Teenage boy critically injured after bike crash in Monterey Park

MONTEREY PARK — A 14-year-old bicyclist riding downhill was critically injured Thursday when his bike, which police said didn’t have brakes, crashed.
Monterey Park police received a 9-1-1 call ar 4:34 p.m. about an injured bicyclist in the 1200 block of Crest Vista Drive.
Monterey Park police Lt. Eric Kim said the bicycle gained speed as it went downhill.
The teen was unable to stop and lost control of the bicycle. Kim said the bike hit a curb, the boy was thrown off and landed head first on concrete. He added that the teen wasn’t wearing a helmet.
The 14-year-old was taken a hospital and listed in critical condition, Kim said.
Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call the Monterey Park police Traffic Bureau at 626-307-1481.
– Ruby Gonzales
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Guns stolen in Monterey Park burglary

MONTEREY PARK — A burglar eluded police and managed to flee with two handguns he stole from a house Thursday.
Two elementary schools were placed on lockdown during the search for the suspect, Monterey Park police Lt. Eric Kim said.
The burglar broke into a home in the 200 block of North Elizabeth Avenue at 2:42 p.m.
Kim said the suspect was last seen running in the area of Emerson and New avenues.
Police and a helicopter searched for the suspect but he got away.
The burglar was described as an Asian man, about 30, 5 feet 7 inches tall, of medium build and weighing between 145 to 150 pounds. He wore a dark blue knit cap and dark clothing.
– Ruby Gonzales
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Shooting reported in Pasadena

Police are looking for the man who shot several times at two men Thursday night.
Pasadena Police Lt. Pete Hettema said the victims weren’t hit.
The shooting at Earlham Street and El Molino Avenue happened around 10:20 p.m.
A dark-colored sedan drove westbound on Earlham Street and pulled into a driveway.
Hettema said the passenger got out and started shooting toward El Molino Avenue where the two victims were. Police estimated about half a dozen rounds were fired.
He returned to the car and left.
The two victims ran and were later found by police.
The men told officers they didn’t see the shooter that well. The suspect was too far away reportedly.
There was no description available for the shooter and his getaway driver.
– Ruby Gonzales
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Cell phones stolen in Pasadena robbery

PASADENA — Three robbers wearing hooded sweatshirts took two cell phones from two men Thursday night.
Pasadena Police Lt. Pete Hettema said one of the robbers carried a gun.
The 11:30 p.m. robbery took place at Euclid Avenue and Mountain Street.
Hettema said two men were checking their cell phones when they were approached by the three suspects.
“One had a gun and demanded whatever (the victims) had,” he said.
The two men handed over their phones to the robbers who took off running westbound on Mountain Street. Two of the robbers wore a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt while the third was clad in a light-colored hooded sweatshirt.
– Ruby Gonzales
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Robber wrests away backpack from Mt. SAC student

WALNUT — A Mt. San Antonio College student waiting for a bus Thursday night lost her backpack to a robber.
Sheriff’s Lt. Chris Blasnek said a wallet, a small amount of cash and a textbook were in the backpack.
The 21-year-old Rowland Heights woman sustained minor injuries during the struggle over the bag but she declined medical treatment, according to Blasnek.
The robbery was reported at 10:20 p.m. on Temple Avenue and Mt. SAC Way.
The student was sitting on the bus bench when a car stopped near her.
Blasnek said there were two men in the car. One got out and tried to take the student’s backpack. A struggle ensued and the suspect was able to wrest away the backpack.
The man and his accomplice drove off and were last seen heading east on Temple Avenue toward the 57 freeway.
Blasnek said a man who saw the incident tried to follow the suspects’ car but lost sight of it.
The car was described as a dark gray Toyota Camry or Honda Accord. There were no descriptions for the suspects.
– Ruby Gonzales
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Car-to-car shooting reported at Pico Rivera intersection

Deputies found a bullet casing but no victim after a car-to-car shooting Thursday night.
The shooting broke out at 8:23 p.m. on Arrington Avenue and Terradell Street.
Sheriff’s Lt. John Kepley said a witness saw two vehicles at the intersection.
“There was a verbal exchange between the occupants while the vehicles were parked adjacent to each other, facing the opposite directions,” Kepley.
He said the shooting then occurred.
Both cars took off in different directions afterward. Deputies didn’t have a description of the vehicles or the people involved.
Kepley said deputies checked local hospitals and didn’t find a gunshot victim.
– Ruby Gonzales
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Pasadena judge admonished TV cameraman following hearing

PASADENA — A television camera man roused the ire of a judge at a high-profile hearing Friday when he broke court rules by filming the courtoom audience, according to the judge.
During a hearing to follow up on the recently-overturned murder conviction of a Glendora man, Pasadena Superior Court Judge Suzette Clover admonished a cameraman from NBC television, saying he had already been instructed not to shoot video of the audience.
She did not hold the cameraman in contempt of court, but ordered him to return to court Monday for a contempt of court hearing.
While news cameras often make their way into courtrooms, court officials have established strict rules governing when and how media camera may operate. News agencies must get prior approval from a judge before operating a camera inside a courtroom, and must abide by any restrictions the presiding judge imposes.
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DNA links suspect to 1981 slaying of young Whittier woman

