Monthly Archives: March 2013

Teen wounded in Montebello shooting

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MONTEBELLO — A 15-year-old Montebello boy suffered minor injuries Saturday in a shooting in a residential neighborhood, police said.
The attack took place about 2:50 p.m. as the teen was walking in the 400 block of N. Poplar Avenue, Montebello police Lt. Rick Rojas said.
The motive and circumstances of the shooting remained under investigation, the lieutenant said.
The teen, who suffered a grazing wound to the upper body in the shooting, provided little information to investigators, Rojas said. “He’s not being real cooperative.”
Police described the shooter as a man in his 20s or 30s, about 5 feet 8 inches tall and of thin build. He wore blue jeans, a blue hat and a blue shirt which he used to cover his face.
Officers searched the area, however the attacker was not found.

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Man with toy gun threatens to shoot up West Covina emergency room, taken for psychiatric evaluation

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WEST COVINA — A man who showed up at a West Covina emergency room with a toy gun and threatened to shoot people Friday was taken for psychiatric evaluation, authorities said.
The incident took place about 5 p.m. at Citrus Valley Health Partners – Queen of the Valley Campus, West Covina police Lt. Dennis Patton said.
Carrying what was later determined to be a toy handgun, “he indicated he was going to shoot people in the emergency room,” the lieutenant said.
“We just happened to have police personnel there with a prisoner on an unrelated matter, so they were able to take action swiftly,” he said. The man, who was estimated to be in his 40s, was taken into custody without a struggle.
Officials placed the man on a 72-hour hold for psychiatric evaluation.

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Shooting reported at Cortez Park in West Covina

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WEST COVINA — A fight led to a shooting at Cortez Park Friday afternoon, however no gunshot victims were found, police said.
Police received “numerous calls of shots fired” at the north end of the park, along Citrus Street just north of Cortez Street, West Covina police Lt. Dennis Patton said.
The gunshots rang out during a fight involving six or seven men, the lieutenant said.
“All the involved parties dispersed prior to our arrival,” he said. But officers did locate evidence a shooting had occurred, such as bullet casings.
“As of this time, we don’t know if anybody was hit,” Patton said Saturday. A check of local hospitals turned up no gunshot victims.
The men involved in the fight were believed to have left the area in a white car and a silver pickup truck, police added.
Detectives were looking into the possibility that a car found later in the day in San Bernardino may have been involved in the incident, Patton said, however the investigation was ongoing.

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Young woman killed, young man hurt in fall while hiking in Eaton Canyon

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ALTADENA — A 17-year-old girl died and an 18-year-old man was hurt Friday when they took a fall while hiking in Eaton Canyon, officials said.
The incident was reported just before 11:30 a.m. in the canyon, which sits just north of Altadena, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Cynthia Gonzalez said.
A group of four — Two 17-year-old girls and two 18-year-old young men — were hiking when one when one of the young women and one of the young men fell, the sergeant said.
The young woman was pronounced dead at the scene, while the injured young man was flown to a hospital by helicopter in unknown condition, the sergeant said.
The other two hikers were unhurt, she said. An investigation was ongoing.

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Former Glendora man freed from prison after 1985 murder conviction was overturned files claim

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A former Glendora man was released from prison after 27 years when his 1985 murder conviction was overturned last year has filed a claim against the county, as well as a detective and the estate of another detective who investigated the case.
Frank O’Connell, 55, was convicted of slaying of 27-year-old Jay French in South Pasadena on Jan. 5, 1984. He has maintained that he was innocent of the crime.
But after more than 27 years in prison, and assistance from the nonprofit organization Centurion Ministry, which is dedicated to freeing wrongly convicted prisoners, O’Connell’s conviction was thrown out March 29 of last year by Pasadena Superior Court Judge Suzette Clover, who cited major problems she found with O’Connell’s trial.
“Police officer investigating his case withheld critical information,” said O’Connell’s attorney, Barrett Litt. “(They) gave misleading information in reports which led to a conviction.”
By law, police and prosecutors must turn over all evidence, including exculpatory evidence, to the defense, Litt explained. “That’s a very well-established rule.”
“It came out that they withheld notes that they had written contemporaneously with interviews,” Litt said.
In overturning O’Connell’s conviction, Clover also pointed out that a key witness in the original 1985 murder trial have since recanted his testimony and claimed a detective pressured him to identify O’Connell as the killer.
Prosecutors did not seek to re-try the case, saying they were unable to gather sufficient evidence.
Litt said a claim against Los Angeles County was filed Monday, Litt said. Also named as defendants in the case are one of the Los Angeles County sheriff’s homicide detectives who handled the investigation, along with the estate of his partner, who is now deceased.
The claim seeks unspecified damages, the attorney said. In past cases, juries have awarded $1 million for each year a person was wrongfully imprisoned.
Since his release from prison last year, O’Connell has moved to Colorado where he works at a cabinet shop, Litt said.

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Schools locked down during search for suspect in East Valinda

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EAST VALINDA — Officials placed a high school and an elementary school on lockdown Thursday as they searched a neighborhood for a wanted suspect who ran from gang detectives, authorities said.
The incident began shortly before 1 p.m. in a neighborhood just northwest of Valley Boulevard and Nogales Street, when as gang investigators were seeking a man in connection with a homicide investigation from several months ago, according to Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials and sheriff’s radio traffic.
The suspect fled from investigators, who responded by cordoning off the area and setting up a search perimeter, Lt. James Beamon said.
Nearby Nogales High School and Rorimer Elementary School were placed on lockdown as the search continued, Lt. Raymond Enriquez said.
Deputies, with help from a sheriff’s dog, found and arrested the suspect more than two hours later as he was hiding inside a car in a backyard in the area of Villa Park Street and Ballham Avenue, Enriquez said.
The suspect was taken to a hospital for treatment of dog bite injuries prior to booking, Enriquez added.
Officials at the sheriff’s Industry Station said they could not confirm initial reports from the scene that the suspect was being sought on suspicion of murder.

