November 2009 Archives

COVINA -- Police hope the arrest of three burglary suspects in a Walmart parking lot Sunday will help curb a trend of auto burglaries in the area, authorities said.
William Gilbert, 23, of Covina, Rene Vasquez, 38, of Baldwin Park and Cynthia Esquivel, 36, of Covina were booked for investigation of burglary and suspicion of possessing stolen property, Covina police Lt. John Curley said. Esquivel is also suspected of possession of a methamphetamine pipe.
The arrest was made about 6 p.m. outside Walmart, 1275 N. Azusa Avenue, Curley said.
Covina police officers Ryan Davis and Ulrich Ramirez were patrolling the area in response to a recent increase in car break-ins when they spotted a suspicious older-model Mercury Cougar and pulled it over, the lieutenant said.
Inside the car, he said, the officers discovered a key ring with keys on it that had allegedly been stolen about a week earlier in a car burglary near Clearman's North Woods Inn.
Officials are now investigating to see if the suspects may be tied to other Covina burglaries, Curley added.
In the past month, police have seen nearly 15 auto break-ins in the commercial areas surrounding Azusa Avenue and San Bernardino Road, Curley said.
Car thefts also appear to have increased in the area, he added.
During the holiday season, Curley said it's extra important for people to lock their cars and not leave valuables inside in order to avoid becoming victims of opportunistic thieves.

INDUSTRY -- Deputies investigated a report of a kidnapping and rape Sunday, authorities said.
Few details were released about the incident due to the ongoing investigation, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Pete Cacheiro said.
The incident was reported in the early morning hours in the 13000 block of Valley Boulevard, the lieutenant said, where a woman reported she had been kidnapped and raped.
A Los Angeles man was arrested in that city in connection with the crime, Cacheiro said. His name was not released.
"Industry Station detectives are following up on the leads to determine whether in fact the crime has been committed," Cacheiro said.
The investigation will include such processes as interviews with the alleged victim and witnesses, documentation of injuries and collection of DNA, he said.
No further details were available.

ARCADIA -- Three intruders tied up a father, mother and son at gunpoint during a morning home invasion robbery Sunday, the second violent robbery in a week in Arcadia, police said.
The robbers choked the father until he gave them cash and threatened to return and kill the family if they called police, Arcadia police Sgt. Dean Caputo said in a written statement.
The robbery occurred at 7:20 a.m. in the 100 block of West Forest Avenue, near Foothill Boulevard and Santa Anita Avenue, Arcadia police Sgt. Mike Gima said.
The father was in the driveway of his home when three men ordered him into his house at gunpoint, according to police. They then bound his hands and feet.
"Once inside they confronted the victim's wife and 9-year-old son at gunpoint and also bound them," Caputo  said.
The robbers then choked the man, demanded money and ransacked the house, police said. They fled with stolen cash and jewelry.
The family did not report the robbery to police until several hours later, Caputo said, for fear of retaliation from the robbers.
"The suspects threatened the victims that if they called the police they would return to harm or kill them," the police statement said.
Police gave no description of the robbers and declined to release any additional information regarding the crime.
Officials also would not say if Sunday's robbery was believed to be related to the violent robbery of an elderly couple in front of their home four days before.
A 70-year-old man was unloading groceries from his car in the 300 block of West Duarte Road when he was punched in the face and robbed of his wallet by two robbers, Arcadia police Lt. Colleen Flores said.
The man's 67-year-old wife heard her husband crying for help and came outside, and the robbers pushed her down and stole her wedding ring and watch, police said.
The attackers tried to tie up the elderly couple with plastic zip-ties, police said, however the bindings were apparently too small and the robbers ran off.
The robbers in Wednesday's crime were described only as teenage boys of medium build who wore dark clothing.
Anyone with information on either robbery is asked to contact the Arcadia Police Department.

From the Associated Press:

PARKLAND, Wash. -- One of four police officers killed in an ambush at a coffee house Sunday fought with the gunman and may have wounded him before the officer died just outside the doorway, a sheriff's spokesman said.
Pierce County sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer told reporters that investigators were asking area medical providers to report any people wounded by gunshots.
Troyer said investigators believe two of the officers were shot dead while sitting in the shop, and a third was killed after standing up. The fourth apparently struggled with the gunman out the doorway and "gave up a good fight," getting off a few shots before he was either shot there or succumbed to earlier wounds.
"We believe there was a struggle, a commotion, a fight ... that he fought the guy all the way out the door," Troyer said.
He added, "We hope that he hit him."
The gunman burst into the coffee house Sunday morning and opened fire on the officers as they sat working on their laptops, killing the three men and one woman in what Troyer described as a targeted ambush.
Troyer said officers were looking for one male suspect who fled the scene and haven't ruled out an accomplice, possibly a getaway driver.
Troyer said investigators determined that a hoax call from a person in nearby Tacoma led officers to believe the gunman was on foot and still near the coffee shop. A number of officers spent part of the afternoon carefully searching buildings close by.
Troyer said the attack was clearly targeted at the officers, not a robbery gone bad.
"This was more of an execution. Walk in with the specific mindset to shoot police officers," he said.
Troyer said the officers -- all from the Lakewood Police Department -- were catching up on paperwork at the beginning of their shifts when they were attacked at 8:15 a.m. Sunday.
"There were marked patrol cars outside and they were all in uniform," Troyer said.
With no known suspects, there was no indication of any connection with the Halloween night shooting of a Seattle police officer. The suspect in that shooting remains hospitalized.
"We won't know if it's a copycat effect or what it was until we get the case solved," Troyer said. "We don't even have a suspect ID right now."
Troyer would not release the names of the victims in Sunday's shooting. He said Lakewood has a small police force and the deaths represent a loss of 10 percent to 15 percent of the department.
Troyer estimated that a couple of hundred officers from the Washington State Patrol and multiple surrounding police agencies in the area were at the crime scene, with some coming on their own time.
"We have no motive at all," Troyer said. "I don't think when we find out what it is, it will be anything that makes any sense or be worth it."
Two employees and a few other customers were in the shop during the attack. All are being interviewed by the Pierce County Sheriff's investigators.
"Some are in shock. They are very upset," Troyer said. "They are the ones who are going to put together for us how this happened."
The Forza Coffee Shop, part of a popular local chain, is on a side street near McChord Air Force Base in Tacoma, about 35 miles south of Seattle. The shop is in a small retail center alongside two restaurants, a cigar store and a nail salon.
Troyer said the Lakewood officers were two blocks outside their jurisdiction, and the coffee shop was a popular place for officers from surrounding jurisdictions to meet and share information.
Streets around the coffee shop were blocked off late Sunday morning, and a police helicopter hovered over a large crowd of investigators. TV video showed police taking possession of a pickup truck parked in a grocery store in Parkland.
"We are looking at some people. We are looking at some cars. We are looking at some residences," Troyer said.
Troyer said investigators were checking surveillance video from multiple sources, trying to identify a possible getaway car.
Dave Gabrielson, a clerk at Foot Mart about a block away from the coffee shop, told a newspaper all was quiet when he opened the store at 8 a.m. About 30 minutes later, "All of a sudden a million cops were zooming up and down the road," Gabrielson said.
He said he saw officers bring a police dog into a nearby apartment complex.
Last month, Seattle police officer Timothy Brenton was shot and killed Halloween night as he was sitting in a cruiser with trainee Britt Sweeney. Sweeney was grazed in the neck.
Authorities say the man charged with that shooting also firebombed four police vehicles in October as part of a "one-man war" against law enforcement. Christopher Monfort, 41, was arrested after being wounded in a firefight with police days after the Seattle shooting. He remains hospitalized in stable condition, the hospital said Sunday.
The officers killed Sunday were a patrol squad made up of three officers and their sergeant. No threats had been made against them or other officers in the region, sheriff's officials said. Their families have been notified.
"We lost people we care about. We're working to find out who did this and deal with him."
Pierce County Sheriff Paul Pastor told reporters at the scene.
Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire said she was "shocked and horrified" by the killings.
"Our police put their lives on the line every day, and tragedies like this remind us of the risks they continually take to keep our communities safe," she said in a written statement.
"My heart goes out to the family, friends and co-workers of these officers, as well as the
entire law enforcement community."
At Rollies Tavern near the coffee house, the plasma TVs usually tuned to football had Northwest Cable News on. Three bar patrons live next door to the coffee house.
Jerry Arnold, 45, was in bed when he was awakened by sirens. He's lived there seven years and never seen anything close to Sunday's scene.
"I hope they get them. I can't sleep until they do," he said. "Those guys could be hiding in my backyard."

