There’s a new sheriff in town in Washtenaw County, Michigan, who is pushing for major changes to how the sheriff’s department enforces laws and policies that she says are important to protecting the environment. 
Sheriff Alyshia Dyer, a former deputy who became a social worker, is <a href="https://www.dyer2024.com/priorities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">focused</a> on protecting the community “from the negative environmental and human health impacts of pollution and climate change.” Dyer, a Democrat, was sworn in earlier this month, becoming Washtenaw County’s first female sheriff after she pulled out an upset victory in the Democratic Party primary in August and ran unopposed in the general election. 
In a phone interview with The Daily Wire, the new sheriff emphasized that under her leadership, the sheriff’s department will drastically change its outlook on environmental issues and said that she wants to implement an “Environmental Crimes Unit” in her first term, which would focus on looking into “air pollution, water contamination, and hazardous waste management.” 
“The sheriff’s office historically hasn’t been necessarily a strong champion in this work, but there’s no reason we can’t be,” Dyer said. 
Washtenaw County — which encompasses Ann Arbor, where the University of Michigan is located — had the <a href="https://witl.com/michigan-counties-with-the-most-crimes-committed/">10th highest</a> crime rate among Michigan counties in 2021, and in each of the following years, the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office <a href="https://www.washtenaw.org/3915/Sheriff-Data-Information-Dashboard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> over 1,000 assault offenses, over 900 larceny/theft offenses, and more than 100 sex offenses. 
Dyer told The Daily Wire that bringing down violent crime in Washtenaw County is “connected” to fighting for environmental justice and prioritizing officers’ “mental health and wellness.&#8221; 
“It’s all connected. Looking at, number one, I talked a lot about officer mental health and wellness. Officers can’t effectively do their jobs if they’re not taking care of themselves. Looking at the environment, looking at corporate polluters, looking at the quality of life for residents, it has a really big impact on wellbeing.”
Dyer argued that it’s important for the sheriff’s department to focus on “creating better environments for the community.” 
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/">JOIN THE MOVEMENT IN ’25 WITH 25% OFF DAILYWIRE+ ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS WITH CODE DW25</a>
After publication, the Washtenaw County Sheriff&#8217;s Office sent a statement to The Daily Wire, reiterating its commitment to fighting violent crime and saying that &#8220;violent crime specialty units will remain, along with the implementation of investigative units to focus on corporate and environmental crime.&#8221;
Instituting environmental policies in the sheriff’s department would begin with reducing vehicle emissions from the department’s patrol car fleet, according to the new sheriff. To accomplish this, Dyer suggested placing new systems in patrol cars that cut back on gas or potentially moving to electric vehicles. 
“We have the largest fleet in the county,” Dyer said. “So we’re thinking about moving toward reducing vehicle emissions. There’s another sheriff’s office, I believe it was in Santa Barbara, California, and they put idling reduction systems in their cars, saved 260 gallons of gasoline. Also adding remote starters so deputies aren’t leaving their vehicles running all day, so it’s easy to turn them on and off — things like that.” 
Dyer said she plans to cut back on the number of patrol vehicles on the road and put two deputies in a patrol car instead of one, a move the sheriff said will help cut back on emissions. The main reason for pairing up deputies, according to Dyer, however, is to “help reduce vehicle crashes” and “lower stress” on officers who are currently working 16-hour shifts. In a statement to The Daily Wire after publication, the sheriff&#8217;s office said that deputies requested to be paired up in patrol vehicles. 
“The last thing I want is officers out here sleep-deprived with a gun, angry, driving around. No one wants that,” Dyer added.  
Asked if the sheriff’s department has any plan to hire more deputies, Dyer replied, “We do need to fill some spots because we are probably the shortest in road patrol that we have been in a very long time, which has created a lot of forced overtime, which has hurt morale, hurt staff, and in turn, has hurt the community.”
“We’re trying to get hiring up. It has been harder to hire in law enforcement because everyone is hiring,” the sheriff continued. “So that is something we’re definitely focused on.”  
Dyer <a href="https://www.dyer2024.com/priorities">wrote</a> on her campaign website that she will prioritize “diversity” and “inclusivity” in the hiring process. She lamented that “the Sheriff’s Office is predominantly male, white, and not representative of our LGBTQ+ population” and vowed to ensure “that hiring practices are inclusive.” 
The new sheriff will partner with a leftist prosecutor, Eli Savit, who was just re-elected after running unopposed, according to a <a href="https://boltsmag.org/a-michigan-sheriff-and-prosecutor-join-forces-to-implement-progressive-policy-washtenaw-county/">report</a> from Bolts. Savit was first elected to office in 2020 amid the protests and riots that spread across the country after George Floyd’s death in police custody. The leftist prosecutor has taken a soft-on-crime approach to criminal justice and has also <a href="https://www.washtenaw.org/3284/Prosecutor-Eli-Savit">pushed</a> “environmental initiatives in Michigan and across the country.” 
Dyer also said she’s looking forward to partnering with the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office to go after corporate crimes, such as “wage theft” and “tip theft.” 
“Hand-in-hand with the environmental crimes is also the corporate crimes,” she said.
This article has been updated to include an additional comment from the Washtenaw County Sheriff&#8217;s Office.

