March 2009 Archives
The victim's name has not been released. UPDATE (1:30 p.m.): He was a 29-year-old resident of San Pedro.
Can everyone send me your email addresses so I can anonymously write to you and call you names? Oh, and your phone numbers too, so I can call and yell at you when you drop a dish in your restaurant, or stab your backhoe into a gas pipe on a construction site, or drop a fly ball on the baseball field.
Yes, last night after I went home I filed an item on this blog that was based on a wire report and a phone call from work. It indicated that the homicide suspect in San Pedro was arrested. Turned out he hadn't been. I should have double-checked it myself, but didn't. (He was arrested hours later.) Sorry about the error.
Thanks to those of you who let me know of my mistake (most were nice about it.) Then, there's this guy:
"A idiot how do u still have a job making all these false reports?.
U said everything was over people in custody at 6:15.
Suspect was still armed and dangres at 6:16 baricated in the house
wasn't pulled out by swatt until 9:15-9:30.
Daily breeze please do something With this idiot."
A bunch of people were arrested at that time. The suspected shooter was arrested at 9:40 p.m.
Here's some stuff:
- Police are negotiating with a man suspected of shooting another man to death on 11th Street near Pacific Avenue.
- The man possibly is hiding in his father's home.
- The shooting occurred about 10:30 a.m.
- "I was in the house and I just heard two shots," a neighbor said. "I just stayed in the house."
- Police officers found the wounded man lying in the street next to a gray Nissan. He was taken to County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center near Torrance.
- He died about 1 p.m.
- The shooter raced away in a pickup truckt. Police learned where he might be and blocked every street entering the neighborhood.
- As a helicopter circled above, a SWAT team moved in. Residents were told to stay in their homes. Others remained outside yellow tape.
- For hours, a police crisis negotiator tried to talk the suspect out. At one point about 1 p.m., police believed he was ready to surrender. He didn't and the drama dragged on.
- Administrators at 15th Street School locked down the campus, advising parents through telephone calls that their children were safe, being kept indoors and supervised by their teachers.
- Principal Jennifer Mak said parents received two calls during the day according to district protocol. The calls advised them that students would only be released to their parents or guardians and no one would be walking home.
- Mak said signs were posted around the school and parents were told in the phone calls to go to one gate at 15th and Mesa streets.
- Students received lunch inside campus buildings, and they were able to use the restrooms, but otherwise stayed indoors all day.
- "Their basic needs were being taken care of," Mak said.
- The motive for the shooting on 11th Street was not immediately known, but neighbors said the block was known for drug sales.
The U.S. Dept. of Justice and FBI issued their joint report today on Internet crime trends and statistics. Californians and Nigerians? Neither come off too good.
Some highlights:
- In 2008, more than $264 million was lost 275,284 complaints
- Non-delivered merchandise was the most reported offense
- More than 77 percent of the perpetrators were male
You can check out the full report and the FBI's press release here.
If you think you've been the victim of a cybercrime, you can find help here.
My colleague Donna Littlejohn talked to Sgt. Jeff Hamilton and got this info:
- A special weapons team is at 19th and Mesa streets in San Pedro, where they are trying to force a homicide suspect to surrender.
- He apparently shot a man three times at 10:30 a.m. in the 11th Street and Grand Avenue and took refuge in a house at 19th and Mesa.
- The victim died at about 1 p.m. after he was taken to County Harbor-UCLA Hospital in critical condition, LAPD Sgt. Jeff Hamilton said.
- The shooting occurred on the street and it is not clear what prompted the dispute.
The "Avoid the 100" task force, previously known as the South Bay Regional Driving Under the Influence Task Force will be at El Camino College from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday.Wearing special goggles that simulate intoxication, students can try to navigate a basketball course, and a steer a golf cart through a driving course.
A crashed vehicle will be on display as a reminder of the danger of DUI, and a mock DUI checkpoint will be established at the Redondo Beach Blvd exit to distribute literature as students leave campus.
The event is part of the Los Angeles County Avoid program, which is in support of the national campaign "Drunk Driving Over the Limit Under Arrest" sponsored by National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.
The Avoid the 100 West task force includes 20 law enforcement agencies in the south and west portion of the county.
(Photo from MSNBC.com)
LAPD Robbery Division:Above, left to right: Clarence Stromwall, Edward Benson, Harold Crowder and Max Herman
Harold Crowder, who died March 16 at age 83, was one of four members of the LAPD's robbery division known for their toughness and fancy suits and hats.According to the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the men were "known nationally to law enforcement and criminals alike during the 1950s and early 1960s" and were used as models for characters in movies, TV shows and comic books.
Crowder went on to become a prosecutor and judge.
Here's a story on the Hat Squad that ran in the L.A. Times in 1987. (Thanks to the LAPPL release for all this info and photos)
LAPPL's obit
The movie Mulholland Falls portrayed the Hat Squad.
Ok, so this has nothing to do with the South Bay, but who can resist. I'm sure you've all seen the ShamWow commercials. Well, TheSmokingGun.com reports today that TV pitchman Vince Shlomi, better known as the ShamWow Guy, went to jail last month following a violent confrontation with a prostitute. The Web site reports that Shlomi told the cops he paid Sasha Harris about $1,000 in cash after she "propositioned him for straight sex."
Shlomi said that when he kissed Harris, she "bit his tongue and would not let go." ShamWouch!!! He punched her several times until she released him. Seems like this might require quite a cleanup.
TheSmokingGun.com has the story, police report and mugs of Harris.
LOS ANGELES -- Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced that special agents from the California Department of Justice today arrested Abel Moses Somilleda, the owner of a vacation travel agency, who "ripped off" $55,000 from high school and college students whose 2006 trip to Cancun, Mexico was cancelled.
"Dozens of high school and college students paid hundreds of dollars for a spring break trip to Cancun, but instead of a week of vacation, these students were ripped off by the owner of Big Bad Student Travel," Brown said. "Abel Moses Somilleda promised a vacation to Mexico, but when the trip was cancelled, he pocketed the students' money instead of providing refunds."
Abel Moses Somilleda, 35, of Hawthorne, Calif., was arrested in Hawthorne by California Department of Justice Special Agents. He is charged with:
- Nine counts of grand theft in violation of Penal Code section 487(a);
- One count of failure to return moneys in violation of Business and Professions Code section 17550.14; and
- Nine counts of failure to deliver on ticket or voucher in violation of Business and Professions Code section 17550.17(b).
Somilleda opened Big Bad Student Travel in 2004 after working for ten years in the student travel business and coordinating several trips of his own.
In 2006, Somilleda organized a spring break trip to Cancun, Mexico, for dozens of high school and college students. Students paid approximately $700 for the flight, hotel room, and expenses.
