June 2011 Archives
Sheriff's deputies arrested two Rosemead burglary suspects and sought a third Thursday following a search of a neighborhood in San Gabriel, authorities said.
A man in his 30s and a teenage boy were arrested on suspicion of residential burglary, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Julian Salcido said. A third suspect eluded capture.
A resident of the 8500 block of Olney Street in Rosemead reported seeing someone going into the back yard of a neighbor's house about 11:30 a.m., the lieutenant said.
Arriving deputies saw a vehicle leaving the area and followed it as it went a short distance west on the 10 Freeway, then exited at San Gabriel Boulevard, officials said.
Three suspects jumped from the car near San Gabriel Boulevard and Marshall Street and ran, Salcido said. One was captured within minutes, the other was arrested about three hours later during a search of the area.
Deputies were unable to find the third suspect and called off the search shortly after 4 p.m.
The name of the adult suspect in custody was not available pending booking.
WHITTIER -- A 19-year old woman was attacked and badly beaten by a group of men while riding her bicycle late Wednesday on the Greenway Trail, authorities said.
The unprovoked attack took place about 10:30 p.m. on the trail between Painter and Greenleaf avenues, Whittier police officials said in a written statement.
She approached three or four male suspects described only as wearing dark clothing, police said.
"As they passed each other on the trail, the males pushed her off her bike and began to punch and possibly kick her in the face and body while on the ground," according to the statement.
The attackers fled when witnesses noticed the commotion and came to the victim's aid.
The young woman was knocked out during the assault, officials said, but she had regained consciousness by the time police arrived.
She suffered "multiple injuries to her face, teeth, elbows and hands," and was hospitalized for treatment, according to the statement.
Nothing was stolen from the woman during the attack, and no motive was known.
Wednesday's attack marked the third violent crime reported on the Greenway Trail over the past month.
A man fought off an attacker who tried to steal his bicycle on the Greenway Trail near Five Points on June 13, police said.
Police arrested a 16-year-old suspect June 4 after he allegedly grabbed a 55-year-old man in a bear hug, then demanded money before fleeing empty-handed.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Whittier Police Department Investigations Division at 562-567-9267.
WHITTIER -- Officials at Rose Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary in Whittier are warning the public about an ongoing scam targeting those who have recently used funeral homes or mortuaries.
"Though Rose Hills has not been advised that any of its customers have been targeted, we advise local families to be aware of this potential threat," Rose Hills officials said in a written statement.
In the scam, a person calls families claiming to be an employee of the mortuary and saying there is an unpaid balance due for funeral services. The family is then asked to immediately pay the phony bill by credit or debit card.
According to the statement, "It is believed the funeral home information is taken from the obituary notice, and the family's phone number from telephone or Internet directories."
PASADENA -- Police jailed three suspects Wednesday on suspicion of breaking into two Pasadena homes, authorities said.
Andre Norwood, 21, of Inglewood, Cedric horn, 20, of Los Angeles and Dajuan Bryson, 23, of Los Angeles were booked for burglary, Pasadena police Lt. Pete Hettema said.
A resident in the 400 block of South Grand Avenue called police to report something suspicious, the lieutenant said. The neighbor watched as two men rang the doorbell of a neighbor's home, then of them went around the back while the other remained in the front.
It was later determined that the men had broken a window in the rear of the home, but were apparently frightened off by a burglary alarm, Hettema said.
By the time police arrived at the Grand Avenue call, the intruders had fled, but the witness was able to give police a good description of their vehicle, police said.
About 20 minutes later, Hettema said, a resident called police from the 100 block of West State Street reporting another break-in. This time, the intruders left the home with a pillowcase stuffed with jewelry.
Police found two of the suspects on foot in the area and arrested them after brief foot chases, officials said. The third suspect was spotted driving by South Pasadena police, pulled over and arrested.
PASADENA -- Police are hosting a forum on victims' rights later this month.
The Crime Victims' Clinic will take place from 8:30 a.m. to noon July 9 in the assembly room on the second floor of the Pasadena Police Department, 207 N. Garfield Avenue, Pasadena police officials said in a written statement.
The Crime Victims' Bill of Rights, also known as Marsy's Law, was passed by California voters in 2008 and gives victims of crime and their families 17 constitutional rights, officials said.
"The clinic on July 9 will feature a panel discussion and information on what those rights are, the impact of Marsy's Law and how it is implemented," according to the police statement.
Speakers are to include Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich, Marsy Nicholas' mother Marcella Nicholas, Pasadena Police Chief Phillip Sanchez, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Darrell Mavis, and representatives from the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office and various victim's support groups.
The event is being sponsored by Justice for Homicide Victims and Justice for Murdered Children.
For more information or to RSVP for the free clinic, e-mail to jhvinfo@gmail.com. Seating is limited, so RSVPs are requested no later than July 6.
From the Associated Press:
POMONA -- A Chinese national accused of pretending to be a U.S. Army recruiter to bilk immigrants out of thousands of dollars has been sentenced to three years in prison by a Los Angeles County judge.Yupeng Deng of El Monte was sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty to one count each of theft, manufacturing deceptive government documents and counterfeiting an official government seal.Prosecutors say the 51-year-old created a scheme where he recruited about 200 other Chinese immigrants from Southern California, the San Francisco Bay area and Atlanta to join his bogus Army reserve unit, telling them it could improve their chances of obtaining U.S. citizenship.The recruits were charged $300 to $450 to enlist and up to $120 a year to renew memberships.Deng separately pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography.
Authorities throughout Los Angeles County are reminding motorists that they will be out in full force this Independence Day weekend in search of intoxicated drivers.
California Highway Patrol and police officers from a host of agencies that make up the Avoid the 100 Los Angeles County East DUI Task Force will be setting up checkpoints and fielding extra patrols with the goal of reducing drunken-driving related crashes and injuries Friday through Monday, Glendora Police Department Senior Community Service Officer and task-force co-coordinator Wendy Brewer said in a written statement.
Upcoming checkpoints include ones in Glendora, Monterey Park, Pasadena and Santa Fe Springs on Friday, as well as ones Saturday in Pomona and Baldwin Park, authorities said.
Through July 4, police agencies throughout the region will also be sending extra officers out on patrol to look for drunken drivers.
Funding for the Avoid program is provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
MONTEREY PARK -- Authorities are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to those responsible for the theft of a mail collection box late Tuesday from the Monterey Park Post Office.
The blue collection box was stolen from the post office, 245 W. Temple Ave., sometime after the day's last collection at 7 p.m., U.S. Postal Inspection Service officials said in a written statement.
"Postal inspectors encourage customers who deposited mail after the last collection, Tuesday, June 28, at 7 p.m., to submit a Mail Theft and Vandalism Complaint either at their local Post Office, online at postalinspectors.uspis.gov or by calling 877-876-2455 (and selecting) option three."
Anyone with information is asked to call the Postal Inspectors at 877-876-2455, select option two and refer to Case No. 1752437. Callers may remain anonymous.
"Mail theft is a federal crime, and offenders may be imprisoned up to five years, be fined, or both," according to the statement. "Postal inspectors suggest depositing mail prior to last collection time posted on the collection box."
POMONA -- A judge sentenced A Covina man to 15 years to life in state prison Tuesday for a drunken driving crash that killed his two passengers in La Verne last year.
Pomona Superior Court Judge Tia Fisher handed down the sentence to Alan Michael McConnell, 28, who pleaded guilty in April to two counts of murder for the deaths of Telassie Dague, 22, and Renee Hardy, 20, both of Alta Loma, Los Angeles County District Attorney's officials said in a written statement.
The fatal crash took place about 12:45 a.m. Jan. 23, 2010, on Foothill Boulevard in La Verne, near Damien Avenue.
McConnell had a blood-alcohol level of .15 -- nearly twice the legal limit -- when he fled the scene of another minor traffic collision, lost control and crashed into a tree, officials said.
McConnell tried to withdraw his guilty plea earlier this month, though Fisher denied the motion.
WHITTIER -- Officials have suspended the licenses of an Uptown Whittier automotive smog check business and its technician amid allegations of falsifying smog check records, authorities said.
The Bureau of Automotive Repair took the action Tuesday against Uptown Smog Test Only, 7718 Greenleaf Ave., and Advanced Emission Specialist Technician Moises Zepeda.
A March 2011 surveillance by the BAR found that Zepeda, "certified Smog Check inspections on multiple vehicles that were never at his station," California Department of Consumer Affairs officials said in a written statement.
The technique, known as "clean-piping," takes place when a technician runs a smog inspection on one vehicle while entering data for another, officials said.
The BAR case against the shop and technician is ongoing, officials said, and investigators will seek to have both licenses permanently revoked at an administrative hearing.
WHITTIER -- A Whittier man and his teenage son were behind bars Sunday on suspicion of badly beating another man during a robbery attempt and sicking their pit bull on him, officials said.
The victim had the tips of both ears bitten off by the dog in the attack, in addition to other injuries, Whittier police Lt. Carlos Solorza said.
