Apparently I’ve turned into the “bad guy.” The Biff Tannen of Turlock. Naysayers want me to apologize to readers who I’ve “offended” because I’m a “bully” and I have “no sympathy.”
I apologize for nothing and I apologize to no one.
I do have sympathy, but it is reserved for children who find themselves with no choice. I have sympathy for the fallen and injured members of the U.S. Military and public safety officers and their families. I have sympathy for honest people who are victims of unfortunate circumstances.
Anything else is an excuse, plain and simple. There is a difference between those of us who choose to do good in the world, and those who choose to do wrong. Every single human being alive is faced with adversity, it’s how you react that makes the difference, no matter if you're 19 or 99 years old.
In this week’s edition of the lowlights, we will take a look at those who allegedly chose to do the wrong thing. Neither I, nor the majority of readers, care “what they’ve gone through.”
March 26 was a busy day for Turlock police, those people who we all pay to help keep the community safe whether the offender is a basketcase or not.
At just after 7 a.m. Jeremy Hibbs, 25, was contacted by TPD in the 1000 block of Minaret Avenue after being involved in a disturbance. He allegedly tried to make a run for it. A choice he allegedly made himself and of his own free mind. He was quickly arrested for resisting, delaying and obstructing a peace officer.
Next we move to a group of 30-somethings that allegedly chose not to grow up.
At just before 9 a.m. Matthew Brians, 32, allegedly chose to go on a bicycle ride, perhaps to the local market to buy some cereal and vegetables. The only problem was that he was allegedly in possession of meth when police noticed him. TPD arrested him for possession of meth near the intersection of Golden State Boulevard and F Street. Naysayers would have you believe he was the victim, but those of us with a brain could tell you the vast majority of 32-year-olds aren’t cruising down the street at 9 a.m. on a Wednesday morning on their bicycles, and if they are it is clearly for exercise purposes.
Joseph Poma, another 32-year-old grown man, was contacted as a suspicious person looking into vehicles in the 300 block of East Hawkeye Avenue. Strangely enough, he was allegedly found in illegal possession of vicodin. He was arrested and booked for possession of a controlled substance.
On March 28 Guadalupe Munoz, 34, allegedly made the choice to cut his victim during an argument at just before midnight in the 400 block of Main Street. Naysayers would have you think that Munoz was off his medication and was a victim of happenstance. I call bull(expletive). Munoz allegedly tried to flee the area, but as usual TPD located him in short order.
Less than 90 minutes later, on March 29 at 1:27 a.m. Spenser Cayaditto, 23, was arrested for public intoxication at the intersection of Main Street and Beech Street. Cayaditto was called in by a witness because he was allegedly continually running into the street trying to stop vehicles in traffic. Oh, but he was the victim, because he is just a kid acting silly, right?
Later the same day at 2:08 a.m. Bridget McDonald, 21, was arrested in the 1000 block of Vermont Avenue for drunk driving, after an officer allegedly witnessed her back into a parked vehicle. The nerve of that officer sitting and spying on people, right?
On March 31 at 2:07 p.m. Richard Oboyle, 41, was called in for allegedly trespassing into resident’s backyards in the 1700 block of Denair Avenue. TPD found Oboyle and he chose to resist arrest. The nerve of the police, what is this world coming to? He was arrested and booked for resisting arrest and being under the influence of a controlled substance.
On April Fools’ Day a 16-year-old juvenile was arrested for battery on a peace officer after TPD responded to the scene of a disturbance in the 300 block of Hawkeye Avenue. As an officer attempted to make contact with the juvenile in his bedroom, the juvenile pepper sprayed him. The juvenile was arrested and booked into juvenile hall.
I’m pretty sure that at age 16 a lot of people make mistake. The difference between this juvenile and most juveniles is that he chose to take his mistakes out on the police. It's one thing to get into trouble, it is an entirely different thing to get angry at the police because of your choices.
Let us all hope he doesn’t end up in the group of 30-somethings doing the same thing.
