impossible if you don't have the respect of the individuals and the communities," Killens said.

As they adjust to Walker's death, his colleagues are bringing his wisdoms along with them, they said, adding to their own.

Listening without judgement. Believing in the potential of all people, regardless of the rough roads they've walked. And, sometimes, tough love. Holding a high bar for civil, respectful behavior.

One important thing he learned from Walker, Nails said, was that in any violent exchange, both sides are left hurting, the victim and the offender, as well as their loved ones.

"Todd was teaching me, you never lean one sided. Let the world know both families are grieving. There are two losses," he said.

"Another piece of his wisdom is in helping people understand they can have a second chance at life. We may have to make some tough decisions to change ourselves, before we can change the community," Smith said.

Or simply: "You gotta be the change you want to see."

They feel Walker right there telling them to not miss a beat, colleagues said.

"Peace is a fragile thing," Smith said. "Todd wanted us to make sure that we believe peace is possible, and that we could make a difference, but it's a tough struggle, and we can't just walk away. He was committed to this work, and he'd want us to continue. We're continuing to press, we're still pressing."

An exterior lithium ion battery caught fire at a North Berkeley home Sunday, quickly spreading to a towering palm tree nearby, according to early reports.

Readers who saw the dramatic sight, in the 1400 block of Milvia Street, near Vine Street, shared photos and videos with The Scanner.

Community members began calling 911 just after 3:30 p.m. to report flames "as tall as a gate" that grew to flames "as tall as the home" in just minutes, according to emergency dispatches reviewed by The Scanner.

Arriving Berkeley firefighters saw smoke coming from a detached shed as residents made their way outside.

It didn't take long for firefighters to determine that there had been no spread to the main house, according to radio dispatches.

There were no injuries.

Berkeley police helped with traffic control during the fire response.

Word quickly spread among those in the area about what happened.

Resident Tracey Bornstein told The Scanner that "an odor of electrical fire permeated the vicinity before the tree caught fire." He lives about two blocks from the site. "My neighbor and I both checked all our appliances for overheating."

As for the palm tree, Bornstein said, flames could be seen between the fronds "but they proved difficult to photograph."

Aaron Gobler, who also lives in the neighborhood, was on the block during the emergency response.

"It looks like perhaps the fire company cut out part of the wall that the battery was attached to," he said. "They took the battery out on a dolly, and they wrapped it in plastic."

"It’s not clear how the fire got into the tree," Gobler continued. "It was just the top of the tree that was smoking."

BFD Battalion Chief DeJuan Turner told The Scanner that embers from the fire had drifted into the palm tree, which is right above where the battery is stored.

The residents use solar panels to charge the battery, which powers a Tesla at the home.

The Scanner updated this story slightly just after publication as additional details became available.

The collision in downtown Berkeley caused only minor damage to the building, Battalion Chief DeJuan Turner, with the Berkeley Fire Department, said.

The incident took place at 12:35 p.m. on Shattuck Avenue at Bancroft Way, just south of the old Regal UA movie theater, which closed in February 2023 pending demolition for housing.

The cause of Sunday's crash may have been medical, with unconfirmed reports from the scene that the driver lost consciousness just before the collision.

Berkeley police and firefighters responded.

The driver, a 70-year-old woman, and her 31-year-old passenger, were taken to the hospital for assessment, but it was largely precautionary, authorities said.

The city's forestry division is expected to assess the damaged tree.

Turner said BFD would contact the building owner, but did not anticipate structural concerns.

Given the limited space in the parking area, "you can't go too fast," he added.

The commercial storefront the driver struck is vacant, although a boba cafe called "THub" has announced plans to move in.

Prior tenants on the block have included Build Pizzeria and Western Pacific, which closed in 2020.

Starting Saturday morning, the shelter will be in "soft opening" mode, with adoptions and return-to-owner services back on track.

"While this is a big step forward, we are still not back to normal, and being open will look a little different than what we are used to," Mike St. Pierre, Berkeley's Animal Services manager, told volunteers Friday afternoon by email. "We are currently operating with significantly reduced usable space."

