May 2010 Archives

VALINDA -- Deputies arrested a "very intoxicated" man Sunday after he threw a wrench at a deputy, authorities said.
The name of the man, a 31-year-old Industry man, was not available late Sunday as he was still being examined at the hospital, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Hiroshi Yokoyama said. He was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer.
The incident occurred about 6:40 p.m. at the home of the man's girlfriend in the 15800 block of Maplegrove Street in the unincorporated county area of Valinda, he said.
Neighbors reported "a person that was very intoxicated, causing a disturbance," the lieutenant said. He was allegedly arguing with neighbors and standing in the middle of the street, trying to hit cars.
Arriving deputies found the man refused to obey their commands, Yokoyama said, and the drunken resident hurled a wrench at a deputy, but missed.
The man than retreated into his girlfriend's house and started smashing things in a rage, he said.
After receiving information that there were possibly children inside the home, deputies followed the man inside, Yokoyama said.
When he continued to refuse deputies' orders and appeared to act aggressively, deputies shocked him with  Taser and arrested him without further incident.
No other people were found inside the home.

SAN BERNARDINO -- A Covina man died and three other people were injured Saturday in a head-on car crash in San Bernardino blamed on street racing, authorities said.
Christian Hansen Gunn, 57, died at the scene of the crash, which occurred about 11:40 p.m. on State Route 18, just north of Old Waterman Canyon Road, San Bernardino County coroner's officials said in a written statement.
Gunn was a passenger in a 2002 Nissan Sentra that had been traveling north on State Route 18, San Bernardino police officials said in a written statement.
A 2005 Dodge Neon heading north was traveling in the southbound lane at 11:40 a.m. when it struck the Nissan, police said.
Police say the driver of the Dodge was street racing and caused the collision, but released no further details.
The Nissan's driver and two people in the Dodge were taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
The driver of a Honda Pilot tried to avoid the wreckage but also struck the Nissan, though no one inside the Honda was hurt, police said.

EAST VALINDA -- A group of attackers shot a car occupied by a mother, father and infant in a seemingly unprovoked attack Sunday afternoon, authorities said.
The family members were driving when several bullets struck their car, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Hiroshi Yokoyama said.
"Nobody was hit, thankfully," he added.
The shooting was reported at 2:36 p.m. near Sandalwood Avenue and Boulay Street in the unincorporated county area of East Valinda, the lieutenant said.
The attackers were described as three Latino men in their early 20s in a black, four-door car, possibly a Honda or Toyota, Yokoyama said.
They opened fire on the family's car with a handgun from inside their own vehicle, he said. The attackers were last seen driving south on Sandalwood.
A motive in the shooting was unclear, officials said. The East Valinda family that was attacked did not appear to have gang ties, and there were no reports of any prior confrontation before the shooting.
No further details were available.
Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's Industry Station at (626) 330-3322.

EL MONTE -- A police officer and suspect who were wounded in a shootout in El Monte Friday remained hospitalized Sunday, authorities said.
A second police officer and a civilian who were wounded in the gun battle have been released from the hospital, Detective Kevin Acebedo of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said.
The investigation into the 4 p.m. Friday shooting at Valley Boulevard and Durfee Avenue was ongoing, Acebedo said, however it initially appeared that the civilian who was wounded in the shootout was shot by the suspect's bullet.
"That's still under investigation, but that's what we believe at this point," he said. "I would believe that it was the suspect's (gunfire)."
The detective declined to release the name of the suspect, a 43-year-old man believed to be a transient who frequented the West Covina area, saying he and fellow investigators still needed to "tie up some loose ends" in the investigation.
The man was being held without bail in the jail ward at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center on suspicion of five counts of attempted murder.
The shooting occurred just after a minor traffic collision, Deputy Guillermina Saldana of the Sheriff's Headquarter's Bureau said.
The suspect allegedly crashed his Chevrolet sedan into a van occupied by two men and fled the scene, Acebedo said, adding that the crash appeared to be a random traffic collision.
As two El Monte police motorcycle officers were talking to the apparent hit-and-run victims, he said, the suspect drove by and opened fire on the officers and civilians from his car.
One officer was struck in his forearm, and the other suffered a grazing wound to his thigh, Saldana said. The injured officers returned fire, striking the suspect in his hand and shoulder.
One of the civilians, a man who Acebedo said appeared to be in his 20s, was shot in the ankle during the gunfight.
The suspect continued driving until he intentionally crashed into a responding El Monte police car at Durfee and Elliot Avenue, the detective said.
He then abandoned his badly damaged vehicle and tried to carjack another car, officials said, but the large man behind the wheel put up a fight.
The police officer got out of his damaged police car and shocked the suspect with a Taser as he fought with the attempted carjacking victim, Acebedo said. The suspect was arrested without further incident.
The arresting police officer was hospitalized for minor injuries suffered in the crash and released later the same day, authorities said.
Acebedo also declined to comment Sunday on why detectives believe the suspect may have opened fire on the officers and civilians.
"We need to do a little bit of further investigation on that," he said.
Acebedo also declined Sunday to release the names of the officers involved in the shooting. Police said Friday they were both veteran officers.
The five attempted murder charges the suspect was booked on stem from allegedly shooting at the two officers and two civilians, and ramming the other officer's car, Acebedo said.
The Sheriff's Homicide Bureau is investigating the shooting, and El Monte police officials deferred all further comment to the sheriff's department.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY -- Law enforcement officials reported an 11 percent increase in the number of driving under the influence arrests in Los Angeles County this year during the first two days of their Memorial Day weekend enforcement campaign.
Authorities participating in a multi-agency DUI task force called "Avoid the 100" arrested 231 people on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol in Los Angeles County between 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday night, task force officials said in a written statement. The statistics were preliminary, as some agencies were yet to report their arrests.
During the same time period last year, officials reported 208 arrests.
The extra enforcement campaign will continue through Monday night.
Officials encourage anyone who sees a drunken driver on the road to call 9-1-1 to report it.
Funding for this operation is being provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

MONTEREY PARK -- Police jailed a man Saturday who allegedly fled the scene of a crash that left two pedestrians seriously injured, authorities said.
Isaac Carrillo, 22, of Los Angeles was booked on suspicion of felony hit-and-run, Monterey Park police Lt. Steve Coday said.
The crash was reported about 1:40 p.m. at the Pho Lu Thuong Kiet Restaurant, 301 E. Garvey Ave., police said in a written statement.
"The suspect vehicle had left the roadway and collided into a parked vehicle at (the restaurant)," according to the statement.
"The parked vehicle was pushed against the wall of the restaurant, pinning a pedestrian between the car and the wall," police added. The pedestrian remained wedged between the car and building until firefighters freed him.
The pinned pedestrian, a man in his 50s who remained conscious throughout the incident, was taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center for apparent internal injuries, Coday said. He was expected to survive.
An 85-year-old woman who was standing near the parked car also suffered a serious leg injury, Coday said. A diner inside the restaurant also complained of pain to his leg.
Carrillo allegedly ran from the scene but was captured by police nearby without further incident, police said. He was hospitalized for shortness of breath.
Police added that officials were summoned to check on the stability of the restaurant.

HACIENDA HEIGHTS -- A fire scorched about 2 and a half acres of brush within Schabarum Regional Park Saturday, authorities said.
The blaze was reported about 4:15 p.m. at the park, 17250 East Colima Road, Los Angeles County Fire Department Dispatch Supervisor Michael Pittman said.
Firefighters extinguished the fire in about 45 minutes, he added.
No structures were threatened by the fire, Pittman said, and no firefighters or civilians were injured.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.

EL MONTE -- Details continued to emerge Saturday regarding a gun battle between El Monte police and a suspect that left two officers, the suspect and a civilian wounded, authorities said.
The shooting occurred about 4 p.m. at Durfee Avenue and Valley Boulevard, police and sheriff's officials said.
Los Angeles County sheriff's officials, who are helping El Monte police with the investigation, withheld the suspects' name Saturday citing an ongoing investigation. He was booked on suspicion of attempted murder and was being held without bail.
"Two El Monte police officers were investigating a hit-and-run traffic collision when the suspect returned to the location, shot at the officers, and an officer-involved shooting occurred," Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Guillermina Saldana said in a written statement.
Both officers returned fire, wounding the suspect, officials said.
One officer was shot in his right forearm and the other suffered a grazing wound to his right thigh, Saldana said.
The victim of the original hit-and-run crash was shot in his right ankle, she added. Officials did not say Saturday whether the civilian was wounded by a bullet fired by the suspect or police.
"The (wounded) suspect then drove Southbound on Durfee Avenue where he collided with a responding police unit," Saldana said.
The suspect got out of his vehicle and tried to carjack another driver near the intersection of Durfee and Elliot avenues, but the would-be carjacking victim fought back, according to police and sheriff's officials. No further information about the alleged attempted carjacking victim was released.
Police shocked the suspect with a Taser and arrested him, Saldana said. A 9mm semi-automatic handgun was found at the scene.
The injured police officers, civilian and suspect were all hospitalized in stable condition, El Monte police officials said.

BALDWIN PARK -- Police arrested a man late Friday on suspicion of robbing a group of teenagers in Baldwin Park, authorities said.
The suspect's name was not available late Friday as he was still being booked, Baldwin Park police Sgt. Richard Villines said. A second suspect was still being sought.
The incident occurred about 8 p.m. in the 2800 block of Athol Street, the sergeant said.
Three boys, ages 14-15, were walking in the area when a car approached.
A passenger, described as a Latino man in his early 20s with the letter "M" tattooed on his neck or head, got out of the car and brandished a knife, Villines said.
After stealing cell phones, iPods and cash from the teens, he said, the robber got back into the car with a waiting driver and the two drove away.
Minutes later, police found a car matching the description at Francisquito Avenue and Baldwin Park Boulevard, Villines said. The driver, who appeared to be in his early 20s, surrendered when police pulled him over.
The teens' property was recovered, he added, but the second suspect was not in the car.