Alyshia Dyer

New Sheriff In Major Michigan County Wants To Fight Violent Crime Through ‘Environmental Justice’

Environmentalists

Michigan

Sheriff

The 43-year-old son of Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) was sentenced to 28 years in prison on Monday for killing Mercer County, North Dakota, Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Martin after ramming into his vehicle during a car chase last December.
In September, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gop-senators-son-involved-in-police-chase-resulting-in-death-of-sheriffs-deputy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ian Cramer</a> pleaded guilty to all of the charges against him, which included homicide while fleeing a peace officer, preventing arrest, reckless endangerment, fleeing an officer, and drug- and driving-related offenses, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/31/us/ian-cramer-sentenced-north-dakota-deputy-killed/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a>. State District Judge Bobbi Weiler handed down Cramer&#8217;s sentence, which was 38 years with 10 years suspended, but the judge said that Cramer would likely only serve &#8220;a small portion&#8221; of the 28 years.
“The (state) Department of Corrections has their own policy on how much time you’re going to serve,” Weiler said. “These are not mandatory minimums, which means that you’re probably going to serve a small portion of that 28 years and be out on parole, so that’ll … give you an opportunity to have a second chance that Deputy Martin does not have, nor does his family have.”
Cramer was taken to the emergency room on December 6, 2023, by his mother, Kris, over concerns about his mental health. After Kris exited the vehicle at the hospital, Cramer slid into the driver&#8217;s seat and took off. He later fled from deputies, sparking a chase.
Spike strips deployed by law enforcement flattened two tires on the SUV Cramer was driving, but he continued to evade law enforcement. Another set of spike strips was deployed to stop Cramer&#8217;s vehicle, but Cramer swerved to avoid them and rammed into Martin&#8217;s patrol car, launching the deputy 100 feet, according to authorities. Martin, 53, was declared dead at a hospital.
Martin served his community with the Mercer County Sheriff&#8217;s Office for 18 years and, just a week before his death, discussed plans to retire. He is <a href="https://www.odmp.org/officer/26849-deputy-sheriff-paul-martin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">survived</a> by his wife, three children, and four grandchildren.
Cramer issued an apology to the deputy&#8217;s family in court on Monday.
“I had no intention to do any of this. It was an accident, and I just hope that someday they can forgive me, and I think the best thing for me is to go to a hospital and just get more help,” Cramer said.
According to Mercer County State’s Attorney Todd Schwarz, Cramer also struggled with drugs and admitted to using methamphetamine and bath salts on the day of the crash. Judge Weiler&#8217;s recommended treatment for Cramer for mental health and drug addiction.
Sen. Cramer said he is &#8220;somewhat disappointed that mental health is so casually dismissed both by the court and by the prosecutor,&#8221; but added, &#8220;I don’t think there’s any question there’s not one person, including Ian, who doesn’t know that they were his choices that led to this, whatever they may be, under whatever condition, choices that go back many years.”

Kevin Cramer

GOP Senator’s Son Sentenced To 28 Years For Killing Deputy In Car Chase

GOP Senator's Son Sentenced To 28 Years In Prison For Killing Deputy In Car Chase

Congress

Death

Law Enforcement

North Dakota

Politics

On Tuesday, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 3-1 for a policy that would turn the jurisdiction into a “super sanctuary” county, thereby preventing its sheriff&#8217;s department from notifying ICE about illegal immigrants who had committed violent crimes.
The policy goes beyond California state law and will <a href="https://apnews.com/article/san-diego-county-trump-deportation-sanctuary-ee8603c35d2ee6700d1eda22139bcf88">require</a> a judge&#8217;s order for ICE to receive assistance from the county to transfer illegal immigrants convicted of violent crimes to immigration authorities.
San Diego County Sheriff Kelly A. Martinez <a href="https://www.sdsheriff.gov/Home/Components/News/News/3102/16">immediately responded</a>, issuing a statement that said: “The Sheriff&#8217;s Office will not change its practices based on the Board resolution and policy that was passed at today&#8217;s meeting. The Board of Supervisors does not set policy for the Sheriff&#8217;s Office. The Sheriff, as an independently elected official, sets the policy for the Sheriff&#8217;s Office. California law prohibits the Board of Supervisors from interfering with the independent, constitutionally and statutorily designated investigative functions of the Sheriff, and is clear that the Sheriff has the sole and exclusive authority to operate the county jails.”
“I think this policy goes beyond California’s existing sanctuary laws by adding an additional layer of bureaucracy that hinders local law enforcement from directly notifying ICE about illegal immigrants who are currently in our jails,” Supervisor Jim Desmond, the lone dissenting vote, declared. “And they have committed heinous crimes, including child abuse or endangerment, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, but only if this conviction is for a felony, possession of an unlawful deadly weapon, gang-related offenses, a crime resulting in death or involving personal affliction or great bodily injury, possession or use of a firearm in the commission of an offense, torture, rape, and kidnapping. That’s the population we’re talking about.”
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE</a>
He pointed out that if an illegal immigrant committed one of those crimes, “San Diego County would be legally prohibited from directly coordinating with ICE &#8230; effectively protecting these offenders from deportation.”
“Today’s outrageous decision to turn San Diego County into a ‘Super’ Sanctuary County is an affront to every law-abiding citizen who values safety and justice,” Desmond <a href="https://x.com/jim_desmond/status/1866611711022862592">wrote</a> on X. “The Board of Supervisors’ 3-1 vote to embrace this radical policy is a direct betrayal of the people we are sworn to protect. This reckless measure not only goes far beyond California&#8217;s already extreme Sanctuary State laws but actively endangers our communities by shielding illegal immigrant criminals from deportation.”
“I have already been in contact with the incoming Administration and will fight relentlessly to undo this disastrous policy and ensure that illegal immigrant criminals are removed from our neighborhoods,” he concluded.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Today’s outrageous decision to turn San Diego County into a “Super” Sanctuary County is an affront to every law-abiding citizen who values safety and justice. The Board of Supervisors’ 3-1 vote to embrace this radical policy is a direct betrayal of the people we are sworn to… <a href="https://t.co/LypCR5S1GX">pic.twitter.com/LypCR5S1GX</a>
&mdash; Supervisor Jim Desmond (@jim_desmond) <a href="https://twitter.com/jim_desmond/status/1866611711022862592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

