Avila Beach
Body of SM man found at Pirates Cove
A team of divers and search-and-rescue personnel on Thursday found the body of a 24-year-old Santa Maria man who fell off a cliff the previous night at Pirates Cove, according to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department.
Rescue teams searched for Juan Lazaro-Zacariaz until dark Wednesday, resuming their search Thursday morning. They were hampered by thick fog, Sheriff’s Cmdr. Brain Hascall said.
Lazaro-Zacariaz was apparently sitting on the rock near a cave called “the eye” with his brother at about 6 p.m. when he either fell or jumped, according to the Sheriff’s Department, which is still investigating the fall.
“We’re trying to piece together what happened,” Hascall said Thursday afternoon. “At this point, we’re not ruling anything out.”
An autopsy will be performed to determine cause of death, reported the sheriff’s department.
San Luis Obispo
Police dog finds man sought in exposures
Communities in southern San Luis Obispo County have Zeke, an Atascadero police dog, to thank for putting a stop to the man who allegedly had been exposing himself in public places for three days, according to the San Luis Obispo Police Department.
Zeke found Patrick Dodenhoff, 39, hiding in heavy brush near Pirate’s Cove after he had been seen earlier in the day at three different places, including San Luis Obispo High School and Mustang Village, a student housing complex, police said.
The Palm Desert resident is a parolee-at-large, and was wanted by state parole officials, police said. According to authorities, a witness obtained a license plate number, and officers found that Dodenhoff was driving a vehicle that had been reported stolen in Gardena, Calif.
A number of law enforcement agencies worked together to apprehend Dodenhoff, who was being held at the San Luis Obispo County jail without bond on a parole violation.
Dodenhoff would also be charged with several counts of suspicion of indecent exposure, and one count of possessing a stolen vehicle, police officials said.
Santa Maria
The U.S. Census Bureau is recruiting managers for its Early Local Census Office, set to open in Santa Maria this fall. The positions are short-term. Census Day is scheduled for April 1, 2010.
Testing is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 13, at the Veterans Memorial Center, 313 W. Tunnel St. To reserve a seat or for other testing locations, call 877-232-3385.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen, have two years management experience, pass a background/fingerprint check, pass a Census Bureau written exam, and submit a separate application form for each desired position.
Managers’ salaries range from $19.25 to $29 per hour depending on location and position which include local census office manager, assistant manager for field operations, assistant manager for administration, assistant manager for recruiting, assistant manager for quality assurance, and assistant manager for technology.
Santa Maria
Three-car crash leaves one badly hurt
A Santa Maria woman was severely injured Thursday in a three-vehicle accident on Betteravia Road just east of South Broadway, according to the Santa Maria Police Department.
Christine Jordan, 44, of Santa Maria was in stable condition Thursday night in intensive care at Marian Medical Center, a hospital spokeswoman said. She earlier had undergone emergency surgery for major internal trauma to the chest and abdomen.
Two westbound vehicles were stopped at a red light at the Betteravia Road and South Broadway intersection at about 10:40 a.m. when Jordan “failed to stop” her 1991 Toyota truck, police said.
Jordan slammed into the rear of a 1991 Ford Super-Duty Box truck, which was shoved forward by the impact into a 2004 Ford F-250 truck in front of it, police said.
The drivers of the other vehicle — Shelley Parker, 44, of Santa Maria and Ruben Gutierrez, 56, of Santa Maria — were not injured, police said.
Santa Maria
Rec and parks dept. nears smoking plan
With a proposal to ban the use of all tobacco products in city parks on its agenda, the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Commission is scheduled to decide Tuesday on a recommendation to the City Council.
The proposed ordinance could be a complete ban on tobacco — whether smoked, chewed, dipped or sniffed — or it could instead establish designated smoking areas. On Aug. 12, the commission heard testimony from speakers supporting a total ban to the creation of designated smoking areas.
The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 110 E. Cook St.
Santa Maria
SMAT plans raffles as rider thank yous
To mark 30 years of service and as a “thank you” to riders, Santa Maria Area Transit (SMAT) will hold raffle drawings and giveaways at bus stops and shelters the week of Sept. 29, beginning with a free event on Monday, Sept. 29, from noon to 1 p.m. at the Transit Center on East Cook Street near the Town Center mall.
SMAT staff will be available to answer questions and educate the public on services, plans for the future and the benefits of public transit.
Goleta
Missing teen found dead on freeway
A 14-year-old Goleta girl who went missing from the city of Goleta’s fireworks show at Girsh Park on Monday is dead, having been hit by a vehicle on Highway 101, said Sgt. Alex Tipolt of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.
He said he doesn’t know when the vehicle accident occurred that killed Christina Veloz-Payne, but said the assumption is that she was around the time she went missing.
Veloz-Payne was found on the freeway near Calle Real and Plumas Avenue, Tipolt said, not far from her house on San Milano Drive.
The California Highway Patrol is conducting an investigation, he said. A CHP spokesman could not be reached Thursday evening.
Tipolt said it appeared she was trying to cross the freeway when she was killed.
Veloz-Payne told friends she would walk several miles to her home from Girsh Park, officials have said.
-- From staff reports
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