The space restrictions mean some services and access will remain reduced for the foreseeable future, pending permits and repairs.

Work is still underway in the lobby, lobby stairwell and second-floor landing, St. Pierre told volunteers. Cats remain unavailable for adoption.

The shelter is accepting stray, ill and injured animals, but owner surrenders are only partially back.

"We will accept animals if it is an unsafe situation for the animal or owner," he wrote. "We will also provide more field services, though staffing may impact this."

For now, the shelter will restrict the number of people — visitors and volunteers alike — who are inside the building at one time.

In his email, St. Pierre asked volunteers to limit their signups to one shift per day so more people can participate.

"Given the shelter's current state, we need to prioritize safety and avoid creating more challenges while we are still getting back on our feet," he wrote. "I am sorry that we can’t have more volunteers in to help the animals, but hopefully we won’t have to wait too much longer."

Meanwhile, Peter Taraba, the suspect in last month's animal shelter fire, was released from custody in early July on $25,000 bail, according to court records.

He is scheduled for a jury trial Aug. 31.

The Berkeley Animal Shelter is located at 1 Bolivar Drive. The shelter is open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to the city website. See complete operating hours and donation information on the city website.

Connect with Berkeley Animal Care Services and Friends of Berkeley Animal Care Services on Instagram.

Police identified the weapon as a screwdriver and said the man is expected to recover.

The man called 911 himself at about 8:40 a.m. and met officers outside his home, in the 1700 block of Lincoln Street.

The Berkeley Fire Department took him to a local hospital with wounds to his hands and abdomen.

The man's son, 26-year-old Zachary Vasconcellos-Johnson, emerged from the backyard soon after, Berkeley police said.

Officers arrested him without incident, authorities said.

Zachary Vasconcellos-Johnson. BPD

Vasconcellos-Johnson was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and elder abuse, both felonies, according to booking records.

He has no prior charged cases in Alameda County Superior Court, according to court records.

Vasconcellos-Johnson is now being held on $40,000 bail.

He is scheduled for arraignment Tuesday.

There had been 102 felony assaults in Berkeley as of July 21, according to the Berkeley Police Department Transparency Hub.

Last year, there had been 95 felony assaults at this time, a 7% increase.

Berkeley police said officers responded to the crash, in the 2800 block of Sacramento Street, at about 1:10 p.m.

Police blocked southbound traffic at Oregon Street, and northbound traffic at Julia Street, for the investigation.

The cyclist, who is reportedly 66 years old, was thrown approximately 10 feet into the air and initially knocked unconscious, authorities said.

According to unconfirmed reports, he was riding his bike across the street when a southbound driver struck him at about 25 mph.

A witness reported "major damage to the windshield from impact."

The cyclist was taken "Code 3" (with lights and sirens) to Highland Hospital for treatment.

No other details were immediately available.

The investigation is ongoing.

Update, 2:20 p.m. The roadway has reopened.

Police also confirmed that the driver remained at the scene to cooperate with the investigation. No arrests were made.

For decades, the Alameda County Sheriff's Office provided an on-demand online arrest log showing all arrests in the county within 24 hours of the search.

This month, that tool disappeared. The Scanner set out to find out why.

First: Why does it matter?

Daily arrest logs help reporters know what police are doing and what cases to ask about. It doesn't cover all police activity, but it's a start.

Being able to review a list of inmates, and see their charges, within hours of an arrest helps us understand what crimes are happening when people want to know about them most.

The decision to remove the daily arrest log is especially challenging now that many local agencies have privatized police radio traffic, which Americans had used since the 1940s to know what police were doing and where they were doing it.

Without radio traffic, there continues to be no way to consistently and reliably know what police are doing fast enough to see it for ourselves. That makes it much harder to determine what actually happened.

The county's online arrest log was the primary way to learn about Berkeley arrests quickly enough for them to be timely. As it stands, this information is now delayed for several days — when, for most people, the news cycle has moved on.

The arrest log also helped fill in gaps, providing basic details that are public but not always available from police, particularly as short staffing means fewer resources to handle media inquiries as officers juggle more work on the street.

