Weekend roundup

Here’s some stories we’ve been following over the weekend:

1. BALDWIN PARK — City Councilman Anthony Bejarano was arrested late Friday on suspicion of being intoxicated in public.

2. VALINDA — A Duarte man was jailed on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence Saturday following a crash that killed a 61-year-old Valinda man.

3. PASADENA — A 16-year-old girl was shot in the leg Saturday while congregating with a group of other young women in front of an apartment building.

4 .BALDWIN PARK — A 17-year-old boy showed up at a local hospital Sunday after he was stabbed but refused to tell police the details.

5. IRWINDALE — A truck driver was robbed and shot Saturday as he dropped his truck off at a business at the end of his work day.

6. PASADENA — A woman was arrested Sunday after allegedly attacking her boyfriend with a “The Club” steering wheel lock and vandalizing his car after discovering him at a motel with another woman.

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Hell hath no fury…

A scorned woman allegedly used a popular auto theft prevention device Sunday to take out her frustrations on her apparently cheating boyfriend and his car.

Leina Marie Butler, 38, of Altadena was arrested after police say she used “The Club” steering wheel lock to smash the windows out of her 31-year-old boyfriend’s car and then went after him.

The woman apparently tracked her beaux to a motel in the 2800 block of East Colorado Boulevard Sunday morning where she found him with another woman.

She began attacking his car, but when he came outside, she turned her rage toward him, allegedly striking him in the temple and arm.

He was hospitalized with moderate injuries including a cut to his head.

Butler was booked on suspicion of spousal abuse and is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail.

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Baldwin Park City Councilman arrested

Baldwin Park City Councilman Anthony Bejarano was arrested late Friday on suspicion of public intoxication, police said.

According to court records, Baldwin Park police made the arrest shortly after 10 p.m.

Bejarano posted $250 bail for the alleged misemeanor offense and was released within three hours of his arrest.

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Crime Spree!

A one-man crime wave threatened the lives of several San Gabriel Valley residents early Friday morning. Here’s the top of our updated story:



A string of violent crimes including one shooting, five carjackings and two home-invasion robberies reported early Thursday in the northeastern San Gabriel Valley may have been the work of the same criminal, authorities said.

Crimes were reported in Arcadia, Azusa, El Monte and Rosemead, police and sheriff’s officials said.

Similar suspect descriptions and a trail of abandoned stolen vehicles seemingly connect the crimes, though the cases all remain under investigation, authorities said.

Additionally Brian Day put together a Google map that details the suspected spree:

 


View Larger Map

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Suspected tag vandals picked up in Azusa

Here’s the top of the story we’ve just posted on the web. These two knuckleheads are suspected of causing about $15,000 in damage:



AZUSA – Two teens were arrested earlier this week on suspicion of tagging more than 30 windows at a shopping center during the course of a week, according to police officials.

Azusa Police first received reports of etchings in several plate glass windows at the Citrus Crossing Shopping Center, at the corner of Citrus Avenue and Foothill Boulevard, on Sept. 4, according to Azusa police Lt. Frank Chavez.

Further investigation led merchants and police to discover more than 30 windows had been vandalized, he said. Damage of the windows is estimated to be $15,300, Chavez said.

Detectives determined the etchings to be connected to a local tagging crew and proceeded to interview members of the crew at an Azusa area school. Chavez would not disclose the name of the school.

While at the school Thursday one juvenile, 16, was identified as one of the taggers at the shopping center. The other teen was turned in by his parents at the Azusa Police Department Jail.

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Does a bear … ?*

16047-bearly-legal-thumb-300x300.jpgChannel Seven is on Bear Watch 2008!

The station is reporting that a bear is on the prowl in Horsethief Canyon above San Dimas.

Their helicopter has had some interesting shots of the bear at work digging through a dumpster.

The bear looks like a cub, and obviously he’s hungry.

Picnic basket anyone?

 

* A scanner transmission from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department indicated “it’s a little bitty bear that’s not harming no one. He’s just going through some trash cans up there behind the nature center.” 

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A/C repairman linked to 2005 El Monte cold case

We sort of missed this one during vacation, but it’s relevant to note that Michael Gargiulo, 32, arrested in connection with the death of Ashton Kutcher’s former girlfriend is also charged in a 2005 El Monte cold case involving the death of Maria Bruno at her apartment, according to the Chicago Tribune. Here’s a portion of their Sept. 5 story:

On Thursday Michael T. Gargiulo, 32, was charged with capital murder in the 2001 death of Ashley Ellerin, Kutcher’s former girlfriend, whose body was found in her Hollywood Hills home.

Gargiulo also was charged Thursday with the 2005 stabbing death of Maria Bruno in her El Monte, Calif., apartment.

This year, Gargiulo, an air conditioner repairman living in Santa Monica, Calif., was arrested at home in June on suspicion of attempted murder after he allegedly broke into a woman’s home in April and stabbed her. She fought him off and DNA from blood at the scene was linked to Gargiulo, officials said.

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Discipline a possibility for LAPD crew in May Day melee

This from LA Observed:

The LAPD has apparently decided to convene Board of Rights hearings for some of the officers who abused media and protesters in MacArthur Park on May 1, 2007.

<Snip>

… four officers were recommended for termination, eight others for suspension and three for official reprimands. Four of the 15 have reportedly been transferred out of the Metro division that ran amok that day, and three were given pay downgrades.

Kevin Roderick cites a Police Protective League statement in the post.

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Found bones linked to missing man

A set of human remains found near the Pomona Freeway in Montebello may have been there for eight years, officials told reporter Ruby Gonzales.

The remains of a human male skeleton also show signs of having been struck by a car, coroner’s officials said. Here’s Ruby’s update from this morning:

MONTEBELLO – The man whose bones were discovered alongside the Pomona (60) Freeway could have been hit by a car, coroner’s officials said.

The left femur shows a fracture consistent with being struck by a vehicle, according to Lt. Fred Corral of the Coroner’s Office.

Corral said an ID card was found among the clothing which belonged to a man who was reported missing eight years ago. However, he said they are still trying to identify the remains.

Caltrans workers clearing heavy brush in the 200 block of Pomona Boulevard discovered the skeletal remains on Sunday morning.

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