Small plane lands without nose wheel at El Monte Airport

EL MONTE — A pilot landed a small airplane safely at El Monte Airport without a nose wheel after it dropped of mid-flight and fell onto Pioneer Park, authorities said.
The pilot and a passenger walked away with no injuries following the unusual landing, which was reported about 11 a.m. at the airport, 4233 Santa Anita Ave., according to Federal Aviation Administration and Los Angeles County Fire Department officials said.
“The wheel reportedly fell off during flight and landed in Pioneer Park, about 1 mile southwest of the airport,” FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said. “There are no reports of ground injuries or damage.”
The pilot was initially unaware the wheel of his front landing gear had fallen from his single-engine, four-seat Diamond DA40 airplane, officials said.
But witnesses reported seeing the part fall from the aircraft and land at the park and reported it to authorities while the air was still in the air., El Monte police Lt. Ben Lowry said. Officials were able to notify the pilot over the radio of the malfunction.
The plane continued on to El Monte Airport, where despite having no front wheel, “The pilot apparently did an excellent job landing,” Lowry said. The damage was described as minimal.
The pilot, a man estimated to be in his 40s or 50s, and his passenger, whose description was unavailable, both declined medical treatment, Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Ray Rodriguez said.
According to FAA records, the 2006-model airplane is registered to Mile High LLC., which has an Arcadia home listed as an address.
The FAA is investigating the incident.

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Suspect jailed following Sierra Madre break-in

SIERRA MADRE — Police jailed a 32-year-old Sierra Madre man Sunday after he broke into an occupied home in the middle of the night, officials said.
Benjamin Charles McMillan was booked on suspicion of burglary following his arrest shortly after 1 a.m. in the 400 block of East Highland Avenue, Sierra Madre Police Chief Larry Giannone said.
Police received a call from a woman reporting that there was an intruder inside her home, the chief said.
“Officers actually arrived in less than a minute and set up a containment,” he said.
About the same time, the woman’s husband encountered the intruder inside the home, and the alleged burglar ran out the back door.
Officers searched the area and found McMillan hiding in the backyard of the home. He was taken into custody without a struggle.
It was determined he accessed the home through an unlocked side door, the chief added.
According to county booking records, McMillan was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail pending his initial court appearance.

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Pasadena police plan checkpoint Friday

PASADENA — Police will check drivers for sobriety and valid licenses during a planned checkpoint Friday, officials said.
The checkpoint will take place between 8 p.m. Friday and 3 a.m. Saturday at an undisclosed location within Pasadena, Pasadena police officials said in a written statement.
Over the past three years, three people have died and 69 people have been injured involving an intoxicated driver, according to Pasadena Police Chief Phillip Sanchez.
Funding for the checkpoint is being provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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Car stolen from Arcadia shopping mall, found ablaze in Pasadena

PASADENA — Police sought a person of interest after a Lexus was stolen from an Arcadia shopping mall, then found set ablaze in Pasadena.
Pasadena police were notified of a 2008 Lexus IS 250 on fire about 8:45 p.m. at Lincoln Avenue in Del Monte Street, Pasadena police Lt. Jason Clawson said.
Once firefighters extinguished the flames, it was determined the fire was suspicious in nature, and that the car had been stolen from the parking lot of the Westfield Santa Anita shopping mall in Arcadia earlier in the evening, according to Pasadena and Arcadia police.
The car’s owner emerged from the shopping mall to find the Lexus missing and reported it to police shortly before 9:30 p.m., Arcadia police Sgt. John Bonomo said.
But by the time the theft was discovered and reported, the luxury car was already in flames in Pasadena. It was believed to have been taken sometime after 8 p.m.
A “person of interest” was seen leaving the area of the burning car, Clawson said. He was described as a Latino man between 20 and 30 years old, about 5 feet 11 inches tall, with a shaved head and wearing a dark hooded sweat shirt and dark jeans.

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San Gabriel Canyon Road reopened

AZUSA — San Gabriel Canyon Road re-opened Saturday after being closed to the public since the outset of the Colby Fire earlier this month.
The roadway was reopened shortly after 5 p.m., Caltrans officials said in a written statement.
The road was shut down after the Colby Fire ignited near the Colby Trail north of Glendora Jan. 16 due to danger posed by the fire, as well falling rocks from the denuded hillside.
The fire grew to 1,952 acres, destroyed five homes and damaged 18 other buildings. It remained 98 percent contained Saturday, with full containment expected by Sunday, according to U.S. Forest Service officials.

