SAN RAFAEL

Fire destroys apartment unit

A fire broke out in a San Rafael apartment building and damaged one unit Wednesday morning.

The incident occurred just before 10 a.m. in a two-story, 22-unit complex at 1350 Lincoln Ave. Deputy Fire Chief Robert Sinnott said that the fire was confined to a two-floor unit. It took firefighters 20 minutes to control the flames.

A tenant was home and said she heard a noise upstairs before she saw the fire and fled with her pets, Sinnott said. Police evacuated the apartment building and closed Lincoln Avenue for about an hour.

No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

SUPERIOR COURT

Evaluation ordered for alleged stalker

A Marin County Superior Court judge ordered a registered sex offender in a stalking case to be evaluated to determine if he is competent to stand trial.

Darrien James Humphries, 25, of Vacaville was to be arraigned Wednesday on charges following his preliminary hearing. Judge Geoffrey Howard granted public defender Patricia Castillo’s request to have Humphries evaluated. The judge then suspended criminal proceedings.

During the preliminary hearing in April, Howard found there was sufficient evidence to try the defendant on felony charges of staking and false imprisonment, and a misdemeanor charge of entering school property as a registered sex offender.

Humphries is accused of following a stranger who was walking to work in San Rafael on March 19. He allegedly asked her to kiss him and he stood in her way when she stopped walking. Both briefly entered a private school campus, the police reported.

The defendant remains in custody at the Marin County Jail where he was accused of a sexual offense last month. Deputy Stephanie Ware said that Humphries exposed himself to a jail nurse.

Howard set Humphries’ next hearing for July 9. Castillo declined to comment.

NOVATO

Session planned on safety element

The city will host a workshop on June 17 on plans to update the safety element.

The safety element is a chapter of the city’s general plan that outlines policies for responding to climate hazards such as wildfire, flooding and extreme heat.

The workshop will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. at Novato City Hall, 901 Sherman Ave.