Richard Aragon Sr., 51, and his 16-year-old son were booked on suspicion of attempted robbery and assault with a deadly weapon in connection with Saturday's 9:15 p.m. incident in the 8900 block of Painter Avenue, the lieutenant said.
The teenage suspect approached the victim, a 43-year-old Whittier man, and demanded his wallet, Solorza said. When the man refused, he was attacked.
Aragon then joined in the fray, releasing his pit bull on the victim, police said in a written statement.
"When we got their, he was bleeding profusely," he said. "He had been punched and kicked in the head by the men and ... the tips of both ears were bitten off my the dog."
The victim also suffered a gash to his head requiring stitches and had visible boot marks on his head, police added.
The injured man was taken to an Orange County trauma center for treatment, where he was listed in stable condition.
Officers found Aragon and his son, along with their pit bull, inside a nearby apartment complex and arrested them in connection with the violent robbery attempt, Solorza said.
"Bloody boots were also found in one of the assailant's apartments," according to the statement.
The third man possibly involved in the attack was not found, authorities said. Animal control officials quarantined the dog pending the investigation.
According to sheriff's booking records, Aragon was being held in lieu of $30,000 bail at the Whittier Police Department's Jail. Information on his initial court date was not available, however criminal suspects held in custody are generally brought before a judge within two working days of arrest.
The 16-year-old suspect was taken to Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey.
As officers were investigating the incident, another teenage boy was being detained and questioned by police when he "became upset and swung at one of the officers," according to the police statement.
After a struggle that ended with the juvenile being shocked with a Taser, he was arrested on suspicion of assault on a police officer, officials said. He was not tied to the initial failed robbery and attack.
From reporter Bethania Palma-Markus:
LA HABRA - Two men robbed a bank at gun point at 11:10 a.m. on Friday.
The men walked into Quaker City Bank at 401 W. Whittier Blvd. with a black handgun and took money from each teller, said La Habra police Lt. Jeff Swaim.
"It certainly seems like they had a plan and thought about it for a while," Swaim said. "Our detectives will have to look into it further to see if they've hit in any other surrounding jurisdiction."
The men are described as black, wearing white shorts with stripes, gray hooded sweatshirts, face maks and gloves, Swaim said. They were last seen going westbound on East Whittier Boulevard in a white Toyota Camry.
Swaim didn't know how much money the men took.
No one was injured.
EL MONTE -- A pilot walked away from a rough landing unharmed Thursday after a small airplane apparently lost engine power.
The incident was reported shortly after 6:30 p.m. at the airport, 4233 Santa Anita Ave.
"A single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza reportedly lost engine power and either crashed or made a forced landing at El Monte Airport," Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said.
The aircraft came to rest on its fuselage, with it's landing gears either collapsed or not fully deployed.
The propeller of the airplane was bent, and according to initial reports from the scene, small amounts of fuel leaked onto the runway.
"The pilot was flying from Chino to Camarillo and diverted to El Monte after experiencing engine problems," Gregor said. "He lost power and landed hard at 6:45 p.m."
Based on the airplane's tail number, it was registered to Bernard M. Diamond M.D. Inc. of Hidden Hills and was manufactured in 1976.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will are investigating, Gregor said.
"The NTSB investigator usually posts a basic preliminary report on the agency's website, www.ntsb.gov, within a week or two of an accident," he said. "However, it typically takes NTSB months to come up with a probable cause for accidents."
El Monte City Manager Rene Bobadilla said he was grateful that the apparently distressed aircraft was able to make it to the airport.
"Thank God he was able to get to the airport and didn't land on a school or a neighborhood. That would have been catastrophic," he said.
PHOTO by Eric Reed, Staff Photographer
WHITTIER -- Police and sheriff's officials searched for a gunman who fired upon another man early Thursday, officials said.
Police responded to reports of shots being fired just after 6:30 a.m. at an apartment in the 13700 block of Franklin Street, Whittier police Sgt. Brent Anderson said.
The apartment was empty when officers arrived, but officials determined that a man and woman had become involved in dispute at the home before a group of people arrived, the sergeant said.
One of the people in the group pulled a gun and shot at the man who was involved in the dispute with the women, though police did not believe anyone was struck by the gunfire.
Investigation led police to a home in the 121000 block of Howard Street a short time later, where they suspected the shooter might be hiding.
After more than eight hours, officials obtained a search warrant and Los Angeles County sheriff's SWAT deputies went into the home, but the suspect was not found.
The investigation was ongoing.
SANTA FE SPRINGS -- The Whittier Police Departments plans to hold a checkpoint Friday in Santa Fe Springs, authorities said.
The checkpoint is scheduled to take place from 7 p.m. Friday to 3 a.m. Saturday in the area of Florence and Ringwood avenues, Whittier police officials said in a written statement.
In addition to looking for intoxicated drivers, police said, officers will also ensure that drivers have valid licences.
Funding for Friday's checkpoint is being provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Police added that anyone who sees a drunken driver on the road should report it by calling 9-1-1.
Taken from courtroom by paramedics:
Excerpt from San Gabriel Valley Tribune story -
Wilson Wilson, 78, wailed and moaned repeatedly and then appeared to gag and convulse in her chair as Judge Alex Ricciardulli read the sentence out loud.
"No," Wilson groaned.
Sheriff's deputies immediately cleared the courtroom to attend to Wilson, who called paramedics after she reported difficulty breathing. Wilson was taken by ambulance to a local hospital to be treated, according to the deputies.
LOS ANGELES
- Former Temple City Mayor Cathe Wilson was sentenced today to four years in state prison following her conviction last month of bribery and perjury charges involving a development in the San Gabriel Valley city.Deputy District Attorney Sean Hassett of the Public Integrity Division said the Los Angeles Superior Court Superior Court Judge Alex Ricciardulli sentenced the 78-year-old mayor and ordered her to pay $10,000 in restitution.
Wilson was convicted May 2 of three counts of asking for or receiving a bribe and three counts of perjury. The perjury charges involved one count of lying to the Los Angeles County Grand Jury in 2008 and two counts of submitting false material in Fair Political Practices reports.
Wilson, her campaign manager and another former Temple Mayor, Judy Wong, were indicted in June 2009 on charges that cash bribes were demanded and received in 2007 from developer Randy Wang for his Temple City Piazza project. Another council member, David Capra, was charged separately.
Wong, 54, pleaded no contest and was sentenced last year to 16 months in state prison. Scott Carwile, 52, Wilson's campaign manager, pleaded guilty to a perjury count and was sentenced May 24 to three years probation and one day in county jail. Capra pleaded no contest in 2009 to a misdemeanor charge of failure to report a campaign contribution and agreed to resign from the council.
Prosecutors said earlier that officials from Temple City cooperated with the Public Integrity Division in its investigation.
BALDWIN PARK -- A local gang member was expected to survive after being wounded in a gang-related shooting, authorities said.
The attack took place shortly before 10:30 p.m. Monday at Francisquito and Cosbey avenues, Baldwin Park police Sgt. Doug Parnell said in a written statement.
The victim, a 25-year-old admitted Baldwin Park gang member, was riding his bicycle when he noticed a man walking on the sidewalk, followed closely by a dark, four-door sedan, the sergeant said.
"The pedestrian began firing at the victim," he said. "The victim was struck by gunfire, fled to a neighboring yard and hid until police arrived."
The shooter and the vehicle fled in an unknown direction.
Police said the wounded man was hospitalized in stable condition with gunshot wounds to his abdomen and lower body.
Anyone with information is asked to call Baldwin Park police Detective Valdivia at 626-960-1955, ext. 428.
LOS ANGELES -- A South El Monte man whose ongoing videotaped sexual abuse of a 5-year-old girl came to light when he applied to be a California Highway Patrol officer received a 30-year prison sentence Wednesday, authorities said.
Christian Clint Hernandez, 31, received the sentence from U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II after pleading guilty to a 2009 federal charge of production of child pornography, U.S. Attorney's spokesman Thom Mrozek said in a written statement.
In addition to the sentence -- the maximum length allowed by law -- Hernandez was also ordered to pay more than $71,000 for counseling for his young victim until she turns 18, officials said. Once released from prison, Hernandez will be on supervised release for the rest of his life.
Hernandez also faces child molestation charges filed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office, and is accused of molesting a 7-year-old boy in addition to the 5-year-old girl.
Hernandez was in a relationship with a relative of the girl, according to court documents. It is believed he molested the girl for more than a year.
In the federal case, prosecutors argued that Hernandez's behavior warranted the maximum sentence, according to court documents.
They said Hernandez "possessed an extensive collection of child pornography depicting minors being raped by adult men" and "has no shame regarding his conduct, instead, he bragged about his conduct on a job application to the CHP."
Hernandez filled out an application to become a CHP officer on Jan. 6, 2009. Although he denied ever molesting a child on the CHP application, he did incriminate himself, according to court documents.
"Despite lying about the true nature of his conduct, defendant did admit to having looked at 'photos of someone under the age of 18 on the Internet about a month ago,'" according to court filings. "In that same application, defendant admitted to having touched a dog's penis, frequenting nudist beaches, and watching a neighbor in a covert manner."
