8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 13-19, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com Roughly seven months after a Marina Police officer fatally shot Seaside resident Ronald Chyron Tinsley during a traffic stop, a $25 million wrongful death claim has been filed on behalf of his four children. On Jan. 18, 2026, while patrolling the Marina Heights neighborhood at 4:50pm, Marina Police Officer Shivdev Dhillon noticed someone driving a van without a front license plate, and recognized the driver as Tinsley, who Dhillon had arrested in June 2025 for felon in possession of ammunition, according to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office. Dhillon then pulled Tinsley over and, as shown in body-cam footage of the exchange obtained by the Weekly, two additional Marina Police officers arrive before Dhillon ultimately asks Tinsley to step out of the car. The back and forth between Tinsley and Dhillon then escalates into a physical struggle that ends when Dhillon shoots Tinsley. Attorney Rodney S. Diggs with the Los Angeles-based law firm Ivie McNeill Wyatt Purcell & Diggs—who didn’t respond to the Weekly’s comment requests—filed the claim against the city and police department, dated July 16, on behalf of Valencia Richardson-Whittington, Tinsley’s four children and their guardians, named as Cherish dela Victoria, Ashley Fulton and Ivania Melendez. “The claim includes both wrongful death claims on behalf of the decedent’s (Tinsley’s) heirs and a survival action on behalf of the decedent’s estate,” the claim reads. The document further asserts that Dhillon, “while acting under color of law and within the course and scope of his employment with the City of Marina and Marina Police Department, negligently assessed the circumstances presented to him and violently confronted Mr. Tinsley without having reason to believe, based on the totality of the circumstances, that Mr. Tinsley was a danger to the lives of officers or others.” The $25 million claim also alleges that Dhillon was “negligently hired, trained and retained,” by the city and police department “in that it was or should have been plainly obvious to the City of Marina and Marina Police Department that Respondent Dhillon was a dangerous and violent employee,” and that the fatal shooting of Tinsley was the result of “unconstitutional policies, claims and practices.” According to the City of Marina Human Resources Analyst Catrina Scharf, the claim has not been denied but sent to a third-party risk management group. Each scientist examined something different, providing evidence as to whether or not battery cathode material—namely, nickel, cobalt and manganese—was found in sediments, plant material, invertebrates, human hair and more. Two questions guided their research: Was there evidence of contamination from the battery fire? A resounding yes. Did that contamination have negative impacts on wildlife or people? That answer is more complicated. “I would advise you not to believe anyone—or any report—that provides a simple ‘no,’ or a simple ‘yes’ answer to this question,” Wasson said at the symposium. “What you will hear today instead is the sausage-making of real science.” For example, Don Smith, an environmental and neurotoxicologist at UC Santa Cruz, studied hair follicles from 85 volunteers—160 hair segments—organized through the community group Never Again Moss Landing. While the metal levels varied substantially from person to person, Smith found “clear evidence of elevated exposure to battery-related materials.” “When accidents like this happen, counties and local jurisdictions turn to the state,” County Supervisor Glenn Church said. “We do not have a toxicologist on hand employed by the county.” Just a week before the symposium, the County’s Environmental Health Bureau released its 343-page Preliminary Environmental Assessment report which found that the battery fire did not pose long-term risks to people or the environment. The report was prepared by Vistra’s environmental consultant Terraphase Engineering, in response to County of Monterey directives and reviewed sampling done by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Toxic Substances, County of Monterey and others. County and state scientists studying the fire were invited to participate in the symposium, but all declined. “Environmental Health’s role has largely been that of an intermediary and information portal,” Karen Smith of the County’s Environmental Health Bureau said in a written statement explaining the decision. Vistra and the DTSC did not respond to the Weekly by press time. “Money or no money we’re going to do [this research] because we know it’s the right thing to do,” Aiello said. “But our offer is to create a model…a framework applicable to future battery fires.” Claim It Family members of Ronald Tinsley file a wrongful death claim against Marina. By Aric Sleeper NEWS IN CLASS North Monterey County Unified School District Board of Trustees meets and accepts public comment. 6pm Thursday, Aug. 13. North Monterey County High School library, 13990 Castroville Blvd., Castroville. Free. (831) 633-3343, nmcusd.org. UP TO CODE Salinas City Council meets to discuss changes to the zoning code, among other agenda items. Public comment is accepted. 4pm Tuesday, Aug. 18. Council Chamber Rotunda, 200 Lincoln Ave., Salinas. Free. (831) 758-7381, salinas. gov. ON THE DAIS Monterey City Council meets and accepts public comment. Tell your elected officials what they are doing well and what you think they can do better. 4pm Tuesday, Aug. 18. Colton Hall, 580 Pacific St., Monterey. Free. (831) 6463799, monterey.gov. COMMUNITY MATTERS Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church hosts a town hall meeting for the communities of Bolsa Knolls and Natividad. Ask questions and express concerns about issues in the communities. 5:30-7pm Wednesday, Aug. 19. Rancho Cielo Youth Campus Vocational Center, 710 Old Stage Road, Salinas. Free. (831) 755-5022, glennchurch.com. PUBLIC TOUR Tour Marina’s City Hall and public safety facilities. A ballot measure in November asks voters to consider a utility users tax to fund new facilities. 6pm Thursday, Aug. 20. Marina City Hall, 211 Hillcrest Ave., Marina. Free. (831) 884-1278, cityofmarina.org. FAIR HELP The Monterey County Fair is in need of volunteers. Opportunities are available Aug. 23 through Sept. 8. Sign up at bit.ly/MoCoFairVolunteers. WATER WORKS Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency seeks applicants for the Langley Subbasin Committee seat on its Advisory Committee. The committee helps shape groundwater policy. Applications due 5pm Friday, Aug. 21. svbgsa.org. IN DEPTH City of Monterey residents are invited to apply for the First City Academy, which is designed to show how local government operates. The program runs for seven sessions in the fall. Application deadline is 5pm Aug. 24. (831) 646-3799, bit.ly/ FirstCityAcademy2026. A memorial stands near the spot where Ronald Tinsley was shot and killed by a Marina Police officer in the Marina Heights neighborhood on Jan. 18. E-MAIL: publiccitizen@montereycountynow.com PUBLIC CITIZEN A $25 million wrongful death claim was filed on July 16. DANIEL DREIFUSS DEEP continued from pg 6
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