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FILE PHOTO: A Salinas police officer speaks with a man at the corner of E. Laurel Drive and Granada Avenue near a deadly shooting Feb. 22, 2019.(Photo: Joe Szydlowski)

Almost one year after a Salinas man was gunned down on his front porch, the teenager accused of killing him has been ordered to stand trial.

Mextli Margarito Velarde, 18, of Soledad, allegedly shot and killed Abdelwahed Rahali, 37, Feb. 22, 2019, the first homicide of that year.

On Thursday, Monterey County Superior Court Judge Mark Hood ordered him to stand trial on one count of murder and one count of shooting at a home with a special allegation for using a firearm.

At that preliminary hearing, in which a judge decides whether prosecutors have sufficient evidence to bring a defendant to trial, Salinas police testified as to how they used surveillance video and bullet analysis to determine Velarde, then 17, was the gunman.

Mextli Velarde(Photo: PROVIDED/MONTEREY COUNTY JAIL)

Salinas Police Officer Nicolas Reyes, a member of the department's Violence Suppression Task Force, described finding Rahali with a gunshot wound to his cheek at a home in the 1200 block of Granada Avenue.

"I was being flagged down frantically as I turned the corner," he testified.

He reviewed surveillance footage from the home, which showed a man wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, dark pants and dark shoes with white soles approach Rahali along a "pony wall."

Rahali was on his porch in front of the home both individuals paused before the suspect pulled out ahandgun and fired, Reyes said. He saw two muzzle flashes on camera, though he noticed additionalbullet marks on the door frame.

One of the bullets shot at Rahali hit and shattered the window at the top of his front door.(Photo: Staff photo / Kate Cimini)

Salinas Police Officer Luis Trobio testified he'd responded to a Shot Spotter alert that five shots had been fired.

Monterey County Deputy District Attorney Stefanie Zamora declined to say how many shots had been fired or how many hit Rahali, though she acknowledged he died from "multiple" gun shot wounds.

The suspect, who also had a backpack with reflective markings, then ran northon Granada, Reyes said.

Zamora noted that backpack would turn out to be "a huge indicator" of Velarde's role in the shooting.

About eight minutes after Reyes responded,a Salinas police community service officer flagged down officer Luis Trobio near Tampico Avenue, about a half mile from the shooting, Trobio testified.

"He pulled up next to me, pointed toward Tampico, said hed observed a subject walking in the area, as he pointed in that direction, I looked and saw a male walking," he said.

He approached and shined a spotlight on Velarde, eventually ordering him to stop. Velarde complied, Trobio said.

Velarde was wearing a gray t-shirt, blue jeans and tennis shoes with white soles and carrying a black backpack.

When dispatchers broadcast an updated shooter description, Trobio said he detained Velarde and took him to the police department.

They searched the backpack and found a 9mm Luger handgun with no serial numberand latex gloves. They also foundthree 9mmrounds in his jeans' coin pocket, Trobio said.

RAW VIDEO Salinas police and fire respond to shooting on Granada Ave. Salinas Californian

Police sent the handgun and casings found at the Granada hometo the Crime Gun Intelligence program, run through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said Mark Babione, a retired Salinas police officer and coordinator of that program.

He ran it through a series of tests designed to match bullets to guns by "stamps."

Those are seven unique, "microscopic" marks left onthe bullet's casing by the gun's parts, such as the firing pin or muzzle, he said.

"The breech is a very hard metal, the canister is soft metal.When (it's fired), that stamp takes place," Babione said.

Those stamps come fromslight differences that inadvertently occur duringthe gun's manufacturing processon an assembly line.

Salinas police and fire crews were called out to the 1200 block of Granada Avenue at about 7:50 p.m. after receiving reports of a shooting with a possible victim.(Photo: Joe Szydlowski/Staff Photo)

"Its different, different between the one before it and after it," he said.

After using a database to winnow the possible weapons, he normally will run those comparisons against 210 to 300 possible matches, he said

He said he found a "high-confidence candidate link," or a likely match, between the Luger and the casings.

However, under questioning from O'Keefe, he said it is "difficult" to describe what amounts to sufficient evidence to establish that link.

He also acknowledged that establishinglink is done by a visual inspection, a subjective process, and more modern weapons have been more difficult to match.