I spent the first part of my day off the crime beat to pay a visit to the Pasadena Rock'n Comic Con, where comic book lovers of all walks of life met to share their love of fantasy fiction.
It was my first time at such an event, and it was something to behold.
From homemade greeting cards to a publication called "Girls and Corpses" -- yes, it's exactly what you think -- there was an ecclectic mix of comic books and other memorabilia.
One unique comic book published by artist/author Batton Lash is titled, "Supernatural Law," and follows a group of attorney's who represent creatures such as vampires and Frankenstein's monster.
People such as world-famous artist Glenn Vippu, former pro wrestler Shelly Martinez (pictured left) and Oblongs cartoon creator Angus Oblong were on hand to meet with fans.
Fans were disapointed, however, when comic book Legend Stan Lee cancelled his Friday appearance. He is expected to attend the convention Saturday.
More enthustiastic visitors arrived in costume.
It seems the convention got off to a slow start. Both visitors and vendors commented that attendance seemed low Friday afternoon.

*Shelly Martinez talking with fans at the Pasadena Rock'n Comic Con on Friday, May 28, 2010. PHOTO by Walt Mancini, Staff Photographer.

PASADENA -- Police are searching for a 53-year-old man who allegedly beat and tried to kidnap his ex-girlfriend, authorities said Friday.
Jose Castillo of Pasadena is being sough in connection with the alleged attack, Pasadena police Lt. Keith Jones said.
At about 1:07 p.m. Thursday a 45-year-old female Hispanic, of Temple City, was waiting at a bus stop in the 200 block of South Lake Avenue when Castillo allegedly grabbed her by the hair and began striking her, Pasadena Police Lt. Chris Russ said.
The woman suffered minor bruising to her face and arms and also complained of back pain, he said.
After a struggle, the man dragged her through a nearby parking lot and attempted to force her into his 2000 Honda Odyssey, but he fled on foot after several passersby came to her assistance, Russ said.
Castillo and the woman apparently ended a relationship several years ago, Jones said.
Castillo is described as a 5-foot-6-inch male Hispanic weighing 186 pounds.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Pasadena Police Department at 626- 744-4241.

El MONTE - A man shot two El Monte Police motorcycle officers Friday during a shootout that also ended up with him and a bystander getting hit with bullets.
The two motorcycle officers pulled over a car on Valley Boulevard and Durfee Avenue about 4:30 p.m. when the man started shooting at them, said Lt. Dan Burlingham of the El Monte Police.
One officer was hit in the arm and another was grazed in the torso, Burlingham said.
The officers returned fire, hitting the man in the shoulder, according to Burlingham.
A bystander was shot in the leg, he said.
Burlingham also did not know who shot the bystander, he said.
The man drove off on Durfee toward Elliott Avenue where he crashed and got into a fist fight with a one of the motorists involved in the crash, according to Burlingham.
The man was arrested at the scene after a struggle, Burlingham said.
All four people were hospitalized and were in stable condition, Burlingham said.
He did not immediately know the name of the arrested man or the age or gender of the bystander, he said.

WHITTIER -- Police arrested an apparently drug-crazed man Friday after he climbed into a stranger's attic and refused to come down, officials said.
The name of the man, who was estimated to be in his early 20s, was not available late Friday as he was still being examined at the hospital, Whittier police Lt. Steve Dean said. He was expected to be booked on suspicion of charges including being under he influence of methamphetamine and trespassing.
Residents called police about 5:30 p.m. to report seeing a man acting strange and running through yards near the 13600 block of Terrace Place, the lieutenant said. A short time later, a family called police to say the man had entered their garage.
Police told the family to evacuate the home, and officers found the intruder in the attic of the home, Dean said.
Officers tried to convince the man to come down for more than an hour before he fell through the ceiling in an apparent attempt to flee, he said. The suspect then jumped out a window into the waiting arms of police.

Possibly two people have been shot this afternoon in South* El Monte. One is possibly a deputy.

This comes from a local police blotter and basically shows that in the absence of guns and knives, there are plenty "green" weapons out there that can hurt, maim or kill:

"Upon the officers arrival it was discovered a male juvie has been assaulted with a rock. Suspect description was M/H approx 14-15yrs med build 505/black hair, victim sustained 1" laceration to the left side of head and was taken to Queen of the Valley hospital for further evaluation."

Wikipedia: "The Daily" could refer to a number of publications and television shows. »

This from a press release put out by Antonovich's press deputy Tony Bell Wednesday:

Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich called the proposal to divest and boycott Arizona over the state's passage of SB 1070, making illegal federal immigration law a violation of state law stupid.

"As elected officials, we take an oath to uphold the federal and state constitutions. To boycott a state for enforcing our federal laws is in direct violation of that oath. The propaganda by both the media and others is intentionally misleading because Arizona's law mirrors federal law. Rather than debating a boycott, this Board should hold our federal representatives accountable for their failure to act on immigration reform but also for their failure to reimburse costs incurred by local governments.

This knee jerk reaction to support law breakers at the expense of law-abiding legal immigrants and other residents is irresponsible.

The suit, filed by Montebello attorney Arnoldo Casillas on behalf of a man who was arrested by suspended officer Tyler Kennedy makes the explosive claim.

The man says Kennedy arrested him and asked a judge to hold him without bail so that Kennedy could carry on an affair with his wife. Here's the relevant portion of the suit:

"Officers of the West Covina Police Department were permitted to and regularily did pursue and maintain intimate relationships with the victims in the sexual abuse cases they were investigating,"

Casillas' suit also claims that West Covina officers routinely discriminate against minorities using illegal searches and seizures -- and that city officials covered up the criminal activities of rogue West Covina cops.

Two gunmen fled with an undisclosed amount of cash Wednesday after robbing a liquor store in Charter Oak, authorities said.
The crime was reported just after 9 p.m. at Sunrise Liquor, 20504 E. Arrow Highway in an unincorporated county area near Covina known as Charter Oak, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Vicki Gregory said.
Initial reports indicated the robbers were two Latino men, both armed with handguns.
One was described as about 5 feet 10 inches tall, 160 pounds and wearing a dark blue hooded sweatshirt. The other was about 5 feet 6 inches tall, about 170 pounds and wearing a white baseball cap.
No injuries were reported.
Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's San Dimas Station.

MONTEREY PARK -- A West Covina man who was shot and wounded by police last week has died, authorities said.
Alfred Pete Pouliot, 27, died at a hospital about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Lillian Peck said.
He was shot by three Covina police officers who were part of a multi-agency task force that had been seeking Pouliot on suspicion of home-invasion robberies in Pico Rivera and Culver City, a carjacking and attempted carjacking in Covina and burglary in La Palma, Covina police Sgt. David Foster said.
Authorities tracked Pouliot to the Best Western Markland Hotel, 434 Potrero Grande Drive in Monterey Park, May 20.
Police shot Pouliot after he allegedly rammed an unmarked police vehicle with his own car, Foster said, then pointed a gun at officers.
Pouliot's Girlfriend, Jasmin Santana, 18, of Baldwin Park and mother, Teresa Ward, 58, of Baldwin Park were charged Monday with being accessories to Pouliot, officials said. Santana was also charged with possession of stolen property.
Santana was being held in lieu of $500,000 bail, according to court records. Ward, who was on probation at the time of her arrest, was being held without bail.
Santana and Ward were both scheduled to appear back in Pomona Superior Court June 8.

This in the very exclusive neighborhood southwest of Suicide Bridge along the Arroyo Seco:

PASADENA - The husband of a woman found dead from a trauma wound to the head earlier this month pleaded not guilty to murder charges Wednesday, prosecutors said.

Police arrested Mark Roevekamp, 55, of Pasadena, on suspicion of murder Monday after coroner's officials determined his wife, 53-year-old Cynthia Ford, died from a blunt force trauma wound to the skull.

Roevekamp called police on May 13 and reported that he found his wife dead at their home in the 500 block of Lakeview Road when he returned from work that day.

Pasadena police Cmdr. John Perez said Roevekamp admitted to hitting his wife the night before she died.

"The husband admitted to slapping her the night before," Perez said. "They were involved in an argument and he said she was acting aggressively towards him and that caused the slap."

Roevekamp was not immediately arrested because no sign of trauma to Ford's body was visible when she was found dead, Perez said. The injury was discovered during an autopsy, he said.

Murder charges were filed against Roevekamp on Wednesday before he was arraigned at Pasadena Superior Court, according to Los Angeles District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons.

Roevekamp is being held in lieu of $1 million bail, according to sheriff's booking records. He is due back in court for a preliminary hearing setting on June 23, Gibbons said.

LOS ANGELES -- A body found shot and burned in Los Angeles was identified Wednesday as that of a 20-year-old South Pasadena man, authorities said.
Leeban Hassan Adan was pronounced dead at the scene, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Lt. Joe Bale said.
A passerby called police about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday to report finding the body in Hermon Park, in the 5500 block of Via Marisol, Los Angeles police Officer Rosario Herrera said.
"Police received a radio call and discovered a male black, burned, with a gunshot wound to the upper torso," she said.
Information about a motive or suspect description was not available Wednesday, Herrera said.
An autopsy will likely be carried out by Friday, Bale said.
The park where the body was found is just over two miles from Adan's hometown of South Pasadena, just off the 110 Freeway.

This from the Pasadena Police Department:

PASADENA, CA - On Monday, May 25, 2010, at 10:22 p.m. officers responded to the area of Lincoln Avenue and Zanja Street on reports of shots fired. Approximately five minutes later, a local hospital notified the police department of the arrival of two gun shot victims, Emilo Landaverde, 22, and Oscar Mendez, 19, both Pasadena residents. Victim Landaverde later died from his injury. Victim Mendez was treated and remains in stable condition. The suspect was described as a Male Hispanic wearing a white t-shirt.

"The motive for this shooting is unknown," says Interim Chief of Police Christopher Vicino. "Our detectives responded to the scene last night and are still investigating this senseless crime. It is our intent to find out who did this, bring them to justice and provide the families with some sense of closure."

Police are asking anyone having information about this incident to contact the Pasadena Police Department at 626-744-4241 or Detectives at (626) 744-4522.

