November 2009 Archives

It's been a year since a Pomona man was arrested for allegedly killing his grandmother and dumping her body in the desert near the Nevada state line.

When authorities initially released information about the killing of Luisa Aguilar Ventura, there was no mention of what may have motivated 21-year-old Arturo Hernandez to allegedly kill his grandmother.

Recently obtained court documents reveal much about the case -- including allegations that Hernandez had a drug habit and was violent toward his grandmother in the past -- but fail to definitively identify an alleged motive.

Hernandez denied involvement in his grandmother's death when he was interviewed by San Bernardino County sheriff's detectives following his arrest, according to a declaration of probable cause attached to Hernandez's court file.

He has pleaded not guilty to murder charges, and remains jailed in lieu of $1 million bail at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga pending resolution of his case. He is next due in Barstow Superior Court on Jan. 5.

On Nov. 16, 2008 at about 5:30 p.m., Hernandez and Ventura left Las Vegas together in Ventura's Toyota Tacoma pickup truck to return home to Pomona. They had been visiting a relative in Las Vegas, authorities said.

The following day neither had arrived in Pomona, and family members filed a missing person's report for Ventura with the Pomona Police Department.

One of Ventura's daughters told police that Hernandez was a drug user who was released from jail in the past month, and she feared Hernandez could have possibly "done something" to his grandmother, according to a declaration written by San Bernardino County sheriff's Detective Robert Warrick.

On Nov. 24, one of Ventura's grandsons told police that Ventura told him a week prior to her disappearance that Hernandez had been hitting her.

Ventura also reportedly told her grandson that Hernandez asked her for money, but she didn't have any. Hernandez reportedly responded by choking Ventura until she felt like she was going to pass out, the grandson told police, Warrick wrote.

On Nov. 20, Ventura's truck was found abandoned in a parking lot at shopping center in the 1700 block of E. Main Street in Barstow. There had still been no contact between family members and Hernandez or Ventura.

Five days later, the body of a woman identified as Ventura, 58, was found behind a shrub by a truck driver who had exited the 15 Freeway to stretch at Cima Road, about 25 miles southwest of the Nevada state line, Warrick wrote.

Police found tire tracks, footprints and markings consistent with a dragged body in the dirt where Ventura's body was found, according to Warrick's declaration.

In an initial examination, a deputy coroner said it appeared Ventura suffered a broken neck and broken nose, Warrick wrote. She also had part of a purple bed sheet wrapped around her upper body, Warrick wrote.

When sheriff's detectives searched Ventura's abandoned pickup truck for evidence, they found blood drops on the center console and passenger side of the car. They also found a torn purple bed sheet in the trunk, Warrick wrote.

Investigators also found two fast-food receipts in the car dated Nov. 17. One was from a Jack in the Box in Yermo, timestamped 1:42 p.m. The other receipt, from a McDonald's in Barstow, listed a time of 5:19 p.m., Warrick wrote.

On Nov. 27, family members found Hernandez in Pomona. Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies contacted him, and he agreed to wait for detectives investigating Ventura's killing, Warrick wrote.

The shoes Hernandez was wearing when he was found had soles that were "similar in both design and size to shoe impressions found near Ventura's body," Warrick wrote.

When investigators arrived, Hernandez told them he was not involved in his grandmother's death, Warrick wrote.

He told investigators that his grandmother got angry at him in Las Vegas, kicked him out of her truck and left him at a gas station. He claimed he never saw Ventura again, Warrick wrote.

Hernandez told investigators that he hitchhiked with a truck driver who dropped him off in Bakersfield, and he hitchhiked from there back to the Los Angeles area, Warrick wrote.

He admitted during the interview that he ate at a Jack in the Box and a McDonald's during his trip back to Los Angeles, Warrick wrote. Hernandez was booked on murder charges after the interview.

View Arturo Hernandez case in a larger map

CHINO -- Edward Arthur Roman was reportedly drunk and angry about his misplaced cell phone when he stabbed two housemates this month in a gated community here, according to police reports attached to his court file.

Roman, 25, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder for the Nov. 9 incident in the 12400 block of Northpark Avenue, and he may face a life prison sentence if convicted.

Witnesses told police that Roman passed out after a night of drinking beer and other alcoholic drinks, according to police reports.

When he woke up at about 2 a.m., Roman searched for his cell phone but failed to find it, witnesses told police.

He went to an upstairs bedroom where his girlfriend of 10 years was sleeping, and he woke her up and began attacking her, demanding to know where his phone was, witnesses told police. The couple has two children together, according to police reports.

Two of Roman's housemates -- a father and his son -- heard Roman fighting with his girlfriend and tried to intervene to break up the fight.

Roman allegedly told the men, "I'm going to kill you," before going downstairs and retrieving two six-inch kitchen knives, witnesses told police.

When the father and son followed Roman downstairs, Roman reportedly told them, "Don't (mess) with me, I'm a crazy (expletive)." He then stabbed the father and son several times, both alleged victims told police.

The father was hospitalized with two stab wounds, each about one inch deep, and Roman was hospitalized with a single stab wound to the back, according to police reports.

Roman appeared in Chino Superior Court this morning to schedule a preliminary hearing. The court appearance was postponed to Dec. 9.

Roman remains jailed in lieu of $1 million bail at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga, according to booking records.

Prior to his arrest, Roman told police from his hospital bed that he retrieved the knives to defend himself against the father and son, according to police reports.

CHINO -- A shooting this month at the Chino Spectrum shopping center reportedly started as a low-level drug transaction.

