#napa-county

#napa-county

James Fotherby is expected to return to Napa County Superior Court on March 17, when parties in the case will discuss whether he's suitable for such diversion, which sidesteps jailtime. If approved, he would receive mental health treatment for up to two years and avoid jail if he completes specified programs and meets other mandated terms and conditions. In the meantime, Fotherby's status as a peace officer has been suspended by the county.

A Napa mother pleaded not guilty Tuesday to second-degree murder charges that were filed in July, which prosecutors added to earlier counts stemming from a crash that killed her two children. Yesica Barajas, 31, entered her plea before Napa County Judge Elia Ortiz, who set her next court appearance for Oct. 2 to schedule a preliminary hearing, according to court records. Jail logs show Barajas remains in custody at the Napa County jail without bail.

Six people were killed and two others injured Sunday night in Napa County when a minivan veered off the road and slammed into a tree, authorities said. The driver, later arrested on suspicion of DUI and murder, was among the survivors, according to the California Highway Patrol. The CHP and Napa County Sheriff's deputies responded about 5:50 p.m. to the single-vehicle crash off Pope Valley Road north of Howell Mountain Road.