The9mm handgun tested was 80-percent polymer, he said.

However, Babione also said the process includes an examination by a colleague, and he also requests the police have another firearms technician review his findings to verify them.

"If you're looking for objectivity, I think peer review would be one of the paramount (ways)," he said.

Nonetheless, a "high-confidence candidate" is not the same as a match, Babione said.

Judge Hood noted the reflective markings on the backpack in photos in his ruling that Velarde should stand trial.

Though he was wearing different clothing when officer Trobio stopped him, prosecutor Zamora said there is additional surveillance footageof Velarde's actions after the shooting that was not presented during the hearing.

She said a motive has not been established, but she doesn't know of any connection between Velarde and Rahali before the shooting.

Salinas Assistant Police Chief Roberto Filice makes a statement on the homicide on Granada Avenue. Salinas Californian

Velarde was 17 when he was arrested on suspicion of Rahali's murder, but in late summera judge decided to transfer his case to adult court.

If convicted, Velarde could face 50-years-to-life in prison, she said.

He is next scheduled to appear in court March 5.

Velarde's defense attorney, Thomas O'Keefe, declined to comment after the hearing.

Velarde's loved ones declined to comment after the hearing, which they attended.Rahali's loved ones did notrespond to a request for comment.

More: UPDATE: One dead in Granada Avenue shooting, suspect arrested

Joe Szydlowski is a multimedia journalist for the Salinas Californian who covers local government, crime and cannabis. Follow him on Twitter attwitter.com/JoeSzyd_Salinas. He can be reached at 235-2360. Help support The Californian's work:https://bit.ly/2Qo298J

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Salinas teen to stand trial in deadly shooting, first homicide of 2019 - The Californian

(WXYZ) There's new information tonight about that large piece of concrete that came crashing down from the retaining wall onto the Lodge freeway Friday night.

It happened in the southbound lanes near Outer Drive. The freeway is still closed Saturday night. Initially reported as a retaining wall collapse, on earlier Saturday MDOT described it as a solid concrete retaining wall cap.

Its about three feet tall and at least 200 feet in length that toppled from the top of the retaining wall and came crashing down onto the freeway Friday night narrowly missing oncoming traffic.

We started closing lanes on southbound M-10, but the freeway itself was not totally closed, says Diane Cross, a spokeswoman with MDOT.

That was at 8:15 p.m. 45 minutes before MDOT's planned freeway closure at 9 p.m.

On the service drive, we started working yesterday with whats called saw cutting, says Cross.

An investigation is looking into exactly what happened, but at the time of the saw cutting, around 8:15 p.m., for some reason the couple hundred foot long section of concrete toppled from the service drive to the freeway pavement bringing a worker to the ground with it.

That worker was taken to the hospital. His condition still unknown.

Making many wonder, could it happen again? Are these 60-year-old retaining walls safe to be driving by?

Because of the age of the walls, they are on an every 3 month inspection plus we have the inspectors out here now, says Cross.

The retaining wall is scheduled to be replaced in the spring. The work previously scheduled for this weekend was to reduce pressure on the retaining wall out of an abundance of caution.

The cap was always going to be removed, just not in this way. It was planned to be removed after the freeway shutdown. A nine-foot slope is being dug behind the retaining wall, also part of the initial plan but now also allowing for further inspection. Removing the dirt will remove pressure and allow crews to inspect the 35-foot steel rebars holding the wall up. Those rebars are anchored and encased in concrete.

Well be able to examine the other side of the walls as well and that will be part of the design done over the next couple months, says Cross. And then we will rebuild these walls in the spring.

The southbound lanes of M-10 are expected to reopen Monday. MDOT says the lanes will remain closed if inspectors feel there is a safety issue.

The service drive will be closed for the next few months.

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Safety of 60-year-old retaining walls questioned after cap collapse on SB Lodge - WXYZ

A request to Surf City officials from the owners of a home under construction to continue a retaining wall on the east side of their 18th Street property, or the west side of the oceanfront dune, will be directed to the borough engineer.

Christine Hannemann, borough clerk/administrator, said Michael Curcio and his wife, Julie, would work with Frank Little of Owen, Little and Associates of Beachwood to determine the right course of action for the project.

