December 2011 Archives
LA MIRADA -- A home was gutted by a fast-spreading fire early Saturday, however its residents escaped harm thanks to a smoke detector, authorities said.
The blaze broke out about 8 a.m. on Sabine Drive, between Gabbett and Tanfield drives, Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Greg Lombardo said.
Two men were asleep when the fire ignited, he said. One was awakened by a smoke detector and alerted the other before both got out of the home.
The home was already engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived just a couple of minutes later, the captain said.
The home was largely gutted, he said, however firefighters were able to salvage many valuables from the home.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation, however it was believed to have originated in a room addition to the home before spreading throughout the structure.
WHITTIER -- Officials Saturday released the name of a 46-year-old Whittier man found shot to death on Painter Avenue early Friday.
Bernardino Gomez Jr. was pronounced dead after being found suffering from gunshot wounds about 1:40 a.m. Friday in the 9900 block of Painter Avenue, just west of Carmenita Road, according to Whittier police and Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's officials.
Detectives were left with few clues to work with, Lt. Carlos Solorza said.
No one reported seeing or hearing the shooting, police said. Someone called to report seeing someone lying in the middle of the street.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Whittier Police Department at 562-567-9255.
GLENDORA -- A serial bank robber dubbed the "Puffy Coat Bandit" robbed a bank of an undisclosed amount Friday, authorities said.
The robber entered the Union Bank in the 600 block of West Route 66 at about 4:30 p.m.
Glendora police Lt. Jamie Caldwell said the suspect presented a note demanding money to one of the tellers. He also simulated having a weapon during the heist.
The suspect took the cash and left.
The robber was believed to be a serial bandit the FBI is calling the "Puffy Coat Bandit" due to the ski jacket-type outerwear he's sported during several area heists in recent weeks, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.
The bandit has been linked to three other bank robberies since Dec. 20, FBI officials said in a written statement. They include: A Dec. 28 robbery at Mission Oaks Bank in Lake Elsinore; a Dec. 22 heist at Premier Services Bank in Corona; and Dec. 20 at U.S. Bank in Chino.
Officials described the Puffy Coat Bandit as a white man in his late-30s to mid-40s, of thin to medium build and standing 6 feet 1 inch to 6 feet 4 inches tall. He's been seen wearing a black ski-type jacket and a black beanie.
A light colored sedan, possibly a Ford or Mercury, has been witnessed in connection with the crimes, according to the FBI. In the Glendora case, the car was described as brown or maroon.
He's considered armed and dangerous, and anyone who sees him is advised to call the FBI's 24-hour tip line at 310-477-6565, or 911.
- Brian Day and Ruby Gonzales
PHOTOS courtesy of the FBI
WHITTIER -- Deputies checking out a call about a stabbing found a wounded 15-year-old boy Friday night.
Sheriff's Sgt. Mike Mendoza said a caller reported the stabbing just before 10 p.m. at Hornell Street and La Mirada Boulevard in an unincorporated area near Whittier.
The victim was walking with friends when another young man approached him from behind, punched him and stabbed him in the thigh, Sgt. Glenn Emery said.
The wounded teen was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.
The attacker, described only as Latino, was seen getting into a white Chevrolet pickup truck with an extended cab, officials said. Other suspects were also in the truck.
Mendoza said the vehicle was last seen heading north on La Mirada Boulevard.
The motive in the attack was unclear.
EL MONTE -- An armed man wearing a ski mask fled with about $600 after robbing a local motel Friday night.
Sheriff's Lt. Michael White said the suspect carried a pistol, but no one was reported injured during the 8:37 p.m. robbery at the Rodeway Inn, 1228 Durfee Ave.
The suspect was described as possibly Latino, about 5 feet 3 inches tall and wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black pants and ski mask.
- Ruby Gonzales
LA PUENTE -- A 20-year-old La Puente man crossing the street was struck and seriously injured Friday night.
The collision happened at 6:25 p.m. on Hacienda Boulevard and Glendora Avenue.
Sheriff's Lt. Victor Sotelo said the vehicle was northbound on Hacienda Boulevard and tried to get through the intersection on a yellow light.
The pedestrian walked eastbound to westbound Glendora Avenue before the light turned green, Sotelo said.
He said the driver tried to avoid hitting the man but couldn't.
The pedestrian was taken to a local hospital where he is in critical condition, Sotelo said.
The driver wasn't cited Friday night. The investigation is still ongoing.
- Ruby Gonzales
GLENDORA -- Two San Dimas men were behind bars Friday on suspicion of badly beating another man earlier this week, police said.
Mark Hachem, 18, and Gabriel Ojeda, 18, were both arrested Thursday and booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon in connection with Wednesday night's alleged attack, Glendora police Lt. Rob Lamborghini said.
Officers responded to reports of a fight about 8:40 p.m. Wednesday at Gladstone Street and Willow Avenue, the lieutenant said.
Police found no combatants when they arrived, but soon received word that a victim -- a 22-year-old Glendora man -- was en route to a local hospital, he said.
The alleged victim had been punched in the mouth and kicked while he was on the ground, resulting in a broken jaw and other injuries, Lamborghini said.
Detectives tracked down and arrested Hachem and Ojeda the following day, police said.
Police were investigating the possibility the victim was targeted because he was a potential witness in an unrelated assault case, the lieutenant said. Details of that investigation, which was being handled by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, were not available.
Hachem and Ojeda were being held in lieu of $100,000 each pending their arraignment Tuesday in West Covina Superior Court, officials said.
ALHAMBRA -- A man appeared in court Friday on charges he stabbed his wife to death and wounded her sister at a home in San Gabriel earlier this year.
Sherman Dorsey, 40, of Los Angeles pleaded not guilty to the murder and the non-fatal stabbing in Alhambra Superior Court, court officials said.
He was ordered to return to court Feb. 8 for a pretrial hearing.
He's accused in the Aug. 3 slaying of Gina Reano, 45, as well as stabbing her sister at the home the sisters shared in the 5500 block of Walnut Grove Avenue, investigators said. The sister was wounded as she tried to help Reano.
When sheriff's deputies arrived to the surviving sister's call for help, they found Dorsey in front of the house, officials said. He had stabbed himself several times.
Dorsey and Reano had been estranged, but were trying to reconcile when the killing took place, officials said.
Dorsey continued to be held in lieu of $2.07 million bail at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic, according to county booking records.
POMONA -- A driver suspected of fleeing the scene after fatally striking a bicyclist with his SUV has turned himself in, police said Friday.
Rodger Allen Karcher, 67, of Chino showed up at the Pomona Police Station about 8 p.m. Thursday to turn himself in, Pomona police Sgt. Christian Hsu said in a written statement.
"His vehicle was also located and the damage to it matched the physical evidence located at the collision scene," he added.
He was booked on suspicion of hit-and-run causing death in connection with Wednesday's 5:30 p.m. crash at Towne Avenue and Sixth Street, the sergeant said.
The bicyclist was initially described only as a Pomona man in his 40s pending notification of his family members, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Assistant Chief of Operations Craig Harvey said.
"The large amount of media coverage played a positive role in this investigation," Hsu said. "Investigators concluded that Karcher turned himself in after watching numerous news stories about the collision."
According to police and county booking records, Karcher was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail at the Pomona Police Department's jail pending his arraignment Tuesday in Pomona Superior Court.
SANTA FE SPRINGS -- A person was found shot to death in the middle of the street early Friday in Santa Fe Springs, authorities said.
Someone called 911 about 1:40 a.m. to report seeing a person lying in the middle of the 9900 block of Painter Avenue, just west of Carmenita Road, Whittier police Lt. Carlos Solorza said.
Officials found the man was suffering from what appeared to be gunshot wounds and pronounced him dead at the scene, the lieutenant said.
No one reported seeing or hearing the shooting itself, he said, and no information about the motive or the shooter was available.
The dead man's name was not released pending notification of his family, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Assistant Chief of Operations Ed Winter said. He was initially described as a Latino man in his 40s.
The area remained cordoned off as Whittier police detectives continued their investigation Friday morning.
Friday's fatal shooting was the second incident of gun violence reported in the city this week.
Five men in a white sedan shot and seriously wounded a 19-year-old Santa Fe Springs man late Tuesday as he was standing in the 11300 block of Washington Boulevard, police said.
The wounded man was expected to survive, officials said. A motive in that shooting was not clear.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Whittier Police Department, which provides police services for Santa Fe Springs, at 562-567-9255.
A 27-year-old Azusa man was robbed of his necklace then shot in the foot when he told a gunman he didn't have a wallet.
Irwindale police Lt. Mario Camacho said the man was in stable condition at a local hospital and was expected to recover from his injuries.
The station received a 9-1-1 call just after 9 p.m. about the shooting and robbery.
Camacho said the victim was walking down Vincent Avenue from Arrow Highway when a car stopped near him.
Inside the car were three Latinos in their 20s.
"One of the passengers got out, pulled out a revolver and demanded the victim's gold chain," Camacho said.
The robber, who spoke English and fluent Spanish, also demanded the Azusa man's wallet. But the victim told him he didn't have a wallet.
"The suspect kept arguing with him and shot the victim in the foot once," Camacho said.
The robber and his companions drove off after the shooting. Their car was last seen heading north on Vincent Avenue.
The wounded victim called 9-1-1 on his cell phone.
The getaway car was described as a newer model two-door red Honda Civic with tinted rear windows. The model is from 2006 to 2008. It has paper plates from an unknown car dealer.
Camacho said the car also a white sticker across the back window. Part of the sticker says, "www".
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Rene Sapien at 626-430-2239.
- Ruby Gonzales
WHITTIER -- A couple were left homeless Thursday night after a fire that started in the kitchen destroyed the home they were renting.
Whittier police Sgt. Dominic Iraldo said damages were estimated at $250,000 to the structure and $75,000 to the contents. He said no one was injured.
The fire was reported just after 11 p.m. in the 5300 block of Carley Avenue. He said arriving officers saw the fire rapidly spreading throughout the residence.
The fire began in the kitchen while one of the residents was cooking Thursday night.
"She turned away from the stove approximately two minutes. When she returned, the stove was ablaze," he said.
The woman thinks the cooking grease caught fire, according to Iraldo.
She also told police she saw an oven mitt hanging above the stove catch fire then fall onto the stove.
"When she realized there was a grease fire she put water on it. (She said) she put it out," Officer Hugo Figueroa said.
Figueroa said the woman and her boyfriend walked out of the house because the kitchen was full of smoke. But when they were outside, he said the couple realized the fire hadn't been extinguished.
Los Angeles County firefighters knocked down the blaze at 11:31 p.m.
Police said the Red Cross was helping the residents find shelter.
- Ruby Gonzales
IRWINDALE -- Homicide detectives are continuing to try to make sense of a shooting in a Southern California Edison office earlier this month that left three people dead, including the gunman, and two others wounded.
Andre Turner, 48, of Norco showed up at the facility in the 4900 block of Rivergrade Road at his usual time on the morning of Dec. 16 and gave no indications of the violence that was to follow in the afternoon, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said.
At about 1:30 p.m., Turner produced a handgun and began a murderous rampage, killing two of his supervisors and wounding two others before fatally shooting himself in the office building which primarily housed information technology employees, Lt. Holly Francisco of the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said.
While Turner's exact motivation remained under investigation, he was believed to have a work-related grievance of some kind, Francisco said.
"We don't really have a motive yet, and may never have that," she said. "But we do know the the supervisors (who were shot) were all in different levels of management in that I.T. group."
"The victims were specifically sought out, due to the fact that he walked past other co-workers who were not shot," Francisco said.
Turner even engaged co-workers in conversation in between shooting his superiors, officials said.
Other than being "counseled" regarding a missed deadline on another day earlier in the week, detectives had found no reason why Turner would have been angered at his employer.
When spoken to regarding the missed deadline, "he didn't get into an argument," Francisco said.
His job did not appear to be in jeopardy, she added. "He was not going to be laid off."
Detectives remained busy with the investigation, Francisco said. "There's still numerous interviews to do."
She said the investigation had not yet focused on Turner's financial situation.
Court records indicate his home in Norco home had been listed for sale in November at $590,000 -- $121,000 less than it was purchased for in 2004. Records indicated he was also had a civil judgement against him and was being sued.
Killed in the shooting were Henry Serrano, 56, of Walnut and Robert Lindsay, 53, of Chino Hills, SCE officials said. Serrano had worked for the utility for 26 years, while Lindsay had 29 years on the job.
Turner shot and wounded two other supervisors who survived the attack, officials said.
Angela Alvarez, 46, of Glendale remained hospitalized due to the shooting, Francisco said. She is in stable condition, however she is still recovering from the wounds she suffered Dec. 16.
Contractor Abhay Pimpale, 38, of Montebello was also wounded in the shooting, but was released from the hospital in the days following the incident, according to SCE.
SCE has started a fund for employees to contribute to to benefit the families of the victims. The company seeded the fund with $100,000 and promised to match employee contributions.
Public donations can be sent to Wells Fargo Bank's "SCE Rivergrade Victims Fund," 1803 Walnut Grove Ave., Rosemead, CA, 91770.
A kitten rescued from an abusive home in La Puente has been placed with a new family, while the 18-year-old man convicted of beating the animal has begun serving a 6-month jail sentence, authorities announced Wednesday.
Willis So, 18, of La Puente, was sentenced Dec. 20 in El Monte Superior Court to 180 days in jail, as well as three years of probation, 300 hours of community service, and $1,100 and restitution and fines, Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control officials said in a written statement. He took a plea deal at at pre-trial hearing.
Officials arrested him on suspicion of animal cruelty and seized injured animal Dec. 7, according to officials and booking records.
The cat has since recuperated and been placed with a family in Tujunga, animal control officials said.
"Lily, now re-named Pepper by her new owner, is acclimating nicely and recovering on schedule according to their family veterinarian," animal control Director Marcia Mayeda said.
Despite a traumatic history, the 8-month-old short-haired cat maintains a friendly disposition, officials added.
"My staff was amazed at how loving and carefree (Pepper) was when she was in our care, considering what she went through," Mayeda said.
So was accused of beating the cat when he would argue with his mother, animal control Deputy Director Aaron Reyes said.
"Whenever the suspect would argue with his mom, he would take out his frustrations on the cat," Reyes said.
Investigators discovered an old fracture in the kitten's leg, as well as other injuries such as a broken tooth and swelling of the cheek and eye socket, officials said.
But Pepper is now well on her way to a full recovery, Reyes added. "She's in great spirits, and over all, a tough little girl."
Several people expressed interest in adopting Pepper, Reyes said, and she was placed with her new home just before Christmas.
"This is quite the holiday present for not only the new owner, but for her as well," he added.
In addition to the pain cruelty can cause to animals, it can be a sign of dangerously violent tendencies, officials said.
"Cruelty to animals is a precursor to violence toward human beings," Mayeda said.
Anyone who believed they've witnessed animal cruelty is asked to call local animal control officials. If an animals life is in danger, officials advise calling 911.
PHOTO of Pepper the cat courtesy of Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control.
SOUTH PASADENA -- Police arrested a bicyclist early Thursday after he was found carrying 23 pounds of pot, authorities said.
Marco Solis, 53, of San Gabriel was booked on suspicion of possessing and transporting marijuana for sales, South Pasadena police officials said in a written statement. He was already on felony probation for a previous drug conviction.
Cpl. Jason Lucas was working a burglary suppression patrol about 2:30 a.m. in the 300 block of Monterey Road when he spotted Solis riding a bicycle and stopped him for not having a headlight or rear reflector, officials said.
"A further investigation by Corporal Lucas and assisting officers revealed 23 pounds of marijuana hidden inside an Igloo water cooler the suspect was carrying while riding his bike," according to the police statement.
Officials estimated the street value of the marijuana at about $23,000.
According to county booking records, Solis was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail at the South Pasadena Police Department's jail pending a court appearance.
BALDWIN PARK - A 19-year-old Baldwin Park man was shot in the arm during an argument with another man at a bus stop Wednesday night.
Police said the gunman, who used a shotgun in the attack, left in a car with two other suspects.
The shooting occurred about 8:30 p.m. in the 13200 block of Francisquito Avenue.
Lt. Joe Bartolotti said the 19-year-old was standing at a bus stop when a car pulled up next to him and the rear passenger got out.
He said words were exchanged between the two men. Bartolotti didn't know what the argument was about.
The suspect fired one shot, hitting the victim in the arm.
He and his accomplices drove off. The wounded 19-year-old went to a local hospital where police later found him.
Bartolotti said the victim, who is in stable condition. told police he didn't know the shooter.
There was no description given for the getaway car and the suspects were only described as three Latinos with shaved heads.
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the Baldwin Park police at 626-960-1955.
- Ruby Gonzales
WEST COVINA - A San Gabriel man will be serving the next two years behind bars for stealing from a parked car while a mourner visited a grave, officials said Wednesday.
Shiara Davila-Morales, spokeswoman for the District Attorney's Office, said Tommy James Lopez pleaded no contest on Tuesday to one count of petty theft with three prior convictions and was sentenced to two years in prison. He will serve the sentence in county jail.
Lopez, 34, was also given credit for nine days and ordered to give a DNA sample.
Davila-Morales said the judge dismissed the other charges of receiving stolen property and a misdemeanor count of damaging or taking part of a vehicle.
Lopez was arrested Dec. 22 when someone saw him stealing items from an unlocked car at Forest Lawn Memorial Park & Mortuary, 21300 East Via Verde Street in the unincorporated county area near Covina.
- Ruby Gonzales
WEST COVINA - A West Covina man was attacked, stabbed several times and robbed of a $400 gift card by three men Wednesday night.
The sheriff's Industry station originally received the 7:45 p.m. call about the stabbing on Francisquito Avenue. (The street runs through both city and unincorporated county areas.)
"It just came in as a person stabbed by unknown persons. He's breathing and conscious," Sheriff's Lt. Joe Chavez said.
Deputies notified West Covina police.
West Covina police Lt. Alan Henley said a 27-year-old man was walking on Francisquito Avenue near Glenview Road when a black sport utility vehicle stopped near him.
Three Latinos in their 20s got out of the SUV and assaulted the man.
Henley said the suspects pulled the man's sweater over his head, punched and kicked him. The culprits ended up taking the sweater which had a $400 gift card.
Henley said the man later realized he'd been stabbed in the upper torso. Henley said the injuries weren't life-threatening.
The injured man was taken to Los Angeles County USC Medical Center.
- Ruby Gonzales
POMONA -- A hit-and-run driver struck and killed a bicyclist in Pomona late Wednesday.
The victim, whose name was not released because his family hadn't been notified, was pronounced dead near the corner of Towne Avenue and Sixth Street, Pomona police Sgt. Iain Miller said in a written statement.
A driver in a green Dodge or Chrysler sport-utility vehicle struck the rider while heading north on Towne just before 5:30 p.m., he said. The vehicle dragged the bicyclist about half a block.
The driver kept driving north on Towne, then turned east onto Mission Boulevard.
Police say the crash occurred during rush hour on a heavily traveled street, so investigators are encouraging any witnesses to call them at 909-620-2081.
The hit-and-run vehicle should have moderate to major front-end damage. Anyone who spots the vehicle may call Pomona police, 909-622-1241.
-Staff report
NORWALK -- Deputies sought two men -- including one with a tattooed face -- who seriously wounded another man in a shooting Wednesday, authorities said.
Deputies responded to the shooting about 2:20 p.m. on Domart Avenue, just south of Imperial Highway, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Bill Evans said.
The victim, a man in his 50s, had been shot several times and was flown to a trauma center by helicopter for treatment, Evans said. An update on his condition was not available.
Officials initially described the attackers as two Latino men between 18 and 20 years old, one with some type of tattoo on his face. They both wore blue jeans and Los Angeles Dodgers jackets -- one blue and one black.
A motive in the shooting had not been determined, and the investigation was ongoing.
PASADENA -- Police Wednesday released the name of an Altadena man found dead after being shot in a residential neighborhood.
Edward Santana, 43, was pronounced dead in the backyard of a stranger's home in the 100 block of Dearborn Street, Pasadena police Lt. Phlunte Riddle said.
Santana was found suffering from a gunshot wound after police responded to reports of gunshots heard in the area about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, officials said.
The circumstances of the shooting remained a mystery Wednesday, and no description of Santana's shooter was available, Lt. Tracey Ibarra said. The reason the man was in the neighborhood also remained under investigation.
Police believe there are witnesses to the crime who have yet to come forward, and Ibarra encouraged then to do so.
The residents of the home where the body was found told investigators they did not recognize the victim, officials said.
SANTA FE SPRINGS -- A 19-year-old Santa Fe Springs man is expected to survive after being shot in the chest and back on Washington Boulevard late Tuesday, police said.
The victim was talking with friends about 10 p.m. in the 11300 block of Washington Boulevard when a white sedan containing five people approached, Whittier police Officer Bradley White said.
The friends walked away as the car approached and those inside confronted and shot the victim before the car sped away, the officer said.
Friends then took the wounded man to an area hospital where he was treated in an intensive care unit, White said. The wounds were not believed to be life-threatening.
A further description of the attackers was not available, and the motive in the attack was unclear, White added.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Whittier Police Department at 562-567-9200.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY -- Arrests for driving under the influence rose by nearly 20 percent over the Christmas holiday season, compared with the previous year, authorities said.
Deputies and police officers jailed 1,506 DUI suspects in the county between Dec. 16 and Dec. 25, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said in a written statement.
Officials reported 1,260 DUI arrests over the same time period in 2010.
The arrests are the result of an area-wide coalition of law enforcement agencies dedicated to fighting impaired driving known as Avoid the 100. Participating agencies include police department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the California Highway Patrol.
And the efforts are to continue through the New Year's, task force officials warned.
"All regularly scheduled traffic and patrol officers will focus their efforts at stopping and arresting DUI drivers during normal shifts," task force officials said in a written statement.
"The CHP will deploy all available officers during the final nights of the Maximum Enforcement Period this holiday weekend beginning Friday," the statement added.
Additional planned upcoming Avoid the 100 Task Force activities include:
*Friday, Dec. 30: DUI checkpoints in Azusa, West Covina, Baldwin Park and an unincorporated county area near Whittier.
*Saturday, Dec. 31: Multi-agency checkpoint involving Monterey Park, Alhambra, San Gabriel, Montebello and Bell Gardens police, as well as extra patrols with an emphasis on DUI enforcement in communities including Glendora, Covina, Azusa, La Verne, Irwindale, Pomona, South Pasadena, San Marino, Baldwin Park, West Covina, El Monte, Monrovia, Arcadia and Sierra Madre.
*Extra DUI patrols in not-yet-determined portions of the county.
Anyone who sees a drunken driver on the road is asked to report it by calling 911.
Funding for the task force is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
NORWALK -- Deputies are looking for the armed man who a witness reported carjacked and kidnapped a woman Tuesday night, authorities said.
The carjacking was reported at 10:36 p.m. at Studebaker Road and the 105 Freeway.
Sheriff's Lt. Frank Rivera said a witness saw a man with a gun jump into a silver Nissan that was stopped at Studebaker Road. He said the woman driving the Nissan was getting ready to enter the freeway when she was carjacked.
The woman rolled down her car window and yelled, "Help, he's got a gun," Lt. Bill Evans said.
The car was last seen heading westbound on the freeway followed by a black BMW. Rivera said the witness thinks the gunman came from the BMW.
Sheriff's officials had received no reports of a woman going missing Wednesday morning, Evans said.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY -- Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley warned the public Tuesday about an automated phone call scam targeting victims' bank accounts.
"The 'robo-calls' play recorded messages claiming to be from major banks," District Attorney's officials said in a written statement. "The messages state there is a problem with the banking network and ask for verification of banking account information, including credit card and debit card numbers, along with personal identification numbers (PINs)."
Cooley advised residents to be "extremely wary" of telephone calls requesting sensitive personal information.
"Legitimate banks and financial institutions do not call their customer to request personal identifying information or discuss banking network problems," he said.
Once criminals have the personal information, they can take over victims' bank accounts, apply for credit cards with victims' information or withdraw money from accounts using victims' debit card and PIN numbers, officials said.
Anyone who received such a call is advised to provide no information and to contact their bank's customer service department via a land-line telephone, in person or via a secure Internet connection.
Anyone who believes they may have been victimized in this type of scam is asked to contact local law enforcement.
VALINDA - Officials have released the name of a 73-year-old man who died in a house fire on Christmas Day.
Jim Dan Clark, 73, was pronounced dead at the scene of Sunday's 7:55 p.m. fire at his home in the 1800 block of Aileron Avenue, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Chief of Operations Craig Harvey said.
An autopsy was planned to determine Clark's cause of death, Harvey said.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation Tuesday, Los Angeles County Fire Department Battalion Chief Ken Douglass said.
Firefighters led by LACFD Station 26 arrived to find "smoke and fire showing from a single-family residence," Douglass said. They used "offensive" tactics to beat back the flames.