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WHITTIER — A suspect in the 1981 rape and murder of a young Whittier woman in her own home was in court Friday after DNA evidence linked him to the 30-year-old cold case, authorities said.
Joseph Allan Thornton, 50, was living in the City of Auburn when investigators, armed with DNA evidence linking him to the crime scene, arrived at his home and arrested him Monday for the June 27, 1981 rape and slaying of 21-year-old Blanca Stella Negrete , Whittier police Lt. Kent Miller said.
The arrest came as bittersweet news to family members of Negrete, who have spent the past three decades without answers in her slaying.
“This brings back horrible memories for them, but they’re also excited that it’s led us to a suspect, so there’s some closure for them,” Miller said.
Negrete worked at what is now Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital at the time of her slaying, police said. It was not clear what, if any, relationship existed between Negrete and Thornton.
Negrete was found strangled to death inside her apartment, where she lived alone, in the 7600 block of Washington Avenue, Miller said.
Evidence, including DNA from a sexual assault, was collected at the time, though technology that would enable police to link it to a suspect did not exist, Whittier police said Friday in a written statement.
“At the time of the homicide, Whittier Police detectives exhausted all leads and were not able to identify a suspect,” according to the police statement.
In May of 2010, Whittier police detectives re-opened the case and discovered that evidentiary DNA was possibly among the evidence collected in the case, officials said.
The DNA sample was sent to the Los Angeles County Crime Lab, and on Jan. 19, detectives were notified that the sample was sufficient to be used for DNA comparison.
“The information was entered into (a database) and the DNA matched to a person named Joseph Allen Thornton,” the statement said.
Thornton’s DNA was entered into the database because of a previous felony conviction for domestic violence, Miller said.
Since discovering the DNA match, Miller said, investigators have been working to track down and arrest Thornton.
The investigation took place both locally and as far away as Topeka, Kansas, where Thornton had resided for may years.
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He has worked for the past three decades primarily as a house painter, Miller said.
A break in the case came Monday, when Whittier police located Thornton in Auburn and arrested with without a struggle with the help of Placer County sheriff’s deputies.
According to county booking records, Thornton was being held without bail pending his initial court appearance.
PHOTOS of Joseph Thornton and Blanca Negrete courtesy of the Whittier Police Department.
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A thank you to CHP volunteers

By Capt. Marc Shaw, Commander of the Baldwin Park area office of the California Highway Patrol:

Thank you CHP
Volunteers

Throughout the year, there are numerous
days and weeks designated to honor groups and/or individuals. The
week of April 15th is designated as National Volunteer
Week and the men and women who comprise this very special group are
often under-recognized.

As the commander of the CHP office in
Baldwin Park, I am incredibly fortunate to have a cadre of senior
volunteers that exemplify exactly what it means to fill such a
special role. The ten men and one woman who give unselfishly of
their time and energy donated over five thousand hours of service in
2011. Some assist the support staff working in the office, others
participate in ride alongs with officers, many attend impaired driver
checkpoints and hand out literature to those driving through, while a
couple assist in the maintenance and preparation of patrol vehicles.
No matter what task they take on, it is always done with dedication
and a smile.

The volunteers come from a diverse
background and their lifelong experiences are beneficial to everyone
in the command. Many times, I find myself in awe as they share a
story about their past. Perhaps the most fascinating characteristic
of these amazing people is that they seek nothing in return. In
fact, they often thank ME for allowing them to be a part of our
program.

Each day I count my blessings and
remind myself how lucky I am to have Denis, Dennis, Henry, Jim,
Perry, Ray, Rich, Rudy, Sandy, Sam, and Sherm working side by side
with my team. They are amazing! Not only can they teach us a thing
or two about volunteering, every day they teach us how to be better
people.

“What we have done for ourselves
alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world
remains and is immortal.” ~ Albert Pike

Captain Marc Shaw

Commander

Baldwin Park Area CHP

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Officials seek missing 70-year-old Whittier man

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SOUTH WHITTIER — Police Thursday asked the public’s help in tracking down a missing 70-year-old man who suffers from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Donald Doyle was last seen Monday at his home in the 13000 block of South Crewe Street, in the unincorporated county area of South Whittier, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said in a written statement.
He’s described as white, 5 feet 9 inches tall, 209 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes, officials said. He’s missing most of his death.
It was not known what clothing he was last wearing, however Doyle usually wears a baseball cap, investigators said.
Anyone who sees Doyle is asked to contact their local police agency immediately, or detectives Carns or Abraham at the the Sheriff’s Missing Persons Unit at 323-890-5500.
PHOTO of Donald Doyle courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
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