A buyer and seller sat in a parked car and reportedly haggled over the price of marijuana. Moments later, the alleged drug dealer pulled out a pistol and said, "Sorry man, you're getting jacked," another man in the car told police.

A struggle over the weapon followed, and the would-be buyer was shot in the leg and ankle, a witness told police.

The alleged shooter, 20-year-old Christopher Yong O of Ontario, has been charged with attempted murder and attempted robbery for the Nov. 4 incident, and could face a life prison sentence if convicted.

O was in custody during a court appearance this morning in Chino Superior Court, unable to post $1 million bail.

At his next court date on Dec. 21, a judge will consider a request from O to lower his bail or release him from custody with a promise that he will make court appearances.

"My client is obviously extremely, extremely distraught over this accusation," O's attorney, Daniel Guerrero, said in an interview today. "We intend to defend Mr. O and in the end the truth will be clearly established that the alleged victims in his case are far from having clean hands."

At about 2 p.m. the day of the shooting, O sent a text message to his girlfriend saying he "had a terrible night at the casino," was "pissed," and planned to "jack somebody," according to police reports.

The reputed buyer brought his cousin and his girlfriend to the Spectrum the day of the shooting, parked his car near Mimi's Cafe, and waited at a nearby restaurant for O, according to witnesses.

When O arrived, the buyer and his cousin got into the buyer's car. Less than a minute later O allegedly opened fire.

One bullet passed through the victim's left thigh without striking an artery. The victim was also struck in the left ankle, suffering a fractured bone and a severed artery, according to the police report.

The men exited the car, and a struggle over the gun continued. A 9mm pistol dropped to the ground, and O fled the area, witnesses told police.

Investigators determined O's home address -- in the 3200 block of Stallion Street -- through his cell phone records. Police discovered O was in the area by tracing the phone's signal to nearby cell towers.

At about 4:30 p.m., O sent his girlfriend another text message: "Can you call me please emergency."

Later in the evening, officers staking out O's home saw a car driven by a young woman arrive. O got in the car and it drove off, and officers pulled the vehicle over at Riverside Drive and Archibald Avenue, according to police reports.

As O sat handcuffed near the site of the traffic stop, the alleged victim arrived and identified him as the shooter, according to police reports.

O initially denied wrongdoing in an interview with police, according to police reports.

When an officer told O he doubted his honesty, O apologized and told the officer "some drug dealers tried to jack me," and O defended himself, according to police reports.

Later in the conversation, O again modified his statement, telling an officer that "a friend came and helped me out." O declined to identify his friend, according to police reports.

A Perris man has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and three other felonies for his alleged participation in a deadly home-invasion robbery in Fontana last month.

Roberto Carlos Tirad Osuna, 26, was initially unable to appear in court after his arrest, because he was hospitalized with several gunshot wounds suffered during the Oct. 30 incident. He appeared in Fontana Superior Court on Thursday to enter a plea.

Prosecutors say Osuna was one of four men who allegedly went to a home in the 7400 block of Almeria Avenue in Fontana intending to break in, tie up the homeowner and his family, and take large amounts of cocaine and cash they believed was there.

But when the alleged robbers entered the home, the homeowner, Robert Ramirez, opened fire.

Ramirez shot and killed one of the robbers -- Lucio Chavez Jimenez, 37, of Moreno Valley -- and the robbers returned fire, shooting and killing Ramirez.

Osuna and another alleged robber -- Lee Allen Johnson, 25, of the Riverside area -- are both charged with two counts of attempted murder, and one count each of burglary, attempted robbery, and assault with a deadly weapon.

Both men remain jailed without the possibility of bail at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga, according to jail records. They are next due in court Jan. 6.

From the San Gabriel Valley Tribune:

POMONA -- Police shot and wounded a man late Friday, however little information about the incident was provided.

The shooting occurred about 7:45 p.m. in the 1400 block of Edgehill Drive, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Diane Hecht said in a written statement.

A person described only as a black man was wounded, and no officers were injured, Hecht said. The condition of the wounded man was not released.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau is assisting the Pomona Police Department in the investigation and handling the release of information to the public, as is common in officer-involved shooting investigations involving police department within Los Angeles County.

Sheriff's officials released no further information about the shooting Saturday afternoon.

From the San Gabriel Valley Tribune:

Laron Taylor of Moreno Valley (pictured) remains at large.

DIAMOND BAR -- Deputies have arrested three men on suspicion of rape and a fourth remains at large.

A woman reported on Nov. 13 that she had been raped by four men while "hanging out" in a Diamond Bar apartment complex, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Detective Greg Salcido said.

The four suspected rapists are acquaintances of the woman, Salcido said.

Deputies immediately arrested Tarveon Taylor, of Diamond Bar, on charges of rape, Salcido said.

Within a few days, detectives arrested Damien Marrow at his home in Diamond Bar, Salcido said.

Phillip Knox, of Diamond Bar, turned himself into deputies Sunday, Salcido said.

The fourth and final suspect, Laron Taylor, of Moreno Valley, remains at large. Salcido said he spoke to Taylor's family members who said Taylor plans to turn himself in on Monday.

All four men are in their early 20's, Salcido said.

The woman did not sustain any injuries during the rape, nor did the men use physical violence, Salcido said.

The woman was conscious during the rape and able to identify her attackers, Salcido said.

Taylor, Marrow and Knox were arraigned on charges of rape and oral copulation, Salcido said.

They remain in County jail in lieu of $1 million bail, or more, Salcido said.

An Ontario man with a history of spousal abuse has been charged with attempted murder for allegedly driving recklessly with his girlfriend in the bed of his pickup truck.