Michael Curcio reached out to borough officials in a Jan. 30 email asking for permission to continue the block retaining wall on the east side of the property and to replace the broken wooden wall currently in place. Curcio also said he and his wife would like to replace the current pavers with either all pavers or a small center area filled with stones and surrounded by a border of pavers. He also submitted landscape renderings and photos of what currently exists at the site.

When the Curcios received approval for their new home, they did so with the agreement that theyd dedicate 10 feet of their property to the borough to increase the width of Ocean Terrace, Michael Curcio said in his email.

Since the proposed work does not fall within a federally funded dune project footprint, approval is required only from the state or local authorities, according to Steve Rochette, public affairs officer, for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District.

Any individual who removes or alters dunes could also face charges from the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection. The DEP, as the non-federal sponsor, is responsible to operate and maintain the Long Beach Island beach replenishment project, which includes dunes and all other features of the project, according to the Army Corps.

The DEP has state aid agreements with municipalities that spell out state and legal regulations prohibiting the removal of any dunes in New Jersey, according to the Army Corps.

Removal or altering the dunes is definitely a violation, the Army Corps said recently in response to a question regarding the clear cutting of dune vegetation in Ship Bottom. NJDEP is in charge of enforcement, but local municipalities have brought cases against homeowners.

The matter of the clear cutting of dune vegetation is expected to be heard in Ship Bottom municipal court March 6. The case was adjourned Jan. 16, allowing the appropriate parties time to develop and submit a plan to restore dune vegetation.

Under Ship Bottom municipal code, dune restoration requires an application be made that includes a description of the activities to be performed, the equipment to be used and any other information the borough engineer deems necessary to properly review the proposed work. Restoration work cannot begin until a permit has been issued by the borough. The work must then begin within 10 days and be completed within 30 days unless otherwise approved by the governing body, according to municipal code.

At its Jan. 28 meeting, the Ship Bottom Borough Council unanimously introduced an ordinance that would, once adopted, beef up beach protection, including the removal of dune vegetation. The proposal calls for a maximum $2,000 fine for anyone violating or failing to comply with any provision of the boroughs beach protection and bulkheads law.

Its the maximum fine allowed, Kristy Davis, municipal clerk, said at the time.

Currently, the monetary fine is set at no more than $1,000 as well as the possibility of imprisonment for a term not to exceed 90 days or community service not to exceed 90 days, or a combination of the three as determined by the municipal judge. Imprisonment, community service and the discretion of the municipal judge remain the same in the proposed measure.

Mayor William Huelsenbeck said multiple tickets can be given on the same violation for each successive day the situation hasnt been remedied.

A public hearing on the proposed Ship Bottom ordinance is slated for Tuesday, Feb. 25, at borough hall, about 10 days before a clear cutting of dune vegetation at a new construction site on the oceanfront side of 17th Street is scheduled to be heard before Judge James Liguori.

Gina G. Scala

ggscala@thesandpaper.net

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Surf City Property Owners, Borough Engineer Working Together on Oceanfront Retaining Wall Request - The SandPaper

A greenish-yellow liquid flows through a retaining wall on I-696, triggering a lane closure Friday afternoon and haz-mat clean-up Friday night, Dec. 20, 2019.(Photo: MDOT)

Further tests at a Sanilac County property connected to the "green ooze" incident along I-696 in Oakland County have not turned up a significant risk to public health, said Jill Greenberg,Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy spokesperson.

"We're going to discuss what we found at the siteand any steps forward," she said.

In December, a green liquid flowed through a retaining wall on I-696 in Madison Heights, which lead to a lane closure, hazmat cleanup and scrutiny about where it came from. It was traced back to an electroplating facility owned by Gary Sayers. Sayerspleaded guilty to illegally storing hazardous materials at the metalplating business he inherited, and sentenced to a year in prison in Nov. 2019, the Detroit FreePress reported.

Authorities began looking into other properties owned by Sayers, including the Sanilac County property on Loree Road in Marion Township.A round of initial assessments in January 2020 found no contaminants posing a health risk.

On Feb. 10, the EGLE got an administrative inspection warrant for the Loree Road property. EGLE entered the house on the property and did not observe environmental issues of concern, Greenberg said.

