City of Madera Police Department

08/24/2026

Today, Officer Hermosillo took a grand theft report involving a paint sprayer that had been stolen from the bed of a truck overnight. The victim estimated the loss to be thousands of dollars.

Officer Hermosillo immediately began an investigation and identified the suspect as Andrew Estrada. Estrada was already on probation, and during a probation search of his residence, officers located the stolen paint sprayer, along with the clothing he was wearing during the theft.

Estrada was booked into the Madera County Jail on theft-related charges.

We’re pleased to have been able to recover the stolen property and return it to its rightful owner.

This is also a good reminder to secure your belongings, especially overnight.

08/22/2026

Madera Police Department officers made two DUI arrests overnight.

Officer Govea, who is currently in field training, arrested David Cruz, 58, for driving under the influence of narcotics in the 500 block of N. Granada Dr. During the investigation, Cruz was also found to be in possession of a usable quantity of methamphetamine and narcotics paraphernalia.

Officer Higareda arrested Abel Luna, 38, for driving under the influence after observing him driving recklessly in the area of Howard Rd. near Fairview St. Luna’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08%.

Both subjects were booked into the Madera County Jail without incident.

Just a friendly reminder, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs puts everyone on the road at risk. Make the responsible choice—never drive impaired.

08/21/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: 08/20/2026
Contact: Sergeant Steve Boehm
Contact Email: [email protected]

Madera Police Department Holding DUI Checkpoint on August 22, 2026

Madera, Calif. – On 08/22/2026, the Madera Police Department will conduct a driving under the influence (DUI) Checkpoint from 7:30 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. at an undisclosed location.

DUI checkpoint locations are determined based on data showing incidents of impaired driving-related crashes. The primary purpose of DUI checkpoints are to promote public safety by taking suspected impaired drivers off the road.

Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk. Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improve traffic safety.

Madera PD reminds the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Some prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving. While medicinal and recreational ma*****na are legal, driving under the influence of ma*****na is illegal.

Drivers charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

08/18/2026

In the early morning hours, Officer Harland responded to a call of subjects attempting to instigate a fight and contacted Daniel Ocampo (23) and Gerardo Alavez Gomez (19). Both Daniel and Gerardo are known gang associates. During a search of the area where they were contacted, Officer Harland located a firearm on top of the tire of their vehicle. Both Daniel and Gerardo were booked on firearm charges, instigating a fight, and gang related charges.

08/16/2026

The Madera Police Department is aware of the video recently posted by a Lincoln Elementary School staff member.

Our officers have been working closely with Madera Unified School District (MUSD) to address the incident and help ensure the safety of students and staff.

The safety and well-being of our schools and community remain a top priority.

For additional information regarding the incident, please see the statement issued by MUSD.

Late Saturday night, Aug. 15, 2026, Madera Unified School District (MUSD) leadership was made aware that a staff member at Lincoln Elementary had posted concerning videos. In response, district leaders coordinated with Fresno authorities to ensure the safety of the staff member and the surrounding community. A home visit was conducted, resulting in a temporary restraining order, and this is now an ongoing law enforcement investigation.

MUSD and the Madera Police Department (MPD) completed a safety review to enhance security at Lincoln Elementary. The staff member has been placed on leave pending the investigation. MPD is working with MUSD to ensure safety for staff and students on Monday, August 17, 2026. Long-term safety measures related to this incident are also being developed with district departments and local agencies.

Our Board of Trustees adamantly believes that students, families, and staff all deserve a safe and welcoming school environment. Furthermore, we believe that no staff member has the right to compromise others' sense of safety.

Ensuring the safety of our students and staff is MUSD's top priority. As this is an ongoing personnel investigation, MUSD will not provide further comments.

08/14/2026

If you were in the area, you may have noticed several emergency vehicles at Nishimoto Elementary School.

Officers and EMS responded to a driver who experienced a medical event while driving and pulled into the school parking lot to await assistance. Thankfully, no students or staff were involved, and the individual was able to receive medical treatment.

08/13/2026

Please be aware southbound traffic on Gateway Dr is closed between 2nd St and 3rd for a water leak. Crews are on scene addressing it and the roadway will remain closed overnight. Please use alternate routes or avoid the area. Thank you for your cooperation.

08/09/2026

**UPDATE**

The crossing arms are functioning and traffic is flowing as usual.

Officers are investigating a traffic collision at the intersection of Gateway Drive and Cleveland Avenue. At this time the crossing arms are down and vehicles are not able to cross the railroad tracks. We request you please avoid the area and take an alternate path to cross the railroad tracks. The closure is expected to last several hours.

08/08/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 8th, 2026
Cpl. J. Smith
[email protected]

DISTRACTED DRIVING ENFORCEMENT OPERATION

The Madera Police Department will be conducting a Distracted Driving Enforcement Operation on Monday, August 10th.

Officers will be actively patrolling our roadways and looking for drivers who are texting, using handheld cell phones, or otherwise distracted behind the wheel.

Distracted driving puts everyone on the road at risk. A quick text or phone call isn’t worth causing a collision that could change lives.

Help us keep Madera’s roads safe — put the phone away, stay focused, and drive safely.

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

08/07/2026

Madera PD would like to thank our local community partners for their support of our MAD Kids Camp. Your donations and support provided camp attendees with lunches and snacks. This kept them all performing at peak levels during our camp activities. Madera PD is extremely grateful for the support and generosity of the following businesses and partners:

Fastway Chicken
Sugar Pine Smokehouse
Advanced Automotive
Mountain Mikes Pizza, East Yosemite location
Buggy Carwash
Walmart, Madera location
Sam Singh
Rancho San Miguel, Madera location