Crime · Madera County
Sancho Kibutu, a fugitive who fled to Kenya in 2013 to avoid sentencing for a fatal drunk-driving crash, has been returned to the United States. The FBI announced that Kenyan authorities arrested Kibutu on September 9 and transferred him back to the U.S. on October 23. Kibutu was convicted by a Madera County jury in April 2013 for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated after causing a head-on collision that killed one person and injured three others. The FBI did not specify if new charges would be filed or when sentencing will occur.
Community News · Madera, CA
The Madera Irrigation District hosted a Growers Luncheon to share recent accomplishments and future plans after paying off its bonds. General Manager Tom Greci reported replacing more than 36,000 feet of aging pipeline in-house since 2019 and adding automation alarms to the system. The district also completed five new groundwater recharge basin projects totaling approximately 215 additional acres, including a 60-acre facility in the Fairmead community. Officials noted the City of Madera relies entirely on groundwater and that new recharge capacity helps sustain that supply during wet-year windows.
Crime · Madera County
California Highway Patrol reported that 20-year-old Jasmine Elizabeth Rueda-Camarillo was struck and killed by a vehicle at approximately 11:36 p.m. Oct. 15 while she was in the traffic lanes of southbound Highway 99, south of Cleveland Avenue, in Madera County. Witnesses found her lying in the slow lane; CHP said the driver fled the scene without stopping. The crash remains under investigation, and authorities have not determined whether alcohol or drugs were a factor.
