The 16-year-old bicyclist was riding south on the bike path at around 1:45 a.m. when he heard someone tell him to stop. Once he did, a man on a bicycle approached him from behind and allegedly threatened him with a black folding knife, according to a police press release. The man allegedly demanded the teen's cellphone and money and then took off south on the bike path.
The teen went to his friend's house and reported the robbery to police. About 30 minutes later, police located a man with a knife on a bicycle matching the teen's description in the 4200 block of El Camino Real.
The man, a 34-year-old Mountain View resident, was arrested on suspicion of robbery and possession of methamphetamines and narcotics paraphernalia. Police are investigating whether the robbery is connected to two earlier incidents in the same area.
Palo Alto police ask that anyone with information about Monday's robbery call their 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413. Tips can also be made anonymously by text or voicemail to 650-383-8984 or by email to [email protected]
— Jonas Pao
COVID variant puts County on alert
COVID-19 infections are on the rise in Santa Clara County again, and officials are urging residents to mask up — even in some outdoor settings.
In recent days, the county has reported more than 1,000 new daily COVID-19 infections, officials said, noting the actual tally is likely much higher due to underreported test results. The current seven-day rolling average, at 1,094, is comparable to the spike in cases in May. The hospitalization rate also has jumped significantly in the past month with 233 coronavirus patients — the highest since the first wave of omicron infections in January.
The surge in cases and hospitalizations comes as the county and country grapple with a new COVID-19 subvariant, BA.5. This subvariant has quickly become the most dominant strain in the U.S., said Dr. Sarah Rudman, the county's assistant health officer. Rudman said it makes up more than half the samples collected from wastewater locations in Santa Clara County. The county first discovered the strain in its wastewater system in June.
BA.5, along with its close relative BA.4, is a subvariant of the omicron variant.
BA.5 originated from South Africa and is believed by experts to be the most transmissible strain, with the ability to evade the immune system, even among the vaccinated and boosted population and those who have survived earlier omicron infection. The severity of the subvariant is yet to be fully understood, Rudman said.
— Tran Nguyen, San Jose Spotlight
Police: Runaway breaks in home while woman sleeps
A 15-year-old girl allegedly broke into a home where a woman was asleep in Palo Alto's Greenmeadow neighborhood at around 9:30 p.m. on July 2, police said.
The teen allegedly entered the house, located in the 100 block of Ferne Avenue near Alma Street, through a rear door that was left open for a pet, according to a police news release. The resident, a woman in her 60s, woke up and locked herself in a room for safety. The woman told police that the teen just laughed when she demanded her to leave.
Police apprehended the girl moments after she left the house and found her in alleged possession of marijuana and methamphetamines. Police also determined that she was under the influence of narcotics and alcohol.
Officers identified the girl as a resident of Carmichael in Sacramento County who had run away from home a few days prior. Her parents believed she was staying in the south bay, but they were unable to locate her, police said.
Police determined that the teen had allegedly entered the residence with the intent to commit theft, resulting in a felony citation for residential burglary. She also was cited for three misdemeanors: possession of narcotics, being under the influence of narcotics and providing false information to police.
She was released to a parent at a hospital, according to police.
— Miles Breen
This story contains 689 words.
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