Three months before the trip, however, Somilleda learned that it would be cancelled. But instead of immediately informing those who had signed up, Somilleda continued to accept payment for the trip. It was only two or three days before the trip was scheduled to take place when Somilleda notified students that it had been cancelled.
Somilleda promised the students that they would receive a refund within several days. The students, however, never received refunds.
In total, Somilleda pocketed some $55,000. A search warrant uncovered that Somilleda had spent most of the money on his own personal expenses -- including rent, dinners, groceries, and utilities.
If convicted of all charges, Somilleda faces eight years in prison.
The Public's Help is Needed to Locate Him
Los Angeles: An intensive cold case homicide investigation has led to the identity of a prime suspect in a decades old homicide.
On Jan. 19, 1980, 39-year-old Lois Hale, right, was found stabbed to death in her home in the
6000 block of Lankershim Boulevard. She was found by her then 15-year-old daughter.In spite of an exhaustive investigation that spanned decades, a suspect was never identified.
In August 2006 two tenacious North Hollywood Homicide Detectives, Thomas Townsend and Timothy Kirkpatrick, began reviewing the case again. A fresh look at all of the evidence found at the crime scene, including photographs, the coroner's report, fingerprints and DNA and using new technology and more extensive criminal databases, new information was found that could potentially identify a suspect in the brutal slaying and sexual assault. Witnesses were also re-interviewed and new witnesses were found.
Detective Townsend and Detective Kirkpatrick's diligence paid off. Guadalupe Gonzalez Jimenez was linked by forensic evidence as the person responsible for the murder of Lois Hale.
Jimenez would have been 24-years-old at the time of the crime, making him 53 years of age at present. He is known to have ties to the Northwest area of the United States, but was originally from Mexicali, Baja California. He has two very specific characteristics by which he can be recognized; He is missing the right tip of his index finger and has "Mambro" tattooed on his left bicep. Jimenez has held jobs ranging from machinist to auto upholsterer.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Jimenez is asked to call North Hollywood Homicide Detectives at (818) 623-4075. After hours or on weekends, calls may be directed to a 24-hour, toll-free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 or by texting CRIMES (274637) and beginning the message with the letters LAPD. Tipsters may also submit information on the LAPD website http://www.lapdonline.org.
Los Angeles police today sought a man who crashed a vehicle into three parked cars, then got out and ran -- carrying a baby in a car seat.
The wreck in the 7600 block of Kester Avenue was reported at 12:17 p.m., and police were
looking for the suspect, according to an officer at the LAPD's Valley Traffic Division.
Paramedics were sent to the scene, but apparently no one was injured, said city fire spokesman Brian Humphrey.
Raytheon employee David Sosa was scheduled to be sentenced in a San Bernardino courtroom today for two counts of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14. He was convicted earlier this month for sexually molesting two female family members.
Deputy District Attorney Steve Mitchell said Sosa is trying to hire a new attorney with sights on filing a motion for a new trial. He comes back to court April 9, but will not be sentenced that day.
He faces up to 24 years in prison,
Gardena. Police will conduct a DUI and driver's license checkpoint from 7:30 p.m. tonight to 4 a.m. Saturday in the eastbound lanes of Redondo Beach Boulevard at La Salle Avenue.
Why publicize checkpoints?
The California Supreme Court used to require police agencies to publicize sobriety checkpoints before they could conduct them. It was called "advance publicity." The Daily Breeze ran the notices for free as a public service.
A number of years ago, the court reversed itself on that requirement. Police officers, however, continue to ask us to publicize their checkpoints. They believe the information serves as a deterrent for drunken driving, and they use the reports to show judges that the information was published and drivers should have known better.
Here's an update on the body found in the water off Redondo Beach earlier today. The info comes from Redondo Beach police Sgt. Phil Keenan:Whale watchers on a boat a quarter-mile off Redondo Beach spotted the body.
Her name is Cindy Denq, 39, of El Monte.
Police said their preliminary work indicates this was a suicide. They could not find that she jumped from a boat. She either entered the water from the beach or leaped from the rocks.
Nearly 100 people were aboard the boat, Voyager, at the time, including many children. More on this in a second.
Redondo Beach Harbor Patrol officers pulled the body from the water onto their boat and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but she was already dead.
They returned her to the Redondo Beach marina, where paramedics confirmed she had no vital signs.
According to police, Denq was plucked from the water on Feb. 23, when she jumped from the Voyager. The Voyager circled around and people pulled her back onto the boat. They called police, but the woman denied that she tried to commit suicide.
There is no indication that she jumped from the Voyager today, but it's interesting that people aboard the boat found her.
Police were called there about noon and called for a voluntary evacuation.
Here's why: Someone called the store and said he had put a bomb inside. Police did a search, but found nothing.
Inglewood police Officer Jeffrey LaGreek has been honored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving for his achievements in enforcing DUI laws.LaGreek made 52 DUI arrests in 2008, more than any other officer on the
force, Inglewood police Lt. Mike McBride said.
LaGreek is a member of the South Bay's DUI task force, known as "Avoid the 100." He is an expert in DUI investigations and regularly conducts DUI training for other officers.
Inglewood made 235 DUI arrests in 2008, a 64 percent increase from the year before.
We'll put them up here as well. Let's call them "Wednesday's Wanted."
Here's today's pair:
Fraud Suspect
Manhattan Beach: Police say this man tried to open a fraudulent credit account on Sept. 7, 2008, at Fry's Electronics using a counterfeit California driver's license.He was accompanied by a black woman in her 20s. She drove a four-door black mid-1990s Mercedes-Benz. The suspect is black, in his 60s, 6 feet 4 inches tall, 175 pounds, with gray hair and brown eyes.
If you know him, call Detective Michael Rosenberger at 310-802-5127.
Masked Bandit
El Segundo: On Aug. 26, 2008, this man in a painter's mask approached an employee at the
Chevron gas station at 601 S. Vista del Mar, racked the slide of a black semiautomatic handgun as if to load it and demanded money. He fled with the cash register tray.The robber is Latino, 23 to 25 years old, 5 feet 5 inches to 5 feet 7 inches tall, and 160 to 200 pounds. He wore a gray hooded sweat shirt, black pants and cloth gloves
If you know him, contact Detective Vince Martinez at 310-524-2200.
Forty-eight officers will hit the streets of LA, one will go to work at the Port police department, and one at LAX.
The class includes 39 men and 11 women.
The ethnic breakdown: 15 white; 34 Latino; 1 Asian.
Graduating officers have completed 912 hours of training in 24 weeks.
The student said the attack occurred at 3 p.m. on March 5. She did not report it until Friday, police said.
Investigators wanted to question the student Tuesday, but she missed her appointment.
Campus officials issued an alert to students and faculty, as required by law, over the weekend.
