TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

On 4/1/09, at 2:25 p.m. Bakersfield Police responded to a residence in the 1400 block of Berkshire Road for a report of a possible drowning.

When police arrived medical aid was already on scene and the victim, a four year old male, was receiving CPR. He was transported to Mercy Hospital (Downtown) where he died. The identity of the victim will be released by the Kern County Coroner's Office.

Preliminary investigation has revealed that there were four children, ages 3-11, in the home at the time of the incident. The three and four (victim) year old children were related to the residents of the home but did not live there. An adult resident, and the grandmother of the four children, left them at the home to go to a nearby store. It appears that she was only gone a short time. When she returned home she noticed the victim missing. During the search for him he was found in the swimming pool. The child was removed from the swimming pool and CPR was begun.

There was no fence surrounding the pool; however, the rear doors were equipped with some sort of an alarm device. At this time, it is unknown if they were functioning at the time of the incident.

The investigation is continuing.

Anyone with information is asked to call Bakersfield Police at 661-327-7111.

-- Bakersfield Police Department

On Wednesday at about 10:50 am, detectives from the Lamont Substation, along with deputies from the Metropolitan Patrol Division, went to the 2500 block of Fairfax Road in East Bakersfield in an attempt to contact Santiago Saldago Vasquez 46 years old, who is wanted in connection to a shooting that occurred on March 28, 2009 in the 3000 block of Harmon Road in Lamont.

Deputies attempted to make contact with Vasquez at the residence on Fairfax, however he did not respond. Deputies, believing that Vasquez was inside the residence and possibly armed, initiated a S.W.A.T. callout. Prior to the S.W.A.T. team's arrival, Vasquez exited the residence and surrendered to deputies without incident. During a search of the residence deputies seized two firearms. Vasquez was booked into the downtown jail on two counts of attempted murder and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon.

On March 28, 2009, at about 6:50 pm, deputies responded to the 3000 block of Harmon Road regarding an assault with a deadly weapon call. When deputies arrived they located two Hispanic male adult victims suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. During the investigation detectives learned that Vasquez had been involved in an argument with the victims at the residence on Harmon. During the argument deputies believe Vasquez shot the two victims. Both victims survived their injuries.

-- Kern County Sheriff's Department

On Wednesday at about 7:10 A.M., Deputies responded to the 1000 block of Wible Road for a report of a "man down." Deputies and Fire personnel located a deceased White male, in his early 60's laying on the sidewalk in the shopping center. Deputies also located a street sweeper truck with the engine running a short distance from the deceased.

Homicide detectives responded to the scene and have begun an investigation. At this time detectives have not located any evidence of foul play and there are no visible signs of trauma to the body. The deceased was the operator the street sweeper truck. An autopsy for the victim has been scheduled for Thursday.

-- Kern County Sheriff's Department

A call was received Tuesday at 9:46 p.m. by the Kern County Fire Department for a commercial structure fire in the 900 Block of Chester Avenue in Oildale Approximately 22 Kern County Firefighters responded to the incident assisted by Bakersfield City Fire Department.

Upon arrival, fire crews were faced with a 1200 sq ft unit in a 4800 sq ft building fully involved in fire, with smoke and flames venting from the rear of the property. A reinforced alarm was requested and fire crews commenced an aggressive attack on the fire; simultaneously another crew went to the roof to ventilate the structure and allow the heat and fire gases to escape.

The quick actions of the crews prevented the fire from spreading to the adjacent units resulting in a estimated save to the structure of approximately $540,000.00. However, the fire destroyed an

estimated $180,000.00 to the unit of origin.

There were no reported injuries, and the cause of the fire is under investigation at this time.

As of 10:45 P.M. crews were still on scene carrying out overhaul to ensure that the fire is fully extinguished.

-- Kern County Fire Department

At 6:36 p.m. Tuesday officers of the Bakersfield Police Department responded to the Bakersfield Cash Advance business at 2726 Ming Ave regarding an armed robbery in progress. The suspects,

2 black males in their 30s wearing grey button-up shirts and blue jeans, one wearing a blue baseball cap and the other wearing a white hard hat, entered the business while the employees were preparing to close for the day, brandished a firearm, and demanded money from the safe and cash drawers.

After receiving the currency, the suspects tied the two female employees' hands and put them in the bathroom while they made their escape. Suspects fled in unknown direction and investigation is continuing. Anyone having information about this offense is urged to call the Bakersfield Police Department at 661-327-7111.

-- Bakersfield Police Department