Top stories: Fresno deputy arrested; Chaffee Zoo nixes rainforest; Why no campus alert?
Top stories on Thursday represented a mix of breaking news across the Fresno area, including a sheriff’s deputy’s arrest on sexual battery charges, a fatal crash that claimed a Kingsburg man’s life, the closure of a beloved zoo exhibit and questions about campus safety alerts at Fresno City College.
We assemble this list each evening, so you can get caught up on the top Fresno Bee stories of the day
Fresno County deputy arrested on sexual battery charges after alleged on-duty assault
Alejandro Apodaca, a 31-year-old Fresno County Sheriff’s Office deputy with three years of service, was arrested Wednesday on sex-related charges following an alleged on-duty incident May 10. Investigators served a search warrant at his home for DNA evidence after a victim reported the assault to Fresno police. Apodaca was placed on administrative leave, posted bond and is scheduled for a bond hearing May 28. Click here for full story.
Update: Victim killed in crash on Academy Avenue in Fresno County identified
Alex Lopez, 28, of Kingsburg was killed Thursday morning in a two-vehicle crash on Academy Avenue in southern Fresno County. The 7:30 a.m. crash occurred when a Toyota Corolla’s right tires drifted onto the dirt shoulder, the driver overcorrected and the vehicle was struck by a southbound GMC Denali. Lopez was wearing a seatbelt but unresponsive, and he was pronounced dead at Adventist Health Selma. Click here for full story.
Historic part of Fresno zoo is closing due to animal welfare, safety standards
The Tropical Rainforest Aviary at Fresno Chaffee Zoo will close July 5 after nearly 40 years of operation. Zoo officials said the 1988 exhibit no longer meets standards for bird welfare and safety and is not a proper working environment for staff. The birds will be moved to other aviaries within the zoo or transferred to other institutions, and the space will eventually reopen as a nonanimal experience. Click here for full story.
Fresno college student arrested after struggle. Why wasn’t the campus alerted?
A Fresno City College student was arrested Monday morning after allegedly trying to force entry into a classroom, chasing an instructor and pepper spraying an officer. The State Center Community College District did not issue a campus alert because the suspect was apprehended and officials said no ongoing threat existed under Clery Act notification thresholds. SCCCD officers are reviewing how the situation was handled to improve information sharing in future incidents. Click here for full story.
Original stories by Anthony Galaviz, Joshua Tehee and Nick Fenley
This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence based on our own originally reported, written and published content. Before publishing, journalists reviewed this content in compliance with McClatchy Media’s AI policy.
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