When they entered the home through the front door, they found the living room "fully involved" with fire, he said.
After extinguishing the flames, "the victim was found in the kitchen during a primary search," the battalion chief said.
He was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported.
The single-story house was destroyed by the blaze, according to sheriff's officials.
The West Covina Fire Department's Engine 4 assisted with the fire, Douglass added.
Because the fire involved a death, detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau are taking part in the investigation, authorities said.
The handling detective could not be reached for comment early Tuesday.
PASADENA -- Police found a young man dead after responding to reports of gunshots in a residential neighborhood early Tuesday.
Someone reported hearing gunshots about 5:40 a.m. in the area of Marengo Avenue and Dearborn Street, Pasadena police officials said in a written statement.
"Officers conducted an extensive area check and found a male Hispanic,approximately 20 years old, deceased in the 100 block of Dearborn," the statement said. "The cause of death is unknown at this time."
As authorities investigated, traffic was restricted in the area on Marengo Avenue, Dearborn Street, Summit Avenue and Tremont Street.
No further details were available.
LA PUENTE -- Deputies arrested a man on suspicion of wounding his neighbor in the leg Saturday after an what was believed to be an ongoing dispute escalated into a shooting, authorities said.
Robert Evans, 41, was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Ernie Barbosa said.
The incident was reported about 12:30 at Loukelton Street and Lanny Avenue, he said.
A man, who had been involved in an ongoing dispute with Evans, crossed the street and entered his neighbor's yard, the sergeant said. The man began speaking with his neighbor's father.
Evans armed himself with a gun and came outside, Barbosa said.
Evans told investigators he saw an object in the neighbor's hand and feared for his safety when he shot his neighbor, the sergeant said. Deputies recovered no weapons from the shooting victim.
The wounded man, 43, was taken by a private car to an area hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening, Barbosa said.
Deputies arrested Evans without a struggle and seized the .357-caliber revolver believed to have been used in the shooting.
The dispute stemmed from Evans accusing his neighbor of taking his car without permission in recent months, officials added. The alleged victim had gone to his neighbor's house to "further discuss" the issue when the shooting took place.
The investigation was ongoing.
HACIENDA HEIGHTS -- A sink hole slowed holiday travels Saturday on the eastbound 60 Freeway in Hacienda Heights, officials said.
Officials reported a "very large sunken-in slab of cement" in the No. 3 lane just east of Hacienda Boulevard about just after 12:20 p.m., according to California Highway Patrol logs.
The affected lane was shut down, as well as the right-hand lane, were shut down for about half an hour as a temporary patch was put in place, CHP Officer Krystal Carter said.
Both lanes were reopened by 2:07 p.m., however they were again closed about 3:20 p.m. as Caltrans crews made permanent repairs to the roadway.
A Sig Alert was in effect for No. 3 and 4 lanes of the eastbound freeway, as well as the northbound Hacienda Boulevard onramp to the eastbound 60 Freeway, through 5:20 p.m., Carter said.
HACIENDA HEIGHTS -- A young man was shot and wounded late Friday while playing basketball on a residential street, officials said.
The victim and another young man were playing basketball in the street at Walbrook Drive and Olympus Avenue about 9 p.m. when a vehicle passed by and someone inside opened fire, Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Russell Verduzco said.
The victim, who was shot in the elbow, was taken by private car to an area hospital where he was treated, officials said. His companion was not injured.
Neither man was believed to have gang ties, Verduzco added.
No description of the shooter or the vehicle was available.
WEST COVINA -- Two officers are being credited for saving a 19-month-old child who stopped breathing Friday night.
West Covine police got a call at 8:10 p.m. about a child possibly having a seizure in the 2700 block of Dawn Ridge Place.
Officer Justin Schienle was the first officer to arrive at the house. The child, Maddox Proglio, wasn't breathing.
Lt. Marty Sevilla said Schienle gave back blows to Maddox and used his finger to check if there was something blocking the boy's airway.
Officer Matthew Nelson who also responded to the call did the same thing. Sevilla said the two officers were able to get Maddox breathing again.
The boy was taken to a local hospital.
"The family is thankful," Sevilla said.
- Ruby Gonzales
WEST COVINA -- Police alleged a 17-year-old West Covina boy tagged seven locations in the city since November, causing about $1,300 in damages.
West Covina police Lt. Marty Sevilla said the teen was arrested Friday on suspicion of felony vandalism, resisting arrest and possession of a vandalism tool.
The incident began at 11:33 a.m. when an alarm was activated at the ITT Technical Institute building, 1530 W. Cameron Ave.
Sevilla said officers who went to the call saw the teen hiding in the bushes and thought he had something to do with the alarm.
The teen ran from the officers and allegedly tossed a marker during the chase. Police found the marker and also caught the boy by Orange Avenue.
Sevilla said the teen didn't vandalize the ITT building.
Because of the marker, he said the teen admitted to being part of a tagging crew. Police checked a database and matched the teen's alleged moniker to seven previous tagging incidents in the city.
The teen was later released to the custody of his parents. He has a Feb. 21 appearance at Pomona Juvenile Court.
Sevilla said the teen's parents are also facing a $1,000 fine under the West Covina municipal code.
- Ruby Gonzales
AZUSA -- Three robbers wearing bandannas on their faces fled with cash and several bottles of alcohol after robbing a liquor store Friday night, authorities said.
The crime took place about 10:45 p.m. at Eddie's Jr. Market, 596 E. Foothill Blvd., Azusa police Sgt. Randy Schmidt said in a written statement.
"Three men, one of them armed with a handgun, entered the store and ordered the clerks to the ground at gunpoint," the sergeant said.
The robbers helped themselves to several hundred dollars from the cash register, as well as several bottles of liquor from the store shelves, police said.
Two of the robbers wore black hooded sweat shirts and dark jeans, Schmidt said, while the third wore a long-sleeved white shirt under a gray, short-sleeved shirt and a black beanie. They were last seen fleeing south on Cerritos Avenue from the store on foot.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Azusa Police Department's Tip Line at 626-812-3272.
Deputies arrested a man Thursday on suspicion of stealing from parked cars at a cemetery while mourners visited grave sites.
Tommy James Lopez, 34, of San Gabriel, was booked on suspicion of petty theft from a vehicle and was being investigated in connection with at least four similar thefts at the same location -- Forest Lawn Memorial Park and Mortuary, 21300 East Via Verde Street in an unincorporated county area near Covina, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said.
A woman was visiting a grave at the cemetery about 10:20 a.m. when someone spotted Lopez stealing items from her unlocked car, Sgt. Steve Perez said.
The witness informed a security guard, who followed Lopez to the exit and flagged down a nearby Highway Patrol Officer, who took Lopez into custody, Perez said.
Perez was found in possession of several items believed to have been taken several similar break-ins at Forest Lawn reported over the past two months, Estrada said. The thefts primarily targeted women visiting the cemetery who left their cars unlocked.
Sgt. Mario Estrada reminded residents to keep valuables out of view in their cars to avoid creating temptations for opportunistic thieves, especially during the holiday season when auto burglaries tend to increase.
According to county booking records, Lopez was being held in lieu of $52,000 bail and was due for arraignment Tuesday in West Covina Superior Court.
WEST COVINA -- A former Covina Police Department civilian records clerk pleaded guilty Friday to charges of stealing more than $100,000 dollars from the agency and hiding her son-in-law's crime report to prevent his prosecution, authorities said.
Mary Louise Wasilchin, also known as Louise Vance-Wasilchin, 58, of Upland, admitted to stealing at least $140,000 from the police department and hiding the records during an arraignment hearing in West Covina Superior Court, Los Angeles County District Attorney's officials said.
Under a plea agreement, she is expected to be sentenced to two years and eight months in state prison, according to police and Los Angeles County District Attorney's officials. She will not be eligible to serve her sentence in county jail under the state's new prison realignment program.
"I'm glad there's a resolution in the case," Covina Police Chief Kim Raney said. "It's appropriate that she goes to state prison, and the next step now is to get full restitution for the city."
He added that the investigation and prosecution has been an unpleasant experience for the department.
"You've got a supervisor who was trusted by her managers, and it turns out that trust was betrayed," Raney said.
Police believe Wasilchin actually stole more than $340,000, officials said. The exact amount Wasilchin will be ordered to repay will be determined at a sentencing and restitution hearing Feb. 17.
Wasilchin has already agreed to repay $140,000 of stolen money, however officials will present evidence in the restitution hearing that the amount is higher, Lt. Patrick Buchanan said.
"We look forward to presenting more information to the court," he said.
Prior to Friday's plea deal, Wasilchin could have faced up to six years and eight months in prison if convicted as charged, according to Deputy District Attorney Edward A. Miller.
Wasilchin stole city parking meters funds and fine money, as well as vehicle impound fees, D.A. spokeswoman Jane Robison said in a written statement. The thefts allegedly took place between January 2008 and May 2011.
Raney pointed out that the amount of money Wasilchin is suspected of taking could have paid the salaries of three patrol officers for a year.
She was arrested Dec. 15 following an extensive probe, investigators said. She was first placed on leave, then resigned.
Authorities became suspicious of Wasilchin after she was involved in a car crash on April 29 and a police officer noticed 1,000 quarters inside the vehicle in a canvas bag. She was not working that day.
A subsequent search of Wasilchin's Upland home turned up more than 2,000 dollar coins in a bedroom and another $1,000 in coins in an office, Miller said.
When investigators searched Wasilchin's desk on May 5, they discovered a police report she had intercepted detailing her son-in-law's alleged driving under the influence and hit-and-run arrest on May 6, 2008.
"An investigation revealed that the report was never delivered to be filed in court," Robison said, adding that, "there was no evidence that her son-in-law was aware of her actions."
Raney said the Wasilchin's guilty plea so early in the trial process was "a reflection on how solid the case was."
"We're pleased that it didn't have to go into a long lengthy trial and she admitted her guilt," Buchanan added.
IRWINDALE -- In response to public inquiries, Southern California Edison officials have established a fund to benefit the families of the victims of a fatal shooting inside a Southern California Edison office one week ago.
Longtime Edison employees Henry Serrano, 56, of Walnut and Robert Lindsay, 53, of Chino Hills died in the Dec. 16 attack at the SCE facility in the 4900 block of Rivergrade Road, officials said. Two other employees were wounded in the shooting but survived, before gunman and fellow employee Andre Turner, 48, of Norco turned the gun on himself.
Donations to benefit the victims and their families can sent to Wells Fargo Bank's "SCE Rivergrade Victims Fund," 1803 Walnut Grove Ave., Rosemead, CA, 91770.
Edison had also seeded a company fund with $100,000 and will match employee contributions.
While it has been learned that Turner had recently been reprimanded at work and possibly had financial problems, investigators have not disclosed a motive in the shooting.
The release of new Air Jordan sneakers is apparently causing chaos throughout the country. Here's just a few headlines:
PASADENA -- A hiker discovered the body of a man early Friday believed to have hung himself on a hiking trail near the Rose Bowl, police said.
The dead man, who appeared to be in his 40s, was found hanging from a tree about 7 a.m. on a trail at the west end of the Brookside Golf Course, just north of Washington Boulevard, Pasadena police Lt. Diego Torres said.
No foul play was initially suspected, he said.
WEST COVINA -- Three people including two brothers were injured when a car ran a red light and hit another vehicle Thursday night.
West Covina police Lt. Marty Sevilla said one of the brothers was in critical condition.
The collision was reported around 10:30 p.m. at Azusa and Cameron avenues.
He said a Chevrolet Impala heading north on Azusa Avenue and travelling at an excessive speed failed to stop at red light.
The Impala struck a car that was preparing to make a left turn from Cameron Avenue to Azusa Avenue, according to Sevilla.
The lieutenant said the Impala's driver is suspected of being under the influence. The driver sustained serious injuries and was taken to Los Angeles County USC Medical Center.
The siblings, both 19, were in the other car.
Sevilla said the one sitting in the passenger seat was taken to Citrus Valley Medical Center, Queen of the Valley campus as a precaution.
The other brother who was behind the wheel was taken to Los Angeles County USC Medical Center where he was in critical condition, Sevilla said.
- Ruby Gonzales
BALDWIN PARK -- A thief cut a hole in the fence of the local animal shelter and stole a 2-month-old miniature Schnauzer/terrier mix Thursday night.
Police think the puppy-napper struck between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Los Angeles County Animal Care & Control Baldwin Park shelter, 4275 N. Elton Street.
Baldwin Park Police Lt. Joe Bartolotti said workers discovered a brown female puppy was missing.
There was no description of the thief available.
Anyone with information is asked to call Baldwin Park police at 626-960-1955.
- Ruby Gonzales
ROWLAND HEIGHTS -- Two men robbed a cell phone store of four iPhones on Thursday night.
The robbers hit Speed Mobile Inc. in the 18700 block of Colima Road at 6:44 p.m.
Sheriff's Sgt. Ramon Lascano said one of the suspects grabbed the phones.
An employee tried to stop him. But the second suspect pointed what appeared to be a gun under his shirt at the employee, Lascano said.
The robbers then ran off with the phones.
They were described as Latinos, between 20 and 30 and standing between 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall. One weighs 150 to 180 pounds while his accomplice was between 200 to 230 pounds.
- Ruby Gonzales
ARCADIA -- Officials charged one man with murder and released a second man without charges Thursday in connection with a fatal stabbing behind an Arcadia strip mall, authorities said.
Juan L. Lorenzo, 31, of San Gabriel was charged with one count of murder and one count of assault with a deadly weapon in connection with the fatal stabbing of Anthony Berry, 18, of Pomona, in the 1300 block of South Golden West Avenue, Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Jane Robison said.
A second man, 26-year-old Jose Cruz Ramirez of San Gabriel, was initially arrested in connection with the stabbing.
"We declined to file (on Ramirez) because of insufficient evidence," Robison said.
Lorenzo and Ramirez, employees of the Money Pot Shabu Shabu restaurant, became involved in an argument with Berry as the teen was waiting for a friend who worked at a different restaurant in the strip mall, Arcadia police Lt. Tom Leveque said.
The argument led to a stabbing, and Berry was pronounced dead at an area hospital from his wound, police said.
Witnesses directed police to Lorenzo and Ramirez, who were initially detained as "persons of interest" before being arrested on suspicion of the slaying.
According to county booking records, Ramirez was released from custody Thursday afternoon.
Lorenzo was being held without bail due to an immigration hold, police said.
Lorenzo was due to be arraigned Thursday in Pasadena Superior Court.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY -- In hopes of helping holiday revelers get home safely, Metro trains will operate free of charge on Christmas and New Year's eves, officials said.
No fare will be charged on Metro trains from 9 p.m. Saturday to 2 a.m. Sunday, or 9 p.m. Dec. 31 through 2 a.m. Jan. 1.
For more information, visit www.metro.net.
ARCADIA -- A man robbed a woman of her laptop computer Wednesday as she loaded bags into her car in the parking lot of an Arcadia mall, police said.
The woman was loading shopping bags into the trunk of her car about 9:30 p.m. at the Westfield Santa Anita Mall, 400 S. Baldwin Avenue, when she was approached from behind by a robber, Arcadia police Lt. Tom Leveque said in a written statement.
"The male forcibly grabbed a computer bag from the victim's shoulder, pulling the bag and contents from the victim. The victim yelled for help as the suspect ran off to an awaiting vehicle," the sergeant said.
Witnesses described the car as a tan, mid- to late-1990s model Acura Integra, with tinted rear windows and a partial California license plate number of "6NLG," according to police.
The robber was described only as a Latino man between 20 and 25 years old, wearing a dark hooded sweat shirt.
Anyone with information is asked to call Arcadia police at 626-574-5150, or tips can be left anonymously by calling L.A. Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
From the Associated Press:
POMONA -- A Navy recruiting officer accused of sexually assaulting a potential recruit, who went to the El Monte recruiting office to inquire about joining the military, was ordered today to stand trial.Pomona Superior Court Judge Steven D. Blades found sufficient evidence to require Van Van Tran, 40, to proceed to trial on one count of sexual penetration bya foreign object, according to Jane Robison of the District Attorney's Office.The woman went to the El Monte office on March 9 and took a practice written examination for potential recruits, then was driven away by Tran under the ruse of going to a library to get study aids for the regular exam, prosecutors allege.Authorities said the woman was driven near her home and assaulted before she was freed. She reported the alleged assault, and El Monte police and the U.S. Navy were notified.Tran is due back at the Pomona courthouse on Jan. 6 for arraignment.
BALDWIN PARK -- Officials mounted a rescue operation Wednesday afternoon to save a stray two-year-old dog that has made a center median on the 10 Freeway its home for the past week.
The pit bull mix, named Rudolph by rescuers, was safely snatched from the freeway, just east of the 605 Freeway, shortly after 1 p.m. and is now being prepared for adoption, Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control officials said in a written statement.
"This is one lucky dog," Animal Care and Control Director Marcia Mayeda said.
California Highway Patrol officers have spotted the animal hopping over the center divider and running into traffic lanes since at least last weekend, officials said.
When CHP officers spotted the dog again Wednesday morning, they summoned animal control officials and the agencies coordinated to rescue the dog.
CHP officer shut down traffic on the freeway for several minutes so that animal control officers could wrangle Rudolph, officials said.
"Our officers are trained ropers and generally have a high success rate at quickly and safely capturing stray dogs," Mayeda said.
The well-organized effort was over with in minutes, she added.
"Traffic was only stopped for a few minutes, and Rudolph was safely en-route to our animal care center before the song playing on the car radio had finished," Mayeda said.
Rudolph displays a friendly disposition and likely has not been on the streets long, officials said. He's being assessed by animal care center staff and is expected to be ready for adoption in about a week if his owner isn't found.
"He was a bit frightened yesterday," Animal Care and Control Aaron Reyes said. "He's warming up. He got his blankets and toys last night and slept like a baby."
Staff will continue working with Rudolph over the coming days to get a good idea of his personality, Reyes said.
"He seems to respond to people in general," Reyes said, adding the Rudolph allowed Reyes to pet him moments after his capture.
"We know he's had a family. He doesn't act like a feral dog," he said.
Rudolph did not have an identifying microchip implanted and had not been neutered when found, though he will be altered before being adopted out.
Reyes said it was remarkable that Rudolph managed to survive alone on a highway for so long.
It required survival skills and luck, and I think Rudolph had a little bit of both," he said.
Anyone interested in adopting Rudolph should can contact the Baldwin Park Animal Care Center, 4275 Elton Street, at 626-430-2366.
WEST COVINA -- Firefighters rescued a 14-year-old boy who became stuck in a drainage pipe at Gingrich Park Wednesday while trying to retrieve his basketball, authorities said.
The boy was playing at the park, 1935 Woodgate Drive, about 1:40 p.m. when his basketball rolled into the mouth of an exposed drainage pipe, West Covina Fire Department Capt. Marco Arredondo said.
"When we arrived, you could just see his hands sticking out, holding on," the captain said.
The pipe is 20 inches in diameter and descends 12 to 15 feet at a 45-degree angle, officials said.
He had apparently been trapped in the pipe for about 10 minutes before his friends called 9-1-1 for help, Arredondo said.
Firefighters quickly managed to unwedge the teen from the pipe and pull him to freedom, he said. He was unharmed.
City crews were summoned to erect a temporary barricade around the pipe opening until it could be sealed with metal bars to prevent another incident, Arredondo said. It appeared the pipe had been sealed off in the past, but the metal bars had been broken off.
Officials also retrieved the ball from the pipe, he added. "That way it wouldn't be tempting for other kids in the future."
NORWALK -- Deputies jailed a man and woman late Tuesday after they carjacked, bound, robbed and kidnapped a man, officials said.
Benny Rios, 22, of Norwalk was being held in lieu of $1 million bail in connection with the incident, and Jacqueline Alvarez, 22, of Norwalk, was being held without bail, according to county booking records.
Los Angeles County sheriff's gang investigators are handling the investigation, Lt. Bill Evans said.
The alleged victim, a man in his 30s, was approached by the Rios, Alvarez and two other unidentified suspects about 8:30 p.m. in the 15100 block of Lefloss Avenue, the lieutenant said.
The suspects tied the victim up, forced him into his Honda Accord, robbed him and drove him a short distance before kicking him out of the car a short distance away, officials said.
The man freed himself from his bindings and went home, Evans said.
A deputy spotted Rios and Alvarez in the carjacked Honda later that night and arrested them without a struggle, authorities said.
Two other suspects in the incident remained at large, Evans said. They were described only as Latino men, one in his early 30s and the other in his early- to mid-40s.
The apparently gang-related crime remained under investigation, Evans said.
According to county records, Rios and Alvarez were due for arraignment Friday in Bellflower Superior Court.
SOUTH WHITTIER -- A man and woman on a motorcycle suffered serious injuries and a driver was arrested for driving under the influence following a crash on Telegraph Road late Wednesday, authorities said.
The collision was reported about 10:45 p.m. on Telegraph Road at Victoria Avenue, in the unincorporated county area of South Whittier, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Bill Evans said.
A 24-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman on the motorcycle were taken to UC Irvine Medical Center, he said. An update on their conditions was not available early Thursday.
The 18-year-old Lynwood man driving a car that was involved in the crash -- Pedro Saucedo -- was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, the lieutenant said.
According to county booking records, he was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail and was due for arraignment Friday in Whittier Superior Court.
The crash is being investigated by the Santa Fe Springs Office of the California Highway Patrol.
WHITTIER -- Coroner's officials released the name of the woman who was shot and killed during the weekend.
Lt. Joe Bale of the Los Angeles County Department of the Coroner said the autopsy on 20-year-old Frankie Garcia could be completed Wednesday night.
Whittier police responding to a shots fired call early Sunday morning in the 8800 block of Villa Drive found the wounded Pico Rivera woman lying on the ground.
Garcia was taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center where she died.
No suspects have been arrested.
- Ruby Gonzales
PASADENA -- Officers will be keeping a close eye today intersections with high incidents of crashes.
The traffic enforcement will be from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Police officials said the department is committed to reducing the number of traffic crashes resulting from drivers running red lights or driving aggressively through intersections.
The ultimate goal is to do enforcement and educate the driving public at the same time, reducing serious injuries and fatal collisions.
Funding for the program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- Ruby Gonzales
ALHAMBRA -- A judge sentenced a San Gabriel woman to 50 years-to life in prison Wednesday for her role in the 2005 murder of a 17-year-old Gabrielino High School student in a case of mistaken identity.
Sarah Toledo, 24, received her sentence after being convicted in June of the April 27, 2005 murder of Ryan Dasalla, as well as conspiracy to commit murder. The jury also found true special allegation that the crime was gang-related, and that a gun was used.
Toledo, who was 17 at the time of the killing near Gabrielino High School in San Gabriel.
Toledo helped Gabriel Guerrero, 30, of Rosemead and his brother Daniel Guerrero, who remains a fugitive, target Dasalla under the mistaken belief that he had taken part in beating up their younger brother the previous night, officials said.
The brothers were members of the Varrio Nueva Estrada street gang, authorities added.
Gabriel Guerrero was sentenced to 84 years in prison in August of 2010 after being convicted in Dasalla's murder.
The FBI has released a photo of a man who robbed a West Covina bank Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011.
ARCADIA -- Police arrested two restaurant employees early Wednesday on suspicion of fatally stabbing an 18-year-old man during an argument the previous night, authorities said.
Anthony Berry of Pomona died at Huntington Hospital shortly after the stabbing, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Chief of Operations Craig Harvey said.
Juan Lorenzo, 31, and Jose Antonio Cruz Ramirez, 26, both of San Gabriel, were booked on suspicion of murder, Arcadia police officials said in a written statement.
The fatal stabbing was reported about 9:30 p.m. at 1300 S. Golden West Avenue, according to Arcadia police Lt. Tom Leveque.
The alleged victim was parked to the rear of a strip mall waiting for an acquaintance who worked at an eatery when he became involved with the suspects, who worked at another restaurant -- Money Pot Shabu Shabu, the lieutenant said.
The Money Pot employees got into a verbal argument with the alleged victim, police said.
"The argument ceased when one of the two males from (Money Pot) pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim," Leveque said. "The victim ran toward the food court and collapsed inside."
Witnesses pointed out the to suspects, and a knife believed to have been used in the attack was found inside the Money pot restaurant, officials said.
It was not clear Wednesday what the argument was over, or which of the suspects was suspected of wielding the knife.
Lorenzo and Ramirez had previously been detained as "persons of interest" in connection with he stabbing late Tuesday, before being arrested Wednesday.
According to police and county booking records, Ramirez was being held in lieu of $1 million bail, while Lorenzo was being held without bail due to an immigration hold.
Both men were due for arraignment Friday in Pasadena Superior Court.
According to the LA Times, the November 17 death of an elephant at the San Diego Zoo was the result of an attack by another elephant:
WHITTIER -- A 60-year-old woman was flown to a trauma center by helicopter after being struck by a car while out for her morning walk Wednesday, police said.