BASSETT -- A man was robbed and carjacked Sunday in the unincorporated county area of Bassett, authorities said.
The crime occurred about 6:15 p.m. in the 13200 block of Valley Boulevard, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Carlos Herrera said.
The victim, a man in his 20s, was pulled from his car by two carjackers who demanded money from him before fleeing in his car, the sergeant said.
The crooks fled with the victim's white, 4-door Chevrolet Malibu with license plate number BL8N148 and about $300 in cash, Herrera said.
They were described only as two Latino men between 18 and 23 years old, of medium height and build, he added.
No weapon was seen during the incident,officials said, and the carjackers were last seen driving west on Valley Boulevard toward the 605 Freeway.
The incident was the second time in two days someone was carjacked in the same Bassett neighborhood, though the suspect descriptions and methods used in the crimes varied greatly.
A man was carjacked of his Chevrolet Tahoe SUV about 1 p.m. Saturday at the corner of Valley Boulevard and Orange Blossom Avenue, sheriff's officials said, just over 1,000 feet away from the scene of Sunday's carjacking.
In that case, the carjackers were described as three black men with a red Chevrolet Camaro, Sgt. Chris Romash said. They used a handgun to steal the victim's black and gray SUV with a license plate number of 4TPW762.
Authorities said anyone who spots either stolen vehicle should call 9-1-1 immediately.

PASADENA -- Police and coroner's officials are investigating the death of Jose Lima, a 37-year-old former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher who died of unknown causes at his Pasadena home Sunday, authorities said.
Lima, a right-hander, was a 20-game winner and an All-Star during a 13-year major league career, the Dodgers said.
Lima, who won 13 games with the Dodgers in 2004, died of an apparent heart attack, according to the Aguilas Cibaenas, a winter ball team that Lima had played for in the Dominican Republic.
"Lima was an exceptional man. This is a great loss for Dominican baseball and the country," Winston Llenas, president of Aguilas Cibaenas, said.
Paramedics responded to Lima's Pasadena home, where he had moved earlier this month, just after 6:08 a.m. after family members reported finding him unresponsive, police and fire officials said.
Lima was in full cardiac arrest when paramedics arrived, and he was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead, Pasadena Fire Department spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said.
Because the cause of death was undetermined, police and coroner's investigators will be investigating, Pasadena police Lt. Chris Russ said.
"Preliminary investigation did not reveal anything unusual," Russ said, but added that detectives will look into the death to rule out foul play.
An autopsy was expected to be performed by Tuesday, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Investigator Kelli Blanchard said.
In a written statement, Dodgers owner Frank McCourt spoke of Lima and his contributions to the Dodgers during his brief time with the team.
"We are shocked and saddened to learn of the tragic loss of Jose Lima," McCourt said. "Though he was taken from us way too soon, he truly lived his life to the fullest and his personality was simply unforgettable.
"His memorable contributions to the Dodgers in 2004 and throughout baseball will always be remembered," McCourt added.
Lima had rejoined the team in the past month as a member of the Dodger Alumni Association, the Dodgers organization said in a written statement.
Lima received a "rousing" ovation when he was introduced between innings at Dodger Stadium on Friday night, according to the team.
Referring to his often colorful outings as "Lima Time," Lima posted his best season in 1999 when he was selected to the All-Star game as a Houston Astro. He went 21-10 in 35 starts with a 3.58 ERA for the NL Central champion Astros.
In 13 major league seasons, the native of the Dominican Republic was 89-102 with a 5.26 ERA. He hadn't pitched in the major leagues since a four-game stint with the New York Mets in 2006.
"He was a man full of life, without apparent physical problems and with many plans and projects on the agenda," Dorca Astacio, his wife, said.
Lima went 46-42 with the Astros between 1997-2001, and he was a 20-game winner and an All-Star with the Houston team.
With the Dodgers in 2004, Lima had a record of 13-5with a 4.07 ERA. In the National League playoffs, Lima pitched a 5-hit shutout against the St. Louis Cardinals in front of a sell-out crowd at Dodger Stadium. It was the Dodgers' first postseason win since the 1988 World Series.
"He was a good baseball player and a good friend," Mariano Duncan, Dodgers coach and former major league infielder, said. "Nobody enjoyed the game more than him."
He also spent two stints with Detroit and Kansas City.
"This is a shock for us because Lima was a young man who seemed healthy and nobody imagined this," said Tomas Jimenez, manager of the Aguilas Cibaenas.

PASADENA -- A fire caused nearly $100,000 worth of damage to a Pasadena duplex Sunday, officials said.
The fire was reported about 12:35 p.m. in the 1800 block of Queensberry Road, Pasadena Fire Department spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said.
The fire ignited in a bedroom and mainly scorched the west half of the duplex, Pasadena police Lt. Chris Russ said.
About two-dozen fire personnel extinguished the fire, which caused an estimated $75,000 to the structure and another $20,000 worth of damage to the contents of the home, fire officials said.
It initially appeared the fire was caused by too many electrical appliances being plugged into a single outlet, police and fire officials said.
No injuries were reported.

INDUSTRY -- Deputies arrested a La Puente man late on suspicion of fleeing the scene of a Saturday night crash that left a motorcyclist badly injured, authorities said.
Mario Dominguez, 39, was booked on suspicion of felony hit-and-run, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Pete Cacheiro said in a written statement.
The crash occurred just before midnight at Hacienda and Valley boulevards in Industry, sheriff's officials said.
Dominguez allegedly collided with a motorcyclist while making a left turn in the intersection, then drove away, Cacheiro said.
Deputies searched the area and found Dominguez and his car, he added.
The injured motorcyclist was taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center for treatment of injuries including a punctured lung, broken ribs and liver damage, officials said. He was listen in stable condition Sunday.
According to sheriff's booking records, Dominguez was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail. Information on his initial court date was not available.

WEST COVINA -- Four people were displaced early Sunday after a fire broke out in the attic of their home, authorities said.
Firefighters responded to the call shortly before 8 a.m. and ushered four residents out of the burning home, West Covina Fire Department Capt. Cory Cisneros said. Officials also rescued two dogs from the house at 1326 East Idahome Street.
One firefighter suffered a minor shoulder injury while battling the blaze, the captain added.
The blaze spread through the attic of the house and caused about $36,000 worth of damage, fire officials said.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.

VALINDA -- An overheating flood light is blamed for a fire that destroyed the garage of a Valinda home late Saturday, officials said.
The blaze was reported about 10:30 p.m. in the 16200 of Fellowship Street, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Pete Cacheiro said in a written statement.
Officials found the attached garage of a home fully engulfed in flames, the lieutenant said.
Firefighters extinguished the fire, which caused an estimated $30,000 worth of damage to the home, he added. No injuries were reported.
"The cause of the fire was determined to be an electrical flood light that overheated and ignited a dry cypress tree, which ignited the front wood frame wall of the garage," Cacheiro said.

BASSETT -- Three carjackers stole a man's SUV at gunpoint in Bassett Saturday, officials said.
The crime occurred about 1 p.m. at Valley Boulevard and Orange Blossom Avenue in the unincorporated county area of Bassett, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Chris Romash said.
The victim was approached by three robbers, described only as black men in a red Chevrolet Camaro. At least one of the carjackers was armed with a handgun.
The men stole the victim's black and gray Chevrolet Tahoe at gunpoint before fleeing in both vehicles, the sergeant said.
The license plate number of the stolen SUV is 4TPW762, Romash added.
Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's Industry Station.

BALDWIN PARK -- Sheriff's officials sought the public's help Saturday in their investigation into the fatal shooting of a new husband and soon-to-be father in the backyard of his Baldwin Park home.
Arturo "Artie" Palomera, 25, died in the shooting, said his parents, Luis and Armida Palomera.
Another man was also wounded in the shooting, which took place shortly before 8 p.m. in the backyard of a home on Earl Avenue near Ramona Boulevard, sheriff's officials said. He was hospitalized in unknown condition.
Friends and family members said Palomera was married in April and expecting his first child, a son.
"He had a baby on the way next month," Armida Palomera said.
Peter Diaz, a friend of Palomera, said he couldn't understand why someone would shoot his friend.
"It's a shocker," he said. "He was a brand new husband and going to be a father. He wasn't involved in gangs either."
Sheriff's officials released few details about the shooting, but said it may have stemmed from a prior argument nearby.
The shooting appeared to be gang-related, Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Guillermina Saldana said in a written statement.
No description of attacker or attackers was available.
A gun was found at the scene, according to an investigator.
Armida Palomera said she and her husband were returning from a long trip when they were informed their son had been fatally shot.
She said she spoke to him less than two hours before the shooting, and that he told her to drive carefully and call him back as soon as she got a chance.
"I never got to call him," she said through tears.
"He was a lovely son," she added.
Arturo Palomera grew up in the Los Angeles area before moving to Baldwin Park with his family six years ago, his mother said.
"He was a good guy," Diaz said.
Diaz added that Arturo Palomera worked installing car stereos and specialized in making custom speaker cabinets and customizing cars with electronics.
"He was an expert at that," Diaz said.
Friday's shooting was the first homicide reported in Baldwin Park in 2010. The city saw three homicides in 2009.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau at (323) 890-5500.

NORWALK -- Authorities arrested a Norwalk man early Saturday after he allegedly shot at sheriff's deputies in a gang-related attack, officials said.
Walter Morales, 18, was booked on suspicion of attempted murder of a peace officer and was being held without bail, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Bill Evans said.
The incident began about 2:40 a.m. at Mapledale Street and Cabrillo Avenue when two deputies pulled over a car for a traffic stop, Evans said.
"The vehicle abruptly stopped in the middle of the street," Evans said.
Morales got out of the car and fired a handgun at deputies, he said.
"The vehicle fled the scene, leaving the shooting suspect behind," Evans said.
Morales fled into a residential neighborhood where he was found a short time later with the help of a police dog, the lieutenant said.
A gun was found near the spot where Morales was hiding, he added.
He was hospitalized for treatment of minor dog bite injuries before being booked, he said.
The car that fled the scene was not found, Evans said, and the investigation was ongoing.

SOUTH EL MONTE -- An armed robber escaped with an unknown amount of cash after robbing a Subway sandwich shop in South El Monte Friday, authorities said.
The crime occurred just after 5 p.m. at the restaurant at 11335 Thienes Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Kerry Carter said.
The robber was described as a white man wearing black and white shorts and carrying a black handgun, the lieutenant said.
After entering the store and taking money from a cashier, he was last seen fleeing the area on foot, he said. No injuries were reported.