San Diego Interstate 8 Sign

San Diego County Board Of Supervisors Votes To Protect Violent Illegals. Sheriff Fires Back.

California

illegal immigrants

Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

San Diego

Vem Miller, a Nevada man who was arrested last weekend outside a Trump rally, is suing Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco for creating “a false narrative against Miller&#8221; when he alleged Miller was trying to assassinate former President Donald Trump, whom Miller says he fully supports.
Miller was arrested for allegedly having a fake pass to the rally &#8212; which Miller has denied &#8212; and numerous illegal, loaded weapons in his vehicle. Sheriff Bianco told the press following Miller&#8217;s arrest that his team likely stopped a third assassination attempt on the former president.
“I probably did have deputies that prevented the third assassination attempt,” Bianco said. “I truly do believe that we prevented another assassination attempt.”
In his lawsuit, Miller <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/10/16/man-arrested-trump-rally-sues-california-sheriff-00183906" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> Bianco “wanted to create a narrative so as to be viewed as a ‘heroic’ Sheriff who saved Presidential candidate Trump from a third assassination attempt.”
Miller further contends that Bianco made false statements about him even after he was notified by Secret Service and the FBI that they did not view Miller as a threat.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1729077615157000&amp;usg=AOvVaw17Kprl74oE9DYOLREdiBPU">MATT WALSH’S ‘AM I RACIST?’ COMING TO DAILYWIRE+ OCT. 28</a>
“Even after being notified by both United States Secret Service and Federal Bureau of Investigation that they did not believe Miller was a threat and declined to interview him, Defendant Bianco continued to make preposterous allegations against Miller, holding press conferences perpetuating his delusional and false narrative,” the complaint reads.
On Tuesday, Bianco told the Los Angeles Times that it was possible that Miller had not been at the rally to hurt Trump. “Three days later, IF everything Mr. Miller has said is true, and I really hope it is, then he probably wasn’t there to hurt former President Trump,” the sheriff <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-10-15/riverside-sheriff-backs-off-trump-assassination-attempt-comments" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> via text message. “I definitely said it and can’t change that.”
“There is no way for us to know for sure,&#8221; Bianco added. &#8220;That is up to further investigation, if any, from the FBI.&#8221;
Miller has spoken to the press in the aftermath of the arrest and repeatedly stated that he&#8217;s a supporter of Trump, &#8220;100%.&#8221; He also said he&#8217;s been to numerous Trump rallies and typically informs officers at the rallies that he has legal firearms in his vehicle.
However, at the Coachella, California rally, where Miller was arrested, he <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBqNi-uG-xI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> his guns were not legal. Miller said he didn&#8217;t realize there were different laws in California than in Nevada and made a mistake.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sheriff-shares-new-details-about-suspect-arrested-in-what-he-claims-was-assassination-attempt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sheriff Shares New Details About Suspect Arrested In What He Claims Was ‘Assassination Attempt’</a>

House Speaker Johnson GOP Leadership Hold Police Week News Conference

Trump Supporter Sues Cali Sheriff For Accusing Him Of Trying To Assassinate Trump

Man Sues California Sheriff For Accusing Him Of Trying To Assassinate Trump 

Courts

Trump Rallies

U.S.

