WEST COVINA — Three suspects were in custody Saturday on suspicion of a double stabbing, along with the brother of one of the suspects, who is accused of trying to intimidate a witness, authorities said.
Guillermo Rangel, 21, of West Covina, John Cerda, 19, of Covina and a 14-year-old Covina boy were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, West Covina police Lt. Marty Sevilla said. Cerda was hospitalized due to bite wounds he received from a police dog during his arrest.
The stabbing took place shortly after 9 p.m. Friday in a commercial area in the 300 block of South Glendora Avenue, the lieutenant said.
Rangel, Cerda and the teenage suspect confronted two young men in their late teens and asked them what gang they were affiliated with, Sevilla said.
A fight ensued, and one of the victims suffered, “multiple stab wounds on various parts of the body,” he said. He was hospitalized in guarded condition but expected to survive.
The other victim was stabbed in the arm, police said, and the wound was not believed to be life-threatening.
Due to “excellent teamwork and cooperation” on the part of responding officers, all three suspects were captured shortly after the stabbing, the lieutenant said.
Officers spotted a white van speeding away from the area and pulled it over when the three suspects allegedly jumped from the van and ran, Sevilla said.
Rangel surrendered quickly after he was spotted by a police helicopter, officials said.
Cerda was found hiding under a car and was arrested with the help of a police K-9.
He suffered significant bites to his ankle and was expected to undergo surgery at a hospital, police added.
During the investigation, Rangel’s brother, Michael Rangel, 24, of West Covina, showed up at the scene and tried to discourage witnesses from cooperating with investigators by making threats, Sevilla said. He was arrested on suspicion of witness intimidation.
A 16-year-old boy who matched the description of one of the suspects was detained following the stabbing, Sevilla said, though police released him after determining he was not involved.
According to sheriff’s booking records, the Rangel brothers — both parolees — were being held without bail. Cerda had not been booked into police custody late Saturday due to his medical condition.
The teenage suspect was sent to Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey, police said.
Monthly Archives: January 2011
Investigation into fight at deputies’ holiday party in Montebello could be finished next month
MONTEBELLO — A massive investigation into a fight between sheriff’s deputies during a holiday party at a Montebello country club may be completed next month, sheriff’s officials said Saturday.
Seven deputies were suspended from duty following the Dec. 10 fight at the Quiet Cannon, 901 Via San Clemente, Montebello police and Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said.
“Due to the complexity and critical nature of this case it is imperative for the department to utilize all investigative options to ensure a complete, thorough, factually unbiased investigation is presented,” Parker said.
The probe was expected to be completed in February, he added.
About 100 people attended the gathering, which was a holiday party for deputies assigned to Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles, sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore said shortly after the incident.
Two deputies reported to police the following day that they were victims of assaults at the party, officials said. They were treated for minor to moderate injuries but were not hospitalized.
“(The sheriff’s Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau) has dedicated five investigative teams which includes eight investigator sergeants, one deputy and one crime analyst to the investigation,” sheriff’s Capt. Mike Parker said in a written statement. “To date over 150 interviews have been conducted.”
Additionally, Parker said, a team of six sergeants from the sheriff’s Internal Affairs Bureau is also investigating the fight, as well as the county Office of Independent Review.
Women suspected of vandalism after road rage incident at Alhambra gas station
ALHAMBRA — Police arrested an Alhambra woman Saturday on suspicion of keying another woman’s car during an argument at a gas station, authorities said.
Laura Knowles, 26, was booked on suspicion of felony vandalism, according to Alhambra police and sheriff’s booking records.
The alleged vandalism took place about 2 p.m. Friday at a Chevron station at Valley Boulevard and Fremont Avenue, Lt. Jennifer Wiese said.
Knowles asked another woman at the gas station to move her car, and the two became involved in an argument, Wiese said.
Knowles then used her keys to scrape the paint on the other woman’s 2009 Mazda sedan before driving off in her own 1999 Hyundai sedan, police said. The alleged victim wrote down the suspect’s license plate number, and the vandalism itself was captured on tape by a surveillance camera.
