From the archives

Equity Office Partners, the owner of the building at 100 Foster City Blvd., withdrew its application to rezone the property for a 500-student high-tech school.

The setback was another obstacle for the high school and its organizers who originally wanted to open the school at a city-owned 15-acre site across from City Hall. The City Council said the land was too valuable for a school that could turn out to be temporary. The Foster City Boulevard site was also subject to some controversy since neighboring businesses had concerns that the school may not be appropriate for the corporate environment.

Cop killer unfit for trial

Despite the testimony of two doctors who believe Marvin Patrick Sullivan’s life-long mental illness and delusions should not stand in his way of trial, the admitted cop killer was ordered returned the week of Feb. 20, 2005 to the state mental hospital from which he was just returned the previous month.

Judge James Ellis deemed Sullivan, 50, incompetent after five doctors offered differing opinions over two days on his ability to help in his own defense. Ellis prefaced his ruling by saying he understood the serious nature of Sullivan’s crime and the frustrations of the parties on both sides.

Millbrae police Officer Dave Chetcuti who was fatally shot by Sullivan a dozen times April 24, 1998. A few shook their heads and at least one wiped away tears before quickly exiting the courtroom.

Sweeping school changes proposed in San Mateo

A new seventh period was being proposed in the San Mateo Union High School District the week of Feb. 20, 2005 to give more time for students to take college prep classes, but shuffling the district’s expenses could mean fewer librarians and counselors.

District Superintendent Sam Johnson Jr. confronted some of the layoff rumors flying around the district by talking more specifically about the plan he planned to present at the next school board meeting.

Up to 10 full-time district jobs could be lost, Johnson said, but $137,000 left over from the changes could be used to buy books, desks and other equipment.

Johnson expects some opposition from the teachers’ union, but said the plan "is about what’s in the best interests of the students.”

Fatal stabbing suspect sent to mental hospital

A schizophrenic man suspected of fatally stabbing a man he mistook for another at a San Carlos vocational work center will go to a state mental hospital instead of standing trial for first-degree murder, it was announced the week of Feb. 20, 2005.

The hospitalization decision reached that week came after two out of three court-appointed psychiatrists found Vitin Ajani Cruz, 30, would not be able to help his attorneys defend him at trial.

The motive in the unprovoked stabbing is thought to be mistaken identity, prosecutors said. Shortly after 2 p.m., the two men were sitting next to each other at the WorkCenter Vocational Rehab Services center on Quarry Road. Suddenly, Cruz allegedly lunged at Ruiz with a knife and stabbed him several times in the upper torso and arm. Cruz fled but was arrested a few blocks away from the site. Ruiz died the following afternoon and was buried in San Mateo.

From the archives highlights stories originally printed five years ago this week. It appears in the Thursday edition of the Daily Journal.