The student last week provided detailed descriptions of her assailants.
One was black, about 20 years old, about 6 feet 3 inches tall, with a medium muscular build, and nearly full beard with a thin mustache.
He wore a black baseball style hat with an orange visor, a black T-shirt with what appeared to be a white T-shirt underneath and shorts of an unknown color. He had a large scar about 10 inches long on his right lower leg, and had two earrings in his left ear.
One was yellow metal in the shape of a five-pointed star, and the other was square with a yellow stone setting.
The second man was black, about 20 years old, about 5 feet 10 inches tall with a skinny build and dark skin color. He wore a tight-fitting "dew rag" skull cap, a gray T-shirt and blue jeans.
The third man was black, about 20 years old, about 5 feet 9 inches tall, with a medium muscular build and medium skin color. He had a short fade-style hair cut, and wore a brown or tan shirt with long sleeves.
The fourth man was black, about 20 years old, with a light skin color. He wore a white long-sleeve shirt under a white short sleeve T-shirt. He had what appeared to be a mole on left upper cheek.
Anyone with information is asked to call the El Camino Police Department at 310-660-3100.
03-16-09 (Monday):
Between the hours of approximately 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., three residents reported burglaries to their homes. The burglaries occurred in the 1900 block of Pullman Lane, the 2400 block of Huntington Lane, and the 1600 block of Armour Lane. In two of the cases, property was stolen from unlocked garages. On the remaining case, property was stolen from the residence after forced entry through the front door. Property loss included musical instruments, computer equipment and other various items.
03-17-09 (Tuesday):
1601 Kingsdale Avenue (Target): At approximately 6:15 p.m., a suspect purchased nearly $500 worth of merchandise with counterfeit $100 and $50 bills. Target Loss Prevention notified the police department as the suspect left their store. A police unit that was in the immediate area stopped the suspect vehicle. The suspect was positively identified by Target Loss Prevention, all property was recovered, and the suspect was arrested.
03-19-09 (Thursday):
Artesia Boulevard @ Rindge Lane: At approximately 5:15 a.m., a patrol officer observed a dark compact vehicle drive at a high rate of speed west on Artesia Boulevard and fail to stop for a red light at Rindge Lane. The officer attempted a traffic stop; however, the driver failed to yield and a vehicle pursuit ensued. The driver fled south on Blossom Lane and then east on Harriman Lane (driving the wrong direction) where it came to a stop in the 2400 block. The driver failed to obey commands provided in English and Spanish and remained in his vehicle. Upon continuing the commands the driver finally exited the vehicle and was taken into custody. The driver alleged a medical illness. The driver had an extensive criminal background and was arrested for evading a police officer.
1900 Block of Bataan Road: At approximately 6:25 a.m., a sleeping resident woke up when a suspect tried to break into the home by removing a sliding glass door. The resident confronted the suspect and held him while placing a phone call to the police department. The suspect broke free and ran before the police could arrive. A responding officer located the suspect several blocks away and arrested him for attempted residential burglary.
Trial began this morning for Karen Sue Hale, the former Gardena Valley Chamber of Commerce executive director accused of forging checks and stealing thousands from the non-profit organization.
Before opening statements got underway, though, jurors waiting in the hallway witnessed the final part of a heated dispute that began among audience members on a different case that Torrance Superior Court Judge James Brandlin handled this morning.
According to those who were in the courtroom, the murmurings escalated in the gallery to the point that Brandlin told everyone to hush up or they'd be kicked out. I'm not sure what case is was - possibly an attempted murder. The group took their dischord to the hallway, where some say punches were thrown but the Sheriff's Department says it was only a verbal altercation.
When I arrived, I saw a crowd of people being talked to by a bailiff and a hallway full of jurors for this case and others, as well as at least a dozen bailiffs (deputies).
Once the Hale jury was called in, Brandlin asked them what they saw and if it would affect their ability to judge Hale's trial. Most raised their hands to indicate they saw it. A female juror said: "I didn't like it. I was scared."
"Understandably so," Brandlin replied. But she and others agreed they could put aside what they saw to be fair on this case.
Opening statements then got underway and the first witness to testify, former board president Freddie Davis, took the stand. Look for my full report on the trial in tomorrow's Daily Breeze and on dailybreeze.com.
Previously:
Checked in this morning with Deputy District Attorney Craig Hum, who is prosecuting Joe Nino and Miguel Torres in their second trial for killing a friend in Rolling Hills.
He said the trial is proceeding without any major twists or new revelations that would take it off the course he laid out during opening statements on Feb. 18. It is, however, waaaaaay behind schedule and spring break in a couple weeks may prove a problem for keeping jurors. Hum said he expects there's at least three weeks left in the trial, which is only proceeding in the afternoons.
Previously:
From City News Service:
LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A state bill that would give police agencies five years to test physical evidence collected from a rape victim before the statue of limitations runs out was endorsed today by the Los Angeles City Council.
Under current state law, there is no statute of limitations in sexual assault cases where the DNA evidence has been analyzed within two years of the crime. Under AB 383 from Assemblyman Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, the period for the DNA to be analyzed would be extended to five years.
"A lot has been made over the past several years about the issue of DNA testing of rape kits and sexual assault evidence," said Councilman Jack Weiss, chair of the council's Public Safety Committee. "State law provides that after a sexual assault, if the evidence is tested within a period of two years there is no statue of limitations on the prosecution of that crime."
The California Sexual Assault Victims' DNA Bill of Rights requires law enforcement agencies to tell victims if the evidence in their rape kits is not processed within two years of the crime. An audit released by City Controller Laura Chick last fall found the Los Angeles Police Department had 5,694 kits that were not tested within that two-year period, and none of those victims had been notified.
Gabriel Martinez, 27, was convicted by a jury last week of one count of child cruelty by endangering health. The jury found him not guilty of two counts related to allegations he orally copulated a 16-year-old boy.
Today, the former Bandini Elementary School playground supervisor was sentenced to probation and ordered to stop drinking and to attend child abuse and alcohol counseling.
I'm working on a full story for tomorrow's Daily Breeze.
We just learned that Gerald Mason, who killed two El Segundo police officers in 1957, was denied parole and will not be eligible again to go before the board for the maximum span of 15 years.
Former Los Angeles Clipper Norm Nixon was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in Marina del Rey, police said today.
Nixon, 53, of Santa Monica was arrested just before midnight on Monday on Mindanao Way at the Marina del Rey Freeway, the California Highway Patrol said in a news release.
Two officers working patrol at 11:40 p.m. saw Nixon's black Ferrari traveling south on Lincoln Boulevard without a front license plate. They pulled the car over and smelled alcohol coming from the car.
Nixon failed a field sobriety test.
NIxon was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and booked at the Los Angeles Police Department's Van Nuys jail.