David Lam Andalon's girlfriend told police that Andalon, 27, repeatedly peeled out, slammed on his brakes, and served from side to side during the Nov. 9 incident, according to Ontario police Detective Jeff Higbee.

Andalon, an unemployed truck driver, was charged by prosecutors Friday with attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant.

According to court records, Andalon has two prior convictions in San Bernardino County for spousal abuse -- a felony conviction in 2002 for inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant, and a misdemeanor conviction in 2005 for battery on a spouse or cohabitant.

Higbee said the victim Andalon's prior cases is the same woman Andalon allegedly attempted to kill in the recent incident.

Andalon and his girlfriend live together and have one child together, Higbee said.

At about 12:30 a.m. on Nov. 9, Andalon and his girlfriend got into an argument at their home in the 2700 block of E. Chaparral Street in Ontario, and Andalon tried to leave in his truck, Higbee said.

The woman didn't want Andalon to leave, so she jumped into the bed of Andalon's truck thinking it would keep Andalon from driving away because of the danger to her, Higbee said.

But Andalon drove off anyway. A block from Andalon's house, a witness reported seeing a truck drive past with a woman in the bed who yelled, "Stop him," Higbee said.

Andalon allegedly drove erratically for about two miles before stopping to let his girlfriend out at Haven Avenue and Riverside Drive, Higbee said.

Police found four large skid marks in Andalon's neighborhood that were reportedly left when Andalon peeled out -- the skid marks ranged in length from 10 feet to 45 feet, Higbee said.

Andalon was arrested at about 2:40 a.m. after his girlfriend reported the incident at the Ontario Police Station, Higbee said.

"She told the police that he made threats, death threats, but there's nothing in (police reports) saying he admitted to that," Higbee said.

Andalon posted bail following his arrest, and is scheduled to appear in West Valley Superior Court in January for an arraignment hearing.

In addition to spousal abuse convictions, Andalon has misdemeanor convictions in the county for reckless driving, from 2004, and and for vandalism, from 2005, according to court records.

PDF: Zendejas Complaint.pdf

PDF: County Response.pdf

Attorneys representing Los Angeles County and sheriff's department officials are calling on a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by former NFL placekicker Tony Zendejas.

In their response last week to Zendejas' lawsuit, the attorneys say there is no basis for Zendejas' claims that sheriff's officials violated his constitutional rights when investigating a rape allegation against him.

Zendejas, 49, was acquitted by a jury in March of charges that he drugged a patron at his San Dimas restaurant and raped and sodomized her at a nearby motel. Zendejas denies drugging the woman and he testified at his trial that the sex was consensual.

In his federal complaint against the county in July, Zendejas alleges that officials at the sheriff department's San Dimas station sought to undermine him and his business, Zendejas Mexican Restaurant, for most of this decade.

Their efforts culminated in a biased rape investigation and Zendejas' arrest on rape charges in January 2008, Zendejas alleges.

"Investigating Officers conducted an ineffectual, reckless, grossly negligent, and biased investigation," said Zendejas' complaint.

Zendejas is demanding at least $2 million for damages in his lawsuit, which names as defendants the county, the sheriff's department, and Detective Don Nelson, the investigator from the department's San Dimas station who spearheaded the Zendejas investigation.

Attorneys for the county denied Zendejas' claims in their Friday filing, and offered several generic defenses to his allegations.

Zendejas's attorney, James Reiss, called the county's response "standard pleading" and said he wasn't surprised by anything in the document.

Reiss said he plans to attend a mediation meeting with attorneys for the county to discuss a potential settlement prior to a scheduled court appearance in early February.

If Zendejas and the county fail to reach a settlement, trial dates may be set at the February hearing in federal court, Reiss said.

Zendejas and attorneys for the county did not return calls seeking comment today.

Zendejas, a Chino native and current Yorba Linda resident, played in the NFL for 11 seasons in the '80s and '90s, including four seasons with the Los Angeles Rams. He has owned Zendejas Mexican Restaurant in San Dimas since 1987.

In his lawsuit, Zendejas claims that in official reports the sheriff's department portrayed his restaurant as a hotbed of criminal activity.

He also claims that deputies harassed and wrongfully issued parking tickets to his patrons in an effort to protect the financial health of a neighboring bar, Montana's, which hosted functions for the county and the sheriff's department.

Zendejas alleges that Nelson obtained an arrest warrant through false pretenses. Nelson included misleading and manipulated facts about Zendejas' case in a statement of probable cause that was reviewed by a judge, Zendejas alleges.

"Nelson targeted (Zendejas) because of his celebrity status, and Nelson knew that his arrest would lead to vast television, Internet and print media coverage and publicity that would bolster his career and lead to incalculable personal, social, and economic damage for (Zendejas)," said Zendejas' complaint.

Fox 11's coverage of Zendejas' acquittal:

From the Associated Press:

SAN FRANCISCO -- A judge's decision to move Johannes Mehserle's murder trial to Los Angeles County is a setback for the former transit police officer charged with gunning down an unarmed man on New Year's Day.

Jurors throughout the state are typically sympathetic to police officers, and Mehserle could have expected a leg up before the start of trial in most any courtroom in California's 58 counties.

But legal analysts say Los Angeles is atypical and a bad draw for the former Bay Area Rapid Transit officer.

Mehserle, who was in uniform when he drew his service gun, will have to overcome the lingering specters of the Rodney King beating; the O.J. Simpson acquittal because of police behavior; police corruption cases; and other high-profile verdicts that expose many residents' deep-rooted skepticism of law enforcement.