Once officials saw Hernandez's written admission regarding viewing child pornography, authorities launched an investigation, with the help of the FBI, and searched the South El Monte home where Hernandez had been living, Mrozek said.
"Investigators found a collection of child pornography on Hernandez's computer, including photos depicting Hernandez molesting a girl in the bedroom of the house," he added.
"As he was being arrested, he asked the officer who was arresting him if he should re-apply to be a CHP officer," Assistant U.S. Attorney Lana Morton-Owens said.
Morton-Owens said it was still hard for her to understand Hernandez's behavior.
"It's very difficult to get inside most of these people's heads," she said. "He didn't really understand that what he'd done was wrong."
Now that his federal case is completed, Hernandez faces state charges of seven counts of child molestation with regard to the two alleged victims, according to a felony complaint filed against him in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Hernandez was expected to be transferred into state custody to face those charges.
If convicted as charged in that court, he could be sentenced to additional prison time, either concurrently or consecutively, Morton-Owens said.
Hernandez was also designated a "sexually violent predator," she added, creating the possibility for him to be institutionalized once completing his prison term.
"Somebody that's that sexually attracted to children does deserve to be put away for the bulk of his sexually active life," Morton-Owens said.
This from the FBI:
FBI Agents have arrested Top Ten Fugitive, James J. "Whitey" Bulger, and his companion, Catherine Greig, in California.
Recent publicity produced a tip which led agents to Santa Monica where they located both Bulger and Greig at a residence early this evening.
The two were arrested without incident. Both are currently scheduled for an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in the Central District of California (downtown Los Angeles) on Thursday.
Recent publicity produced a tip which led agents to Santa Monica where they located both Bulger and Greig at a residence early this evening.
The two were arrested without incident. Both are currently scheduled for an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in the Central District of California (downtown Los Angeles) on Thursday.
WEST VALINDA -- Deputies searched a neighborhood late Wednesday for a young man who set a small fire in his family's home during a dispute, then fled the scene, authorities said.
Deputies received reports just before 6 p.m. that a 21-year-old man had become involved in a dispute with his family at a home in the 13600 block of Las Vecinas Drive, in the unincorporated county area of West Valinda, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Tom Wilson said.
The young man set a small fire at the home, which firefighters quickly extinguished, he said.
Deputies continued searching the surrounding neighborhood for the suspect late Wednesday.
PASADENA -- Police arrested a motel employee Wednesday after he allegedly groped two women during a breakfast buffet.
Jose Martinez, 35, was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor sexual battery, Pasadena police Sgt. John Luna said.
Martinez was working about 9 a.m. at a motel in the 1200 block of East Colorado Blvd. when the incident occurred, the sergeant said.
He groped the lower bodies of two 29-year-old women, above their clothes, Luna said.
After his arrest, Martinez confessed to the groping, police said.
From the Associated Press:
LONDON -- A handgun once owned by gangster Al Capone has sold for almost $110,000 at an auction in London.Auctioneer Christie's says the Colt .38 revolver went for $109,080 to an anonymous bidder in the room.The auction house says the gun was manufactured in 1929, the year of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. That's when seven people were slain during clashes in Chicago between Capone's gang and his rival George "Bugs" Moran's mob.The massacre ended the reign of the North Side Irish gangsters and ushered in decades of Italian organized crime in the city, run by Capone's South Side crews.The gun was sold along with a letter from Madeleine Capone Morichetti, the widow of Al Capone's brother Ralph. She confirmed the gun "previously belonged to and was only used by Al Capone while he was alive."
ALHAMBRA -- Trial was postponed Wednesday for a man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend in 2007, then hiding her body in a trash can in Arcadia.
Isaac Campbell, 36, of San Gabriel was arrested in late 2007 in connection with the slaying of Liya "Jessie" Lu, 31, of San Gabriel.
His murder trial, which was scheduled to begin Wednesday and has already been repeatedly postponed, was continued again, court officials said.
A tentative trial date was scheduled on July 13 in Alhambra Superior Court, officials added.
Campbell and Lu were both nursing students at Pasadena City College when Lu went missing around Aug. 11, 2007, officials said.
Campbell placed Lu's body in a trash can at the home of a friend in the 1700 block of South Baldwin Avenue in Arcadia, authorities allege. The body was found about a month after Lu went missing.
Detectives arrested Campbell in Minnesota after the discovery of the body.
According to sheriff's booking records, Campbell is being held in lieu of $1.275 million bail at the Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles.
NORWALK -- Sheriff's officials arrested one drunken driver, issued 30 tickets and stored or impounded 21 cars during a weekend checkpoint, authorities said.
More than 2,800 vehicles passed through the checkpoint, which was held from 7 p.m. Saturday to 1 a.m. Sunday on Westbound Imperial Highway, just east of the 5 Freeway, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Josie Woolum said.
Deputies singled out 59 drivers for closer inspection, ultimately arresting one on suspicion of driving under the influence, the lieutenant said.
Thirty tickets were issued for various vehicle code violations, she added, and 21 drivers had their vehicles either stored or impounded.
PASADENA -- Police arrested a Pasadena man Friday after he allegedly threatened someone with a gun, then led police on a chase.
Alfred Robateau, 24, was booked on suspicion of assault with a firearm, Pasadena police Lt. Chris Russ said.
Officers received a report about 4 p.m. that a man had become involved in an argument and brandished a handgun in the 1200 block of North Garfield Avenue, the lieutenant said.
Police found a car matching the description driving in the area and short pursuit began, Russ said.
Officers lost site of the fleeing car just as a police helicopter spotted the driver -- later identified as Robateau -- ditch the vehicle near Peoria Street and Fair Oaks Avenue and run into an apartment complex, police said.
Officers located and arrested Robateau in the complex soon after, Russ said, and a witness pointed out a gun that he had thrown from his car during the pursuit.
According to sheriff's booking records, he was released from jail Saturday after posting $50,000 bail.
PASADENA -- A man was robbed of his iPhone as he walked down the street Friday afternoon, police said.
The victim was walking on Michigan Avenue near Colorado Boulevard about 6 p.m. and listening to music via headphones from his iPhone, "when he felt someone trying to pull it from his hand," Pasadena police Lt. Chris Russ said.
The pedestrian confronted the thief, there was a brief struggle, and the robber ran of empty-handed with the victim chasing behind, police said.
"The victim was confronted by two additional suspects, and the victim fled from the scene," Russ said. "The suspects caught up with him and stole his phone."
One of the robbers was a black man in his 20s, of thin build and a light complexion, police said. He was clean-shaven and wore a white tank top, blue jeans and a diamond earring in his left ear.
Another of the robbers was also black and in his 20s, of heavy build, clean-shaven, wearing an oversized white T-shirt and jeans. No description of the third robber was available.
Russ advised residents to be attentive to their surroundings when walking. If listening to music, he said, use only one earphone so you can hear what's going on around you.
PASADENA -- A fire destroyed a car inside an underground parking structure and sent one person to the hospital with smoke-related injuries, officials said Saturday.
The blaze was reported just after 5 p.m. Friday in an underground parking area at 101 S. Marengo Avenue, Pasadena fire officials said in a written statement.
Firefighters doused the flames with water and kept the fire from spreading to other cars, authorities said.
Smoke then had to be cleared from the structure, and gasoline spilled from the burning car had to be cleaned up.
A resident of the building above where the fire occurred was treated and taken to a hospital after suffering breathing problems apparently related to the smoke, officials said.
The building and parking structure were not damaged. The damage to the car was estimated at $7,500.
WHITTIER -- Police arrested a teen and a young man Friday on suspicion of an armed robbery in an unincorporated county area near Whittier, officials said.
A 17-year-old boy and a man in his early 20s whose name were arrested in connection with the 2:40 p.m. robbery in the 11000 block of Inez Street, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Chris Mouat said.
A teen was walking when he was approached by the suspects, who brandished a gun and demanded his money, the sergeant said.
Deputies responded and immediately found a teenage suspect at a nearby home, Mouat said. The older suspect was found and arrested in the same neighborhood after a three-hour search.
WHITTIER -- Police arrested a Whittier man Friday on suspicion of stabbing another man after a fight broke out on a bus, authorities said.
Ralph Portugal, 45, was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, Whittier police Lt. Carlos Solorza said. The wounded man, a 21-year-old Whittier resident, was taken to a hospital with wounds that were not initially believed to be life-threatening.
Portugal and the alleged victim became involved in an argument for unknown reasons about 11:20 a.m. while both were passengers on a Montebello Transit bus in front of Whittier College, the lieutenant said.
The argument escalated into a fight, and Portugal pulled a pocket knife with a 4-inch blade, Solorza said.
Police said he then stabbed the victim several times in the chest.
Solorza said the wounded man continued to fight his attacker outside the bus before the two parted ways.
Officers responding to multiple 9-1-1 calls reporting the stabbing found the wounded man walking nearby, and Portugal was located near Penn Street and Comstock Avenue, Solorza said. Portugal had a bloody knife in his possession.