So why did the online arrest log go away?

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office (ACSO) let us know that scammers had begun targeting family members of inmates and asking them to send money to a fraudulent program that claimed to get them out of jail on an ankle monitor.

How were they finding inmate names? Through the online log.

As a result, ACSO removed the longstanding 24-hour lookup tool to "reduce the potential for misuse," said Sgt. Roberto Morales, sheriff's office spokesman.

The department has now launched an investigation into the scam and hopes to hear from anyone who has been affected.

In a notice earlier this month, the sheriff's office emphasized that no legitimate law enforcement agency will ever call to demand payment for ankle monitors, payment in lieu of arrest or compensation for related services.

Anyone who believes they are being targeted should hang up immediately and call the Alameda County Sheriff's Office non-emergency line at 510-667-7721, authorities said.

They can also report fraudulent activity to the Federal Trade Commission.

One red flag is to be asked for payment via Bitcoin, Western Union or other electronic transfers, MoneyPak/Green Dot, Vanilla Reload or gift cards, the sheriff's office said.

To make matters worse, scammers are using "increasingly sophisticated tactics," including spoofing local phone numbers and using the names of actual sheriff's office personnel, authorities said.

"Even if the caller sounds convincing because they (1) call from a local number, (2) refer to you by name, or (3) have other personal information about you, it is a scam!" the sheriff's office said in the recent alert. "Play it safe and never agree to send money or meet up with someone from an unsolicited contact."

It should go without saying: The Berkeley Scanner does not want anyone to fall victim to a scam.

And we understand there are often competing needs that guide these decisions.

But we do advocate for a solution that preserves timely access to dwindling public information while also protecting the public from being targeted by bad actors.

Fortunately, we are in touch with local authorities to see what solutions might still be available. Those conversations are ongoing.

But this change has not come in a vacuum.

Alameda County already has some of the most onerous access requirements in the region for online court records, and some of the stricter rules about media coverage in our courthouses.

And last year's police radio encryption continues to restrict what the public knows about local police activity. Many things we used to know have disappeared into a black box, never to be seen again. This impacts Bay Area reporting on a daily basis.

In case you haven't heard, journalism is struggling. The industry has repeatedly tried to reinvent itself to meet shifting reader demands. That, too, is a work in progress.

But the less useful we are to readers, the less incentive there is to support the local reporting that's left.

We hope to avoid losing yet another tool for providing timely information, particularly when it comes to public safety, if there is any viable alternative.

A 67-year-old man was walking with a friend on the west side of the Aquatic Park lagoon when they encountered debris on the path at about 6:30 p.m., Berkeley police said in response to a Scanner inquiry.

When the man moved the debris, police say the suspect "suddenly appeared from a nearby tent and started yelling" at them.

The suspect then began swinging a stainless steel skillet at a passerby who tried to intervene, authorities said.

In response, the passerby — a 39-year-old man — used pepper spray to fend off the blows, most of which missed him, police said.

According to police, the suspect then grabbed a 3-foot branch and began swinging it at the older man and his friend.

At some point, someone called 911 to report what was happening.

A Scanner reader saw five police cruisers with their lights on enter the park on Frontage Road, while another officer parked near the Berkeley Animal Shelter.

Officers questioned several people before heading south from the shelter, he said. He asked TBS to learn more.

Berkeley police ultimately arrested Shawn Strength, a 49-year-old homeless man, on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse and other crimes.

Strength appears to have kept a largely low profile, with no arrests listed in California since 2011, according to public records and accounts, which indicate ties to Chowchilla.

Strength has just one charged case in Alameda County Superior Court: misdemeanor allegations of criminal threats and resisting arrest from 2024. But the case was dismissed only days after filing, according to court records.

Thursday afternoon, Strength's booking photograph could not be provided because he was taken to the hospital prior to jail, authorities said.

The Scanner will update this story when the photo is available.

Last year in June, according to police and court papers, the student began chatting online with the man, who "was known as someone who sold e-cigarettes and marijuana."

She told the man she was 16 and he said he was 20, although he was actually 21 at the time, police wrote.