Police jailed a woman on suspicion of auto theft and evading Saturday after she allegedly led police on a chase from Monterey Park to Alhambra in a stolen car, officials said.
The incident began shortly before 10 p.m. when an officer tried to pull the woman over for a traffic violation at Hellman and Orange avenues, Monterey Park police Sgt. John Martindale said.
She refused to pull over and led officers on chase down the 10 Freeway before ultimately surrendering at Orange Grove Avenue and Ramona Road in Alhambra, the sergeant said. She was arrested without further incident.
Just before the woman pulled over, he said, she slowed down and a person described only as male got out of the car and fled on foot. He was not found.
The woman's name was not available Sunday afternoon, Martindale said.

VALINDA -- A man who had his throat slashed late Saturday survived through the night, authorities said Sunday.
The man underwent surgery after he was attacked about 6:40 p.m. near Hacienda Boulevard and Francisquito Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said.
His exact condition was unknown.
Little was known about the attack Sunday, officials said, except that the man had just walked out of a house and was getting into his car when an someone came up from behind him and slashed his throat. A description of the attacker or a motive in the assault was unknown.
The wounded man managed to stumble to a nearby gas station and ask for help.

COVINA -- Four teenage passengers were badly hurt and a 19-year-old man is suspected of drunken driving following a solo-car crash early Saturday, police said.
Police believe Francisco Javier Ramirez Jr. of West Covina was drunk while he was at the wheel of the 1994 Toyota Camry involved in the wreck.
Two girls and two boys from Baldwin Park, ranging in age from 15 to 17, were hospitalized with serious injuries following the violent crash, which occurred about 1 a.m. on San Bernardino Road at Grand Avenue, Covina police Lt. John Curley said.
Three of the passengers were thrown through the back windshield of the car and onto the street, and another had to be freed from the wreckage by firefighters, the lieutenant said. One passengers was flown to a hospital by helicopter.
"This car was completely demolished," he said.
Ramirez, who was the least badly hurt, was also hospitalized with serious injuries, Curley said.
Ramirez was driving with his passengers eastbound on San Bernardino Road when, according to witness statements, he ran a red light at Grand Avenue, Curley said.
"The vehicle spun out of control and struck two large palm trees before coming to rest on the curb line," he said.
The relationship between the five occupants of the car was not clear late Saturday.

A man underwent surgery late Saturday after someone came up behind him and slashed his throat, authorities said.
The attack occurred about 6:40 p.m. near Hacienda Boulevard and Francisquito Avenue, Los Angeles County Fire Department Dispatch Supervisor Bernard Peters said.
The victim walked out of his house and was getting into his car when he was attacked, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Arthur Scott said.
"Someone came up behind him and slashed his throat," the lieutenant said. "He stumbled over to the (nearby) Arco station and asked for help."
He was rushed to the hospital with wounds believed to be life-threatening, Scott said.
No description of the attacker was available, nor was a motive in the stabbing.
The largely unincorporated areas along the 60 Freeway known as the Valinda Corridor, which includes communities such as Valinda, East Valinda and Bassett has seen more than 30 violent assaults this year.
Officials have said much of the violence stems from disputes between the Bassett Grande, Puente Trece and El Monte Flores street gangs.

LA MIRADA -- Eight people who showed up at the Holiday Inn in La Mirada Saturday expecting to claim prizes won in a holiday giveaway left disappointed -- and in handcuffs.
The event was a sting set up by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Norwalk Station in which people with outstanding warrants for their arrests were lured into the waiting arms of deputies with the promise of prizes and a chance to win a new car.
The goal of the operation was to bring wanted people to deputies, rather than sending deputies after the suspects, said Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Pat Valdez, who organized the sting. About 960 letters were sent out.
"We're just trying to think outside the box," Valdez said, adding that the sheriff's Norwalk Station has never before tried such a tactic.
Four men and four women were arrested Saturday, all on misdemeanor warrants, officials said.
The largest warrant deputies saw in the sting belonged to Krystie Haro, 26, of La Mirada, authorities said, who had a $100,000 arrest warrant related to an obstruction of justice charge.
One 22-year-old arrestee, Chris Calderon of La Mirada, displayed his booking sheet from his driving under the influence arrest as a form of identification prior to his arrest. He was arrested on a warrant related to the DUI charge.
Several additional people showed up to claim prizes, but their warrants had been cleared up since the letters were sent out by deputies.
Officials said they were hoping for more arrests than they saw Saturday.
"It's not the numbers we wanted," Capt. Patrick Maxwell said, "(But) it was a learning experience."
Posing as the "Pelican Marketing Group," deputies sent letters last week to people throughout the county wanted in connection with all types of crimes, the captain said.
"They range from misdemeanor warrants to murder," he said.
The letters assured the suspects that they are guaranteed a prize with a value of at least $100, and that they are one of 200 people with a chance to win a 2010 BMW 238i sedan.
To claim the prizes, people were advised to bring their letter and identification Saturday to the Holiday Inn in La Mirada, 14299 Firestone Blvd., where deputies posing as employees of the Pelican Marketing Group welcomed them.
To make the event seem legitimate, deputies borrowed a BMW sedan from McKenna Cars in Norwalk and parked it in front of the hotel, which was decorated with balloons and signs.
"We tried to make it as realistic as possible," Valdez said.
Suspects who showed up for the contest were first asked to sign in with a deputy posing as a secretary, who would check to make sure the warrant was still valid, before filling out a brief survey.
As they filled out their paperwork, undercover deputies would chat with the suspects about what prizes they hoped to win.
The contestants realized they'd been conned when they were brought to a back room to pose for a photograph.
When the suspects were positioned in front of the camera and asked to smile, a team of more than half a dozen uniformed deputies swooped in to arrest them.
Suspects were all smiles when they showed up to collect their prizes, Deputy Janet Ramirez said.
"Once they tell them they're under arrest, the smile fades quickly," Ramirez said.

DUARTE -- No one was injured late Friday when apparent gang-members opened fire on a Duarte home, authorities said.
The drive-by shooting was reported about 8:45 p.m. in the 1900 block of Bradbury Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Jeff Walker said.
The attackers were described only as two black males who were last seen fleeing west on Broach Avenue, the sergeant said. They yelled out "Du Roc" during the shooting -- a reference to the Du Rock Crips street gang that calls Duarte home.
No one was struck by the gunfire, Walker said, though a house was shot twice.
The City of Monrovia is currently trying to get a gang injunction against the Du Roc Crips as well as another area street gang known as Monrovia Nuevo Varrio.
Duarte has not joined the injunction, and city officials have said they fear that an injunction against the two gangs would serve to strengthen a third, Eastside Duarte, which was not named in the injunction proposal.
Feuding between black and Latino gangs in the Monrovia-Duarte area has erupted into violence in recent years, and is blamed for the deaths of four people in late 2007 and early 2008.

ARCADIA -- The violent robbery of two elderly Arcadia residents outside their home earlier this week remained largely a mystery Friday, authorities said.
Two teenagers attacked the couple Wednesday, stole the man's wallet as well as the woman's wedding ring and watch and tried unsuccessfully to tie the couple up before running off, police said.
The robbers were male teenagers of medium build who wore dark clothing, Arcadia police Sgt. Stan Flores said. The victims were unable to provide a further description.
"It's one of those things where you just scratch your head," he said. "It raises a ton of questions. Unfortunately, I don't have the answers right now."
The investigation continues, he said, however police did not initially believe the couple -- a 70-year-old man and a 67-year-old woman -- were specifically targeted in the crime.
"There's nothing at this point that leads us to believe that," Flores said.
Other than the victims themselves, he added, no witnesses to the crime had come forward Friday.
The incident did not appear similar to any other robberies Arcadia police have seen, he added.
The robbery occurred about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday after the couple had just returned to their house in the 300 block of West Duarte Road, Arcadia police Lt. Colleen Flores said.
The man was unloading groceries from his car when the robbers punched him in the face several times and stole his wallet, which contained more than $1,000, the lieutenant said.
When the man's wife heard her husband calling for help and came outside, police said, the robbers pushed her down and took her wedding ring and watch.
"One of the suspects put packing tape on the elderly female's mouth while both suspects attempted to use zip-ties around the couple's wrists," Lt. Flores said in a written statement.
The plastic bindings were apparently too small, police said, and the robbers ran away. The elderly couple suffered minor injuries in the incident and did not wish to be hospitalized.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Arcadia Police Department.

LA HABRA - A woman was jailed Friday after she allegedly burned and destroyed a La Habra house, authorities said.
Lynne Barton, a 54-year-old La Habra woman, was booked on suspicion of arson, La Habra police Lt. Jerry Price said.
The blaze was first reported about 12:15 p.m. at a house at 509 South Fonda Street, Los Angeles County Fire Department Dispatch Supervisor Melanie Flores said.
The fire initially "fully engulfed" the home, Price said.
Firefighters extinguished the flames in about 20 minutes, Flores added.
The house, which was largely vacant except for some simple bedding in one bedroom, was completely destroyed by the fire, officials said.
Arson investigators continued working well into the evening searching for the cause of the blaze.
No one besides Barton was believed to be at the home when the fire started, Price said. She herself suffered minor burns in the incident but refused hospitalization.
She was at a neighbor's home when rescuers arrived, officials said.
A motive in the alleged arson was unclear Friday afternoon, Price said, as well as whether the woman lived at the home.