LA PUENTE -- Three would-be robbers fled empty-handed Thursday after holding a gun to security guard's head at a jewelry store, authorities said.
The failed heist was reported about 3:30 p.m. at a jewelry inside a shopping center at 1717 Hacienda Boulevard, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Ernie Barbosa said.
Three crooks entered the jewelry store, the sergeant said.
"One hops over the glass counter display and immediately starts rifling through the display cases," Barbosa said.
One of two female employees screamed, alerting an unarmed security guard from an adjacent business who came to help, officials said.
As he approached, however, he encountered one of the robbers crouching by the door, Barbosa said.
"He placed a gun to the security the guard's head and threatened to shoot him if he tried anything," the sergeant said.
The three robbers then fled the store without taking anything and got into an unknown-type, black car which headed southbound on Hacienda Boulevard, Barbosa added. A description of the robbers themselves was not available.
WEST COVINA -- Police arrested a Hacienda Heights man Wednesday on suspicion of breaking into half a dozen cars in West Covina, authorities said.
Scott Rumenap, 19, was booked on suspicion of auto burglary, West Covina police Lt. Ron Mitchell said.
A witness called police about 7:40 a.m. to report seeing a man trying to open several car doors in the 2600 block of Greenleaf Drive, the lieutenant said.
Officers arrived to find Rumenap wearing gloves and trying to pry open car doors with a screwdriver, Mitchell said.
They then discovered that six nearby cars had been burglarized, he added, and Rumenap was in possession of items stolen from those cars.
According to sheriff's booking records, Rumenap was being held in lieu of $20,000 bail and was due for arraignment Friday in West Covina Superior Court.
SANTA FE SPRINGS -- A Bellflower man who was killed when he fell from the roof of his workplace last week may have been flying a kite at the time of the accident, officials said Wednesday.
The initial investigation indicated Perry Wayne Isham, 53, was on the roof flying a kite June 7 when he stepped on a skylight and plummeted about 30 feet to the ground, coroner's and California Division of Occupational Safety and Health officials said.
Though he was an employee at Southern California Valve Co., where he had worked as a technician for about 15 years, he was not carrying out job-related duties when he fell, a company representative said.
Cal/OSHA's investigation remained in its early stages, spokeswoman Erika Monterroza said, and it would likely take three to four months to complete.
The investigation will include a thorough inspection of the site, interviews with witnesses and fellow employees and a review of the company's safety procedures and training, she added.
LA HABRA HEIGHTS -- Sheriff's officials are hosting a golf tournament Monday to raise money for youth drug education, officials said.
The tournament will begin with registration at 9 a.m. with an 11 a.m. shotgun start at the Hacienda Golf Club, 718 East Road, in La Habra Heights, organizers said in a written statement.
"This tournament is designed to be fun and unique, while raising funds for the STAR (Success Through Awareness & Resistance) program, which educates children on the dangers of drugs, gangs and violence," according to the statement. The STAR program partners with deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, school districts, teachers and parents throughout Los Angeles County.
"This year we have some on-course surprises planned that are sure to have people talking," tournament co-coordinator Deputy Robert Amstutz said. "I don't want to give too much away, but we will be doing the longest drive competition with handcuffs."
"We are trying to offer a golf experience that will be fun and challenging for all levels of golfers, while getting the message out about the importance of helping the youth in our communities," tournament coordinator, Deputy Cesar Romero said. "This year, more than ever, we need to raise funds to keep the program running in our schools."
Player spots and sponsorships are available, officials said, with tee sponsorships beginning at $100. Player spots include golf, a tee bag, lunch, on-course prizes, a buffet dinner including tri-tip steak and chicken, a silent and live auction, a raffle and a comedy show.
For more information or to sign up for the tournament, call the sheriff's STAR Unit office at 562-946-7263.
BALDWIN PARK -- Police are planning to hold a checkpoint Saturday, authorities said.
The checkpoint will be held at an undisclosed time and place within the city, Baldwin Park police said in a written statement.
Officers will screen motorists for signs of driving under the influence, as well as those driving without valid driver's licenses, officials said.
Bicycles were the targets in a Santa Fe Springs robbery Sunday and a failed robbery on the Greenway Trail in Whittier Monday:
WHITTIER -- A man fought off a would-be robber who tried to take his bicycle on the Greenway Trail Monday, police said.
A man and woman, both from Whittier, were riding their bicycles on the Greenway Trail near Five Points when a young man attempted to grab the man's bike, Whittier police Lt. Steve Dean said.
"The victim was able to fight the suspect off," police said in a written statement. The failed robber fled empty-handed.
Police described the suspect as a Latino man in his late teens with short black hair.
SANTA FE SPRINGS -- Police arrested two Whittier teens early Sunday on suspicion of robbing a 15-year-old girl of her bicycle, authorities said.
Rafael Corona, 18, and a 17-year-old boy were booked on suspicion of robbery, Whittier police said in a written statement.
The girl was walking her bicycle about 1:30 a.m. in the 10800 block of Pioneer Boulevard when three suspects approached, police said.
"The males robbed the victim of her bicycle and fled," according to the police statement.
With the help of witnesses, officers found Corona and the 17-year-old suspect riding in a vehicle.
According to sheriff's booking records, Corona was released later Sunday after posting $50,000 bail. Information on his initial court appearance was not available.
EL MONTE -- A man was wounded in the foot early Sunday in a mysterious shooting at a taco restaurant, authorities said.
The shooting was reported about 4:30 a.m. at King Taco, at Peck Road and Forest Grove Street, El Monte police Lt. Bob Roach said.
Two men had just purchased food at the restaurant and were walking to their car, parked just to the south of the eatery, when one of the men felt a pain in his foot, the lieutenant said.
The victim, a man in his mid-20s, had been wounded in the foot.
The wounded man told police he did not see or hear where the shot came from, Roach said. A motive in the shooting was unclear.
The attack remained under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the El Monte Police Department.
WHITTIER -- Police arrested two Nevada brothers Saturday after they broke into an apartment and used a handgun to threaten the residents in an eviction attempt, authorities said.
The incident was reported about 12:40 p.m. at an apartment in the 14600 block of Christine Drive, Whittier police Lt. Carlos Solorza said.
The lieutenant said Edward Gomez, 30, of Henderson and Gabriel Gomez, 34, of Las Vegas were booked on suspicion of burglary and making terrorist threats. They are relatives of the landlord at the apartment where the incident took place.
"The investigation revealed that the two subject are relatives of the landlord and did enter the apartment with a handgun in, more or less, a forced eviction," he said.
A woman who was inside the home when the Gomez brothers forced their way through the front door fled and notified police, Solorza said. Another woman and man remained inside the apartment.
"(The suspects) threatened them with physical force, and threatened them if they notified the police," he added.
Once police arrived and surrounded the apartment, one of the brothers immediately surrendered while the other was found hiding in a carport, Solorza said. A 9mm handgun was recovered.
According to sheriff's booking records, Edward and Gabriel Gomez were released from jail about 11 p.m. Saturday pending court appearances in lieu of $50,000 bail each.
MONTEBELLO -- Authorities have released the name of an 18-year-old local man accused of trying to rob the same bank twice in two days earlier this week.
Paul Jackson, 18, of Montebello, was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail Saturday at the Montebello Police Department's jail, according to sheriff's booking records.
Jackson successfully used a demand note to rob the Banco Popular, 2133 W. Beverly Blvd., of about $400 Wednesday before returning to the very same bank branch Friday to try it again, Montebello police investigators said.
After fleeing the bank without any money on his second attempt, officials said, police found Jackson walking in the area and arrested him on suspicion of both Wednesday's robbery and Thursday's failed heist.
Jackson was due for arraignment Monday in East Los Angeles Superior Court, records show.
NORWALK -- A 15-year-old boy struck by a car while riding his bicycle one week ago died Friday morning, and a Whittier woman accused of being drunk when she struck him now faces charges of vehicular manslaughter, authorities said.
The teen's name was not released pending positive identification and notification of his family, coroner's officials said.
Anna Chavez, 38, was initially booked on suspicion of felony drunken driving in connection with the June 3 crash, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Josie Woolum said.
The teen was riding his bike east on Alondra Boulevard near Pioneer Boulevard when the collision took place, the lieutenant said.
Chavez was also headed east in her car when she struck the boy, who may have been starting to cross the street, officials said.
Rescuers rushed the badly injured boy to the hospital for treatment, Woolum said. He clung to life for a week before he was pronounced dead at 7:02 a.m. Friday.
According to sheriff's booking records, Chavez was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail and was due for arraignment Tuesday in Downey Superior Court.
LA HABRA -- Police cautioned the public Friday about suspicious encounters two young boys had with a couple who offered them candy.
The incidents were reported about 3 p.m. Thursday near Rose and College streets, La Habra police said in a written statement.
An 11-year-old boy was walking in the area when a car containing a young man and woman pulled up along the curb, police said.
"The driver asked the boy if he would like some candy," the statement said. "The boy did not accept the offer and walked away. As he did so, he noted that the driver attempted to contact another student before driving east on Rose Street and out of view."