"Los Angeles County is the polar opposite of most counties," said Jim Hammer, a former San Francisco prosecutor. Hammer was one of two prosecutors on San Francisco's infamous "dog mauling" case, which was transferred in 2001 to Los Angeles for trial because of extensive pretrial publicity.

"We were disappointed," Hammer said of the transfer, even though he ended up winning the case and Marjorie Knoller and her husband, Robert Noel, were convicted of keeping large dogs in their apartment that mauled a neighbor to death.

Mehserle and other transit officers were responding to a fight at an Oakland BART station when he fatally shot Oscar Grant in the back. Mehserle, 27, has pleaded not guilty to murder. His attorneys say he mistakenly pulled his gun rather than a Taser in an attempt to subdue Grant, 22.

The shooting of the unarmed black man by a white police officer was video-recorded by several bystanders. It went "viral" on the Internet and unleashed pent-up racial tension in Oakland for weeks. The social unrest and extensive media coverage in the San Francisco Bay area prompted Alameda Superior Court Judge Morris Jacobson to transfer the trial to Los Angeles. The case is to be tried in the same courthouse where O.J. Simpson was acquitted of murder.

Mehserle's attorney Michael Rains said he is disappointed with Jacobson's decision. Rains had argued that his client would receive a fairer trial in San Diego County, a location the judge considered before choosing Los Angeles.

"It is a scary prospect for a police officer to be tried before any jury with anti-police sentiment," Rains said. He said he's concerned the jury pool will be limited to residents living within 20 miles of the courthouse because census data he has studied suggests the area has a higher-than-average black population.

That's important because legal experts said race can be a vital component in a close case.

"If the evidence is clear, jurors are likely to be able to set race aside," said Kathy Kellerman, a Marina del Rey-based jury consultant. "If the evidence is unclear or ambiguous, the racial and
economic makeup of the jury could influence the verdict."

Kellerman said recent downtown Los Angeles jury pools have been 15 percent to 20 percent black and about 20 percent white. The predominant race of downtown Los Angeles jurors in recent years has been Asian and Latino, she said.

"A surprising number of jurors in the LA jury pool have had negative experiences with law enforcement officers and/or are cautious or even negative in their attitudes about law enforcement officers," Kellerman said.

One outside observer, defense lawyer Daniel Horowitz said Mehserle can take some solace in Los Angeles' size and diversity.

"It's a sophisticated and educated jury pool," Horowitz said. "And this is the kind of complicated case that needs sophisticated thinking."

From the Associated Press:

OAKLAND -- The trial of a white former San Francisco Bay Area transit officer charged in the killing of an unarmed black man will be moved to Los Angeles County because of extensive media coverage and other possible distractions to trial participants, a judge ruled Thursday.

The decision by Alameda County Superior Court Judge Morris Jacobson comes a month after he decided the murder trial of Johannes Mehserle would be moved out of that area.

State court officials recommended Los Angeles and San Diego counties to the judge as possible sites for a trial.

Mehserle, 27, is charged with fatally shooting Oscar Grant, 22, at a Bay Area Rapid Transit station in Oakland on New Year's Day. The incident was video-recorded by several bystanders, shown across the Internet and subsequently used as evidence in a preliminary hearing last spring.

"This is the most important decision in this case, other than the verdict," John Burris, the attorney representing Grant's family, said after Thursday's ruling. "If the case went to San Diego County, Mehserle would have walked."

"L.A. County has a lot more experience dealing in cases with African American men being killed by police," he said. "They can understand those issues rightly or wrongly, up or down."

Mehserle has pleaded not guilty in the case. Jacobson said that Los Angeles County court officials may not be ready to handle the case for at least six months, even a year.

Jacobson apparently had to weigh costs for Alameda County by comparing possible trial costs in Los Angeles and San Diego counties. The judge said San Diego County court officials told him that their courthouse was not prepared for a high-profile case and would have to make significant security adjustments and provide a judge at a cost to Alameda County.

Los Angeles County said it would be able to provide its own judge.

Mehserle's attorney, Michael Rains argued Thursday that he preferred San Diego County because it has enough courtroom space and with Mehserle's right to a speedy trial, one could begin as early as January.

Rains also argued that if the trial is held in Los Angeles County, there could be a "boiling cauldron" similar to the violent aftermath in the 1992 Rodney King case.

Rains also said there has been more media coverage in Los Angeles about the case compared to San Diego.

"It is possible that this case ignites that boiling cauldron," Rains said.

Rains argued for a change of venue, citing a survey of nearly 400 potential jurors. It found nearly 97 percent knew details about the case, and nearly half believe Mehserle is guilty or probably guilty.

Prosecutor David Stein argued on Thursday that Los Angeles County has the capability and the security needed for such a highly charged case. He also said the odds of getting more African Americans on a jury is greater in Los Angeles County than in San Diego County.

A diverse jury will bring more "legitimacy" to Alameda County residents, no matter the final outcome, he added.

"When the verdict is ultimately rendered, the people of Alameda County must feel like their interests have been served," Stein said. "The interest of justice makes it clear that it should be in Los Angeles."

According to 2008 Census figures, 14 percent of Alameda County's 1.5 million residents are African-American, compared with 9 percent of the 9.9 million residents in Los Angeles County and 5 percent of 3 million residents in San Diego County.

Grant's mother, Wanda Johnson, said she was overjoyed with the judge's decision. She said she planned to attend the trial.

"I want to ensure that justice is served, and my family believes that in Los Angeles County we can get a better pool of jurors and a more favorable decision there than San Diego," she said.