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Man wounded in apparent accidental shooting in Whittier

WHITTIER — A man suffered a gunshot wound to his leg Saturday afternoon in what was initially believed to be an accidental shooting.
The incident was reported at 2:37 p.m. at a home in the 7600 block of Paul Driver, Whittier police Sgt. Jim De Masi said.
Few details were initially available, as wounded man — who had been shot in the thigh — did not appear to be cooperating with police, the sergeant said.
The wounded man was believed to be alone in a home when the shot was fired, he said.

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Elderly longtime Glendora man dies following bicycle crash

0126_NWS_SGT-L-ALVAREZ

An elderly longtime Glendora man struck by a car while riding his bike Monday has died from his injuries, officials confirmed Friday.
Francisco Alvarez, 78, died Wednesday afternoon at a hospital following Monday’s collision at Foothill Boulevard and Elwood Avenue, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Lt. Joe Bale said. He was initially described by police as 79 years old.
Alvarez was a poet, an avid bicyclist and devoted father and grandfather and who was always joking, said his son, Andrew Alvarez of Rancho Cucamonga.
“He was a great man. He’ll definitely be missed,” the son said.
Alvarez was riding his bicycle about 2:30 p.m. when he was struck and fatally injured by a sedan being driven by an 86-year-old Glendora man, Glendora police officials said.
Alvarez was heading west on Foothill Boulevard and the sedan was heading east just prior to the impact, Glendora police Lt. Matt Williams said. The car then made a left turn when it collided with the bicyclist.
Police officers found the Alvarez had no pule and was not breathing when they arrived on scene, but managed to resuscitate the man before he was rushed to a hospital, where he clung to life for two days, officials said.
The cause of the collision remained under investigation, authorities said, however the driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators, and nothing criminal was initially suspected.
Francisco Alvarez was born in Spain, where he worked as a teacher, wrote poetry and considered becoming a monk.
“For obvious reasons, I’m glad he didn’t go through with,” his son said.
But while in his 30s, Alvarez decided to move to North America, first settling in Canada before hitchhiking across the continent, from Alaska to Mexico City.
He met his wife in Montreal, Canada, and the couple had two children, Andrew Alvarez said. The family moved to Glendora in 1980, where Francisco Alvarez and his wife have lived ever since.
Francisco Alvarez worked as a credit manager for Allfast Fastening Systems Inc. in Industry until he retired in 2003, his son said.
He often rode his bike to work, the son added. And in retirement, he took a 10-mile bike ride every day, then walked his dog two miles each evening. He was also a faithful Catholic who rode his bike to Mass every Sunday.
“He was extremely healthy,” Andrew Alvarez said.
“He valued education. He pushed us very hard for that,” Andre Alvarez said. “He was very grateful that after bing born in poverty in Spain, to see where he had come.”
Francisco Alvarez is survived by his wife, Catherine Alvarez: sisters Lupe and Carmen Alvarez, who are nuns in Spain; his children, Andrew and Carmen Alvarez; daughter-in-law Jennifer Alvarez, and grandchildren Anya, 11, and Daniel, 9.
Francisco Alvarez was very close with his grandchildren, his son said.
Anya said she enjoyed walking the dog with her grandfather as he sung songs in Spanish. She also said she remembered his jokes.
Daniel recalled that his grandfather encouraging him to eat his broccoli.
Francisco Alvarez had a passion for poetry, his son said. He stopped writing around the time he had a family, but renewed is artistic efforts in 1997, when he was introduced to the Internet. He was compelled to start a website featuring Spanish-language poetry, and has since published 3,600 sonnets and other poems, compiled into 31 volumes.
“He was very popular in Latin America and Spain,” Andrew Alvarez said, adding that some of his fathers sonnets had been performed on-stage in his native country.
Francisco Alvarez visited Spain once a year, his son said, and was looking forward to attending a live performance of one of his sonnets in May.
A Rosary will be held from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at Oakdale Memorial Park, 1401 S. Grand Avenue in Glendora, Andrew Alvarez said. A Mass is to follow at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Dorothy Catholic Church, 241 S. Valley Center Ave.