WHITTIER - A man was fatally stabbed early Friday.
His name and city of residence were not immediately released.
Los Angeles County sheriff's officials released little information about the stabbing, which was reported about 3:50 a.m. in the 14300 block of Mulberry Drive in an unincorporated county area near Whittier.
Los Angeles County Fire officials said they were told by the sheriff's department about a stabbing and took one person to a hospital.
The man was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Guillermina Saldana.
Sheriff's officials released no further information about the slaying Friday, and the handling homicide detectives could not be reached for comment.

Sheriff's homicide investigators are looking into the death of a man whose body was found early Friday.
The dead man's name was not released pending notification of his family members, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Lt. David Smith said. He was 54 years old.
He was pronounced dead after being discovered about 9:09 a.m. in his home in the 7000 block of Norwalk Boulevard, in an unincorporated county area near Whittier, Los Angeles County sheriff's and coroner's officials said.
"There were no signs of foul play," sheriff's Lt. Margarito Robles said, and detectives were called in because the man's cause of death was not immediately clear.
Coroner's officials will perform an autopsy to determined the man's officials cause of death.

GLENDORA -- Firefighters made quick work of a quarter-acre brush fire Wednesday that burned near Glendora Mountain Road, authorities said.
The blaze was first reported by a Pomona police helicopter just after 9 p.m. near mile-marker 11 of Glendora Mountain Road, Los Angeles County Fire Department Dispatch Supervisor Ed Pickett said.
Seven fire engines, several ground crews and three water-dropping helicopters snuffed out the fire within 30 minuted, he added.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.

WEST COVINA -- Four teenagers from Texas were arrested Tuesday after allegedly leading police on a chase in a stolen car, authorities said.
Four boys and one girl, who ranged in age from 15 to 16, were booked on suspicion of auto theft, evading police and resisting arrest, West Covina police Lt. Joseph Sevilla said. All were from Frisco, Texas, and two were reported runaways.
The incident began about 11:30 p.m. at Orange and Merced avenues, he said.
Officers noticed a Honda Accord with Texas license plates and five teenagers inside was reported stolen and tried to pull it over, the lieutenant said.
The Honda led officers on a chase until it crashed into a parked car in the 14000 block of Dillerdale Street in an unincorporated county area near Baldwin Park, he said.
The driver, a 15-year-old boy, and another teenage boy were arrested at the car, Sevilla said, while the other three teens were captured during a search of the surrounding area.
The five teens were being held at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey.

WEST COVINA -- A woman was arrested Wednesday after allegedly participating in a burglary, then returning to the scene as police investigated.
Jennifer Alderete, 29, of Covina was booked on suspicion of residential burglary, West Covina police Lt. Joseph Sevilla said.
The incident began shortly before 11 a.m. when a resident of the 1000 block of East Harvest Moon Street discovered an intruder in his garage, the lieutenant said.
After hearing a strange noise, the resident found a burglar sitting in his vehicle inside his garage, police said.
The startled man immediately shut the door between himself and the intruder, Sevilla said, and hit the panic button on his house alarm.
He then noticed Alderete standing near a gray Toyota Camry parked outside, and saw both the male burglar and Alderete jump into the Camry and drive off, Sevilla said.
The resident was able to memorize the license plate number, and police saw the Camry drive back into the neighborhood as they were investigating the break-in, the lieutenant said.
Alderete was arrested, however the male suspect and another woman the resident believed was involved remained outstanding, he added.
The male burglar was described as a Latino man, about 5 feet 10 inches tall, of medium build with brown hair. The other woman who may have been involved was described as a Latino woman, about 5 feet 4 inches tall, of thin build with brown hair.
According to court records, Alderete is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail and is due for arraignment in West Covina Superior Court Tuesday.

PASADENA -- Starting Friday, Pasadena Police Department volunteers will be out in force at the city's busiest shopping centers, authorities said.
The volunteers will be keeping police visibility high and working to cut down on crime at local shopping centers throughout the busy holiday shopping season, Pasadena police said in a written statement.
Incidents of break-ins and other crimes tend to increase during the holiday season, police said.
With the volunteers helping regular officers during their annual "Safe Shopping Detail," police said they hope to reduce the number of opportunities for thieves in Pasadena.

ROSEMEAD -- A young man was shot and wounded Wednesday in a drive-by shooting, authorities said.
The attack was reported about 4:45 p.m. in the 2600 block of Pine Street, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Jeff Walker said.
A 19-year-old man was wounded in the arm in the shooting, the sergeants said. The wound did not appear to be life-threatening.
The victim had just walked out of a house when he was approached by four attackers described as four male Asians in a silver, newer-model Acura, Walker said.
Someone opened fire from inside the car, striking the victim one, he said.
A motive in the shooting was unknown Wednesday, Walker said, however sheriff's gang investigators were handling the case.

PASADENA -- A fire Wednesday displaced a mother and daughter from their home the night before Thanksgiving, officials said.
The blaze was first reported about 4:20 p.m. at a two-story house in the 700 block of Prospect Boulevard, Pasadena Fire Department spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said.
Firefighters extinguished the fire in about 10 minutes, she said.
The fire caused about $70,000 worth of damage to the house and its contents, Derderian added.
The homes two residents -- a mother and daughter -- were not home during the fire, she said.
Derderian said the displaced residents told officials they had a place to stay while their house was being repaired.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation, she said.

MONTEBELLO -- Police asked the public's help Wednesday in finding a 16-year-old girl believed to have run away with her boyfriend nearly two weeks ago.
Christy Gomez was last seen Nov. 13 when she was dropped off in the morning at Schurr High School, 820 N. Wilcox Ave., Montebello police said in a written statement.
No foul play is suspected and police believe Gomez ran away with her boyfriend, the statement said, however officials are growing concerned because of the length of time she has been gone.
Police believe Gomez may be staying in the Fontana area.She is described as 5 feet 9 inches tall, about 210 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Montebello Police Department.

PHOTO of Christy Gomez couresy of the Montebello Police Department

A Pasadena man accused of killing his wife with a hatchet and trying to kill her son earlier this year received a December date for his preliminary hearing Wednesday.
The preliminary hearing for James Che Ming Lu, 85, was scheduled for Dec. 9 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, court officials said.
Prosecutors allege Lu used a hatchet to kill his wife, 55-year-old Michelle Lu, on the morning of July 28 at their home in the 100 block of Rosemead Boulevard in an unincorporated county area near Pasadena.
He then called sheriff's deputies to inform them of the crime, Detective Marcelo Quintero of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said.
Following the attack, "Mr. Lu called the authorities... and told them essentially that he had injured his wife," Quintero said.
When deputies arrived, they found Michelle Lu suffering from multiple stab wounds apparently inflicted by a hatchet, officials said. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
A hatchet believed to be the murder weapon was recovered.
James Lu is also charged with the attempted murder of his wife's son, 32-year-old Ji Ma Zeng, who Quintero said managed to take the hatchet away from Lu after the alleged slaying.
"The son did deflect a blow from the ax and was able to disarm (James Lu)," the detective said.
Zeng fled to a neighbor's house, Quintero said, as James Lu called the sheriff's Temple Station to report the incident.
A judge issued a restraining order in late July, ordering James Lu to stay 500 feet away from Zeng.
Outside of domestic violence, a specific motive in the suspected killing has not been established, Quintero said.
"We know they were arguing," he said. "There was allegedly some fighting."
According to sheriff's booking records, James Lu was being held in lieu of $2 million bail.
He faces life in prison if convicted.

I've been doing this morning podcast with a Glendora-based radio station KSGV. Here's their URL, http://ksgvradio.media.officelive.com/default.aspx If you want to call in this morning, feel free. I'll be on until about 10:30 a.m. Pacific.

SAN DIMAS -- A gunman robbed a San Dimas gas station Sunday, officials said.
The robbery was reported about 7:50 p.m. at a Valero station at 102 E. Arrow Highway.
The robber was described as a black man, about 5 feet 5 inches tall and 140 to 150 pounds, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Joe Bolanos said.
He wore a white jacket and blue jeans and was armed with a small, black, semi-automatic handgun, the sergeant added.
Bolanos said the robber was last seen running south on San Dimas Avenue with an undisclosed amount of cash.

LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE -- A person was killed Sunday when a pickup truck overturned and caught fire on the 210 Freeway, officials said.
The crash occurred just before 3 p.m. in the westbound lanes of the 210 Freeway, just east of the 2 Freeway, according to California Highway Patrol logs.
One person was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said, however no description of that person was immediately available.
The truck was westbound on the freeway when, for unknown reasons, it suddenly swerved to the left and struck the center divider, CHP Officer Monica Posada said.
"The truck overturned onto its driver-side," she said. "It came to rest and was engulfed in flames."
The driver of the pickup truck died at the scene.
Officials said a motorcyclist was injured and an SUV was damaged when they were struck by debris in the eastbound lanes of the 210 Freeway.
Both directions of the freeway were initially shut down after the crash, officials said.
Eastbound lanes of the freeway were reopened within about half an hour, and two lanes of the westbound freeway were opened to traffic as of 4 p.m.
The crash was the second fatal wreck reported on the 210 Freeway Sunday.
In Sunland, a man, woman and 14-year-old boy were killed after their SUV rear-ended a big rig and burst into flames during the early morning hours, authorities said.
Two other children who were in the SUV -- a 9-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy -- were rescued from the wreckage by a good Samaritan. They were hospitalized in fair condition.

ROSEMEAD -- A man held up a Jack in the Box restaurant at gunpoint Sunday, authorities said.
The crime was reported about 7:30 a.m. at the eatery at 820 San Gabriel Boulevard, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Abel Moreno said.
A robber described only a a Latino man in his 20s armed with a handgun entered the store and demanded cash from the register, the sergeant said.
He was last seen running from the area with an undisclosed amount of stolen cash, he said.

UPDATED:

WEST COVINA -- A man was shot to death early Sunday during a house party, marking the eighth homicide in the city this year, officials said.
Billy Eugene Howell, 33, died at the scene of the shooting, said Selena Barros, investigator with the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner.
Coroner's officials had not determined Howell's city of residency late Sunday, but a friend of the man said he lived in Washington and was in West Covina for the holidays.
The shooting was reported about 1:30 a.m. at a house in the 100 block of South Cherrywood Street, just south of the 10 Freeway, West Covina police Lt. David Rozeboom said.
A small group of people had gathered at the home for a party when the shooting occurred, he said.
Officers responding to several 9-1-1 calls found Howell had been shot several times, Rozeboom said.
"Following the shooting, those in attendance ran for cover and were not able to provide much information as to the suspect," West Covina police Cpl. Rudy Lopez said in a written statement.
Two suspects in the shooting were described only as male.
Jennifer Pokrazywinksi, 36, lives in the home where Howell was shot and said she had been friends with Howell since they were teenagers.
He had arrived in town Saturday to spend the holidays with her and her family, Pokrazywinksi said.
She said about a dozen people were at the gathering including a friend of Howell's, who in turn invited some other friends.
Two men whom nobody in the home recognized showed up about 30 minutes before the shooting, Pokrazywinksi said.
"It's when those two (men) came is when the trouble started," she said.
Pokrazywinksi -- who did not actually see the three strangers -- was in her bedroom when she heard gunshots.
"I ran out (of the bedroom). I saw him lying on the floor," she said. "I just remember kneeling by him and doing CPR."
Pokrazywinksi said the unidentified men fled immediately after the shooting.
A bullet hole was visible in her living room wall Sunday afternoon.
Pokrazywinksi said she believes someone must know who the shooter was, and she hopes they come forward.
"He had a really good heart," she said of Howell, who is survived by two young children. "He had a rough life and he was trying to fight to make it better."
Sunday's shooting was the eighth homicide in the city this year, and the fourth violent attack to occur at a West Covina house party in less than a month.
*A 16-year-old Baldwin Park boy was shot and wounded on Oct. 31 when a fight erupted in front of a house party in the 1900 block of East Nanette Avenue.
*Ramiro Limon, 27, of East Los Angeles died and his brother was wounded Nov. 1 after he was shot outside a house party at Shadydale Avenue and Roxbury Street.
*Two men were wounded in a stabbing Nov. 7 outside a house party in the 3700 block of Garvey Avenue.

SOUTH PASADENA -- A man was found fatally shot sitting in the passenger seat of a car early Sunday, authorities said.
The man's name was not released pending notification of his family, however he was described as a 35-year-old Latino man, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Investigator Selena Barros said.
The discovery was made about 4:20 a.m. in the 1000 block of Arroyo Drive, Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Byron Ward said.
In a written statement, Deputy Lillian Peck said the body was first found by a police officer.
"A South Pasadena patrol officer saw a vehicle parked... with the windows fogged up," the statement said. "When the officer checked the suspicious vehicle, he discovered the victim sitting in the front passenger seat, murdered."
Detectives from the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau are helping South Pasadena police in the investigation, and anyone with information is asked to contact detectives at (323) 890-5500.
Sheriff's homicide detectives had already left the scene early Sunday afternoon, however South Pasadena police kept the area cordoned off with yellow crime scene tape and used dogs to continue searching for possible evidence.
The slaying was South Pasadena's first in more than three years, South Pasadena police Cpl. Matt Petersen said.
Armando Reynaga, 28, of Eagle Rock was fatally stabbed in the parking lot of a Carrows restaurant in the 800 block of Fremont Avenue.
Officials said Reynaga had been meeting his estranged wife at the parking lot for several weeks prior to the stabbing to exchange custody of their young child.
The case remains unsolved.

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.

GLENDORA -- A parolee was behind bars Saturday on suspicion of head-butting a woman and seriously injuring her, police said.
Ryan Laing, 38, of Azusa was arrested at his home and booked on suspicion of felony battery about an hour after the alleged attack, which occurred just before 10 a.m. in the 900 block of Walnut Avenue in Glendora, Glendora police Lt. Rob Lamborghini said.
There was an argument between Laing, his girlfriend and the alleged victim, who was an acquaintance of the girlfriend, prior to the attack, the lieutenant said.
Laing head-butted the alleged victim, a 34-year-old Glendora woman, causing a large gash to her head, said Lamborghini.
The woman was hospitalized and released after receiving 17 stitches, he added.
Police tracked Laing to his home in the 1000 block of E. Gaillard Street in Azusa shortly after the incident, Lamborghini said, and he surrendered when officers surrounded the home and ordered him out.
He was being held without bail, he said, and was expected to be arraigned Monday in West Covina Superior Court.

This unuaual story come coutesy of the Associated Press:

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A man will spend the rest of his life in prison after he was found guilty in what prosecutors said was a case of scaring a 79-year-old North Carolina
grandmother to death.
Multiple media outlets reported a federal jury found 21-year-old Larry Whitfield not guilty
of murder Friday in the death of Mary Parnell last year. But they did find him guilty of causing her death by kidnapping her, and that carries an automatic life sentence.
Prosecutors say Whitfield was looking for somewhere to hide after a failed bank robbery
attempt in Gastonia in September 2008 when he broke into Parnell's home.
Authorities say Whitfield never touched the grandmother, but she suffered a heart attack
when she saw him, and he didn't call for help.

SOUTH PASADENA -- Police jailed four self-identified members of a tagging crew late Friday, authorities said.
Morgan Smith, 20, of Pasadena, Noe Miller, 18, of South Pasadena, Patrick Hillseth, 18, of South Pasadena and a 16-year-old boy, whose name was not released due to his age, were booked on suspicion of felony vandalism, South Pasadena police Officer Shannon Robledo said.
All four admitted to belonging to a tagging crew that calls itself "United Street Mob" and uses the acronym "USM" when scrawling graffiti, the officer said. The group is believed to be responsible for at least half a dozen incidents of graffiti vandalism in the northern portion of South Pasadena.
"We're going to do further investigation," Robledo said. "We're going to try and build a case against them."
Officers were patrolling on Stoney Drive near the 110 freeway when they saw two men come out of some bushes, Robledo said.
When police began talking to the men, a can of spray paint fell out of one of their sweat shirts, he said.
Both men admitted tagging on the nearby banks of the Los Angeles River, Robledo said, and to belonging to the tagging crew.
Police went to investigate the tagging, and they discovered another man and a teenager hiding in the riverbed, the officer said.
They had paint markings on their hands, he added, and they also admitted to tagging in the riverbed and belonging to the tagging crew.
Officials are now working to build a case against the suspects for other local graffiti attributed to their tagging crew.
The teenage suspect was cited and released to his father with a written promise to appear in court, South Pasadena police Sgt. Robert Bartl said.
According to sheriff's booking records, Morgan and Miller were released Saturday after posting $20,000 bail, while Hillseth was still being held in lieu of $20,000 bail. No information was available regarding their initial court appearances.

Two men were robbed at gunpoint early Friday in Monterey Park and Alhambra, and officials suspect the same robber is responsible.
The first robbery was reported about 5:45 a.m. in the 2300 block of Hathaway Avenue in Alhambra, Alhambra police Lt. Dan Rodriguez said.
A man was walking on the sidewalk when a white pickup truck, possibly a Toyota or Nissan approached, the lieutenant said.
A passenger got out of the truck, pointed a rifle at the victim and demanded money, he said.
The victim complied, and the robber got back into the truck with the driver and drove off, Rodriguez said. No description of the driver was available.
The gunman was described as a Latino man in his 20s with a small mustache, wearing a beanie, a black jacket and dark-colored jeans, police said.
Less than 30 minutes later, a man was parking his car in the 1400 block of Ridgecrest Street in Monterey Park when he was also robbed, Monterey Park police Lt. Carrie Mazelin said.
A robber described as a Latino man in his 20s, wearing a gray and black shirt and blue jeans approached him with what was described as a black, Uzi-type handgun and demanded property, Mazelin said.
He stole cash, a purse that was inside the car, jewelry and other items before fleeing in a white pickup truck with a waiting driver, she said.
Because of similar suspect descriptions, as well as the close proximity and time frame in which the robberies occurred, investigators believe the robberies are connected, Rodriguez and Mazelin said.

