ONTARIO -- Twenty-five people have donated about $4,500 to a local man who was released from prison last month after a judge overturned his attempted murder conviction.

With the donated money, Rafael Madrigal and his family were able to afford a rental home in Ontario. They lost their home to foreclosure and have until Sunday to vacate the property, Madrigal said.

Madrigal's father died in January, and the family was unable to keep up with mortgage payments on the home they had owned since 1995.

The federal appeals process that resulted in Madrigal's release after nine years of incarceration ended this week, with the state Attorney General's office announcing Thursday that it wouldn't appeal the judge's ruling to a higher court.

A electronic-monitoring bracelet he had worn on his ankle as a bail condition since his release from prison was removed at Thursday's hearing in Santa Ana federal court, Madrigal said.

In overturning Madrigal's conviction for a 2000 drive-by shooting in East Los Angeles, a federal judge highlighted evidence indicating that Madrigal was innocent of the crime, and faulted Madrigal's defense attorney for failing to effectively assist him.

Madrigal was reportedly working at a Rancho Cucamonga factory at the time of the shooting, but his attorney failed to call enough witnesses during his trial to prove the alibi, the judge wrote.

The defense attorney also failed to present a recording to the jury of Madrigal's co-defendant making statements in a phone conversation that point to Madrigal's innocence.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office is now reviewing Madrigal's case, and has until mid-January to decide whether to bring the case to trial, said a district attorney spokeswoman.

Madrigal is scheduled to appear on Jan. 8 in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom, where prosecutors are expected to announce whether they will take Madrigal's case to trial, Madrigal said.

When one of Madrigal's son's former schoolteachers learned of the family's financial troubles, she set up a bank account for people to donate to the family.

In less than two weeks, donors gave enough money to help the Madrigals cover a security deposit and the first month's rent at a new home in Ontario, plus moving expenses, Madrigal said.

"It's a big blessing," Madrigal said.

Madrigal, a father of three, said he was relieved that his children wouldn't be forced to change schools as a result of the foreclosure and move.

He said he has been looking for work, and even has gone on job interviews, but so far hasn't landed a job.

"It's going to be an uphill battle," Madrigal said. "But I'm hoping I find a job real quick and real soon. And I feel once that happens, we'll be OK."

Madrigal said he hasn't decided whether to bring civil action against his trial attorney or other people or agencies responsible for his apparent wrongful conviction.

"I want all this to be finalized first before any type of consideration is taken into that matter," Madrigal said. "I have to sit down with my attorneys to see what they say and which direction they want to go with this."

CHINO -- Prosecutors charged an Ontario man today with attempted murder and attempted robbery for a shooting Wednesday at the Chino Spectrum shopping center.

Christopher O, 20, is expected to be arraigned Monday in Chino Superior Court. He remains jailed at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga in lieu of $1 million bail.

O is accused of shooting a man in the course of a robbery at about 3:45 p.m. Wednesday in the parking lot of Mimi's Cafe.

The victim, who was shot in the thigh and the ankle, is expected to survive his injuries, a Chino spokeswoman said this week.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- A man was sentenced to a year in jail today for lying about his family's income and criminal history in order to fraudulently qualify for low-income housing.

Toan Van Ho, 59, was sentenced in West Valley Superior Court for three felony convictions -- fraud to obtain aid, and two counts of perjury, said Deputy District Attorney Mike Abney.

Prosecutors accused Ho of misrepresenting his sons' criminal records and incomes when he filled out an application for low-income housing with the Housing Authority of San Bernardino County, Abney said.

People with certain types of criminal convictions or incomes over a set level are ineligible for low-income housing, Abney said.

In January last year, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department conducted a sweep targeting low-income-housing fraud and made 20 arrests.

Ho, of Rancho Cucamonga, was one of about ten people convicted following the sweep, Abney said. He was convicted by a jury last month.

Ho was also ordered this morning to pay the county about $8,500 in restitution, Abney said.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- A transient pleaded not guilty in West Valley Superior Court this morning to four felonies alleging that he broadsided another driver as he sped through red lights in a stolen car attempting to evade a sheriff's deputy.

Prosecutors also allege that Patrick Griffin, 41, was drunk on Tuesday when he crashed into the 18-year-old victim -- identified by authorities as Jessika Garcia or Jessica Garcia -- at the intersection of Arrow Route and Vineyard Avenue in Rancho Cucamonga.