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Man sought for sexual battery of woman in Covina

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COVINA — Officials are seeking a man who molested a woman outside her apartment complex late Wednesday.
The incident, which police are investigating as a sexual battery and false imprisonment case, occurred just after 10 p.m. in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 1900 block of East Cienega Avenue, Covina police Sgt. Ray Marquez said.
A 25-year-old woman exited the apartment complex to move her car and noticed a man standing nearby in the parking lot, the sergeant said.
“As she entered her vehicle, he ran toward her from behind and placed his arms around her and sexually battered her,” Marquez said. The man placed his hand over the woman’s mouth.
There was a struggle. The female managed to get away,” Marquez said.
The woman was “very scared,” however not injured, he said.
Police described the attacker as a Latino man in his early-20s, about 5 feet 6 inches tall and 175 pounds. He wore a black hooded sweat shirt and dark-colored jeans.
No getaway car was seen, and the man was last seen heading east on Cienega Avenue, Marquez said.
Anyone with information can reach Covina police at 626-384-5595.

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Senior struck by car in Walnut

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WALNUT — A senior citizen suffered significant injuries but appeared to be in stable condition after being struck by a car Thursday, authorities said.
The man, estimated to be in his mid-60s, was struck by a vehicle about 6:40 a.m. at Grand Avenue and San Jose Road, Los Angeles County sheriff’s and fire officials said. His city of residence was not immediately clear, as he had no identification with him.
The man showed stable vital signs, however rescuers landed a helicopter on the soccer field of nearby Mt. SAC to fly him to a trauma center as a precaution, Los Angeles County Fire Department Dispatch Supervisor Bernard Peters said.
He was crossing east across Grand Avenue, within a crosswalk, when he was struck, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Allen Fulkerson said.
The car that struck him, a compact Honda being driven by a Walnut man by a Honda sedan being driven by a Walnut man in his mid-50s, Fulkerson said. He was believed to be making a left turn from San Jose onto Grand when the pedestrian was struck.
The cause remained under investigation by deputies from the sheriff’s Walnut-Diamond Bar Station, however nothing criminal was initially suspected, the sergeant said.

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San Gabriel Valley residents accused of three-county pot growing operation

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Authorities on Wednesday arrested ten people – nine from the San Gabriel Valley – for allegedly operating marijuana grow houses in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
More than $250,000, over 8,000 marijuana plants and seven weapons including an assault rifle were also seized after state and federal agencies served search warrants at 26 locations.
The suspects allegedly belong to a drug trafficking group reportedly led by an Arcadia man.
The organization bought or leased single-family homes which were converted to raise marijuana indoors, according to federal court documents. Each house contained, on average, 1,000 to 2,000 marijuana plants. The marijuana was sold in California and across the country.
Eleven people were charged with conspiracy to manufacture, to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute marijuana. One suspect is a fugitive.
Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the U.S Attorney’s Office, said search warrants were served in Eastvale, Corona, Fontana, Riverside, Rancho Cucamonga, Chino, Diamond Bar, El Monte, Arcadia, Los Angeles, Monterey Park, Walnut and Temple City. He said 15 of those locations were marijuana grow houses.
The 10 arrested were:
– Raymond A. Lam, who also used the name “Nam A. Lam,” 42, of Arcadia. He is the alleged leader of the organization and supposedly oversaw buying the houses that were converted into industrial-type marijuana grow houses
– Simon Lam, 32, of Arcadia, a top lieutenant
– Ken Ho, also known as “Ken Lam,” 33, of Arcadia, a top lieutenant
– San S. Voong, also known as “Chen Sheng Wang,” 35, of Arcadia, another top lieutenant
– Phieu Tran, 35, of El Monte
– Augustine Bazan Camacho, 41, of Pomona, allegedly a veteran plant tender responsible for maintaining many of the grow houses
– Thanh Van Phu, 33, of El Monte
– Luc Kai Phoung, who is also known as “Wong Fong,” “Al Fong “ and “Na Na,” 50, of Rosemead, who allegedly built the electrical and utility meter by-pass systems used at the grow houses
– Steven Huytu Lam, 52, of Walnut
– Li Ya Si, 42, of Temple City.
Investigators are still looking for one suspect, 39-year-old Andy Tran of Monterey Park who is allegedly also a top lieutenant in the group.
The investigation was done by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

– Ruby Gonzales

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Failed robbery reported at La Puente check cashing business

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LA PUENTE – A gunman fled empty-handed Wednesday following a failed robbery at a La Puente check cashing business, authorities said.
The crime took place about 10:35 a.m. at the Moneytree, in the 1800 block of North Hacienda Boulevard, near Francisquito Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Arthur Scott said.
The robber entered the store and brandished a handgun, but fled without obtaining any money, the lieutenant said.
According to initial reports from the scene, the would-be robber was a white man, about 5 feet 7 inches tall, 200 pounds, wearing a black sweater, black pants and a black hat with red lining on it.
He was last seen fleeing south on Hacienda Boulevard in a black vehicle, possibly a Chevrolet.
No injuries were reported.

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