Jacobson said he will ask state Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald George to assign a justice to handle the trial. The judge set another hearing for Dec. 15.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- A husband and wife are headed to state prison after pleading guilty Friday to charges that they stole $750,000 in inheritance money from orphans in their care.

Richard and Yvonne Reyes, of Rancho Cucamonga, agreed to prison sentences of four years and two years, respectively, as part of plea bargains reached with prosecutors Friday in West Valley Superior Court, said an attorney for one of the defendants.

They each pleaded guilty Friday to a single count of grand theft, and will likely be ordered to pay the victims a restitution sum in the "mid six-figures" when they are sentenced Dec. 22, said James Reiss, Richard Reyes' attorney.

The Reyeses were granted temporary custody of three children in September 2006 after the children's parents died in a murder-suicide.

The Reyeses knew the children and their parents though youth sports, and the children's father said in a suicide note that he wanted to the Reyeses to care for his children.

In the 18 months after the Reyeses were named the children's guardians, prosecutors allege they spent about $750,000 that the children inherited from their parents -- money from pension benefits, life insurance, and social security.

When multiple felony charges were filed against the Reyeses in April, investigators said they were unsure how the couple spent the money.

Because the Reyeses have been in custody since they were arrested in April, about one year of custody time will be deducted from their prison sentences, Reiss said.

Yvonne Reyes, 49, could be released from state prison in about six months, and Richard Reyes, 51, could be released in about a year and a half, Reiss said.

From Daniel Tedford at the San Gabriel Valley Tribune:

POMONA - A woman who pleaded guilty to embezzling funds from the La Verne Girls Softball Association was sentenced at the Pomona Courthouse Friday, said Los Angeles County District Attorney's office officials.

Christine Lopez, 39, of Pomona, worked as a treasurer on the league's board. As part of a plea deal, Lopez received the recommended sentence of 30 days in county jail and three years probation. Lopez also will have to do 120 days of community service and will pay $20,000 in restitution.

She paid $10,000 of that restitution at a Nov. 13 court date when she accepted the deal.

Lopez was taken into custody immediately following today's hearing and will serve her sentence as straight time, Lopez's attorney Edgar Diaz said. She was credited with one day served.

Deputy District Attorney Duke Chau consulted with the softball association as well as detectives to determine the specifics of the plea deal, Chau said.

Lopez was arrested Jan. 8 by La Verne police and a case was filed with the district attorney's office over summer.

Staff writer Will Bigham contributed to this report.

Three Pomona men accused in a February gang killing pleaded not guilty today to charges of murder and attempted murder, a prosecutor said.

Cesar Sierra, 32, Albert Martinez, 25, and Florencio Reyes, 18, allegedly visited a Motel 6 in Pomona on Feb. 28 aiming to kill Jorge Sandoval in retaliation for an earlier gang killing.

Sandoval survived their alleged ambush, but his girlfriend, Nelssa Tovar, was shot and killed as she sat in bed during the incident.

The alleged triggerman, Reyes, reportedly killed Tovar to eliminate witnesses, according to testimony at a July preliminary hearing.

All three men remained jailed Friday without the possibility of bail at Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic.

A Feb. 2 trial date was set for the three men today in Pomona Superior Court, said Deputy District Attorney Bjorn Dodd.

A man wanted in connection with a recent killing in Chino is 19 years old, not 29 as previously reported by Chino officials, authorities said Thursday.

Andrew Angel Valenzuela of Ontario was allegedly involved in the killing of David Arthur Padilla of Pomona, whose body was found under a 60 Freeway overpass Nov. 7.

Chino police have been unable to locate Valenzuela, and are seeking the public's assistance in finding him.

Police say Valenzuela is a member of a Pomona street gang, and has a large "P" tattoo on the right side of his neck. He has friends and family in Pomona and San Bernardino, according to a Chino spokeswoman.

Valenzuela pleaded no contest in Pomona Superior Court last month to a misdemeanor count of second-degree burglary of a vehicle, according to a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

Pomona police arrested Valenzuela on Oct. 16, and he was released from custody Oct. 21, according to online records from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and placed on probation for three years, the district attorney spokeswoman said.

Also suspected in the killing of Padilla, 29, is 32-year-old Robert Louis Caballero of Ontario.

Caballero has also been charged with murder for a September killing in Pomona, and is a suspect in the killing of a woman whose body was found buried this month beside Mt. Baldy Road in the San Gabriel Mountains.

The Chino Police Department has asked anyone with information on Padilla's death or Valenzuela's whereabouts to contact them at (909) 590-5549.

A 24-hour tip line for people to report dog fighting has been established by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, officials announced Tuesday.

The phone number for the tip line is 1-877-NO2FITE. People who report dog-fighting tips that lead to arrests or convictions can earn a reward of up to $5,000.

The reward program is funded by the Humane Society of the United States.

From the Associated Press:

POMONA -- A man is facing a misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter charge stemming from a crash that killed a 3-year-old girl walking with her father and 5-year-old sister outside a school in Diamond Bar nearly a year ago.

Conrado Pantig Maglonzo, 69, is due in Pomona Superior Court Dec. 18 for arraignment.

The defendant's Nissan Pathfinder went over a curb near Maple Hill Elementary School on Nov. 26, 2008, striking Michelle Kwon. The youngster died of her injuries about 24 hours later.

A Los Angeles County sheriff's sergeant said after the crash that the man was parking his vehicle as he was dropping off children and lost control of the SUV.

CHINO -- Police are seeking a second suspect in the killing of a Pomona man whose body was discovered under a freeway overpass here on Nov. 7.

