SANTA ANA, Ca. (Jan. 26, 2022): Orange County Sheriff-Coroner Don Barnes announced today that he has commissioned the County’s first Homeless Death Review Committee to review deaths of people experiencing homelessness in Orange County.

Sheriff-Coroner Barnes is commissioning the committee through the Orange County Coroner’s Office, a division of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. The Homeless Death Review Committee, consisting of technical experts from both the public and private sectors, will explore the root causes of the reviewed deaths and determine what, if any, factors contributing to the deaths were preventable.

While the Sheriff’s Department and Orange County Coroner’s Office have tracked deaths of people experiencing homelessness for many years, the Homeless Death Review Committee will provide an extensive and in-depth review. Based on this review, the committee will develop an independent report with recommendations to Sheriff-Coroner Barnes and policymakers to find solutions that assist in reducing the number of preventable deaths of people experiencing homelessness.

“Addressing the impacts of homelessness remains a top priority for the Sheriff’s Department and our County partners,” said Sheriff-Coroner Barnes. “This Review Committee presents an opportunity to make data-driven policy decisions that will ultimately result in lives saved and an enhanced quality of life for our community.”

A Mortality Review Committee is a recommended best practice by the National Health Care for the Homeless Council. Several jurisdictions have employed the use of these committees to assist in developing policies aimed at reducing preventable deaths.

The Orange County Homeless Death Review Committee will be comprised of representatives from the Orange County Coroner’s Office, the Orange County Health Care Agency, the County of Orange Social Services Agency, the Hospital Association of Southern California, the Orange County Medical Association, multiple experts in providing direct service to individuals experiencing homelessness, and at least one municipal law enforcement agency. The committee will hold its first meeting in the spring of 2022.

YORBA LINDA, Ca. (February 8, 2022): The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will be conducting a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint on Friday, February 11, from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. at an undisclosed location in the city of Yorba Linda.

DUI Checkpoints are placed in locations based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests. Deputies will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment, with deputies checking drivers for proper licensing.

The Sheriff’s Department reminds drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you might be impaired enough to get a DUI. Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI.

In 2019, 1,066 people were killed in alcohol-involved crashes on California roads.

The Sheriff’s Department offers these reminders to ensure you have a safe night of fun that doesn’t involve a DUI:

• Always use a designated sober driver – a friend who is not drinking, ride-share, cab or public transportation – to get home.
• See someone who is clearly impaired try and drive? Take the keys and help them make other arrangements to find a sober way home.
• Report drunk drivers – Call 911.
• Hosting a party? Offer nonalcoholic drinks. Monitor who are drinking and how they are getting home.

Getting home safely is cheap, but getting a DUI is not. Drivers caught driving impaired and charged with DUI can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to be upwards of $13,500. This includes fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspension and other expenses, not to mention possible jail time.

Funding for this checkpoint is provided to the Sheriff’s Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

LAKE FOREST, Ca. (Jan. 20, 2022): A deputy-involved shooting occurred the evening of Jan. 19, 2022, inside the Walmart on Towne Centre Drive in Foothill Ranch, wounding one man who was armed with a gun and a knife.

Deputies responded to a call of suspicious circumstances at Walmart at 9:40 p.m. Multiple subjects inside the store were believed to be attempting to commit fraud by returning items they had not purchased. Deputies contacted the subjects inside the store. According to witness statements, a male subject was uncooperative with deputies’ commands and produced a weapon. A deputy-involved shooting occurred and a male subject was struck. 

Two additional subjects fled the scene, one male and one female. A deputy followed the fleeing subjects and observed one leave the scene in a vehicle. The deputy provided the license plate information to Dispatch and a countywide broadcast was initiated. 

The injured subject was transported to the hospital. He is undergoing surgery and his condition is unknown at this time.

A handgun and a knife believed to belong to the injured subject have been recovered at the scene.

The vehicle that fled was located by deputies in Midway City, approximately 20 miles away, and a male and female subject matching the descriptions of the subjects at Walmart have been detained. At this time, there are no additional suspects and no immediate threat to the community. 