A man who police shot and critically wounded at a Monterey Park hotel Thursday was wanted on suspicion of a one-man crime spree spanning Los Angeles County, authorities said.
Alfred Pete Pouliot, 27, of West Covina was wanted on suspicion of home-invasion robberies in Pico Rivera and Culver City, a carjacking and an attempted carjacking in Covina and a burglary in La Palma, Covina police Sgt. David Foster said in a written statement.
Three Covina police officers who were working with a multi-agency task force shot and wounded Pouliot on Thursday after he allegedly rammed his car into a police vehicle and pointed a gun at officers at a Monterey Park hotel.
"This guy has been victimizing people in Southern California for several months," Covina Police Chief Kim Raney said. "He won't be able to victimize anyone else."
Authorities had been investigating Pouliot since a Dec. 29, 2009 home invasion robbery in Culver City, in which he allegedly beat an elderly man, Foster said in a written statement.
Culver City officials found him at a West Covina home Feb. 11, but he allegedly left the home with his girlfriend, Jasmine Santana, 18, of Baldwin Park and led Culver City police on a car chase before eluding them, Foster said.
Pouliot allegedly rammed two undercover police cars during the chase before abandoning his car near San Bernardino Road and Vincent Avenue, Foster said.
He then tried to carjack a man, but failed, before successfully carjacking a woman, the sergeant said.
He was not seen again until police confronted him Thursday in Monterey Park, Foster said.
"(Pouliot) had made statements to family members that he will not go back to prison and will initiate a violent encounter with the police if it facilitates his ability to escape," Foster said.
A break in the case came Wednesday, when authorities arrested Pouliot's girlfriend, Santana, his mother, 58-year-old Teresa Ward of Baldwin Park, and parolee Jose Gutierrez, 39, of La Puente at a Buena Park hotel, police said.
They found guns, ammunition and stolen property inside the motel room.
Ward, Santana and Gutierrez were jailed on suspicion of burglary, possession of stolen property, and being an accessory to Pouliot. Gutierrez was also charged with a parole violation, and Ward was charged with violating her probation.
The stolen property found in the Buena Park motel room was linked to a Pico Rivera home-invasion robbery and a La Palma burglary, which both occurred Wednesday, police said.
Pouliot and Gutierrez have been identified as suspects in the Pico Rivera home-invasion.
They allegedly tied up a mother and daughter in the 8000 block of Masoncrest Drive and ransacked their home for valuables, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Jay Moss said the day of the crime.
Following the arrest of Santana, Ward and Gutierrez, authorities carried out search warrants that led them to Pouliot on Thursday at the Best Western Markland Hotel, 434 Potrero Grande Drive in Monterey Park, Covina police said.
Officials spotted Pouliot in a BMW sedan, and he allegedly rammed an unmarked police vehicle as officers converged on him, Lt. David Coleman of the Los Angles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said.
Pouliot is then accused of drawing a gun and pointing it at police, at which time three Covina police officers shot him, Coleman said. He was hospitalized in critical condition.
Raney said he believed his officers acted appropriately.
"The officers did an outstanding job in a dangerous situation," he said.
One officer suffered minor injuries when Pouliot allegedly rammed their car Friday, but the officer was expected to be fine, Raney said.
He declined to name the involved officers Friday. Two of the involved officers work undercover, he said.
In keeping with department policy, the involved officers will be given three days of administrative leave and were given psychological counseling, the chief said.
As is common practice when dealing with officer-involved shootings done by Los Angeles County police agencies, the sheriff's department and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office are investigating the shooting.
According to sheriff's booking records, Pouliot was being held in lieu of $1.46 million dollars at the jail ward at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. He was scheduled to appear in Alhambra Superior Court on Monday.
He was booked on suspicion of the Covina carjacking and the Culver City home-invasion robbery, Foster said, though more charges will likely be added.
According to court records, his previous criminal convictions include burglary in 2001 and weapons charges in 2004 and 2009.

*PHOTO of Alfred Pouliot couresy of the Covina Police Department.

ARCADIA -- Police believe the same man may have robbed two 7--Eleven stores this month.
The most recent robbery took place just after 2 a.m. Thursday at the convenience store at Live Oak and Tyler avenues, Arcadia police wrote in a statement.
The previous crime occurred just before 3 a.m. May 10 at the 7--Eleven store at 1003 S. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia police Sgt. Tom Le Veque said.
The sergeant said investigators could not be certain if the same person is responsible for both heists, but similar suspect descriptions and behavior seem to indicate it, he said.
"Based on the description and what we're looking at in the (surveillance) video, it appears to be."
In both cases, the robber was described as a thin man between 5 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall, Le Veque said. Both robbers also wore dark clothing, including a hooded sweatshirt and a bandana as a mask, and black tennis shoes with white trim.
"The guy was so covered up and concealed that neither of the victims could determine his race," Le Veque said.
Surveillance camera footage was collected from the store, he added, but yielded few clues because of the robber's dress. Detectives continue examining the tapes.
Both crimes were reported early in the morning, police said, and in both cases, the robber lifted his sweat shirt to show a handgun in his waistband.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Arcadia Police Department at 626-574-5150.

LOS ANGELES -- A San Dimas attorney pleaded guilty Friday to embezzling more than $500,000 from his clients, officials said.
Oscar Parra, 67, was ordered to pay $441,000 in restitution and is expected to face five years in prison when he returns to Los Angeles Superior Court for sentencing June 15, Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Jane Robison said in a written statement.
Parra worked as a probate lawyer and represented family members or administrators of estates, Robison said.
"Beginning in December 2000, he embezzled from the estates and used the money for himself," she said. "At the same time, he filed false court papers that misrepresented the amount of money remaining in accounts."
Parra ultimately admitted to stealing from five clients, including one count that was not prosecuted, Robison said.
Parra was suspended from practicing law by the State Bar Feb. 21, officials said, and has agreed to resign from the organization.

BALDWIN PARK -- The Baldwin Park Police Department is holding it annual open house and crime prevention fair Saturday.
The event will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the City Hall, 14403 E. Pacific Ave., Baldwin Park police officials said in a written statement.
Free bicycle helmets and child identification kits will be given to all children in attendance, while supplies last, police said.
The event is being held to raise awareness about child safety, educate the community about crime prevention, provide information such as police statistics to the public, officials said.
A host of community organizations are sponsoring the event, and free entertainment will be provided by the Sierra Vista High School Jazz Ensemble and 102.7 KIIS FM.
For more information, call the Baldwin Park Police Department at 626--960-1955.

From the Associated Press:

LOS ANGELES -- A West Covina man has been indicted on charges of operating a Ponzi scheme by advertising that his investments are connected to the federal economic stimulus program.
The FBI said in a statement Friday that 34-year-old Ruben Juan-Gonzalez is accused of defrauding about 160 investors out of $3.6 million.
In a federal grand jury indictment Thursday, Gonzalez is charged with conspiracy and multiple counts of mail fraud, wire fraud and money laundering.
It says Gonzalez claimed in magazine advertisements that a program connected to the 2009 economic stimulus would invest money with returns of 60 percent or more.
But the indictment alleges very little of the money was invested, and Gonzalez used much of it on personal expenses including the lease of a luxury Mercedes-Benz.

SAN DIMAS -- A 4-year-old boy was expected to survive after nearly drowning in a motel hot tub Wednesday, authorities said.
Deputies and firefighters responded to a report of a possible drowning at the Red Roof Inn, 204 Village Court, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt Vicki Gregory said.
The boy had apparently briefly fallen into a hot tub, she said.
The child was conscious and breathing when rescuers arrived, Gregory said, however paramedics determined he required immediate medical attention. The boy was rushed to a hospital via a deputy's patrol car with emergency lights and sirens activated.
The boy's exact condition was unavailable Thursday.
The boy was being supervised by his parents when he tumbled into the hot tub, Gregory said, and nothing criminal was suspected.

PASADENA - A police officer fired a shot at a pit bull Wednesday but did not hit the animal, authorities said.
The incident occurred about 9 p.m. as police investigated a report of a disturbance in the 2400 block of Oswego Street, Pasadena police Lt. Tom Delgado said.
Officers walked up a driveway when a pit bull charged at them, Delgado said.
An officer fired a single shot, which did not strike the dog, the lieutenant said. The dog ran off, and police and animal control officials searched for it late Wednesday.
Later Wednesday, the dog returned home, Pasadena police Lt. Tom Pederson said.
No arrests resulted from the initial disturbance call, he added.
Unlike officer-involved shooting involving a human being, there is no period of adminisrative leave for officers who shoot or shoot at animals, Pederson said.
As occurs any time an officer fires a gun, however, police administrators will review the incident to make sure the shooting was within department policy, Pederson said.

WEST COVINA -- A tattooed man and woman escaped with cash and merchandise after robbing a video game store Wednesday, police said.
The crime occurred about 2:30 p.m. at Gamestop, 2648 E. Workman Ave., West Covina police Lt. Ron Mitchell said.
The man and woman entered the store and brandished a semi-automatic handgun at two employees, the lieutenant said.
They stole about $400 in cash, video games and handheld video game systems, he added. They were last seen running south through the store's parking lot.
Police searched the area with the help of a helicopter but could not find the robbers, Mitchell said.
The man was described as Latino, about 30 years old, with tattoos on his neck, forehead and arms, Mitchell said. He wore a black shirt and blue jeans.
The female robber also had tattoos on her neck and back, he added. She had long brown hair with highlights worn in a pony tail and a piercing on her left eyebrow.
Anyone with information is asked to call the West Covina Police Department.

Authorities have identified a man who was fatally shot in front of his workplace Friday.
Jose Aguirre, 39, of El Monte, died in the shooting, which occurred about 1:30 p.m. in the parking lot of El Primo Foods in the 600 block of Monterey Pass Road, according to sheriff's and coroner's officials.
Rafael Berumen, 55, was arrested on suspicion of murder hours after the shooting following a brief standoff in Los Angeles, Detective David Gunner of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said.
The motive appeared to stem from romantic rivalry, he said. Aguirre was dating Berumen's ex-girlfriend.
Berumen was arraigned Tuesday in Alhambra Superior Court and is due back in court June 7, according to court officials and sheriff's booking records. Further details on Berumen's case were not available Wednesday due to a state-wide court furlough day.
According to sheriff's booking records, Berumen was being held without bail.