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Andrew Angel Valenzuela, 19, of Ontario, for his suspected involvement in the killing of David Arthur Padilla, 29, according to a Chino news release issued this afternoon.

Valenzuela is a member of a Pomona street gang and has a large "P" tattoo on the right side of his neck, according to the news release.

He has family and friends in Pomona and San Bernardino, said Chino spokeswoman Michelle Van Der Linden.

Authorities found Padilla's body under a 60 Freeway overpass in the 3700 block of Walnut Avenue. He died from upper-body trauma, according to the San Bernardino County Coroner's Office.

Also suspected in Padilla's killing is 32-year-old Robert Louis Caballero, who authorities have linked to three recent killings.

Caballero was arrested in the early morning of Nov. 7 for the Sept. 29 shooting death in Pomona of Armando Vidana, 25.

After Caballero was taken into custody, authorities learned of Padilla's killing as well as the killing of Lorraine Minjarez, 32, whose body was buried beside Mt. Baldy Road in the San Gabriel Mountains.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has charged Caballero with murder for Vidana's death.

Caballero, who has two previous strike convictions, has pleaded not guilty to the crime. He remains jailed in lieu of $3 million bail at Men's Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles.

Valenzuela is about 5 feet 11 inches tall, and weighs about 185 pounds, according to the news release.

The Chino Police Department has asked anyone with information on the case to contact them at (909) 590-5549.

11/19/09 CORRECTION: Valenzuela's age has been corrected. It was mistakenly reported as 29 in a Chino news release.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- Nearly two weeks after her car was broadsided by a transient accused of fleeing authorities in a stolen car, an 18-year-old woman remains in critical condition with serious head injuries.

Jessica Garcia, of Rancho Cucamonga, is in a medically induced coma in the intensive care unit at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, said San Bernardino County Sheriff's spokeswoman Tracy Dorsey.

Garcia has not regained consciousness since the Nov. 3 crash, Dorsey said today.

Patrick Griffin, 41, has been charged with four felonies for allegedly running several red lights attempting to evade a sheriff's deputy on Arrow Route in Rancho Cucamonga.

When Griffin ran a red light at Vineyard Avenue, he slammed into the passenger side of Garcia's car, according to authorities.

Griffin, of Washington, remains jailed in lieu of $1.5 million bail at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.

CORONA -- A married couple who own a tax preparation business have been convicted by a jury on four felony counts related to income tax fraud.

Aloysius Vivo, 55, and Rachel Vivo, 47, of Chino Hills, were convicted by a jury Nov. 10 of criminal charges stemming from a tax return filed in February 2001.

On the tax return, the Vivos claimed a child credit they were ineligible for, and failed to report income they paid to cappers who helped find clients for their business, Vivo-Cota & Associates, according to a news release issued by the California Franchise Tax Board.

A jury deliberated for about four hours before reaching verdicts Nov. 10 in Corona Superior Court, court records show. The Vivos face up to five years in state prison, according to the news release.

The couple also face felony tax-fraud charges in San Bernardino County, where prosecutors have charged them with three counts of filing false tax returns in 2002, court records show.

LOS ANGELES -- A Chino loan officer has been convicted of 11 counts of bank fraud for his role in a $16 million real estate scheme in which a developer paid homebuyers kickbacks that were funded through fraudulent loans.

Bradley Bishop, a former loan officer at Washington Mutual and Bank of America, was convicted in federal court in September of processing 11 fraudulent loans last year worth about $12.5 million.

Along with a Colorado developer and a Torrance real estate agent, Bishop helped arrange illegal kickbacks to buyers of million-dollar homes in order to entice potential buyers to move forward on purchases, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The kickbacks -- typically equalling between 20 percent to 23 percent of a home's sale price -- were funded through fraudulent home loans, according to the news release.

U.S. Attorney's news release.pdf

A man accused in a deadly home-invasion robbery pleased not guilty this afternoon to two counts of murder and three other felonies.

Lee Allen Johnson, 25, was allegedly one of four men who went to Robert Ramirez's Fontana home Oct. 30 intending to tie up Ramirez and his family and take large amounts of cash and cocaine they believed was there.

But when Johnson and his alleged co-conspirators entered the house, Ramirez opened fire, shooting and killing one of the robbers -- Lucio Chavez Jimenez, 37, of Moreno Valley, according to authorities.

Ramirez, 36, was killed when the robbers returned fire, authorities said.

Johnson, from the Riverside area, was charged today with two counts of murder, as well as burglary, attempted robbery, and assault with a deadly weapon.

Johnson remains jailed at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.

A judge declined to set bail today in Fontana Superior Court because of the severity of the charges.

Johnson is next due in court Nov. 24 for a bail hearing.

One of the other alleged robbers -- Roberto Carlos Tirad Osuna, 26, of Perris -- has been charged but has not appeared in court yet because he is recovering from multiple gunshot wounds.

From the San Gabriel Valley Tribune:

A woman accused of stealing $55,000 from the La Verne Girls Softball Association pleaded no contest to embezzlement today. Christine Lopez, 39, of Pomona, worked as a treasurer on the league's board.

She will be sentenced on Nov. 20.

As part of the plea deal, officials said she will serve 30 days in county jail and spend three years on probation. Lopez also will have to do 120 days of community service and will pay $20,000 in restitution.

She paid $10,000 to the court today.

Deputy District Attorney Duke Chau declined to comment on the plea after today's hearing, so it was not immediately clear why Lopez will not have to repay the full amount.

Lopez was arrested Jan. 8 by La Verne police.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- An alleged Pomona gang member was sentenced this morning in West Valley Superior Court to nearly 30 years in prison for shooting and killing two young men in an internal gang feud.

