Fastenal to Pay Out Thousands of Dollars for Charging Hidden Fees to Retail Customers in Monterey County

Monterey, California- Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni announced on Wednesday, December 30 that her Consumer Protection Unit, along with the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office and the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office, has entered into a final stipulated judgment with Minnesota-based Fastenal Company that resolves allegations that it charged walk-in retail customers undisclosed “shipping and handling” fees, and failed to conspicuously display the price of each good along with any surcharges to the consumer at the time that the item is rung up in the electronic checkout system. Fastenal Company sells industrial and construction supplies at its 138 retail facilities in California. Many of these stores are open to the public for walk-in retail sales, including at its branch stores in Seaside, Salinas, and Soledad. Since at least 2015, prosecutors alleged that Fastenal Company sold certain in-stock goods to walk-in customers at these stores without disclosing that it was adding “shipping and handling” surcharges for these products, in violation of California’s Unfair Competition Law and False Advertising Law. Fastenal Company’s further failure to provide customer-facing screens that display the prices of goods and surcharges as they are scanned, as required by section 13300 of the Business and Professions Code, further prevented consumers from identifying this hidden surcharge prior to payment. At the time of these violations, Fastenal Company was under a permanent injunction not to intentionally engage in these same acts within California. On September 13, 2011, the California Superior Court for the County of San Diego entered a stipulated judgment against Fastenal Company in a similar public enforcement action by the People of the State of California, which enjoined Fastenal Company from these violations and from otherwise engaging in false advertising or unfair competition. Pursuant to the stipulated judgment in this current case, Fastenal Company must pay $625,000.00 in investigative costs and civil penalties, plus $25,000.00 in cy pres restitution to the California Consumer Protection Prosecution Trust Fund. Fastenal Company is also ordered to establish and maintain an audit program and an employee training program to ensure future compliance. The stipulated judgment includes a new permanent injunction that enjoins Fastenal Company from intentionally engaging in similar violations in the future. The prosecution of this case was led by Deputy District Attorney Amy Anderson and the case was investigated by District Attorney Investigators Alicia Cox and Captain John Ferreria.

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Fatal 3 Vehicle Accident Involving Wrong Way Driver on Highway 101 Outside of King City on January 10

A fatal multi-vehicle collision happened on Saturday night, January 10 at 9:51 p.m. on northbound Highway 101 outside of King City. According to the King City CHP a 2016 Toyota Tacoma driven by 65-year-old Paul Lee Cooper of Otis, Oregon was heading the wrong way going southbound in the northbound lanes south of Jolon Road, while a 2006 Toyota Corolla driven by 33-year-old Dinora Maribel Gomez of Salinas was heading northbound on Highway 101 south of Jolon Road in the #1 lane and a Honda Accord driven by 36-year-old Ignacio Sangerman of King City was also traveling northbound on Highway 101 south of Jolon Road but was in the #2 lane. Due to Cooper's level of impairment his vehicle went the wrong way on Highway 101 going directly into the path of Gomez' vehicle causing the rear of her car to crash with the front of the vehicle driven by Sangerman. Cooper was arrested, sustaining major injuries and was transported to Natividad Medical Center in Salinas where as of January 12 is...

Monterey County DA Releases Preliminary Information Concerning an Officer Involved Shooting Incident that Occurred Outside of Soledad on December 16

SALINAS, California- Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni on December 19 released preliminary information concerning the officer involved shooting (OIS) which occurred at about 1:20 a.m. outside the city of Soledad on December 16, 2025. Just before 1:00 a.m., Monterey County Sheriff’s Deputy Carlos Pina, who has been a peace officer for 10 years all with MCSO, and Deputy Blain Councilman, each in separate patrol cars, were dispatched to 32097 McCoy Road. A resident at the farm labor camp reported a suspicious individual with a handgun whose white Honda 4 door sedan was parked in space 18 at the complex. Before parking there, the suspect drove around and around, stopped in front of the reporting party’s (RP’s) truck, and got out. The RP could hear music. Deputy Pina drove the lead patrol car and arrived just after 1:20 a.m. His dashcam video, which does not record sound but which he installed on his own and at his own expense, depicts the following: He drove down ...

King City City Council Announces Selection of José Arreola as New City Manager

January 7, 2025-Following an extensive recruitment process, José Arreola has been selected by the King City City Council to be its next City Manager. Arreola will replace Steve Adams, who is retiring after serving in the position for the past 10 years. Arreola was selected from 31 applicants and 8 finalists for the position. The King City City Council will formally consider the proposed city manager contract at its meeting on Tuesday night, January 13. Arreola's first day on the job is scheduled to be February 23. José Arreola has a distinguished career of serving the community with a particular commitment to youth. He has worked for the City of Salinas for 12 years as their Community Safety Program Manager, Community Safety Administrator and Assistant to the City Manager. Among other responsibilities, Arreola has led several programs to eliminate gang violence which aligns well with the City of King’s efforts and priorities. Prior to that, Arreola worked as an Educa...

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