Kent County, Michigan, Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young is attempting to clarify her department’s policy on holding illegal immigrants for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after a murder allegedly committed by an illegal immigrant rocked the community last month.
The Republican sheriff sent multiple letters to the <a href="https://cis.org/Map-Sanctuary-Cities-Counties-and-States">Center for Immigration Studies</a> (CIS) last week, asking the think tank to remove Kent County from its list of “sanctuary” cities, counties, and states across the U.S. The letter — obtained by The Daily Wire — attempted to “clarify” the department’s “policy regarding ICE hold requests.”
The department’s effort comes days after a once-deported illegal immigrant was arrested and charged with the murder of 25-year-old Ruby Garcia. ICE <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/once-deported-illegal-immigrant-charged-with-murder-in-shooting-death-of-25-year-old-michigan-woman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> in a statement to The Daily Wire last week that Brandon Ortiz-Vite, also 25, was deported under the Trump administration in 2020 and then re-entered the U.S. unlawfully “at an unknown date.”
LaJoye-Young wrote in a letter to CIS, “1. As in any case, the individual may be held on a judicial warrant signed by a judge or magistrate; OR 2. The hold can be upon request by ICE, with review and approval by the Office of the Sheriff or Correctional Facility Captain.”
“An I-247 request, signed by an authorized immigration officer, and a I-200 administrative Warrant for Arrest of Alien signed by authorized immigration officer with the ‘Certificate of Service’ portion completed must be received for the inmate,” the letter added. “Departmental review confirms that the requisite authority to detain is in place.”
Following the letter, CIS said it would take Kent County off its “sanctuary” list, NBC affiliate WOODTV <a href="https://www.woodtv.com/news/kent-county/think-tank-says-it-will-take-kent-county-off-sanctuary-list/amp/">reported</a>.
The latest letter from LaJoye-Young appeared to be a shift in policy from just a few years ago when the sheriff said her department would no longer hold illegal immigrants without a judicial warrant. In January 2019 during the Trump administration, the Kent County Sheriff’s Department told ICE it would not abide by its detainer requests unless the agency obtained a warrant. In many jurisdictions, authorities will hold illegal immigrants upon a simple detainer request from ICE until federal agents arrive.
&#8220;My primary goal remains the preservation and enhancement of public safety, due process and the rule of law,&#8221; LaJoye-Young said in 2019, according to <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/01/18/kent-county-sheriff-immigrants-ice-jilmar-ramos-gomez-marine-citizen/2618711002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Detroit Free Press</a>. &#8220;For this reason, I notified ICE officials earlier today that the Kent County Sheriff will hold detainees for ICE only after ICE presents to our office an arrest warrant issued by a federal judge or magistrate — otherwise known as a judicial arrest warrant. This change is effective immediately.&#8221;
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1711847459151000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3OccKYAVbZP-9J-sgruazM">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
Months later, then-President Donald Trump slammed Kent County, calling it a “sanctuary” for illegal immigrants. LaJoye-Young responded to Trump’s criticism, saying he was “dramatically misrepresenting&#8221; the sheriff department’s policy, MLive <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/2019/12/president-trump-references-kent-county-while-bashing-sanctuary-cities-during-michigan-rally.html?outputType=amp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
In another letter LaJoye-Young sent to CIS last week, the sheriff, along with County Administrator/Controller Al Vanderberg, wrote, “Kent County is not and has never been a sanctuary county.”
“In 2019, the Kent County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) instituted a new policy requiring an arrest warrant issued by a federal judge or magistrate (judicial warrant) in order to hold detainees for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after the adjudication of local charges. After this policy change, ICE elected not to renew our contract,” the letter stated.
The department’s apparent shift back to respecting detainer requests from ICE after the 2019 policy also comes as Trump visits Grand Rapids, Michigan, for an event Tuesday afternoon where he is expected to discuss illegal immigration and address the murder of Garcia.
The Kent County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement to The Daily Wire that the county &#8220;is not and has never been a sanctuary county.&#8221;
The department added that the warrant requirements adopted in 2019 and then ICE subsequently terminating its contract with the county &#8220;resulted in an internal procedural change in January 2020&#8221; after the department conducted a review.
&#8220;The new procedures effective January 2020 state that KCSO will maintain custody of an ICE detainee that has no active local charges when a judicial warrant exists OR with the use of an ICE 247 and ICE 200 with the review of the [KCSO] Correctional Facility Captain or the Office of the Sheriff,&#8221; the Kent County Sheriff&#8217;s Office said. &#8220;The new procedures simply added stipulations related to the internal review to ensure all proper documentation exists to hold the detainee.&#8221;
Republicans in Michigan have <a href="https://gophouse.org/posts/rep-cavitt-calls-for-action-on-plan-to-prohibit-sanctuary-cities-in-michigan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposed</a> legislation that would put an end to so-called sanctuary policies and prohibit municipalities from preventing local law enforcement&#8217;s cooperation with federal agencies on issues pertaining to illegal immigration. Republican Leader Matt Hall — who represents part of Kalamazoo County, which is just south of Kent County — told The Daily Wire that Kent County’s apparent policy shift on cooperating with ICE “moves in the right direction,” and he called on other “sanctuary jurisdictions” to follow suit.
“The Kent County sheriff’s newly described policy allowing cooperation with ICE administrative detainers moves in the right direction for the safety and security of local residents,” Hall said in a statement. “Other sanctuary jurisdictions in Michigan, such as Kalamazoo County, should reevaluate and remove their own misguided sanctuary policies that restrict cooperation with the officers who enforce our nation’s immigration laws.”
This article has been updated to include comment from the Kent County Sheriff&#8217;s Office.

Migration Crisis United States

Michigan Sheriff Pushes Back Against ‘Sanctuary County’ Label After Illegal Immigrant Charged With Murder

Michigan Sheriff Pushes Back Against 'Sanctuary County' Label After Illegal Immigrant Charged With Murder