The woman was walking about 7:45 a.m. on La Cuarta Street near Michigan Park when she stepped into the roadway, Whittier police Lt. Randy Inman said. She was struck by a passing vehicle.
Rescuers first rushed the injured woman, who was conscious and speaking, to Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital before authorities elected to take her by helicopter to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, Inman said. The extent of her injuries was not clear.
The crash remained under investigation, however no crime was initially suspected.
EL MONTE -- A 19-year-old El Monte man suffered severe injuries when his motorcycle and a car collided Tuesday.
The crash was reported at 12:27 p.m. on Ramona Boulevard near the intersection of Penn Mar Avenue.
El Monte police Lt. Michelle States said the motorcycle was heading west on Ramona Boulevard when a vehicle pulled out of a driveway onto Ramona Boulevard, in front of the motorcycle.
The rider, who was wearing a helmet, was thrown off the motorcycle. States said the man was taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center.
An update on his condition was not available early Wednesday.
Lt. Richard Cano said drugs or alcohol did not appear to be a factor in the crash, and nothing criminal was initially suspected.
- Staff report
WEST COVINA -- An armed man wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and a black baseball cap robbed a local bank on Tuesday.
Police didn't say how much money was taken during the 2:26 p.m. robbery at the Bank of America, 1520 E. Amar Road.
West Covina police Lt. Marty Sevilla said the man showed a teller a handgun at his waistband. He also threatened to harm others.
"When he approached the teller, at first she wasn't going to comply," Sevilla said. But he said the robber made a comment about not wanting to shoot customers.
The suspect took the money and fled. No getaway car was seen.
The suspect was described as a white man, 20 to 30, between 5 feet 11 to 6 foot one and weighing between 160 to 170 pounds. He wore jeans, a sweatshirt and a baseball cap.
- Ruby Gonzales
MONTEBELLO -- Two men allegedly robbed another man of $150 and a Starbucks gift card on Tuesday but were caught while fleeing with the loot.
Montebello police Lt. Rick Rojas said police recovered a gun used in the robbery but didn't find the stolen items.
A 21-year-old Montebello man was robbed at 1:11 p.m. on Whittier Boulevard and Bluff Road by a gunman and his accomplice.
Lt. Andy Vuncanon said after taking the man's wallet, one of the suspects punched the 21-year-old in the back of the head.
The victim sustained minor injuries but declined medical treatment, Vuncanon said.
Both robbers ran in the riverbed toward the railroad tracks. Officers caught one suspect then later found the second suspect in the railroad tunnel, Rojas said.
Montebello residents Cody Aguilar, 19, and Alejandro Roca, 36, were arrested on suspicion of robbery. They were being held at Montebello jail.
- Ruby Gonzales
LA PUENTE -- Two masked attackers bound a husband and wife and locked them in the trunk of their car during a home-invasion robbery early Wednesday, authorities said.
A man in his 50s was leaving his home in the 17000 block of Main Street about 1:50 a.m. when he was confronted outside his garage by two robbers described only as black men wearing ski masks, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said in a written statement.
The attackers ordered the man back into the home and demanded $200,000, Lt. Joe Chavez said. The victim told them he did not have that kind of money.
"The victim was hit on the head with a handgun, causing the gun to discharge into the ceiling of the residence. The victim was tied up with electrical cords and ordered to the ground," Chavez said.
"The victim's wife, who was also inside the residence, was tied up and both victims were locked in the trunk of their car inside the garage," he said.
The robbers then ransacked the couple's home, helping themselves to about $2,400, officials said.
After the attackers fled, the couple was able to free themselves by using a trunk release mechanism inside the trunk and call for help, Sgt. Tom Wilson said. The husband was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
The investigation was ongoing early Wednesday, he said. It was unclear if the attack was random or targeted, or why the robbers seemed to believe the couple had hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.
There was no initial indication the crime was linked to other recent home-invasions. A couple in their 60s were the victims of a home invasion Monday in Sherman Oaks, police said, and a father of three was shot to death a Dec. 12 in Arcadia during a home-invasion.
Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's Industry Station at 626-330-3322.
WEST COVINA -- Police, with the help of a K-9, arrested a young man and teenage girl on suspicion of breaking into two West Covina houses, officials said.
Christopher Alvarez, 18, of West Covina, and a teenage girl from La Puente, whose name was not released, were booked on suspicion of burglary, West Covina police Lt. Ron Mitchell said.
Neighbors called police about 9:50 a.m. to report a break-in at a home in the 2600 block of Evelyn Avenue, Mitchell said.
"When the units arrived, they were spotted running from the location," the lieutenant said. The suspects broke into a second house in an attempt to flee from police, he added.
When the young man and woman refused to come out of the home, a police dog was sent in, biting the man on the arm, Mitchell said. He was treated for the dog bite before being booked into jail.
Mitchell added that items taken from the first home were found in the suspects' possession.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY -- District Attorney's investigators have distributed gift baskets this season to about 2000 families of homicide victims, officials announced Tuesday.
The D.A.'s 27th Annual Holiday Giving Drive took part throughout Los Angeles County, including visits to families in San Gabriel Valley cities such as West Covina and La Puente, District Attorney Steve Cooley said in a written statement.
"We in the District Attorney's Office always are seeking justice from crime victims and their families. During the Holiday Giving Drive, we hope to bring them some cheer and and show them that we care," he said.
District Attorney's staff nominated families to participate in the program, which is a team effort by the District Attorney's Victim-Witness Assistance Program, Bureau of Investigations and Bureau of Community Relations.
WEST COVINA -- A West Covina man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges of assaulting his girlfriend, taking the couple's 3-week-old baby and abandoning the infant in a parking lot, officials said.
Ulises Carillo Lares, 18, was booked on suspicion of domestic violence and child endangerment in connection with Friday's incident, which began in the 2000 block of East of Shamwood Street, West Covina police Lt. Tommy Garcia said.
Officers were called out to a report of a domestic disturbance about 4:50 p.m., the lieutenant said. They encountered a hysterical 18-year-old woman, who had suffered minor injuries in an apparent assault, yelling that, "He has my baby."
Within minutes, police found the 3-week-old girl abandoned in a nearby parking lot and arrested Lares as he was on foot in the area, Garcia said. The baby was not injured.
Lares was due back in Pomona Superior Court Jan. 9 for a hearing, court officials said.
WHITTIER - Authorities haven't released the name of the 20-year-old Pico Rivera woman who was fatally shot over the weekend in Whittier.
Lt. Fred Corral of the Los Angeles County Department of the Coroner said they still haven't notified the woman's next of kin.
He said there's no autopsy scheduled yet since the body was still at the Los Angeles County USC Medical Center.
Whittier police said officers received reports of gunshots being fired in the 8800 block of Villa Drive about 1:20 a.m. on Sunday.
They found a woman who had been shot lying on the ground. She was taken to the hospital where she died several hours later.
No further details about the shooting were released.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Whittier Police Department at 562-567-9200.
- Ruby Gonzales
Lt. Fred Corral of the Los Angeles County Department of the Coroner said they still haven't notified the woman's next of kin.
He said there's no autopsy scheduled yet since the body was still at the Los Angeles County USC Medical Center.
Whittier police said officers received reports of gunshots being fired in the 8800 block of Villa Drive about 1:20 a.m. on Sunday.
They found a woman who had been shot lying on the ground. She was taken to the hospital where she died several hours later.
No further details about the shooting were released.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Whittier Police Department at 562-567-9200.
- Ruby Gonzales
SIERRA MADRE - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers served a search warrant Monday night at the home of a Sierra Madre man recently sentenced for smuggling child pornography into Canada.
Sierra Madre police Sgt. Joe Ortiz said ICE served the warrant shortly after 6 p.m. in the 2000 block of Liliano Drive.
Ortiz said the search is related to the case of Robert Matheson. He didn't know if ICE officers took anything from the house and referred the paper to the federal agency.
ICE officers who served the warrant couldn't be reached for comment late Monday night.
According to published reports, the 66-year-old Matheson pleaded guilty Dec. 13 to possession of child pornography and smuggling child pornography across an international boarder. A Canadian court sentenced him to 120 days in jail.
On Oct. 17, his laptop was searched at Halifax Stanfield International Airport. About 2,500 photographs and 280 video clips of teenage boys either standing naked or engaged in sex acts with other boys were found.
- Ruby Gonzales
Sierra Madre police Sgt. Joe Ortiz said ICE served the warrant shortly after 6 p.m. in the 2000 block of Liliano Drive.
Ortiz said the search is related to the case of Robert Matheson. He didn't know if ICE officers took anything from the house and referred the paper to the federal agency.
ICE officers who served the warrant couldn't be reached for comment late Monday night.
According to published reports, the 66-year-old Matheson pleaded guilty Dec. 13 to possession of child pornography and smuggling child pornography across an international boarder. A Canadian court sentenced him to 120 days in jail.
On Oct. 17, his laptop was searched at Halifax Stanfield International Airport. About 2,500 photographs and 280 video clips of teenage boys either standing naked or engaged in sex acts with other boys were found.
- Ruby Gonzales
WHITTIER -- Police said a hit-and-run driver left a major clue at the scene where a traffic signal was knocked down in Uptown Whittier late Monday -- the vehicle's license plate.
Officers responded about 11:10 p.m. to reports of a hit-and-run crash that had knocked down a traffic signal at Philadelphia Street and Comstock Avenue, Whittier police Lt. Randy Inman said. "On arrival, they discovered a license plate left at the scene."
Police hadn't found the car, which was registered "out of the area," Tuesday morning, he said, however investigators expected to track down the owner soon.
Officers responded about 11:10 p.m. to reports of a hit-and-run crash that had knocked down a traffic signal at Philadelphia Street and Comstock Avenue, Whittier police Lt. Randy Inman said. "On arrival, they discovered a license plate left at the scene."
Police hadn't found the car, which was registered "out of the area," Tuesday morning, he said, however investigators expected to track down the owner soon.
IRWINDALE -- Authorities have released the names of the gunman and victims of a shooting rampage at a Southern California Edison office Friday.
Henry Serrano, 56, of Walnut and Robert Lindsay, 43, of Chino Hills were believed to have died at the hands of Andre Turner, 48, of Norco in the 1:30 p.m. shooting at the SCE office in the 4900 block of Rivergrade Road, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Lt. Larry Dietz said. Turner then turned the gun on himself.
All five of those involved in the shooting were Edison information technology employees who worked in a common area on the first floor of three-story building , Edison spokesman Steve Conroy said.
Turner's motive remained a mystery Saturday.
"Right now the investigation is under way, and we don't have a lot of details," Conroy said. "Our focus is on the families right now."
Sheriff's officials released no new information about the circumstances of the shooting, which Conroy described as, "one of the most horrific events the company has experienced in its 125-year history."
"There's a lot of sorrow, a lot of sadness at this time," he said.
Serrano was a manager who had been with the utility for 26 years, while Lindsay was a manager with 29 years of experience with Edison, Conroy said.
Also wounded in the shooting were Angela Alvarez, 46, of Glendale and contractor Abhay Pimpale, 38, of Montebello, Edison official said in a written statement.
They were initially hospitalized at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center with major injuries and immediately rushed into surgery, Conroy said, however an update on their conditions was not available Saturday.
"Obviously, our hope is that they're going to recover from their injuries," he said.
Turner had worked for Edison for seven years, however Conroy declined to say what his position was with the company.
Conroy also declined to discuss the relationship between the employees, personnel matters or the atmosphere of the office.
"We're not going to provide that level of detail at this time," he said.
Police officers came upon the grisly scene after responding to a report of an "active shooter" inside the building, officials said.
Employees, who had hidden and barricaded themselves inside the building, were evacuated and the building was methodically searched by police to make sure there were no additional victims or suspects unaccounted for.
A man who answered the phone at a phone number listed in public records as belonging to Serrano declined to comment Saturday.
A woman who identified herself as Lindsay's wife also said she did not wish to comment.
Family members of Turner could not be reached for comment.
Edison is establishing a fund and seeding it with $100,000 to benefit the families of the victims, officials said in a written statement. Details of the fund were expected to be made available early next week.
The building where the shooting occurred will not be open Monday, and it was unclear whether it will be open Tuesday, Conroy said. The closure will not effect electrical service.
About 1,100 employees work in the three buildings at the 43-acre Edison office campus, and about 235 worked inside the building where the shooting took place, Edison spokesman Gil Alexander said.
Edison officials said grief counseling is being provided to employees, and a phone number has been provided to them to keep up-to-date on the situation.
Henry Serrano, 56, of Walnut and Robert Lindsay, 43, of Chino Hills were believed to have died at the hands of Andre Turner, 48, of Norco in the 1:30 p.m. shooting at the SCE office in the 4900 block of Rivergrade Road, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Lt. Larry Dietz said. Turner then turned the gun on himself.
All five of those involved in the shooting were Edison information technology employees who worked in a common area on the first floor of three-story building , Edison spokesman Steve Conroy said.
Turner's motive remained a mystery Saturday.
"Right now the investigation is under way, and we don't have a lot of details," Conroy said. "Our focus is on the families right now."
Sheriff's officials released no new information about the circumstances of the shooting, which Conroy described as, "one of the most horrific events the company has experienced in its 125-year history."
"There's a lot of sorrow, a lot of sadness at this time," he said.
Serrano was a manager who had been with the utility for 26 years, while Lindsay was a manager with 29 years of experience with Edison, Conroy said.
Also wounded in the shooting were Angela Alvarez, 46, of Glendale and contractor Abhay Pimpale, 38, of Montebello, Edison official said in a written statement.
They were initially hospitalized at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center with major injuries and immediately rushed into surgery, Conroy said, however an update on their conditions was not available Saturday.
"Obviously, our hope is that they're going to recover from their injuries," he said.
Turner had worked for Edison for seven years, however Conroy declined to say what his position was with the company.
Conroy also declined to discuss the relationship between the employees, personnel matters or the atmosphere of the office.
"We're not going to provide that level of detail at this time," he said.
Police officers came upon the grisly scene after responding to a report of an "active shooter" inside the building, officials said.
Employees, who had hidden and barricaded themselves inside the building, were evacuated and the building was methodically searched by police to make sure there were no additional victims or suspects unaccounted for.
A man who answered the phone at a phone number listed in public records as belonging to Serrano declined to comment Saturday.
A woman who identified herself as Lindsay's wife also said she did not wish to comment.
Family members of Turner could not be reached for comment.
Edison is establishing a fund and seeding it with $100,000 to benefit the families of the victims, officials said in a written statement. Details of the fund were expected to be made available early next week.
The building where the shooting occurred will not be open Monday, and it was unclear whether it will be open Tuesday, Conroy said. The closure will not effect electrical service.
About 1,100 employees work in the three buildings at the 43-acre Edison office campus, and about 235 worked inside the building where the shooting took place, Edison spokesman Gil Alexander said.
Edison officials said grief counseling is being provided to employees, and a phone number has been provided to them to keep up-to-date on the situation.
MONTEBELLO - The Pomona (60) Freeway opened in both directions at 3:15 p.m. Saturday for the first time since Wednesday.
Traffic in the westbound lanes of the freeway had opened at 11:08 a.m. Saturday, according to Caltrans officials.
The freeway had been closed since the tanker truck exploded and caught fire beneath the Paramount Boulevard overpass.
Before the eastbound side could open, workers had to put the finishing touches on scorched roadway.
Overnight work will continue to affect westbound lanes of the 60 Freeway at Paramount Boulevard as crews demolish the portion of the bridge over the westbound lanes.
Police in Pasadena and South Pasadena are seeking robbers believed to be responsible for as many as three robberies late this week.
The robberies were reported late Thursday in South Pasadena and early Friday in Pasadena, investigators said.
The first robbery was reported about 11:15 p.m. Thursday in the 1100 block of Mound Avenue in South Pasadena, South Pasadena police officials said in a written statement.
A 30-year-old man was walking to a nearby store when he saw two suspects get out of a parked burgundy or dark red two-door car that had been parked along the curb side, police said.
"The suspects approached him and one of them pointed a large-caliber, blue metal semi-automatic handgun at the victim and ordered him to get on the ground," the statement said.
The man complied, and the robbers helped themselves to his wallet, iPhone and iPod, officials said. The robbers then fled in the car, which had a loud exhaust.
South Pasadena police said the same robbers are believed to be responsible for the armed robbery of a man and a woman about 12:40 a.m. Friday at De Lacey Avenue and Dayton Street in Pasadena.
In that robbery, the robbers stole the man's wallet and the woman's purse as they walked down the street, Pasadena police Lt. Diego Torres said.
Police were also looking into the possibility the same men, plus an additional suspect, may have also robbed a cashier at Vons, 155 California Blvd., about 12:30 a.m. Friday, Torres added. The three robbers were initially described only as black men wearing hooded sweat shirts.
Police described the two suspects in the street robberies as black men in their early 20s. One was about 5 feet 8 inches tall, of slender build and wore wore a puffy jacket, a baseball cap and a bandana over his face. The other stood about 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall, was heavy-set and wore a long-sleeved shirt or jacket with a college or sports logo on it.
Anyone with information was asked to call South Pasadena police detectives at 626-403-7280.
The robberies were reported late Thursday in South Pasadena and early Friday in Pasadena, investigators said.
The first robbery was reported about 11:15 p.m. Thursday in the 1100 block of Mound Avenue in South Pasadena, South Pasadena police officials said in a written statement.
A 30-year-old man was walking to a nearby store when he saw two suspects get out of a parked burgundy or dark red two-door car that had been parked along the curb side, police said.
"The suspects approached him and one of them pointed a large-caliber, blue metal semi-automatic handgun at the victim and ordered him to get on the ground," the statement said.
The man complied, and the robbers helped themselves to his wallet, iPhone and iPod, officials said. The robbers then fled in the car, which had a loud exhaust.
South Pasadena police said the same robbers are believed to be responsible for the armed robbery of a man and a woman about 12:40 a.m. Friday at De Lacey Avenue and Dayton Street in Pasadena.
In that robbery, the robbers stole the man's wallet and the woman's purse as they walked down the street, Pasadena police Lt. Diego Torres said.
Police were also looking into the possibility the same men, plus an additional suspect, may have also robbed a cashier at Vons, 155 California Blvd., about 12:30 a.m. Friday, Torres added. The three robbers were initially described only as black men wearing hooded sweat shirts.
Police described the two suspects in the street robberies as black men in their early 20s. One was about 5 feet 8 inches tall, of slender build and wore wore a puffy jacket, a baseball cap and a bandana over his face. The other stood about 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall, was heavy-set and wore a long-sleeved shirt or jacket with a college or sports logo on it.
Anyone with information was asked to call South Pasadena police detectives at 626-403-7280.
MONTEBELLO -- For the first time since Wednesday, motorists were able to drive on the 60 Freeway through Montebello Saturday, though only in one direction.
The westbound lanes of the freeway, which has been closed in both directions since Wednesday's tanker truck fire beneath the Paramount Boulevard overpass, reopened to traffic just after 11 a.m., according to Caltrans and CHP officials.
The eastbound lanes of the freeway were expected to reopen by 5 p.m. Saturday, Caltrans spokesman Patrick Chandler said.
"The westbound lanes are now open," he said.
On the eastbound side, workers were putting the finishing touches on scorched roadway.
"We have to let the concrete cure and harden on the eastbound lanes," Chandler said. "Then we should be able to open it."
The announcement came as an unexpected surprise to motorists, as Caltrans officials had reported just Saturday morning that the closure would continue through Sunday evening.
Overnight work will continue to affect westbound lanes of the 60 Freeway at Paramount Boulevard as crews demolish the portion of the bridge over the westbound lanes, which was previously thought to be structurally sound, officials said.
"Demolition of the bridge over the westbound SR-60 could begin late Sunday evening," Caltrans officials said in a written statement. "The demolition of the bridge will occur from from Sunday evening to Tuesday, between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. Up to two lanes of the eastbound SR-60 will be closed and the westbound SR-60 will be entirely closed near the area."
Montebello Police Chief Kevin McClure said he was pleased and relieved to hear the freeway near resuming normal operation.
"We are very happy," he said. "Obviously, it's put a great deal of stress on our resources in the city."
"It was a huge impact on businesses here at the mall, the Montebello Town Center," he added.
McClure thanked city, county and state officials for their hard work in recent days.
"Everybody's been working around the clock. It's good to have it back open," he said.
The westbound lanes of the freeway, which has been closed in both directions since Wednesday's tanker truck fire beneath the Paramount Boulevard overpass, reopened to traffic just after 11 a.m., according to Caltrans and CHP officials.
The eastbound lanes of the freeway were expected to reopen by 5 p.m. Saturday, Caltrans spokesman Patrick Chandler said.
"The westbound lanes are now open," he said.
On the eastbound side, workers were putting the finishing touches on scorched roadway.
"We have to let the concrete cure and harden on the eastbound lanes," Chandler said. "Then we should be able to open it."
The announcement came as an unexpected surprise to motorists, as Caltrans officials had reported just Saturday morning that the closure would continue through Sunday evening.
Overnight work will continue to affect westbound lanes of the 60 Freeway at Paramount Boulevard as crews demolish the portion of the bridge over the westbound lanes, which was previously thought to be structurally sound, officials said.
"Demolition of the bridge over the westbound SR-60 could begin late Sunday evening," Caltrans officials said in a written statement. "The demolition of the bridge will occur from from Sunday evening to Tuesday, between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. Up to two lanes of the eastbound SR-60 will be closed and the westbound SR-60 will be entirely closed near the area."
Montebello Police Chief Kevin McClure said he was pleased and relieved to hear the freeway near resuming normal operation.
"We are very happy," he said. "Obviously, it's put a great deal of stress on our resources in the city."
"It was a huge impact on businesses here at the mall, the Montebello Town Center," he added.
McClure thanked city, county and state officials for their hard work in recent days.
"Everybody's been working around the clock. It's good to have it back open," he said.
MONTEBELLO -- The 60 Freeway closure caused by Wednesday's tanker truck fire beneath the Paramount Boulevard overpass is now expected to last through Sunday evening, and partial closures could continue through Tuesday, Caltrans announced Saturday.
Officials had previously said they hoped to reopen both directions of the freeway, which remain closed between Rosemead Boulevard and the 605 Freeway, by Saturday afternoon, however the time frame was revised Saturday morning.
"The California Department of Transportation is working to re-open both directions of the Pomona Freeway to traffic by Sunday evening," Caltrans spokesman Patrick Chandler said in a written statement. "Closures are subject to change."
The Paramount Boulevard bridge hanging above the westbound lanes of traffic will need to be demolished, Caltrans officials said Saturday. Authorities previously said it appeared only the eastbound side would have to be torn down, which has already taken place.
"Demolition of the bridge over the westbound SR-60 could begin late Sunday evening," Chandler said. "The demolition of the bridge will occur from from Sunday evening to Tuesday, between the hours of 11 p.m. and5 a.m. Up to two lanes of the eastbound SR-60 will be closed and the westbound SR-60 will be entirely closed near the area."
Traffic moved slowly Saturday morning on the westbound 10 Freeway from the 605 Freeway into Monterey Park, as the freeway remained the prime alternate route to get around the closure.
Officials had previously said they hoped to reopen both directions of the freeway, which remain closed between Rosemead Boulevard and the 605 Freeway, by Saturday afternoon, however the time frame was revised Saturday morning.
"The California Department of Transportation is working to re-open both directions of the Pomona Freeway to traffic by Sunday evening," Caltrans spokesman Patrick Chandler said in a written statement. "Closures are subject to change."
The Paramount Boulevard bridge hanging above the westbound lanes of traffic will need to be demolished, Caltrans officials said Saturday. Authorities previously said it appeared only the eastbound side would have to be torn down, which has already taken place.
"Demolition of the bridge over the westbound SR-60 could begin late Sunday evening," Chandler said. "The demolition of the bridge will occur from from Sunday evening to Tuesday, between the hours of 11 p.m. and5 a.m. Up to two lanes of the eastbound SR-60 will be closed and the westbound SR-60 will be entirely closed near the area."
Traffic moved slowly Saturday morning on the westbound 10 Freeway from the 605 Freeway into Monterey Park, as the freeway remained the prime alternate route to get around the closure.
BALDWIN PARK -- A 24-year-old bicyclist was wounded in the arm and leg during a drive-by shooting Friday night.- Ruby Gonzales
The shooting broke out at 5:20 p.m. in the area of Olive Street and Edra Avenue.
Baldwin Park police Sgt. Ray Findley said a Baldwin Park man was riding his bicycle east on Olive Street when someone inside a dark blue or black compact vehicle fired five shots at him.
The man was hit in the left calf and right forearm. He left the bicycle and ran to a friend's house for help, according to Findley.
The suspects drove off.
The victim described his assailants to police as two men with shaved heads.
Findley said the bicyclist was taken to a local hospital where he was listed in stable condition.
PASADENA -- Officers responding to gunfire heard in an area found a wounded man Friday.