Jail records show he was released on $5,000 bail at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Ok, so he played for the Lakers most of his career and works for them now. Thought I'd bury that.
The Lakers selected Nixon from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh with their No. 22 pick in the 1977 draft.
He played alongside Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for six years, winning championships in 1980 and 1982.
In 1983, he was traded to the San Diego Clippers for center Swen Nater and guard Byron Scott, who was just entering the league.
The Clippers moved to Los Angeles in 1984. Nixon retired in 1989.
He works as a studio analyst for Lakers games on Fox Sports Net West. Nixon is married to Debbie Allen, best known for the Fame television series from 1982-1987.
Kobe Bryant went back to court yesterday -- thankfully this time for a good reason.The Lakers star reported for jury duty in Santa Ana.
The judge didn't chant "MVP, MVP," but TMZ reported this conversation in the courtroom:
Judge: "What do you do for a living?"
Kobe: "I play professional basketball for the Los Angeles Lakers."
Judge: "Go Lakers!"
Check out TMZ.
The crime occurred between 3 and 4 a.m. on Dec. 24, 2006.
A 25-year-old young woman told police she was sexually assaulted by a man she met earlier in the night in the Redondo Beach Marina.
A male motorist found her walking along Harbor Drive. The man picked her up, drove her to the police station and dropped her off.
"We believe it would be important to speak with that person who picked this woman up," said John Skipper, a retired police captain who is working on cold cases.
Anyone with information about the motorist's identity should contact the Cold Case unit at 310-379-2477, ext. 2313.
COMPTON - Dominguez High School basketball coach Russell Otis, facing charges of child molestation, was charged today with additional counts of grand theft, forgery and burglary following an investigation by Compton School District Police.
Deputy District Attorney Angela Brunson with the Compton Branch filed the amended complaint today charging him with four additional counts -- two felony counts of burglary, one felony count of grand theft and one felony count of forgery. The case No. is TA105481.
The new charges allege that on Nov. 1, 2007, Otis deposited a $15,000 check from Nike made out to Compton Unified School District into his personal bank account after first unsuccessfully trying to cash the check between Aug. 28 and Nov. 1 at separate check cashing businesses.
Otis, 46, also allegedly received a stipend of more than $2,000 as a golf coach, even though Dominguez High has no golf program. In addition, he allegedly received cash reimbursements of $2,500 between May 20 and June1, 2007 without providing proper receipts.
Otis, who is out on $75,000 bail, pleaded not guilty on March 13 to the original charges of one felony count of meeting a minor for lewd purposes and one misdemeanor count of child molestation. Otis allegedly made unwanted sexual advances to a male under 18 on Aug. 30, 2008.
He is scheduled to be arraigned on the new charges on March 24 in Compton Superior Court, Dept. D. A new preliminary hearing date will be set then.
If convicted, he faces more than 10 years in state prison.
As you recall, she was found dead on a snowbank in the San Bernardino Mountains last month. She was last seen at the Bac Street Lounge in Redondo Beach.
Her father spent the morning at her grave at Green Hills Memorial Park. He knows little about what is happening with the murder investigation.
"It's just really frustrating," he said.
Other family and friends will visit her grave later and celebrate her birthday tonight at the Bac Street lounge.
looking for this guy, James Laudermill, who police say stabbed the owner of a trucking business in Wilmington last night.Two trucking businesses share the property in the 800 block of Henry Ford Avenue. Laudermill, 49, works as a driver for the other one.
Canada told me that Laudermill was allowed into Mejia's business about 11 p.m. Monday because he wanted to get some food in the kitchen.
Then, without warning, he walked up behind Mejia and stabbed him in the back. They fought and he stabbed him again, Canada said.
Laudermill took off in a green 1994 Freightliner big rig with the California license plate number, 9B96467.
Mejia is in the hospital and expected to recover.
According to a police statement, Laudermill is a "parolee with an extensive, violent arrest history." He is considered armed and dangerous.
Laudermill is black, 6 feet 1 inches tall, about 230 pounds. He has an address in South Los Angeles.
Anyone with information should call Canada at 310-522-2031. After hours calls can go to 1-877-LAPD-24-7.
A man who grabbed a woman at gunpoint on a Torrance street pleaded no contest today to robbery and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, according to a prosecutor.
Cornell Barber, 29, confronted the woman as she walked on Anza Avenue near Emerald Street around 1:30 a.m. on April 27.
After making small talk, he pulled out a gun and put his arm around her. He forced her toward secluded areas, but she screamed and fought him, according to her testimony at a preliminary hearing in August.
He eventually let her go after he groped her. She stopped a car and they called 911, and an off-duty police officer spotted him in the area.
The latest incident occurred Friday as three girls walked in the 300 block of West Mariposa Avenue.
The man drove up and stopped his car in front of them. He got out, lowered his shorts, exposed himself, got back in the car and drove away south on Concord Street.
Police described his car as a white, 4-door subcompact.
Similar incidents occurred in November, when the car was a newer dark blue 4-door model, and in January, when the victims described the car as a full-sized, white, 4-door model.
The man is white, 20 to 25 years old, 6 feet to 6 feet 2 inches tall, 200 to 220 pounds. He had a muscular build and blond hair. In each case, he wore a long or short-sleeve T-shirt, and dark athletic shorts.
During two of the crimes, he wore a blue, white and green-striped baseball cap.
Anyone with information about the man's identity is asked to call Detective Pat Goodreau at 310-524-2216 or Detective Vince Martinez at 310-524-2263.
It's an interesting sentence I've never seen utilized before: punish the insensitive with some sensitivity training. That's gotta be worse than jail!
Vicente Garcia Naranjo, 39, died at 6:20 p.m. Thursday when a gunman shot him in his office at G & D Smog Check, 11862 S. Prairie Ave., authorities said.
Sheriff's Department homicide detectives have not released any information on the killing or returned phone calls.
I was on vacation when Redondo Beach police detectives put out a notice and a sketch of a man sought for attempting to kidnap a woman in January.
Like other people, I wondered if this had something to do with the killing of Cori Desmond last month. Her body was found up on a mountain road in San Bernardino County. Her Jeep was found on a Redondo Beach street.
When I arrived back at work, I called Redondo Beach detective bureau Lt. Paul Wrightsman, and asked if the crimes had anything to do with each other. "No," I was told.
So that was that. Or so I thought.
I learned last week that an e-mail saying that the attempted kidnapper was the person who killed Desmond was being forwarded all over place. I spoke with a Redondo Beach police sergeant about it, but decided it was just an unfounded rumor and not worth legitimizing.
Sometimes, would-be stories come along that you know have the potential to be insightful ... or explosive. After the $1 million settlement in the Goodrow v. Hawthorne case was announced and reported here and in other media outlets, I learned about some of the things that occurred beginning very early in the case that were obviously questionable.