MONTEBELLO - Police are looking for whoever broke into a Best Buy store early Friday and helped themselves to about $50,000 worth of Sony PlayStation 3 video game systems and other electronics.
The burglary occurred in the early morning hours at Best Buy, 2415 Via Campo, Montebello police said in a written statement.
Police believe at least two suspects entered the store by making a hole in the wall of an empty business next door.
They stole PlayStation 3 video game systems, as well as other video game equipment, police said.
No description of the burglars was available.
Police ask that anyone who sees someone selling large quantities of PlayStation 3 consoles, other than a reputable business, is asked to call the Montebello Police Department.

ARCADIA -- Police are investigating a report that the manager of an Arcadia day spa raped a female co-worker Wednesday, authorities said.
A woman went to the Arcadia Police Department and reported that her manager at the Agawa Day Spa, 1013 S. Baldwin Ave., had raped her about 1 a.m. at the end of her shift after all the other employees had left for the evening, Arcadia police Sgt. Tom Le Veque said in a written statement.
The victim said she was able to push the suspect off of her and flee, the sergeant said.
Police were unable to find the day spa manager to interview him, he added.
The investigation is ongoing.

PASADENA -- A man robbed a check cashing business at gunpoint Friday in an unincorporated county area near Pasadena, authorities said.
The crime occurred about noon at Check Into Cash, 3683 E. Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Mark Glatt said.
The robber, described as a white man wearing a navy blue hooded sweat shirt and tan cargo shorts, entered the business with a small-caliber handgun, the lieutenant said.
After ordering an employee to the ground, he helped himself to about $1,500 from the cash registers, Glatt said.
A man was briefly detained in the area, but was determined not to be the robber, he said.
It was not known if a getaway car was involved.

NORWALK -- Officials announced Friday that charges will not be filed against Norwalk City Councilman Richard Ramirez following his arrest on suspicion of threatening his wife last month.
Ramirez was arrested on Oct. 24 on suspicion of making criminal threats against his wife, officials said.
Prosecutors reviewed the evidence and elected not to file charged, Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Shiara Dávila-Morales.
"Based on the evidence presented, we felt that there was insufficient evidence to file any charges," she said.
Ramirez was released from bail shortly after his arrest after he posted $50,000 bail.

WEST COVINA -- The smell of lacquer from a freshly refinished counter top prompted concerns at a large apartment building Thursday, authorities said.
Fire officials responded to a three-story apartment building at 800 S. Sunset Avenue just after 7 p.m. after people reported a strong, unidentified chemical odor, West Covina Fire Department Assistant Chief Randy Isaman said.
Firefighters arrived and also smelled the odor, so they had police prepare to do evacuations if necessary while they asked residents to remain in their homes, Isaman said.
Officials found the cause of the odor before evacuations were carried out, he added, and residents were able to remain in their homes.
Building maintenance workers planned to continue ventilating the building through the night to get rid of the remaining odor.

ARCADIA -- Police are investigating a report of a rape in or near an Arcadia day spa, however no information was available about the investigation Thursday.
A woman informed police late Wednesday that she had been the victim of a rape at or near the Agawa Day Spa, 1013 S. Baldwin Ave., according to police radio traffic.
Arcadia police officials confirmed there was an ongoing investigation Thursday, but said no further details were available.
All questions were referred to the handling detective, who could not be reached for comment Thursday.

BALDWIN PARK -- Police responded to reports of a shooting Thursday, however no victims could be found, authorities said.
Someone phoned police about 5:40 p.m. from the 3000 block of Big Dalton to report hearing gunshots and seeing people running and driving from the area, Baldwin Park police Sgt. Doug Parnell said.
Officers found a single spent bullet casing, he said, but no homes or cars appeared to have been struck.
No further information was available.

SAN GABRIEL -- Police asked the public's help Thursday in identifying an elderly woman who was critically injured while walking across the street earlier this week.
The crash occurred about 5:20 p.m. Tuesday at San Gabriel Boulevard and Live Oak Street, San Gabriel police Sgt. Antonio Hernandez said.
The woman was walking in a marked crosswalk when a 43-year-old West Covina woman driving a sedan failed to see her in time, the sergeant said.
The driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators, he added, and no signs of a crime were apparent Thursday.
The injured woman had no identification with her when she was struck, police said.
She is described as about 70 years old, Asian, about 5 feet tall and about 90 pounds. She was wearing a white shirt and a black skirt.
She was listed in grave condition at a hospital Thursday, Hernandez said.
"We're just trying to find her loved ones," he said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the San Gabriel Police Department and refer to case 2009-02612.

NORWALK -- Tips from the public Thursday led deputies to a La Mirada man suspected of committing an armed robbery while holding a young boy in his arms.
Jeremy Gallegos, 20, was booked on suspicion of robbery and child endangerment, Los Angeles County sheriff's Detective John Moore said.
"This is quite shocking," the detective said of the unusual crime. He's committing an armed robbery holding a child in his arms. Anything at any point could happen."
Officials believe Gallegos is the man pictured holding a child in a surveillance photo taken inside a liquor store in the 11000 block of Rosecrans Avenue in Norwalk  on Oct. 28, just before he allegedly brandished a handgun and robbed another man in the store's parking lot.
The arrest came the day after sheriff's officials released those photos to the public.
Moore said members of the public who saw those photos tipped police off about the identity of the alleged robber.
The detective said Gallegos was baby-sitting the child for friends, who knew nothing of the robbery until deputies informed them.
"The child's fine and back with his parents," Moore said.
"They're not happy," he said of the boy's parents.
Deputies were carrying out a search warrant at Gallegos' La Mirada home late Thursday searching for evidence linking him to the crime, Moore said.
Gallegos allegedly stole a wallet and some alcohol from the victim during the crime, sheriff's officials said in a written statement.
The victim in the robbery was described as a 47-year-old man and was not injured in the crime, officials added.
According to sheriff's booking records, Gallegos is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail and is due for arraignment in Bellflower Superior Court Tuesday.

COVINA -- A gunman robbed a beauty salon and stole a purse containing thousands of dollars Wednesday, police said.
The crime was reported about 6:45 p.m. at Hair by J, 983 W. San Bernardino Road, Covina police Sgt. Trevor Gaumer said.
The robber entered the store, brandished a handgun in his waistband and demanded cash from an employee, Gaumer said.
On his way out, he grabbed a purse and cell phone from inside the store, the sergeant said. The purse contained about $4,000 in cash.
The robber fled out the back door of the salon, Gaumer added, and was not found despite a lengthy police search.
Police described the robber as a Latino man in his late 20s, bald, about 5 feet 11 inches tall and of thin build. He wore a black hooded sweat shirt shirt.

WEST COVINA -- Police jailed a man and a teenage boy Wednesday after they allegedly tried to carjack a man, authorities said.
The incident began shortly before 7 p.m. as an 18-year-old man was sitting in his vehicle in the 1700 block of South Cabana Avenue, West Covina police Lt. Joseph Sevilla said.
The older suspect allegely got into the back seat of the vehicle, pointed a gun at the man and ordered him out of the car, the lieutenant said.
The older suspect yelled for the younger one to get into the vehicle, he said, but the teenage suspect refused. Both suspects then fled the area on foot.
Sevilla said a police officer spotted the suspects at a bus stop on Sunset Avenue, just south of Francisquito Avenue, where they were arrested.
Inside the younger suspect's backpack, police found a BB gun resembling a .45-caliber handgun, Sevilla said.
The older suspect's name was not available late Wednesday as he was still going through the booking process, the lieutenant said. He was expected to be held in lieu of $100,000 bail.
The younger suspect's name was withheld due to his age.

WEST COVINA -- A West Covina man was jailed on suspicion of drunken driving Wednesday after he rear-ended a woman's car at an intersection, police said.
Mark Munoz, 48, was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor driving under the influence, West Covina police Lt. Joseph Sevilla said.
The crash was reported about 6:20 p.m. at Azusa Avenue at Aroma Drive, the lieutenant said.
A woman was driving north on Azusa Avenue and was preparing to make a right turn when Munoz allegedly failed to stop in time and rear-ended her car, causing minor damage, Sevilla said.
Witnesses reported Munoz stumbled after getting out of his car and was down on his hands and knees prior to the arrival of officers, he added.
Police determined Munoz was driving under the influence of alcohol and arrested him, Sevilla said.
No one was injured in the crash, he said.
According to sheriff's booking records, Munoz was being held in lieu of $5,000 bail Wednesday at the West Covina Police Department jail and is due for arraignment in West Covina Superior Court Thursday.