The incident occurred about 11:50 a.m. in the 1800 block of Glen Avenue.
Pasadena police Lt. Cheryl Moody said the 26-year-old man had been shot in the shoulder. He was taken to Huntington Memorial Hospital where he was in stable condition, she added.
Lt. Diego Torres described the shooter as a black man in his mid-20s, 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall, of medium build and wearing dark clothing. He was last seen on foot.
The motive in the shooting was unclear.
IRWINDALE -- Authorities have released the names of three people killed a shooting rampage at a Southern California Edison office that left two other people critically wounded Friday.
Henry Serrano, 56, of Walnut and Robert Lindsay, 53, of Chino Hills were believed to have died at the hands of Andre Turner, 48, of Norco in the 1:30 p.m. shooting at the SCE office in the 4900 block of Rivergrade Road, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Lt. Larry Dietz said.
All three were Edison employees, as well as another man and woman who were wounded in the attack, according to the utility.
Investigators continued working to piece together Turner's motive in the shooting.
Edison officials said grief counseling is being provided to employees, and the company is working to establish funds to benefit the families of the victims.
Henry Serrano, 56, of Walnut and Robert Lindsay, 53, of Chino Hills were believed to have died at the hands of Andre Turner, 48, of Norco in the 1:30 p.m. shooting at the SCE office in the 4900 block of Rivergrade Road, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Lt. Larry Dietz said.
All three were Edison employees, as well as another man and woman who were wounded in the attack, according to the utility.
Investigators continued working to piece together Turner's motive in the shooting.
Edison officials said grief counseling is being provided to employees, and the company is working to establish funds to benefit the families of the victims.
IRWINDALE -- Police officers and deputies responded to a shooting inside a Southern California Edison office Friday.
The was reported just after 1:30 p.m.. at the building in the 4900 block of Rivergrade Road, Los Angeles County Fire Department Inspector Brian Riley said.
He said he had no information about how many people were injured, or what their conditions were.
Initial police radio traffic from the scene indicated a suspect had fatally shot himself, and there were not believed to be any additional shooters.
Police and deputies evacuated the building were searching the building where the shooting took place floor-by-floor.
The was reported just after 1:30 p.m.. at the building in the 4900 block of Rivergrade Road, Los Angeles County Fire Department Inspector Brian Riley said.
He said he had no information about how many people were injured, or what their conditions were.
Initial police radio traffic from the scene indicated a suspect had fatally shot himself, and there were not believed to be any additional shooters.
Police and deputies evacuated the building were searching the building where the shooting took place floor-by-floor.
In addition to stealing parking and impound fees, the former employee is also accused of hiding a police report of her son-in-law's arrest for DUI and hit-and-run, effectively preventing his prosecution. Here's more from Ruby Gonzales' story:
FULL STORY:
COVINA - A former police records supervisor was arrested Thursday on suspicion of stealing $342,000 in city funds that came from parking meters, parking fines and impound fees.
Louise Vance-Wasilchin, also known as Mary Louise Wasilchin, 58, was arrested in her Upland home after a seven-month investigation that started when authorities were tipped off by finding 1,000 quarters in her car while investigating an accident.
The District Attorney's Public Integrity Division charged Wasilchin with one count of misappropriation of public funds and one count of secretion, or hiding, of a public record.
Prosecutors say the money, allegedly stolen over three years, from Jan. 1, 2008 to May 5, 2011, also came from the sales of overnight parking permits and copies of police reports.
"She betrayed the organization, the city, the public. What she did was beyond criminal," police Chief Kim Raney said.
Part of Wasilchin's duties as records supervisor, a job she took in 1997, was to deliver the money that came from parking permits and meters, impound fees and sale of copies of police reports to the finance department.
Investigators allege Wasilchin logged part of the deposits on a receipt she created and allegedly pocketed the rest of the money.
FULL STORY:
INDUSTRY -- A deputy shot and wounded a man who fled from a traffic stop while holding a replica handgun early Friday in a deputy-involved shooting, authorities said.
The shooting took place about 3:30 a.m. at Valley Boulevard and 7th Avenue, Deputy Benjamin Grubb of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau said in a written statement.
The suspect was struck by gunfire and hospitalized in stable condition, Sgt. Diane Hecht said. No deputies were hurt.
A deputy pulled over a car on Valley Boulevard at 7th Avenue when the front passenger exited the car and ran, Hecht said.
"A deputy gave chase and saw the suspect was armed with a semi-automatic handgun," she said. "Fearing for his life, the deputy fired his duty weapon at the suspect, wounding him."
The wounded 29-year-old man was then taken to an area hospital, while the driver was arrested due to an existing warrant, officials said.
A replica handgun was recovered at the scene, Hecht added.
Sheriff's officials did not release the name of either suspect.
As is standard procedure in deputy-involved shooting in Los Angeles County, simultaneous investigations have been launched by the sheriff's department, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and the county Office of Independent Review.
The shooting took place about 3:30 a.m. at Valley Boulevard and 7th Avenue, Deputy Benjamin Grubb of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau said in a written statement.
The suspect was struck by gunfire and hospitalized in stable condition, Sgt. Diane Hecht said. No deputies were hurt.
A deputy pulled over a car on Valley Boulevard at 7th Avenue when the front passenger exited the car and ran, Hecht said.
"A deputy gave chase and saw the suspect was armed with a semi-automatic handgun," she said. "Fearing for his life, the deputy fired his duty weapon at the suspect, wounding him."
The wounded 29-year-old man was then taken to an area hospital, while the driver was arrested due to an existing warrant, officials said.
A replica handgun was recovered at the scene, Hecht added.
Sheriff's officials did not release the name of either suspect.
As is standard procedure in deputy-involved shooting in Los Angeles County, simultaneous investigations have been launched by the sheriff's department, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and the county Office of Independent Review.
MONTBELLO - Commuters will have to continue to find alternate routes around the 60 Freeway through Saturday at least as transportation officials ran into obstacles in an effort to demolish a bridge over the freeway, officials said.
The bridge that hangs over the 60 Freeway at the Paramount exit was damaged after a tanker truck exploded in flames underneath, damaging at least the side of the bridge hanging over the eastbound side of the freeway.
Both sides of the freeway have been closed since Wednesday, causing long delays in traffic in side streets around the 60 Freeway, on the 10 Freeway, and the 605 and 710 Freeeway.
The discovery of asbestos encased AT&T fiber optic and telephone wires pushed the expected reopening of the 60 Freeway between the 605 and 710 freeways back to Saturday at the earliest, California Highway Patrol Officer Doris Peniche said.
Demolition has begun on the collapsed portion of the Paramount Boulevard overpass above the eastbound lanes of the 60 Freeway, where the truck fire was centered, officials said.
Caltrans officials announced Friday that the portion of the bridge over the westbound lanes of the freeway would not need to be demolished.
Had that been the case, the closure could have lasted through the weekend and potentially into next week, authorities said.
Meanwhile on the roads and freeways, "(Traffic) is still pretty bad out there," CHP Officer Francisco Villalobos said. "It's not going to be your typicial Friday light this morning. We do tell people to give yourselves extra time, and bring along lots of patience."
The westbound 10 Freeway was jammed early Friday from Vincent Avenue in West Covina to the 710 Freeway, as it continued to be commuters primary route around the 60 closure. Traffic was flowing clearly from the 57 Freeway to Vincent, where it was gridlocked Thursday morning.
The westbound 210 Freeway provided a slow ride between the 57 Freeway and Pasadena, and traffic became jammed between Irwindale Avenue in Irwindale and Santa Anita Avenue in Arcadia.
Surface street alternatives to the 60 Freeway, such as Garvey Avenue, Whittier Boulevard and Beverly Boulevard continued running slower-than-usal as well.
The bridge that hangs over the 60 Freeway at the Paramount exit was damaged after a tanker truck exploded in flames underneath, damaging at least the side of the bridge hanging over the eastbound side of the freeway.
Both sides of the freeway have been closed since Wednesday, causing long delays in traffic in side streets around the 60 Freeway, on the 10 Freeway, and the 605 and 710 Freeeway.
The discovery of asbestos encased AT&T fiber optic and telephone wires pushed the expected reopening of the 60 Freeway between the 605 and 710 freeways back to Saturday at the earliest, California Highway Patrol Officer Doris Peniche said.
Demolition has begun on the collapsed portion of the Paramount Boulevard overpass above the eastbound lanes of the 60 Freeway, where the truck fire was centered, officials said.
Caltrans officials announced Friday that the portion of the bridge over the westbound lanes of the freeway would not need to be demolished.
Had that been the case, the closure could have lasted through the weekend and potentially into next week, authorities said.
Meanwhile on the roads and freeways, "(Traffic) is still pretty bad out there," CHP Officer Francisco Villalobos said. "It's not going to be your typicial Friday light this morning. We do tell people to give yourselves extra time, and bring along lots of patience."
The westbound 10 Freeway was jammed early Friday from Vincent Avenue in West Covina to the 710 Freeway, as it continued to be commuters primary route around the 60 closure. Traffic was flowing clearly from the 57 Freeway to Vincent, where it was gridlocked Thursday morning.
The westbound 210 Freeway provided a slow ride between the 57 Freeway and Pasadena, and traffic became jammed between Irwindale Avenue in Irwindale and Santa Anita Avenue in Arcadia.
Surface street alternatives to the 60 Freeway, such as Garvey Avenue, Whittier Boulevard and Beverly Boulevard continued running slower-than-usal as well.
Deputies use new GeoTag system to locate narcotics allegedly thrown from car
PASADENA -- Police were investigating the possibility two early-morning robberies Friday were committed by the same suspects.
The first robbery took place about 12:30 a.m. at Vons, 155 California Blvd., Pasadena police Lt. Diego Torres said.
The robbers, described only as three black men wearing hooded sweat shirts, demanded money from a clerk as one of the men brandished a dark-colored, semi-automatic pistol, the lieutenant said. The robbers fled with about $300.
About ten minutes later, he said, a man and woman were walking in the at De Lacey Avenue and Dayton Street, about half a mile away, when they were approached by two black men in their 20s, one in a blue jacket and the other in a brown jacket.
One of the two men pulled a dark, semi-automatic pistol and robbed the man and women of their wallet and purse, respectively.
Police were looking into the possibility the same robbers were involved in both crimes, however a definitive link between the crimes had not been established.
The first robbery took place about 12:30 a.m. at Vons, 155 California Blvd., Pasadena police Lt. Diego Torres said.
The robbers, described only as three black men wearing hooded sweat shirts, demanded money from a clerk as one of the men brandished a dark-colored, semi-automatic pistol, the lieutenant said. The robbers fled with about $300.
About ten minutes later, he said, a man and woman were walking in the at De Lacey Avenue and Dayton Street, about half a mile away, when they were approached by two black men in their 20s, one in a blue jacket and the other in a brown jacket.
One of the two men pulled a dark, semi-automatic pistol and robbed the man and women of their wallet and purse, respectively.
Police were looking into the possibility the same robbers were involved in both crimes, however a definitive link between the crimes had not been established.
EAST VALINDA - Firefighters put out a van on fire Thursday night and made a grisly discovery.
Inside the vehicle was a body.
Sheriff's homicide detectives were heading to the 300 block of Hambledon Avenue late Thursday night.
Lt. Joe Chavez of the sheriff's Industry station said the van was parked in the the driveway of a residence but he didn't know if the dead person lived there.
He said the station received a call about a structure fire in the 300 block of Backton Avenue at 10:06 p.m.
Deputies didn't see a fire on that street. They spotted a burning van on nearby Hambledon Avenue, Chavez said.
Firefighters were also at the scene and extinguished the blaze.
The body was so badly burned coroner's investigators could not immediately determine if it was that of a male or a female, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Assistant Chief of Operations Ed Winter said.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation, however, "They believe it was accidental," Lt. Victor Sotelo said.
The person's cause of death remained under investigation as well.
- Staff report
INDUSTRY -- A man was wounded early Friday in a deputy-involved shooting, authorities said.
The shooting took place about 3:30 a.m. at Valley Boulevard and 7th Avenue, Deputy Benjamin Grubb of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau said in a written statement.
The suspect was struck by gunfire and hospitalized in unknown condition, officials said. No deputies were hurt.
No further details of the circumstances of the shooting were available.
As is standard procedure in deputy-involved shooting in Los Angeles County, simultaneous investigations have been launched by the sheriff's department, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and the county Office of Independent Review.
ALHAMBRA -- The jury deliberating in the case of an Alhambra man charged with murdering his ex-girlfriend in 2007 is deadlocked, officials announced Thursday.
Isaac Campbell, 36, is charged with the Aug. 12, 2007 slaying of Liya "Jessie" Lu, 31, of San Gabriel.
After nine days of deliberation, the jury announced they could not reach a verdict, Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Shiara Davila-Morales said.
Prosecutors did not announce Thursday whether a new trial would be sought for Campbell, she said, though he was scheduled to return to court Jan. 12 for a pre-trial hearing.
About a month after Lu was reported missing, her body was discovered in a trash can Campbell had stored at a friend's house in Arcadia, according to testimony.
Campbell was arrested in Minnesota.
Deputy District Attorney Steve Ipson made the argument that Campbell was a calculating killer who began covering up the crime within minutes of committing it.
Deputy District Attorney Steve Ipson argued he was a calculating killer who began covering up his heinous crime within minutes of committing it.
Defense attorney Jim Duffy told the jury that Campbell discovered Lu dead in his apartment and handled the situation badly, but did not kill her.
The prosecution presented the theory that Campbell, an aficionado of mixed martial arts, had killed Lu with a choke hold, however coroner's investigators were unable to determine an officials cause of death.
Campbell remained jailed in lieu of $1,275 million bail.
Isaac Campbell, 36, is charged with the Aug. 12, 2007 slaying of Liya "Jessie" Lu, 31, of San Gabriel.
After nine days of deliberation, the jury announced they could not reach a verdict, Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Shiara Davila-Morales said.
Prosecutors did not announce Thursday whether a new trial would be sought for Campbell, she said, though he was scheduled to return to court Jan. 12 for a pre-trial hearing.
About a month after Lu was reported missing, her body was discovered in a trash can Campbell had stored at a friend's house in Arcadia, according to testimony.
Campbell was arrested in Minnesota.
Deputy District Attorney Steve Ipson made the argument that Campbell was a calculating killer who began covering up the crime within minutes of committing it.
Deputy District Attorney Steve Ipson argued he was a calculating killer who began covering up his heinous crime within minutes of committing it.
Defense attorney Jim Duffy told the jury that Campbell discovered Lu dead in his apartment and handled the situation badly, but did not kill her.
The prosecution presented the theory that Campbell, an aficionado of mixed martial arts, had killed Lu with a choke hold, however coroner's investigators were unable to determine an officials cause of death.
Campbell remained jailed in lieu of $1,275 million bail.
FILLMORE -- An off-duty sheriff's deputy from Pasadena crashed his SUV into a Fillmore coffee shop late Tuesday, killing a Iraq war veteran, after officials said he fell asleep or lost consciousness while at the wheel.
Driver Michael Cedarland, 30, suffered minor injuries in the crash that killed 30-year-old Sergio Mendez of Fillmore and inflicted minor injuries on two other men, according to sheriff's officials in Ventura and Los Angeles County.
Investigators in Fillmore were still trying to determine why Cedarland lost control of his SUV and plowed into a Starbucks at 650 Ventura Street, Ventura County sheriff's Deputy Jerry Peterson said in a written statement, however drugs or alcohol were not initially suspected to be involved.
"Investigators are looking into the possibility Cedarland lost consciousness while driving," Peterson said.
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department spokesman Steve Whitmore said Cedarland was a seven-year veteran of the department who works a desk job in the agencies custody division. He declined to say where specifically Cedarland works.
"He's devastated by this," Whitmore said. "It appears to be a tragic accident. The L.A. County Sheriff's Department extends its thoughts and prayers to the family of that young man."
"He fell asleep or lost consciousness, we don't quite know what happened," Whitmore said.
Cedarland's employment status was unchanged by the crash, he added.
The crash occurred about 7:05 p.m. Tuesday, Peterson said. Sheriff' and fire officials found the building completely inside the coffee shop when they arrived.
"The vehicle broke through the east wall of the business, traversed through the customer lobby area, and came to rest inside at the front door," he said. "The vehicle pinned one of the customers, Sergio Mendez, against the front door frame, which required heavy rescue from the members of the Fire Department."
Mendez was rushed to a hospital where he died while undergoing emergency surgery, Peterson said.
Two other Starbucks customers, a 25-year-old Lancaster man and a 73-year-old Piru man, were also hospitalized for treatment of minor injuries, officials said.
Cedarland said he couldn't remember anything from before leaving the road until after the crash, said Ventura County sheriff's Deputy Jerry Peterson. Witnesses reported he apparently didn't try to brake.
It was not clear where Cedarland was heading to or from when the crash occurred, Whitmore said, adding that details will continue to emerge over the next few weeks.
Shawn Haney, a Marine spokeswoman, told the Star that the victim's full name was listed in records as Sergio Raul Mendez-Burgos. During his time in the Marines, Mendez received a Combat Action Ribbon and Presidential Unit Citation.
- The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Driver Michael Cedarland, 30, suffered minor injuries in the crash that killed 30-year-old Sergio Mendez of Fillmore and inflicted minor injuries on two other men, according to sheriff's officials in Ventura and Los Angeles County.
Investigators in Fillmore were still trying to determine why Cedarland lost control of his SUV and plowed into a Starbucks at 650 Ventura Street, Ventura County sheriff's Deputy Jerry Peterson said in a written statement, however drugs or alcohol were not initially suspected to be involved.
"Investigators are looking into the possibility Cedarland lost consciousness while driving," Peterson said.
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department spokesman Steve Whitmore said Cedarland was a seven-year veteran of the department who works a desk job in the agencies custody division. He declined to say where specifically Cedarland works.
"He's devastated by this," Whitmore said. "It appears to be a tragic accident. The L.A. County Sheriff's Department extends its thoughts and prayers to the family of that young man."
"He fell asleep or lost consciousness, we don't quite know what happened," Whitmore said.
Cedarland's employment status was unchanged by the crash, he added.
The crash occurred about 7:05 p.m. Tuesday, Peterson said. Sheriff' and fire officials found the building completely inside the coffee shop when they arrived.
"The vehicle broke through the east wall of the business, traversed through the customer lobby area, and came to rest inside at the front door," he said. "The vehicle pinned one of the customers, Sergio Mendez, against the front door frame, which required heavy rescue from the members of the Fire Department."
Mendez was rushed to a hospital where he died while undergoing emergency surgery, Peterson said.
Two other Starbucks customers, a 25-year-old Lancaster man and a 73-year-old Piru man, were also hospitalized for treatment of minor injuries, officials said.
Cedarland said he couldn't remember anything from before leaving the road until after the crash, said Ventura County sheriff's Deputy Jerry Peterson. Witnesses reported he apparently didn't try to brake.
It was not clear where Cedarland was heading to or from when the crash occurred, Whitmore said, adding that details will continue to emerge over the next few weeks.
Shawn Haney, a Marine spokeswoman, told the Star that the victim's full name was listed in records as Sergio Raul Mendez-Burgos. During his time in the Marines, Mendez received a Combat Action Ribbon and Presidential Unit Citation.
- The Associated Press contributed to this report.
LOS ANGELES -- A former San Marino football coach accused of embezzling $21,000 from school booster clubs pleaded not guilty Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Mike Mooney, 41, is charged with grand theft, according to a Nov. 22 felony complaint against him.
Mooney became head coach in 2010, but resigned later in the year after being placed on administrative leave.
School officials also suspended from his his position as assistant principal in charge of discipline and attendance.
The alleged theft took place between October of 2008 and October of 2010.
Mooney is due back in Los Angeles Superior Court for a hearing Jan. 17, court officials said.
Mike Mooney, 41, is charged with grand theft, according to a Nov. 22 felony complaint against him.
Mooney became head coach in 2010, but resigned later in the year after being placed on administrative leave.
School officials also suspended from his his position as assistant principal in charge of discipline and attendance.
The alleged theft took place between October of 2008 and October of 2010.
Mooney is due back in Los Angeles Superior Court for a hearing Jan. 17, court officials said.
PASADENA -- As part of a massive, county-wide parole and probation compliance sweep Wednesday dubbed "Operation Silent Night," Pasadena police carried out 27 compliance checks, arrested six people and seized two guns, authorities said.
The operation targeted parolees and probationers throughout Los Angeles County, according to Pasadena police and county officials. The sweep as a whole included 158 compliance checks, 38 arrests and the seizure of 23 guns.
Over 100 local, state and federal law enforcement officers took part in the operation, officials said.
"The focus of the mission was to apprehend probationers or parolees with outstanding no bail warrants, most who have arrests or convictions for violent felonies," Pasadena police officials said in a written statement.
Two operation command posts were set up in Pasadena, officials said, with another in Industry and another in Palmdale.
Those arrested in Pasadena were: Marcus Howz, 21, due to an outstanding arrest warrant; Charles Dillion, 68, on suspicion of being a felon in possession of ammunition; Marcel Branch, 38, on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a shotgun; Ormani Duncan, 19, due to a traffic warrant; Wallace Simmons, 60, on suspicion of violating parole; and John Davis, 40, on suspicion of possession of burglary tools. All are Pasadena residents.
WHITTIER -- A judge Wednesday ordered three alleged gang members to stand trial for the drive-by shooting death of a 17-year-old Pico Rivera boy last year.
After listening to a summary of the evidence Tuesday and Wednesday in the Nov. 1, 2010 slaying of Robert Velazquez, Whittier Superior Court Commissioner Loren DiFrank ordered a trial for Enrique Medina, 32, of Pomona, his step-brother Michael Barrios, 29, of Pomona and Thomas Arellanes, 27, of El Monte. They are alleged members of the Pico Rivera street gang known as Brown Authority.
Velazquez had no gang ties, authorities said, and was likely targeted because he was in an area claimed as turf by the Pico Viejo street gang, which Brown Authority considers a rival, officials said.
The defendants are each charged with Velazquez's murder, along with the attempted murder of his then-17-year-old friend Ruth Rodriguez, who was present during the attack but not injured. All three are additionally accused of committing the crime in connection with a criminal street gang, and Medina is accused of personally firing the gun that killed Velazquez.
Robert Velazquez's father, Jose Velazquez, said he was confident in the case presented by Deputy District Attorney Brock Lunsford.
"It's going great," he said of the proceedings. "I'm happy that it's going to (trial). I want to see justice. That's all I want."
During the hearing Wednesday, Rodriguez gave emotional testimony about the shooting.
She and Robert Velazquez were talking near her home when an SUV approached and, "pulled right in front of us," Rodriguez said.
"It stopped, and they started shooting at us," she testified.
The assailants first shot out the street's lone street light before unleashing a volley of bullets toward Robert Velazquez and Rodriguez, according to testimony.
Once the shooting came to an end and the SUV drove off, Rodriguez said she realized her friend had been wounded.
"I was yelling his name and he was just making weird noises," she said as she dabbed her eyes with tissues.
"He was my best friend," she added. Officials have previously incorrectly described Rodriguez and Robert Velazquez as boyfriend and girlfriend
Medina's attorney, Anthony Arzili, questioned Rodriguez regarding how well she could see what was happening on the very dark street.
Arzili also pointed questioned Rodriguez about differences in what she told investigators immediately after the incident, and what she recalled Wednesday in court.
Barrios was being represented by attorney Michael Shapiro, and Arellanes was being represented by attorney John McDonald.
The prosecution called several police and crime scene investigators to testify about physical evidence linking Medina, Barrios and Arellanes to the slaying.
Nine spent .45-caliber bullet casing were found at the scene of the shooting in the 11000 block of Zola Avenue in Pico Rivera, sheriff's forensic firearms examiner David Kim testified.
A 10th round was found in on the floor of Barrios' Chevrolet Blazer when it was stopped by police at a Pomona has station the day after Velazquez's death, Detective Ken Perry of the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said. The nine fired bullet casings found at the scene, along with the unfired round found in the SUV, had all come from the same gun, Kim testified.
Though Barrios was arrested with his SUV, attorneys for Medina and Arellanes revealed through cross examination that their clients were not in the SUV when it was stopped Nov. 2, 2010.
Sheriff's senior criminalist Kristina Fritz took the stand to report she had found gunshot residue on Barrios' hands, inside the SUV, on a a sweat shirt taken from Medina at the time of his arrest, and on other items of clothing, including bandanas and a ski cap recovered from the Pomona home Medina and Barrios shared.
DNA evidence also connected the clothing items to the suspects, sheriff's senior criminalist Leslie Thompson testified.
The defense attorneys attacked the validity of gunshot residue testing in general, pointing out through cross examination that gunshot residue can easily be transferred between people and that other forms of residue can be confused with gunshot residue.
Detectives seized the cell phones of the three suspects upon their arrest, Detective Wayne Holston of the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said.
Investigators found the three men had exchanged text messages and calls in the early morning hours of Nov. 2, 2010.