PHOTO of Francisco Alvarez riding his bicycle in France courtesy of the Alvarez family.

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Unwanted guns collected at West Covina’s first buyback program

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WEST COVINA — Police collected an exotic arsenal of unwanted weapons Saturday during the West Covina Police Department’s first-ever gun buyback program.
From pocket pistols to a World War II-era Japanese sniper rifle, police traded $50 Target gift cards for each unwanted weapon dropped off at the police station by area residents, no questions asked.
“It’s totally anonymous and it’s up to the residents,” West Covina police Cmdr. Richard Bell said.
The event offered area residents an opportunity to safely and anonymously dispose of unwanted guns that may be collecting dust in the back of a closet, Bell explained. And if unwanted guns are disposed of, they cannot fall into the wrong hands and be used in a crime.
“In the first hour, we had 22 guns turned in,” he said.
By the end of the five-hour collection event, officers had collected a total of 44 guns — 24 handguns and 20 rifles.
Participants were advised to bring their weapons unloaded and in the trunks of their vehicles as they entered the parking lot of the police station through a designated driveway.
Within a matter of a few minutes, police checked to make sure the guns were unloaded, stowed them away, and sent the participants on their way with gift cards in-hand.
One West Covina man who did not wish to give his name during the anonymous event dropped of five .22-caliber rifles.
“I had these old rifles sitting in the garage. I figured this was a good time to get rid of them,” he said.
Weapons turned in included World War II-era M-1 rifle, an 1894 Remington shotgun and dozens of other handguns and long guns, as well as some ammunition.
If weapons of historical value are turned in, they may be given to a museum rather than destroyed, officials said.
Elizabeth Ramos, 80, of Covina brought in a .22-caliber rifle with an unusual story that she had stored for more than 30 years.
Ramos said her son found the rifle underwater while SCUBA diving off the coast of Catalina as a young man in the late 1970s. He cleaned and polished the weapon, but never fired it.
When she heard about West Covina’s gun buyback, Ramos decided it was time for the old firearm to go.
And with the gift card she received in exchange, she added she was off to get some new bedroom slippers.
Ramos said she supported the idea of the gun buyback.
“There’s too much crime right now,” she said. “We need to take care of our youth. We’re getting too many guns.”

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Cash register stolen in overnight break-in at Pasadena dry cleaning business

PASADENA — A burglar smashed the window of dry cleaning business and fled with the cash register early Saturday morning, officials said.
The break-in took place just before 2:30 a.m. in the 700 block of East Green Street, Pasadena police Lt. Jason Clawson said.
“The suspect smashed the window with a piece of concrete,” Clawson said. “Once inside, he took the cash register and left through the same smashed window.”
The register contained an undisclosed amount of cash.
The burglary triggered an alarm, which notified police of the crime, he added.
The intruder’s image was captured by a security camera, the lieutenant said.
He was described as a white man between 30 and 40 years old, of medium height and build and balding with a comb-over hair style. He wore a tan jacket, jeans and dark shows.

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Man accused of assault, drug possession stemming from Monrovia parking lot dispute

MONROVIA — A man is accused of assault with a deadly weapon and drug possession after intentionally striking another man with a car, then getting beaten up by his victim, police said.
Jorge Castillo, 44, of Simi Valley was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and drug possession following the incident, encounter, which unfolded just after 7 p.m. in a parking lot in the 900 block of West Huntington Drive, Monrovia police Lt. Michael Lee said.
The confrontation began when the 60-year-old victim asked the suspect to shut his car door to allow the victim’s girlfriend to get into his car, the lieutenant said. But the suspect refused, and the victim shut the door himself so his girlfriend could pass.
As the victim walked past again, the suspect opened the car door again, striking the victim, Lee said. The victim announced he was calling the police and attempted to take photograph of the suspect’s rear license plate.
The suspect then backed into the victim, knocking him to the ground, Lee said. He then yelled at the man as he lie on the ground and challenged him to fight.
But the victim “apparently knew a thing or two about fighting,” Lee said. He pummeled his attacker before the suspect fled. Police captured the suspect as he approached a nearby motel.
As police prepared to have the suspect’s car towed away because he was being arrested, they discovered more than 10 grams of a substance believed to be methamphetamine, as well as hundreds of prescription pills, which were primarily painkillers, Lee said.
The victim was not seriously injured, he added.

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