Watch over those plastic chairs

This from reporter Brian Day who reports that Pasadena Police are on “plastic chair patrol” today. Apparently, patrons of the coveted Tournament of Roses parade are not allowed to leave their belongings unattended on the parade route. That includes those ever popular plastic chairs usually used as placemarkers for eager parade watchers. Read on:

Though officially Rose Parade watchers are not supposed to begin claiming their street-side spots from which to observe the festivities, some just couldn’t wait, Pasadena police said.

Shortly after 10 a.m., people were already staking out prime locations along the parade route with lawn chairs, said Pasadena police Lt. Keith Jones.

All chairs and other items along the route must not be left unattended or they will be impounded Jones added, and will have to be picked up later.

Not every seat must necessarily be filled, however.

One person can keep guard over several chairs for friends or family, Jones said, but within reason.

It’s not OK for one person to watch over a large number of seats, he said.

 

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Man arrested in connection with Whittier killing

Police have arrested Ernesto Rosas, 24, of Montebello, for allegedly crushing two men with his SUV at a house party on Sunday, killing one and injuring another.

 

Rosas was detained walking on the streets in Montebello on Sunday afternoon. He was arrested on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, California Highway Patrol Officer Joe Zizi said.
Authorities believe Rosas was at a house party in the 7700 block of Vanport Avenue about 1 a.m. Sunday when he started to become unruly, according to Zizi.

Francisco Vasquez, 24, who lived in the Vanport home and his friend Sean Nunez, 26, of Los Angeles, asked Rosas to leave and escorted Rosas out to his car.
While Vasquez and Nunez were walking back to the house, Rosas allegedly backed his 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe into the men, Zizi said.
Nunez became pinned between the Tahoe and another car, and was crushed by the impact, Zizi said. He died on scene.
Vasquez was hit but managed to avoid being crushed, Zizi said. He was treated and released at the scene with minor injuries.

 

Zizi wouldnt say if Rosas alleged acts were retaliation for getting kicked out of the pary. But he did say that witness reports lead police to believe that Rosas intentionally backed his Tahoe into the two men. Zizi did not know if Rosas was intoxicated or under the influence of drugs at the time of the incident. He was unsure whether toxicology reports were even ordered.
But I can tell you that that is not a defense for this crime, Zizi said.

A press conference is scheduled for noon today at the CHP’s Santa Fe Springs office. Apparently, Nunez’ family members will make statements and police will release Rosas’ booking photo.

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Pico Rivera memorial

1807-jacklynv-thumb-300x207.gifOfficials are talking very little about the stabbing incident that resulted in Jackie VIllanueva’s death early Friday a.m.

Reporter Caroline An went out to the crime scene Saturday and filed this report. Photg Keith Durflinger captured a nice shot of the memorial.

 

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Homicide database update

Still haven’t worked out the bugs to include a map just yet, but the SGV Homicide datebase is up to date and ready for purusal.

The tally to date for the SGV, Whittier and Pasadena is 87. Not sure how that compares to last year.  The LAT Homicide Report lists 820 homicides for the county. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reports 320 in its service area for 2007. That’s compared to 402 in 2006.  

 

 

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Bad craziness in Old Town

We were asleep at the wheel and missed getting the news story about the shooting at Colorado and Fair Oaks in today’s paper.

The Times got the news in their B-Section with quotes from Lt. Randall Taylor and Chief Barney Melekian.

Reporter Caroline An was at the scene moments after the shooting occurred and was able to get some color. She is working on a story.

11:42 A.M. UPDATE ADDED HERE…. I just read our initial story on the shooting and what strikes me is how Lt. Taylor apparently inplied that Pasadena officers chased down the shooting suspect and captured him moments after the incident.

In fact, cops were nowhere around when it went down and the shooter was chased down and captured by volunteers in Old Town there to guide tourists around.

UPDATE ENDS HERE

In my opinion, here’s some of what we need to find out:

 

  • How will this incident affect security in the lead up to the Rose Parade? Wasn’t it just last week that Melekian said security was so tight that he wouldn’t allow the Falun Gong chapter to have their own pre-parade event?
  • How will it affect shopping? There are plenty of tourists in town for the Rose Bowl game. Are they now going to travel to safer shopping destinations?
  • Is this a spill over from the increased violence plaguing Northwest Pasadena throughout the year?
  • The police department said it has no plans for beefed up security in Old Town. Why not?
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Drug deal gone bad

Old Town Pasadena, known as a premier shopping and restaurant destination was instead the scene of a shooting Wednesday night in which an Arcadia man was injured. Police are saying the shooting was the result of a drug deal gone bad. An 18-year-old is in custody and a 23-year-old is at large.

Here’s Tania Chatila’s map of key points in the incident:

 


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