NORWALK -- Detectives released surveillance photos Wednesday of a man they say carried out an armed robbery in front of a liquor store while carrying a young child.
The crime was reported about 4:40 p.m. on Oct. 28 in the 11000 block of Rosecrans Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said in a written statement.
Deputies described the suspect as a Latino man in his early 20s, about 5 feet 11 inches tall and 180 pounds, wearing a black baseball cap with an "LA" logo on it, a blue and white striped shirt and black shorts.
He approached a 37-year-old man who was getting into his vehicle in the parking lot of a liquor store, according the the sheriff's statement.
The robber, who was holding a Latino boy between 4 and 6 years old, lifted his shirt to brandish a handgun to the victim as he demanded the victim's wallet and some alcohol the victim had just bought at the store, sheriff's officials said.
Anyone with information about the robber is asked to call the sheriff's Norwalk Station at (562) 863-8711.

ALHAMBRA -- A hung jury was declared in the re-trial of two men accused of killing Temple City teenager DeAndre Netter in a drive-by shooting in July 2007. After four days of deliberations, jurors announced Tuesday they could not reach a unanimous verdict in the murder case against Christopher Gilbert Lopez and Phillip Adrian Guerra, both of Temple City. The first trial in April was also declared a mistrial when jurors could not reach a verdict. The two pleaded not guilty in the slaying of Netter, 17, as he walked with his twin brother and another boy in the 5700 block of Golden West Avenue in Temple City. Netter was struck by gunfire in the upper body about 11 p.m. after eating at a Carl's Jr. restaurant on July 25, 2007. He was taken to Methodist Hospital in Arcadia, where he was pronounced dead.

Coroner's officials said Sunday it will likely take days to positively identify a man who died at the scene of a small plane crash on the Rosemead border.
The plane crashed about 4:20 p.m. in the 5100 block of Walnut Grove Avenue, on the border between Rosemead and an unincorporated county area to the north, officials said.
The plane caught fire upon impact, and due to the charred condition of the body, it would likely take several days to identify the man, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Investigator Christie McCracken said.
The plane is listed as being registered to David E. Flotho of Grants Pass, Ore.
Federal Aviation Administration officials said it hade taken off from Brackett Field Airport in La Verne and was heading to Van Nuys when it fell from the sky.
The dead man was the only person on-board the single-engine 1977 Beechcraft Bonanza when the pilot apparently tried to make an emergency landing along some train tracks and a market parking lot, sheriff's and fire officials said.
No one on the ground was injured, and nearby businesses suffered only minor damage, according to fire officials.
Federal authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.

The pilot of a small plane was killed in a fiery crash Saturday after attempting an emergency landing on some railroad tracks and a parking lot on the northern border of Rosemead, authorities said.
The crash occurred just before 4:20 p.m. at Walnut Grove Avenue, just north of Grand Avenue.
Officials believe the pilot of the single-engine 1977 Beechcraft Bonanza was trying to make an emergency landing at a super market parking lot when he crashed.
The pilot -- whose identity was not released Saturday night -- was killed, Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesman Fred Stowers said. Due to the condition of the body, officials could not immediately tell whether the victim was male or female.
The plane is registered to David E. Flotho of Grants Pass, Ore., according to a federal registry.
"We don't know what happened," said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Sgt. Jeff Walker. "We don't know if it lost power. The plane was fully engulfed when we got here."
The plane had departed from Brackett Field in La Verne -- about 25 miles east of the crash site -- and was headed to Van Nuys, said Ian Gregor, spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration.
Walker said at one point the pilot "was in contact with the El Monte (Airport) tower."
But Sal Sandoval, of airport operations at El Monte Airport, said he was not aware of any communication between the airport and the plane.
Stowers added that officials could could not find evidence late Saturday that the plane had made a distress call to any local airports.
No other injuries were reported, Stowers said. Several street signs and some fencing were damaged, and a business near the crash scene sustained minor damage from fire and flying debris.
Through a Spanish interpreter, Letty Rojo said she was working at the El Pavo Bakeries next to the crash scene when she heard a loud bang.
She said she ran to the window to see what was happening just in time to see the tail section of the airplane go skidding down the street past the bakery.
"A few seconds later, it ran into the wall and exploded," she said.
Rojo added she felt fortunate the plane did not crash into the bakery.
John Guzman, 35, of El Monte said he was driving near Mission Road and San Gabriel Boulevard when he first noticed the troubled plane.
" I actually saw it sputtering, coming down," he said. "The next thing I knew, I saw a big ball of flames."
Guzman said he watched as officials draped a blanket or sheet over the body of the pilot.
Crowds of local residents gathered near the site of the crash Saturday night where firefighters doused the wreckage and a nearby building with fire retardant.
Witnesses reported seeing smoke coming from the plane before it crashed and burst into flames.
Walker said deputies had someone pulled over in the area right before the crash occurred saw the plane flying low over their heads just before the crash.
Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Curtis Hummel said is appeared the pilot did a good job of avoiding buildings and cars.
"(The pilot) basically put a thread through the end of a needle," he said, adding that the pilot narrowly missed traffic and a building. "(The pilot) put it down in a pretty narrow spot."
Officials from the FAA and and the National Transportation Safety Board were investigating the cause of the crash.
Traffic was blocked for both directions of Walnut Grove Avenue and the train tracks were closed down during the investigation.

SANTA FE SPRINGS -- Three men were shot and wounded early Saturday following a car crash, police said.
The incident occurred about 1:40 a.m. in the 12900 block of Los Nietos Road, Whittier police Lt. Carlos Solorza said.
The victims were leaving Señor Charlie's Sports Bar near Santa Fe Springs and Los Nietos roads when they crashed their sedan into a gray, full-sized pickup truck, the lieutenant said.
The men in the car drove away from the crash scene, Solorza said, and were followed by the pickup truck.
"When they noticed the truck was following them, they pulled over," he said. "One of the occupants confronted the driver of the pickup, who produced a handgun and started firing."
The man who got out to confront the pickup truck driver, as well as two people who were still inside the sedan were shot and wounded, Solorza said. A fourth man inside the sedan escaped injury.
Police described the victims as Whittier-area men in their 20s. None of the wounds were believed to be life-threatening.
A description of the pickup truck driver was not available Saturday.

LA HABRA -- A man allegedly stabbed another man during an argument in a bar Friday before being knocked unconscious by a good Samaritan who came to the wounded man's aid, police said.
Jack Duke, 56, of La Habra was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, according to La Habra police and sheriff's booking records.
The incident occurred about 9:45 p.m. at Heads and Tails, 211 E. Imperial Highway, La Habra police Lt. Fred Wiste said.
Duke got into an argument with a 44-year-old La Habra man and stabbed him in the lower back with a steak knife, the lieutenant said.
"A witness saw the stabbing occurring and hit the suspect over the head with a bench, rendering him unconscious," Wiste said.
Duke remained unconscious until police arrived and arrested him, he added.
The wounded man was hospitalized in stable condition, officials said.
Duke was still trying to attack the victim when he was struck in the head, Wiste said. The man who intervened with the bench "may have even prevented a murder."
According to booking records, Duke is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail and is due for arraignment Tuesday in the Orange County Superior Court North Justice Center.

ALTADENA -- A man and woman beat and robbed a man Friday on Fair Oaks Avenue in Altadena, authorities said.
The incident was reported about 6:30 p.m. on Fair Oaks Avenue near Mendocino Street, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Mike Brandriff said.
A black woman in her 30s approached the victim, a man in his early 50s, and propositioned him for sex, Lt. Larry Landreth said.
A black man in his 50s then pushed the victim to the ground, causing him to strike his head, and punched him in the face, the lieutenant said.
As the injured man lied on the ground, he added, the woman reached into his pocket and stole his wallet.
The man and woman ran south on Fair Oaks Avenue and deputies searched the area with police dogs, but Landreth said the robbers were not found.
The victim suffered a broken nose, a large cut to his head and other injuries in the attack, Landreth said.
He was hospitalized but checked himself out before deputies could interview him at the hospital, officials said. The address and other information he left at the hospital did not appear to be valid.

COVINA -- A motorcyclist fled the scene Thursday after striking and injuring a teenage pedestrian in an unincorporated county area near Covina, authorities said.
The incident was reported about 5:50 p.m. on Glendora Avenue, just south of Arrow Highway, California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles County Fire Department officials said.
A 14-year-old boy was apparently walking with his siblings when he was struck by a motorcycle, Los Angeles County Fire Department Firefighter Jerry Tarango said.
He suffered an injury to his ankle and was taken to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center for treatment, the firefighter said.
The siblings were not injured, he added.
The motorcycle was initially described only as black, CHP Sgt. Mario Lucio said. Witnesses said the motorcyclist fled the scene at 50 to 70 mph.
No description of the rider was available.