My story in today's Daily Breeze touch on only some of those issues. As is always the case when dealing with politics or lawyers, there are way more opinions and suspicions floating around out there then I could possibly tackle responsibly in one report. This story was several weeks in the making and there were many discussions about it along the way here in the newsroom and with sources who do not even appear in the report.
The comments that follow the story so far run the gamut from telling me I should be ashamed of myself to telling Hawthorne they should be ashamed of themselves to name-calling the plaintiffs. No matter what you think of any of us, it's worth noting just how easy mistakes, or cover-ups - depending on who you believe - can wreak havoc on someone's life. Take a side, spout hatred, cover your eyes and ears ... that's up to you. Just read the story, and be aware.
Previously: Report: Hawthorne police conducted inadequate excessive force investigation
I'll have a full story in tomorrow's Daily Breeze, but the basic plot line is that former Hermosa Beach resident and financial adviser Michael McDermott pleaded no contest in two separate cases Thursday to drugs, weapons and stolen properly charges and will get a year in jail.
He surrenders and is sentenced on April 1.
Previously:
Hermosa Beach drug case set for preliminary hearing
Hermosa Beach drug case continues
From what I can tell, a gunman walked in to G & D Smog Check at 11862 S. Prairie Ave. at 6 p.m. and shot a man working there.
The Sheriff's Department is investigating the crime, but hasn't issued any statements yet.
*UPDATE: The Sheriff's Department has released nothing on this case and it's starting to look like that isn't going to happen.
All I know is this man's name is "Vicente," based on the "RIP Vicente" sign on his door. His neighbors said he was a nice guy.
When Dawn Miley was sentenced to probation on Monday, no one from the Calevros family was in the northern Nevada courtroom to speak for them. The Record-Courier spoke with Maria Amelia Calevro's brother a couple days later, and he said he was only 45 miles away at the time of the sentencing, but stuck in a snow storm.
How frustrating.
Here is the Record-Courier's follow up story with the brother.
Here is an older Web site put up shortly after the Calevros' death by their friends at 186th Street School that is really nice.
Previously:
Driver who killed Torrance family near Tahoe gets probation
Guilty plea entered for Tahoe crash that killed Torrance family
Many San Pedro residents have contacted me in recent weeks for more information on the killing behind the Pacific Diner in January. People have been concerned about their safety.
Well, here's a little preview of a story I have coming out later on dailybreeze.com and the Friday print edition:
Police tell me that the victim, Ginie Samayoa, was involved in crime herself. Her alleged killers wanted her laptop computer and shot her dead for it.
The laptop contained credit card information for companies she had hacked into to commit identity theft. They wanted it for themselves.
Look for my story.
Roger Giani, 72, was convicted on Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court of misdemeanor counts of sexual battery and simple battery.
According to prosecutors, the case stems from the then-22-year-old victim's visit to Giani's office at the Angelus Medical Clinic on Whittier Boulevard on Nov. 22, 2007.
The victim reported that when she was in the examination room alone with Giani, he groped her breasts and rubbed his groin against her body for sexual gratification, said Frank Mateljan, a spokesman for the Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo.
The jury heard evidence that Giani had also inappropriately touched the victim's sister in the past, Mateljan said.
Judge Georgina Rizk has scheduled sentencing for April 9. Deputy City Attorney Spencer Hart handled the case.
Giani, the primary doctor at the clinic, holds his medical license under the name Iraj Sadaghiani.
Earlier today, I got a phone call about Giani from a man who said his daughter had something similar happen to her when she was about 8 years old about 15 years ago. The doctor was acquitted at the time.
Here's a nice shot by photog Sean Hiller of a joyous Brianna Bartolone and her dog, Lola, at the Torrance Police Department on Wednesday. Police recovered her dog, which was stolen out of her boyfriend's pickup on Sunday, and surprised her in the station lobby. Read the full story.
Detectives are trying to identify three robbers who held up check cashing businesses in Gardena and Carson.In the crimes, the robbers pointed guns at clerks, ordered employees and customers to lie on the floor, vaulted counters and took cash from the drawers.
Robbers also have taken customers' and employees' wallets and cellular telephones.
"They are in and out pretty quick," Gardena police Detective Michael Ross said.
Surveillance cameras took photographs of some of the robbers as they committed the crimes. Investigators hope someone can provide them with names.
"The main suspect has a very distinct scar on his left cheek," Ross said.
Crimes occurred Jan. 16 at Advance America, 114. W. Carson St. in Carson; Jan. 28 at Payday Advance, 20771 S. Avalon Blvd., in Carson; and Feb. 7 at Payday Advance, 2249 Rosecrans Ave. in Gardena.In one of the Carson crimes, a robber grabbed a victim by the hair, Ross said.
Witnesses have seen two getaway cars, a white Nissan Maxima with a rear wing, and a gold-colored Buick with chrome wheels and damage to the driver's door.
Here's the wanted flier:
Paydayrobbers.pdf
Anyone with information is asked to call Ross at 310-217-9635.
Little more on the arrest of the burglary suspect David Moreno (that's him) last night. Some readers have told me that they could hear Torrance officers calling over a loudspeaker for Moreno to give up. They could hear his name.How did Torrance know who they were looking for? It appears he lives in the neighborhood and ran home. He's known to police, who quickly figured out it was him.
A guy came home to his house in the 2000 block of 231st Street about 10:45 p.m. and found a burglar inside.
The burglar pulled a knife on him and ran.
Police swarmed in and with the help of a police dog and helicopter, found the guy hiding in a shed about 12:40 a.m. He was arrested.
His name is David Moreno, 20, of Torrance and according to jail records, he's someone the police in the Harbor Area and Torrance already know because they've each previously arrested him.
By the way, the simple act of pulling the knife turned this crime from a burglary to a much more serious armed robbery. Moreno's probably going to go away on this one.
Jorge Manuel Teixeira, a head waiter aboard Princess Cruises' Coral Princess, told FBI agents he didn't know the name of the 42-year-old female passenger he had wine with and who now accuses him of sexual assault.
Teixera, 38, is charged with a federal count of aggravated sexual assault and is expected to make his first court appearance today.
You can read the 17-page FBI affidavit that describes the alleged crime here: cruise ship affidavit.pdf
Another sign of the tough times: Legal Aid for the middle class - Los Angeles Times
"An estimated 60 percent of Americans find themselves in the gap between those poor enough to qualify for publicly funded Legal Aid and those wealthy enough to afford an uptown lawyer."
Report: Courts need to reform civil lawsuit system
By DAN ELLIOTT Associated Press Writer
The current rules for "discovery" - the sharing of information ahead of a trial - in civil suits are antiquated and too broad, according to a report Tuesday by an American College of Trial Lawyers task force and the Denver-based Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System.
