Central Coast

Law enforcement agencies honored

Local law enforcement agencies were among departments honored for excellence Thursday at the sixth annual California Law Enforcement Challenge conference in Sacramento.

The top honor, The Commissioner’s Award, was given to the Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo University Police Department, reported the California Highway Patrol, for overall excellence in traffic safety programs.

CHP Special Awards were given to the Santa Barbara area CHP for bicycle/pedestrian safety and to the San Luis Obispo area CHP for speed enforcement.

Santa Barbara County’s “Avoid the 12” program, which cracks down on driving under the influence offenders, received the second place award for multi-jurisdictional programs.

Cal Poly’s police department earned a second award, this one for second place among university police departments.

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The San Luis Obispo area CHP was honored with second place in excellence for departments of its size.

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Goleta

Fund created for family of girl killed

A memorial fund has been established for survivors of a 14-year-old Goleta girl who was found dead this week, having been hit by a hit-and-run vehicle on Highway 101.

Donations may be made in memory of Christina Veloz-Payne at any Bank of America branch to account No. 171116638, reported the California Highway Patrol.

Veloz-Payne went missing during the city of Goleta’s fireworks show at Girsh Park on Monday. Officials have said she told friends she would walk several miles to her home on San Milano Drive from Girsh Park.

Veloz-Payne was found on the freeway near Calle Real and Plumas Avenue, Santa Barbara County sheriff’s Sgt. Alex Tipolt said.

It appeared she had been trying to cross the freeway when she was killed, he added.

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Arroyo Grande

Transient held; tied to threats, abuse

A 32-year-old transient who led police on a short vehicle pursuit Thursday afternoon near Black Lake Golf Resort was taken into custody at gunpoint in the front yard of a home on Tag Court, according to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department.

Ramon David Maldonado, 32, was booked into County Jail on suspicion of spousal abuse, making criminal threats, failing to yield to a peace officer and driving without a license.

Shortly before 3 p.m., sheriff’s deputies responded to a 9-1-1 call from a woman who told emergency operators that a man was trying to kill her in the 2000 block of Arriba Place, according to Cmdr. Brian Hascall.

The unidentified woman reportedly told dispatchers she was hiding in a yard and that the man was driving a gold-colored sedan, which was spotted at the intersection of Arriba Place and Highway 1, Hascall said.

Deputies tried to stop the vehicle driven by Maldonado, but he refused to pull over and led officers on a short pursuit that ended at Albert Way and Dawn Road, where he abandoned the car and was taken into custody, according to Hascall.

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Santa Maria

Woman sentenced in theft of fund jar

A Nipomo woman who stole a jar for collecting money for funeral expenses from the counter of a Santa Maria gas station pleaded guilty to felony theft Thursday and was sentenced to three years in state prison.

Disrene Lopez, 26, was taped on security cameras putting her jacket over the jar on July 13 and taking it out to her waiting car, said Santa Barbara County Senior Deputy District Attorney John MacKinnon, the case prosecutor.

As part of her sentence, Lopez was ordered to pay back the $100 that was estimated to have been in the donation jar.

Lopez has a history of theft convictions, MacKinnon said, and was on probation for possession of stolen property when the donation jar was stolen.

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Santa Maria

‘Extra Point’ races at Elks/Unocal center

Two “extra point” races are scheduled today and Sunday at Santa Maria BMX at the Santa Maria Elks/Unocal Event Center.

A memorial “double points” race for Steve Dennell, a former National Bicycle League registered racer who died in 2007, is scheduled for this morning. Dennell was the owner of R Country Markets in the Santa Ynez Valley.

Signups will be from 8 to 10 a.m. with a dedication ceremony and race start by 11 a.m. Proceeds will benefit local riders.

On Sunday, the local stop on the 2008 NBL Bob Warnicke Scholarship Program race schedule, a fund that supports students and their families with the costs of undergraduate studies and trade schools, is scheduled by 11 a.m.

A dedication ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. Signups will be from 8 to 10 a.m. It is a “quadruple points” race.

Warnicke, who died in 1994, had an active role in BMX as a rider and promoter.

-- From staff reports