All posts by Kirk Stowers

Community Outreach

Police Host Citizen’s Police Academy

The Corpus Christi Police Department are hosting a Citizen’s Police Academy that begins February 26, 2013 and meets every Tuesday Evening from 6:30pm until 9:30pm at the Police Training Center located at 4510 Corona Drive. This will be the 41st Session of the Citizen’s Police Academy hosted by the Corpus Christi Police Department.

The Citizen’s Police Academy (C.P.A.) is a partnership with the citizens of Corpus Christi and the Corpus Christi Police Department. The benefits of such a partnership can only help strengthen the entire community in public safety and quality of life.

A police agency cannot be effective without the trust of its citizens. The Citizen Police Academy program builds that trust. Through education, it provides a bridge between the officer in the car and the citizens in the field. Citizens will gain an appreciation of the problems and challenges facing law enforcement and have an opportunity to offer comments and ideas regarding solutions. Those citizens then become the police department’s “goodwill ambassadors” throughout the community.

As a result graduates are better equipped to assess safety issues, and share with others their knowledge of law enforcement practices and policies.

There are several hands-on exercises and, at the end of the program, you will participate in role play exercises and make decisions as a police officer would. You will also be signed up for a 4-hour “Tour of Duty” and ride with an officer to see first-hand what happens on the street.

41st Session Flyer

Bravo District, Criminal Investigations Division

Police Seek Identity of Woman Connected to Burglary

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Occurred Thursday, January 31, 2013, 10:24am, 13700 Hawksnest Bay Dr. Burglary 1301310051

                The Corpus Christi Police Department Auto Theft Task Force would like help from the public to identify and locate a woman who used stolen credit cards.

Corpus Christi Police began an investigation for a burglary of a motor vehicle at a residence on the 13700 block of Hawksnest Bay Drive on January 31, 2013. A laptop computer, credit cards and a cellular telephone were stolen from 1998 Mercury Mountaineer.

Corpus Christi Police Detectives have obtained video of a woman who used the stolen credit cards at a convenience store located at the 14500 block of South Padre Island Drive. The woman is described as a white female about 5 feet 6 inches tall, 120 pounds with brown hair who wore sunglasses, a black hooded sweater and a pink shirt with white writing.

Anyone with any information to identify or locate the woman who used the stolen credit cards should call the Corpus Christi Police Department Auto Theft Task Force at 886-2841. Information may be provided to police through Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477) or online at www.888TIPS.com.

Criminal Investigations Division

Police Arrest Murder Suspect on Traffic Stop on Up River Road

Update to Case #1302110002, Murder, Morgan Avenue at 15th Street

The Gulf Coast Violent Offenders and Fugitives Task Force Arrested 29-year-old Anthony Diaz (9/21/1983) for Murder Wednesday afternoon on a traffic stop on Up River Road and Villa Drive.

The Corpus Christi Police Department Robbery/Homicide Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Diaz in relation to the murder Monday morning at Morgan Avenue and 15th Street. The bond on the warrant was set at $1 Million dollars.

The Corpus Christi Police Department thanks the members of the community who were able to provide information about this crime.

Traffic Safety Division

Morgan Avenue Utility Work

The City of Corpus Christi Traffic Engineering office advises citizens beginning Thursday, February 14 through Friday, March 8, 2013; weather permitting, contractors will install a utility waterline on Morgan Avenue from Port Avenue to 25th Street.   During this period, westbound Morgan Avenue traffic will be periodically reduced to one lane of traffic through the work area.

Traffic control devices will guide motorists through the construction site.  While the work is underway, motorists should expect delays and if possible are advised to seek alternate routes to avoid the area.  Motorists should observe all construction warning signs and barricades for their safety and that of construction crews.  Access to local driveways will be maintained throughout the duration of the project.

For more information, please contact Traffic Engineering at 826-3547.

Traffic Safety Division

Road Work Update for Staples Street Traffic

The City of Corpus Christi Traffic Engineering office advises citizens beginning Wednesday, February 13, 2013, for approximately two months, weather permitting; contractors will be doing major utility and road construction on Staples Street between Saratoga Boulevard and Esplanade Drive.

While this project is underway, this section of Staples Street will be reduced to one lane in each direction and no left turns will be permitted onto eastbound Saratoga Boulevard from southbound Staples Street.  In addition, there will only be one eastbound left turning lane available for motorists to turn onto northbound Staples Street.