Police searched the area but were unable to find the suspicious man and woman, authorities said, however they were able to track down the second boy who encountered the couple.
The second boy, 13, "indicated that he, too, was asked if he wanted candy, but simply ignored the question and continued walking," according to the police statement.
Police described the couple as being in their late teens or early 20s. The driver was a white woman, while the passenger was a Latino man.
The car was a gray, four-door sedan.
The investigation was ongoing, and anyone with information was asked to call La Habra police at 562-905-9750.
SOUTH SAN GABRIEL -- Officials Friday released the name of a 24-year-old Rosemead man who was shot to death near his home.
Stephan Michael Connlee died at a hospital shortly after he was shot about 1:15 a.m. June 4 near Orange Street and Grand View Avenue in the unincorporated county area of South San Gabriel, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Assistant Chief of Operations Ed Winter said.
Connlee had just walked away from his home and rounded the corner when neighbors heard gunshots and found him lying in the street, Sgt. Bill Marsh of the Los Angeles County sheriff's Homicide Bureau said. He has been shot several times in the upper torso.
A man driving a car was stopped in the area and questioned shortly after the shooting, but he was released after detectives determined he was not a suspect in the killing, Marsh said.
A motive in the killing was not released, and no arrested were announced.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.
ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST -- Two en died Friday in unrelated solo-car crashes on the same stretch of the recently reopened Angeles Crest Highway.
The crashes were reported just after 3 a.m., and the other about 4:30 p.m., officials said, though both occurred within about a quarter-mile of each other on Angeles Crest Highway, just south of Dark Canyon Truck Trail, in the Angeles National Forest north of La Canada Flintridge.
Julio Cesar Velasquez, 21, of Pasadena, was pronounced dead at the scene of the early morning crash, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Assistant Chief of Operations Ed Winter said.
He was driving westbound on the highway in his 2007 Honda at an unknown speed when he lost control, California Highway Patrol officials said in a written statement.
Velasquez's car struck an embankment and a tree, and he was pronounced dead from his injuries by a Los Angeles County paramedic shortly after the crash, officials said.
"Alcohol is being investigated as a factor in this crash," the statement said.
Friday afternoon, authorities received word of the second fatal crash about a quarter-mile north of the first crash scene.
Witnesses reported seeing a vehicle go over the side of the road and plummet about 500 feet down a hillside, CHP Officer Jennifer Connolly said.
The driver of the vehicle, who was initially described as a 48-year-old Monterey Park man, was pronounced dead at the scene.
No further information was available late Friday.
The causes of both crashes remained under investigation.
Caltrans officials on June 3 reopened seven miles of Angeles Crest Highway that had been closed since the Station Fire scorched the area in the summer of 2009.
The $32 million repair job was celebrated by local residents and motorists eager to see the connection between the San Gabriel and Antelope valleys restored, however the road also has a dangerous history.
Hundreds of crashes have been reported on the road in recent years, and CHP officials cautioned the public when it reopened to be careful while using Angeles Crest Highway and obey all traffic laws.
WHITTIER -- Police are planning to hold a checkpoint Friday, authorities said.
Officers will screen motorists looking for drunken or unlicensed drivers from 7 p.m. Friday through 3 a.m. Saturday at Whittier Boulevard and Redman Avenue, just west of Norwalk Boulevard, Whittier police officials said in a written statement.
In addition to seeking intoxicated drivers, police said, officers will also be on the lookout for those driving without licenses, or with suspended or revoked licenses.
"Any motorist found driving without a valid license may have their vehicle impounded for 30 days and be issued a citation," according to the police statement.
Funding for the checkpoint is being provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
ALHAMBRA -- Police have announced plans to hold a checkpoint Friday.
The checkpoint will take place from 6:30 p.m. Friday to 2:30 a.m. Saturday at an undisclosed location within Alhambra, Alhambra police officials said in a written statement.
The primary goal of the checkpoint will be to find intoxicated drivers and raise awareness about the consequences of driving under the influence, officials said, however officers will also look for drivers without valid licenses.
"During the past three years, there have been 29 alcohol-related traffic collisions in the City of Alhambra, resulting in one fatality and 42 people injured," according to the police statement.
Funding for the checkpoint is being provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
INDUSTRY -- Following up on the biggest marijuana growing operation ever discovered in El Monte over the weekend, investigators uprooted an even larger pot grow Thursday in Industry.
The operation, found in the 100 Block of Mason Way, contained about 3,600 marijuana plants, valued at about $3 million, El Monte police Detective Ralph Batres said.
"This is a result of our investigation from Saturday," the detective said, in which police responding to a report of a break-in at an El Monte business found about $3,000 marijuana plants growing inside an industrial building.
"Last week we though it was the biggest, until this one," said Sgt. Pat Reilly, who headed the Special Investigation Team that found the warehouse Thursday.
Both operations were believed to be run by the same people, though none had been identified or arrested Thursday, officials said. The elaborate operations included countless pieces of lighting and electrical equipment, complex hydroponic systems and large filters to eliminate the potent smell of the pot.
Also, in both cases, electrical meters had been bypassed, so that the growers were stealing their electricity from Southern California Edison.
At the Industry bust, the 13,000-square-foot warehouse had been divided into several rooms, each housing marijuana plants in different stages of development.
Information obtained while raiding the marijuana growing operation in El Monte over the weekend led investigators to take a look at the warehouse in Industry, Reilly said.
After talking to neighbors and observing the business, police obtained a search warrant and found the plants, he added.
"The type of operation is major. There's a lot of money involved in this," Batres said.
Reilly estimated the grow operation involved $500,000 worth of equipment.
Ducts venting the marijuana growing rooms to the roof were fitted with gutted out swamp coolers, officials explained, so that law enforcement officers flying in helicopters wouldn't become suspicious of heat they saw venting from the building through their infrared cameras.
"They're getting very clever," Batres said.
Detectives were working to track down the people who rented the Industry warehouse, as well as the El Monte pot growing operation.
Property manager Nina Kraut said she was shocked when notified by police of what her tenants had been doing in her warehouse.
Though she had not met the renters in person, "They seemed very friendly over the phone," she said. "But they were never around."
Neighboring business told police the warehouse seemed unusual, with very little activity, though people were sometimes seen there.
"It didn't seem like a normal business," Reilly said.
Officials had a lot of investigating yet to do, Reilly said Thursday afternoon.
"Who knows?" he said. "Maybe this one will lead us to another."
NORWALK -- Deputies arrested a Norwalk man Thursday after he kidnapped his 2-year-old daughter from his wife at gunpoint, then barricaded himself inside his home, authorities said.
Gerald Gibbons, 32, was booked on suspicion of kidnapping and making criminal threats, Lt. Dana Chemnitzer said.
Gibbons became involved in an argument with his wife shortly after 11 a.m. and told her to leave the house, the lieutenant said.
The wife took the couple's 2-year-old girl and went to a neighbors home, he said.
Minutes later, Chemnitzer said, Gibbons arrived at the neighbor's home demanding custody of his daughter and threatening to kill his wife if she didn't obey.
He then retrieved a shotgun from his own home and returned to the neighbor's house, where he demanded his daughter at gunpoint.
Fearing for their lives, the mother and neighbor let Gibbons take the girl, and he took his daughter back into their home.
When deputies arrived, Gibbons remained inside the home with the girl and refused to come out for about an hour, Chemnitzer said. He ultimately surrendered, and the girl was found unharmed inside the home.
Gibbons was being held in lieu of $150,000 bail, officials added.
MONTEBELLO -- Police arrested a man Thursday on suspicion of trying to rob a bank branch -- the very some one he successfully robbed the day before, authorities said.
Officials received 9-1-1 calls and a robbery alarm activation about 1:15 p.m. from Banco Popular, 2133 W. Beverly Blvd., Montebello police Lt. Brad Keller said in a written statement.
"The 9-1-1 caller from within the bank told the Montebello Dispatch Center that a male black had just attempted to rob the bank and fled out the east door," Keller said.
He handed a teller a note demanding cash before fleeing empty-handed, Lt. Andy Vuncanon said.
Officers searched the area for and arrested the suspect as he was walking two blocks south of the bank, police said.
Police determined that Thursday's would-be robber is the same man who successfully robbed the bank of $400 Wednesday, Vuncanon said.
In that case, he entered the same bank about 11:30 a.m. and handed a teller a note demanding money.
The suspect's name was not immediately available pending confirmation of his identity and booking, police said.
SANTA FE SPRINGS -- Authorities Thursday released the name of a Bellflower man who died earlier this week after falling from the roof of a Santa Fe Springs valve manufacturing plant where he worked.
Perry Wayne Isham, 53, was pronounced dead at the scene of Tuesday's 2:35 p.m. incident at the Southern California Valve Co., 13903 Maryton Ave., Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Lt. Fred Corral said.
An autopsy determined he died as a result of blunt force injuries to his neck and head, and the the cause of death was ruled accidental, the lieutenant said.
He was working on the roof the the business when he fell through a skylight and plummeted about 30 feet, Whittier police said in a written statement.
