West Sacramento woman repeatedly released on $0 bail arrested for third time in four days
A woman suspected of getting a U-Haul truck stuck in a West Sacramento car wash last week was arrested three times in four days after repeatedly being released from jail on $0 bail, authorities said.
Melinda Gonzales of West Sacramento is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday on numerous charges, including looting, auto theft, burglary, driving under the influence, hit-and-run and false impersonation, the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office said. The District Attorney’s Office said Gonzales, 47, has been arrested five times since August, but each time she was released from jail due to the Yolo County Superior Court’s continued use of the emergency bail schedule adopted in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The West Sacramento Police Department arrested Gonzales on four warrants Aug. 2, but she was released and given a Nov. 17 court date, authorities said. Gonzales was arrested again Oct. 9 on suspicion of possession of drug paraphernalia and trespassing, authorities said.
West Sacramento police arrested Gonzales again Thursday after she tried to drive a stolen U-Haul truck through a gas station car wash, authorities said. She was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs, hit-and-run, false impersonation and providing false information to a peace officer, but she was released the same day on $0 bail, authorities said. Two days later, West Sacramento police arrested Gonzales on suspicion of petty theft, the District Attorney’s Office said.
Gonzales was released from jail Sunday morning, but hours later the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office arrested her on suspicion of burglary, petty theft, looting, trespassing, possession of stolen property and providing false information to a peace officer, authorities said. Gonzales remained in custody following that arrest because looting is one of 13 exceptions to the emergency bail schedule, authorities said.
In April, the California Judicial Council imposed the $0 emergency bail schedule due to the COVID-19 crisis. The council voted 17-2 to rescind the statewide emergency bail schedule in June, but the Yolo County Superior Court has continued its use with no announced end date, the District Attorney’s Office said.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, 349 people have been arrested and released on $0 bail a total of 411 times since April. Those individuals have committed over 390 new crimes in Yolo County, including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, the District Attorney’s Office said.