EGLE used ground penetrating radar on the driveway, a section of land across a creek on the property that was cleared of trees and had disturbed earth and a site next to the house.

"We found really small anomalies, but nothing that would indicate that the barrels were buriedon site in those locations," Greenberg said.

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The team also used a metal detector, but did not detect metal in those areas, Greenberg said.

"We identified it as a minimal impact site," shesaid.

EGLE will meet to discuss whether any additional work will be done at the property.

"There's no other way to describe it other than he was an industrial hoarder," Greenberg said of Sayers.

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Jeremy Ervin covers environment, education and more. Contact him at (810) 989-6276 or jervin@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter@ErvinJeremy.

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No threat yet found at Marion Twp. site connected to - The Times Herald

TEXAS CITY

Police identified two people who died in a late Thursday night shooting as William Jack Maness, 39, and Lisa Maxine Fuhler, 45. The suspect in those homicides, who died in a vehicle while fleeing from police, was identified as Anthony Paul Doiron, 39.

Police found Maness and Fuhler dead in a mobile home park in Texas City shortly before Doiron died at the scene of a major accident in Webster, Texas City Police Department spokesman Cpl. Allen Bjerke said.

Doiron appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after fleeing from police in a vehicle, League City Police Department spokesman John Griffith said.

Doiron was a resident of Dickinson, Bjerke said.

League City police were pursuing Doiron at the request of Texas City police, after officers from that department found Maness and Fuhler dead at the Green Villa Mobile Home Park, 12250 FM 3436, inside trailer No. 3 at about 8:40 p.m., Bjerke said.

Maness and Fuhler lived at that address, according to the Galveston County Medical Examiners Office. The medical examiner hasnt released a cause of death, but police reported Maness and Fuhler were shot, Bjerke said.

Officers found information about a car the suspect was driving and a connection to a house in the 4900 block of Meadowlark St. in Dickinson, Bjerke said.

Police went to the address and saw the suspect in a vehicle, Bjerke said.

At about 9 p.m., the man fled from police in the vehicle north on I-45, Griffith said.

The driver of the vehicle fled through League City, where the car struck a retaining wall in the 20000 block of I-45 in Webster, according to information released by the League City Police Department on Thursday night. Officers secured the scene and found Doiron dead inside the vehicle from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Griffith said.

Police have not identified a motive for the incident, Bjerke said.

The Texas City Police Department is conducting a homicide investigation in Texas City while the Webster Police Department is investigating the accident.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Texas City Police Department at 409-948-2525.

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Three people who died in Thursday incident identified - Galveston County Daily News

Published: 02/20/20 11:02 pm EST

INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) A tanker truck explosion on I-465 in Indianapolis as it crosses I-70 on the east side closed parts of the highways on Thursday.

Several witnesses shared photos and video of the explosion and fire with Eyewtiness News.

Investigators say the semi driver lost control coming around the curve on the ramp, hit the retaining wall and overturned. The semi was hauling 4,000 gallons of jet fuel when it erupted in flames.

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Three good Samaritans pulled the driver from the flames and he was rushed to the hospital. Police say the driver is in critical condition.

State police believe unsafe speed was a factor in the crash.

Crews are working to remove the remains of the charred truck so they can finish inspecting the roadway.

The Indianapolis Fire Department shared dozens of photos of the department's response to the explosion and fire on Facebook.

2020 by 10TV.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Tanker truck explosion closes Indianapolis interstate, driver rescued by good Samaritans - 10TV

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) Howard Henry says he does not deserve what has happened since a retaining wall and parts of the parking lot at the McFarland Apartments collapsed on his business in May 2016.

Henry is still awaiting financial compensation for that incident so that he can re-open Howard Tire & Auto.

I still cant believe that this is my reality, Henry said. I did nothing wrong but I am the only one that has suffered. I have lost everything.

He says a judge recently canceled a settlement hearing with McFarland LP and other defendants in the case. Henry believes McFarland is using stall tactics to avoid paying him.

They are responsible, he said. They even settled with their own insurance company but they continue to refuse to pay me.

Henry says McFarland did not disclose the amount of insurance money they received nor have they demonstrated any willingness to resolve the matter.

