Law & Order

last updated: July 18, 2008 03:15:21 AM

ARRESTS IN PINECREST ATTACK: Two Sonora men are in custody after an assault early Thursday on a Roseville man who was on a camping trip with his family, authorities say. The incident at Pinecrest Lake happened at 2 a.m. The Roseville man received moderate to serious injuries to his face and head after being assaulted in front of his family, according to a Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office news release. Deputies arrested Cody Mata, 18, and Aaron Sheridan, 23, after finding them at a nearby campsite. They are charged with assault and battery with serious bodily injury. Sheridan also was in violation of parole and is being held without bail. Mata is in custody with bail set at $35,000. Deputies are investigating and said they expect more arrests to be made.

MOLESTATION SUSPECT SURRENDERS: A third-grade teacher suspected of molesting three girls attending his Lathrop school turned himself in Wednesday afternoon to San Joaquin County sheriff's detectives. Michael Berchtold, 32, of French Camp was taken into custody about 1:30 p.m., and he had a warrant on two counts of committing lewd or lascivious acts on a child younger than 14 and three counts of annoying or molesting a child, according to sheriff's officials. Berchtold is a teacher at Joseph Widmer Jr. Elementary School. Sheriff's officials said the three victims, 8 and 9 years old, were enrolled at the school at the time of the alleged incidents. Berchtold was active in youth activities in the Lathrop area, including sports and church programs, sheriff's officials said. Berchtold was being held at San Joaquin County Jail on Thursday night in lieu of $225,000 bail.

DEADLY DENAIR FIRE: A house fire in Denair on Wednesday left one man dead, fire officials reported. Jason Johnston, 53, died in the fire at 3317 Story Road near Monte Vista Avenue. It started about 11 p.m. Fire officials said the single-story house was a total loss. The fire took 45 minutes to extinguish, and 26 firefighters from four agencies were cleaning up for three hours.

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