Crime

Hollister Police Chief David Westrick on Saturday morning reported there were no major incidents at the biker rally on opening day.

In preparation for the Hollister Freedom Rally, the California Highway Patrol is launching a motorcycle safety campaign during this year’s Independence Day weekend.

A 40-acre wildfire that sparked Tuesday afternoon in a canyon just south of the U.S. 101 and Highway 25 interchange sent smoke billowing throughout the Garlic Capital.

Calfire has awarded a $117,000 grant to the San Benito Fire Safe Council for prevention efforts.

The Hollister Police Department is asking for help from the public in identifying a suspect accused of taking items from the local Walgreens store without paying Sunday.

The 23-year-old Hollister man accused of driving under the influence and killing a 37-year-old local man pleaded not guilty at an arraignment hearing Tuesday and had his bail increased to $250,000, according to court records.

Hollister resident Omar Carino Mendez, 33, was killed in Monday’s seven-vehicle accident on Highway 25, according to Capt. Eric Taylor of the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities have identified the Hollister motorcycle rider killed Sunday in a head-on collision.

Hollister police released the following statement after 8 p.m. Monday following a five-vehicle fatality on Highway 25:

An accident involving six cars and a big rig ended in at least one fatality and closed Highway 25 in both directions Monday afternoon, according to initial reports from California Highway Patrol.