On November 29, 2014 at approximately 12:00 a.m., Detective Sean Bayard was patrolling near the intersection of West K Street and West I Street when he heard two gun shots and observed a silver 1997 Honda Accord fleeing the area.
Detective Bayard activated his emergency lights to stop the vehicle as it sped away. The driver drove the vehicle for a short distance before stopping in the driveway of a residence in the 800 block of Colorado Avenue.
Police detained four occupants of the vehicle and located a handgun, extra ammunition, and methamphetamine inside the vehicle. Officers recovered a second handgun that was thrown from the vehicle by one of the occupants. It appears the shooter was firing randomly from the vehicle without an intended target.
Fred Castillo, 33; Samuel Arroyo, 20; Vincent Rincon, 24; and Jennifer Mendez, 39, were arrested and charged with participation in a criminal street gang, maliciously discharging a firearm from a vehicle, willful discharge of a firearm in a negligent manner, carrying a loaded firearm, and possession of a concealed firearm in a vehicle. Castillo, Arroyo, and Rincon remain in custody at the Merced County Main Jail, while Mendez remains in custody at the John Latoracca Correctional Center.
Three of the four arrested are known documented members of a notorious criminal street gang.
“These gang members had two guns and were obviously up to no good. Thankfully, Detective Sean Bayard was there to stop them before they could victimize our community.”
- Jason Hedden, Police Commander
This incident is currently under investigation and no further details will be released.