PICO RIVERA -- Two men broke into a home and tied up a mother and daughter Wednesday during a robbery, authorities said.
The crime occurred about 12:20 p.m. in the 8000 block of Masoncrest Drive, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Jay Moss said.
After forcing their way into the home, the robbers tied up the mother and daughter with telephone cord, Moss said.
They then ransacked the home for valuables and fled, he added. The stolen property included cash, at least one purse and a laptop computer.
The robbers were initially described only as a Latino man and a black man in their late 20s, Moss said. They were armed with a handgun.
Both men were last seen fleeing the area in a black, 4-door sedan, he said.
The victims, a woman estimated to be in her 40s and her mother, were not injured, he added.

EL MONTE -- An armed man escaped with an unknown amount of cash after holding up a gas station Sunday, police said.
The crime was reported about 8:45 p.m. at a Valero gas station in the 4700 block of Santa Anita Avenue, near Valley Boulevard, El Monte police Lt. Ken Alva said.
The robber was described as a Latino man in his 30s, wearing a brown checkered flannel shirt and a mustache, the lieutenant said.
He lifted his shirt to display a handgun tucked into his waistband and demanded cash from an employee, Alva said.
The robber was last seen driving south on Santa Anita Avenue in a four-door, 1990s-model Honda Accord, he added.
Alva said El Monte police alerted other nearby law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for the robber.

GLENDORA -- Police jailed a man on suspicion of felony drunken driving Sunday after he crashed his car into a power pole, injuring his passenger and knocking out electricity for hundreds of Glendora residents, authorities said.
Justin Branch, 23, was also booked on suspicion of driving on a suspended license and was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail, Glendora police Lt. Joe Ward said. He was believed to be transient.
The crash occurred just after 9 a.m. on Juanita Avenue at Bruning Avenue, the lieutenant said.
Branch's passenger, a woman estimated to be in her 20s, suffered significant but apparently non-life-threatening injuries in the crash, Ward said. Branch was uninjured.
Branch's car sheared off a power pole, knocking out electrical service to a significant portion of the city for about 45 minutes, Ward added.
Sunday night, about 400 homes near the scene of the crash remained without power, he added. Officials hoped to have power restored to all residents by 3 a.m. Monday.
According to sheriff's booking records, Branch is due for arraignment in West Covina Superior Court Monday.

WHITTIER -- A large fire gutted a Santa Fe Springs cabinet shop Sunday, authorities said, however firefighters doused the blaze before it spread to surrounding businesses, authorities said.
The fire was first reported about 12:30 p.m. at a cabinet shop in the 11800 block of Slauson Avenue, Sante Fe Springs Fire Rescue Division Chief Chris Cristo said.
Cristo said he called for extra engines as he approached the large blaze.
"I could see smoke from two miles south," he said.
About 40 fire personnel extinguished the fire in about 30 minutes and prevented it from spreading to nearby businesses, the division chief said.
One man suffered minor burns in the fire, though he did not require hospitalization, he added.
The cabinet shop and its contents appeared to be a total loss, Cristo said.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.

EL MONTE -- A neighborhood mourned the loss of a 2-year-old boy Sunday who was fatally struck by a pickup truck during his sister's birthday party.
Nathan Huaracha died at Greater El Monte Community Hospital shortly after Saturday's 5:45 p.m. accident in the 3600 block of Maxson Road, police and coroner's officials said.
Huaracha's mother declined to comment Sunday, however a young girl who identified herself as the boy's sister said the family was devastated.
"Our family all misses him," she said.
The crash occurred as Huaracha's family was holding a birthday party for his sister, neighbor Christina Sanchez, 23, said.
The neighbor said the energetic boy could often be seen playing with the neighborhood's many other children, including her 2-year-old nephew.
"Nathan would always come to my house and knock on my door and ask if (my nephew) could play," Sanchez said. "He was always running around."
Neighbors added to a memorial of pictures, balloons, flowers, religious symbols, candles, candy and a Teddy bear on the site of the fatal accident Sunday afternoon.
The accident occurred in a shared private driveway in front of the boy's home, El Monte police Lt. Beatriz Guadarrama said.
The 34-year-old El Monte woman who was driving the Toyota Tacoma pickup truck was not cited or arrested in what police believed to be a tragic accident, El monte police Lt. Michelle States said Sunday.
She had come to the neighborhood to visit one of Huaracha's neighbors, States added.
A group of young children gathered in the neighborhood said they missed playing with Huaracha.

EL MONTE -- A two-year-old El Monte boy died Saturday after a pickup truck backed over him, police said.
The accident occurred about 5:45 p.m. in the 3600 block of Maxson Road, El Monte police Sgt. Beatriz Guadarrama said.
"Preliminary investigation reveals that it's an accident," the sergeant said.
There was a family gathering at the young boy's home at the time of the accident, she said.
A 34-year-old woman backed her 2006 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck down a driveway and rolled over the boy, Guadarrama said.
The toddler was rushed to Greater El Monte Community Hospital, she said, where he was pronounced dead.
The driver of the pickup truck was fully licensed and insured and did not appear to be under the influence of any substance, the sergeant said. Police planned to have blood tests done to be sure.
The truck was examined, and it initially appeared to be in good working order, Guadarrama said.
The investigation was ongoing.

SOUTH SAN GABRIEL -- Deputies arrested a man early Saturday who allegedly stabbed two other men when a brawl broke out at a "fight club" party, authorities said.
Richard Nguyen, 24, of San Gabriel was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Tom McNeal said. The investigation is ongoing, and the charges may be later upgraded to attempted murder.
The stabbing took place about 3:20 a.m. at a home in the 500 block of Darlington Avenue in the unincorporated county area of South San Gabriel, the lieutenant said.
A group of people, mainly young men, had apparently gathered at the home to fight each other for sport in a "fight club"-type event, McNeal said.
Things got out of hand, however, and Nguyen pulled a knife, stabbing two men in their early 20s in the torso, McNeal said. The injuries did not appear to be life-threatening.
The wounded men were found several blocks away and did not cooperate with investigators, he added.
Deputies followed a blood trail to the home where the stabbing allegedly took place, McNeal said. People at the home were initially uncooperative, however Nguyen ultimately admitted the stabbing.
The knife believed to have been used in the stabbing was found in the home, he added.
According to sheriff's booking records, Nguyen was being held in lieu of $30,000 bail and was due for arraignment Tuesday in Alhambra Superior Court.

WHITTIER -- A young man was smashed in the face with a brick late Friday and another was stabbed just around the corner in two possibly related attacks, authorities said.
The first incident occurred about 11:30 p.m. in the 13500 block of Dunton Drive, Whittier police Lt. Steve Dean said.
A man in his late teens or early 20s was at a large house party when he became involved in a fight with more than a dozen other party-goers, Dean said.
Police learned of the incident a short time later when the victim showed up with a missing tooth and other injuries at an area hospital, he added.
No description of the suspects in the attack was available.
Around the same time, a group of male attackers pulled up beside a 22-year-old man in a dark-colored SUV at the corner of Lambert Road and Mulberry Avenue in an unincorporated county area near Whittier, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Bill Evans said.
Four to five male assailants got out of the vehicle and proceeded to beat and stab the man, he said.
The wounded man was hospitalized with injuries that did not appear to be life-threatening, Evans added.
No further description of the suspects in the stabbing was available.
While the two incidents haven't been definitively linked, because of the close proximity and timeframe between the two attacks, police and sheriff's officials said they're looking into the possibility they were related.

MONTEREY PARK -- A suspect was behind bars Saturday on suspicion of killing his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend with a shotgun.
Rafael Berumen, 55, was booked on suspicion of murder a short time after the Friday's 1:30 p.m. shooting in the parking lot of El Primo Foods in the 600 block of Monterey Pass Road, Detective David Gunner of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said. He was initially believed to be a Pomona resident.
Monterey Park police officials and sheriff's deputies found Berumen at a Los Angeles residence about 4 p.m. Friday, where he was arrested after a brief armed standoff, officials said.
"He stood in the middle of the street for approximately 15 minutes with a handgun," Gunner said. "He never pointed it at officers or deputies. He just stood there asking to be shot."
He ultimately surrendered to authorities, Gunner said.
Berumen was booked on suspicion of murdering a 39-year-old El Monte man, whose name was not released by coroner's officials Saturday pending notification of his family members.
Berumen allegedly confronted the El Monte man in the parking lot of his place of employment, El Primo Foods, Gunner said.
After a exchanging words, Gunner said, Berumen retrieved a shot gun from his car and opened fire on the victim, who was still sitting in his car.
The wounded man was rushed to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 2:09 p.m., Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Lt. Joe Bale said.
Gunner said the shooting apparently stemmed from a romantic rivalry between Berumen and the victim.
"It appears to be a personal thing about a relationship," he said. "The victim was the new boyfriend of the suspect's ex-girlfriend."
Several people witnessed the shooting, he added.
El Primo Foods Chief Operating Officer Jack Lucas said the shooting victim had been working at the company for about two months and was well-liked by co-workers.
According to sheriff's booking records, Berumen was being held in lieu of $1 million bail and was due for arraignment Monday in Alhambra Superior Court.

BALDWIN PARK -- Police arrested two teenagers this week on suspicion of vandalizing three Baldwin Park schools with graffiti, authorities said.
The teens, 14- and 15-year-old boys from Baldwin Park, were booked on suspicion of felony vandalism Wednesday following an investigation, Baldwin Park School Police officials said Thursday in a written statement.
They are suspected of causing about $3,600 worth of damage to Olive Middle School, Jerry D. Holland Middle School and Margaret Heath Elementary School between May 8 and May 9, police said.
The boys allegedly used white spray paint to scribble monikers and tagging crew names on the schools, officials added.
The 14-year-old suspect was on probation and was taken to Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey, police said. The older boy was released to a parent with a written promise to appear in court.

COVINA -- A man robbed a woman of her purse at gunpoint late Thursday, authorities said.
The crime took place just before 10 p.m. at 2nd Avenue and Navilla Place, Covina police Sgt. John Zumwalt said.
A woman was walking with a male friend when a maroon Ford Expedition pulled up nearby, the sergeant said.
A passenger got out of the SUV and demanded the woman's purse at gunpoint, he said. The woman complied.
The robber got back into the SUV, which was last seen driving west on Rowland Street from 2nd Avenue, Zumwalt said.
Police described the robber as a Latino man in his early 20s with a shaved head and mustache. He wore a black hooded sweatshirt and carried a black handgun.
No description of the driver was available.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Covina Police Department at 626-384-5808.

