On Saturday, February 1, 2025, an Orange County Jail inmate housed at the Intake Release Center in Module J died while inside custody. The decedent, 44-year-old Christopher Joseph Donnelly of Anaheim, was a white male in-custody for a probation violation. The decedent's manner and means of death are awaiting final determination by the Orange County Coroner.
SANTA ANA, Ca. (Feb. 1, 2025) – On Saturday, February 1, 2025, an inmate housed at the Intake Release Center in Santa Ana died in jail.
The 44-year-old inmate was booked into jail on July 9, 2024, by the Newport Beach Police Department for driving under the influence and a probation violation. His name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin by the Orange County Coroner’s Division.
On the morning of February 1, 2025, the inmate was found unresponsive in his cell at the Intake Release Center in Module J. Deputies and correctional medical staff attempted life-saving measures, along with responding members of the Orange County Fire Authority. He was pronounced deceased at the Intake Release Center at approximately 8:54 a.m. Preliminarily, there are no suspicious circumstances. A final cause of death will be determined following toxicology testing and an independent autopsy.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office will investigate the in-custody death. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will conduct an in-custody death review. No additional information will be released at this time.
DANA POINT, Calif. (Feb. 1, 2025) On Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, at about 6:15 p.m., Orange County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the report of a traffic collision involving two vehicles at the intersection of Golden Lantern and Stonehill Drive in Dana Point. Deputies arrived and discovered a Land Rover SUV and a Ford Transit van had been involved in a head-on collision.
Based on preliminary investigation, the Land Rover was traveling westbound on Stonehill Drive and turned left against a red arrow signal in front of the Ford Transit van traveling eastbound on Stonehill Drive.
The driver of the Transit van was transported to a local area hospital where he was treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries. A passenger of the Transit van, Melvin Joseph Weibel, 88, of Dana Point, succumbed to his injuries sustained in the collision and was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The driver of the Land Rover, Serene Francie Rosenberg, 48, of Dana Point, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence with three prior convictions and booked into the Orange County Jail for CPC 187(a) – Murder, and CVC 23153(a) – DUI Causing Injury.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) is investigating the collision. If anyone has additional details that may assist investigators, or witnessed this traffic collision, they are asked to contact the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Traffic Bureau at 949-425-1860. Anonymous information may be provided through Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.
SANTA ANA, Ca. (Jan. 27, 2025): Please see the statement below from Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes regarding federal immigration enforcement.
“As the debate about immigration and local law enforcement’s role has increased with the new presidential administration, I have been asked by members of the media and the community to clarify the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s role in immigration enforcement and whether our current practices will change.
“Securing the border and enforcing immigration law are important responsibilities of the federal government. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department does not enforce federal immigration law. It is not part of our primary mission, and we remain focused on violations of state and local laws.
“The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will provide for your safety and respond to your calls for service regardless of your immigration status. We do not, and never will, ask the immigration status of victims, witnesses, suspects or those who call to report crimes. We enforce state and local laws equally, without bias, and without concern for your citizenship. That has not and will not change.
“The crisis at our southern border has put our nation at risk. I have been a strong advocate for changes in policy and increased federal resources to address this threat. As the federal government fulfills this responsibility, it is important that local peace officers remain focused on the enforcement of state and local law.
“California state law hinders our ability to fully communicate with federal law enforcement partners on shared threats posed by criminal offenders who are in violation of immigration law. Sheriffs are limited under California Senate Bill 54 to only communicate with ICE regarding the release of criminal offenders from our custody facilities under very limited circumstances. I have chosen to cooperate with ICE to the fullest extent provided by the law in order to prevent serious offenders from returning to the communities they have preyed upon.
“You are safe to contact the Orange County Sheriff’s Department when you need help. We will remain vigilant in protecting our communities and providing public safety services for all residents of Orange County.”
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SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Ca. (January 26, 2025): On Saturday, January 25, 2025, at around 6:30 p.m., deputies were called to the 32000 block of Valle Rd. in the city of San Juan Capistrano regarding an assault. Deputies arrived and discovered the victim, a woman in her 50s, who appeared to have multiple stab wounds. Shortly after their arrival, deputies pronounced the victim, a relative of the suspect, deceased.
OC Sheriff’s Homicide investigators responded and began their investigation. Based on the interviews conducted by investigators and the evidence at the scene, Josephe Jimenez Hernandez, 25, of San Juan Capistrano, was arrested and booked into the Orange County Jail on suspicion of murder.
Official identification of the victim is pending notification to next of kin.
On Friday, January 17, 2025, an Orange County Jail inmate housed at the Theo Lacy Facility in G-Barracks died at UCI Medical Center, Orange. The decedent, Scott Theodore Remick, was a 51-year-old white male from Anaheim who was awaiting trial. The decedent's manner and means of death are awaiting final determination by the Orange County Coroner.
On Sunday, January 12, 2025, an Orange County Jail inmate housed in the Correctional Medical Services wing of a local hospital died while inside custody. The decedent, 42-year-old James Rudolph Jones of Cerritos, was a White male in-custody for a probation violation. The decedent's manner and means of death are awaiting final determination by the Orange County Coroner.
On Sunday, December 29, 2024, an Orange County Jail inmate housed at the Theo Lacy Facility in Module N died while inside custody. The decedent, 34-year-old Anthony Creston Brown of Cerritos, was a Black male who was awaiting trial. The decedent's manner and means of death are awaiting final determination by the Orange County Coroner.
On Sunday, December 29, 2024, an Orange County Jail inmate housed at the Theo Lacy Facility in Module N died while inside custody. The decedent, 34-year-old Anthony Creston Brown of Cerritos, was a Black male who was awaiting trial. The decedent's manner and means of death are awaiting final determination by the Orange County Coroner.
ORANGE, Ca. (Jan. 17, 2025) – On Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, an inmate housed at the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange died at a local area hospital.
The 51-year-old inmate was booked into the Orange County Jail on Jan. 6, 2025, by the Anaheim Police Department for the charges CPC 422(a) – Criminal Threats, CPC 417 – Brandishing a Weapon, and CPC 148(a)(1) – Resist, Delay, or Obstruct an Officer. The inmate’s name is being withheld pending notification to next of kin.
On Jan. 17, while housed at the Theo Lacy Facility, it was determined the inmate needed to be transported to the hospital for a medical issue. At approximately 10:02 a.m. the same day, the inmate was pronounced deceased at the hospital. Preliminarily, there are no suspicious circumstances. A final cause of death will be determined following an independent autopsy and toxicology.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office will investigate the in-custody death. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will conduct an in-custody death review. No additional information will be released at this time.