One message Barrios sent to his co-defendants told them to "get out," Holston said.
Medina, Barrios and Arellanes were ordered to appear in Norwalk Superior Court Dec. 28 for an arraignment.
After listening to a summary of the evidence Tuesday and Wednesday in the Nov. 1, 2010 slaying of Robert Velazquez, Whittier Superior Court Commissioner Loren DiFrank ordered a trial for Enrique Medina, 32, of Pomona, his step-brother Michael Barrios, 29, of Pomona and Thomas Arellanes, 27, of El Monte. They are alleged members of the Pico Rivera street gang known as Brown Authority.
Velazquez had no gang ties, authorities said, and was likely targeted because he was in an area claimed as turf by the Pico Viejo street gang, which Brown Authority considers a rival, officials said.
The defendants are each charged with Velazquez's murder, along with the attempted murder of his then-17-year-old friend Ruth Rodriguez, who was present during the attack but not injured. All three are additionally accused of committing the crime in connection with a criminal street gang, and Medina is accused of personally firing the gun that killed Velazquez.
Robert Velazquez's father, Jose Velazquez, said he was confident in the case presented by Deputy District Attorney Brock Lunsford.
"It's going great," he said of the proceedings. "I'm happy that it's going to (trial). I want to see justice. That's all I want."
During the hearing Wednesday, Rodriguez gave emotional testimony about the shooting.
She and Robert Velazquez were talking near her home when an SUV approached and, "pulled right in front of us," Rodriguez said.
"It stopped, and they started shooting at us," she testified.
The assailants first shot out the street's lone street light before unleashing a volley of bullets toward Robert Velazquez and Rodriguez, according to testimony.
Once the shooting came to an end and the SUV drove off, Rodriguez said she realized her friend had been wounded.
"I was yelling his name and he was just making weird noises," she said as she dabbed her eyes with tissues.
"He was my best friend," she added. Officials have previously incorrectly described Rodriguez and Robert Velazquez as boyfriend and girlfriend
Medina's attorney, Anthony Arzili, questioned Rodriguez regarding how well she could see what was happening on the very dark street.
Arzili also pointed questioned Rodriguez about differences in what she told investigators immediately after the incident, and what she recalled Wednesday in court.
Barrios was being represented by attorney Michael Shapiro, and Arellanes was being represented by attorney John McDonald.
The prosecution called several police and crime scene investigators to testify about physical evidence linking Medina, Barrios and Arellanes to the slaying.
Nine spent .45-caliber bullet casing were found at the scene of the shooting in the 11000 block of Zola Avenue in Pico Rivera, sheriff's forensic firearms examiner David Kim testified.
A 10th round was found in on the floor of Barrios' Chevrolet Blazer when it was stopped by police at a Pomona has station the day after Velazquez's death, Detective Ken Perry of the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said. The nine fired bullet casings found at the scene, along with the unfired round found in the SUV, had all come from the same gun, Kim testified.
Though Barrios was arrested with his SUV, attorneys for Medina and Arellanes revealed through cross examination that their clients were not in the SUV when it was stopped Nov. 2, 2010.
Sheriff's senior criminalist Kristina Fritz took the stand to report she had found gunshot residue on Barrios' hands, inside the SUV, on a a sweat shirt taken from Medina at the time of his arrest, and on other items of clothing, including bandanas and a ski cap recovered from the Pomona home Medina and Barrios shared.
DNA evidence also connected the clothing items to the suspects, sheriff's senior criminalist Leslie Thompson testified.
The defense attorneys attacked the validity of gunshot residue testing in general, pointing out through cross examination that gunshot residue can easily be transferred between people and that other forms of residue can be confused with gunshot residue.
Detectives seized the cell phones of the three suspects upon their arrest, Detective Wayne Holston of the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said.
Investigators found the three men had exchanged text messages and calls in the early morning hours of Nov. 2, 2010.
One message Barrios sent to his co-defendants told them to "get out," Holston said.
Medina, Barrios and Arellanes were ordered to appear in Norwalk Superior Court Dec. 28 for an arraignment.
POMONA - A former Mt. San Antonio College fire chief accused of stealing nearly $1 million from students and the college pleaded no contest Tuesday to 16 felony charges, Los Angeles County prosecutors said.
Jerry Dewayne Austin, 57, of Norco, was released from custody after pleading no contest to two felony counts of identity theft, two felony counts of forgery and 12 felony counts of grand theft at his jury trial hearing at Pomona Superior Court, Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney James Belna said.
Austin, who was arrested in January, could be sentenced to two to five years in prison with time served, officials said.
"We were basically prepared for trial and we would have gone to trial if we couldn't settle it. We felt this was the best option under all the circumstances," Austin's attorney Early Hawkins said.
"We felt that at the end of the day we'd possibly be in the same place," Hawkins said. "I don't think he's a thief and I will continue to say that, and given everything that's happened I think we're satisfied with today and we'll continue to march on."
A sentencing hearing and restitution hearing to determine how much money Austin will have to pay back to students and Mt. SAC once he's released from prison is scheduled for Feb. 24.
"We're pleased the case is coming to some resolution, but we will await the judge's final decision regarding the sentencing," Mt. SAC spokeswoman Jill Dolan said. 'We remain committed to obtaining restitution to the college and the students."
Austin, who was the director of Mt. SAC's Fire Technology Program since 2003, overcharged students for classes and equipment and deposited the money in a fraudulent bank account using the school's tax identification number.
Austin opened the unauthorized account in October 2005 using the forged signature of a part-time faculty member, according to a felony complaint. After authorizing himself as the administrator of the account, Austin embezzled at least $150,000 from the school.
Austin, who was terminated from Mt. SAC in August, also stole at least $500,000 from 11 victims between August 2008 and August 2010, according to the complaint.
The total amount taken could exceed $800,000, detectives said.
- From Staff Writer Juliette Funes
WEST COVINA -- A former West Covina middle school math teacher received a three-year prison sentence Wednesday for carrying on an inappropriate relationship with a 13-year-old student, court officials said.
Devin White, 33, pleaded no contest last month to a single count of lewd acts on a child in Pomona Superior Court, Los Angeles County District Attorney's officials said.
While a teacher at Walnut Grove Middle School in West Covina, White began a relationship with a 13-year-old female student at the end of the last school year, and continuing the inappropriate relationship through the start of the current school year, investigators said.
When he entered his plea, charged of possessing obscene materials stemming from images found on his cell phone and another charge of lewd acts on a child related to a second victim were dismissed, officials said.
Information regarding the alleged second victim has not been released.
West Covina Unified School District officials notified police after learning of the inappropriate relationship.
White taught in the WCUSD for seven years, four of them at Walnut Grove Middle School. District officials have not disclosed what school or school's White worked at before transferring to Walnut Grove.
Authorities released a sketch of the man sought for killing a man in an Arcadia home-invasion robbery while his wife and three children were locked in a bedroom. Here's the story.
ROWLAND HEIGHTS - Firefighters putting out a two-story house fire Monday night discovered more than 500 marijuana plants being grown there.
Authorities late Monday night found more than 500 marijuana plants growing in a home in the 18000 block of Villa Clara Street in Rowland Heights, said Sgt. Tim Robarge of the Walnut/Diamond Bar Sheriff's Station.
The fire department received a call about a structure fire at 10:49 p.m., said Andre Gougis, supervising dispatcher with the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Firefighters found the second floor on fire. About 25 firefighters knocked down the blaze at 11:19 p.m.
Fire officials notified the sheriff's Walnut/Diamond Bar station about the pot plants at the house.
Each room had plants that were being grown at different stages, Robarge said, adding that a majority of the house had been converted to be a grow house, with various lights, filters and electrical jerry rigging.
"That's probably what caused the fire," Robarge said of the electrical wiring.
Authorities believe the house was being rented, but it has not been confirmed, Robarge said.
One person was injured as a result of the fire.
The investigation is ongoing.
- From staff reports
Authorities late Monday night found more than 500 marijuana plants growing in a home in the 18000 block of Villa Clara Street in Rowland Heights, said Sgt. Tim Robarge of the Walnut/Diamond Bar Sheriff's Station.
The fire department received a call about a structure fire at 10:49 p.m., said Andre Gougis, supervising dispatcher with the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Firefighters found the second floor on fire. About 25 firefighters knocked down the blaze at 11:19 p.m.
Fire officials notified the sheriff's Walnut/Diamond Bar station about the pot plants at the house.
Each room had plants that were being grown at different stages, Robarge said, adding that a majority of the house had been converted to be a grow house, with various lights, filters and electrical jerry rigging.
"That's probably what caused the fire," Robarge said of the electrical wiring.
Authorities believe the house was being rented, but it has not been confirmed, Robarge said.
One person was injured as a result of the fire.
The investigation is ongoing.
- From staff reports
WHITTIER -- The murder case against three men accused of shooting a 17-year-old Pico Rivera boy to death last year moved forward Tuesday as testimony was heard in their preliminary hearing.Alleged Brown Authority gang members Enrique Medina, 32, Michael Barrios, 29, and Thomas Arrellanes, 27, are charged with the Nov. 1, 2010 slaying of 17-year-old Robert Velazquez of Pico Rivera, as well as the attempted murder of his girlfriend.
The teen was sitting on a brick wall with his girlfriend when the alleged killers mistook him for a rival gang member and opened fire on the couple without warning in the 4000 block of Zola Avenue, according to Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Brock Lunsford.
Velazquez had no gang ties, and was likely targeted because he and his girlfriend were in an area claimed by the Pico Viejo street gang, according to investigators. The girl wasn't injured.
Though the process is difficult, "I want justice to be served," the father said. "I want them to receive the maximum sentence."
At Tuesday's hearing, several witnesses were called to testify about being approached and questioned about gang ties in the hours prior to the fatal shooting by an armed suspect.
Jacques Bustamante testified he and a friend were walking through an apartment complex after 10 p.m. on the day of the killing when he was approached by a gunman which he pointed out as Medina.
"(Medina) approached me from behind and pretty much was flashing a gun and asking where were were from," -- a common gang challenge, he said.
Bustamante said he replied that he was not in a gang, and Medina patted his pockets, saying he was looking for drugs.
After walking away, Medina confronted Bustamante a second time, according the the testimony, accusing Bustamante of lying about being in a gang.
"He said something about you owe money to the neighborhood," Bustamante testified. "I was confused."
Bustamante had identified Medina as the gunman from a photo lineup in the early stages of the investigation, Lunsford said.
When asked by Medina's defense attorney, Anthony Arzili, in court if Medina was the man who approached him, Bustamante replied, "I think that's him."
Arzili asked Bustamante about details he recalled from the encounter, and questioned whether Bustamante got a clear look at the gunman's face. He also pointed out that investigators did not perform the photo lineup with Bustamante until four days after the incident.
Another witness, Eric Caldera, testified about being approached and challenged by a gang member at a home on Dork Street between 8 or 9 p.m. on the night of Velazquez's slaying.
The man approached Caldera and his friends asking if they belonged to the Pico Viejo street gang.
After responding that they were not involved with gangs, "He kind of started patting me down," Caldera said. The man also lifted Caldera's shirt sleeves and demanded to inspect his tattoos.
The man approached a friend of Caldera's and shouted "(expletive Viejo) before getting into an SUV and driving off," according to the testimony.
Upon cross examination from Arrellanes' attorney, John McDonald, Caldera said he did not see the person who approached him in the courtroom.
Though Lunsford indicated that Medina's hair had grown longer since the incident, Caldera maintained that "(Medina) was not the person that approached me."
Defense attorneys also pointed out that Caldera wasn't interviewed by police about the incident until January, two months after it occurred.
Daniel Perez, who testified while in handcuffs as he is currently in custody on suspicion of violating probation, testified that that Medina, Barrios and Arrellanes showed up at his home the evening before the killing.
Perez said he himself had been a Pico Nuevo gang member for two years, but was no longer involved with the gang.
Perez said he spent a brief time with the men before Barrios made a phone call from another room. Following the phone call, Barrios told Medina, "Let's roll," and the two men exchanged a high five before leaving. The men seemed to be in a good mood.
In the days after the killing, Barrios and two other men arrived unannounced in Perez's backyard in an apparent attempt to keep him from cooperating with authorities.
Barrios appeared agitated and wanted to fight, telling Perez "Don't go to court," Perez testified.
Defense attorney's asked Perez about his marijuana use at the time of the killing, and whether is had affected his memory.
Defense attorney Michael Shapiro questioned Perez's credibility, asking him at one point, "Are you making that story up?"
Jose Velazquez said the manner in which his son was killed was "very cruel."
"There was nothing he could do to defend himself or stand a chance," he said.
In addition to being in a gang neighborhood, Jose Velazquez said he believed the style of clothes his son was wearing, such as baggy pants, may have caused the alleged killers to target him.
The father recalled first getting a call about the shooting as he was at work on Nov. 1.
"I arrived and saw the scene all roped off," he said. "It was the worst feeling in the world knowing that my son was there."
Robert Velazquez was a junior at El Rancho High School when he was killed, his father said. He enjoyed oldies music and hip hop.
Sometimes shy around strangers, he was outgoing and friendly to those he knew, he added.
"That kids could fit in anywhere. Robert had a lot of friends. He didn't judge you. He was easy to get along with."
In addition to murder, the defendants are each further accused of committing the crime for the benefit of a street gang, officials said. Medina is accused of personally firing the .45-caliber handgun that killed Robert Velazquez.
Testimony was expected to continue Wednesday in Whittier Superior Court.
At the conclusion of the hearing, the presiding judge, Loren Di Frank, will render a ruling as to whether sufficient evidence exists to order the defendants to stand trial.
COURTESY photo of Robert Velazquez
WHITTIER - An Orange County man was arrested in Whittier Saturday night after stealing a Hummer limousine and fleeing naked from the vehicle, Irvine Police Department authorities said.
Ahmad Mabrok, 29, of Tustin held the Hummer limousine driver at gunpoint and stole the vehicle at the intersection of Sand Canyon Avenue and Burt Road near the 5 Freeway in Irvine at about 8:15 p.m. Saturday, Irvine Police Department Lt. Julia Engen.
"The male victim that was driving alone in the limo was essentially carjacked," she said. "The man gave (the limo) to him, and he seems to have left his own vehicle behind."
Dispatches put the crime out on a countywide broadcast and deputies initiated a vehicle pursuit before handing it over the California Highway Patrol who chased him into Whittier.
At the end of the freeway pursuit, Mabrok ran out of the car naked, and a police dog was deployed, Engen said.
- From staff reports
"It's very bizarre," said Engen, explaining that the suspect was wearing dark clothing at the time of the car jacking.
"Clearly something was going on while he was being pursued and he took his clothing off," she said. "In law enforcement, we find that often they'll strip a layer of clothing off to change the way their appearance. But this is a pretty bizarre set of circumstances."
Mabrok was later sent to the hospital.
No other information was available.
You can watch video of the arrest on YouTube courtesy of ITN News here.
ARCADIA - Three animals died of smoke inhalation early Tuesday morning during a structure fire, according to Arcadia Fire Department officials.
The Fire Department responded to a fire at a single-story home on the 200 block of East Haven Avenue in Arcadia at 7:49 a.m. Tuesday, officials said.
Upon arriving, firefighters witnessed heavy smoke showing from the attic of the home. The fire was confined to the area and was knocked down within 10 minutes, fire department officials said.
The homeowners were not at home at the time of the incident, but the property owner was contacted and responded to the scene.
Three animals in the home were found dead after suffering from smoke inhalation, officials said. The type of animals killed in the fire was not available.
No people were injured.
The total cost of damages is about $40,000, officials said.
- From staff reports
ARCADIA -- Detectives are seeking a man who shot a man to death in a home-invasion robbery late Monday as his wife and three young children were locked in a bedroom, authorities said.
The victim's name was not available early Tuesday pending confirmation that his family members had been notified, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Assistant Chief of Operations Ed Winter said. He was 35 years old.
The man, his wife and their three children, ages 3, 5, and 6, arrived home just after 8 p.m. in the 11000 block of Kristi Court, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said in a written statement. A gunman had apparently been lying in wait.
"As the family entered the garage of the residence, the man approached the family, pointed a hand gun at them and demanded money," Deputy Tony Moore said in a written statement. "Fearing for their safety, the victims gave the gunman the only money they had in their possession, their rent money."
The robber demanded more money and ordered the family into their home, officials said. Once inside, the robber ordered the woman and the three children to go into a bedroom and not open the door.
"The gunman then gave the father more commands for cash and shortly thereafter, several gunshots were heard by the family," Moore said. "They exited the room and found the male victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The suspect left the residence prior to the family finding the victim."
The father was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sheriff's investigators described the gunman as a light-skinned Latino man between 30 and 35 years old.
Detectives are asking the public's help in solving this killing, authorities said. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500, or tips can be left anonymously through L.A. Crime Stoppers by calling 800-222-8477.
The victim's name was not available early Tuesday pending confirmation that his family members had been notified, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Assistant Chief of Operations Ed Winter said. He was 35 years old.
The man, his wife and their three children, ages 3, 5, and 6, arrived home just after 8 p.m. in the 11000 block of Kristi Court, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said in a written statement. A gunman had apparently been lying in wait.
"As the family entered the garage of the residence, the man approached the family, pointed a hand gun at them and demanded money," Deputy Tony Moore said in a written statement. "Fearing for their safety, the victims gave the gunman the only money they had in their possession, their rent money."
The robber demanded more money and ordered the family into their home, officials said. Once inside, the robber ordered the woman and the three children to go into a bedroom and not open the door.
"The gunman then gave the father more commands for cash and shortly thereafter, several gunshots were heard by the family," Moore said. "They exited the room and found the male victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The suspect left the residence prior to the family finding the victim."
The father was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sheriff's investigators described the gunman as a light-skinned Latino man between 30 and 35 years old.
Detectives are asking the public's help in solving this killing, authorities said. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500, or tips can be left anonymously through L.A. Crime Stoppers by calling 800-222-8477.
WHITTIER -- Homicide detectives are investigating the stabbing death of a man late Saturday in an unincorporated county area just south of Whittier.
The stabbing was reported just before 9 p.m. in the 10100 block of Mills Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said.
The victim, initially described only as a Latino man, was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to Lt. Kim Unland of the Sheriff's Headquarter's Bureau.
No further details were released.
HOLLYWOOD -- A 26-year-old former Azusa resident who opened fire on cars randomly at a busy Hollywood intersection Friday before being fatally shot by police has been identified, officials said.Tyler Brehm died at the scene of the bizarre incident, which unfolded shortly after 10 a.m. at Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Lt. Larry Dietz said. A city of residency was not listed.
Azusa police described him as a former resident of an Arrow Highway apartment complex in that city. He moved out several months ago, but it was not clear Saturday how long he had lived there.
A 40-year-old man who was struck by one of Brehm's bullets during the rampage was hospitalized with serious injuries but expected to survive, officials said.
Clad in a sleeveless undershirt, Brehm showed up at the intersection and began firing indiscriminately at passing vehicles, officials said.
In an amateur video shot during the incident, the gunman is seen firing his handgun into the passenger compartment of a passing pickup truck at close range.
A motive in the shooting was unknown, however Brehm was heard screaming "kill me" and "I'm gonna die" during the rampage.
While Los Angeles police have not revealed any motive in the shooting, a Facebook page established for Tyler Brehm may provide some insight.
Brehm's relationship status on a Facebook profile was changed Tuesday from "in relationship" to "single," the same day Brehm's hometown was changed to Hollywood.
No mentions of the shooting or Brehm's death appeared Saturday afternoon on the online profile.
Several items on his Facebook page had changed between Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon.
His "interests" were listed Saturday morning as "knowledge," "conversation," "friendship," "family," and "military intelligence." By the afternoon, the "military intelligence" entry had been removed, and replaced with "dog."
The "movies" preferences section of the profile had also been taken down Saturday. It previously read, "Anything with a bad ass... Money... And a lot of guns."
In an interview with KTLA 5, Brehm's ex-girlfriend, 24-year-old Alicia Alligood, said she dated Brehm for four years before they broke up earlier this month. They had met when both lived in Pennsylvania.
She said lately, Brehm had seen "really stressed out," and possibly had recently started taking some kind of pills, which was out of character for him.
She described him to the TV station as being a "humanitarian" in the past who was involved in nonprofit work.
He sent a text message to her only minutes before the shooting telling her he loved her, she said.
PHOTO of Tyler Brehm taken from Facebook
Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency Saturday in response to a recent windstorm that caused as much as $75 million worth of damage, primarily in the San Gabriel Valley.
On the heels of a tour of eight of the most badly damaged San Gabriel Valley cities last week, State Rep. Anthony Portantino, D-Pasadena, said Brown has decided to declare a state of emergency, allowing city governments to be reimbursed for up to 75 percent of the cost of the damage through state and federal agencies.
Additionally, the proclamation allows state agencies to assist in the recovery, according to the proclamation.
"I'm very pleased that they took the time to come see for themselves, and I commend the governor for doing the right thing," Portantino said. "This was a devastating incident for the cities of the San Gabriel Valley, and it is completely appropriate to have a declaration declared."
Portantino had requested a visit from state officials to consider declaring a state of emergency.
With the state's declaration, "We can dig out of this mess and get on with our lives," he said.
According to a written statement issued by Brown's office, the emergency proclamation affects, "Los Angeles County and the City of Rancho Cucamonga following severe winds that began on Nov. 30 and caused major damage and extensive interruption of utilities and other critical services."
Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich said he was also gld to hear the governor had issued the proclamation.
"We welcome the state's declaration as it enhances the county's effort to help our residents recover from the damage associated with this windstorm," Antonovich said.
Some cities may be hard-pressed to come up with the resources needed to make repairs.
In Sierra Madre, for instance, the city's general fund amounts to about $4 million. The city sustained an estimated $7 million in damages in the storm.
Portantino said local cities and the county should be applauded for providing important information to the state reflecting the seriousness of the situation.
On the heels of a tour of eight of the most badly damaged San Gabriel Valley cities last week, State Rep. Anthony Portantino, D-Pasadena, said Brown has decided to declare a state of emergency, allowing city governments to be reimbursed for up to 75 percent of the cost of the damage through state and federal agencies.
Additionally, the proclamation allows state agencies to assist in the recovery, according to the proclamation.
"I'm very pleased that they took the time to come see for themselves, and I commend the governor for doing the right thing," Portantino said. "This was a devastating incident for the cities of the San Gabriel Valley, and it is completely appropriate to have a declaration declared."
Portantino had requested a visit from state officials to consider declaring a state of emergency.
With the state's declaration, "We can dig out of this mess and get on with our lives," he said.
According to a written statement issued by Brown's office, the emergency proclamation affects, "Los Angeles County and the City of Rancho Cucamonga following severe winds that began on Nov. 30 and caused major damage and extensive interruption of utilities and other critical services."
Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich said he was also gld to hear the governor had issued the proclamation.
"We welcome the state's declaration as it enhances the county's effort to help our residents recover from the damage associated with this windstorm," Antonovich said.
Some cities may be hard-pressed to come up with the resources needed to make repairs.
In Sierra Madre, for instance, the city's general fund amounts to about $4 million. The city sustained an estimated $7 million in damages in the storm.
Portantino said local cities and the county should be applauded for providing important information to the state reflecting the seriousness of the situation.
HOLLYWOOD -- A 26-year-old former Azusa resident who opened fire on cars randomly at a busy Hollywood intersection Friday before being fatally shot by police has been identified, officials said.
Tyler Brehm died at the scene of the bizarre incident, whichj unfolded shortly after 10 a.m. at Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Lt. Larry Dietz said. His current city of residency was not clear.
Azusa police described him as a former resident of an Arrow Highway apartment complex in that city. He moved out several months ago, but it was not clear Saturday how long he had lived there.
A 40-year-old man who was struck by one of Brehm's bullets during the rampage was hospitalized with serious injuries but expected to survive, officials said.
A motive in the shooting was unknown, however Brehm was heard screaming "kill me" and "I'm gonna die" during the rampage.
SANTA ANA -- A La Habra man convicted last week of scamming an elderly couple out of $5.5 million through a phony gold investment scheme now faces new charges stemming from his time as a fugitive, authorities said.
John Arthur Walthall, 56, faces up to 130 years in prison when he's sentenced for the gold investment scheme March 5 in federal court, U.S. Attorney's officials said in a written statement.
In the scam, he told an elderly couple he was running an investment dealing with extracting gold from abandoned gold mines, prosecutors said. He instead used the couple's money to fund a lavish lifestyle and pay for personal expenses.
But he has new charges to contend with as well, officials said.
After failing to appear for a June 27 court hearing, Walthall became a fugitive, according to the statement. He was arrested July 26 in Mesquite, Nevada.
"A gun and a book entitled, 'How to Be Invisible' were found in Walthall's possession when he was arrested," the statement said.
As a result, he is now due to appear again in court Jan. 3 to face weapons charges.
