A man accused of assaulting a neighbor in her apartment and hitting her with a rock has been charged with assault to commit rape, as well as using a weapon during the assault, according to a news release from the Butte County District Attorney’s Office.
Francisco Gutierrez-Gomez, 38, is accused of sneaking into his 22-year-old female neighbor’s apartment in the 1000 block of East Lassen Avenue in north Chico on May 3, according to the release. At 2:45 a.m. that day, Chico Police Department officers responded to the scene after the woman reported she had been assaulted by a stranger who was shirtless and wearing a ski mask.
The woman’s injuries included cuts, bruises and signs that she had been strangled. According to the release the woman fought back against her assailant who fled and left behind a pocket knife and ski mask.
Officers sent the items to the California Department of Justice forensic laboratory for DNA analysis which allegedly matched the DNA on the items to Gutierrez-Gomez. Because of a previous Butte County Jail booking, Gutierrez-Gomez’s DNA was in a nationwide database.
The Chico Police Department obtained an arrest warrant and arrested Gutierrez-Gomez on Tuesday, June 11.
District Attorney Mike Ramsey said in the release that Gutierrez-Gomez lived in the same complex as the victim, less than 100 feet from her apartment and his residence had a clear line of sight to her door.
Gutierrez-Gomez is currently held in custody without bail with an arraignment set for June 18. Should he be found guilty of the charges, he could face life in prison.
Road work
Road work will begin Monday on Notre Dame Boulevard as part of phase one of Chico’s 2024 Road Rehabilitation Project.
According to a press release from the city of Chico, the project is part of a collaboration between the city and Knife River Construction. The project is funded through Measure H and Senate Bill 1.
The project includes fully reconstructing Notre Dame Boulevard from East 20th Street to Forest Avenue and grind and overlay from Forest Avenue to the Skyway, along with upgraded ADA curb ramps. This phase of the project is projected to finish in the fall.
Phase two comprises Rio Lindo Avenue with full reconstruction from The Esplanade to the bike path. There will be road treatment from the bike path to Cohasset Road, on Porter Way and on Eugene Avenue. Phase two also includes sidewalk, curb, gutter and upgraded ADA curb ramp installation. A traffic signal is also being installed at the intersection of Rio Lindo Avenue and The Esplanade.
Phase two is planned to begin in “the coming weeks” and expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
Chico is advising residents to plan their routes accordingly as there may be delays because of the construction.
Biggs fire
A fire that began at 1:58 a.m. in Biggs destroyed a shed and damaged multiple vehicles.
According to Cal Fire-Butte County Battalion Chief John Gaddie, the fire took place on a residential property.
“Resources stayed at scene for about 3 hours,” Gaddie said.
Gaddie reported no injuries and said the fire is under investigation.
Politics
Today, Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) voted for a bill that includes an additional $55 million dollars of funding for Beale Air Force Base.
According to a press release from LaMalfa’s office, the bill is focused on preparation for potential conflict with China.
The bill is named H.R. 8070, the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025. In addition to the funding for Beale, the bill also includes $650 million in projects across the Indo-Pacific region, and funding for continued use with potential for expansion of operations at Sierra Army Depot.
Bearded dragons linked to salmonella
This morning the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published an investigation that links a multistate salmonella outbreak to pet bearded dragons.
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The CDC documented 15 cases of bearded dragon linked salmonella across nine states, including two in California, since the start of the year. These cases have led to four hospitalizations and so far no deaths.
Over half of the reported cases affected children under 5 years old. The CDC does not recommend bearded dragons as pets in homes with young children, adults over 65 years old and anyone immune compromised because these populations are vulnerable to salmonella.
To prevent salmonella infections from bearded dragons, the CDC recommends owners keep their pets in a confined enclosures, wash their hands after feeding or touching and refrain from kissing or snuggling.
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