Police arrested Knowles at her home in Alhambra just after 9 a.m. Saturday, officials said.
The damage to the car was estimated at $1,300, police added.
According to sheriff’s booking records, Knowles was being held in lieu of $20,000 bail and was due for arraignment Wednesday in Alhambra Superior Court.
Detectives: 2nd victim in disabled sexual assaults probe identified
From the Associated Press:
LOS ANGELES — A second alleged victim has come forward in the investigation into videotaped sexual assaults of severely disabled women, authorities said.
The 27-year-old woman recognized one of the suspects, Ernie Lloyd, in news coverage, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement Friday.
The woman said another suspect, Bert Hicks, sexually assaulted her multiple times between 2007 and 2009 when she lived in a housing facility he operated.
Sheriff’s officials also said Friday that they served search warrants at three residences as part of the ongoing investigation, it was reported.
Details of the warrants were not released.
Another woman came forward Monday and said she was assaulted by Lloyd a few years ago at a residential care facility in Los Angeles where they both previously lived.
Sheriff’s officials say she has physical disabilities that leave her defenseless.
Lloyd was arrested Jan. 8 after surrendering to police.
At least 10 victims appeared in more than 100 hours of video that a man anonymously delivered to sheriff’s headquarters in Monterey Park last March.
But prosecutors said the videos alone are not sufficient evidence, telling Sheriff’s Department detectives that they need to provide more facts about the women’s medical histories, level of disabilities and other information.
“In order to effect a filing, we would either have to prove that the victim did not consent to the sexual acts or she was unable to consent to the sexual acts,” the district attorney’s office reportedly wrote in a memo. “There is insufficient evidence to prove either of these theories beyond a reasonable doubt.”
The woman who came forward Monday also claimed that Hicks married her and took her back to a care facility where she was sexually assaulted by him and Lloyd, investigators said. Hicks, 42, is serving a sentence at Tehachapi State Prison on two felony sex counts and two abuse counts. He is scheduled to be released next year.
The videos, received in the mail, show men sexually assaulting physically and mentally disabled women, some of them in diapers. Officials said it took months for investigators to digitally enhance the grainy footage and produce pictures and artist sketches of the suspects.
Authorities are still seeking two other men seen on the tapes.
Man arrested on explosives charge in Arcadia after bombs scare
Whittier woman arrested in connection with auto insurance fraud ring
Pedestrian struck by car in Industry
SGV parole sweep nets 7 arrests, mainly in Baldwin Park
Victims of fatal crashed in Pico Rivera, Norwalk identified
PICO RIVERA — A man who was killed in a three-crash on Paramount Boulevard last week has been identified as a 34-year-old El Monte resident, officials said Thursday.ary Paul Gomez died at a hospital after the crash, which occurred shortly after 5 p.m. Friday at Paramount Boulevard and Dunlap Crossing Road, Los Angeles County sheriff’s and coroner’s officials said.omez was driving a Mitsubishi Montero SUV when, according to prelminary investigation, he tried to make a left turn without yielding to oncoming traffic, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Robert Smith said the day of the crash.he driver of one of the two other cars involved in the crash was hospitalized with minor injuries, Smith said, and a man and woman inside the third car were unhurt.NORWALK — Authorities have identified a man who was killed in a collision between the car he was driving and a big rig in Norwalk.harles Ford, 60, of Whittier was killed, Assistant Chief Ed Winter of the coroner’s office said.he crash occurred about 8 p.m. Monday at the intersection of Carmenita Road and Excelsior Drive, Sgt. Joseph Fleischmann of the sheriff’s Norwalk Station said.
Faces of the dead
I shot this video on Wednesday at an event sponsored by Parents of Murdered Children. The photos are of murder victims who were remembered at the unveiling of a billboard on North Peck Road in El Monte.
Here’s a link to Bethania Palma’s story on the event.