Citrus Heights Police Investigating Principal Suspected of Child Molestation
CITRUS HEIGHTS - The Sacramento Bee reported this morning that Citrus Heights Police are investigating allegations that Robert B. Adams, principal at a private school in Citrus Heights, has molested 10 children - possibly more - since 1997. Adams, 60, has not been charged. However, claims by parents and former students, and at least one employee prompted authorities to shut down the Creative Frontiers School and begin an investigation.
The Bee interviewed Imra Mertens, a receptionist at the school, who claims she witnessed Adams abusing a young girl last summer. Mertens claims she reported the incident she witnessed to school administrator Cythia Higgins the next day in detail, and assumed Higgins would report to authorities, as state law requires.
Mertens heard of another instance of molestation in May, when she decided to contact authorities herself. The Social Services agency received the complaint May 31 and notified Citrus Heights Police the same day. The Department of Social Services filed a complaint against Adams, and Higgins, for failing to report the allegations of abuse.
The Bee article states that in addition to abuse allegations, many questions have been raised about aspects of Adams' background. In a bankruptcy filing in 1998, Adams stated he received a California teaching credential from California State University, Northridge, and attended UCLA and obtained a California administrative credential in early childhood education. Northridge officials stated Adams did not receive a credential from the school and UCLA officials told the Bee they have no record of Adams' attendance.
Adams' resume also stated he obtained a Masters Degree in 199 at Pacific Oaks Teachers College. Officials at Pacific Oaks stated Adams attended the school for one semester but did not receive a master's degree.
Protecting Child Molestation Victims' Rights
In August of last year, Estey Bomberger obtained a $30 million verdict for a victim of child molestation and negligent supervision in Santa Clara County. From experience, our attorneys understand the complex emotional pain and suffering that abusers inflict on victims and their families. We fight to protect victims' rights and to hold perpetrators accountable for horrific and unthinkable crimes against innocent children. If you are a parent and believe your child has been subjected to child molestation, contact our California child molestation victim lawyers for a free consultation. Our goal is to obtain justice for victims and ensure others will not be subjected to the same abuse.
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LAKE COUNTY - The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported a 60-year-old Santa Rosa man tragically died at the scene of a head-on crash Saturday afternoon on Highway 29 in Lake County. The fatal accident was reported at 12:03 p.m., just north of the Napa County - Lake County line. 
SAN JACINTO - A pedestrian suffered "extensive" injuries early Sunday morning when he was struck by a car on South San Jacinto Avenue (CA-79), the Southwest Riverside News Network reported. The victim, identified only as an 18-year-old man, was walking south of Midway Avenue at about 1:50 a.m. when he was struck by a 2005 Buick Rendezvous. The driver of the vehicle remained at the scene and cooperated with authorities. The injured pedestrian was taken to a nearby hospital. The San Jacinto Police Department would like anyone with information about the July 17th Riverside County pedestrian accident to call (951)654-2702. 
GRIDLEY - A 31-year-old Paradise man suffered a broken leg, broken wrist, and numerous other injuries Thursday afternoon when a vehicle collided with his motorcycle on Highway 99, the Oroville Mercury Register reported. The Butte County accident was reported at about 12:30 p.m. on July 14th near Township Road. According to news reports, the accident occurred when a 31-year-old Yuba City woman pulled her 2002 Ford Taurus into the path of his motorcycle. The victim, John Lewis Woods III, was airlifted to to Enloe Medical Center in Chico. Alcohol or drugs were not suspected to play a role in the crash 
HUMBOLDT COUNTY -- A 65-year-old McKinleyville man tragically died Tuesday in an accident on Highway 36, the Times-Standard reported. The fatal crash was reported at 5:36 p.m. on July 12, 2011, and involved a 2009 Chrysler Town & Country and a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado. According to news reports, the Chrysler minivan, driven by a 68-year-old McKinleyville woman, pulled out onto SR-36 from the Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park and was subsequently struck head-on by the Chevy Silverado. The passenger in the minivan suffered major injuries and was taken to Redwood Memorial Hospital, where he died. The cause of the fatal Humboldt County car accident remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol. Drugs or alcohol are not suspected to be a factor. 
MENDOCINO COUNTY - A 10-year-old Fort Bragg boy very tragically was killed Wednesday afternoon in a horrific crash on Highway 20, about halfway between Ukiah and Fort Bragg, the Ukiah Daily Journal and Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported. The fatal accident was reported on Wednesday, July 13, 2011, just after 2:30 p.m. According to CHP reports, a 16-year-old boy was driving a Honda Accord eastbound on Highway 20, about a mile east of Chamberlin Creek. At the same time, a 38-year-old Fort Bragg man was driving a grey Ford F-150 westbound. 
SHASTA COUNTY - A 2-year-old Washington boy tragically died Monday after he was hit by a car in a Castella gas station parking lot, the Redding Record-Searchlight reported. The accident was reported just after 9:30 a.m. on Monday, July 11, 2011, outside of Ammirati's Market. According to news reports, the young boy may have been following his siblings into the store when a vehicle ran him over at about 5 mph.. The child was rushed to Mercy Medical Center where he later died. 
