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Man pleads guilty to murder, DUI Javier Artemio Cortes Cortes admits to killing two people in Santa Maria collision By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
“He was a very strong leader, and we don’t have that kind of leadership in the state of California or on the national level,” Michael Reagan said about his father, President Ronald Reagan, during a talk Wednesday at Harry Plaza’s Cafe in Santa Barbara.
NEWS-PRESS EXCLUSIVE
Son remembers President Reagan
A man who ran a red light while under the influence of alcohol and driving at speeds greater than 100 mph, crashing into a Jeep at the intersection, killing two people and injuring two others, has pleaded guilty to murder and DUI charges. The plea was announced Wednesday by Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce Dudley. The defendant, Javier Artemio Cortes Cortes, pleaded guilty to the murder of Madison Coleman and Monica Gonzalez, and to driving under the influence, causing great bodily injury to Makayla Everhart and Kimberly Olivo, District Attorney Dudley said. Under California law, a driver can be charged with murder under these circumstances when the evidence supports they acted with knowledge and reckless disregard for human life. On March 15, 2019, Javier Artemio Cortes Cortes drank alcohol at a party. By all appearances he had too much to drink, but in spite of being offered a place to stay for the
By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Republican Assembly candidate Mike Stoker introduces Michael Reagan.
for president of the United States?’ “He said, ‘Well, Michael, to be honest with you, for so long I have watched American presidents sit down with secretary-generals of the Soviet Union. Every time we sit down with them, they’re asking us to give up something to get along with them.”
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Murder suspect scheduled to appear for preliminary hearing on Friday
Michael Reagan shares stories about his father during benefit for Mike Stoker’s campaign Today’s world would be different if President Ronald Reagan were alive and leading the nation. His son, Michael Reagan, stressed that point during a talk Wednesday afternoon before supporters of Republican Assembly candidate Mike Stoker. “If my dad was around today, what was going on today would not be going on,” Mr. Reagan said as he sat next to Mr. Stoker before the small crowd at the campaign fundraiser at Harry’s Plaza Cafe. “He was a very strong leader, and we don’t have that kind of leadership in the state of California or on the national level,” Mr. Reagan said during a question-and-answer session at the Santa Barbara restaurant. “My dad would have been very saddened,” Mr. Reagan said about the state of today’s America and world. “My dad took over from a very weak president and turned things around,” Mr. Reagan said, referring to President Reagan succeeding Democratic President Jimmy Carter. Mr. Reagan recalled what his father told him after losing the Republican nomination in 1976 to President Gerald Ford, who lost the general election to President Carter. “I saw him in Kansas City. We were alone in a room full of people, by a fireplace. I said, ‘Why did you even want to run
night, he decided to drive home while under the influence of alcohol, prosecutors said. Although he made it home safely, he then decided to leave his home while still under the influence of alcohol. He then proceeded to drive more than 100 miles per hour down Donovan Street in Santa Maria. At 3 a.m. on March 16, 2019, the defendant ran a red light at the intersection of Donovan and Miller streets at speeds over 100 mph. Madison Coleman was driving a Jeep Cherokee with her three friends inside — Monica Gonzalez, Makayla Everhart and Kimberly Olivo. She proceeded slowly into the intersection on a green light when she was broadsided by the defendant at a speed of over 100 mph, prosecutors said. Despite wearing seatbelts, Monica Gonzalez and Kimberly Olivo were ejected from the Jeep. Ms. Gonzalez, 20, died at the scene. Madison Coleman, 17, was transported to Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria, where she died from her traumatic injuries.
Ronald Reagan told his son that he wanted to be the first president to sit at a table, listen to the Soviet leader’s demands, then walk around the table and whisper in his ear: “Nyet.” The crowd at Harry’s Plaza Cafe chuckled, then Michael Reagan went on to note his father didn’t agree to all of Soviet leader Mikhail
Gorbachev’s terms when the two leaders met during nuclear arms talks in 1986 in Reykjavik, Iceland. “Now understand his staff wanted him (President Reagan) to sign it (the treaty). Nancy wanted him to sign it. Everybody wanted him to sign it because they thought that was going to be Please see REAGAN on A4
A Lancaster man charged with murder in the death of a 72-year-old Santa Ynez man — believed to be the father of a young woman he had been dating — is scheduled to appear in Santa Barbara County Superior Court Friday for a preliminary hearing, prosecutors said Wednesday. Rylen Quinn Svane-Morris, 26, pleaded not guilty at his Oct. 13 arraignment to charges of murder, assault with personal use of a deadly weapon, and dissuading a witness by force or threat, all felonies. Mr. Svane-Morris was arrested Oct. 11, on suspicion of killing Terry Lee Wilson, whose body was discovered Aug. 8 around 4 a.m. near a neighbor’s door in the 1000 block of Jason Way in Santa Ynez. Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Raquel Zick confirmed Tuesday that investigators suspect Mr. Svane-Morris had been in a “dating relationship” with the victim’s daughter, whose name was not released by authorities to protect her privacy. Although his preliminary hearing is scheduled for Friday, it could be continued at a preliminary-setting conference set for today, Sonia Balleste,
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Rylen Quinn Svane-Morris
chief deputy district attorney, said Wednesday. The murder charge against Mr. Svane-Morris lists a special circumstance in that the murder occurred during the commision of a burglary. It also lists aggravating factors in that the crime involved great violence, great bodily harm, threat of great bodily harm, or other acts disclosing a high degree of cruelty, viciousness or callousness; that the defendant was armed with or used a weapon at the time of the commission of the crime; Please see SUSPECT on A4
INSIDE
L O T T E RY RESULTS
Classified................. B4 Life...................... B1-2 Obituaries............... A4
Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: N/A Meganumber: N/A
Wednesday’s DAILY 4: 1-2-8-0
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 1-15-20-44-67 Meganumber: 23
Wednesday’s FANTASY 5: 1-3-5-18-20
Wednesday’s DAILY DERBY: 08-03-04 Time: 1:43.60
Wednesday’s POWERBALL: N/A Meganumber: N/A
Sudoku................... B3 Sports.................... A3 Weather................. A4
Wednesday’s DAILY 3: 3-3-8 / Wednesday’s Midday 1-0-8