They suggest that federal and state courts restrict discovery to the specifics of a case and limit how much data attorneys can request after the first round of information sharing.
The report said current federal discovery rules were for the most part written in the 1930s and didn't anticipate the volume of documents generated by photocopiers, computers and e-mail systems. Retrieving data stored electronically, such as old e-mails, is particularly difficult, they said.
The rules drag out cases for years and have driven legal costs so high that people are forced to settle even if they have a good case, the experts said.
"In too many cases, economics rather than merits are driving whether it's tried or settled, and that's not justice," said attorney E. Osbourne Aycsue Jr., former president of the trial lawyers group, based in Irvine, Calif.
From the District Attorney's Office:
LOS ANGELES - Rap artist Coolio, whose real name is Artis Leon Ivey, was charged today with possession of cocaine base and battery.
Ivey, 45 (dob 8-1-63), was arrested March 6 at Los Angeles International World Airport after authorities searched his luggage and allegedly found cocaine. At one point, Ivey allegedly grabbed a screener's arm to prevent the search.
He is charged in case SA070577 with one felony count of possession of cocaine base, one misdemeanor count of battery and one misdemeanor count of possession of a smoking device. He was released on bail.
He is scheduled to be arraigned April 3 at LAX Superior Court, Dept. 144. If convicted, he faces up to three years state prison.
A reader e-mailed me this morning with a question about the timing of the release of information and a composite sketch of a Jan. 3 attempted kidnapping in Redondo Beach:
"Was this story in the Dailybreeze in Jan and I just missed it or is this the first time police are releasing details because they need the public's help? I must say I don't remember it but it concerns me considering I am a few blocks from where it took place.... I was just wondering why they waited so long to alert thet public?"
This story was never in the Daily Breeze, since we were never told about it by law enforcement. That being said, I do find it odd since Redondo Beach is one of the South Bay police departments that is the best at sharing information and alerts with us so we can pass them on to the community. Not sure why this one took more than two months to come to light ... but we'll be sure to ask.
The investigation continues at Princess Cruises Coral Princess' final destination.
Sheila Gardner, a reporter at the Record-Courier, reports today on the dramatic conclusion of Dawn Miley's court case. Miley was sentenced to probation for the July 14, 2007, crash that killed Jerome Calevro, 58; his wife, Maria Amelia, 52; daughter Bernadette, 23, and son Jerome Daniel, 15. The Torrance family were on their way to a vacation at Lake Tahoe.
Eun Bae Kim, 26, who allegedly stabbed his father Wednesday night during a dispute at their home in the 800 block of West 232nd Street near Carson, is scheduled to be arraigned later today in Compton.
Prosecutors just announced that Kim was charged today with murder and the special allegation that he used a deadly weapon - a knife - to slay Yeun Kim, 52.
We got two rapper crime stories out of LAX today.
First, Coolio was arrested at the airport today on suspicion of possession of an illegal substance. Check out that story here.
Then, we got a release from the City Attorney's office touting the conviction of rapper Uncle Murda for using a fake identification car during screeing last year.
Uncle Murda, whose real name is Leonard Grant (over there on the left), presented the fraudulent card to a security screener on May 14, according to the City Attorney's office. Grant, 27, of New York, pleaded no contest to one count of possession of a counterfeit California identification card.
In exchange for his plea, Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Mark Zuckman sentenced Grant to 18 months probation and ordered him to perform 50 hours of community service.
The photograph on the car was of Grant, but the identification number was traced to another individual, according to the authorities.
Earlier in 2008, the rapper whose singles include "Bullet Bullet" and "Hard to Kill," was shot while sitting in a parked car in New York. The bullet grazed his head and refused to cooperate with the police investigation.
Milton Gallardo, a convicted felon allegedly linked to the April 11, 2005, murder and rape of a Lawndale woman in a Manhattan Beach home, is scheduled to return to Torrance Superior Court for a two-day preliminary hearing to begin on April 29.
Gallardo's attorney, Deputy Alternate Public Defender Ernestine Odom, told Judge Laura Ellison she was waiting for more results on lab tests on DNA related the case.
Gallardo's DNA allegedly matches evidence collected during the investigation into the death of 39-year-old Libia Cabrera.
Prosecutors haven't decided yet if they will seek the death penalty against Gallardo.
Rev. 900-1/99 DA Case 29697506 Page 1 Case No. BA353571
FELONY COMPLAINT
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA,
Plaintiff,
v.
01 CHRISTOPHER BROWN (05/05/1989)
Defendant(s). CASE NO. BA353571
FELONY COMPLAINT
The undersigned is informed and believes that:
COUNT 1
On or between February 7, 2009 and February 8, 2009, in the County of Los Angeles, the
crime of ASSAULT BY MEANS LIKELY TO PRODUCE GREAT
BODILY INJURY, in violation of PENAL CODE SECTION 245(a)(1), a Felony,
was committed by CHRISTOPHER BROWN, who did willfully and unlawfully
commit an assault on ROBYN F. by means of force likely to produce great
bodily injury.* * * * *
COUNT 2
On or between February 7, 2009 and February 8, 2009, in the County of Los Angeles, the crime of CRIMINAL THREATS, in violation of PENAL CODE SECTION 422, a Felony, was committed by CHRISTOPHER BROWN, who did willfully and unlawfully threaten to commit a crime which would result in death and great bodily injury to ROBYN F., with the specific intent that the statement be taken as a threat. It is further alleged that the threatened crime, on its face and under the circumstances in which it was made, was so unequivocal, unconditional, immediate and specific as to convey to ROBYN F. a gravity of purpose and an immediate prospect of execution. It is further alleged that the said ROBYN F. was reasonably in sustained fear of his/her safety and the safety of his/her immediate family.
"NOTICE: The above offense is a serious felony within the meaning of Penal Code section 1192.7(c)."
LOS ANGELES - R&B singer Chris Brown was charged by the District Attorney's office today
with felony counts of assault and making criminal threats in connection with a February incident in which his girlfriend allegedly was physically attacked.Case No. BA 353571, filed by the District Attorney's Family Violence Division, charged Brown, 19 (dob 5-5-1989), with one count each of assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury and making criminal threats. The complaint alleged the crimes occurred "on or between" Feb. 7 and Feb. 8 when the defendant and the victim, identified only as Robyn F., were driving to a residence in the Hancock Park area.
Brown is scheduled to appear for arraignment after 3:30 p.m. today in Department 30 of Los Angeles Superior Court, fifth floor, Criminal Justice Center, 210 W. Temple St. He has been free on $50,000 bail since his arrest on Feb. 8 by Los Angeles police.