Donald Trump

Illegal Immigration

Murder

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee">Tennessee</a> sheriff’s deputy who went missing Wednesday night after making his first arrest was found dead on Thursday, hours after his patrol car was recovered from the Tennessee River.
Deputy Robert “R.J.” Leonard texted his wife a single word – “arrest” – around 10:00 p.m. Wednesday evening, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/missing-deputys-patrol-car-recovered-tennessee-river-body-rcna139038?cid=sm_npd_nn_fb_ma&amp;utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=facebook&amp;_branch_match_id=1133745504221936325&amp;_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXz0tKzkstL9ZLLCjQy8nMy9YvNDULyMhLC0jxSAIAzYXpCyQAAAA%3D" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Just before he texted her, he notified dispatchers that he had arrested someone and was taking them to the Meigs County Jail, District Attorney General Russell Johnson said at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&amp;v=412059911316808" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a press conference</a> Thursday morning.
About 12 minutes after Leonard contacted dispatchers about the arrest, he again reached out and said something that couldn’t be determined over the radio. Authorities, using analytics, said Leonard maybe have said “water.”
Leonard’s wife received his text message, but he never received her response.
Authorities used the wife’s Life360 location-sharing app data to help investigators find Leonard, after he failed to respond to a status check from dispatch.
On Thursday, Leonard’s patrol car was pulled from the Tennessee River near the Blythe Ferry boat ramp, Johnson said at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Local3News/videos/1180776166218380" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a press conference</a> Thursday afternoon. The patrol car was found upside down in the river, with a female body covered in mud in the back seat. The woman has not been identified, but is believed to be the person Leonard had arrested and was escorting to the county jail.
The trunk of the vehicle had been blown open due to the pressure, and the driver’s side window was rolled down. Leonard was not in the vehicle, but his body was found later, though it is unclear where his remains were found or what condition they were in. He has been taken to the Knoxville Regional Medical Examiner’s Office, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office <a href="https://twitter.com/hcsotn/status/1758312900442398784" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X Thursday night.
“We’re operating under the theory that it was an accident, he missed his turn, he wasn’t familiar, and he was doing other things that may have caused him to go into the water,” Johnson said at his afternoon press conference. “There’s some skid marks and some scratch marks, too. So, there’s some indication that he was on the brakes at least trying to stop.”
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1708102054781000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1-VXohtoGW642uHKulYmZY">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
Chief Deputy Brian Malone also spoke at the press conference, saying that Leonard had only been with the department for “a couple months.”
&#8220;It&#8217;s a hard time for us here. It&#8217;s something we never deal with here in Meigs County,” Malone said through tears. “Deputy Leonard had only been here for a couple months, but he&#8217;d become part of our family. At this time, I just ask that you pray for us.&#8221;

Sheriff Vehicle

A Deputy Went Missing After Making His First Arrest. His Patrol Car Was Found In A River.

Police

Tennessee

A 28-year-old woman from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-migrant-caravan-forms-in-honduras-looking-to-make-the-deadly-journey-to-the-united-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Honduras</a> who illegally entered the U.S. attended a Louisiana high school for an entire academic year using fake documents to pose as a 17-year-old, the St. Charles Parish Sheriff said Wednesday.
In the fall of 2021, Martha Jessenia Gutierrez-Serrano came to the U.S. to live with her mother, Marta Elizeth Serrano-Alvarado, 46, who was residing in the country on an expired visa. Serrano-Alvarado allegedly used a fake passport and birth certificate to enroll Gutierrez-Serrano at Hahnville High School in Boutte, about 30 miles west of New Orleans, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/28-year-woman-arrested-allegedly-enrolling-high-school/story?id=100067856">reported</a>.
“We were provided basically with a birth certificate from the country of Honduras which indicated that the student in question was 17 years old,” Sheriff Greg Champagne said. “The school system had done a preliminary investigation and they had determined — literally within a day and a half of receiving the tip — that, in fact, the student was overage and determined that it was quite likely that the birth certificate was counterfeit.”
The school district opened an internal investigation four days after the end of the school year upon receiving a tip that a 17-year-old female student might actually be in her mid-20s. Champagne said he saw a photograph of the 28-year-old woman taken by the U.S. government before she was released into the country and said: “She could very easily be taken for a young teenager.”
Gutierrez-Serrano attended the school for the entirety of the 2022-2023 school year to learn English, according to the sheriff.
&#8220;She was in school, she minded her own business, she did her schoolwork, she caused no trouble,&#8221; Champagne said. &#8220;She wanted to learn English.&#8221;
Gutierrez-Serrano and her mother were both arrested and charged with one count of injuring public records.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
&#8220;Unfortunately, whether it was her decision or her mother&#8217;s decision, it&#8217;s certainly bad judgment to submit a falsified document to the government,” the sheriff said.
The school district said in a <a href="https://www.wbir.com/article/news/nation-world/28-year-old-woman-posed-as-high-school-student/507-f1dd0633-f4d8-4443-ae21-7aa93320929c">statement</a> that it “will enhance processes to determine the authenticity of enrollment documents for current and future students as well as modify policy and procedures as warranted.”

school hallway lockers

28-Year-Old Illegal Immigrant Arrested After Allegedly Posing As Teenager To Attend High School