Additionally, investigators are looking into the possibility of additional fraud charges, U.S. Attorney's officials said.
"At the time of his arrest, Walthall was using the name Art Langford. Using the false name, Walthall obtained approximately $10,000 from an Orange County businessman and used part of that money to facilitate his escape," according to the statement. "Investigators believe that Walthall may have defrauded others using the name Art Langford (while a fugitive)."
John Arthur Walthall, 56, faces up to 130 years in prison when he's sentenced for the gold investment scheme March 5 in federal court, U.S. Attorney's officials said in a written statement.
In the scam, he told an elderly couple he was running an investment dealing with extracting gold from abandoned gold mines, prosecutors said. He instead used the couple's money to fund a lavish lifestyle and pay for personal expenses.
But he has new charges to contend with as well, officials said.
After failing to appear for a June 27 court hearing, Walthall became a fugitive, according to the statement. He was arrested July 26 in Mesquite, Nevada.
"A gun and a book entitled, 'How to Be Invisible' were found in Walthall's possession when he was arrested," the statement said.
As a result, he is now due to appear again in court Jan. 3 to face weapons charges.
Additionally, investigators are looking into the possibility of additional fraud charges, U.S. Attorney's officials said.
"At the time of his arrest, Walthall was using the name Art Langford. Using the false name, Walthall obtained approximately $10,000 from an Orange County businessman and used part of that money to facilitate his escape," according to the statement. "Investigators believe that Walthall may have defrauded others using the name Art Langford (while a fugitive)."
ALHAMBRA -- Sentencing was postponed Friday for a San Gabriel woman convicted of taking part in the 2005 slaying of a 17-year-old Gabrielino High School student.
A jury found her Sarah Toledo, 24, guilty in the June of the April 27, 2005 murder of Ryan Dasalla, as well as conspiracy to commit murder. Toledo was 17 at the time of the murder.
Along with Gabriel Guerrero, 30, of Rosemead and his brother Daniel Guerrero, who remains a fugitive, Toledo took part in the fatal shooting of Dasalla about a block from Gabrielino High School in what prosecutors described as a case of mistaken identity, according to prosecutors and investigators.
She was schedule to be sentenced Friday in Alhambra Superior Court, however the hearing was postponed until Dec. 21, court officials said.
Gabriel and Daniel Guerrero, members of the Varrio Nueva Estrada street gang, attacked Dasalla on the mistaken belief that he had been involved in the beating of their younger brother the previous night, officials said. Toledo helped them target him.
In addition to the murder and conspiracy charges, the jury also found true special allegations that a gun was used in the killing and that the murder was gang-related, Los Angeles County District Attorney's officials said.
She faces 50 years to life in prison when sentenced.
Gabriel Guerrero was sentenced to 84 years in prison in August of 2010 after being convicted in the murder.
SOUTH PASADENA -- Police jailed a man on suspicion of breaking into an apartment complex laundry room attempting to steal coins both early Friday and several weeks ago, officials said.
Andrew Carrington, a 20-year-old transient from the Los Angeles area, was booked on suspicion of burglary, South Pasadena police Cpl. Matthew Ronnie said. Police are also looking into whether he may be responsible for seven other similar crimes in the city over the past month.
A resident of an apartment building in the 300 block of Pasadena Avenue called police just after 7 a.m. to report seeing a man who had broken into the complex's laundry room, the corporal said.
She was able to point officers toward the suspect, who was still walking in the area, Ronnie said.
He was found to have burglary tools such a a screwdriver and wrenches and arrested without a struggle, police added. He had been unable to obtain any coins from the washing machines, though he had broken them open.
In addition to early Friday's break-in, Ronnie said, fingerprints linked Carrington to another almost identical crime several weeks ago at another apartment complex in the 600 block of Prospect Avenue.
Authorities were investigating whether Carrington was responsible for any of the other seven similar crimes since early November, South Pasadena police officials said in a written statement.
Additionally, he police found he's also wanted in Los Angeles on suspicion of burglaries in that city.
Andrew Carrington, a 20-year-old transient from the Los Angeles area, was booked on suspicion of burglary, South Pasadena police Cpl. Matthew Ronnie said. Police are also looking into whether he may be responsible for seven other similar crimes in the city over the past month.
A resident of an apartment building in the 300 block of Pasadena Avenue called police just after 7 a.m. to report seeing a man who had broken into the complex's laundry room, the corporal said.
She was able to point officers toward the suspect, who was still walking in the area, Ronnie said.
He was found to have burglary tools such a a screwdriver and wrenches and arrested without a struggle, police added. He had been unable to obtain any coins from the washing machines, though he had broken them open.
In addition to early Friday's break-in, Ronnie said, fingerprints linked Carrington to another almost identical crime several weeks ago at another apartment complex in the 600 block of Prospect Avenue.
Authorities were investigating whether Carrington was responsible for any of the other seven similar crimes since early November, South Pasadena police officials said in a written statement.
Additionally, he police found he's also wanted in Los Angeles on suspicion of burglaries in that city.
POMONA -- A SWAT team raided a medical marijuana dispensary Thursday and arrested a Rialto man on suspicion of possession of marijuana for sales, authorities said.
Javier Sarabia, 33, was booked at the Pomona Police Department's jail and released later in the day after posting $20,000 bail, according to county booking records.
SWAT team members and detectives served a search warrant about 10:45 a.m. at "Natural Remedies," 162 E. First Street, Pomona police Sgt. Duane Leonard said in a written statement.
"The search warrant was obtained as the result of a month-long investigation into the illegal sales of marijuana from the location," Leonard said. "The investigation was prompted by complaints from citizens regarding the illegal activity."
About a pound of marijuana, cash and weapons were seized during the operation, officials said.
"This location is among many other store front marijuana sales locations that have been closed in recent months," Leonard said.
MONROVIA -- A dog died in a house fire Thursday, however no people were injured, authorities said.
The fire broke out about 10:30 p.m. in the 200 block of East Chestnut Avenue, Monrovia police Sgt. Dan Verna said.
The interior of the home was on fire when officials arrived, however the family residing at the home had safely gotten out, the sergeant said.
Monrovia Fire Department firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze, which centered in the home's living room, Verna said.
A family dog -- a Boxer -- was unable to get out of the home and died, apparently as a result of the smoke, officials said.
The home was determined to be uninhabitable, he added, and the residents stayed with local family members for the night.
The officials cause of the fire remained under investigation, Verna said. Though officials noted the blaze was most intense near the home's Christmas tree, residents reported it was not lit when the fire erupted.
NORWALK - A 22-year-old Bellflower woman described in chilling detail Thursday how three El Monte men tried to kill her in 2009, cutting and slashing her throat and jamming needles into her neck before throwing her down a steep grade in Turnbull Canyon.
Victim Christina Martinez recalled with great detail the events of Aug. 4, 2009, when she left one friend's home with three other friends at about 1:30 a.m. thinking they would give her a ride home after going to the beach.
Instead, she found herself in an epic struggle to survive.
"I was fighting him as he was cutting me," Martinez recalled for the jury.
"He was telling me `Just let it happen, just let it happen,' and I was fighting him."
AZUSA - A 59-year-old Azusa man was robbed of his wallet Thursday night by a gunman and his accomplice.
Azusa police Sgt. Randy Schmidt said the man wasn't injured during the 10:25 p.m. robbery in the 1100 block of West Calle De La Luna.
Schmidt said two men walked up to the victim who was in a carport.
"One points a handgun and they demanded his wallet," Schmidt said.
The robbers then ran northbound and out of sight.
They were described as Latinos in their 20s. One of the suspects stands about 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighs 150 pounds and wore a white shirt and dark-colored pants. He was also armed with a handgun.
The other suspect is 5 feet 9 inches and 160 pounds. He was clad in a black shirt and dark-colored pants.
- From Staff Writer Ruby Gonzales
LA MIRADA - A man in a faded leather jacket and carrying a red-and-black tool bag robbed a Big Lots of about $1,600 Thursday night, deputies said.
The robbery was reported at 10:02 p.m.
Sheriff's Sgt. Mike Mendoza said a man entered the store at 13942 Imperial Highway and demanded money. The employees handed over the cash to the robber.
He was last seen walking out of the store.
The suspect was described as a Latino in his early 30s with a mustache. He wore a red baseball cap, a plaid shirt and a leather jacket.
It's the second robbery of a local Big Lots this week.
An armed man on Wednesday forced the manager of a Big Lots in Diamond Bar to hand over money from the store safe. Authorities haven't determined if the two cases are linked.
- From Staff Writer Ruby Gonzales
Local police agencies and DEA agents on Thursday arrested 14 people already indicted for drug trafficking activities by a Whittier organization run by siblings and its Mexico-based suppliers of cocaine and methamphetamine.
Authorities confiscated about 75 pounds of methamphetamine, 100 kilograms of cocaine and $1.1 million during the investigation, dubbed "Operation Family Reunion", that led to the arrests.
On Thursday, officers seized more than 10 pounds of methamphetamine and a firearm.
The DEA named the investigation, "Operation Family Reunion" because the arrests anticipated reuniting three of the suspects, Whittier residents Rogelio, Salvador and Angelita Sendis, with their brother, Nicholas, who has been convicted and sentenced to 16 years in federal prison.
A federal grand jury indicted 44 people last month. According to the indictment, which was unsealed Thursday, the suspects allegedly conspired in the distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine. The defendants face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years in federal prison and could receive life sentences.
The DEA's Southwest Border Group 4 out of the Los Angeles Field Division and the Whittier police department conducted the investigation.
It is the third indictment dealing with the Sendis family drug trafficking organization.
Since authorities started investigating the group in 2006, DEA agents have seized more than 225 pounds of high-purity meth, more than 400 kilograms of cocaine, and more than $4.6 million in cash.
The most recent case not only focused on the Sendis organization but also on its Mexican suppliers.
Two leaders of the group, Nicholas Sendis and his wife, Jennifer, were arrested in 2008 and later convicted. Federal and local officials alleged that Nicholas Sendis' siblings, Rogelio, 31, Salvador, 29, and Angelita, 26, then took over the operation.
Rogelio and Salvador Sendis allegedly coordinated the distribution of methamphetamine for the organization. Angelita Sendis allegedly coordinated some of the group's business while Rogelio Sendis was out of town.
Harry Madera, 26, of Downey, David Ortiz, 27, of Whittier, Daniel Zavala, 35, of Whittier, and Jesus Magana, 30, of Norwalk allegedly distributed narcotics and collected drug proceeds on behalf of the Sendis organization.
Among those who allegedly sold meth for the group were Manuel Rivas, 31, of Whittier, Paul Keesey, 42, of Santa Ana, Richard Oliver, 47, of Santa Ana, James Hermosillo, 34, of Hacienda Heights and Antonio Sanchez, 38, of Whittier.
Authorities alleged Martin Hernandez Jr., 23, of Inglewood transported Mexican methamphetamine from Phoenix to Los Angeles and then took drug proceeds back to Arizona.
Like the others, Amalia Hernandez, 58, of Inglewood, has been indicted for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances as well as distribution of controlled substances.
The suspects had a Thursday afternoon arraignment in a Los Angeles federal court.
A related indictment unsealed Thursday charges several Mexico-based methamphetamine suppliers including Jose Felix-Barraza who is on the run. He allegedly supplied drugs to the Sendis organization and other customers throughout the Southwest United States.
- from staff reports
BALDWIN PARK -- One dog died and another was resuscitated by firefighters following a large house fire late Wednesday, officials said.
No humans were hurt, either civilian or firefighter, in the blaze, which was reported about 10:30 p.m. in the 14700 block of Macdevvit Street, Los Angeles County Fire Department officials said.
Firefighters arrived to find the house already well-involved with fire, Capt. Steve Scheidemantle said.
The home's three adult residents had gotten themselves out of the burning home safely, but reported their two pet dogs were still trapped inside, the captain said.
Firefighters went into the home and pulled out the dogs, both of which were unconscious, Scheidemantle said.
A medium-sized dog died at the scene, he said, however firefighters were able to use an oxygen tank to resuscitate a small dog pulled from the home.
A malfunctioning electrical outlet was initially blamed for the fire, though the cause remained under investigation, officials said.
The blaze caused an estimated $230,000 worth of damage to the house and its contents, authorities added. The Red Cross helped in finding temporary lodgings for the three people displaced from the home.
No humans were hurt, either civilian or firefighter, in the blaze, which was reported about 10:30 p.m. in the 14700 block of Macdevvit Street, Los Angeles County Fire Department officials said.
Firefighters arrived to find the house already well-involved with fire, Capt. Steve Scheidemantle said.
The home's three adult residents had gotten themselves out of the burning home safely, but reported their two pet dogs were still trapped inside, the captain said.
Firefighters went into the home and pulled out the dogs, both of which were unconscious, Scheidemantle said.
A medium-sized dog died at the scene, he said, however firefighters were able to use an oxygen tank to resuscitate a small dog pulled from the home.
A malfunctioning electrical outlet was initially blamed for the fire, though the cause remained under investigation, officials said.
The blaze caused an estimated $230,000 worth of damage to the house and its contents, authorities added. The Red Cross helped in finding temporary lodgings for the three people displaced from the home.
NORWALK -- Opening statements began Thursday in the trial of two El Monte men accused of slitting a young woman's throat and leaving her for dead in Whittier's Turnbull Canyon, court officials said.
Vincent Mendoza, 23, and Edward Meraz, 26, are charged with attempted murder, kidnapping, aggravated mayhem and assault with a deadly weapon in connection with the Aug. 4, 2009 attack on then-20-year-old Christina Martinez of Bellflower.
Another suspect in the case, Jose Ayala, 29, of El Monte pleaded no contest earlier this year to a count of attempted murder and received a prison sentence of 39 years to life, Los Angeles County District Attorney's officials said.
The men allegedly drove Martinez, a friend, to Turnbull Canyon in Whittier under the pretense of a trip to the beach, investigators said.
After tying her up and beating her, the suspects slit her throat and dumped her over the side of Turnbull Canyon Road in Whittier, investigators said. Though severely wounded, Martinez managed to climb a steep hillside and seek help from a resident in the 6000 block of Altmark Avenue.
A short time later, Whittier police stopped a car containing Mendoza, Meraz and Ayala, along with rope and a shovel, authorities said.
If convicted as charged, Mendoza and Meraz could each face life sentences.
The case is being heard in Norwalk Superior Court.
Vincent Mendoza, 23, and Edward Meraz, 26, are charged with attempted murder, kidnapping, aggravated mayhem and assault with a deadly weapon in connection with the Aug. 4, 2009 attack on then-20-year-old Christina Martinez of Bellflower.
Another suspect in the case, Jose Ayala, 29, of El Monte pleaded no contest earlier this year to a count of attempted murder and received a prison sentence of 39 years to life, Los Angeles County District Attorney's officials said.
The men allegedly drove Martinez, a friend, to Turnbull Canyon in Whittier under the pretense of a trip to the beach, investigators said.
After tying her up and beating her, the suspects slit her throat and dumped her over the side of Turnbull Canyon Road in Whittier, investigators said. Though severely wounded, Martinez managed to climb a steep hillside and seek help from a resident in the 6000 block of Altmark Avenue.
A short time later, Whittier police stopped a car containing Mendoza, Meraz and Ayala, along with rope and a shovel, authorities said.
If convicted as charged, Mendoza and Meraz could each face life sentences.
The case is being heard in Norwalk Superior Court.
PASADENA -- The jury began deliberations Thursday in Pasadena Superior Court in the case of a former preacher accused of murdering his girlfriend in the Monrovia apartment they shared.
Brian Lee Randone, 47, is charged with the Sept. 11, 2009 torture and slaying of his girlfriend, 31-year-old model and adult film actress Felicia Lee.
Lee was found suffocated to death in the couple's apartment in the 500 block of West Duarte Road on a Friday afternoon, according to coroner's officials.
She also had suffered more than 300 small wounds and abrasions all over her body, investigators said.
The prosecution has argued the wounds the result of a brutal killing at the hands of Randone, while the defense has maintained that Lee died as the result of a drug overdose.
If convicted as charged, Randone could face life in prison.
Brian Lee Randone, 47, is charged with the Sept. 11, 2009 torture and slaying of his girlfriend, 31-year-old model and adult film actress Felicia Lee.
Lee was found suffocated to death in the couple's apartment in the 500 block of West Duarte Road on a Friday afternoon, according to coroner's officials.
She also had suffered more than 300 small wounds and abrasions all over her body, investigators said.
The prosecution has argued the wounds the result of a brutal killing at the hands of Randone, while the defense has maintained that Lee died as the result of a drug overdose.
If convicted as charged, Randone could face life in prison.
POMONA -- A 6-year-old boy remained in critical condition a day after he was accidentally shot by a relative, police said.
The incident happened about 5:50 p.m. Tuesday at the boy's home in the 1400 block of W. 10th Street, Pomona police Lt. Michael Olivieri said.
Officials believe the boy was shot by a relative, who was handling a firearm.
"It looks like the child will survive," Olivieri said Tuesday regarding the boys condition.
Officials said the boy was still in critical condition on Wednesday.
Hospital staff contacted police after family members brought the wounded boy to a local medical facility, according to a police news release.
Officials conducted interviews at the hospital before going to the residence, where they questioned other family members.
Police detained two of the boy's relatives Tuesday night. The teenagers thought to be involved in the shooting were questioned and released, police said.
After conducting several interviews, police determined the shooting was an an accident.
The investigation is ongoing.
- From our counterparts at the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
The incident happened about 5:50 p.m. Tuesday at the boy's home in the 1400 block of W. 10th Street, Pomona police Lt. Michael Olivieri said.
Officials believe the boy was shot by a relative, who was handling a firearm.
"It looks like the child will survive," Olivieri said Tuesday regarding the boys condition.
Officials said the boy was still in critical condition on Wednesday.
Hospital staff contacted police after family members brought the wounded boy to a local medical facility, according to a police news release.
Officials conducted interviews at the hospital before going to the residence, where they questioned other family members.
Police detained two of the boy's relatives Tuesday night. The teenagers thought to be involved in the shooting were questioned and released, police said.
After conducting several interviews, police determined the shooting was an an accident.
The investigation is ongoing.
- From our counterparts at the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
AZUSA -- Police are looking for two suspects who shot and injured another man Wednesday night.
Azusa police Lt. Mike Bertelsen said callers reported gunshots and "a man down" in the 500 block of South Azusa Avenue shortly after 5 p.m.
Officers checking out the calls found a man who had been shot in the upper body.
Bertelsen said the victim, an Azusa resident, was taken to a hospital and was listed in stable condition Wednesday night. He added that the man's injuries weren't life-threatening.
The victim told officers his assailants were two Latinos. There was no other description given for the suspects.
Police don't know yet what led to the shooting.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Tom Avila at 626-812-3267.
- From Staff Writer Ruby Gonzales
Azusa police Lt. Mike Bertelsen said callers reported gunshots and "a man down" in the 500 block of South Azusa Avenue shortly after 5 p.m.
Officers checking out the calls found a man who had been shot in the upper body.
Bertelsen said the victim, an Azusa resident, was taken to a hospital and was listed in stable condition Wednesday night. He added that the man's injuries weren't life-threatening.
The victim told officers his assailants were two Latinos. There was no other description given for the suspects.
Police don't know yet what led to the shooting.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Tom Avila at 626-812-3267.
- From Staff Writer Ruby Gonzales
SAN DIMAS -- A 66-year-old transient sustained burns to 15 percent of her body when a campfire started a brush fire Wednesday night, officials said.
Two deputies and a driver were also injured when a patrol car heading to the fire collided with a van.
The fire broke out at 8:24 p.m. in an area southeast of San Dimas Avenue and Puddingstone Drive.
Eddie Pickett, a Los Angeles County Fire supervising dispatcher, said 25 firefighters knocked down the blaze at 8:43 p.m.
Firefighters estimated it burned about 200 feet of brush.
Deputies couldn't confirm reports that an explosion was heard before the fire.
Sheriff's Lt. Andy Berg said the 66-year-old woman was taken to a hospital.
The crash happened within minutes of the fire being reported.
A van heading east on Arrow Highway pulled over to yield to a fire truck.
The driver, a 54-year-old woman, also saw two patrol cars with their lights and sirens pass, according to Berg. The deputies went from westbound Arrow Highway to southbound San Dimas Avenue.
Berg said all other traffic was stopped. The van proceeded through the intersection and collided with a patrol car.
He said the van's driver injured her left wrist, the deputy driving the patrol car complained of pain to her wrist and the deputy sitting in the front passenger seat complained of neck and back pain. All three were taken to hospital.
The deputies were expected to be released later from the hospital.
- From Staff Writer Ruby Gonzales
Two deputies and a driver were also injured when a patrol car heading to the fire collided with a van.
The fire broke out at 8:24 p.m. in an area southeast of San Dimas Avenue and Puddingstone Drive.
Eddie Pickett, a Los Angeles County Fire supervising dispatcher, said 25 firefighters knocked down the blaze at 8:43 p.m.
Firefighters estimated it burned about 200 feet of brush.
Deputies couldn't confirm reports that an explosion was heard before the fire.
Sheriff's Lt. Andy Berg said the 66-year-old woman was taken to a hospital.
The crash happened within minutes of the fire being reported.
A van heading east on Arrow Highway pulled over to yield to a fire truck.
The driver, a 54-year-old woman, also saw two patrol cars with their lights and sirens pass, according to Berg. The deputies went from westbound Arrow Highway to southbound San Dimas Avenue.
Berg said all other traffic was stopped. The van proceeded through the intersection and collided with a patrol car.
He said the van's driver injured her left wrist, the deputy driving the patrol car complained of pain to her wrist and the deputy sitting in the front passenger seat complained of neck and back pain. All three were taken to hospital.
The deputies were expected to be released later from the hospital.
- From Staff Writer Ruby Gonzales
PASADENA -- A man wearing a plastic Batman mask along with three other masked accomplices robbed a liquor store of cash, cigarettes and lottery tickets Wednesday night.
Pasadena police Lt. Pete Hettema said two of the suspects were seen with guns during the takeover robbery at Sunshine Liquor, 3360 E. Colorado Blvd.
Officers later caught the alleged driver and recovered the getaway car but the other suspects escaped.
The robbery happened about 7 p.m.
Hettema said there were two customers in the store when four masked robbers entered the business.
"They pointed guns at them," he said.
The robbers took off with cash, lottery tickets and cigarettes.
Hettema said a witness was able to get a partial license plate number for the suspects' car. He said an officer then later spotted the vehicle on Marengo Avenue, north of Washington Boulevard.
Four people got out and ran.
Police closed off the surrounding streets and used dogs and a helicopter during the search
The four suspects still missing were described as being in their 20s, standing between 5 feet 5 inches to 6 feet tall and possibly black men. They were clad in gray and black hooded sweatshirts.
- From Staff Writer Ruby Gonzales
Pasadena police Lt. Pete Hettema said two of the suspects were seen with guns during the takeover robbery at Sunshine Liquor, 3360 E. Colorado Blvd.
Officers later caught the alleged driver and recovered the getaway car but the other suspects escaped.
The robbery happened about 7 p.m.
Hettema said there were two customers in the store when four masked robbers entered the business.
"They pointed guns at them," he said.
The robbers took off with cash, lottery tickets and cigarettes.
Hettema said a witness was able to get a partial license plate number for the suspects' car. He said an officer then later spotted the vehicle on Marengo Avenue, north of Washington Boulevard.
Four people got out and ran.
Police closed off the surrounding streets and used dogs and a helicopter during the search
The four suspects still missing were described as being in their 20s, standing between 5 feet 5 inches to 6 feet tall and possibly black men. They were clad in gray and black hooded sweatshirts.
- From Staff Writer Ruby Gonzales
BALDWIN PARK -- A driver was shot at twice by a carload of suspects Wednesday night but wasn't injured.
Baldwin Park police Sgt. Darryl Kosaka said the Baldwin Park man was driving south on Bogart Avenue when for unknown reasons he was followed by another car.
Kosaka said four men inside the second vehicle kept throwing gang signs. Their car pulled alongside the victim's car and one of the suspects fired.
They shot at the victim's car a second time before driving off. The suspects' were last seen eastbound on Pacific Avenue.
The suspects were only described as 18 to 15, possibly Latino.
Kosaka said the Baldwin Park man wasn't hit by gunfire but his car ended up with a bullet hole.
Baldwin Park police Sgt. Darryl Kosaka said the Baldwin Park man was driving south on Bogart Avenue when for unknown reasons he was followed by another car.
Kosaka said four men inside the second vehicle kept throwing gang signs. Their car pulled alongside the victim's car and one of the suspects fired.
They shot at the victim's car a second time before driving off. The suspects' were last seen eastbound on Pacific Avenue.
The suspects were only described as 18 to 15, possibly Latino.
Kosaka said the Baldwin Park man wasn't hit by gunfire but his car ended up with a bullet hole.