HACIENDA HEIGHTS -- A 4-year-old girl was in a coma but in stable condition at a hospital Friday after falling into a backyard swimming pool, officials said.
The incident was reported about 4:50 p.m. in the 15600 block of Regalado Street, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Ernie Barbosa said.
The child was at home with an adult baby-sitter when she fell into a swimming pool, where investigators believe she may have remained for five to 10 minutes, the sergeant said.
Deputies blocked intersection as the girl was rushed to an area hospital, he added.
Barbosa said that the girl was comatose late Friday, though she had stable vital signs. She was breathing with the help of a ventilator.
No arrests were made in the incident, Barbosa said, which initially appeared to be a "tragic accident."

MONTEREY PARK -- An man was gunned down Friday afternoon in the parking lot of the Monterey Park company where he worked, authorities and witnesses said.
The dead man's name was not released Friday pending notification of his family members, coroner's officials said. He was initially described as a 39-year-old El Monte man.
Authorities were questioning a "person of interest" in the shooting late Friday, but had not arrested him on suspicion of a crime, Monterey Park police Lt. Steve Coday said.
Jack Lucas, Chief Operating Officer of El Primo Foods, where the apparent victim worked, said the shooting victim had been working at El Primo foods for about two months.
"He was a very, very nice guy," he said. "Everybody liked him."
The shooting occurred about 1:30 p.m. in the 600 block of Monterey Pass road, Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Guillermina Saldana said in a written statement. He died a short time later at a hospital.
Sheriff's officials, who are helping the Monterey Park Police Department with the investigation, provided no further information Friday.
Lucas said the shooting in the parking lot of his frozen foods company was witnessed by several employees.
The victim pulled into the parking lot when he was confronted by another man, Lucas said.
After exchanging words, he said, the man who confronted the employee retrieved a shotgun from his car and opened fire with what sounded like three shots as the apparent victim was driving toward the parking lot exit.
The wounded employee's car remained in the parking lot until authorities arrived, Lucas added.
Detectives continued interviewing witnesses and the person of interest late Friday, Coday said.

LA MIRADA -- A robber made off with slightly more than $2,000 Friday after using a note to rob a bank, authorities said.
The crime occurred just before 2:30 p.m. at a Chase bank branch at 15128 Rosecrans Ave., just east of La Mirada Boulevard, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Mark Wilkins said.
A white man in his 50s wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses entered the bank and passed a note to a teller, the lieutenant said. The note demanded money and said the robber had a gun, though no weapon was seen during the heist.
The robber fled with the stolen cash, he added. No getaway car was seen.

SURVEILLANCE camera image courtesy of the FBI.

VALINDA -- Authorities arrested a La Puente man Thursday afternoon suspected in the robbery of several area stores.
A task force of law enforcement agencies arrested Richard Renteria, 38, after he and a female accomplice led authorities on a brief chase that ended in Valinda, sheriff's Sgt. Ernie Barbosa said.
Renteria was arrested about 2:20 p.m. and booked on suspicion of violating parole and robbery, Barbosa said.
Renteria's girlfriend, Olinda Breit, 22, of La Puente was booked on suspicion of burglary after allegedly breaking into a home in an attempt to flee police, Barbosa said. She also had outstanding arrest warrants.
Officials suspect Renteria is responsible for at least two robberies and maybe more, Glendora police Lt. Jamie Caldwell said.
Renteria is suspected of brandishing a handgun while stealing GPS units at a Wal-Mart in Glendora on May 5, Caldwell said. He fled in a car with an unidentified person.
He is also suspected of stealing iPods from a Target with a female accomplice in Chino on April 15, Barbosa said.
Caldwell added that authorities are investigating Renteria in connection with additional robberies in other areas.
On Thursday, task force members from the state Department of Corrections, the U.S. Marshals and the Glendora Police Department were looking for Renteria when they spotted him near Hacienda Boulevard and Francisquito Avenue about 2 p.m., Barbosa said.
He fled in a car after authorities approached, Barbosa said. Renteria and a woman then ran from the car before being found and arrested in the backyard of a home in the 15600 block of Fellowship Street in Valinda about 20 minutes later.
The car, a Honda, was recovered and had been reported stolen, he added.
According to sheriff's booking records, Breit was being held in lieu of $80,000 bail and was scheduled for arraignment in West Covina Superior Court on Monday.
Information on Renteria's initial court appearance was not available late Thursday, however parolees are generally held without bail when re-arrested.

LA PUENTE -- A 6-year-old boy suffered only minor injuries Sunday after a trailer rolled over his head, authorities said.
The incident occurred about 3 p.m. in the 16300 block of Turk Drive, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Sonja Bracken said.
A family gathering was taking place at a house and several children were playing on a parked, open-bed trailer, the sergeant said.
The injured boy's uncle came out to move the trailer, which was hitched to a truck, and told the children to climb down, Bracken said.
The 6-year-old boy remained on the trailer and fell off as it began to move, she said.
One of the trailer's wheels rolled over the boy's head, Bracken said, but he apparently suffered only abrasions to his head and ear. He was hospitalized for treatment.
The incident initially appeared to be an accident, Bracken added, and there were no signs of a crime.

AZUSA -- Police convinced a man who was threatening to jump from a pedestrian bridge over the 210 Freeway Sunday to climb down, authorities said.
The apparent suicide attempt was first reported about 9:30 a.m. on a pedestrian bridge about 25 to 30 feet above the freeway at Second Street, police said.
Sheriff's, California Highway Patrol, fire and Irwindale police officials blocked off freeway lanes and placed an air bag below the bridge, Azusa police Sgt. Andy Sutcliffe said in a written statement.
"During the next 45 minutes, (the 46-year-old Azusa man) stood two or three times, and more than once hung by only his hands as he dangled over the westbound lanes of the freeway," Sutcliffe said.
"At one point," he added, "he fashioned a blindfold from a bandana, presumably to lessen the emotional trauma of the fall."
Two police officers engaged the man in conversation and learned he was depressed over a failing relationship with his girlfriend, Sutcliffe said.
The officers ultimately convinced the man to climb down unharmed, officials added.
The man was taken to a mental health facility to be evaluated and treated.
CHP Officer Jose Nunez said the incident on the bridge forced officials to close down all westbound lanes of the 210 Freeway for about 30 minutes.
Some eastbound lanes were also affected, police said.
People with suicidal feelings can call the free, 24-hour National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-8255.

EL MONTE -- The investigation into the shooting of two men in El Monte was turned over to homicide detectives Sunday after one of the victims' conditions was downgraded to "death imminent" at a trauma center, authorities said.
Two El Monte men, ages 18 and 20, were wounded in the car-to-car shooting, which took place about 3 a.m. Saturday near Sastre Avenue and Rio Hondo Parkway, El Monte police Detective Ralph Batres said. They were shot in the neck and chest.
Both men were initially hospitalized in critical condition, but one of them was considered "death imminent," Sunday, authorities said.
Police declined to say which victim was the one listed as death imminent, deferring all comments to the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau.
Sheriff's officials provided no further information about the crime.
The wounded man were passengers in a car driven by a third 18-year-old El Monte man when attackers opened fire, police said. The suspects were believed to be in a white van and a second unknown vehicle. A motive in the shooting was unclear.
The driver, who brought the wounded men to the hospital, was initially arrested during the investigation, but was released Saturday evening, according to sheriff's booking records.
Police were responding to a call reporting shots fired when Greater El Monte Community Hospital notified them that two gunshot wound victims had arrived in the emergency room, Batres said.
The victims were then flown by helicopter to area trauma centers for further treatment, authorities added.

WEST VALINDA -- An 18-year-old man was fatally shot in a residential neighborhood late Saturday.
Maxwell Laguna, 18, died at the scene of the shooting late Saturday, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Lt. Larry Dietz.
The shooting took place just after 11 p.m. in the 1000 block of Sandy Hook Avenue, Deputy Mark Pope of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau said in a written statement.
Several neighbors commented on the slaying, but declined to give their names for fear of retaliation.
One woman said she did not hear or see the shooting, but she witnessed the aftermath.
After coming outside to see why deputies were arriving in the neighborhood, she said she saw the body of a young man lying in the street, and another apparently wounded young man asking for help.
"He came up to me and said, 'I need help. I've been shot,'" she said.
The woman said it looked like the wounded man was shot in the back of his head, but it was hard to tell because he had long hair.
"He said his neck was numb and his head was hurting a lot," the woman said.
The resident added she felt for the mother of the homicide victim as she looked at the scene.
She said she remembered thinking, "His poor mother. Tomorrow's Mother's Day."
Sheriff's officials released no information about the circumstances of the shooting.
A memorial of flowers and candles marked the spot on the southeast corner of Sandy Hook Avenue and Sauder Street where Laguna fell.
Laguna's city of residence was not available.

WEST COVINA -- Two men robbed a liquor store at gunpoint at shocked a man who resisted them with a stun gun Saturday, police said.
The crime occurred about 11 p.m. at Big Bob's Liquor, 1413 W. Puente Ave., West Covina police Lt. Marty Sevilla said.
The robbers entered the store, brandished a semi-automatic handgun and demanded money from the cash register, the lieutenant said.
The robbers also took a cell phone from a 63-year-old man who was a customer at the store, he said.
The man struggled with one of the robbers and was able to get his phone back, Sevilla said, but the robber shocked him with a stun gun. The man was not hospitalized.
Police described the robbers as Latino men estimated to be 19 years old. One was about 5 feet 8 inches tall and 180 pounds, while the other stood about 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighed about 160 pounds.

SOUTH EL MONTE -- An 18-year-old man was treated at a hospital and released after apparently shooting himself in the leg by accident Sunday, officials said.
The incident occurred about 10:40 a.m. in the 2500 block of Peck Road, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Kerry Carter said.
It was not clear what the man was doing with the gun went it went off, but Carter said it appeared he accidentally wounded himself in the leg.
He was taken to an area hospital by his girlfriend, where he was treated and released later in the day, the lieutenant said.
Authorities were looking into where the gun came from and whether weapons charges would be appropriate, he added.