The girl wanted to buy marijuana "but he began engaging with her" beyond that, according to court papers. When he asked her on a date, she said no, police wrote.

Fast-forward to Oct. 1 when the man said he'd pick her up at Berkeley High School so she could get a marijuana vape pen from him, according to charging papers.

He showed up in a black BMW and drove her to a nearby parking garage on Allston Way, police wrote.

When the man asked for a kiss, the girl declined, authorities wrote. Then he held her down, over her protests, and forced her to have sex with him, according to court papers.

Afterward, he dropped the girl back at school, police say. Her parents reported the incident to authorities the same day.

Berkeley police sex crimes detectives quickly began investigating, writing search warrants to determine the man's identity.

They started with his social media handles — "bayareasupplierrrr" and "stackdollaaa" — and ultimately identified the suspect as Uriel Alegre Rangel of Vallejo, police wrote.

Berkeley police secured multiple search warrants, for electronic records and DNA, and got an arrest warrant for Alegre Rangel in November alleging forcible rape, contacting a minor with the intent to commit a sex crime, furnishing marijuana to a minor and other allegations, records show.

The California Highway Patrol picked him up on the BPD warrant in Oakland on Dec. 29.

When Berkeley police interviewed Alegre Rangel, he denied ever having come to Berkeley, police wrote.

"When told we had evidence he had been in Berkeley, Alegre Rangel invoked his right to an attorney," an investigator wrote. "At his request, I explained his charges, and in response, he stated, 'that makes sense.'"

Alegre Rangel wasn't locked up long. But police used the opportunity to collect his DNA, according to court papers.

Two weeks later, police in Richmond would arrest him on suspicion of possession of marijuana for sale, according to public records.

Alegre Rangel was also arrested in San Pablo, Richmond and Vallejo, between September 2022 and August 2025, in connection with drug sales, carrying a loaded firearm and other violations, according to other public records.

(Charging information about Contra Costa County cases is not readily available online.)

Uriel Alegre Rangel. BPD

In May, about a year after the student had met the man online, the Alameda County district attorney's office charged Alegre Rangel with unlawful sexual intercourse, a felony, involving a minor more than three years younger, according to court papers.

Alegre Rangel appeared in court for the first time, on this case, in June, entering a not guilty plea.

He was released on his own recognizance, and ordered to stay away from the victim ("Jane Doe") and from grade schools and junior high schools, according to court records.

Court papers note a "university exception" but do not appear to mention high schools.

Alegre Rangel, now 22, is set to return to court Aug. 10 for a pretrial hearing, a procedural hearing where little beyond scheduling generally happens.

Berkeley police have advised pedestrians and motorists to avoid Addison and Sixth streets due to the downed pole, according to a 3:30 p.m. Nixle alert.

A Scanner reader shared a photograph of the collision, which involved a white pickup truck that knocked the pole askew.

The crash happened at about 2:50 p.m., Berkeley police said. A witness called it in.

Police said the driver — a slender Black man in his 20s in blue jeans and a black hoodie — ran from the scene. The investigation is ongoing.

The pole "completely sheared off and landed on itself" as a result of the collision, authorities said.

The city has reported two road closures, on Sixth Street between University Avenue and Allston Way, and on Addison Street from Fifth Street to Sixth Street.

"Please use alternate detours until further notice," police said.

PG&E's outage map showed power out for 1,127 customers a short time ago. As of publication time, that number had dropped to 741.

The Scanner has asked PG&E for comment.

This story will be updated if additional details become available.

Update, Wednesday, July 22, 2:20 p.m. The pickup truck from the crash had been stolen from Richmond, police determined later.

PG&E provided the following statement Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. (It appears below in full.)

The outage started at approximately 3:00 pm, and was caused by a third-party vehicle that struck a pole.

At the peak, the outage impacted 1,114 customers; at this time, we are down to 689 customers affected. We are working on making repairs and restoring power, safely and as quickly as possible.

We remind customers, if you see low or downed power lines, always assume they are live, keep yourself and others away, and call 911 and PG&E immediately.

As of this update, power appears to have been restored. Police have not said whether the roadway has reopened.