Attempted jail suicide part of busy weekend

Kings County Sheriff's deputies were busy this weekend, with incidents ranging from an attempted suicide at the county jail to fights and an alcohol sales sting.

At approximately 11 a.m. Friday morning, jail employees found James Leroy Jorgensen, 40, hanging in his jail cell.

According to jail records, Jorgensen is facing 25 years to life in prison for burglary, possessing stolen property and various weapons and drug charges.

Assistant Sheriff Brian Wheat said Jorgensen is recuperating from the suicide attempt at a Fresno hospital. During the Easter holiday weekend, the inmate had reportedly tried to escape jail by climbing through a vent in the jail infirmary and onto the roof. Jorgensen was later apprehended by Hanford Police Officers.

He is still facing charges on that incident.

Just after midnight on Sunday morning, a Sheriff's deputy witnessed a fight in front of Secrets Night Club, located on the 100 block of 7th Street in Hanford.

Officials said that as the deputy attempted to stop the fight, suspect Jimmy Esquievel, 23, of Hanford, resisted arrest and fled the scene.

Authorities used a Taser device on Esquievel, who they believe is a local gang member.

Esquievel is charged with fighting in public and resisting arrest, and is being held in lieu of $15,000 bail.

Hours earlier, three Stratford men were arrested in connection with a fight which took place on the 20,000 block of Third Street in Stratford.

Ruben Ledesma, 19, Mario Cerda, 23, and Alan Rodriguez, 21, allegedly jumped Fernando Rodriguez, 21.

When people intervened in the attack, authorities said, the three suspects fled in a waiting car.

One of the suspects purportedly yelled that he would return to kill Fernando Rodriguez, who is also from Stratford.

All three are charged with felony counts of street terror and making terrorist threats, and a misdemeanor battery charge.

Their bails are set at $105,000 for Ledesma, and $55,000 for Cerda and Alan Rodriguez.

Sgt. Steve Fry said that Fernando Rodriguez is recovering from his injuries.

Meanwhile, two Hanford residents are in jail for vehicle theft, with one facing additional charges on an unrelated warrant.

At 12:35 a.m. Saturday, a deputy was patrolling Armona when he noticed a 1987 Honda CRX driven by Kevin Sharrah, 41.

Officials said Sharrah had committed a basic vehicle violation, and when the deputies ran the vehicle's plates through the computer system, the vehicle was reported as being stolen.

Sharrah faces felony charges of possession of stolen property and vehicle theft. His bail is set at $60,000.

His passenger, Elizabeth Pinheiro, 26, was arrested on a previous warrant. Her bail is set at $25,000.

At the Chevron Station, in Avenal, and the Fast and Friendly Market, in Armona, unnamed clerks could face up to $1,000 fines for allegedly selling alcohol to minors on Friday night. Police sent in minor decoys into the establishment as part of a plan to enforce the state's alcohol law.

(April 23, 2007)