For The Madera Tribune A car sits upside-down at the intersection of Yosemite Avenue and D Street as a result of a DUI collision Sunday evening. Madera Police Department officers responded to a traffic collision at Yosemite Avenue and D Street that closed the intersection for several hours Sunday.  One of the drivers was under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested and booked into Madera County Jail.  None of the involved parties were seriously injured.

For The Madera Tribune Madera County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Ronald Aguilar holds a certificate after he was honored by the Madera Sunrise Rotary. With Aguilar are Madera County Sheriff Tyson Pogue, left, and Rotary member Gordon Kennedy, right. Twice last year, Madera County Sheriff’s Office Deputy sprang into action and saved two lives.  For his actions, Aguilar has been deemed a hero, and the Madera Sunrise Rotary honored him at its meeting Wednesday morning. Aguilar has b

For The Madera Tribune Tonya Hamilton’s California Driver’s License photo. Madera County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a medical aid call involving an unresponsive 3-month-old infant.  The child was transported to a local hospital and rushed into emergency surgery due to severe head trauma on January 13.  Medical professionals determined the injuries were not consistent with any type of fall.

The Madera County Sheriff’s Office arrested 32-year-old Madera resident Bryan Francis Gittings following an investigation into the distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material. MCSO detectives, assisted by the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the FBI, served a search warrant in the area of Walden Drive and Avenue 17 in Madera on January 21.  Gittings was arrested on charges related to the distribution and possession of Child Sexual Abus

Madera Police Department Officer Sergio Hernandez found a stolen vehicle in the northeast city limits, where multiple vehicles were reported stolen the night prior.  The vehicle, which had multiple occupants inside, led Hernandez on a pursuit into the county area near Avenue 18 1/2 and Road 25 1/2.  The suspect vehicle was involved in a minor single-vehicle traffic collision, causing the suspects to flee the area.

For The Madera Tribune A driver ran a stop sign in the fog on January 18, and struck a metal pole on Road 35 and Avenue 9. A 22-year-old impaired driver ran a stop sign and violently struck a metal pole on Road 35 and Avenue 9, on Jan. 18, just after 7:30 p.m. One bad decision nearly turned deadly. The driver was fortunate to survive, and fortunate no one else was involved/hurt.

Dumping an animal is a serious crime in Madera County. The Madera County Sheriff’s Office has vowed they will investigate these cases and hold people accountable. If anyone can no longer care for an animal, there are legal and humane options available. If anyone witnesses illegal animal dumping in Madera County, report it to the MCSO, as animal cruelty will not be tolerated in the County.

The State of California probably has more laws than any other state. I don’t know that for a fact, but it stands to reason because, although we don’t have more legislators than any other state, our elected officials at the state level keep their jobs by having their names attached to a senate or assembly bill that is eventually signed into law by the governor. So, each January the state adds more laws to the books. And 2026 is no exception. Members of the Assembly and State S