DIAMOND BAR -- A man armed with a handgun robbed a Big Lots Wednesday night of an undisclosed amount.
Sheriff's Sgt. Mark Saldecke said no shots were fired and no one was injured during the 9 p.m. robbery at the store, 1139 S. Diamond Bar Blvd.
He said the robber was waiting outside the manager's office. When she stepped out, Saldecke said the suspect pulled out a gun and forced her back into the office.
The suspect also threatened to hurt her if she didn't take the money from the safe, according to the sergeant.
The man then ran out with the cash. He was described as a Latino, about 45 to 50, with a mustache, between 5 feet 8 inches to 6 feet tall and weighing between 160 to 180 pounds. He wore blue jeans and a denim jacket.
- From Staff Writer Ruby Gonzales
Sheriff's Sgt. Mark Saldecke said no shots were fired and no one was injured during the 9 p.m. robbery at the store, 1139 S. Diamond Bar Blvd.
He said the robber was waiting outside the manager's office. When she stepped out, Saldecke said the suspect pulled out a gun and forced her back into the office.
The suspect also threatened to hurt her if she didn't take the money from the safe, according to the sergeant.
The man then ran out with the cash. He was described as a Latino, about 45 to 50, with a mustache, between 5 feet 8 inches to 6 feet tall and weighing between 160 to 180 pounds. He wore blue jeans and a denim jacket.
- From Staff Writer Ruby Gonzales
LOS ANGELES -- A serial robber pleaded guilty to six bank heists which included banks in Pasadena and La Verne.
Ernest Viana, who was dubbed by the FBI as the "Tri-Cities Bandit", entered his plea Tuesday at a Los Angeles federal court.
He will be sentenced March 12, according to court document.
His alleged accomplice and getaway driver, 42-year-old Oleg Gorokhovsky, has a trial set for Jan. 10.
The FBI gave the moniker because the bandit initially robbed banks in Pasadena, Glendale and Burbank. He started robbing banks in June and presented tellers a note demanding large bills.
Viana was charged with 10 bank robberies and two attempted robberies in communities that included Pasadena, Los Angeles, Chino Hills, La Verne and Glendale. Court documents estimated the amount taken at $21,229.
Viana and Gorokhovsky were arrested by deputies after robbing the First California Bank in Westlake Village on Aug. 19.
- From Staff Writer Ruby Gonzales
Ernest Viana, who was dubbed by the FBI as the "Tri-Cities Bandit", entered his plea Tuesday at a Los Angeles federal court.
He will be sentenced March 12, according to court document.
His alleged accomplice and getaway driver, 42-year-old Oleg Gorokhovsky, has a trial set for Jan. 10.
The FBI gave the moniker because the bandit initially robbed banks in Pasadena, Glendale and Burbank. He started robbing banks in June and presented tellers a note demanding large bills.
Viana was charged with 10 bank robberies and two attempted robberies in communities that included Pasadena, Los Angeles, Chino Hills, La Verne and Glendale. Court documents estimated the amount taken at $21,229.
Viana and Gorokhovsky were arrested by deputies after robbing the First California Bank in Westlake Village on Aug. 19.
- From Staff Writer Ruby Gonzales
With the recent power outages that left countless traffic signals non-operations, Irwindale Police Chief Dennis Smith wants to remind people to use caution when driving while the power is out.
Blacked-out intersections should be treated as four-way stops, officials said, however drivers should never presume that other motorists will properly yield the right of way. He said even if its your turn, another driver might not realize it.
"You can be right and still be dead," Smith said.
Smith said many people are unaware that an intersection should be treated as a four-way stop when the signal is out and encouraged drivers to review the California Vehicle Code:
CALIFORNIA VEHICLE CODE
21800 (d) (1) The driver of any vehicle approaching an intersection which has official traffic control signals that are inoperative shall stop at the intersection, and may proceed with caution when it is safe to do so.
2) When two vehicles enter an intersection from different highways at the same time, and the official traffic control signals for the intersection are inoperative, the driver of the vehicle on the left shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on his or her immediate right, except that the driver of any vehicle on a terminating highway shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle on the intersecting continuing highway.
Blacked-out intersections should be treated as four-way stops, officials said, however drivers should never presume that other motorists will properly yield the right of way. He said even if its your turn, another driver might not realize it.
"You can be right and still be dead," Smith said.
Smith said many people are unaware that an intersection should be treated as a four-way stop when the signal is out and encouraged drivers to review the California Vehicle Code:
CALIFORNIA VEHICLE CODE
21800 (d) (1) The driver of any vehicle approaching an intersection which has official traffic control signals that are inoperative shall stop at the intersection, and may proceed with caution when it is safe to do so.
2) When two vehicles enter an intersection from different highways at the same time, and the official traffic control signals for the intersection are inoperative, the driver of the vehicle on the left shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on his or her immediate right, except that the driver of any vehicle on a terminating highway shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle on the intersecting continuing highway.
POMONA -- A judge Wednesday ordered a former San Dimas man arrested in Las Vegas earlier this year in connection with the murder of a Covina woman 26 years ago to stand trial Wednesday.
Stafford Joel Spicer, 55, is charged with the death of aspiring model and travel agency employee Jo Anne Marie, 23, of Covina, who went missing after leaving her boyfriend's condo in Long Beach on April 28, 1985.
Her body was discovered off of East Fork Road, near highway 39, in the Angeles National Forest more than a month later.
After a three-day preliminary hearing in Pomona Superior Court, Judge Bruce Marrs ruled that there was sufficient evidence to hold Spicer for a trial, court officials said.
He's scheduled to return to court Jan. 24 for an arraignment.
Prosecutors allege the killing occurred as Spicer was trying to kidnap, rob and rape Jones.
He was found driving Jones 1978 Chevrolet Camaro and initially arrested three days after Jones went missing, but more than a month before her body was found, authorities said. He was ultimately released due to a lack of evidence.
In 2009, Los Angeles County sheriff's homicide detectives learned new information and obtained new DNA evidence that caused them to take another look at the 26-year-old investigation, authorities said. Recent advances in DNA technology also made the arrest possible.
He was taken into custody in Las Vegas, where he had since moved.
According to county booking records, Spicer is being held without bail at the Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles pending trial.
Stafford Joel Spicer, 55, is charged with the death of aspiring model and travel agency employee Jo Anne Marie, 23, of Covina, who went missing after leaving her boyfriend's condo in Long Beach on April 28, 1985.
Her body was discovered off of East Fork Road, near highway 39, in the Angeles National Forest more than a month later.
After a three-day preliminary hearing in Pomona Superior Court, Judge Bruce Marrs ruled that there was sufficient evidence to hold Spicer for a trial, court officials said.
He's scheduled to return to court Jan. 24 for an arraignment.
Prosecutors allege the killing occurred as Spicer was trying to kidnap, rob and rape Jones.
He was found driving Jones 1978 Chevrolet Camaro and initially arrested three days after Jones went missing, but more than a month before her body was found, authorities said. He was ultimately released due to a lack of evidence.
In 2009, Los Angeles County sheriff's homicide detectives learned new information and obtained new DNA evidence that caused them to take another look at the 26-year-old investigation, authorities said. Recent advances in DNA technology also made the arrest possible.
He was taken into custody in Las Vegas, where he had since moved.
According to county booking records, Spicer is being held without bail at the Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles pending trial.
NORWALK -- Jury selection began Tuesday for two El Monte men charged with slashing the throat of a 20-year-old Bellflower woman and leaving her for dead in a rugged canyon.
Vincent Mendoza, 23, and Edward Meraz, 26, are each charged with attempted murder, kidnapping, aggravated mayhem and assault with a deadly weapon for the 2009 attack on Christina Ivonne Martinez, who was then 20 years old.
Prosecutors also allege the men personally inflicted great bodily injury on the victim and Mendoza used a knife to commit the crimes.
The charges stem from the Aug. 4, 2009, kidnapping of Martinez.
Martinez told police she was going to the beach with the men, who were her friends, when she got into their car.
Instead, she was tied up, beaten and then driven to Whittier where she was unbound and forced out of the car. One of the men then allegedly slashed her throat before pushing her down the rocky canyon.
Despite her injuries, Martinez was able to climb the steep grade. She then made her way to the back door of a house in the 6000 block of Altmark Avenue in Whittier where she was helped by a resident.
A Whittier Police Department officer later stopped a Mitsubishi and found the two defendants, along with a third suspect, a shovel and a rope, police said.
The third suspect, Jose Ayala, pleaded no contest on March 17 to a single count of attempted murder and was sentenced to 39 years to life in prison.
There was no word Tuesday if he would testify against his former co-defendants.
If Meraz and Mendoza are convicted on all counts, they face face a life prison term as well.
A jury was chosen Tuesday for Mendoza. A separate jury will be selected Wednesday for Meraz, according to court staff.
The two men will be tried simultaneously, with the two juries seated in the same courtroom to save time and expenses.
Opening statements are scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. Thursday in Dept. D of the Norwalk Superior Court.
- From our counterparts over at the Long Beach Press Telegram.
Vincent Mendoza, 23, and Edward Meraz, 26, are each charged with attempted murder, kidnapping, aggravated mayhem and assault with a deadly weapon for the 2009 attack on Christina Ivonne Martinez, who was then 20 years old.
Prosecutors also allege the men personally inflicted great bodily injury on the victim and Mendoza used a knife to commit the crimes.
The charges stem from the Aug. 4, 2009, kidnapping of Martinez.
Martinez told police she was going to the beach with the men, who were her friends, when she got into their car.
Instead, she was tied up, beaten and then driven to Whittier where she was unbound and forced out of the car. One of the men then allegedly slashed her throat before pushing her down the rocky canyon.
Despite her injuries, Martinez was able to climb the steep grade. She then made her way to the back door of a house in the 6000 block of Altmark Avenue in Whittier where she was helped by a resident.
A Whittier Police Department officer later stopped a Mitsubishi and found the two defendants, along with a third suspect, a shovel and a rope, police said.
The third suspect, Jose Ayala, pleaded no contest on March 17 to a single count of attempted murder and was sentenced to 39 years to life in prison.
There was no word Tuesday if he would testify against his former co-defendants.
If Meraz and Mendoza are convicted on all counts, they face face a life prison term as well.
A jury was chosen Tuesday for Mendoza. A separate jury will be selected Wednesday for Meraz, according to court staff.
The two men will be tried simultaneously, with the two juries seated in the same courtroom to save time and expenses.
Opening statements are scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. Thursday in Dept. D of the Norwalk Superior Court.
- From our counterparts over at the Long Beach Press Telegram.
PASADENA -- A pedestrian died Wednesday after being struck by a pickup truck in Pasadena, authorities said.
Pasadena police asked the public's help in identifying the man, described as a white or Latino man of about 60 years old, with silver hair and a mustache and two distinct tattoos on both shoulders, Pasadena police officials said in a written statement. He has tattoos of an eagle on one shoulder, and the Virgin Mary on the other.
"We're thinking because he didn't have any ID on him, any keys, that he lived in the area," Pasadena police Lt. Randell Taylor said.
The incident was reported shortly after 10 a.m. at Avenue 64 and Nithsdale Road, officials.
Per witness accounts, the man "darted out" into the roadway, the lieutenant said. He was not in a crosswalk.
The car did not appear to have been speeding, Taylor said.
"The driver of the vehicle was interviewed at the scene. There were no signs of foul play," he said.
As is standards procedure when investigating a fatal crash, police ordered blood to be drawn from the driver of the small pickup truck that fatally struck the man, Taylor said, though there were no overt signs of impairment.
The crash was being handled by traffic investigators from the Pasadena Police Department.
Pasadena police asked the public's help in identifying the man, described as a white or Latino man of about 60 years old, with silver hair and a mustache and two distinct tattoos on both shoulders, Pasadena police officials said in a written statement. He has tattoos of an eagle on one shoulder, and the Virgin Mary on the other.
"We're thinking because he didn't have any ID on him, any keys, that he lived in the area," Pasadena police Lt. Randell Taylor said.
The incident was reported shortly after 10 a.m. at Avenue 64 and Nithsdale Road, officials.
Per witness accounts, the man "darted out" into the roadway, the lieutenant said. He was not in a crosswalk.
The car did not appear to have been speeding, Taylor said.
"The driver of the vehicle was interviewed at the scene. There were no signs of foul play," he said.
As is standards procedure when investigating a fatal crash, police ordered blood to be drawn from the driver of the small pickup truck that fatally struck the man, Taylor said, though there were no overt signs of impairment.
The crash was being handled by traffic investigators from the Pasadena Police Department.
PASADENA -- Police arrested one teenage girl Tuesday and sought another in connection with a home burglary, officials said.
A woman answered a knock at her door in the 1300 block of Mentone Avenue about 10 a.m. to find two teenage girls, Pasadena police Lt. Rick Aversano said.
The girls asked for an unknown person and left when they were told no such person lived there, the lieutenant said.
The woman went to work and returned home around 4 p.m. to find her home ransacked, Aversano said, and she recalled the suspicious visit by the teenage girls.
An investigating police officer recognized the description of one of the girls from previous experiences and investigators were able to find her, Aversano said. Jewelry taken from the Mentone Avenue home was found in the 14-year-old suspect's home.
Police continued to seek the second teen girl suspected in the crime, officials said.
A woman answered a knock at her door in the 1300 block of Mentone Avenue about 10 a.m. to find two teenage girls, Pasadena police Lt. Rick Aversano said.
The girls asked for an unknown person and left when they were told no such person lived there, the lieutenant said.
The woman went to work and returned home around 4 p.m. to find her home ransacked, Aversano said, and she recalled the suspicious visit by the teenage girls.
An investigating police officer recognized the description of one of the girls from previous experiences and investigators were able to find her, Aversano said. Jewelry taken from the Mentone Avenue home was found in the 14-year-old suspect's home.
Police continued to seek the second teen girl suspected in the crime, officials said.
WHITTIER -- Police arrested two men on suspicion of trying to break into a Whittier Boulevard car stereo shop early Wednesday.
Luis Garcia, 42, and Rodrigo Rojas, 29, both of Los Angeles, were booked on suspicion of burglary, Whittier police Lt. Randy Inman said.
Officers responded to an alarm at Stereo Super Store, 14249 Whittier Blvd., about 6:20 a.m. and found the two suspects trying to pry open a rear door, the lieutenant said.
They had not gotten into the business, and nothing was taken, he said.
Luis Garcia, 42, and Rodrigo Rojas, 29, both of Los Angeles, were booked on suspicion of burglary, Whittier police Lt. Randy Inman said.
Officers responded to an alarm at Stereo Super Store, 14249 Whittier Blvd., about 6:20 a.m. and found the two suspects trying to pry open a rear door, the lieutenant said.
They had not gotten into the business, and nothing was taken, he said.
ALHAMBRA -- The fate of an Alhambra man accused of killing his girlfriend and leaving her body in a trash can in Arcadia is now in the hands of a jury after attorneys on both sides gave their closing arguments Tuesday.
Isaac Campbell, 36, is charged with murder in connection with the Aug. 12, 2007 death of Liya "Jessie" Lu, 31, of San Gabriel. Just over a month after her disappearance, her body was discovered wrapped in a dozen plastic trash bags and placed, along with kitty litter, inside a trash can Campbell had stored at a friend's house in Arcadia, according to testimony heard in Alhambra Superior Court.
Deputy District Attorney Steve Ipson argued he was a calculating killer who began covering up his heinous crime within minutes of committing it.
Duffy, on the other hand, made a case that Campbell was a peaceful and non-violent man who panicked after discovering his girlfriend dead in his Granada Avenue apartment in Alhambra and hid the body, but did not kill her.
"The only reasonable interpretation is that he murdered her and he covered it up," Ipson said, and Campbell's behavior since the killing shows "no remorse at all."
Though coroner's investigators were not able to determined Lu's cause of death, Ipson contended that she died as the result of a "sleeper hold" wrestling move performed on her by Campbell - an aficionado of mixed martial arts. A video and books seized from his computer demonstrate the maneuver.
Duffy countered that the prosecution's theory depended on "pure speculation" and lacked convincing evidence.
"There was no murder," he said. The defense argued that Campbell merely discovered the body and handled the situation poorly.
Through Campbell's testimony, "He told us that he panicked. That he freaked out. That he never meant to kill Liya Lu," Duffy said.
Campbell did not call an ambulance because it was obvious Lu was already dead, the defense attorney said.
Furthermore, he had been arrested for marijuana possession in 2001 after reporting an assault to the police, and as an admitted marijuana dealer, he had a significant amount of pot in his home at the time of Lu's death, Duffy said.
Additionally, as Lu's boyfriend, "He knew they would suspect him," Duffy said.
Campbell testified during the trial that he had merely pushed Lu during an argument, and later found her dead.
"He believed he had something to do with her death. He had horrible experiences with the police and he had weed in his house. He panicked," Duffy said.
"(The prosecution) have not proven this case by any stretch," he said. "The people are relying on your passions."
The prosecution repeatedly showed photos of Lu and replayed the same voice mail messages repeatedly, Duffy said. "The people are filling in the blanks in this case by putting up pictures of Liya Lu," Duffy said. "What it shows is their lack of evidence."
"They are relying on you looking at (Campbell) as a marijuana dealer and an MMA guy, gruesome pictures and everything else," the attorney added.
Duffy pointed out inconsistencies in witness statement and argued that several of the witnesses had a personal bias against Campbell.
Additionally, Duffy drew the jury's attention to the fact that coroner's investigators had been unable to determine how Lu died and found no trauma on her body.
Ipson instructed the jury that, "Just because someone kills someone and it's not by obvious means... it's still the same crime as if it was done with a gun, if it was done on video, if it was done in front of witnesses."
Duffy fired back, saying, "They don't have (the cause of death), so now it becomes not important."
Testimony by Los Angeles County coroner's investigator Pedro Ortiz explained that Lu could have died from being strangled in a "sleeper hold" as alleged by the prosecution, however the defense pointed out that he also would not rule out the possibility of a natural death."
A defense expert witness, Dr. Arthur Kowell, testified that in his opinion, the death could have been due to a natural cause such as a seizure disorder.
Ipson called Kowell, "nothing more than a hired gun," who received $2,000 for his half day of testimony.
Campbell's statements to investigators have been inconsistent and untruthful, which Campbell himself admitted when he took the witness stand during the trial, Ipson pointed out.
"His story changes with the wind," Ipson said. "If he hadn't done anything wrong, all he had to do was pick up the phone and dial 9-1-1."
Instead, Ipson said, Campbell hid Lu's body at his apartment for four days, before depositing it in a storage unit he rented on Aug. 16. Three days later, he placed the body inside the trash can and left it at a friend's house in the 1700 block of S. Baldwin Avenue, where it remained undiscovered until Sept. 15 when the friend became suspicious and opened it up.
Meanwhile, Campbell had traveled to Minnesota where he was staying with an old friend, officials said. It was there that he was ultimately arrested.
In court Tuesday, Campbell remained largely emotionless, except for when he flashed a large smile toward family members in the audience as the courtroom was sent on a lunch break. He wore a gray sports coat and glasses as he took notes and occasionally exchanged whispers with his lawyer.
Lu is believed to have died during a 45-minute window in the early morning hours of Aug. 12. She was in the process of moving out of the Alhambra apartment she had shared with Campbell.
At 1:29 a.m., Ipson said, he used her phone to send a text message to a friend who had been waiting for her outside.
The message said that Lu was tired and had decided to spend the night at Campbell's apartment, Ipson said. "She was already dead."
Campbell checked the voice mail messages on Lu's cell phone three times in the hour following her death, according to phone records displayed in court, Ipson said. Days later, he even left a voice mail on Lu's phone asking where she was, though he later admitted he already knew her to be dead.
"Instead of being overwhelmed by grief, as he wanted everybody else to believe, he's already covering it up," Ipson said.
The jury is scheduled to begin deliberations Wednesday. They were given the options of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter.
If convicted of first-degree murder, Campbell could face 25 years to life in prison.
Isaac Campbell, 36, is charged with murder in connection with the Aug. 12, 2007 death of Liya "Jessie" Lu, 31, of San Gabriel. Just over a month after her disappearance, her body was discovered wrapped in a dozen plastic trash bags and placed, along with kitty litter, inside a trash can Campbell had stored at a friend's house in Arcadia, according to testimony heard in Alhambra Superior Court.
Deputy District Attorney Steve Ipson argued he was a calculating killer who began covering up his heinous crime within minutes of committing it.
Duffy, on the other hand, made a case that Campbell was a peaceful and non-violent man who panicked after discovering his girlfriend dead in his Granada Avenue apartment in Alhambra and hid the body, but did not kill her.
"The only reasonable interpretation is that he murdered her and he covered it up," Ipson said, and Campbell's behavior since the killing shows "no remorse at all."
Though coroner's investigators were not able to determined Lu's cause of death, Ipson contended that she died as the result of a "sleeper hold" wrestling move performed on her by Campbell - an aficionado of mixed martial arts. A video and books seized from his computer demonstrate the maneuver.
Duffy countered that the prosecution's theory depended on "pure speculation" and lacked convincing evidence.
"There was no murder," he said. The defense argued that Campbell merely discovered the body and handled the situation poorly.
Through Campbell's testimony, "He told us that he panicked. That he freaked out. That he never meant to kill Liya Lu," Duffy said.
Campbell did not call an ambulance because it was obvious Lu was already dead, the defense attorney said.
Furthermore, he had been arrested for marijuana possession in 2001 after reporting an assault to the police, and as an admitted marijuana dealer, he had a significant amount of pot in his home at the time of Lu's death, Duffy said.
Additionally, as Lu's boyfriend, "He knew they would suspect him," Duffy said.
Campbell testified during the trial that he had merely pushed Lu during an argument, and later found her dead.
"He believed he had something to do with her death. He had horrible experiences with the police and he had weed in his house. He panicked," Duffy said.
"(The prosecution) have not proven this case by any stretch," he said. "The people are relying on your passions."
The prosecution repeatedly showed photos of Lu and replayed the same voice mail messages repeatedly, Duffy said. "The people are filling in the blanks in this case by putting up pictures of Liya Lu," Duffy said. "What it shows is their lack of evidence."
"They are relying on you looking at (Campbell) as a marijuana dealer and an MMA guy, gruesome pictures and everything else," the attorney added.
Duffy pointed out inconsistencies in witness statement and argued that several of the witnesses had a personal bias against Campbell.
Additionally, Duffy drew the jury's attention to the fact that coroner's investigators had been unable to determine how Lu died and found no trauma on her body.
Ipson instructed the jury that, "Just because someone kills someone and it's not by obvious means... it's still the same crime as if it was done with a gun, if it was done on video, if it was done in front of witnesses."
Duffy fired back, saying, "They don't have (the cause of death), so now it becomes not important."
Testimony by Los Angeles County coroner's investigator Pedro Ortiz explained that Lu could have died from being strangled in a "sleeper hold" as alleged by the prosecution, however the defense pointed out that he also would not rule out the possibility of a natural death."
A defense expert witness, Dr. Arthur Kowell, testified that in his opinion, the death could have been due to a natural cause such as a seizure disorder.
Ipson called Kowell, "nothing more than a hired gun," who received $2,000 for his half day of testimony.
Campbell's statements to investigators have been inconsistent and untruthful, which Campbell himself admitted when he took the witness stand during the trial, Ipson pointed out.
"His story changes with the wind," Ipson said. "If he hadn't done anything wrong, all he had to do was pick up the phone and dial 9-1-1."
Instead, Ipson said, Campbell hid Lu's body at his apartment for four days, before depositing it in a storage unit he rented on Aug. 16. Three days later, he placed the body inside the trash can and left it at a friend's house in the 1700 block of S. Baldwin Avenue, where it remained undiscovered until Sept. 15 when the friend became suspicious and opened it up.
Meanwhile, Campbell had traveled to Minnesota where he was staying with an old friend, officials said. It was there that he was ultimately arrested.
In court Tuesday, Campbell remained largely emotionless, except for when he flashed a large smile toward family members in the audience as the courtroom was sent on a lunch break. He wore a gray sports coat and glasses as he took notes and occasionally exchanged whispers with his lawyer.
Lu is believed to have died during a 45-minute window in the early morning hours of Aug. 12. She was in the process of moving out of the Alhambra apartment she had shared with Campbell.
At 1:29 a.m., Ipson said, he used her phone to send a text message to a friend who had been waiting for her outside.
The message said that Lu was tired and had decided to spend the night at Campbell's apartment, Ipson said. "She was already dead."
Campbell checked the voice mail messages on Lu's cell phone three times in the hour following her death, according to phone records displayed in court, Ipson said. Days later, he even left a voice mail on Lu's phone asking where she was, though he later admitted he already knew her to be dead.
"Instead of being overwhelmed by grief, as he wanted everybody else to believe, he's already covering it up," Ipson said.
The jury is scheduled to begin deliberations Wednesday. They were given the options of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter.
If convicted of first-degree murder, Campbell could face 25 years to life in prison.