PASADENA -- Police arrested a young burglary suspect Thursday after a neighbor reported the break-in to police, authorities said.
A 17-year-old Pasadena boy, whose name was not released due to his age, was booked on suspicion of burglary, Pasadena police Lt. Keith Jones said.
The incident began shortly after 7 p.m. in the 1200 block of N. Summit Avenue when a resident phoned police to report four men had just kicked in the door of a neighbor's home and remained on the phone with a dispatcher to let police know the suspects were still inside as officers responded to the home, the lieutenant said.
A police helicopter arrived at the scene first and saw the four burglars flee the home and run northbound, Jones said.
Officers set up a search perimeter and found the teenage suspect, he said, however the other three were not found.
Electronics including a laptop computer and a 22-inch flat-screen TV were found apparently discarded by the suspects in a nearby yard, Jones said. It appeared the burglars were in the process of disconnecting a larger TV in the home when the police helicopter arrived.
Jones said the arrest was primarily due to the help of the resident who reported the crime.
"The capture of the suspect, the recovery of the loss would not have occurred without the help of the citizen who called police," he said.

AZUSA -- Police jailed an Azusa man Thursday on suspicion of deliberately torching his own pickup truck for the insurance money, police said.
Noel Perez, 22, of Azusa was booked on suspicion of felony counts of arson and insurance fraud, Azusa police Cpl. Dean Brewer said in a written statement.
Police responded to a report of a car fire on Oct. 27 at San Gabriel Canyon and Ranch roads where they found a 2003 Dodge Ram pickup truck completely engulfed in flames, police said. There was no one near the truck, which was destroyed.
Perez was identified as the truck's owner, Brewer said, and police learned he had reported it stolen.
An investigation by the Azusa Police Department and the California Department of Insurance - Los Angeles Auto Fraud Task Force indicated that the truck had been burned intentionally, Brewer said, and that Perez was responsible.
Police confronted Perez Thursday, police said, and he admitted setting fire to his truck because he could no longer afford the payments.
According to sheriff's booking records, Perez is being held in lieu of $25,000 bail and is due for arraignment Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court.

From the Associated Press:

LOS ANGELES -- Mike Tyson allegedly hit a photographer at Los Angeles International Airport and was detained on suspicion of battery Wednesday, police said.
The paparazzo told police that the former heavyweight boxing champion struck him once, airport police spokesman Sgt. Jim Holcomb said. The photographer fell to the ground and was treated for a cut to his forehead at a hospital.
Tyson's spokeswoman Tammy Brook said the boxer was traveling with his wife and 10-month-old child Wednesday afternoon when he was attacked by an overly aggressive paparazzo. He acted in self-defense to protect his child, she said.
Tyson and the unnamed photographer both want to press charges for misdemeanor battery, police said.
"There's a lot of different versions to this story and that's all going to come out later," Holcomb said. "Some witness statements support Tyson's version, others support the photographer's."
Paparazzi often camp out at Los Angeles' largest airport to get shots of celebrities in transit.
Tyson was cooperative as he waited in a holding cell at the airport police station, Holcomb said. He will be booked and released later. The photographer will also be booked once he is released from the hospital, police said.
Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion ever in 1986 when he won his title as a 20-year-old. But his life since then has been marred by accusations of domestic violence, rape and cocaine use.
Tyson was convicted of rape in Indiana in 1992, serving three years in prison. He was disqualified from a 1997 heavyweight title fight when he bit off part of Evander Holyfield's right ear, and in 1999 he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault charges in Maryland.
In 2003, Tyson filed for Chapter 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. He served 24 hours in an Arizona jail in 2007 after pleading guilty to cocaine possession and driving under the influence.

PHOTO courtesy of the Associated Press

LA PUENTE -- Sheriff's deputies are looking for two teenagers who opened fire in a residential neighborhood before fleeing on a bicycle, authorities said.
The shooting was reported about 3:35 p.m. in the 500 block of Meeker Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Hiroshi Yokoyama said.
No one was hit by the gunfire, he said, and deputies could not find any shattered glass or bullet holes in the area.
The two shooters were described as Latino and about 15 or 16 years old, both armed with handguns, the lieutenant said. They were last seen fleeing the area on a bicycle.

Unlike many city police departments in the San Gabriel Valley, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department makes crime reporting data available to the general public. Although it's delivered in a hard-to-read .csv form, it can be imported into maps.

EL MONTE -- An El Monte teenager died early Sunday after he was allegedly stabbed by a friend during an argument, authorities and neighbors said.
Coroner's officials did not release his name Sunday pending notification of family members outside the country, however a man who identified himself as the teenager's brother said his name was Hugo Negrete, and that the 17-year-old moved to El Monte from Mexico about two years ago.
Eder Castro, 23, who lives in a nearby apartment and was known to neighbors as "Martin," was booked on suspicion of the killing, Lt. David Dolson of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said.
The stabbing was reported just after 3 a.m. in an alley behind an apartment building in the 11100 block of Bonwood Road.
The teen and the suspect had been drinking together prior to the stabbing, Dolson and neighbors said.
"There was some kind of an argument," the lieutenant said. After exchanging blows, "The suspect apparently went to his apartment and retrieved a knife."
Neighbor Martha Leyva said at one point after fighting, Castro and Negrete shook hands as if making up, but Castro then retrieved a knife from his apartment and stabbed Negrete in the chest.
"I screamed to my sister to call 9-1-1," she said.
Dolson said Castro was arrested at his apartment.
A kitchen knife believed to be the murder weapon was found on the roof of the apartment building, he added.
Leyva described Negrete as a "nice guy."
"He would get along together with everybody," she said.
Castro, however, had a short temper and was quick to fight, Leyva added.
The incident did not appear to be gang-related, Dolson said.
Sunday's slaying was the fourth homicide reported in El Monte this year.
*On June 18, Sonny Garcia, 20, was fatally shot at a high school graduation party near Fairview Street and Elrovia Avenue.
*On July 24, Jose Jimenez, 16, was fatally shot by Baldwin Park police officers on Peck Road, just south of the 10 Freeway, after he allegedly pointed a gun at them.
*On Aug. 9, Job Gonzalez-Martinez, 20, was shot to death as he rode his bicycle on Lansdale Avenue near Cogswell Road.

MONTEREY PARK -- A man shot and killed another man late Friday during an argument inside an employment agency, authorities said.
The dead man's name was not released Saturday afternoon pending notification of his family, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Lt. Brian Elias said. Sheriff's officials said he was an Asian man in his 30s and believed to be a Monterey Park-area resident.
Monterey Park police officers responded to a report of a shooting in the 200 block of East Garvey Avenue just after 9 p.m., where they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound to the "upper torso" Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Byron Ward said in a written statement.
"It appeared it was some kind of argument between a couple of individuals who frequented the business," Lt. Dan Rosenberg of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said. Neither the suspect nor the victim worked at the employment agency.
The apparent victim was pronounced dead at the scene at 9:31 p.m., Elias said.
The shooter was described only as an Asian man, Rosenberg said, and it was unclear Saturday what the men may have been arguing about.
The lieutenant declined to discuss whether a getaway car was believed to be involved and said detectives were following leads late Saturday.
No further details were available.

WEST COVINA -- Two men and two teenagers were behind bars Saturday after allegedly stabbing two men during a fight outside a party, police said.
Alejandro Rodriguez, 18, of West Covina and Lawrence Corlew, 20, of Covina were booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, along with a 16-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy, West Covina police Lt. David Rozeboom said.
The wounded men were found shortly after midnight Saturday in the 3700 block of Garvey Avenue South as police were responding to a complaint about a party nearby in the 100 block of Buckboard Circle, Rozeboom said.
"There was some issue with someone blocking the roadway," Rozeboom said, and several people began fighting.
Officers pulled over a car that was leaving the area and found the wounded men inside, he said.
The apparent victims, who are 20 and 21 years old, were stabbed in the leg and lower back and hospitalized with injuries not believed to be life-threatening, he said.
Rozeboom added the stabbing did not appear to be gang-related.
No one answered the door Saturday evening at the home where the party was held.
Initial news reports indicated the party was attended by teens wearing high school band and cheerleader uniforms, but police could not confirm that Saturday evening.
Neighbors in the area said they didn't seen anyone dressed in a uniform.
According to sheriff's booking records, Rodriguez and Corlew are due for arraignment Tuesday in West Covina Superior Court and are each being held in lieu of $30,000 bail.
The teenage suspects were taken to Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey, Rozeboom said.
Saturday's stabbing was the third incident of violence at a West Covina house party reported in just over a week.
In the early morning hours of Nov. 1, 27-year-old Ramiro Limon Jr. of East Los Angeles was fatally shot outside a house party at Shadydale Avenue and Roxbury Street, police said. His brother, 40, was wounded in the attack.
On the night of Oct. 31, a 16-year-old Baldwin Park boy was shot in the shoulder when a fight broke out in front of a house party in the 1900 of E. Nanette Avenue.