LA MIRADA -- Two handguns along with a sheriff's badge and identification card were stolen from an Orange County sheriff's deputy's SUV late Wednesday, officials said.
The deputy was having at Clearman's North Woods Inn, 14305 Firestone Blvd., when the break-in occurred, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Bill Evans said.
Sometime between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., the deputy's Chrevolet Tahoe SUV was broken into and a duffel bag containing the equipment was stolen, he said.
The stolen weapons were two Glock pistols, Evans said. It was unclear if they were loaded, or if ammunition was also taken.
The door lock on the Tahoe had apparently been forced open, officials added.
Evans said it was likely the third-row seat of the Tahoe was the intended target of the break-in, as officials have seen many such thefts recently, but the thief or thieves may have settled for the police equipment instead once getting into the vehicle.
Detectives were checking area surveillance cameras to see if they yielded any clues.
LA HABRA -- A Whittier man was behind bars Wednesday on suspicion of six counts of child annoyance stemming from incidents in May and June in which he approached 15- to 17-year-old girls, police said.
Paul Delacruz, 29, was taken into custody Tuesday at his home without incident after investigators obtained a warrant for his arrest, La Habra police said in a written statement.
In the incidents, a man approached the teen girls in a vehicle and beckoned them to come over to him, officials said. In one case, a girl reported he exited his vehicle and walked toward her.
Through witness interviews, detectives were able to identify Delacruz as a suspect, and he was identified by the victims through photographic line-ups, police said.
Anyone with information is asked to call La Habra police Detective Jose Rocha at 562-905-9788.
FULLERTON -- Fullerton police arrested a former Biola University Student Wednesday on suspicion of plating software on women's computers that allowed him to secretly record them via their webcams, authorities said.
Trevor Harwell, 20, of Fullerton worked for a La Habra-based computer service company called Rezitech, Inc., when he installed the malicious software on the computers of dozens of women, including many fellow students at Biola University, Fullerton police Sgt. Andrew Goodrich said in a written statement. Harwell is no longer a student at the school.
As an employee, Harwell made house calls to Macintosh computer users.
"While he had physical access to the computers, he would install a spyware-type application that allowed him remote access to the user's computer and webcam," the sergeant said. In addition to clients, police suspect he also installed the software on computers of friends and computers connected to the university's internal network.
Harwell then used the access to take and record pictures of the women while undressed or changing clothes, Goodrich said. Police estimated hundreds of thousands of images were seized during the investigation.
Harwell serviced computers in both Orange and Los Angeles counties, investigators said.
The program he used was called "Camcapture," Goodrich added, and anyone who thinks they may be a victim should search the "Library/WebServer/Documents" directory of their computers for the "Camcapture" program.
Police learned of the situation last summer when a Fullerton resident reported suspicious messages appearing on his daughter's computer.
One such message read, "You should fix your internal sensor soon. If unsure how to do this, try putting your laptop near a hot stream for several minutes to clean the sensor," Goodrich said.
As a result of similar messages, he said, many of the victims brought their laptops into the bathroom with them while showering.
Anyone who believes they may be a victim in the case is asked to call Fullerton police Detective Kathryn Hamel at 714-738-5327.
MONTEBELLO -- A man in a long black coat and with a scarf covering part of his face used a demand note to rob a local bank of about $400 on Wednesday.
No one was reported injured during the 11:29 a.m. robbery at the Banco Popular, 2133 W. Beverly Blvd. according to Montebello police Lt. Rich Meadows.
He said the man entered the bank, approached one of the tellers and handed over a note demanding cash. The robber also pretended to have a weapon.
The robber fled with his loot and was last seen walking east on Beverly Boulevard.
The suspect was described as a black man, 20 to 25, clean-shaven, stands 5-feet-6-inches tall, with a slim build and a tattoo on his left forearm.
Montebello police and the FBI are investigating the robbery.
WEST COVINA -- A judge Wednesday sentenced two men to spend the rest of their lives in prison for the 2009 murder of two Baldwin Park teenagers.
The gunman, Juan Anda, 25, of Baldwin Park, and co-defendant Gerardo Fonseca Jr., 22, of Arcadia were each sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the March 31, 2009 double-slaying near Leland and Merced avenues in West Covina, court officials said.
Jason Guijarro, 19, and Isaac Alexis Parra, 17, both of Baldwin Park, were fatally shot as they sat in a van, officials said.
A Pomona Superior Court jury convicted Anda and Fonseca in February of two counts of first-degree murder, along with conspiracy to commit murder and the special allegation of multiple murders.
A third defendant in the case, 20-year-old Melissa Ann Goree, was acquitted of all charges by the jury.
She and Fonseca were dating at the time of the killing, according to testimony, and the intended target of the attack was Goree's ex-boyfriend.
The ex-boyfriend was inside the van at the time of the shooting but was not wounded by the gunfire, investigators said.
SANTA FE SPRINGS -- A 53-year-old employee at a valve manufacturing company died Tuesday after falling through a skylight, authorities said Wednesday.
His name was not released pending notification of family members, coroner's officials said.
The incident took place about 2:35 p.m. at the Southern California Valve Co., 13903 Maryton Ave., Whittier police officials said in a written statement.
"According to witness statements, an employee was on the roof of the business when he fell through a skylight, descending nearly 30 feet," the police statement said.
The worker suffered major head injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said.
"The cause of the fall is still under investigation, however at this point it appears accidental," according to the statement.
he worker was alone on the roof at the time of the fall, Whittier police Officer Mike Dekowski said. It was unclear what exactly he was doing when he fell.
Representatives of Southern California Valve Co. declined to comment via telephone Wednesday.
NORWALK -- A man suffered major injuries Sunday in a motorcycle crash on Norwalk Boulevard, authorities said.
The rider, a Norwalk man in his late 30s, was flown to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center in critical condition following the 4 p.m. crash on Norwalk Boulevard at Pantheon Street, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Josie Woolum said.
He was travelling south on the boulevard when he lost control of his Harley-Davidson and struck the center median and was thrown from the motorcycle, the lieutenant said. He suffered severe head trauma.
No other vehicles were involved in the crash.
SOUTH PASADENA -- Police jailed a suspected thief and wanted parolee Sunday after he fled from an officer, then claimed to have a gun, officials said.
Charles Floredo Romero, 45, of Pasadena was being held without bail, according to sheriff's booking records.
An officer stopped Romero on a bicycle about 8 a.m. near Fremont Avenue and Huntington Drive, South Pasadena police said in a written statement.
"After giving a false name, Romero jumped from the bicycle and ran from the officer to the area of Huntington Drive and Winchester Avenue, in the city of Los Angeles," the statement said. "When confronted by the officer, Romero crouched behind a tree and small bush, telling the officer he had a gun."
Officers arrested Romero after a brief struggle and determined he did not have a gun, police said.
"Further investigation revealed the bicycle Romero was riding was stolen from Glendora using burglary tools he had in his possession," according to the police statement.
SOUTH SAN GABRIEL -- Homicide investigators cleared a "person of interest" as a suspect and continued hunting Sunday for the killer of a 24-year-old man who was shot while walking near his home, authorities said.
The victim's name was not released Sunday pending notification of his family members, Los Angeles County Department's of Coroner's officials said.
He had just left his home about 1:15 a.m. Saturday and rounded the corner of Orange Street and Grand View Avenue when he was shot several times in the upper torso, Sgt. Bill Marsh of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said. He died a short time later at a hospital.
Deputies detained a young man found driving in the area shortly after the shooting for questioning, but later released him.
"Based on preliminary investigation, we're not considering him a suspect or involved in the shooting," Marsh said. "He was very cooperative."
The investigation as of Sunday indicated that the shooting was not gang-related, as was initially being considered, however Marsh declined to comment on a possible motive in the shooting.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.
WHITTIER -- A 20-year-old man police said drove off Friday with a 12-year-old Whittier girl was behind bars Sunday.
Ivan Felipe Cerda of Vista was booked on suspicion of "deprivation of custody of a child" and was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail at the Whittier Police Department's jail, according to police and sheriff's booking records.
After meeting through a social networking feature of the Sony PlayStation network, the girl ran away from home and was picked up by Cerda Friday afternoon, Whittier police Lt. Carlos Solorza said.
Authorities were alerted, officials said, and investigators searching for the girl discovered the she and Cerda had stopped briefly at Cerda's mother's house in Vista.
Riverside County sheriff's deputies notified Whittier police that the girl and Cerda had been found together in Anza Saturday morning, police said. They were both taken back to the Whittier Police Department for questioning.
Police ultimately arrested Cerda on suspicion of deprivation of custody of a child, Solorza said. The investigation was ongoing.
Cerda's initial court date was not available Sunday, however suspects held in custody are generally brought before a judge for arraignment within two court days of arrest.
Under California law, Cerda could face up to three years in state prison if convicted.
PHOTO of Ivan Cerda courtesy of the Whittier Police Department
WHITTIER -- A Whittier man was behind bars Saturday on suspicion of trying to rob two teenage boys at knifepoint, authorities said.
