The Contra Costa District Attorney's Office filed charges against two men allegedly disrupting the 911 system in parts of West County. Authorities have identified the suspects as Jesus Francisco Arias-Ayala, a 31-year-old Hayward resident, and Daniel Antonio Mena-Diaz, 49, from Richmond. The incident occurred last Saturday and affected emergency services in Pinole, Hercules, and San Pablo. According to the Contra Costa District Attorney's Office, the charges include felony vandalism and disruption of communications.

When the 911 system went down around 7:15 pm on the aforementioned day, it was Pinole Police who responded to the outage reports, swiftly acting to locate the source quickly. They traced it back to a bridge near the border of Pinole and Hercules on San Pablo Avenue, where they discovered Arias-Ayala and Mena-Diaz. The suspects attempted to flee but were promptly apprehended and booked into the Martinez Detention Facility, as noted by the Contra Costa District Attorney's Office.

The specific charges against Arias-Ayala consist of a felony for cutting a utility line, felony vandalism, a misdemeanor for delaying a peace officer, and possessing burglar's tools. Mena-Diaz faces similar charges, matching those of Arias-Ayala with the addition of the same misdemeanor for obstructing officers. These charges reflect the seriousness of the event, as disrupting emergency services can have dire consequences for public safety.

The courthouse in Martinez will be where both men are expected to hear their charges formally today at 1:30 pm. Details surrounding their motives or the specific methods used were not disclosed by authorities. The charges indicate the men allegedly tampered directly with utility lines.