WALNUT -- A Los Angeles County sheriff's lieutenant is inviting area parolees and their families to join him at the Walnut Senior Center Wednesday for free hot dogs, chips and drinks at an outreach.
The event will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the center, 21215 La Puente Road, said coordinator Lt. John Saleeby.
The lieutenant has already hosted several other "hot dog outreaches" for parolees in the area. The events are a Christian-based outreach program, often featuring testimonials from ex-convicts, aimed at helping local parolees avoid getting back into trouble with the law.
"It's the holiday season. It's time for people to make a new start," Saleeby said.
Saleeby emphasized that the event is not a sting or a parole compliance check, but simply an effort to provide parolees with a positive support network.
Guests are encouraged to bring their families along.
For more information, contact Saleeby at the sheriff's Walnut-Diamond Bar Station at 626-913-1715.
The event will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the center, 21215 La Puente Road, said coordinator Lt. John Saleeby.
The lieutenant has already hosted several other "hot dog outreaches" for parolees in the area. The events are a Christian-based outreach program, often featuring testimonials from ex-convicts, aimed at helping local parolees avoid getting back into trouble with the law.
"It's the holiday season. It's time for people to make a new start," Saleeby said.
Saleeby emphasized that the event is not a sting or a parole compliance check, but simply an effort to provide parolees with a positive support network.
Guests are encouraged to bring their families along.
For more information, contact Saleeby at the sheriff's Walnut-Diamond Bar Station at 626-913-1715.
WHITTIER -- A 19-year-old woman was behind bars Tuesday on suspicion of attacking her boyfriend with a knife during a domestic dispute, officials said.
Yzvie Bryanna Calderon, 19, of Whittier was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, according to Whittier police and county booking records.
Officers responded to the 5800 block of Citrus Avenue shortly before 5 a.m. Monday and learned that Calderon had stabbed her boyfriend three times in the chest with a small knife during an argument and left with their 2-year-old child, Whittier police Lt. Randy Inman said.
The boyfriend fled to a nearby relative's house following the stabbing, the lieutenant said. He was taken to a hospital for treatment of superficial stab wounds.
Calderon returned with the child to the apartment where the stabbing occurred a short time later and was arrested, Inman said. The child was unharmed.
According to sheriff's booking records, Calderon was being held in lieu of $30,000 bail pending her initial court appearance.
Yzvie Bryanna Calderon, 19, of Whittier was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, according to Whittier police and county booking records.
Officers responded to the 5800 block of Citrus Avenue shortly before 5 a.m. Monday and learned that Calderon had stabbed her boyfriend three times in the chest with a small knife during an argument and left with their 2-year-old child, Whittier police Lt. Randy Inman said.
The boyfriend fled to a nearby relative's house following the stabbing, the lieutenant said. He was taken to a hospital for treatment of superficial stab wounds.
Calderon returned with the child to the apartment where the stabbing occurred a short time later and was arrested, Inman said. The child was unharmed.
According to sheriff's booking records, Calderon was being held in lieu of $30,000 bail pending her initial court appearance.
ROSEMEAD - Officials with the sheriff's Temple station are investigating the shooting of a man at a party early Monday morning.
Sgt. Murray Simkins said the man is being treated for a single gunshot wound to the chest at San Gabriel Medical Center and is expected to survive.
Simkins said the man was not very cooperative with investigators, but told them he was shot at a party near San Gabriel Boulevard and Garvey Avenue.
Simkins said detectives are looking for a witness and the investigation is ongoing. The incident is believed to be gang-related.
- From staff reports
INDUSTRY - A man was struck and killed by a train Sunday afternoon, authorities said Monday.
Sgt. Russell Boucher of the sheriff's Industry station said deputies received a call reporting that a man had been hit by an eastbound Amtrak train about 4 p.m. near the 16100 block of Old Valley Boulevard.
Boucher said the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Ed Winter, assistant chief of operations for the Los Angeles County coroner's office, identified the man as 47-year-old Tony Sois Rodriguez of La Puente.
The sheriff's Homicide Bureau and Union Pacific railroad police are investigating the incident, Boucher said.
- From staff reports
COVINA - Covina police will display property recovered during a large-scale burglary investigation Wednesday in hopes of returning hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of suspected stolen goods to their rightful owners.
A man and wife from Pomona were arrested last month and four other suspects are still being sought in connection with the alleged burglary ring, suspected in more than 20 break-ins, Covina officials said.
"Detectives believe the ring was operating in the cities of La Verne, San Dimas, Glendora, Azusa, West Covina and Covina," Sgt. Ray Marquez said in a written statement. "However, it is possible they, at times, operated throughout the San Gabriel Valley and western portions of the Inland Empire."
Seven searches were carried out in connection with the investigation in the cities of Pomona, Azusa, Covina and Duarte, police said.
"During those searches, investigators recovered jewelry, home electronics, desktop and laptop computers and both power and hand tools," Marquez said. "Investigators believe all the recovered property was stolen from residences using both force and entering through unlocked doors and windows."
Police will display recovered property at the Covina Police Department, 444 N. Citrus Ave., from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, officials said.
"Anyone having been a victim of a residential burglary between January 1, 2011 and November
24, 2011 and wanting to view the recovered property and possibly identify it as theirs should call
Community Service Officer Joanne Zaratan at 626-384-5624 for more information," Marquez said.
PASADENA - A massive fire that badly damaged a Pasadena home and scorched nearby brush Saturday is being investigated as arson, authorities said.
The fire was reported about 2:15 p.m. in the 300 block of N. Oakland, Pasadena Fire Department spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said.
Firefighters arrived to find a large, wood-framed, two-story house going up in flames, as well as some vegetation on the nearby 210 Freeway shoulder.
The extensive flames in the home forced firefighters to take a defensive stance as they extinguished the fire, Derderian said.
Officials determined that the cause of the blaze appeared to be arson, she said, however further details regarding how the fire may have ignited were not available early Sunday. The investigation was ongoing.
The Red Cross helped in finding temporary housing for three adults who lived at the house, officials said. None of them were injured.
A firefighter took a fall during the incident and was treated for a wrist injury, Derderian said.
Officials estimated the fire caused about $800,000 worth of damage to the house and its contents.
ROWLAND HEIGHTS -- Sheriff's officials are investigating graffiti found early Saturday at a Mormon church as a hate crime, authorities said, however little other information was released.
The graffiti was discovered about 8:15 a.m. by a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 2120 Valencia Street, said Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Robert Causey, who declined to give his first name.
"That's all I can disclose," the sergeant said, adding that the incident was being handled by the Sheriff's Hate Crime Task Force, which also released no information.
Sheriff's officials refused Saturday to say how extensive the graffiti was or what was written.
Church officials could not be reached Saturday afternoon for comment.
PASADENA -- Fire officials were investigating the cause of two fires reported at the same time and in the same area that badly damaged a house and scorched a small amount of brush near the 210 Freeway Saturday, authorities said.
The fires were reported about 2:15 a.m. at a two-story home at Maple Street and Oakland Avenue, as well on a field of brush only a few dozen feet away, Pasadena Fire Department spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said.
Firefighters found the home well involved with flames on arrival, though the three adult residents had managed to get out safely, Derderian said.
"We took a fire attack mode on arrival, but due to the intensity of the fire, went to a defensive mode," she said.
A dollar-value estimate of the damage was not available Saturday, however Derderian described the damage to the home as extensive. An adjacent apartment complex may have also suffered minor water damage.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.
It was unclear if embers from the house fire sparked the near by vegetation fire, or if the small brush fire was a separate incident altogether.
The fire, which officials said scorched less than half an acre, slowed traffic on both sides of the 210 Freeway, Derderian said.
Due to dry conditions, she added, firefighters remained on scene after extinguishing the blazes to saturate them with water, preventing rekindling.
The Red Cross was summoned to help house the displaced residents of the house.
About 78,000 Southern California Edison customers remained without electricity in the San Gabriel Valley Thursday, down from a peak of 226,00 customers Thursday afternoon, SCE officials said.
SCE officials have said they expect 99 percent power restoration Sunday evening.
Utility officials advised residents to be wary and even stay indoors when possible Saturday as power lines are re-energized. Damaged lines may spark or ignite fires as electricity is restored to them.
Communities of particular concern Saturday included La Crecenta, La Canada Flintridge, Altadena, Sierra Madre, Arcadia, Duarte, Monrovia, Glendora, San Dimas and La Verne.
SCE officials have said they expect 99 percent power restoration Sunday evening.
Utility officials advised residents to be wary and even stay indoors when possible Saturday as power lines are re-energized. Damaged lines may spark or ignite fires as electricity is restored to them.
Communities of particular concern Saturday included La Crecenta, La Canada Flintridge, Altadena, Sierra Madre, Arcadia, Duarte, Monrovia, Glendora, San Dimas and La Verne.
WEST COVINA - Authorities are asking for the public's help in tracking down the man who robbed banks in West Covina and West Hollywood then left devices meant to look like bombs.
He claimed an accomplice outside the bank would detonate the devices which officials said were made up of electronic components and wiring. Dubbed by the FBI as the "Explosives Threat Bandit", the suspect demanded money from tellers and also presented a note. He demanded as much as $20,000.
He first struck at the Bank of America, 2901 Eastland Center Drive in West Covina on Nov. 15 wearing a suit and tie. He told a teller he had a bomb.
On Nov. 28, the bandit robbed the Bank of America at 8655 Beverly Blvd in West Hollywood wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a baseball cap.
FBI officials said the notes indicated the suspect had a friend outside the bank monitoring a police frequency and that he would make a call to advise the friend to "press a button."
One note even said that once the friend was contacted, the "establishment will not exist."
The suspect was described as a white man, 35-45, between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet tall and weighing 175 to 190 pounds.
Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI at 1-888-226-8443. Anonymous tipsters can call LA Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, text the letters TIPLA plus the tip to 274637 or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
- From Staff Writer Ruby Gonzales
*SURVEILLANCE photo courtesy of the FBI
WHITTIER -- Police jailed a Whittier man late Friday after he broke into an Uptown Whittier business, then assaulted the police dog that sniffed him out, authorities said.
Michael Macias, 28, was booked on suspicion of burglary, vandalism and assault on a police dog and violating parole, according to Whittier police officials and sheriff's booking records.
A witness called police about 9:30 p.m. Friday to report seeing a man kicking in the glass door of a business in the 7000 block of Newlin Avenue, between Philadelphia and Wardman streets, Whittier police Lt. Carlos Solorza said.
Officers responded and searched the building with the help of police K-9 "Prince," who found Macias hiding under a desk and bit him on the leg, the lieutenant said.
Macias punched the dog in the head during the arrest, he said, though the animal was not seriously hurt.
After being treated at a hospital for the bite wounds, Macias was booked into the Whittier Police Department's jail, Solorza said.
According to county booking records, he was being held in lieu of $20,000 bail pending his initial court appearance.
Michael Macias, 28, was booked on suspicion of burglary, vandalism and assault on a police dog and violating parole, according to Whittier police officials and sheriff's booking records.
A witness called police about 9:30 p.m. Friday to report seeing a man kicking in the glass door of a business in the 7000 block of Newlin Avenue, between Philadelphia and Wardman streets, Whittier police Lt. Carlos Solorza said.
Officers responded and searched the building with the help of police K-9 "Prince," who found Macias hiding under a desk and bit him on the leg, the lieutenant said.
Macias punched the dog in the head during the arrest, he said, though the animal was not seriously hurt.
After being treated at a hospital for the bite wounds, Macias was booked into the Whittier Police Department's jail, Solorza said.
According to county booking records, he was being held in lieu of $20,000 bail pending his initial court appearance.
Residents of unincorporated county areas hit hard by the recent Santa Ana wind storm are being offered free debris drop-off events. "Local waste haulers in the unincorporated communities of La Crescenta, Altadena and Kinneloa Mesa, East Pasadena/East San Gabriel, Citrus, and East Charter Oak have coordinated with the Los Angeles County Public Works Department and the Department of Parks & Recreation to offer a free disposal service to residents of the unincorporated communities," Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich said in a written statement. Residents are asked to call their local waste hauler before using the service for instructions on how the debris should be prepared for drop-off, officials said. Proof of residency is required. Drop-offs will take place from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. at locations and dates including: *La Crescenta: Saturday and Sunday at Crescenta Valley Regional Park, 3901 Dunsmore Ave. in La Crescenta. Hauler is Allied Waste services, 888-742-5234. *Altadena and Kinneloa Mesa: Saturday and Sunday at Charles Farnsworth Park;s lower parking area, 568 E. Mount Curve Ave. in Altadena. Hauler is Athens Services, 888-336-6100. *East Pasadena/East San Gabriel: Saturday and Dec. 10 at the County Public Works Facility, Duarte Road and Highland Ave. Hauler is Burrtec Waste Industries, 800-325-9417. *Citrus: Saturday at Valleydale Park, 5535 N. Lark Ellen Avenue in Azusa. Hauler is Waste Management, 800-266-7551. *East Charter Oak: Saturday at Charter Oak Park in Covina, 20261 E. Covina Blvd. Hauler is Ware Disposal, 877-714-9273. "Residents are also advised to continue to using their large green waste bins for smaller tree debris and to contact their waste hauler to arrange pick-up of additional excess tree debris on their regular trash collection day," according to the statement issued by Antonovich's office. For more information, residents of unincorporated areas can call the county's trash collection hotline at 800-993-5844.
LA
MIRADA - A nine-hour standoff ended Friday when a gunman who had holed up
inside a home was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Sheriff's
deputies hadn't released the man's name by Friday night.
The
incident began about 7:30 a.m. at a house on Mercado Avenue, near Rosecrans
Avenue, sheriff's Sgt. Greg Arnold said.
Officials
evacuated about 390 students from a nearby middle school during the standoff,
taking them to a local park.
Arnold
said deputies responded to reports of gunshots heard inside the house. At the
time, family members told officials the man was a danger to himself.
At
about 11 a.m., after refusing orders to surrender, "the suspect fired
several rounds out of the house," said Sgt. Diane Hecht. No one was struck
by the gunfire.
Nearby
Los Coyotes Middle School, at 14640 Mercado Ave., was placed on lockdown as a
precaution at the outset of the incident, authorities said. But the roughly 390
students were ultimately bused to La Mirada Park, 15105 Alicante Road, after
the shots were fired.
Deputies
encircled the home and attempted to contact the person inside, Arnold said.
Deputies noted blood stains outside the home.
Nearby
homes were also evacuated as a precaution.
Arnold
said a robot was used to search the house but didn't locate the man.
At
about 4:45 p.m., he said the special enforcement bureau, which is the sheriff's
SWAT team, forced their way into the house and
discovered the man dead.
- From staff reports
Southern California Edison plans to open distribution centers today offering basic necessities such as flashlights, water and ice to the more than 96,000 customers still affected by power outages, officials said.
Crews have been slowly but steadily restoring power to more than 200,000 customers since early Thursday, when hurricane force Santa Ana winds ripped apart electrical infrastructure throughout the San Gabriel Valley. Outages were expected to continue through Sunday evening, when 99 percent restoration is predicted, SCE spokesman David Song said.
The distribution centers are scheduled to open at noon. They include:
The Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Drive; Los Angeles County Regional Park in Arcadia, at Huntington Drive and Santa Anita Avenue; La Canada Flintridge Community Park, 1327 Foothill Blvd., Fire Station 51 in San Gabriel, 1303 S. Del Mar Ave.; Memorial Park in Sierra Madre, 222 W. Sierra Madre Blvd.; and Temple City Hall, 9701 Las Tunas Ave.
NORWALK -- Authorities Friday released the name who was shot and wounded by deputies after allegedly shooting at them earlier this week.
Arthur Bates Jr., 39, of Norwalk has been booked on suspicion of attempted murder of a police officer, according to sheriff's officials and county booking records.
Bates was wounded by deputies early Tuesday in the 11700 block of Elmcroft Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Bill Evans said.
Deputies responded to reports of a man shooting a handgun in the street when they encountered Bates, who was clutching a gun in one hand and a bottle of alcohol in the other, officials said.
After urging deputies to kill him, he fired toward them, striking a patrol car, Sgt. Pauline Panis said.
Several deputies returned fire, wounding Bates, officials said. Bates was treated at a hospital before being booked.
According to county booking records, he was being held in lieu of $1 million bail.
Arthur Bates Jr., 39, of Norwalk has been booked on suspicion of attempted murder of a police officer, according to sheriff's officials and county booking records.
Bates was wounded by deputies early Tuesday in the 11700 block of Elmcroft Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Bill Evans said.
Deputies responded to reports of a man shooting a handgun in the street when they encountered Bates, who was clutching a gun in one hand and a bottle of alcohol in the other, officials said.
After urging deputies to kill him, he fired toward them, striking a patrol car, Sgt. Pauline Panis said.
Several deputies returned fire, wounding Bates, officials said. Bates was treated at a hospital before being booked.
According to county booking records, he was being held in lieu of $1 million bail.
AZUSA -- Firefighters extinguished a blaze that gutted a donut shop early Friday.
The fire was reported about 6:45 a.m. at Christy's Donuts, on Alosta Avenue near 5th Street, Los Angeles County Fire Department Battalion Chief Jim Enriquez said.
Upon responding to reports of a fire, "we found the donut shop well involved in fire," Enriquez said.
Two employees had gotten out of the building, he said.
About 35 firefighters doused the flames within 15 minutes, the battalion chief said. No injuries were reported.
Enriquez said the cause of the fire was determined to be an unattended candle left at a religious shrine. The fire caused an estimated $200,000 worth of damage to the donut shop and it's contents.
Though the candle involved in the donut shop fire was not being used for lighting, due to the ongoing power outages related to recent high winds, Enriquez reminded residents that candles are not recommended for a light source during power outages. Flashlights are a safer option.
From USA Today:http://www.usatoday.com/
WASHINGTON - In addition to the sleek flat-screen televisions, smartphones, computers and cut-rate designer clothing, Black Friday's shopping legions seized on another hot item for 2011: guns.
Gun dealers flooded the FBI with background check requests for prospective buyers last Friday, smashing the single-day, all-time high by 32%, according to bureau records.
Despite the decrease in wind speeds, Pasadena Fire Department Derderian warned area residents to stay alert as faster-than-usual winds are predicted through the weekend, and more falling debris is possible.
Some trees, structures or power poles may have been weakened by the previous wind storm, and won't require a lot of additional pushing to topple, she said.
"If there are further winds they may not be as bad, but they could be just as damaging if there's already structural damage," Derderian said.
The city was expected to return to relative normalcy in time for the upcoming weekend.
Some trees, structures or power poles may have been weakened by the previous wind storm, and won't require a lot of additional pushing to topple, she said.
"If there are further winds they may not be as bad, but they could be just as damaging if there's already structural damage," Derderian said.
The city was expected to return to relative normalcy in time for the upcoming weekend.
NORWALK -- Coroner's officials Friday released the name of a Norwalk man shot to death by sheriff's deputies during a SWAT raid in which a murder suspect was arrested.
Emiliano Esteban Amaya, 39, was pronounced dead at the scene of the 4:50 a.m. shooting in the 11400 block of Pioneer Boulevard, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Assistant Chief of Operations Ed Winter said.
A sheriff's SWAT team had gone to the home to serve an arrest warrant on Henry Bahema, 30, of Norwalk, who is suspected in the July 31 shooting death Rogelio Sanchez, 31, of Norwalk, authorities said.
When the deputies arrived, they encountered both Bahema and Amaya, Lt. Matt Burson of the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said.
Amaya pointed a gun at the deputies, and they shot him, Burson said. Bahema was arrested without further incident.
LA MIRADA -- A middle school was evacuated early Friday as a SWAT team responded to reports of gunshots from inside a nearby home.
The incident began about 7:30 a.m. at a house on Mercado Avenue, near Rosecrans Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Greg Arnold said.
Deputies responded to reports of gunshots heard inside the house, he said. Family members of the person believed to be inside the home told officials the man may want to harm himself.
At about 11 a.m., after refusing orders to surrender, "the suspect fired several rounds out of the house," sheriff's Sgt. Diane Hecht said in a written statement. No one was struck by the gunfire.
Nearby Los Coyotes Middle School, 14640 Mercado Avenue, was placed on lockdown as a precaution at the outset of the incident, authorities added, but the students were ultimately bused to the gym at La Mirada Park, 15105 Alicante Road, after the shots were fired.
Deputies encircled the home and attempted to contact the person inside, Arnold said. Deputies noted blood stains outside the home.
Nearby homes were also evacuated as a precaution.
The San Gabriel Valley was spared damaging winds overnight, however the massive clean-up effort from the aftermath of the previous night's violent wind storm continues, and more than 140,000 area residents remain without electricity, authorities said.
About 140,000 Southern California Edison customer remained in the dark Friday morning, compared with a peak of about 230,000 Thursday, SCE officials said. Officials asked the public's patience as utility workers incrementally restored service to neighborhoods.
In Pasadena, which was hit hardest by the wind, "Fortunately, it was very calm overnight, which gave us an opportunity to get a lot accomplished restoring infrastructure," Pasadena Fire Department spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said.
Despite the decrease in wind speeds, Derderian warned area residents to stay alert as faster-than-usual winds are predicted through the weekend.
Some trees, structures or power poles may have been weakened by the previous wind storm, and won't require a lot of additional pushing to topple, she said.
"If there are further winds they may not be as bad, but they could be just as damaging if there's already structural damage," Derderian said.
Less than 1,000 Pasadena Water and Power customers were still in the dark Friday morning, officials said.
The majority of Pasadena's major roadways had been cleared and opened, however some issues remained, such as a large tree blocking westbound Sierra Madre Boulevard at Sierra Madre Villa, according to Derderian.
Officials continued to clear debris from many of Pasadena's smaller streets, Derderian said.
"Use extreme caution when driving," she said.
"At this point, they're just moving debris to the side," Derderian added. "Then we'll develop a debris removal plan."
A Red-Flag warning remained in effect in Pasadena, restricting parking on narrow streets and foothill roads, authorities said, and the city remained in a state of emergency.
Officials advised residents in affected areas to check on their emergency supplies, as well as vulnerable neighbors and relatives.
Additionally, Derderian said officials were concerned about the large number of people seen up on ladders or on the roofs of their homes, clearing debris or making repairs themselves.
"Please leave that to the professionals," she said. If there is an imminent danger, residents should call 9-1-1.
In Arcadia, which was also slammed hard by the Santa Ana wind event, "city crews and contracts are continuing to work hard to clear roadways," Arcadia police Lt. Tom Leveque said in a written statement.
Road closures that remained in effect in Arcadia Friday morning included: westbound Colorado Street at Santa Anita Avenue; westbound Camino Real Avenue at El Monte Avenue; Longden Avenue between El Monte Avenue and Holly Avenue; Colorado Place between Colorado Boulevard and Huntington Drive; the 200 block of West Leroy Street; and the 1100 block of South 5th Avenue.
NORWALK - Sheriff's SWAT team members shot and killed a man early Thursday as they arrested a suspect in a fatal shooting earlier this year, authorities said.
The dead man's name was not released pending positive identification and notification of his family members, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Assistant Chief of Operations Ed Winter said. Sheriff's officials initially described him as a 39-year-old Norwalk man.
The shooting took place about 4:50a.m. in the 11400 block of Pioneer Boulevard, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Diane Hecht said in a written statement.
Investigators had identified Henry Balema, 30, of Norwalk as a suspect in the July 31 shooting death of 31-year-old Rogelio Sanchez, Lt. Matt Burson of the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said.
"(SWAT) deputies were serving an arrest warrant," the lieutenant said. "They encountered the primary individual and a second person armed with a gun."
The armed man pointed his weapon at the deputies, at which point they shot him, Burson said. The man was pronounced dead at the scene, where a gun was also recovered.
Bahema is suspected of shooting Sanchez twice, killing him, in an alley behind Sanchez's home in the 11900 block of Pioneer Boulevard, five blocks south of Thursday's deputy-involved shooting an arrest, investigators said.
Little information has been released about the homicide, which Burson son is believed to be gang-related.
Thursday's incident was the second deputy-involved shooting in Norwalk in the past three days.
Deputies shot and wounded a man who threatened them with a handgun early Tuesday, sheriff's officials said.
That shooting occurred about 3:50 a.m. in the 11700 block of Elmcroft Avenue as deputies responded to reports of a man firing a gun in the street, according to sheriff's Sgt. Pauline Panis.
"Upon arrival, the deputies made contact with the suspect, who was standing in the street holding a handgun in one hand and a bottle of alcohol in the other," she said. "The suspect appeared agitated and yelled at the deputies, challenging them to kill him. The deputies attempted to talk to the suspect and asked him to drop the handgun."
The man instead raised his weapon and fired at the deputies, striking a patrol car, officials said. The deputies returned fire, striking the man several times.
The man, whose name has not been released pending booking, was taken to a hospital where he was listed in stable condition, officials said.
CONTRIBUTORS
|
| 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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