Reporter

Brian Rokos

Brian Rokos has worked in newspapers since 1985, at the Mountain Democrat in Placerville, News Chronicle in Thousand Oaks, the Cincinnati Post, the Orange County Register and currently The Press-Enterprise/Southern California News Group. Among the major stories he has covered are destructive wildfires, Christopher Dorner's rampage, the San Bernardino terrorist attack, Chase Merritt murder trial and the Perris torture case.

Location: Riverside, California, USA

Police lights, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Photo

Driver of unmarked, white tow truck stealing vehicles in Southern California

January 6, 2026 at 7:50 p.m.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department is investigating two thefts in its area and says neighboring counties have reported thefts as well.

Thieves vandalized Spectrum fiber optic cables in Jurupa Valley and parts of other cities on Jan. 3, 2026, the company said. Spectrum is offering a $25,000 reward for information that leads to arrests. (Photo courtesy of Spectrum)

Spectrum offers up to $25,000 reward for information after cables cut in Jurupa Valley

January 6, 2026 at 1:33 p.m.

Communication companies nationwide are increasingly the target of thieves seeking copper to recycle.

Fallen Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department Fire engineer, Daniel Cook’s body is covered in an American flag as he is led to a hearse outside the Riverside University Health System Medical Center in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. Cook died during a structure fire this morning. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Cal Fire firefighter dies while fighting house fire in Riverside County

January 2, 2026 at 6:10 p.m.

The firefighter, identified as engineer Danny Cook, suffered what was described as a medical emergency, Cal Fire said.

Cody Mummert, 17, prays and cries at a memorial for Daniel Hawkins, Jacob Ivascu and Drake Ruiz, all 16, in Temescal Valley in 2021. The boys were murdered after playing ding-dong ditch on a resident. Now, in 2025, authorities are warning of a more violent, destructive variation of the prank done as a TikTok challenge. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

TikTok challenge of violently kicking doors unnerves residents, puts police on alert

December 27, 2025 at 2:25 p.m.

It's the 2025 version of the decades-old ding-dong ditch. But in this case, some teenagers have been arrested after risking tragic consequences.

A home in Wrightwood is surrounded by mud that flooded the interior around Christmas 2025, ruining the occupant’s possessions, his daughter wrote. (GoFundMe)

Wrightwood residents begin to dig out after Christmas storm leaves 50 wrecked homes behind

December 27, 2025 at 3:41 p.m.

County crews are assessing homes after the rain left damage that one resident said was the worst she has seen in 37 years on the mountain.

A tow truck pulls flooded cars out of water on Vineland Boulevard near the Burbank airport on Wednesday, Dec. 24. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Strong, gusty Christmas week storm drenches Southern California with more rain on the way

December 27, 2025 at 12:35 p.m.

Traffic at the start of a busy holiday travel period was treacherous at best across the region.

Floodwaters surge through the Wrightwood area on Dec. 24, 2025. Flooding and slides made Highway 2 impassable. (Courtesy of San Bernardino County Fire Department)

Wrightwood residents urged to shelter in place as storm runoff inundates town, closes Highway 2

December 26, 2025 at 8:37 a.m.

There were no immediate reports of injuries requiring hospitalization, said Chris Prater, a Fire Department spokesman.

Crews inspect repairs performed to a section of Highway 38 in the San Bernardino Mountains that had washed out in a September 2025 storm. The highway was scheduled to temporarily reopen on Dec. 24. (Courtesy of Caltrans)

Highway 38 in San Bernardino Mountains to reopen temporarily starting Christmas Eve

December 23, 2025 at 10:58 a.m.

The reopening will be weather permitting and continue through Jan. 5, when repair work will continue Mondays through Fridays.

San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson speaks during a press conference at the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office in downtown San Bernardino as Colton Chief of Police Anthony Vega, left, and Redlands Chief of Police Rachel Tolber, right, look on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. Officials announced that arrests were made in the 2010 death of 4 year old Timothy Thomas and for the 2023 disappearance of Emilio Ghanem by members of the His Way Spirit Led Assemblies religious group. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

‘Secretive and manipulative’ Hemet church leaders killed 2 for greed and control, officials say

December 15, 2025 at 6:48 p.m.

Warrants were served on Thursday, Dec. 11, in Colton and at the base of operations of the His Way Spirit Led Assemblies in Hemet.

Police arrested the leaders of the His Way Spirit Led Assemblies at this home in Hemet on suspicion of murder on Friday, Dec. 12. (Brian Rokos, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Leaders of religious group arrested on suspicion of murder in Hemet amid probe of missing congregants

December 14, 2025 at 7:05 p.m.

Darryl Muzic Martin, 58 and his 62-year-old wife, Shelly Bailey Martin, were 2 of 3 people taken into custody at a home in Hemet.

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