Robert Anthony Cardenas, 18, was booked on suspicion of attempted robbery in connection with the incident, which was reported about 10:35 p.m. Friday in the 12300 block of Philadelphia Street, near Whittier High School, Whittier police Lt. Carlos Solorza said.
Two victims, ages 14 and 16, were walking when they were approached by Cardenas, who asked them what gang they belonged to, officials said.
Cardenas allegedly then pulled a knife and demanded property from the teens.
The teens ran without handing over anything, and Cardenas chased after them, Solorza said. Police received reports from 9-1-1 callers regarding a man chasing two people down the street.
An officer found Cardenas in the area and arrested him, police said.
According to sheriff's booking records, Cardenas was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail. His initial court date was not available.
WHITTIER -- Police arrested a 16-year-old Whittier boy Saturday on suspicion of trying, but failing, to rob a man on the Greenway Trail.
A 55-year-old Whittier man was walking on the trail between Hadley and Bailey streets about 9:15 a.m. when he passed a teenager who was also walking on the trail, Whittier police Lt. Carlos Solorza said.
The teen ran up behind the man and grabbed him in a bear hug, Solorza said. The would-be robber then motioned as if he had a weapon as he demanded money.
"The victim was able to break free before the suspect got any property and ran to a nearby business for assistance," the lieutenant said.
An officer soon located the suspect walking near Whittier High School and arrested the boy after a brief foot chase, he said.
He was booked on suspicion of attempted robbery.
EL MONTE -- A report of a break-in led El Monte police to discover the largest marijuana-growing operation ever found in the city, authorities said.
About 3,000 pot plants, valued at about $1 million, were found growing inside a commercial building at 2520 Continental Avenue, El Monte police Detective Ralph Batres said.
"It's the biggest marijuana grow in the history of El Monte," the detective said.
A witness called 9-1-1 early Saturday to report seeing five men trying to force their way into the building, Batres said.
The men, who were wearing gloves, had backed a U-Haul truck into the parking lot of the building, he said.
Arriving sheriff's deputies and police officers found the five burglary suspects, who were carrying gardening shears, Batres said. One of the suspects indicated there was a marijuana grow inside the building.
Benjamin Kwok, 37, of San Gabriel; Louie Frank Fraijo, 28, of Baldwin Park; Raymond Guan, 29, of Rosemead; Xing Xi He, 24, of Baldwin Park; and a 17-year-old San Gabriel boy were booked on suspicion of burglary, El Monte police Lt. Richard Cano said.
Police obtained a search warrant to enter the building where they discovered a massive, elaborate and sophisticated pot-growing operation.
Seven large rooms inside the structure housed between 300 and 600 mature marijuana plants each, complete with complex electrical, ventilation, filter and hydroponic equipment. Windows had been covered over with drywall making it impossible to look into the building from the outside.
Batres said it appeared the burglars specifically targeted the marijuana in the attempted break-in.
No arrests were made in connection with the marijuana grow, Batres said, and investigators were working to determine who is responsible for the building.
"Now the paper trail starts," he said.
Nearby neighbors said they were shocked to learn the nearby building housed a massive marijuana farm.
"It was just like a normal business," said Andy Valle. Trucks would come and go, and people would sometimes be seen loitering in the parking lot as if on breaks from work.
Though Valle said he noticed the business didn't seem to take care of it's landscaping and driveway as well as other nearby companies, he saw nothing to indicate anything suspicious going on inside.
Batres credited the witness who originally reported the break-in for the massive bust.
"The residents are our eyes and ears," he said. "Someone called it in, and we got lucky on this one."
PHOTO by Staff Photographer Eric Reed
SOUTH SAN GABRIEL -- A young man died early Saturday after he was shot in a possibly gang-related attack near his home, authorities said.
The name of the man was not released Saturday pending positive identification and notification of his family, Los Angeles County sheriff's and coroner's officials said. He was initially described as a 24-year-old Rosemead man.
The fatal shooting took place at 1:15 a.m. at Orange Street and Grand View Avenue in the unincorporated county area of South San Gabriel, sheriff's Sgt. Diane Hecht said in a written statement.
The man had just left his home on foot and walked around the corner when "multiple gunshots were heard," Sgt. Bill Marsh of the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said.
"Residents of the area came out and discovered the victim lying on the street," Marsh said. He had been shot multiple times in the upper torso.
He was rushed to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, where he fought for his life for more than two hours, but was ultimately pronounced dead about 4 a.m.
Deputies from the sheriff's Temple Station arrived at the scene within a minute of the shooting and stopped a car nearby that matched a description given by a witness of a vehicle involved in the shooting, Marsh said.
The driver of that car was being detained for questioning Saturday, he said, though he had not been arrested.
Marsh referred to the driver as a "person of interest" pending further investigation, and detectives were looking into apparent gang ties on his part.
Detectives were also looking into whether or not the victim had ties to gangs, he said.
The medium-caliber gun authorities believe was used in the shooting was not immediately found, the sergeant added.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.
WHITTIER -- A 12-year-old girl reported missing after apparently running away with a 20-year-old man she met online has been found safe in Riverside County, authorities said.
The girl is believed to have run away from her home in Whittier about 2 p.m. Friday, Whittier police officials said in a written statement.
"(The girl) was later picked up by a 20-year-old male Hispanic before they returned to his mother's home in Vista, CA for an abbreviated amount of time," the police statement said.
Police identified the 20-year-old man as Ivan Felipe Cerda.
"Through investigation, detectives learned that the girl and (Cerda) started a relationship on a social networking website and that she was picked up in his 2003 Volkswagen Passat on June 3rd," the statement said.
Police found the girl, unharmed, in Anza Saturday, officials said.
She was with Cerda, who was being detained by detectives for questioning.
DUARTE -- A man died Friday afternoon after apparently jumping from an overpass of the 210 Freeway into rush-hour traffic, authorities said.
The dead man was initially described as a Latino man who appeared to be in his 40s, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Julio Salcido said.
Authorities were alerted about 4:15 p.m. of the situation on the eastbound 210 Freeway, between Mountain Avenue and Buena Vista Street, the sergeant said.
Witnesses reported that the man appeared to have jumped onto the freeway from a pedestrian bridge, officials said. He was then struck by at least one vehicle.
Officials pronounced the man dead at the scene.
Three lanes of traffic on the eastbound 210 Freeway were shut down for about three hours due to the investigation, California Highway Patrol officials said.
The death is being investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau.
NORWALK -- A 15-year-old boy was taken to a trauma center in critical condition Friday after being struck by a car on Alondra Boulevard, authorities said.
Traffic detectives were in the early stages of their investigation, however it initially appeared that the boy was eastbound on Alondra Boulevard near Pioneer Boulevard about 3:11 p.m. when the collision occurred, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Josie Woolum said.
A vehicle that was also heading east struck the teen, possibly as he began crossing the street, officials said.
Paramedics rushed him to a trauma center where he underwent surgery, however an update on his condition was not available.
The driver, a woman, stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators, Woolum said.
The cause of the crash remained under investigation.
POMONA -- A Covina man pleaded guilty Friday to stabbing his 2-year-old son to death early last year, authorities said.
Alex Trujillo, 29, pleaded guilty to second degree murder of his son, Nathan Trujillo, Jan 26, 2010 at his home in the 100 block of South Waterbury Avenue in Covina, officials said.
"Pomona Superior Court Judge Mike Camacho immediately sentenced Trujillo to 16 years to life in state prison," Los Angeles County District Attorney's officials said in a written statement.
The stabbing took place at Trujillo's home while he was arguing his then-girlfriend and the mother of their son, Covina police said.
Though the killing took place during a domestic dispute, a specific motive in the killing was never determined.
"We, to this day, don't know why (Trujillo) did what he did," Covina police Sgt. Gregg Peterson said. "It's bewildering to me."
The handling prosecutor could not be reached for comment Friday.
Officers who responded to a 9-1-1 call from Trujillo's brother reporting strange behavior saw Trujillo inside the home stabbing himself, officials said.
Police forced their way into the home, where they discovered the badly wounded toddler, authorities said.
Nathan Trujillo was rushed to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center where he died from his injuries a short time later.
The toddler lived in Baldwin Park with his mother.
"It's a very traumatic case for both the family and the officers involved," Peterson said.
After nearly a year and a half since the killing, Peterson said detectives were pleased to see justice served, "mainly for the families, so they have some sense of closure."
EAST VALINDA -- A young man was expected to survive after he was shot and wounded Thursday, authorities said.
The attack took place about 6:30 p.m. at La Seda Road and Villa Parke Street, in the unincorporated county area of East Valinda, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Russell Boucher said.
The shooter was a passenger in a 1990s-model, 4-door, Honda Accord with tinted windows who got out of the vehicle before opening fire on the victim, the sergeant said.
The shooter, described only as a Latino man, then got back into the car, which sped away, Boucher said.
The victim, an 18-year-old man, suffered a gunshot wound to the buttocks that was not believed to be life-threatening, officials said.
A motive in the attack was not immediately clear.
WHITTIER -- A house fire blamed on a cigarette butt badly damaged a garage and a car parked inside of it Thursday, officials said.