SOUTH SAN GABRIEL -- Four man carjacked another man at gunpoint and made off with about half a million dollars worth of jewelry Saturday in the unincorporated county area of South San Gabriel, authorities said.
The crime occurred about 6:30 a.m. in the 8300 block of Elsmore Drive, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Tom McNeal said.
The victim, a man in his 60s, got into his van when the suspects used a green, two-door pickup truck and a white Ford van to keep him from leaving, the lieutenant said.
"They essentially block his path, front and back, and boxed him in with their two cars," McNeal said.
One of the carjackers was armed with a blue steel rifle with a wooden butt which he used to smash out the window of the victim's van, he said.
The carjackers ordered the man out of the truck, McNeal said, which they drove off in.
Inside the van about 1,300 pieces of jewelry the victim was about to bring to a swap meet to sell when the crime occurred, McNeal said. The jewelry was valued at about $500,000.
The nature of the crime on the residential cul-de-sac led officials to suspect that the carjackers knew that the man had valuables and specifically targeted him, he added.
"They knew what was going on," he said.
The license plate of the victim's stolen green, 1994 Chevrolet Astro van is 3HIP190, he said.
Officials described the carjackers as Latino men between 25 and 30. One of them was about 5 feet 7 inches tall, about 160 pounds, wearing a black beanie and black clothes.
Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's Temple Station.

EL MONTE -- Two young men were wounded in an apparent car-to-car shooting in El Monte early Saturday, police said.
Police received reports of shots fired about 3 a.m. at Sastre Avenue and Rio Hondo Parkway, police said.
"When the officers arrived, everybody was gone," El Monte police Detective Ralph Batres said. "But a few minutes later, the officers received another call of two shooting victims that had arrived at the hospital."
The patients, an 18-year-old El Monte man and a 20-year-old El Monte man, were flown by helicopter from the El Monte hospital to area trauma centers for further treatment, the detective said.
One of the men was shot in the neck, and the other in the chest, Batres said. The injuries appeared to be life-threatening.
The wounded men were passengers in a car being driven by an 18-year-old El Monte man named Ernesto Medina, Batres said. Medina drove the wounded men to the hospital.
Medina was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon because investigators suspected he wasn't telling them the truth and may have also fired a gun during the incident, Batres said.
According to sheriff's booking records, Medina was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail and was due in El Monte Superior Court for arraignment Tuesday.
The victims were in a car when they were shot, he added, and police believe the attackers were inside a white van and a second unknown vehicle.
A motive in the shooting was unclear Saturday.
Anyone with information is asked to call the El Monte Police Department at 626-580-2100. Information can be left anonymously.

DUARTE -- A man allegedly had 68 balloons full of heroin with him when he passed out at the wheel and crashed his truck in Duarte Thursday, authorities said.
Andrew Lalande, 27, of Monrovia was booked on suspicion of possession of drugs for sales, driving under the influence of drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Tom McNeal said.
Deputies responded to a car crash about 1:45 p.m. in the 1400 block of Royal Oaks Drive, the lieutenant said.
Lalande had apparently fallen asleep at the wheel and crashed into a car that was stopped in the roadway in front of him, McNeal said.
Witnesses told deputies that after the crash, Lalande walked down the street where he appeared to drop something on the ground, then returned to his truck, McNeal said.
When deputies looked at the spot the witnesses had indicated, they found 68 balloons full of heroin, he said. Officials also found 15 syringes -- one of them full of heroin -- inside Lalande's truck.
In all, deputies found about 6 grams of heroin, McNeal said, with an estimated street value of about $7,000.
According to sheriff's booking records, Lalande was being held without bail. His initial court appearance was scheduled for Friday, however an update on his case was not available late Friday.

LOS ANGELES -- A Diamond Bar man must repay $1.38 million and spend five years on probation for failing to pay workers' compensation insurance for employees at his nurse staffing agency.
Joseph Baiden, 57, will also have to pay the California Department of Insurance $110,000 to cover the cost of the investigation, Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said in a written statement.
Prosecutors say Baiden underreported the number of employees who worked for his company, Los Angeles-based Nurse Connections, Inc., leading to reduced workers' compensation payments.
He pleaded guilty to insurance fraud after the scheme was uncovered.
Judge David Horowitz sentenced Baiden on Friday. The judge ordered Baiden to be electronically monitored for the first three months of his probation. He also suspended a five-year prison sentence.
The fraud occurred between 2001 and 2007.
The investigation into Baiden began in September, 2008 after authorities received a tip.
Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner said Baiden appeared to be living a "lavish lifestyle" with proceeds from the fraud.
Government officials seized three homes that belonged to him in Diamond Bar. They are in the 2700 block of Wagon Train Lane, the 2200 block of Rusty Pump Road and the 800 block of Sunset Place.
Officials also seized a vacant residential lot on Derringer Lane in Diamond Bar and a home on Pala Mesa Drive in Pomona.
The total value of the properties is estimated at $4 million.

BALDWIN PARK -- Police jailed a 17-year-old Baldwin Park boy Friday after he allegedly broke into a teacher's car near an elementary school campus, authorities said.
Baldwin Park School Police Department officers responded to a report of an auto burglary about 11:30 a.m. near Kenmore Elementary School, 3838 Kenmore Avenue, school district police officials said in a written statement.
Officers found that a window of a car belonging to a teacher that was parked across the street from the school had been smashed and a GPS unit was taken from the dashboard, police said.
Witnesses gave officers a description of the teenage burglar, and a boy matching the description was spotted several blocks away near Ramona Boulevard and Merced Avenue, according to the statement.
The teen ran away and jumped fences into a nearby neighborhood, police added. School police, with the help of Baldwin Park police, found the boy hiding under a bush in a residential back yard and arrested him without further incident.
The allegedly stolen property was recovered, police added.
Officials said the teenage suspect was taken to Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey.

PASADENA - Police swarmed a Pasadena neighborhood Thursday after someone reported seeing several people walking around with guns, authorities said.
The incident began about 6 p.m. on Westminster Drive, just east of Arroyo Boulevard, Pasadena police Lt. Rodney Wallace said.
About four hours later, police made their way into the house where a witness said the armed men had gone into but found no one inside, Lt. Chris Russ said. Police also found no signs that anyone had broken in.
It remained unclear Friday what exactly may have prompted the witness' initial 9-1-1 call, he said.
Police were considering the possibility that the report stemmed from people or children playing with toy guns, such as plastic pellet shooting "airsoft" guns, Russ added.
Russ said he wanted to remind the public of the danger of playing with realistic looking toy guns in populated neighborhoods, both from residents who may become alarmed police officers who may believe they're dealing with an armed suspect.

I know Redlands is quite a ways away from the San Gabriel Valley, but holy cow!

From the Associated Press:

REDLANDS -- A big rig carrying scores of cattle has overturned on Interstate 10 in Southern California, killing at least 40 cows and forcing the closure of lanes for several hours.
California Highway Patrol officials say the tractor-trailer on Thursday flipped over onto a
pickup truck, narrowly missing the driver.
Officer Hope Maxson says the truck was carrying about 160 young cows. None were on the roadway in Redlands, but many were injured.
She says crews cut off the top of the trailer to pull out the remaining live animals, which
were mooing loudly.
San Bernardino County Animal Control Chief Brian Cronin says veterinarians are
examining the animals and removing the dead.
No humans were injured.

PASADENA -- Police are planning a sobriety checkpoint in Pasadena Wednesday, officials said.
The checkpoint will run from 5 p.m. Wednesday to 1 a.m. Thursday morning at an undisclosed location within the city, Pasadena police said in a written statement.
Lt. Randell Taylor of the Pasadena police traffic section said police also encourage drivers to call the police if they see someone who may be a drunken driver.
"We want to encourage the public to help keep our roadways safe by reporting impaired drivers," he said. "Whenever you see a driver that you suspect is impaired, call 9-1-1."
Funding for the event is being provided by the a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

From the Associated Press:

HAWAIIAN GARDENS -- Six family members escaped a gunman rampaging through their house Thursday by climbing through a window and hiding on a roof as a room-to-room attack left a father, son and daughter dead and the mother critically wounded, authorities said.
Joseph Mercado, 27, is suspected of shooting and killing 23-year-old Serena Tarin, his
ex-girlfriend, with an assault-style rifle in what appeared to be a domestic dispute involving
a child custody issue, sheriff's homicide Lt. Don Slawson said.
Mercado also poured gasoline on an exterior wall but failed to light it with a match, Slawson said.
The attack was halted when two patrol deputies rushed to the home after hearing a burst of gunfire. They confronted Mercado as he left the house carrying a gun. One of the deputies shot at Mercado, who was arrested after a bullet grazed his head.
"I believe if the deputies weren't there, we'd have a lot more deceased, and the house would be burned to the ground," Slawson said.
The attack began about 4 a.m. in a gritty Hawaiian Gardens neighborhood south of
Los Angeles when a gunman shot a lock from a door and opened fire in several rooms.
"(I heard) 20 gunshots," said Linda Sanchez, a neighbor who lives about a half-block away.
"Two little gunshots after that and a couple of minutes later, sirens and helicopters."
Six family members, including some children, climbed out an upstairs window and hid on the roof until deputies arrived, Slawson said.
Inside the home, authorities found the bodies of Serena Tarin and her 21-year-old brother
Alfredo Tarin.
Their father Alfredo Tarin Sr. died hours later at Long Beach Memorial Hospital,
spokeswoman Krista Harlow said. His wife Lucy Tarin was hospitalized in critical
condition.
Further information was not immediately released, but a neighbor said the parents were in
their 50s.
The two patrol deputies were driving through the neighborhood when they heard gunshots and got a radio call involving shots fired.
They sped to the home and saw a man with an assault-style rifle come outside. He refused orders to drop the gun and turned toward a deputy, who fired two shots, Slawson said.
Neighbor Javier Leon said he had been working a night shift and had just returned to his home about two blocks from the shooting scene when he heard four shots.
"I turned on my TV, and then 'boom! boom! boom! boom!'" he said.
Residents said there have been drive-by gang shootings in the modest neighborhood of small stucco and wood-framed homes, but they couldn't recall such an all-out attack.