Traffic control devices will guide motorists through the construction site.  While the work is underway, motorists should expect delays and are advised to seek alternate routes to avoid the area if possible.  Motorists are also advised to observe all construction warning signs and barricades for their safety and that of construction crews.   Access to local driveways will be maintained throughout the duration of the project.

For more information, please contact Traffic Engineering at 826-3547.

Charlie District, Patrol Division

Police Arrest Two Men For Graffiti On Holly Road

Occurred Sunday, February 10, 2013, 22:31, 4000 Holly Road, Graffiti, 1302100139

Two men were arrested Sunday night on the 4000 block of Holly Road for causing an estimated $2,000 dollars worth of damage by graffiti.

A Corpus Christi Police Patrol Officer saw two men walk toward a business at the 4000 block of Holly near Weber Road. The officer is aware of a problem with graffiti in the area and chose to park his patrol car and follow the two men behind the business.

The officer saw the two men in the process of marking graffiti on the business and a dumpster. The Patrol Officer grabbed the two men and placed them under arrest for graffiti. Seventeen year old Raymond Cardona (10/22/1995) and Seventeen year old Gabriel Cramberg (11/22/1995) were arrested for graffiti, a Class A Misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and up to a $4,000 fine.

Corpus Christi Police Patrol Officers drove Holly Road and found other graffiti that they connected to Cramberg and Cardona. Cardona and Cramberg were then delivered to the city detention center.

Bravo District, Community Outreach

Flour Bluff Operation Proud Partnership Neighborhood Meeting Tonight

Citizens living in the neighborhood which borders Don Patricio Road to Gleanoak Drive and Flour Bluff Drive to Waldron Road are invited to a neighborhood meeting tonight, where results from a police department crime survey will be announced.

The gathering will take place Monday, February 11, 2013, at 6:00 p.m., at Real Life Fellowship located at 1241 Flour Bluff Drive.  Representatives from different city departments will also attend to answer questions.

Back in January, Code Enforcement officers and volunteers stretched out over the large populated area making sure all city facilities were being taken care of, as well as, looking for issues they could assist citizens with; such as replacement of street signs, stray animal pick up, high weeds and illegal dumping.

Delta District, Patrol Division

Police Investigate Murder on Morgan Avenue

Occurred Monday, February 11, 2013, 12:07am, 15th Street at Morgan Avenue, Murder 1302110002

A 36-year-old man was fatally injured Monday morning at the intersection of 15th Street and Morgan Avenue.

Corpus Christi Police were called to the area to investigate a shooting. Police Patrol Officers found a 36-year-old man who appeared to be seriously injured. The 36-year-old man was immediately taken to the hospital by ambulance. The man did not survive his injuries.

Corpus Christi Police are now searching for two men who were in a maroon 4 door Pontiac Grand Am who detectives believe may have been responsible for the death of the 36-year-old man. Corpus Christi Police Detectives believe one of the men in the Pontiac was about 5 foot 8 inches tall, about 220 pounds, and wore a hoodie.

Anyone with any additional information about this crime should call the Corpus Christi Police Robbery/Homicide Detectives at 886-4841. Information may be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477) or online at www.888TIPS.com.

Adam District, Patrol Division

Police Investigate Hoax Shooting on Wandering Creek

Police response on 4200 Wandering Creek Sunday afternoon closed the street for about one hour.
Police response on 4200 Wandering Creek Sunday afternoon closed the street for about one hour.

A call to Corpus Christi Police Sunday afternoon with information about a man who shot several people on the 4200 block of Wandering Creek turned out to be a hoax.

Corpus Christi Police were called at about 1:00pm on Sunday and provided information that a man shot several people with a rifle. The Corpus Christi Police Emergency Response Unit responded after Patrol Officers requested assistance. Police Officers were able to contact the home owners who were not at home at the time of the call.

Corpus Christi Police were provided keys to the home and then made entry to make sure no person was inside the home. There were no injured persons nor was there any damage and now the police are investigating the possibility the information was provided to police in a fraudulent manner.

Corpus Christi Police Detectives are now conducting an investigation to determine if a person intentionally or knowingly provided false information to police. A possible criminal charge of false report to a peace officer may be applied to the person who provided the information to police if the information was not provided by mistake, but by intent.

The Corpus Christi Police Department does not want to discourage any person from providing valid information to police. Anyone who sees any suspicious activity should notify police immediately.

