Fire Destroys Trailer
Morgan Hill – No one was injured in a fire that engulfed and destroyed a recreational vehicle Wednesday afternoon, according to Santa Clara County Fire Department Battalion Chief Steve Prziborowski.
The cause of the blaze, which started just after 3pm, is under investigation, he said. The owner of the RV was driving on Monterey Highway when he thought he smelled smoke. He pulled over to the side of the road, but didn’t see any sign of fire, then continued driving. He continued to smell smoke, pulled over at 15200 Monterey Hwy., near a fence and several other RVs, and this time he saw flames when he looked under the vehicle, and he attempted to put them out with a fire extinguisher.
Prziborowski said no one was inside the RV at the time. The fire was contained by the first two units on the scene, and response from other units was canceled, he said.
The vehicle was a “total loss,” he said, an estimated value of $50,000.
No Charges Filed in Police Custody Death
Morgan Hill – Charges will not be filed in the death of a man while in police custody at the Morgan Hill Police Department earlier this year, according to Santa Clara County Assistant District Attorney David Tomkins.
Tomkins declined to comment on why no charges were filed.
Ronald Blighton, Jr., 46, was arrested on Jan. 18 on an outstanding traffic warrant after police were called to his home on Barnell Avenue for a domestic dispute. Because the dispute was not physical, Blighton was not charged with domestic violence.
Morgan Hill police Cmdr. David Swing said Blighton was arrested without incident, and was not restrained by a “wrap.” Officers did not use a Taser on Blighton.
Once in the booking area of the station, Blighton was handcuffed to a stationary bench. No other suspects were in custody at the time, Swing said, and most of the time Blighton was in booking, there were two patrol officers and one multi-service officer with him.
Blighton went into “medical distress” at approximately 6:45pm, but Swing would not reveal the nature of the distress. Officers in the booking area began CPR while waiting for paramedics to arrive. Blighton was pronounce dead on the scene by medical personnel.
After receiving toxicology reports, a report was released by the Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office. Based on that report and results from an investigation into the incident, the DA’s Office determined there was no cause for charges in the case.
