Police Report: Fatal wreck, fake fraud and more

Fatal solo crash: A 40-year-old Chico man was killed Tuesday afternoon when his car struck a tree on Highway 116 near Watmaugh Road. Witnesses said the vehicle was traveling eastbound at the speed limit when it suddenly ran off the road. The driver, thrown from the car upon impact, was pronounced dead on the scene at about 12:30 p.m.

Inside job

That suspected fraud, numerous unauthorized bank withdrawals from an account with a Fryer Creek Drive address? Never mind. After filing a police report about the 20 or so withdrawals — $200 to $500 a pop, over a six-month period – the victim called back with the update that his daughter, 23, had been the fiduciary miscreant.

Cramped quarters

A homeless man who slept in cars on the Chevrolet dealer lot was busted May 16 for stealing food (value: $16.73) from Sonoma Market. The 49-year-old, reported missing from Escalon, CA, had a long history of thefts, and was wanted on a stolen car charge. Prior to the petty theft bust, he had been loitering around the car dealership, and was once chased away when found inside one of the vehicles, listening to the radio. At the market, police found a Chevy key fob in the man’s pocket, which added a charge of possession of stolen property.

Lifting weights

Somebody broke into a boat in the Valley of the Moon storage yard, making a mess of the fishing boxes and lures. Missing was about $1,000 in rods, reels and gear, including 60 lbs. of weights, making for a slow, but ultimately successful, getaway.

Drunk of the Week

Not smart to drive with expired registration tags, especially after downing “three Coors” and hitting the road at 1:30 a.m. The 24-year-old Sonoma man was pulled over May 12 after swerving on Fifth Street West, near Oregon. He admitted “feeling a bit tipsy,” which was confirmed by the failed sobriety tests and the .137 blood alcohol count.