“Behind the Byline” introduces you to those who write stories, shoot photos, design pages and edit the content we deliver in our print editions and on pressdemocrat.com. We’re more than journalists. As you’ll see, we’re also your neighbors with unique backgrounds and experiences who proudly call Sonoma County home.
Today, we introduce you to Colin Atagi, one of our breaking news reporters.
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It’s not out of the question to say that my current role as a breaking news reporter at The Press Democrat reflects the interest and curiosity I felt in the aftermath of the Loma Prieta Earthquake on Oct. 17, 1989.
I was about a month shy of my 10th birthday when the magnitude-6.9 shaker toppled a shoe rack in my Pacifica home and disrupted Game 3 of the World Series between the San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s. (I was rooting for the Giants.)
Bay Area news coverage of the widespread damage included video footage of a car that fell through the Bay Bridge’s upper deck. That image is ingrained in my mind.
All attention fell on the Bay Area for days and my earliest memories of reading a newspaper come from the San Francisco Chronicle’s coverage of the earthquake.
TV footage also piqued my interest and I naively asked my mom if we could go to San Francisco’s Marina District where homes were destroyed and a major fire raged.
She said no and I was jealous of classmates who claimed they’d been to areas destroyed by the earthquake. Looking back, they probably meant their visits were before the disaster. Or they lied.
Little did I know, I was on tap for a career that would give me opportunities to cover events like the Loma Prieta Earthquake and be the eyes and ears of people who aren’t able to get as close.
Since May, I’ve been one of The Press Democrat’s breaking news reporters. I’m responsible for covering the likes of wildfires, crime, traffic collisions and other odds and ends.
Blame curiosity, a short attention span or the adrenaline rush that comes from rushing to urgently cover spot news, but I mostly excel in fast-paced conditions and gravitate toward those types of stories rather than longer-term reporting.
I learned my craft after graduating from San Jose State University and spending 16 years in Palm Springs where I covered my share of Southern California wildfires for The Desert Sun.
Casual Friday became an everyday-thing for me even before the COVID-19 pandemic because I never wanted to cover a disaster while wearing a tie or dress shoes. I knew it was necessary to dive into the trenches and get dirty.
Word of the North Bay’s wildfires, which caused significant amounts of devastation, made its way to Southern California and I often wondered if I was good enough to provide complete and compelling news coverage of those kinds of tragedies.
I now find myself in the heart of fire territory and I don’t want anyone to think I’m looking forward to another devastating wildfire. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
But, when and if another one happens, I’ll do my best to bring readers of The Press Democrat the coverage they need and deserve from their local news agency.
Friends and family frequently question my willingness to enter dangerous environments in order to get stories and information that will benefit the public. I tell them it’s my job and I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do.
I can attest to the risks that come with my beat. I’ve been approached by angry mobs trying to prevent me from bringing them unwanted attention and was even bit by a dog during a fire in Palm Springs.
Despite the dangers, I always feel like I’m playing an important role in explaining to readers situations that they either can’t see, don’t know about or aren’t aware will affect them.
Many people know what it’s like to approach a roadblock or yellow police tape, wondering what’s on the other side. It’s my job to answer those questions or at least do my best to get answers to such questions.
I’ve always maintained that one of the worst things a reporter can do at the scene of a breaking news event is to stay in one spot.
I like to move around and see things from as many angles as possible, even if it means walking long distances or burning my car’s gasoline.
I like to think my skills are exemplified by the biggest story I ever covered: In 2016, a big rig drove into the rear of a tour bus, killing 13 people on Interstate 10 near Palm Springs.
I checked my phone from bed before 6 a.m. that October Sunday and saw a California Highway Patrol alert for a closure on I-10.
I headed to the scene expecting to see a minor collision blocking lanes. Instead, I arrived before a full highway closure was ordered and watched as firefighters pulled victim after victim from the wreck.
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