PICO RIVERA -- A man is expected to survive after he was shot early Saturday, officials said.
The shooting was reported about 5:30 a.m. in the 4300 block of San Gabriel River Parkway, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Margarito Robles said.
"Deputies found him lying on the ground, suffering from two gunshot wounds to his torso," the lieutenant said.
The wounded man, a 24-year-old Pico Rivera resident, was listed at the hospital in stable condition, he added.
A description of the attackers was not available Saturday, Robles said, however it initially appeared they fled south on San Gabriel River Parkway in a white car, possibly a Nissan Maxima.
A motive in the shooting was not available Saturday.

This from reporter Bethania Palma:

The District Attorney's Office charged the son of a city councilman with petty theft Thursday for allegedly offering to pay three others to steal campaign signs belonging to his father's political opponent.

James Beilke, 18, and Paul Puente, 20, of Pico Rivera, were charged with one count each of petty theft, officials from the District Attorney's Office said. James Beilke is the son of City Councilman Ron Beilke.

If convicted, Puente and James Beilke each could face up to six months in county jail or a fine of up $1,000, said D.A. spokeswoman Jane Robisoncq. Ron Beilke was not implicated. He did not return a phone call seeking comment Thursday but previously said his son is innocent.

From the Associated Press:

LOS ANGELES -- An audit says Los Angeles police have significantly reduced a backlog of DNA evidence from thousands of rape and sexual assault cases.
Controller Wendy Greuel said Thursday that the number of untested evidence kits has
dropped by 64 percent, from about 7,000 to around 2,500.
However, her audit says more precautions should be taken to prevent future backlogs.
The kits contain evidence such as body fluids or fingernail scrapings that could provide DNA
evidence of a suspect.
A proposed state bill would require police to notify the state of their progress in testing
rape evidence.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department also has decades of untested rape evidence from
cases submitted to its labs by smaller police agencies.

This comes from the Associated Press:

LOS ANGELES -- A Los Angeles County grand jury has charged a convicted serial killer with three more murders.
Authorities Thursday said Michael Hughes was indicted last week on charges that he raped,
sodomized and strangled a 15-year-old girl, whose body was found in an Iglewood park in 1986. He has also been charged with killing two women in Los Angeles in 1986 and 1993.
One body was found in a school stairwell.
Authorities say Hughes, 53, was linked to the crimes by DNA evidence.
He pleaded not guilty to the new charges on Tuesday and could face the death penalty if
convicted.
Hughes already is serving a life term without chance of parole for killing four women in 1992
and 1993.

COVINA -- Two robbers stole a man's cell phone and iPod at knifepoint Wednesday afternoon in an unincorporated county area near Covina, authorities said.
The robbery was reported just before 1 p.m. at a Via Verde off-ramp of the 10 Freeway, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Richard Ramirez said.
The victim was approached by two men described as Latino men between 20 and 25 years old, the sergeant said.
One of them was about 5 feet 8 inches tall, about 140 pounds, wore a black shirt and jeans and carried a switchblade-style knife, Ramirez said. The other robber was about 6 feet 1 inch tall, about 150 pounds, wearing a blue t-shirt.
A gray vehicle may have been used as a getaway car, he added.

WHITTIER -- A fire destroyed a garage in an unincorporated county area near Whittier Wednesday, authorities said.
The blaze was reported shortly before 2 p.m. in a garage to the rear of a home in the 7100 block of Norwalk Boulevard, Los Angeles County Fire Department Inspector Steve Zermeno said.
Firefighters found the garage "well-involved" with fire, but doused the flames in a matter of minutes, the inspector said.
The fire remained contained to the garage, which appeared to be a total loss, Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Rob Cendejas said. No injuries were reported.
The residents were not displaced from their house, he added.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.

LOS ANGELES -- James Mussenden, the former El Monte city manager caught up in a Pomona prostitution sting, will face misdemeanor solicitation charges, officials said Tuesday.

Mussenden, 59, of Glendora, was one of 18 men caught in the Holt Ave. hooker sting on Oct. 15. He likely faces a fine in the case. No court date has been set.

"It's one count of soliciting," DA spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said Tuesday. "All the men arrested in the case have been charged with the same count."

Mussendin, who had been city manager since 2006, resigned his job two days after the arrest. He additionally resigned his post as a commissioner for the Trails of the Valley Boy Scouts council.

Several fires broke out Tuesday in a densely populated area of Diamond Bar along the 60 freeway.

Super Scoopers have already attacked the blazes. it is uncertain how many homes are threatened. Fire seems to be rapidly moving through brush along hte 60 freeway. A smoke plume is visible from our office here in West Covina.

Here's a Google Map of the area:



View Diamond Ranch Fire in a larger map

This stuff sells for $45 a pound. Wow!

SAN DIEGO - Customs officials say they seized 343 pounds of sea cucumbers at the San Ysidro port of entry as smugglers tried to bring the Asian culinary delicacy into the U.S. from Mexico.

Inspectors found undeclared sea cucumbers in a minivan in San Diego Sunday afternoon.

Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman Jackie Dizdul says the oblong marine animals were hidden in the luggage of two Chinese citizens, a 51-year-old man and his 24-year-old son.

The two were fined $15,264 and their U.S. visas were canceled.

Dizdul says all imported food must be declared, especially large quantities intended for commercial use.

Sea cucumbers are eaten in soups in Asia, where they are harvested from the ocean bottom and dried. They go for about $45 per pound in the U.S.

This from the AP. Sirhan lived in Pasadena. His brother Munir maintains the family home near Muir High School:

This from Alfred Lee, in court covering the trial of two men accused of shooting Deandre Netter to death in the summer of 2007: Our coverage of the shooting is here.

 

WHITTIER -- At least three people were stabbed Saturday during a fight outside a Halloween party, police said.
The stabbings were reported about 11:15 p.m. in a residential neighborhood in the 7700 block of Comstock Avenue, Whittier police Sgt. Kevin Ramos said.
Three men found their own way to the hospital following the incident, and police were seeking a possible fourth stabbing victim who was unaccounted for, the sergeant said.
The conditions of the wounded men were not available, he said, however none of the injuries were believed to be life-threatening.
The stabbings were discovered after officers responded to a report of about 20 people fighting in the street, Ramos said.
The knife-wielding man was described as Latino, about 20 years old, about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing about 150 pounds, officials said. He had black hair and wore a black hooded sweat shirt and checkered shorts.

BALDWIN PARK -- Sheriff's homicide investigators are looking into the death of a man who appeared "severely malnourished" when his body was discovered early Sunday, a sheriff's deputy said.
The body of a 22-year-old man was found about 8 a.m. at a home in the 3100 block of Vineland Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Lillian Peck said in a written statement.
"The victim had several medical issues and was living at the location with his family as a dependent adult," the statement said. "At this time, no evidence of foul play has been detected. However, the investigation is ongoing."
No further details were released.

WEST COVINA -- A gunman killed one man and wounded his brother during a fight outside a Halloween party early Sunday, authorities said.
Ramiro Limon Jr., 27, of East Los Angeles died at the scene of the shooting, which took place just before 1 a.m. at the intersection of Shadydale Avenue and Roxbury Street, Los Angeles County coroner's officials said.
His brother, 40-year-old Rodrigo Ruiz of East Los Angeles, was shot in the hand, West Covina police Cpl. Rudy Lopez said. He was hospitalized and is expected to recover.
The shooting occurred as a Halloween house party was winding down, Lopez said.
"The party was breaking up, and apparently a fight ensued between the victims and the suspects," he said.
"During he fight, the (shooter) went to his vehicle and retrieved a handgun and fired several shots, hitting both victims," police said in a written statement.
The shooter, described only as a male Latino, then got into the passenger side of a dark-colored vehicle with a female driver and several other male passengers and fled the scene, Lopez said.
A second suspect was also involved in the fight, but Lopez said it was not clear if that other suspect -- also described only as a male Latino -- fled with the shooter or if they split up.
No further suspect descriptions were available.
Police Sunday afternoon were working to sort through conflicting witness statements.
Authorities believe as many as 50 people attended the party, and detectives were working to interview as many of them as possible.
A man who answered a door near where the shooting took place said the party occurred at his house, but the shooting took place in the street. He declined to comment further.
Mary Dugan, who lives on Roxbury Street, said she arrived home about 1 a.m. -- just minutes after the shooting -- from a Halloween party herself.
She saw a body lying in the street, covered by a white sheet. Her house was blocked off by police crime scene tape, and officers told her she could not return until the morning.
Dugan said she was allowed back in her home about 9:30 a.m.
"They're always having parties over there," she said, but the gatherings had never before erupted in violence.