The case will be prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Mary Murray of the Family Violence Division.
Police in three jurisdictions will conduct sobriety and driver's license checkpoints Friday night. Here they are:
- Redondo Beach: 7:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. Saturday on Artesia Boulevard at Aviation Way.
- Carson: 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. Saturday on Main Street south of Torrance Boulevard, and on Avalon Boulevard north of Carson Street.
- Gardena: 7:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. Saturday in the eastbound lanes of El Segundo Boulevard at Halldale Avenue.
The checkpoints are funded through grants from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Deputies received a call about the dead man at 11:30 a.m.
There was no immediate word on what happened to the guy.
An appellate court issued a conditional reversal Wednesday for four sexual assault convictions against a man who raped a 15-year-old girl at the South Coast Botanic Garden on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
Antoine Reed, 45, lost his appeal on several other grounds, but convinced the 2nd District Court of Appeal that the trial judge should have allowed a hearing on whether he could call the victim's mother to the witness stand.
Reed said he wanted her to testify about why she didn't want a detective to question her daughter. Reed argued that it went toward the possibility that the mother believed detectives were manipulating the teen, who gave several versions of the incident.
The case will return to the trial court for an evidentiary hearing regarding the issue. Depending on the outcome, Reed could get a new trial.
Reed was convicted by a Torrance Superior Court jury in December 2007 of rape, oral copulation of a minor and two counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a child.
He picked the girl up on Aug. 2, 2006, as she waited at a South Los Angeles bus stop before school. With promises of making her a model, he took her to the garden to photograph her.
After he took pictures, he pulled off her clothes and assaulted her.
He was sentenced to 110 years to life.
But after awhile, officers arrested him on suspicion of being under the influence, and for making a false report.
The crime never happened, police said.
The man made his report shortly before 10 a.m., telling officers that a robber punched him and took his car at a Chevron station at Crenshaw Boulevard and 235th Street, Torrance police Lt. Mark Hein said.
Police issued a crime broadcast over their radios in Torrance and in surrounding cities for officers to look for the car.
The driver, the man said, was a Latino in a hooded sweatshirt.
Surveillance cameras at the gas station, however, showed no crime occurred. The man did not even have a car, Torrance police Sgt. Bernard Anderson said.
Police have not determined why the man made up the story, and were working Wednesday afternoon to identify him.
That was when an FBI anti-terrorism task force arrested two Middle Eastern men at a Torrance apartment during an apparent terrorism investigation. Authorities wouldn't talk about it, and we in the media were unable to find out whatever happened to the men.
The unidentified men were led away in handcuffs from an apartment that was rented by a man named Ben Zouaid, a Moroccan native who formerly worked as a manager and waiter at the Via Firenze restaurant on Torrance Boulevard.
Zouaid, who we couldn't find, was not one of the men taken into custody. The arrests occurred at the Commodore East-West Apartments in the 3800 block of West 226th Street.
Residents in the complex told me that day that about a dozen FBI agents and Torrance police officers were at the apartment building. The mail carrier was told to leave.
Zouaid, who hadn't been seen for about a month, had received mail from the Holy Land Foundation, a Texas-based charity that President Bush accused of supporting Hamas, a Palestinian militant group responsible for suicide bombings in Israel.
We never found out the names of the arrested men, and never knew where they were taken and whether they were charged with anything. Copley Press, which formerly owned the Daily Breeze, joined with the Los Angeles Times and CNN in hiring an attorney to file a public records request to find out who the men were and what happened.
It was denied.
To this day, we don't know if these men ever received due process. If anyone knows the answer to this, let us know.
The numbers:
8 arrests
91 vehicles impounded
Nice of all the public officials to issue statements about the death of Deputy Chief Kenny Garner of the LAPD. Garner, a San Pedro High grad, died Sunday at age 53.But come on everyone. We all make mistakes -- and I'll probably make a big one in the next few days after this blog item -- but for the second day in a row, a politician has misspelled Garner's name in a release to the press. (They called him Gardner.)
Yesterday, it was Janice Hahn's office, which later sent a correction, and today it was Arnold himself. The governor's office sent a corrected release about two hours after the first one.
Here's Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's statement:
"Deputy Chief Kenny Garner was a committed public servant who dedicated his career to protecting the city of Los Angeles. He worked to ensure the safety of his community and L.A. is a better place because of his service.
Maria and I join all Californians in sending our deepest condolences to Kenny's family, friends and fellow officers as they mourn this significant loss."Garner, who supervised the LAPD's South Bureau, was one of his department's highest ranking black officers. The South Bureau includes the Harbor Area.
Garner's funeral is scheduled for Monday.
It was a quick change in direction earlier today when the prosecutor offered, and Steve Brown accepted, a deal in the case of the King Henry VIII exotic dancer who accused Brown of sexually assaulting her. Here's the whole story.
As I waited for the elevator after the hearing, Brown's father approached me. He pointed his finger at me and said: "Be careful what you say, OK, because if you don't, I'm gonna sue you."
Previously:
Parking lots east of Sepulveda Boulevard in El Segundo were hit hard last month by catalytic converter thieves. About a dozen crimes occurred.
So an El Segundo PD patrol officer was watching Monday for a white Dodge truck spotted in a crime that occurred Sunday.Sure enough, it pulled into a lot in the 2400 block of East El Segundo Boulevard about 11 a.m.
The passenger got out. He was carrying an electric saw and slid underneath a Toyota truck.
"It was one of those rare in-progress deals," El Segundo police Sgt. Dan Kim said. "The officer saw it happening right in front of him."
That guy ran when the officer moved in, but the officer caught the driver, Juan Carlos Calderon, 28, of Los Angeles.
I was off for eight days and missed the event. Capt. Todd Rogers at the Carson sheriff's station sent along this script with the honorees' stories. They include two citizens who detained criminals and helped put them behind bars.
It's worth reading. Congratulations to all.
Mr. James Mueller
On February 18, 2008, at 1525 hours, an attempted robbery occurred on the 600 block of East Carson Street, Carson. A suspect targeted two victims as they waited at the bus stop. The suspect attempted to steal one of the victim's "Sidekick" cell phones. As the attack continued, Mr. James Mueller intervened and was able to overcome the suspect's violent attack on him as well. Mr. Mueller wrestled the suspect to the ground and held him until deputies arrived. The suspect was subsequently arrested, tried, and convicted for his crime. He is currently serving 16 months in state prison.
Mr. Mueller is to be commended for his heroic and decisive actions in response to this dangerous situation. He prevented the completion of a violent crime and ensured that justice was served.
Mr. Anthony Sanchez
On June 16, 2008, there was a burglary-in-progress call at a public storage facility in Carson. When deputies arrived, they contacted Anthony Sanchez who was detaining two suspects at the location.