Traffic Safety Division

City Road Closures February 9-15, 2013

Chaparral Street and Schatzell Street Intersection

Monday – Friday

Schatzell Street:  From Shoreline Boulevard, Schatzell Street westbound traffic will be detoured onto Water Street.  In addition, Schatzell Street will be closed to through traffic between Water Street and Mesquite Street.  Parking will be permitted on this section of Schatzell.

Chaparral Street:  Chaparral Street will become a two-way traffic between Lawrence Street and Schatzell Street where parking will be allowed on this section of the Chaparral.  Motorists are cautioned to be aware of those vehicles that are entering and exiting this section of Chaparral at the Lawrence Street intersection.

McBride Lane (Between Leopard Street and IH-37 Eastbound Frontage Road)

Monday – Friday

McBride Lane:  Beginning on Monday, January 21, 2013, the southbound traffic on McBride Lane will be closed to traffic between IH-37 frontage road and Up River Road.  Closure will be for approximately 30 day.  During this period, southbound traffic will be detoured onto southbound Navigation to IH-37.

Kostoryz Road

Saturday – Friday

Beginning on January 23, 2013, weather permitting; city contractors will be doing road work on Kostoryz Road between South Padre Island Drive (S.P.I.D.) and Mansheim Boulevard.  During this period there will be various lane shifts and traffic will be reduced to one through lane in each direction.   Upon completion, traffic between S.P.I.D and Gollihar Road will then be shifted onto the northbound lanes and be reduced to one through lane in each direction.

In addition, traffic on eastbound McArdle Road will be shifted onto the westbound lane where traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction through the Kostoryz Road intersection.

Staples Street (Williams Street to Saratoga Boulevard)

Saturday – Friday

Holly Road:

Left turns will be restricted at Holly Road from northbound Staples Street until further notice. Southbound drivers on Staples will not be able to turn left onto Holly Road and right turns will be restricted when the traffic signal is on red.  There are no turning restrictions for westbound and eastbound drivers on Holly Road onto Staples.  No left turns from northbound staples at Williams Drive.

Wooldridge Road:  The Wooldridge Road traffic will be shifted onto the westbound lanes and traffic will be reduced to one through lane in each direction through the Staples Street Intersection.    There are no left turns from both northbound and southbound Staples Street onto Wooldridge Road.

Staples Street:  Contractors will shift the southbound Staples Street traffic onto the northbound lane reducing traffic to one through lane in each direction from the Moore Plaza entrance through the Williams Drive intersection.  Southbound drivers will have dedicated right turn, and northbound drivers will have a dedicated right turn lane at Williams Drive but “No Left Turns” will be permitted.

On Staples Street, from Woodridge Road to north of Holly Road, there are two lanes of traffic open in each direction.  Staples Street traffic, between Cain Drive and Bonner Drive, will be shifted onto the northbound lanes and traffic reduced to one through lane in each direction.

Bonner Drive , Cain Drive, or Curtis Clark Drive:  Cain Drive, Bonner Drive, or Curtis Clark Drive may be periodically closed at the Staples Street intersection.  Motorists will be detoured into Burton Lane.  In addition, when one street is closed, the other may be reduced to one lane with flaggers to direct traffic.  Once work is completed, each street will be closed for 10 days to pour concrete and allow the pavement to cure.

Rodd Field Road and Williams Drive

Saturday – Monday

Contractors will shift traffic onto the northbound lanes and reduce traffic to one through lane in each direction at the Rodd Field Road and Williams Drive intersection.  The “No Left Turns” will continue to be enforced.

Bear Lane 

Saturday – Friday

Bear Lane will be closed from Green Point Drive to Old Brownsville Road, and closed on Navigation Boulevard from Agnes Road to Old Brownsville Road.

Airline Road

Saturday – Friday

Traffic on Airline Road is closed to traffic between Wall Street and Rodd Field Road.  In addition, eastbound traffic on Lipes Boulevard and Slough Road will be closed between Giants Drive and Rodd Field Road.   Eastbound Lipes Boulevard traffic will be detoured north onto Giants Drive, and eastbound Wall Street traffic will be detoured northbound onto Airline Road.

Staples Street and Weber Road/Doddridge Street

Saturday – Friday

City contractors will be doing road work on Staples Street between Weber Road/Doddridge Street intersection and Barracuda Place. As this project is ongoing, southbound traffic on this section of Staples Street will be shifted onto the northbound lane and traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction.  No left turns will be permitted onto Doddridge from Staples.