PASADENA -- A man showed up at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena after apparently being shot by a security guard during a failed robbery in Los Angeles, authorities said.
Hospital officials reported a gunshot wound victim had arrived in the emergency room about 12:06 p.m., Pasadena police Lt. Tom Pederson said.
The man, who was wounded in the arm, was brought to the hospital by his girlfriend, he said.
The wounded man and his girlfriend gave "conflicting information" about what had happened, Lt. Tracey Ibarra said.
After further investigation, police found that the wounded man was a suspect in a robbery who had been shot by a security guard, Interim Police Chief Christpher Vicino said in a written statement.
"After a lengthy interview, the police officers determined the suspect was on parole and was shot by a security guard in the City of Los Angeles," Vicino said. "The guard stopped the suspect from robbing a store."
The wounded suspect was treated at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena and discharged later in the day, Vicino said.
No further information was available.
Pasadena police said the investigation was turned over to the Los Angeles Police Department, and LAPD officials said they had no information about the incident late Thursday.
The information initially given by the girlfriend led police to the 100 block of East Claremont Street, police said.
Officers briefly closed the street and canvassed the neighborhood, Pederson said, but neighbors did not report hearing gunshots and police found no evidence of a shooting.

Some local folks received kudos from the DA's office Wednesday for selflessly helping to bring justice to victims.

Honored were a man and woman who stopped a savage attack on a woman outside the Pasadena police station and a young Baldwin Park boy whose testimony proved key in a gang-related murder trial.

Check it out.

 

PASADENA -- A murder trial has been postponed for Johnl Dvon Reynolds, who is accused of inadvertently shooting a 16-year-old Pasadena girl to death during a fight outside a party in 2007, officials said.
The case was scheduled to begin Wednesday in Pasadena Superior Court but was postponed until June 8, court officials said. More delays are likely before the case goes to trial.
Reynolds, 21, of Los Angeles is charged with fatally shooting Ebony Huel in August, 2007.
Huel was standing outside a party on North Lincoln Avenue, just south of West Montana Street, when a fight broke out and Reynolds allegedly opened fire, authorities said. Huel was not believed to be the intended target in the shooting.
According to sheriff's booking records, Reynolds is being held in lieu of $3.26 million bail.

PASADENA -- The murder trial for a Pasadena man charged with killing a man and his dog in 2005 was delayed Thursday, officials said.
Luis Rincon, 28, is accused of murdering 20-year-old Edgar Ortiz of Pasadena and killing his dog in the July 10, 2005 shooting outside an apartment building in the 500 block of North Marengo Avenue.
Court officials said Rincon is due back in Pasadena Superior Court court July 19 for trial.
Rincon allegedly believed he was firing at a rival gang member when he fatally shot Ortiz and his dog, authorities said, though Ortiz was not believed to be a gang member.
He is charged with murder, animal cruelty and seven counts of attempted murder stemming from an unrelated Feb. 2005 incident.
Rincon is being held in lieu of $8 million bail, according to sheriff's booking records.

 

POMONA -- A woman seen falling out of a car as it drove on the 210 Freeway told investigators she jumped from the vehicle while arguing with her boyfriend, authorities said.
The incident was reported about 12:20 p.m. on the eastbound  210 Freeway at Towne Avenue, according to California Highway Patrol logs.
A construction crew watched as a 1990 Toyota Corolla merged onto the freeway from Towne Avenue at 45 to 50 mph and the front passenger door opened, CHP Officer Hugo Bustamante said.
The car slowed as a woman was seen dropping out of the vehicle and onto the roadway, Bustamante said. She rolled toward the right shoulder.
Once the woman fell from the car, he added, the driver continued on.
Several good Samaritans stopped to help the injured woman while the construction workers followed the car, Bustamante said.
The workers followed the car into a nearby residential neighborhood, he said, but they fled when the driver of the Toyota appeared to approach them.
At Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, where the 31-year-old woman was being treated for apparently non-life-threatening injuries, the officer said, she told officials she intentionally jumped out of the car during an argument with her boyfriend.
Since the woman apparently jumped from the car intentionally and the incident did not appear to be a traffic accident, the driver was not suspected of hit-and-run or any other crime late Wednesday, Bustamante said.
Still, officers want to speak with the man, he said.
Witnesses provided the CHP with the driver's license plate number and description, Bustamante said, however officers were unable to contact him Wednesday.
The incident remained under investigation.

From the Associated Press:

PASADENA -- Former Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona has asked an appeals court to reverse his 2009 conviction for witness tampering.
A panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments Wednesday in Pasadena.
The former sheriff was sentenced to 5½ years in prison for trying to persuade ex-assistant sheriff Don Haidl to lie during a grand jury probe.
Carona's lawyers argued that prosecutors broke an ethical rule when they arranged for Haidl to secretly record an August 2007 conversation despite knowing Carona had retained a criminal defense attorney.
A federal attorney argued that the government used what he called "permissible decoys."
Carona was acquitted in January of conspiracy, mail fraud and a second witness tampering count in a sweeping public corruption case.

From the Associated Press:

LOS ANGELES -- The second man who escaped from a Los Angeles County jail last week and was recaptured hours later has been convicted of multiple counts of armed robbery.
A Superior Court jury on Wednesday convicted 24-year-old Jose Aldana of home invasion robbery, assault and false imprisonment. The charges stemmed from a violent home invasion and a string of armed robberies in March 2009.
Another jury found Aldana's co-defendant, Winder Barrios, guilty of the same counts on Tuesday.
Aldana and Barrios face 50 years in state prison each when they are sentenced.
Police say Barrios and Aldana escaped from the North County Correctional Facility near Castaic last week and were found hiding in a metal storage container nearby.
They have not been charged yet with the jail break.

Press release from Laura Eimiller at the FBI:

FBI Agents and detectives with multiple law enforcement agencies in three counties are seeking the public's assistance in learning the identity of the "20 Questions Bandits," a group of at least four unidentified men believed to be responsible for eleven takeover bank robberies in Ventura, Orange and Los Angeles Counties.

U.S. Bank, East West Bank, Cathay Bank and several Bank of America locations were targeted by the bandits. Bank of America is offering a reward of up to $100,000* in exchange for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individuals responsible for these robberies.

During the various robberies, the bandits were extremely violent and, in some cases, displayed weapons. Witnesses have described four black males, in some cases armed with guns, who have forced bank employees and customers inside the bank to comply with their demands for cash and to follow their instructions.

In some cases, the bandits also robbed victims of personal belongings. During the initial robberies linked to this group, the suspects asked several questions while inside the bank, according towitnesses and were, therefore, nicknamed the "20 Questions Bandits."

The most recent robbery attributed to the "20 Questions Bandits" occurred on April 2, 2010 at a Bank of America in the city of Newport Beach.

The group is also believed responsible for robberies in El Monte and Rowland Heights, Eimiller said.

This from Ann Erdman, Pasadena's PIO: (Photo from Ron Berry)

AZUSA -- More than 20 people awoke to find their cars vandalized in an Azusa neighborhood, police said.
The vandalisms took place between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. on several streets in the southeast portion of the city, Azusa police said in a written statement.
Azusa police Cpl. Andy Rodriguez said 26 vehicles had their side-view mirrors smashed with an unknown object.
He said he suspected the rampage was likely at least two vandals' idea of fun.
"It's probably a driver and a passenger, the passenger leaning out and hitting the side view-mirrors," he said.
The damaged vehicles were centered around Fairview Avenue and Gaillard Street, Rodriguez said, with nearby roads such as Alford Street and Ranger Drive also affected.
"Any car on the street seemed to be fair game," he added.
The incident caused an estimated $2,600 in damage in all, police said.
No witnesses had been found Sunday afternoon, and Rodriguez asked anyone with information to call the Azusa Police Department.

PASADENA - A self-described gang member arrived at an emergency room with a gunshot wound early Sunday but declined to tell police how he was shot, authorities said.
Police received a call from Huntington Hospital in Pasadena about 1 a.m. reporting a 33-year-old Pasadena man had come in with a gunshot wound to his leg, Pasadena police Lt. Chris Russ said.
The wounded man, a self-described member of a Latino street gang, told investigators that the shooting took place in the 600 block of North Los Robles Avenue but would not provide any further details about the incident, Russ said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Pasadena Police Department.

ARCADIA -- Police asked the public's help Saturday to finding a masked gunman who robbed a hair salon.
The robbery took place about 7:20 p.m. Thursday at the Metro Style Hair Studio, 1005 N. Santa Anita Avenue, Arcadia police said in a written statement.
Authorities described the robber as a Latino man in his 20s, about 5 feet 8 inches tall, 160 pounds, clean-shaven and light-complected. He wore a dark colored hooded sweat shirt, dark pants and a blue and white bandana over his face.
He brandished a silver, semi-automatic handgun and demanded money from the business owner, police said.
He was seen running south toward Floral Avenue and may have gotten into a dark colored sedan, officials added.
Anyone with information is asked to call Arcadia police detectives at (626) 574-5160.

EL MONTE -- Detectives arrested a man Friday while pretending to be delivery men dropping off items he allegedly purchased through identity theft, police said.
Lonnie Carrillo, 30, of El Monte was booked on suspicion of ID theft and was being held in lieu of $50,000, according to police and sheriff's booking records.
El Monte police detectives had learned that Carrillo had ordered $25,000 worth of Home Depot merchandise online with someone else's information, Detective Adam Girgle said in a written statement.
With the help of Home Depot's corporate security officials, he said, detectives posed as delivery men dropping off the merchandise.
"The suspect was unaware that the delivery men were actually undercover El Monte police detectives, Girgle said.
Police then arrested Carrillo without incident, he added.

AZUSA -- Police jailed an Azusa man Friday afternoon after he allegedly threatened another man with a gun during a failed robbery, authorities said.
William Albarran, 22, was booked on suspicion of robbery, Azusa police Sgt. John Madaloni said in a written statement.
Police responded about 1:30 p.m. to a report of a robbery attempt at Haltern Street and Twintree Avenue, the sergeant said.
An 18-year-old Azusa man had been walking in the area when Albarran pulled up next to him in a black car and asked for directions, Madaloni said.
"When the victim approached the open window to answer, the driver produced a small revolver, pointed it at the victim and demanded the victim's iPod and other property," according to the police statement.
The victim ran off without giving up anything, police added.
Investigating officers spotted a car that matched the description parked outside a nearby home, Madaloni said.
Inside the home, he added, Albarran was found wearing the same distinctive clothing worn by the robber.
Though the gun was not found, Albarran admitted to the robbery attempt shortly after his arrest.
According to sheriff's booking records, Albarran was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail and was due for arraignment Tuesday in West Covina Superior Court.