Garcia suffered severe head injuries and remained hospitalized in critical condition Thursday. Updated information on her medical condition was not immediately available this morning.

Click here for a detailed story on Griffin's case.

UPDATED at 6:25 p.m. with Griffin's mug shot, additional information on the case, and updated map.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- An 18-year-old woman remained hospitalized in critical condition today with injuries she suffered this week when her car was broadsided by a transient accused of speeding through red lights in a stolen car.

The alleged driver in Tuesday's collision, 41-year-old Patrick Griffin, was charged by the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office today with four felonies: grand theft auto, evading a police officer, and two counts related to DUI causing serious injury, said San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Tracy Dorsey.

"Preliminary investigation determined that (Griffin) had been drinking," Dorsey said.

The victim, Jessika Garcia of Rancho Cucamonga, suffered severe head injuries in the collision at Arrow Route and Vineyard Avenue in Rancho Cucamonga, and hasn't regained consciousness, Dorsey said.

Garcia remains hospitalized at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, Dorsey said.
"She was just the innocent victim of (Griffin's) criminal activities," Dorsey said.

Griffin was hospitalized after the collision but was discharged today and jailed in lieu of $1.5 million bail at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga, Dorsey said.

Ontario police revealed today that Griffin was briefly in custody the morning of the crash for a misdemeanor drug charge, but was released with a citation within a few hours.

Griffin, a transient from Washington state, told sheriff's deputies after his arrest that he was passing through the area hoping to eventually reach Florida, Dorsey said.

Griffin was born in Florida, said Ontario police Detective Jeff Crittenden. Griffin has no known local addresses, Dorsey said.

At about 1:30 p.m., Griffin reportedly stole a Toyota Camry from a Union 76 gas station at the intersection of Arrow and Hermosa Avenue, Dorsey said.

Soon after, a sheriff's deputy saw Griffin driving erratically as Griffin pulled out of a shopping center at the corner of Arrow and Archibald Avenue, Dorsey said.

The sheriff's deputy made a U-turn intending to pull Griffin over, Dorsey said.

As the deputy continued to watch Griffin's car, he saw the vehicle drive west on Arrow at speeds of up to 80 mph and run red lights at Archibald, Hellman Avenue, and Vineyard, Dorsey said.

At the Vineyard intersection, Griffin collided with Garcia, who was traveling north on Vineyard in a 2010 Hyundai.

Griffin slammed into the passenger side of Garcia's car, which was occupied only by Garcia.

About 10 hours prior to the crash, Ontario police contacted Griffin at a truck stop at Guasti Road and Milliken Avenue, Crittenden said.

Officers questioned Griffin at about 3 a.m. Tuesday because his car had an Oregon license plate for a vehicle registered as a commercial truck, Crittenden said.

Officers arrested Griffin after they found drug paraphernalia in his car, and his car was impounded, Crittenden said.

Officers also found at least four license plates in Griffin's car from at least three different states, including Washington, Oregon and Texas, Crittenden said.

At about 7 a.m., Griffin was released from custody at the Ontario police station and issued a citation for the drug charge with a January court date, Crittenden said.

Dorsey said that investigators do not believe the deputy's pursuit of Griffin was a factor in the crash.

Because Griffin had been drinking, investigators do not believe he was aware there was a sheriff's unit behind him, Dorsey said.

Read Dorsey's news release: 110309NewsRelease.pdf

Full-size crime scene photo (3.06 MB): View image

View Rancho Cucamonga crash in a larger map

RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- A hospital caretaker accused of having a sexual relationship with an underage girl in his care has reached a plea bargain with prosecutors that spares him additional jail time.

Antonio Quiroz, 31, of Montclair, pleaded no contest Tuesday in West Valley Superior Court to a misdemeanor battery charge. Two felonies related to the sex accusations were dismissed.

Quiroz, who worked at Canyon Ridge Hospital in Chino, was sentenced Tuesday to one year of probation, but will not have to serve additional jail time. He was credited for 65 days in custody at his sentencing hearing.

Prosecutors accused Quiroz of having sex with the girl, a patient at the hospital, when she was 15 years old. Canyon Ridge Hospital is a psychiatric facility that offers treatment for behavioral health and substance abuse.

Deputy District Attorney Jason Anderson said he agreed to let Quiroz plead no contest to a misdemeanor because the case "turned out to be a toss-up" after Quiroz's defense attorney uncovered evidence supporting an alibi against some of the girl's allegations.