Per protocol, the investigation of the deputy-involved shooting will be handled by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. Deputies in Lake Forest are equipped with body-worn cameras. Footage from the incident will be released in accordance with the law and in consultation with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

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SANTA ANA, Ca. (January 19, 2022): The Orange County Crime Laboratory, a division of the Orange County Sheriff-Coroner Department, was nationally recognized as a “Registry Implementer” for its high-quality standards and practices in forensic science by the National Institutes of Science and Technology-sponsored Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC).

OSAC recognizes crime labs that meet rigorous standards as defined in their Registry. The Registry is a repository of technically sound standards and best practices for forensic laboratories, and covers a broad spectrum of forensic disciplines including DNA, Toxicology and Digital Evidence.

According to OSAC, these standards can “improve consistency across forensic science disciplines, ensure confidence in the accuracy, reliability, and reproducibility of laboratory results, and positively increase the impact of admissibility and expert testimony in courts of law.”

The Crime Lab is one of 70 labs across the nation recognized as a “Registry Implementer” for adopting standards as outlined by OSAC.

"The OSAC standards process is critically important for the national forensic community, and this collaborative approach involved a significant amount of work by our personnel over the last few years,” said Bruce Houlihan, Director of the Crime Lab. “As a laboratory with many diverse disciplines and services, our goal was to implement all Registry standards applicable to these disciplines."

Implementation of the OSAC standards involved building on the lab's current accreditations with the American National Standards Institute National Accreditation Board (ANAB) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). 

“Our personnel worked hard to meet OSAC’s standards while maintaining high quality and productivity,” Houlihan said. “Applying sound scientific principles to the collection, evaluation and interpretation of physical evidence is the core of our mission, and we remain committed to providing excellent service to the residents of Orange County.”

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UPDATE Jan. 15, 2022, 8:30 p.m.- The Tsunami Advisory has been lifted for Orange County. Beaches, harbors and piers have reopened. Although no significant coastal flooding occurred there is a high likelihood of strong currents and waves dangerous to persons in or near the water.  These strong currents may be hazardous to swimmers, boaters and coastal structures and may continue for several hours. Residents are encouraged to exercise caution when in the water. Thank you to the community for your patience during this event.  

SANTA ANA, Ca. (Jan. 15, 2022): A Tsunami Advisory has been issued by the National Tsunami Warning Center for the U.S. West Coast, including the San Diego County and Orange County coast. A volcanic eruption near the Tonga Islands of the South Pacific has generated a tsunami. 

The first waves are expected to arrive in Orange County at approximately 7:55 a.m. Orange County beaches, harbors and piers are closed at this time until further notice, please check with your local city regarding closures. 

Although no significant coastal flooding is expected, some areas could experience dangerous currents and tidal surges due to this tsunami along beaches and in harbors and marinas. The impact of this tsunami will be stronger than normal currents and possible higher than normal tidal surges along the beaches. Residents are encouraged to stay out of the water. 

There will be strong outgoing tidal currents at the same time the tsunami arrives. The combined effect could produce very strong currents in harbors and bays. A Tsunami event is a series of waves that can last for several hours. The first wave is usually not the strongest. 

Local Coastal Officials are monitoring the situation and directing all persons in the coastal areas to: 

• Stay off the beaches and out of the harbors and marinas
• Do not go to the shore to observe the tsunami.
• Do not return to the coast until local emergency officials indicate it is safe to do so.
• Boat operators, where time and conditions permit, move your boat out to sea to a depth of at least 180 feet
• Local officials will determine when areas are safe to open
• Contact your local jurisdiction for more specific information

Do not call 9-1-1 unless you have a life-threatening emergency.

The Orange County Emergency Operations Center has been activated to a level three to monitor conditions and assist affected jurisdictions.

In July of 2015, a deputy was involved in an officer involved shooting in the City of Laguna Woods. No injuries resulted from the OIS, the shooting was determined to be within policy. The case was investigated and criminal charges were filed.

https://cpraazlrshotprod1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/cpraprod1/Mediazip/OIS/OIS.15-161289.zip

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• Read more about 15-161289 OIS

In December of 2007, a deputy was involved in an officer involved shooting in the City of Aliso Viejo. The case was investigated by the Orange County District Attorney's Office and no criminal charges were filed.

https://cpraazlrshotprod1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/cpraprod1/Mediazip/OIS/OIS.07-252765.zip

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• Read more about 07-252765 OIS

In September of 2021, deputies were involved in a use of force in the City of Yorba Linda. The Use of Force was determined to be within policy.  

https://cpraazlrshotprod1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/cpraprod1/Mediazip/UOF/UOF.21-030459.zip

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• Read more about 21-030459 Use of Force

SANTA ANA, Ca. (January 14, 2022): The Orange County Sheriff’s Department today promoted 33 personnel, including two Assistant Sheriffs.