Victor Marez, 27, pleaded guilty in May to two counts of manslaughter for the shooting deaths in 2005 of Henry Valle and Narisco Perez, both 18.

Marez and the two victims were members of the same low-level Pomona street gang, and the killings were set in motion when Valle burglarized a home that the gang later learned belonged to a Mexican Mafia shot-caller, according to authorities.

In response to the burglary, the high-level gang member reportedly threatened to "green-light" attacks on members of Marez's gang unless the gang dealt with the burglary internally, according to authorities.

Rather than face retribution, Marez shot and killed Valle on Jan. 30, 2005 as he sat in a car with Perez in the 4200 block of Los Serranos Boulevard in Chino Hills, according to authorities.

Authorities believe Perez had nothing to do with the burglary, but was killed because he had the unfortunate luck of being with Valle when the hit was carried out.

With the time Marez has already spent in prison deducted from his sentence, he could be released in about 22 years, said Deputy District Attorney Mike Dowd.

Pictured (L-R): Jessica de la Torre and Victor Aaron Alburto Lozada.

RIVERSIDE -- An Upland man was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison this afternoon for his murder conviction stemming from the brutal rape, robbery and killing of an 18-year-old Ontario woman in 2003.

Victor Lozada, 36, was convicted by a jury of second-degree murder in September for his role in the killing of Jessica de la Torre.

Lozada is the last of three co-defendants to be convicted and sentenced for De la Torre's killing. He will be eligible for parole in 2018.

Prosecutors said Lozada played a key role in the robbery and murder plot by giving his two co-conspirators car rides in the course of the killing.

Lozada, a Mexico native, testified during his trial that he was unaware his friends were involved in a murder plot when he gave them rides in the course of the crime.

On Aug. 15, 2003, Lozada's alleged co-conspirators -- Jesus Penuelas and Sergio Arias -- robbed De la Torre at her Ontario home, and stabbed her several times to induce her to tell them the PIN number for her ATM card.

Penuelas then raped De la Torre, knocked her unconscious and put her in the trunk of her father's car, which he stole. He later ran her over with the car to kill her on a fire road in the Jurupa Mountains.

Penuelas was sentenced to death for his role in the killing, and Arias was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

The trial that ended in a murder conviction in September was Lozada's third. Mistrials were declared in his two previous trials, with juries both times deadlocking 11-1 in favor of a guilty verdict.

Jury selection began this afternoon in a trial for two alleged Fontana gang members accused of shooting someone who confronted them while they were tagging.

Angel Valencia, 20, and Andrew Valdivia, 19, each face two counts attempted murder in Fontana Superior Court for the Sept. 2, 2008 shooting.

Valencia and Valdivia are accused of shooting at a 41-year-old man and his teenage son after the father and son confronted the alleged gang members with baseball bats as they tagged a wall in Fontana's Southridge neighborhood.

Valencia and Valdivia fled when confronted, and enlisted a driver to take them to the father and son's home, according to prosecutors. Once there, Valencia and Valdivia opened fire, hitting the father twice, according to prosecutors.

The driver was initially charged with two counts of attempted murder for his role in the incident, but he accepted a plea bargain from prosecutors for a one-year jail sentence in exchange for testimony against Valencia and Valdivia.

A Chino man pleaded not guilty this morning to attempted murder and another felony for allegedly stabbing two men this week at a home in a gated community.

Edward Arthur Roman, 25, was in custody in lieu of $1 million bail during the brief arraignment hearing in Chino Superior Court.

Roman, an oil technician, is accused of stabbing two men during a fight Monday in the 12400 block of Northpark Avenue in Chino. One of the alleged victims was hospitalized.

He is next due in court Nov. 19.

View Edward Arthur Roman case in a larger map

Prosecutors charged a man with attempted murder and another felony on Tuesday for allegedly stabbing two men this week at a home in a Chino gated community.

Edward Arthur Roman, of Chino, is accused of arming himself with two knives during a fight early Monday in the 12400 block of Northpark Avenue, and stabbing two men. One of the men was hospitalized following the attack.

In addition to attempted murder, prosecutors charged Roman on Tuesday with one count of threatening to kill or injure.

Roman, a 25-year-old oil technician, is also accused of violating his probation for January convictions for driving with a suspended license and marijuana possession.

He was also cited in May for marijuana possession and driving with his headlights turned off, but he failed to appear in July for his arraignment. He appeared in Chino Superior Court on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to the charges from May.

Roman remains jailed in lieu of $1 million bail at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.

He is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday on the charges filed this week, according to online booking records.

View Edward Arthur Roman case in a larger map

POMONA -- An alleged gang member linked to three recent killings made his first court appearance this morning since his arrest over the weekend.

Robert Louis Caballero's arraignment on murder charges for a September gang killing was postponed two weeks for scheduling reasons.

Meanwhile, additional details trickled out today about the killings that police say they have linked to the 32-year-old Pomona man.

Caballero, who has two strike convictions for previous crimes, was arrested early Saturday on a warrant issued for the September gang killing in Pomona.

After Caballero's arrest, Pomona police learned of two additional killings and notified neighboring police agencies of the location of the victims' bodies.

A 29-year-old El Monte man whose body was found Saturday under a Chino freeway overpass was Caballero's second cousin, according to family members of the victim -- David Arthur Padilla, Jr. -- who attended Caballero's court appearance today in Pomona Superior Court.

Padilla was reportedly last been seen by his family members on Thursday.

The relationship between Caballero and his other suspected victim remains unclear.

