Crime & Safety

Crime Briefs: Murder Trial Underway

In other news, the Salinas firefighter accused of child molestation pleads not guilty, and a woman was hit by a car Tuesday morning.

The Elias Sorokin homicide trial started Tuesday morning, and on Wednesday, Watsonville cops were slated to be the first law enforcement officer called to testify. 

Adam Hunt, a 30-year-old Watsonville man, and Kenneth Clamp, a 40-year-old ex-con from the San Lorenzo Valley, are accused of homicide and robbery in the July 2009 killing of Sorokin, a 29-year-old Los Angeles businessman, in Santa Cruz.

The case, a big marijuana deal gone bad, has ties to Watsonville, because Sorokin's stolen credit cards were used at Target after he disappeared and was reported missing. Police used that lead to track down who Sorokin had been with in the hours before his death.

Find out what's happening in Watsonvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

officers Angel Calderon and Morgan Chappell were scheduled to take the stand Wednesday.

A third man, Stewart Skuba, 33, of Santa Cruz also faces murder charges in the case, but his trial is separate from Hunt and Clamp.

Find out what's happening in Watsonvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Sorokin's remains have never been found. It's believed his body was dumped off a cliff, possibly on the North Coast.

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Also Wednesday morning, in Watsonville four years ago pleaded not guilty to two felony sex crimes.

Andrew McLaughlin, 43, has been free on $100,000 bail since his arrest in early May. He appeared in court Wednesday with his attorney.

McLaughlin faces up to 17 years in prison for the alleged crimes, which involved a 7-year-old girl. Wednesday, Judge Ariadne Symons signed a protective order for the girl and her relatives. Those people were named in court, but Patch is not publishing their names to protect the identity of the alleged victim.

McLaughlin's preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 28.

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A 33-year-old woman suffered a head injury when she was hit by a car while crossing South Green Valley Road Tuesday morning, Watsonville police reported.

Traffic officers said the crash, which happened around 7:45 a.m. at the intersection with Lawrence Avenue, was an accident.

“There was no issues with the driver," Sgt. Brian Ridgway said. "He had a green light and he was turning left from Lawrence onto Green Valley."

“There may have been issues from morning sun, the light," Ridgway said.

The woman was flown out as a precaution.


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