High School

Louisiana

A Florida deputy was killed in the line of duty allegedly by an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/reps-gooden-jordan-demand-answers-on-federal-funding-of-illegal-immigration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">illegal immigrant</a>, Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-ron-desantis-officially-enters-2024-presidential-race" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ron DeSantis</a> (R-FL) said Friday. 
Sergeant Michael Kunovich, a 25-year veteran of the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, died following an altercation with Vergilio Aguilar Mendez on the evening of May 19, <a href="https://twitter.com/SJSOPIO/status/1659944447113584642">according</a> to the sheriff’s office. Kunovich reportedly attempted to pat down the suspect for weapons when Mendez attempted to flee and a six-minute struggle ensued. After the suspect was finally disarmed and detained, Kunovich collapsed and was later pronounced dead at the hospital, authorities said. 
“Sergeant Michael Kunovich was killed in the line of duty by an illegal immigrant who took advantage of our open border. Our prayers go out to the Kunovich family and the entire [St. Johns County Sheriff&#8217;s Office] community during this time,” DeSantis said. “Joe Biden’s reckless immigration policies are deadly – it is no way to run a country.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Sergeant Michael Kunovich was killed in the line of duty by an illegal immigrant who took advantage of our open border. Our prayers go out to the Kunovich family and the entire @SJSOPIO community during this time.
Joe Biden’s reckless immigration policies are deadly – it is no…
&mdash; Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1662122978014887938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
While resisting arrest and fighting on the ground for six minutes and 19 seconds, the suspect allegedly attempted to grab the sergeant’s taser. After being handcuffed, authorities said that Mendez “armed himself with a pocket knife,” but deputies forcefully removed the weapon. 
Kunovich collapsed after the struggle, and St. Johns County Fire and Rescue and Flagler Health+ personnel performed life-saving measures on the deputy, but he died at the hospital. It remains unclear how exactly Kunovich died. 
Mendez has been charged with resisting with violence and felony murder. The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office said that Homeland Security Investigations was assisting in verifying the suspect’s identity and immigration status. 
As the border crisis worsens under President Joe Biden&#8217;s leadership, Americans are becoming <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mommy-theres-bad-guys-at-my-window-border-patrol-wife-describes-dangers-chaos-on-southern-border" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more concerned</a> about the threat Biden&#8217;s border policy poses to the country&#8217;s safety. Earlier this month, a man who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alleged-serial-killer-caught-in-california-is-illegal-alien-who-came-into-u-s-under-obama-report">allegedly murdered</a> two people and attempted to kill a third was arrested in California and identified as an illegal immigrant. In late February, Republican leaders <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gop-leaders-target-biden-admin-after-illegal-immigrant-allegedly-strangles-murders-young-autistic-woman">targeted</a> the Biden administration for the ongoing border crisis and the threats it poses to public safety, opening an investigation into the murder of a young autistic woman by an illegal immigrant in the MS-13 gang.
“Criminal aliens and gang members exploit the U.S. immigration system to harm Americans,” Reps. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Tom McClintock (R-CA) wrote in letters to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra. “The Biden Administration’s border and immigration policies only increase the likelihood that those criminal aliens will successfully enter and remain in the U.S.”

Police car lights

Illegal Immigrant Accused Of Killing Florida Deputy In Line Of Duty

Crime

Florida

Ron DeSantis

Drivers in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/milwaukee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Milwaukee</a> area were feeling a little bit corny after 20 tons of the vegetable spilled onto an interstate highway Thursday night.
In a Twitter thread Thursday evening, the Milwaukee County Sheriff&#8217;s Office said that traffic had to be blocked on Interstate 41 southbound outside Milwaukee because a tractor-trailer overturned and spilled the vegetables onto the road. Crews had to block the highway even further in an effort to salvage the truck. Police are still investigating the cause of the accident.
&#8220;TRAFFIC ALERT: Please exercise caution in the area of S/B I-41 @ Florist Ave., where an overturned semi carrying 40,000 lbs of 🌽 is blocking lanes 2 and 3,&#8221; the <a href="https://twitter.com/MilwCoSheriff/status/1616267354366947328?s=20&amp;t=_E49dTZphDFCF0aRbZ_fjg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MCSO tweeted</a> around 9 p.m. local time. &#8220;The semi driver suffered just minor injuries. The circumstances of the crash/turnover are under investigation.&#8221;
The road had to be completely closed about an hour later. &#8220;UPDATE: The partial freeway closure at this rollover site is now a full freeway closure, as salvage efforts continue, with all southbound traffic diverted off of I-41 at Good Hope Road.&#8221;
The tweet included a photo of the crash site. The tractor-trailer lay on its side, with the truck on the shoulder and the trailer in a ditch off the road. The shipping container had slid off the trailer frame.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
UPDATE: The partial freeway closure at this rollover site is now a full freeway closure, as salvage efforts continue, with all southbound traffic diverted off of I-41 at Good Hope Road. <a href="https://t.co/WNRyicd0xO">pic.twitter.com/WNRyicd0xO</a>
— Milwaukee County Sheriff&#8217;s Office (@MilwCoSheriff) <a href="https://twitter.com/MilwCoSheriff/status/1616288623044997120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
Crews had to redirect traffic again shortly afterward. &#8220;UPDATE 2: Traffic is now being diverted off of S/B I-41 @ Appleton Ave,&#8221; MCSO <a href="https://twitter.com/MilwCoSheriff/status/1616289440263188480?s=20&amp;t=c4QmeugG3atH6zO_zv2-Vg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>.
According to local radio station <a href="https://wtmj.com/traffic/2023/01/20/40000-lbs-of-corn-flood-milwaukee-roadway-in-semi-rollover-crash/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WTMJ</a>, it took several hours for crews to remove the truck and clear the roadway. The truck was the only vehicle involved in the accident. The driver&#8217;s condition was unclear, and no details about the crash were available Friday.
I-41 is a major arterial highway that connects Milwaukee and Green Bay with the cities on the Fox River. It runs North-South, beginning just south of the Wisconsin-Illinois border and ending north of Green Bay.
Last month, another truck carrying <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tractor-trailer-spills-40000-pounds-of-meatballs-onto-virginia-highway" target="_blank" rel="noopener">20 tons of meatballs</a> overturned onto a highway in rural southern Virginia. Traffic was shut down for about four hours after the big rig jackknifed, spilling more than 40,000 pounds of frozen meatballs onto I-95 South. Police charged the driver of the rig with a traffic violation.
According to Norfolk-based news station WAVY, the tractor-trailer ran off the road and struck a guardrail when the driver overcorrected. The vehicle jackknifed, causing the trailer to break away. Another big rig traveling in the same direction could not avoid the trailer and collided with it, spilling the frozen meatballs onto the highway. Officials said that it took more than two hours for rescue crews to free the driver of the second rig from the cab of the truck. The driver was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital with only minor injuries. The driver of the meatball truck was not reported injured; he was charged by police with failing to obey a highway marking.
In August of last year, two tractor-trailers overturned on opposite ends of the country, spilling other staples of Italian cuisine onto highways in California and Texas. First, a tractor-trailer carrying more than <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chain-of-car-crashes-caused-by-300000-tomatoes-rolling-onto-california-highway" target="_blank" rel="noopener">300,000 tomatoes</a> collided with another vehicle and plowed into a center divider, spilling the fruit onto the opposing lanes of traffic, which caused a chain reaction of crashes.
Then, another big rig overturned on a highway in Tennessee outside Memphis, spilling gallons of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alfredo-sauce-spill-in-tennessee-follows-california-tomato-crash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alfredo sauce</a> and creating a huge mess for drivers and work crews.