The blaze was reported about 6:20 a.m. in the 16100 block of Placid Drive, in an unincorporated county area near Whittier, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Josie Woolum said.
"A female resident of the location appears to have left a lit cigarette burning in the garage, which ignited a fire, causing major damage to the garage and a vehicle within," the lieutenant said.
No injuries were reported.
ALTADENA -- The public is invited to meet the high-flying machines and officers of the Pasadena Police Department's Air Operations Section Saturday at an open house.
The event is planned for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Benedict Heliport, 2175 Yucca Lane in Altadena, Pasadena police Lt. Michael Ingram said.
The free open house will include demonstrations and displays by police helicopters, motorcycles, an armored vehicle and a mobile command post, officials said. Food and drink will also be provided.
SWAT team and K-9 demonstrations will be held at 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.
"We are excited to open our doors and increase the public's awareness and education about airborne law enforcement," Pasadena Police Chief Phillip Sanchez said. "The Air Operations Section has a proud history of crime fighting and providing public safety services. We want the public to know what we do and why air support and the special operations community is so critical to our mission in today's world."
To reach the heliport, take the Arroyo Boulevard/Windsor Avenue exit of the 210 Freeway and head north on Arroyo Boulevard, then make a left on Weimar Avenue to Yucca Lane.
Local officials are applauding the Federal Aviation Administration's new strategy of imposing fines on those who shine laser beams at aircraft.
Pointing a laser at an aircraft is already illegal under state law and be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony. The maximum sentence for a conviction is three years in prison and a $2,000 fine.
As of June 1, the FAA will also begin imposing civil penalties of up to $11,000 against those who shine lasers at aircraft in flight, FAA officials said in a written statement.
"Shining a laser into the cockpit of an aircraft is not a joke," FAA Administrator Babbitt said. "These lasers can temporarily blind a pilot and make it impossible to safely land the aircraft, jeopardizing the safety of the passengers and people on the ground."
A legal interpretation released by the FAA indicated the agency has expanded the definition of interfering with a flight crew to include shining a laser at the aircraft from the ground.
"In the past, the FAA has taken enforcement action under this regulation against passengers physically on-board an aircraft who interfere with crewmembers," according to the FAA statement.
"(This) interpretation reflects the fact that pointing a laser at an aircraft from the ground could seriously impair a pilot's vision and interfere with the flight crew's ability to safely handle its responsibilities."
The sheriff's department, which has had plenty of experience with lasers being shined at its own aircraft, came out in support of the move.
"This is another great tool for law enforcement to help protect flight crews and the public from the hazard of lasers pointed at aircraft," Sgt. Morrie Zager, a helicopter pilot with the the Sheriff's Aero Bureau said. "This is extremely serious and lives could be lost in the air and on the ground as a result."
Over the past eight months, sheriff's helicopters have been struck by laser lights at least a half-dozen times, Capt. Michael Parker said. Other police agencies have also reporter having their helicopters illuminated by laser light from the ground.
The incidents resulted in the arrests of two suspects from separate incidents in Pico Rivera, as well as others in West Covina, La Puente, Lynwood and Maywood, sheriff's officials said.
Most recently, Azusa police arrested Daniel Sims, 20, of Azusa Sunday on suspicion of shining a laser at a police helicopter.
West Covina police jailed a 28-year-old man in early March on suspicion of habitually shining a laser pointer at sheriff's, police and commercial aircraft over more than a year.
Lt. Mike Ingram of the Pasadena Police Department's Air Operations Section also welcomed the news of federal fines for those who point lasers at aircraft.
"We've been the victims of laser strikes like many other Southern California airborne units, Ingram said. "It's becoming a huge issue."
A bright laser shined from the ground can virtually illuminate the cockpit of a helicopter, the lieutnant said. In severe cases, pilots can have their eyesight famaged by the beams.
"What's more common is you lose your night vision... see spots," Ingram said. "You basically lose your ability to look outside."
The majority of those arrested for shining lasers at aircraft in Pasadena have been mischevious teens or intoxicated people who did not appear to intend serious harm to the aircraft, Ingram said, but that doesn't make the laser beams direcred at pilots any less dangerous to those inside the aircraft and those below on the ground.
"I don't think it's intentional most of the time to do us harm, but regarless, it could lead to a castostrphic event," Ingram said.
"This year, pilots (nation-wide) have reported more than 1,100 incidents nationwide of lasers being pointed at aircraft," the FAA statement said.
Reports of laser-related incidents have increased steadily since the FAA first created a formal reporting system to document them in 2005. Reported incidents rose from less than 300 in 2005 to 2,836 in 2010, according to the FAA.
A woman killed in a solo-vehicle crash on the 60 Freeway was identified by coroner's officials Thursday as a 46-year-old Monterey Park woman.
Teresa Lynn Cramer died at the scene of the 11:05 a.m. Wednesday crash on the eastbound freeway, just west of San Gabriel Blvd., Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Assistant Chief of Operations Ed Winter said.
Cramer was driving her 1997 Chevrolet Suburban at about 65 mph, according to witnesses, when "for unknown reasons, (Cramer) steered (her vehicle) into the right in an abrupt manner, consequently losing control of the vehicle," California Highway Patrol officials said in a written statement.
"(The vehicle) then overturned several times, ejecting (Cramer) into the roadway."
The crash remained under investigation.
An investigation into the slaying and dismemberment of a Diamond Bar man that began in Ontario Sunday when a woman was found pushing a trash can full of body parts down the street continues to grow. The latest from staff and Associated Press reports:
LOS ANGELES -- A Southern California woman accused of killing her ex-boyfriend and pushing his body parts down the street in a trash can may have acted for financial gain in a case rapidly expanding across three counties, an official said Thursday.Investigators have surveillance video showing Carmen Montenegro, 51, using credit and ATM cards belonging to the victim, Samuel Wiggins Jr., after he disappeared on April 20, said David Hidalgo, supervisor of the San Bernardino County district attorney's family violence unit. Montenegro also used the 63-year-old Wiggins' car in the days after his disappearance, he said.Her public defender, Rebecca Taft, did not immediately return a call seeking comment Montenegro has pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder and is being held on $1 million bail.She was arrested Sunday at a house in Ontario, a San Bernardino County city 40 miles east of Los Angeles, after neighbors called police to say a woman was dragging what appeared to be body parts down the street in a 30-gallon trash bin.Police found a torso and legs at the address, which was the home of some of Montenegro's relatives, and later discovered a head and arms in two large flower pots that Montenegro and her son delivered on Mother's Day to another relative's address in Bell Gardens, near Los Angeles.The body parts all have been identified as Wiggins' and an autopsy was under way Thursday to determine how Wiggins was killed, authorities said.Montenegro's two adult children were arrested late Wednesday on suspicion of helping their mother dispose of the remains.Daniel Ortiz, 25, and Chanel Alicia Ortiz, 26, both of Riverside, were stopped in Rancho Cucamonga and could be charged as early as Friday, Hidalgo said.The children remained jailed Thursday and it was not immediately clear if they had retained attorneys."It's hard to comprehend that someone could be so callous and pushing body parts down the street in a trash can like it was nothing," Hidalgo said. "She was desperate and she was looking for people to help her dispose of the body."A woman who ansered the phone at Wiggins' Diamond Bar home Thursday afternoon said family members did not wish to comment.Authorities believe Montenegro killed Wiggins at his home in Diamond Bar, in Los Angeles County, and then transported the remains to her relative's home in Ontario, where she buried the body parts. She dug several deep holes and told relatives she was re-doing the garden, Hidalgo said.Investigators have also discovered bloody carpet at a home in Riverside where Montenegro was renting storage space, Hidalgo said. The carpet was in a large cardboard box that was used to deliver a sofa and is believed to have come from the victim's house.
At some point, Montenegro uncovered the body and put the head and arms in flower pots that were delivered to the Bell Gardens address, he said.A family member of Montenegro's, Matthew Bell, said he saw Montenegro in a hole in the backyard of his grandmother's house on Sunday. He said he also saw her throw body parts in the trash can and that she offered him $5,000 to help dispose of the remains.Bell said he instead went to call police and that Montenegro followed him with the trash can, still pleading for help.She was arrested about 200 yards from the home.
AZUSA -- A Fontana woman died instantly Wednesday when her vehicle struck a pillar, police said.
Theresa Tonner, 54, was killed in the 8:37 a.m. crash on First Street, near the 210 Freeway, Azusa police Cpl. Dean Brewer said in a written statement.
No other vehicles or pedestrians were involved in the crash, police said, and witnesses indicated that Tonner's Subaru Outback may have been speeding prior to the impact.
The cause of the crash remained under investigation.
CONTRIBUTORS
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| Frank Girardot, Metro Editor for the San Gabriel Valley Newspapers, brings you behind the yellow tape with takes on true crime, cold cases and more. This is also your forum to discuss crime, its impact on your neighborhood and how we cover it. Have any questions or tips? You can leave a comment here or e-mail Frank. |
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Brian Day is the crime reporter for the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper group. E-mail Brian. |
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