Monthly Archives: September 2010

West Covina police arrest suspected car thief after chase

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WEST COVINA — West Covina police arrested a suspected car thief following a pursuit Wednesday.
The suspect’s name was not available late Wednesday as he was taken to a hospital to be examined before being booked, West Covina police Lt. David Rozeboom said.
The incident began as a hit-and-run crash about 6:30 p.m. at Azusa and Cameron avenues, the lieutenant said.
The suspect allegedly fled the scene after the non-injury crash, with a good Samaritan following behind, Rozeboom said.
With the help of the witness and a helicopter, police were able to get behind the suspect, who was driving a car that had been reported stolen, as he continued southbound on Azusa Avenue, police said.
When police tried to pull the car over just north of the 60 Freeway, Rozeboom said, it accelerated onto the westbound highway. The chase reached speeds approaching 100 mph.
The car exited at Rosemead Boulevard near the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area and quickly crashed into a van, the lieutenant said. The suspect continued fleeing on foot but was captured in the area.
The two crashes the suspect was involved in resulted in no injuries to the involved drivers, police added.
Rozeboom said police expected to book the suspect on suspicion of auto theft, evading police and hit-and-run.

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Trial date set in Rowland Heights triple-slaying case

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ROWLAND HEIGHTS — More than three years after a man was fatally slashed with a sword and his two children smothered to death, the trial for a woman suspected in the slayings is expected to begin next week.
Manling Tsang Williams, 30, is charged with the Aug. 8, 2007, murders of her husband Neal Williams, 27, and their two sons Ian, 3, and Devon, 7, at the home they shared in the 18200 block of Camino Bello.
After appearing briefly in Pomona Superior Court Wednesday, Manling Williams was ordered to return Monday for trial, court officials said.
The jury selection process is scheduled to begin Tuesday, officials added.
Manling Williams faces the possibility of the death sentence if convicted due to the special allegations of multiple murder and lying in wait, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s officials said.
Neal Williams was slashed 97 times with a sword and the children with smothered with pillows in their beds, investigators said.
After initially denying the killings, investigators said Manling Williams ultimately confessed to them.
Little has been revealed in regard to the motive in the case, other than an argument between Neal and Manling Williams the night before the bodies were discovered.

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State Supreme Court won’t consider El Monte man’s case

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From staff and wire reports:

EL MONTE — The California Supreme Court refused Wednesday to consider the case of an El Monte man convicted of stabbing a female cab driver in November 2008.
The state’s highest court rejected a defense petition seeking review of the case against Carlos Ramirez, 27.
Ramirez was convicted of attempted murder and carjacking for the Nov. 14, 2008, attack on the then-28-year-old driver, who was stabbed in the neck with a utility knife before her cab was taken.
The stolen taxi was recovered shortly after the driver reported the crime to police, officials said. Ramirez and another men also stole about $10 from the woman.
Co-defendant David Siguenza, 20, of El Monte who worked with Ramirez at a La Puente car wash and was with him at the time of the crime, pleaded guilty to carjacking. He testified against Ramirez at the trial.

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Fatal motorcycle crash reported in San Dimas

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SAN DIMAS — An Irwindale man died early Wednesday after crashing his Harley-Davidson motorcycle into a big rig on the 10 Freeway, authorities said.
Fred Fraijo, 49, died at the scene of the crash, California Highway Patrol officials said in a written statement.
The crash took place about 5:10 a.m. on the eastbound 10 Freeway, just east of via Verde Avenue.
Fraijo was riding a 2004 Harley-Davidson Road King eastbound at an unknown speed when veered over to the right shoulder and struck the rear of a parked big rig.
The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said.
A 37-year-old man from Carpinteria was inside the parked truck when it was struck but was not injured, authorities added.
Firefighters extinguished a small fire which ignited as a result of the crash, according to the CHP statement.
The cause of the crash remained under investigation.

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Car goes “airborne,” crashes through Covina garage

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COVINA — A man was hospitalized for mental evaluation Sunday after he crashed his car through a residential garage, police said.
The driver of the car, a 33-year-old Covina man, was not arrested Sunday but was hospitalized for psychological evaluation due to erratic behavior following the crash, Covina police Lt. Tim Doonan said.
The crash occurred about 3:51 p.m. at the corner of Nearglen Avenue and Wingate Street, the lieutenant said.
The driver was making a turn from westbound Wingate Street to southbound Nearglen Avenue at high speed when he went wide and launched his 1985 Toyota Camry from a handicapped access ramp along the sidewalk, Doonan said.
“The car went airborne, over the front yard, and took out a portion of a cinder block wall,” he said. “It also demolished a shed behind the block wall.”
“While still airborne, it made complete penetration through the garage wall and into the garage,” Doonan said.
No one was home at the house, and the Camry’s driver was not hurt, he added. The cause of the crash remained under investigation.
Following the crash, Doonan said, the driver was uncooperative with police and made statements causing officers to question his mental state. He was taken to an area hospital for mental evaluation.