US-IOWA-AGRICULTURE-WEATHER

Tractor-Trailer Spills 20 Tons Of Corn Onto Wisconsin Highway

Tractor Trailer Spills 20 Tons Of Corn Onto Wisconsin Highway

Car Crash

Food

Milwaukee

Wisconsin

Video shows an inmate wriggling his way out of a Los Angeles County Sheriff&#8217;s Department cruiser on Saturday before being quickly detained again.
The failed escape happened just before 5 p.m. in the Newhall area of the 5 Freeway, authorities said, per local media reports.
Authorities said the man kicked out the vehicle&#8217;s window. That&#8217;s when footage captured by a nearby driver showed the man was handcuffed when he plopped onto the highway.
A deputy quickly hopped out of the vehicle and secured the prisoner, as seen in the video <a href="https://abc7.com/caught-on-video-inmate-tries-to-escape-5-freeway-newhall/12637110/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aired by L.A.&#8217;s</a> ABC News affiliate.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Inmate attempts, fails to escape from LASD cruiser on freeway" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AcbBKUJIpaI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Though not shown in the clip, a report from <a href="https://ktla.com/news/local-news/inmate-attempts-to-escape-during-transport-in-los-angeles-county/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KTLA</a> said a good Samaritan stopped and helped restrain the inmate.
The attempted getaway happened as the prisoner was being transported from the North County Correctional Facility to a hospital for injury treatment, <a href="https://ktla.com/news/local-news/inmate-attempts-to-escape-during-transport-in-los-angeles-county/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KTLA</a> reported.
It was not clear what prompted the trip to the hospital in the first place.
Once the prisoner was placed back in the vehicle, he was transported to the hospital, per KTLA.
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/los-angeles-county-sheriff-concedes-re-election-race-slams-local-media-political-establishment">Los Angeles County Sheriff Concedes Re-Election Race; Slams Local Media, Political Establishment</a>

Police Car

SEE IT: Prisoner Flops Out Of Sheriff’s Cruiser Onto Highway In Botched Getaway

SEE IT: Prisoner Flops Out Of Sheriff's Cruiser Onto Highway In Botched Getaway

Los Angeles County

A police chief in Florida has <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/05/us/tampa-police-chief-mary-oconnor-resigns/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resigned</a> after showing her badge and requesting to be let go from a traffic stop, according to Tampa authorities. 
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor “has requested and received the resignation of Police Chief Mary O&#8217;Connor, following the completion of an Internal Affairs investigation into a recent traffic stop involving O’Connor,” <a href="https://www.tampa.gov/news/mayor-jane-castor-accepts-resignation-tpd-chief-mary-o-connor-111406" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to a statement from the mayor&#8217;s office issued on Monday. 
“It is unacceptable for any public employee, and especially the city&#8217;s top law enforcement leader, to ask for special treatment because of their position. Public trust in Tampa&#8217;s police department is paramount to our success as a city and community,” Castor said.
O’Connor was the passenger in a golf cart driven by her husband, a former Tampa police officer who is retired. The golf cart had no license plate displayed, and a Pinellas County Sheriff&#8217;s deputy pulled the couple over. In body cam footage, O&#8217;Connor showed deputy Larry Jacoby her badge, and he said she looked familiar.
<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-10632">TIRED OF THE LEGACY MEDIA’S BIAS CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE AND OBSCURING THE TRUTH? JOIN US AND SAVE 30%.</a>
“I’m hoping that you’ll just let us go tonight,” she said before apologizing and giving the deputy her card.
“If you ever need anything, call me. Serious,” O’Connor <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/05/us/tampa-police-chief-mary-oconnor-resigns/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
<a href="https://www.sportskeeda.com/pop-culture/news-watch-bodycam-footage-shows-tampa-police-chief-mary-o-connor-evading-traffic-stop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH</a>:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Body cam shows Tampa Police Chief Mary O&#039;Connor using position to get out of traffic citation" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-NIweyTwZsA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
In 1995, O’Connor was fired from the police department after she was <a href="https://www.wfla.com/8-on-your-side/1995-arrest-of-tampas-new-police-chief-expunged-by-court/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested</a> in a separate traffic stop for battery on a law enforcement officer. The following year, however, she was put back on the force and “reinstated as a police officer,” serving for a year as a “probationary employee.” Mayor Castor alluded to the previous incident in her statement about the resignation. 
“This is especially disappointing because I gave Mary O’Connor a second chance, as I believe in second chances for people. Which is one of the reasons that the disappointment today runs so deep. I had high hope for Chief O’Connor, as she was off to such a strong start by reducing violent gun crime, proactively engaging with our community and focusing on officer wellness. But these accomplishments pale in comparison to the priority I place on integrity,” Castor noted. 
In her resignation <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pKpoM8XJpbP1vuRhrHpaxwbTt73ywXAA/view" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a>, O’Connor <a href="https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/tampa-police-chief-mary-oconnor-resigns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, “I would never want my personal mistake to stand in the way of the progress I have made in mending relationships between the police department and the community, so for that reason, I am resigning.”
After the most recent incident, Castor <a href="https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/courts-law/2022-12-05/tampa-police-chief-oconnor-resigns-after-probe-into-golf-card-traffic-stop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> that O’Connor had used “poor judgment” and could be disciplined. In a statement, O’Connor reportedly said she “expressed great remorse” and noted that “no one is above the law.&#8221; She said she “personally called the Pinellas County Sheriff offering to pay for any potential citation.&#8221;