They promised to make things right in 2019 and in early 2020, Henry said. I have sold everything that I own to get these guys to come to the table and they keep promising the judge one thing and motions to try and stall it. It has me holding my breath, I just want this done.

The judge has ordered a mandatory status update meeting on March 18.

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Harrisburg business owner on delayed settlement claim: I have lost everything - ABC27

By Taylor Pettaway, mySA.com / San Antonio Express-News

One man is dead after crashing a stolen vehicle near Callaghan and Evers Thursday morning.

One man is dead after crashing a stolen vehicle near Callaghan and Evers Thursday morning.

One man is dead after crashing a stolen vehicle near Callaghan and Evers Thursday morning.

One man is dead after crashing a stolen vehicle near Callaghan and Evers Thursday morning.

SAPD identifies man who diedafter crashing a stolen vehicle on the Northwest Side

Note: This story has been updated to correct the number of Mitsubishi Outlanders involved in the incident.

A man who was killed when the stolen vehicle he was traveling in crashed on the Northwest Side on Thursday morning has been identified by the San Antonio Police Department as 20-year-old Jorge Anthony Garcia.

Police said they received a call about a hit-and-run involving a Mitsubishi Outlander around midnight near Bandera Road and Mainland Drive. A witness who saw the incident followed the Outlander but lost sight of it, police said.

A short time later, an officer who was nearby heard a loud crash. Officers later discovered an Outlander had crashed between a car wash and shopping center near Callaghan and Evers roads.

According to police, the Outlander crossed the intersection, clipped a utility pole, hit a retaining wall, became airborne and hit a tree.

Garcia, who was driving the car and wasnt wearing a seatbelt, was partially ejected from the vehicle. He died at the scene.

It was later discovered the vehicle was stolen on Feb. 14.

Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news reporter and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site,MySA.com, and on our subscriber site,ExpressNews.com|taylor.pettaway@express-news.net|@TaylorPettaway

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SAPD identifies man who died after crashing a stolen vehicle on the Northwest Side - mySA

Construction projects at several Lake Elsinore Unified School District campuses have been finished, according to notices of completion filed with and approved by the school board at its Feb. 13 meeting.

The projects include installation of two greenhouse systems at Elsinore High School, repairs to a pedestrian bridge at Elsinore Middle School, renovations of an administrative building at Terra Cotta Middle School and the installation of a modular concession stand building at Temescal Canyon High School.

The district is also planning to put a retaining wall repair and basketball court renovation project out to bid at David A. Brown Middle School in the near future, and approved a $19,500 contract with a consultant to provide structural and civil engineering design services.

The items were all approved as part of the boards consent agenda, which means they were voted on without discussion.

Will Fritz can be reached by email at wfritz@reedermedia.com.

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Construction projects wrap up at LEUSD schools; renovation, repair project planned for David A. Brown MS - Valley News

KANSAS CITY, Mo. Residents living along Northwest 72nd Street, just east of Interstate 29, are sick of delays and detours. A portion of the road has been closed for a Kansas City improvement project since May 2018.

Jack Williams, a Lake Waukomis alderman, said residents do not see any work being done at the site.

"When we come out of our entrance and have to go east, we can look down the road and see that there's nothing going on," Williams said. "This they could have done in a fraction of a time that this has been going on."

Ray Gassman also lives in Lake Waukomis. He told 41 Action News he hasn't seen any work happening on the road for weeks.

"I wish you could see some progress going when the weather is nice, that would be a big help," he said.

A spokesperson for Kansas City Public Works told 41 Acton News while the project has hit a slight delay, it is still on track to be completed this fall.

The spokesperson pointed 41 Action News to the city's latest construction update, which said, "temperature swings are still too low for the contractor to confidently proceed with subgrade stabilization, grading work or asphalt. The frozen ground limits the ability of ensuring good earth compaction and ultimately, a roadway that will have good longevity. Currently, the contractor is preparing to begin work on the retaining walls. They determined retaining wall work can proceed, as it is not as dependent on weather. The contractor is still actively maintaining the job site, ensuring access for local residents and monitoring storm water control measures."

Williams and Gassman said they are doubtful about the fall completion date.

"I'd bet against that," Gassman said.

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Northland residents question construction project that has road closed for months - KSHB