WILDOMAR - A driver and passenger suffered moderate injuries early Sunday morning in a rollover crash on Bundy Canyon Road, the Southwest Riverside News Network reported. The accident was reported at about 5 a.m. on Sunday, July 10, 2011 at Bundy Canyon Road and Raciti Road. The cause of the incident remains under investigation, and the driver's name is being withheld pending the investigation. Anyone with information about the Riverside County injury accident is asked to contact the Wildomar Police Department at (951)245-3300. Based on the limited information provided in news accounts, the cause of this car accident is not clear. 
LA HABRA - A 20-year-old La Habra man was very tragically killed in a motorcycle accident Monday night, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and Orange County Register reported. The motorcyclist, Bryan Hodges, died at the scene of the 5:22 p.m. crash on Euclid Street and Country Hills Drive, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department press release. The initial investigation by law enforcement indicated that Hodges, along with another motorcyclist, was riding southbound on Euclid Street when a vehicle making a left turn from northbound Street Avenue onto Country Hills Drive pulled into the path of his motorcycle. 
ANTIOCH -- A woman on a bicycle suffered major injuries after her bicycle crashed into a center divider Monday evening at the corner of Hillcrest Avenue and Bellflower Drive, Mercury News reported. The accident was reported just before 7 p.m. on July 11, 2011. According to police, the 23-year-old Antioch woman was riding down the steep hill on Bellflower Drive and went through the intersection, striking the center divider. The woman, who was not identified, was airlifted to a local hospital. It was not clear whether or not she was wearing a helmet. 
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY - Two people were injured, including one critically, in a crash Friday morning outside the Tracy Auto Mall, the Tracy Press reported. The July 8th accident was reported around 10 a.m. on Auto Plaza Drive near Naglee Road, and involved a 2006 Mercedes and a 2012 Mustang. Both cars were reportedly on separate test drives when they collided. The driver of the Mercedes was ejected and subsequently flown by helicopter to Doctors Medical Center in Modesto. One of the occupants of the Mustang suffered less serious injuries and was taken to Kaiser Foundation Hospital in Manteca. The cause of the accident is under investigation. 
RIVERSIDE COUNTY - An 84-year-old Murrieta man tragically died Wednesday night, about 40 minutes after the Lincoln sedan he was driving was struck head-on by a pickup truck on Clinton Keith Road, the Southwest Riverside News Network reported. The accident was reported at 8:53 p.m. on July 6, 2011, on Clinton Keith Road near Chantory Street and the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve. According to news reports, the victim, Richard Johnson, was driving on Clinton Keith Road when the driver of a pickup truck crossed into oncoming traffic and collided with his vehicle. Johnson was rushed to an area hospital, where he died shortly after 9:30 p.m.. The 44-year-old man driving the pickup truck was critically injured in the crash and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. 
LODI -A Lodi postal worker suffered very serious injuries Thursday morning when he was struck by a vehicle on Ham Lane, the Lodi News-Sentinel reported. The accident was reported at about 10:00 a.m. on July 7, 2011, according to the Lodi Police Department. The postal worker, a 50-year-old Thornton man, was in a crosswalk on the corner of Walnut Street and Ham Lane when he was hit by a vehicle. He was taken to San Joaquin County Hospital, where he was listed in in critical condition. 
SHASTA COUNTY - A pedestrian was very seriously injured when he was hit by a car on Interstate 5 in Redding early Friday morning, KRCRTV.com reported. According to the California Highway Patrol, a 21-year-old Redding man tried to cross the freeway, when he was hit by a 1985 Chevrolet driven by Sandra Polk, 51, of Seattle. The accident occurred on southbound I-5 near Hartnell Avenue at about 1:30 a.m. According to news reports, Polk's Chevrolet was travelling at an estimated 60 mph when the collision occurred. The victim, David Wucco, suffered two broken legs and was taken by ambulance to Mercy Medical Center, where he was listed in serious condition Friday morning. 
ROBBINS - Two people died and at least one other person was seriously injured in a violent car crash early Thursday morning in Sutter County, the Sacramento Bee reported. The accident, involving a Honda automobile, occurred on Highway 113 near Seymour Road, at about 5:20 a.m. on Thursday, July 7, 2011. The Honda reportedly went off the road, struck a tree, and overturned in a shallow canal. One person was flown to a hospital by helicopter with major injuries. News 10 reported there were two vehicles in the collision. It was not clear what caused the July 7th accident. 
NAPA - A bicyclist was seriously injured when he was struck by a car Tuesday afternoon in Napa, the Napa Valley Register reported. The accident was reported on Jefferson Street near Trancas Street at about 12:15 p.m. Tuesday, July 5, 2011. The bicyclist, Jesus Castro, 50, of Napa, was leaving the shopping center in the 3300 block of Jefferson street when his bicycle collided with a vehicle driven by Darlene Long, 65, of Napa. Castro was taken to the helipad at Queen of the Valley Medical Center, where he was flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. 
SEA OF CORTEZ - A charter fishing boat with 44 people aboard sunk off the coast of Mexico Sunday afternoon, leaving at least one person dead, the New York Times and dozens of other news outlets reported. The boat capsized about 60 miles south of the port of San Felipe, and 200 miles southeast of San Diego, according to the Coast Guard. Many of the passengers were able to swim ashore and alerted authorities that the 115-foot ship, the Erik, had gone down. Twenty-seven American were on board the boat, which was operated by San Diego based Baja Sportfishing Inc. The boat reportedly unexpected hit a storm and capsized after large waves hit the boat early Sunday morning. It sank four minutes after it tipped over. 