1EE97B46-681D-416A-A488-0FA86DB51517_1_105_c

Tampa Police Chief Resigns After Showing Badge At Traffic Stop

Mary O'Connor Tampa Police Chief Resigns After Showing Badge At Traffic Stop

The 22-year-old driver who crashed into 25 Los Angeles County Sheriff&#8217;s recruits last week denied authorities&#8217; claims that investigators had enough evidence to prove the incident was a deliberate act.
Nicholas Gutierrez was held on suspicion of attempted murder of a peace officer on a $2 million bond for driving his Honda CR-V into 25 cadets about 20 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles on Nov. 16. around 6:30 a.m. during a training exercise with about 75 recruits from the Sheriff&#8217;s Department and several local police agencies.
The horrific crash left more than a dozen cadets injured and at least five in critical condition.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said they later provisionally released Gutierrez because the initial complaint was not enough to hold him in custody.
In an interview with <a href="https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/driver-crash-law-encforcement-la-county-sheriff-whittier/3038595/">NBC</a>, Guiterrez refuted claims made by Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, who said investigators had enough evidence to conclude that the crash was intentional.
&#8220;I didn&#8217;t intentionally do it,&#8221; Gutierrez said, adding that he fell asleep on his way to work.
Gutierrez said he fell asleep at the wheel and woke up to the sound of recruits banging on the windows.
&#8220;I wish it never happened,&#8221; he added. &#8220;I feel bad it happened.&#8221;
In the interview, Gutierrez had injuries to his face that were suffered at the scene, which he claimed were sustained when the sheriff&#8217;s &#8220;dragged&#8221; him out of the car when he woke up from the impact.
The sheriff&#8217;s department declined to comment or elaborate.
The recruits were part of a 22-week program with the Los Angeles County Sheriff&#8217;s S.T.A.R.S. Explorer Training Academy in South Whittier, California. At the time of the crash, the cadets ran in four rows while drill instructors and two black-and-white radio cars accompanied them.
According to Villanueva, seven recruits remain in the hospital, with two in critical condition and multiple leg fractures. He said authorities&#8217; biggest concern is one of the recruits is on life support and suffering from serious brain bleeding and swelling.
&#8220;They have a long road to recovery happen to them, and we&#8217;re just hoping and praying that they can pull through,&#8221; he told News Nation.
Villanueva said five recruits are still under observation, and the remaining 20 have been released to their families.
The suspect&#8217;s lawyer, Alexandra Kazarian, told <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-11-21/driver-asleep-in-crash-that-hurt-sheriffs-recruits-lawyer-says">The Los Angeles Times</a>, Guiterrez fell asleep at the wheel while on his way to work, calling it a &#8220;tragic accident.&#8221;
Kazarian also denied the preliminary investigation from Villanueva, saying there is no evidence suggesting it was intentional.
&#8220;I have no idea why the sheriff said that,&#8221; Kazarian said.
Gutierrez&#8217;s attorney issued a statement Friday to NBC saying Gutierrez comes from a law enforcement family. According to the Los Angeles Times, his father is a retired corrections officer. His uncles work in the Los Angeles Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, and the Sheriff&#8217;s Department.
&#8220;Nicholas comes from a proud law enforcement family, and the injuries to these recruits is beyond heartbreaking,&#8221; attorney Alexandra Kazarian said. &#8220;The Gutierrez family appreciates the Sheriff&#8217;s Department taking the time to conduct a full and complete investigation. As many have asked, we want to emphasize that Nicholas was on his way to work and had no drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of this tragic accident.&#8221;
Kazarian said Gutierrez &#8220;harbors absolutely no animosity toward law enforcement,&#8221; adding claims that her client was a disgruntled academy recruit or had any association with being a recruit were incorrect.

US-INCIDENT-POLICE

Driver Who Crashed Into 25 L.A. Sheriff Recruits Claims He Fell Asleep At Wheel

General

Los Angeles

Menu