Lorraine Minjarez, 32, was found buried alongside Mt. Baldy Road on Saturday in the San Gabriel Mountains. She had been strangled and her throat was slashed, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office.

Investigators believe Minjarez, of Covina, was killed near the site where she was buried, and was killed in "the last few days" prior to the discovery of her body, said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lt. Dan Rosenberg.

Pomona police notified sheriff's investigators of the general vicinity where Minjarez was buried, and investigators found her body after searching a "relatively small" area, Rosenberg said.

Caballero has not been charged in connection with either killing.

During his brief court appearance today, Caballero appeared to be at ease wearing blue jail-issued clothing. He smiled several times and laughed once during the hearing.

Caballero's mother, a Mira Loma resident, attended the hearing and said in an interview that she doesn't know whether her son is responsible for the killings he's accused of committing.

"All I can say is I'm really sorry about what happened," Thelma Caballero said. "He's a good kid. I don't know what happened."

Caballero remains jailed in lieu of $3 million bail at Men's Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- A judge sentenced a 32-year-old man to 240 days in jail today for an August attack on his wife of nine years.

Juan Marrafo Cisneros pleaded no contest to one count of spousal abuse in West Valley Superior Court last month as part of a plea bargain reached with prosecutors.

He was initially charged with attempted murder, but that charge was dropped when Cisneros took the plea bargain.

Prosecutors accused Cisneros of attacking his wife at the couple's Ontario home following an argument over the wife's treatment of their children.

Cisneros' wife initially told police that her husband's attack was extensive and brutal, but she took back many of her accusations in subsequent interviews, prosecutors said.

An Ontario man pleaded not guilty this morning to attempted murder and attempted robbery for a shooting incident last week at the Chino Spectrum shopping center.

Christopher O, 20, is accused of shooting a man in the thigh and ankle in the course of a Nov. 4 robbery attempt in the parking lot of Mimi's Cafe.

He appeared in Chino Superior Court today for his arraignment, and is next due in court Nov. 25.

O remains jailed in lieu of $1 million bail.

A Pomona man charged in connection with a September gang killing and linked to two additional killings is expected to be arraigned Tuesday on murder charges.

Robert Louis Caballero, 32, was charged Oct. 30 in connection to the Sept. 29 shooting death of Armando Vidana, 25, of Pomona, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

In the hours after Caballero was arrested Saturday by Pomona police, investigators learned the locations of two additional victims whose killings are believed to be tied to Caballero, said Steve Whitmore, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

"We do believe they're related," Whitmore said.

Authorities identified the two additional victims as El Monte native David Arthur Padilla Jr., 29, whose body was found under a Chino freeway overpass, and 32-year-old Lorraine Minjarez of Covina. Minjarez's body was buried along Mt. Baldy Road near mile marker 1.34.

Multiple police sources declined to specify how authorities learned of the two additional victims.

Vidana was shot multiple times after 3 a.m. Sept. 29 in the 600 Block of Illinois Street, and later died at a local hospital.

Investigators linked Caballero to the shooting after witnesses told police that prior Vidana's death, Caballero told people he was going to kill him, said Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Bjorn Dodd, who filed the case against Caballero.

Caballero and Vidana were members of rival gangs, and Caballero's motive in the killing was related to the gang rivalry, Dodd said.

Three days after the killing, on Oct. 2, police located Caballero and his girlfriend, 20-year-old Jessica Renee Prendiz of Pomona, Dodd said.

Caballero and Prendiz ran from police, and as they fled Prendiz discarded the weapon allegedly used to kill Vidana, Dodd said.

Prendiz was arrested Oct. 2 and has been charged with an accessory to murder after the fact. She remains jailed in lieu of $500,000 bail and is next due in Pomona Superior Court on Nov. 24.

At about 1 a.m. Saturday, Pomona police attempted to pull over Caballero for a traffic violation in the area of Holt Avenue and Reservoir Street, according to a Pomona police news release.

Rather than pull over, Caballero led officers on a brief pursuit into Montclair. His silver Dodge Charger crashed into a light pole at Pradera Avenue and Granada Street and Caballero attempted to flee on foot before he was arrested, police said.

Caballero reportedly had a passenger in the car when he led officers on the pursuit. The identity of the passenger and the passenger's relationship to Caballero remains unclear.

Before sunset on Saturday, authorities had recovered the bodies of Padilla and Minjarez.

Padilla, a reputed El Monte gang member whose last known address was in Pomona, was found at about noon in the 3800 block of Walnut Avenue in Chino under a 60 Freeway overpass.

His family members told a reporter for ABC-7 that he was last seen at home on Thursday.

And at 4 p.m. authorities recovered the body of Minjarez. Early evidence indicated she was strangled, and suffered slash wounds to her neck, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office.

Caballero remains jailed in lieu of $3 million bail at the Men's Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles. He is expected to be arraigned Tuesday morning in Pomona Superior Court.

A man who lives next to Caballero's parents in a Mira Loma senior-housing complex said this afternoon that he remembered Caballero as a nice, pleasant person.

"I've never seen Robbie angry or anything," said Jerry Edwards, a 65-year-old retiree. Edwards said Caballero used to live at his parents' home in Mira Loma, but he said he hadn't seen Caballero there lately.

"I think he's a nice guy, you know," Edwards said. "They moved out of Pomona because of the gangs."

In its criminal complaint, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office alleged Caballero has two prior felony convictions.

In March 1996, he was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon in San Luis Obispo County, according to the complaint. And in April 2003 he was convicted in San Bernardino County of resisting arrest.

Staff Writers Thomas Himes and Lori Consalvo contributed to this report.

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.