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Pico Rivera man, Bell Gardens man shot to death

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From City News Service:

BELL GARDENS — A man was behind bars Sunday on $1 million bail in connection with the fatal shooting of a Pico Rivera man and a Bell Gardens man at a backyard party in Bell Gardens, according to the sheriff’s department.
Noe Ramirez, 20, of Los Angeles was arrested around 2 a.m. and booked on suspicion of murder, said Capt. Mike Parker of the Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau.
His is accused of killing Ricardo Rojas, 21, of Bell Gardens, and Sebastian Avila, 26, of Pico Rivera, said coroner’s Investigator Jerry McKibben.
The shooting occurred during a fight about 2 a.m. Saturday at a backyard party for about 20 people in the 6900 block of Adamson Avenue, Parker said.
A 27-year-old woman who was related to Rojas was wounded in the shooting, and an 18-year-old man from Lynwood was badly beaten and was in critical condition, Parker said.

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Mysterious shooting reported in West Covina

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WEST COVINA — A man was shot and wounded under mysterious circumstances late Saturday, possibly as the result of getting into the crossfire of a gunbattle between others, police said.
The incident was reported about 7:30 p.m. at a commercial strip in the 200 block of West Pacific Avenue, just west of Orange Avenue, West Covina police Lt. Alan Henley said.
A car carrying three people arrived in a parking lot, and one of the occupants — a man in his late 20s — exited the vehicle to urinate, Henley said.
As he approached a trash dumpster, he heard shots ring out and was struck in the ankle, the lieutenant said.
The wounded man was taken to an area hospital with wound that was not believed to be life-threatening, he added.
The victim was not believed to be tied to gangs, Henley said.
No one reported witnessing the shooting, police said, however it initially appeared that the wounded man may have been an innocent bystander who got caught in a crossfire.
“It seems as if he got caught in between two other people who might have started to shoot each other,” Henley said. Bullet casings found at the scene indicated two guns may have been involved in the shooting.
No description of the shooters was available, though a dark vehicle was spotted leaving the area at the time of the shooting.

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Azusa police recover $5,000 worth of suspected stolen property; 2 arrested

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AZUSA — Police jailed a man and woman in Azusa Friday in connection with a string of burglaries and recovered more than $5,000 worth of suspected stolen property, authorities said.
Raymundo Nares, 36, of Azusa, and Jennifer Jennings, 21, of Covina were booked on suspicion of receiving stolen property, Azusa police Lt. Sam Fleming said. Nares was also booked for an outstanding warrant for petty theft with a prior conviction, and Jennings was also booked on suspicion of possession of narcotics paraphernalia.
A police officer stopped a car being driven by Jennings about 10:30 a.m in the 17600 block of Renwick Street, Azusa police Sgt. John Madaloni said in a written statement.
Two male passengers fled from the car and were not found, he said.
Nares and Jennings were detained in the car, where police found some methamphetamine and a pipe, police said.
Allegedly stolen property including jewelry, sports memorabilia, computer equipment and financial documents were also found in the car, Madaloni said. The items were linked to a residential burglary that occurred about two weeks prior in the 2500 block of Cameron Avenue in an unincorporated county area near Covina.
A search of Jennings’ Azusa storage locker revealed even more suspected stolen goods, police said, including model train equipment, a stamp collection and a collection of antique dolls.
Officials are now working to find the rightful owners of the allegedly stolen stuff, Madaloni said.
Anyone who’s had similar property stolen in the area recently is asked to contact Detective Brandon Saenz at 626-812-3227.

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Robbery reported in La Puente

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LA PUENTE — Deputies are seeking a man who used a handgun to rob another man late Friday, officials said.
The crime took place about 10:50 p.m. in the 600 block of Dora Guzman Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Steven Katz said in a written statement.
The victim, a 43-year-old man, was approached by a robber who demanded money, the lieutenant said.
At first the victim refused, but he complied when the robber pulled a handgun, he said.
The gunman was described as a Latino man in between 20 and 25 years old, about 5 feet 9 inches tall and 150 pounds with a mole on his nose, Katz said. He was last seen riding east on Inyo Street on a bicycle.

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Elderly Whittier man fatally struck by car

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WHITTIER — A 91-year-old Whittier man died Friday after he was struck by a car in unincorporated West Whittier, authorities said.
The man’s name was not released Friday pending notification of his family members, officials said.
The accident occurred about 7:20 p.m. in the 11100 block of Slauson Avenue, just east of Pioneer Boulevard, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Robert Smith said.
The elderly pedestrian was believed to have been jaywalking when he was struck by a 1981 Mercedes-Benz sedan being driven by a 19-year-old Whittier woman.
After walking on the center island, Smith said, “He stepped in front of eastbound traffic.”
The young woman driving the Mercedes-Benz was unable to stop in time and struck the man, he said. She was not speeding.
“She didn’t do anything wrong,” Smith said.
The woman was “very distraught” over the incident but uninjured, he said.

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