Assistant Sheriff Jeff Puckett will oversee the Department’s Custody Operations Command, one of the largest jail systems in the country. This includes managing collaborative efforts with community partners for inmate programming focused on re-entry services and adopting an integrated services approach for inmates with mental health and substance use disorders.

Assistant Sheriff Andrew Stephens will oversee the Investigations and Special Operations Command, which includes the Investigations Division, Orange County Crime Lab, Orange County Coroner, Special Operations, and Emergency Management.

“Assistant Sheriffs Puckett and Stephens have a demonstrated history of effective and innovative leadership in their tenure with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, and I look forward to the contributions they will make in their respective commands,” said Don Barnes, Orange County Sheriff-Coroner. “They embody what it means to serve with integrity, humility and a genuine care for the men and women of this department and the residents of Orange County.”

Thirty-one additional personnel also were promoted today including seven investigators, ten sergeants, eight lieutenants, and six commanders.

Assistant Sheriff Jeff Puckett
Assistant Sheriff Puckett joined the Sheriff’s Department in 1998 as a Sheriff’s Special Officer before becoming a deputy in 1999. He has served as a patrol deputy and investigator and held multiple specialty assignments including SWAT, Tactical Apprehension Team, and the Sheriff’s Response Team.
Assistant Sheriff Puckett has served in leadership positions in the Custody, Training, and Patrol commands. Most recently, he served as the Southwest Operations Division Commander, overseeing operations for seven contract cities, the traffic office and the Behavioral Health Bureau.

He has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Chapman University, a master’s degree in emergency services administration from California State University, Long Beach, and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Class #279.

Assistant Sheriff Andrew Stephens
Assistant Sheriff Stephens joined the Department in 1993 as a deputy sheriff where he worked in custody operations before transferring to patrol to serve the city of Lake Forest. As a deputy, he earned several specialty assignments including Field Training Officer, Critical Incident Response Team, Crisis Negotiation Team, Special Enforcement Team and Directed Enforcement Team.

In leadership roles, Assistant Sheriff Stephens has served in the Custody, Professional Services, Patrol Operations, and Investigations commands. He was promoted to Commander in 2019 and assigned to investigations, which included the Criminal Investigations Bureau, Special Investigations Bureau, and the Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center. Most recently, Assistant Sheriff Stephens served as the Training Division Commander, overseeing approximately 300 recruits a year at the Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy and the daily operations of the Sandra Hutchens Regional Law Enforcement Training Center.

Assistant Sheriff Stephens has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from California Coast University and is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

SANTA ANA, Ca. (December 29, 2021): Investigators are looking to identify a person of interest in the 1980 homicide of 15-year-old Kerry Patterson.

Kerry was last seen on June 26, 1980 walking in the area of Parks Junior High School in the 1700 block of Rosecrans Avenue in Fullerton. Investigators believe she was heading toward her home in the 1700 block of Peacock Lane. She was last seen wearing loose-fitting blue pants, white Vans and either a white T-shirt or Hawaiian print blouse. Kerry also was wearing a yellow pendant necklace that said #1. 

On December 27, 1980, remains were found in a field near Tonner Canyon and the 57 freeway in Brea. The remains were later identified as Kerry Patterson.

Over the years, investigators have continued to pursue the case and work to establish new leads.  

In January 2020, an individual came forward with information about a man believed to be in the area at the time of the Kerry’s disappearance. That individual was able to provide a description and a composite sketch was created.

Investigators are looking to identify this person of interest because it is believed he may have valuable information that may assist in the case.

If anyone can identify this individual or provide any information on Kerry Patterson’s disappearance please contact Investigator Bob Taft at 714-647-7045 or coldcase@ocsheriff.gov. Anonymous tips can be submitted to OC Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS (855-847-6227) or at occrimestoppers.org.