MODESTO, CA – At a probation hearing Tuesday in the Stanislaus County Superior Court here, a $25,000 bail was set following a probation violation by the accused based on testimony given by Deputy Roger Coffman.
Coffman testified the accused was standing suspiciously close to a burglary crime scene and was initially believed to be involved with the perpetrator. The accused was arrested shortly after some resistance, said the deputy.
Judge Shawn Bessey introduced the case and explained there was a bail bond set for a preliminary hearing. The accused allegedly violated probation following a new violation of law, said Judge Bessey, noting the case is a misdemeanor.
Coffman said, when he arrived on the scene, “The accused was standing near the investigation.” He explained how the accused was a person of interest after meeting with the initial standing deputy who told him it was believed the accused arrived with the perpetrator.
Deputy Coffman noted the accused was standing 15 yards from the scene and “her demeanor appeared interested in the investigation” as “she appeared to be listening to the investigation as she stood by the deputies.”
The prosecution then specifically asked if this was unusual behavior to which the deputy responded, “It can be.”
Deputy Coffman said he approached the accused twice and asked if she was involved at all. He said he also observed “a bulge in her windbreaker,” which “could indicate a possible weapon.” Following this, deputy Coffman said he “advised her (deputies) were going to do a pat down.”
The deputy said the accused initially contested the pat down, and he advised the accused to place her hands behind her back, telling the court the accused “positioned her right hand in her waistband, out of sight,” which he perceived as a threat, and grabbed her hands.
The accused began to pull away, the deputy said, and he warned the accused he would have to put her in cuffs so the accused “complied momentarily.”
Deputy Coffman then added the accused “dropped her weight and pulled to the ground,” in what he believes to have been “an attempt to escape.”
However, when asked to clarify this instance later during Deputy Public Defender Rebecka Monez’s questioning, he confirmed it was other deputies who pulled the accused to the ground.
While the accused was on the ground, according to the deputy, she began kicking around “less than 10 times, but more than five,” and eventually kicked him in the face once “as hard as she was capable of kicking from that position.”
After this incident, the accused was placed under arrest by the deputy. The prosecution asked if he had read the accused her Miranda Rights, to which Deputy Coffman had to refer to his report, something he had only done one other time during his testimony. Upon reading, he confirmed he had.
DPD Monez asked the deputy if the accused’s involvement in the burglary or with the perpetrator was verified. Deputy Coffman explained that he does not know.
DPD Monez then asked about how common it is for people to be in close proximity to crime scenes and whether they ever seemed interested.
Despite his earlier answer deeming the accused’s behavior as “unusual,” at this question, Deputy Coffman explained, “It can be (common).”
Judge Bessey found the accused in violation of probation and is now pending sentencing. The accused’s bail is set to the original amount of $25,000.
The justice system in Modesto is a flat out jokesters riot! I enjoy watching how the police department runs with all of their unorganized files they guess at what’s real . Poor guy. That’s what you get for living in Modesto ca.