Mr. Sanchez had recognized a U-Haul vehicle as the same truck that had entered the gated location on prior occasions by following behind other vehicles as they entered. He had also recognized the two occupants of the vehicle as those who had previously entered. He additionally knew that the suspects did not currently have a storage unit.
Since the storage facility had suffered numerous burglaries to storage units at the location, Mr. Sanchez walked the facility and found where the U-Haul vehicle was parked. He saw a female suspect who appeared to be acting as a lookout as a male suspect was putting a lock onto a storage unit which Mr. Sanchez knew the suspects did not rent. The suspects briskly walked away and returned to their vehicle.
Believing the suspects had just burglarized the storage unit, Mr. Sanchez ran to the entry gate and locked it so the suspects could not exit the facility. Mr. Sanchez kept the suspects inside until the Sheriff's deputies arrived.
Both suspects were subsequently arrested and confessed to numerous burglaries committed at the storage facility. Both are currently serving a 16 month prison sentence.
Mr. Sanchez is to be commended for his quick thinking and decisive action that led to the apprehension of serial burglars, undoubtedly preventing them from preying on many more victims.
Garner was in charge of the South Bureau, which includes the Harbor Division.
Viewing will be held Sunday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Crenshaw Christian Church Faith Dome at 7901 S. Vermont Ave. in Los Angeles.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at the same church.
Interment will follow at Rose Hills Cemetery at 3888 Workman Mill Road in Whittier.
Sorry, folks, for the delay on this and a few other stories! Been off for a few days and I'm playing catch-up.
On Friday, Francis Miguel Cuellar was sentenced to 161 years to life for molesting a Westchester boy, who was a family friend, and three others years ago in Pico Rivera.
Look for the full report later in the Daily Breeze and at www.dailybreeze.com, which will include some details of some of the things said before he was sentenced. (Hint: Cuellar said he didn't do it.)
Previous entries on the case are here.
A worker at a Jiffy Lube in Torrance was charged Monday with raping a female customer in his locked office while her children and a friend waited in the car.
Johnny Jeffrey Maciel, 22, of Lynwood faces charges that could send him to prison for up to 16 years, prosecutors said.
The crime occurred about 6:30 p.m. Thursday when the 20-year-old woman took her car to the oil change business at 3209 190th St. to be inspected.
As her two children, an adult friend and the friend's child waited, the woman went to speak with Maciel, who asked her to accompany him into the office.
Prosecutors said he locked the door and sexually assaulted her.
The woman immediately called police. Maciel stayed at the business. Officers quickly arrested him.
The victim did not know Maciel, Anderson said.
"She was there for vehicle maintenance and was assaulted during that time," Torrance police Sgt. Bernard Anderson said.
Maciel pleaded not guilty Monday at the Torrance courthouse to one count of forcible rape.
Judge Thomas Sokolov ordered Maciel held in county jailon $175,000 bail and to return to court on March 16.
Prosecutors said Maciel has a prior strike, but did not elaborate on his previous conviction.
A worker at the Jiffy Lube at 190th and Crenshaw in Torrance has been charged with raping a female customer in the office while her two children, a friend and the friend's child waited in the car.
The crime happened last week. More coming soon when I get the details.
Unfortunately, Garner's name is incorrectly written as "Gardner" throughout the statement.
Here it is:
Councilwoman Hahn Reacts to Untimely Death of Deputy Chief Gardner
Councilwoman Janice Hahn said today that she was deeply saddened by the passing of Deputy Police Chief Kenny Gardner on Sunday morning, at the age of fifty-three.
"Kenny Gardner was a lifelong member of this community. He was a graduate of San Pedro High School, and, even after attaining his high rank, he always found time to be involved. He regularly attended community meetings in Harbor City, Harbor Gateway, and Watts - in fact, he attended the Watts Gang Task Force meeting just last week," said Councilwoman Hahn.
Gardner served in the LAPD for over three decades, having joined the Department in June of 1977. In July of 2007, just after celebrating his 30-year anniversary with the Department, he was promoted to the rank of Deputy Chief. In March of last year, he assumed command of Operations-South Bureau, returning him to the community in which he grew up.
"This is a huge loss for the LAPD, the City of Los Angeles, and everyone who knew him. Any officer in the LAPD would do well to model themselves after Kenny Gardner. He was a Deputy Chief who acted like a Senior Lead Officer," said Councilwoman Hahn.
A woman awakened to sounds of a man breaking into her third-floor apartment and quietly called police from her bedroom.
The burglary, realizing police had pulled up outside, then climbed back onto the roof of the building and leaped about 10 feet through the air onto the next-door building's roof to try to get away. It included about a 15-foot-drop.
He soon jumped about 35 feet to the ground and ran onto the nearby Century Freeway, where he dashed along the shoulder to try to get away.
Police caught him at the side of the freeway. I'll have more later.
LAPD Deputy Chief Kenneth Garner, who recently was the lead spokesman at the scene
where the Wilmington man killed his entire family, died suddenly this morning at 53.I didn't know Garner that well, but I appreciated how he worked with us in the media.
Here's his biography on the LAPD Web site. He received degrees at Harbor College in Wilmington and Cal State Dominguez Hills in Carson.
Here's some info from City News Service:
"Deputy Chief Garner began his career with the Department over three
decades ago and served the community with both distinction and honor,'' Los
Angeles police Chief Bill Bratton said. "All of us mourn his passing but take
comfort in the knowledge that he lived his life and helped countless others
along the way."
Longtime friend Carl McGill, president of the Black Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles County Inc., said he thought Garner might have been a heart attack. An autopsy is pending.
Garner started with the Los Angeles Police Department in 1977. In March
2008, he was promoted to commander of the South Bureau, which encompasses
the 77th Street, Southwest, South and Harbor stations, as well as the South
Traffic Division.
He became a deputy chief in July 2007, a month after celebrating 30
years on the force.
"Los Angeles has suffered a great loss with the death of Deputy Chief
Garner. Chief Garner's profound allegiance to the LAPD and the community
warrants the appreciation and gratitude of all Angelenos, '' said Paul Weber of
the police union. "The men and women of the LAPD join the community in
offering our deepest sympathies and prayers to the Garner family as they endure
this painful loss."
Garner was born in Hot Springs, Ark. His is survived by his daughter,
Lauren; his mother and father. Funeral arraignments are pending.
About the Blogger
Larry Altman has covered crime in the South Bay since 1990. He's seen it all - the missing model who turned up dead in the desert, the wives found dead in trunks, the high-school coaches who get a little too close to their players. He drives his young colleagues nuts with his "I remember when" stories. He welcomes your tips and observations about the present, and you can mix in a little Lakers basketball talk if you like.
E-mail Larry at larry.altman@dailybreeze.com.
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