Features

Crash Fatality 

Jie Wang, the 24-year-old UC Berkeley graduate student whose car was broadsided by a suspected drug dealer at the intersection of Ashby and San Pablo avenues Feb. 24, died Thursday at Highland Hospital. 

A native of Shanghai, China, Wang was crossing Ashby when his car was struck by a Honda Civic driven by Adam Jones, 29, who had fled Albany Police when they attempted to question him following a suspected drug buy. 

Police chased him onto Interstate 80, where the California Highway Patrol joined in. Both Albany Police and the CHP said the high speed chase had been abandoned by the time Jones took the Ashby exit into Berkeley. 

An Albany officer took the same exit. 

Wang sustained serve brain injuries in the accident. 

Reward Offered 

The C ity of Berkeley is offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect in the Feb. 8 beating death of Maria King, 39. 

A homeless woman, King was severely beaten and left unconscious near the corner of University Av enue and California Street. She died 12 days later in Highland Hospital without recovering consciousness. 

One suspect was arrested nearby at the time of the crime, but a second assailant, described only as a man dressed in dark clothing, remains at large. 

Berkeley Police spokesperson Officer Joe Okies asked anyone with information about the crime to call the Homicide Detail at 981-5741 or to e-mail police@ci.berkeley.ca.us. 

All tipsters will remain anonymous, Okies said. 

Stinky Surprise 

The burglar w ho smashed a window to loot at car parked near Russell and Kelsey streets early Thursday morning soon discovered that the bag he’d looted wasn’t a purse after all. 

When police arrived, they discovered the missing item, contents intact, not far from the s cene. 

Seems the thief had copped a diaper bag. 

Armed Robbers 

Two bandits, at least one of them packing a pistol, robbed a 25-year-old man of his cash near the corner of Francisco and Chestnut street shortly after 6 p.m. last Thursday, said Berkeley Pol ice spokesperson Officer Joe Okies. 

During the course of the robbery, one of the bandits smashed the victim in the face with his weapon, thereby elevating a robbery to an assault with a deadly weapon. 

The victim sustained only minor injuries. 

Beanie Mea nie 

A tall heavyset bandit wearing a beanie pulled a gun on a clerk in Video Maniacs and 1484 University Ave. at 6:07 p.m. Thursday and made off with the cash in the till. 

Unpleasant Discovery 

A 15-year-old woman walked along the 1900 block of Mc Gee Avenue called Berkeley Police late Friday afternoon after she spotted a masturbater parked in a green car. 

Rat Pack Robbers 

A gang of five juveniles robbed a 15-year-old West Berkeley man of his wallet during a ratpack attack in the 2100 block of Eighth Street shortly after 11:30 p.m. Friday. 

Armed Robbery Injury 

Berkeley and UC Police are seeking two men, aged 16 to 20, who shot a 29-year-old man during a robbery in the 2200 block of Derby Street shortly after 2 a.m. Saturday. 

The wound was not life-threatening, reports Officer Okies. 

The suspect and a 25-year-old friend were walking along the sidewalk when they were approach by two young men, both African Americans. 

During the encounter, one of the men fired a shot, inflicting a minor injury. The robbers and their victims promptly fled on foot in opposite directions, Okies said. 

The first suspect is described a 5’3” to 5’4” tall and of medium build. He was wearing a dark sweatshirt with lettering across the front and gray trim. 

The second suspec t was described as a thin man about 6’1” tall wearing a dark baseball cap and a dark jacket with white strips along the sleeves. 

Robbery Try Injury 

A 19-year-old man received a minor cut during an armed robbery attempt by three women in the 2400 block o f College Avenue at 1:11 a.m. Sunday, said Officer Okies. 

The victim declined medical attention. 

Balloonatics? 

Irate motorists were pelted by water balloons in the 1300 block of Piedmont Avenue at 5:21 p.m. Sunday. 

“They wanted to file a report to doc ument the incident,” said Officer Okies. 

The suspects were described as five to eight males standing on the rooftop of a building at the corner of Piedmont and Durant avenues.