Features

Sore Losers, Deadly Attack 

Two men were charged with multiple felonies and a third with a single charge of fleeing from police after a bizarre and potentially lethal automotive attack Sunday morning on a pair of athletes. 

The assault leaves a UC Berkeley football player on the sidelines with a crushed lower right leg and damaged ligaments and his female companion suffering from cuts and a back injury. 

The incident began shortly before 1:18 Sunday morning when UC Berkeley offensive tackle Michael Tepper and former Cal volleyball player Camille Leffall were crossing Telegraph Avenue and Dwight Way. 

Berkeley police spokesperson Officer Joe Okies said a car pulled up to the couple and a conversation ensued. 

The occupants hit on Leffall, who rejected their advances. After Tepper stepped up to defend her, the driver threw the car into reverse. Tepper pushed Leffall out of the way, though she was struck a glancing blow by the car—which backed over Tepper’s leg and then ran over it again as it pulled forward. 

With arriving officers in pursuit, the vehicle then fled east of Dwight Way, Okies said, and was finally forced to a halt after it struck a parked car on Parker Street just west of College Avenue. 

Three of the occupants fled the car and were captured after a brief chase by officers. 

Johnny R. Smith, 33, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, fleeing the scene of an accident, obstructing police officers and parole violation. 

Calvin J. Kelley, 29, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, fleeing the scene of an accident, obstruction and probation violation. 

Scott Slaughter, 28, was only charged with obstruction. 

A fourth occupant, who remained in the car, wasn’t charged. 

Okies said the incident remains under investigation. Tepper was hospitalized for treatment of his injuries and later released. Leffall was treated for cuts and a back injury. 

Bookstore Groping 

A 24-year-old woman reported to police that she’d been groped by a young teenager while shopping in the Shattuck Avenue Barnes & Noble bookstore Sunday evening. 

Gunshot on Adeline 

A young man wearing a red and white baseball cap fired off a pistol outside Black & White Liquors in the 3000 block of Adeline St. at 1 a.m. Monday, then fled eastbound on foot along Essex Street. He was gone before officers arrived. 

Bad Boy 

A 15-year-old girl called Berkeley police Monday afternoon to report that the same boy who had punched her at the Ashby BART station on June 14th had snatched her purse 13 days later. 

The two know each other, said Officer Okies, and the case is under investigation. 

Indecent and Drugged 

The owner of the Berkeley Thai House at 2511 Channing Way called police at 8:15 p.m. Monday to ask them to shoo away a fellow who was exposing more of himself than was good for Thai House business. 

Officers were prepared to do just that until they discovered that the 56-year-old self-exposer was packing illegal drugs as well. He was hauled away so he could expose himself in a more congenial atmosphere of concrete walls and iron bars. 

Gunman Grabs Boodle 

A 16-year-old Berkeley man called police to report that a gunman had robbed him of his cash near the corner of Ashby Avenue and Harper Street at 9 p.m. Monday. No arrest has been made. 

Grand Theft Shitzu 

The manager of the Lucky Dog Pet Shop at 2154 San Pablo Ave. called police midday Tuesday to report that someone had swiped a prize Shitzu puppy. 

The theft may have taken place the day before, and police are still seeking the dognapper, said Officer Okies. 

Because the critter costs more than $400, the crime falls into the category of grand theft. 

Good Samaritan 

Seeing a woman punch and rob a 90-year-old woman, then attempt to kidnap her and hijack her car, a Good Samaritan ran to the rescue just after 3:30 Tuesday afternoon, said Officer Okies. 

Calling police, the rescuer grabbed the 46-year-old assailant and held her until officers arrived. 

The assailant was booked on suspicion of robbery, attempted carjacking, attempted kidnapping, probation violation and parole violation. 

Windows Shot on Ward 

Multiple calls of “shots fired” flooded the police switchboard just before 9 p.m. Wednesday, causing officers to hit lights and sirens and hightail it to the 2100 block of Ward Street. 

Arriving on the scene, they found bullet holes in the window of one home and in the windshields of several cars parked along the street. 

No arrests have been made.  

Son of Good Sam 

Just two hours later the first Good Sam rescue, another citizen-hero grabbed one of two teenagers he’d seen rob a 21-year-old woman of her purse and held him until officers arrived with their handcuffs. 

The second assailant, also a juvenile, remains at large, said Officer Okies.