COVINA >> Covina police officers arrested a man early Friday after he was found in possession of a check issued to a Covina police officer who died in an on-duty motorcycle crash last week, officials said.
Officers were on patrol shortly before 1:30 a.m. in the area of Citrus Avenue and Puente Street when they encountered William Michael Pruitt, 36, of Huntington Beach, Covina police Sgt. Gregg Peterson said.
He was walking near the intersection where Covina police Officer Jordan Corder, 28, was killed Sept. 30 when his motorcycle collided with an SUV.
Pruitt consented to a search, during which officers found he was carrying a check written to someone else, Peterson said.
It was a reimbursement check issued last month by the city of Covina to Officer Corder, the sergeant said.
It was unclear exactly how he came to possess the check, which was in the amount of a little more than $200.
Pruitt initially told police the check belonged to a friend of his who lives in Hollywood, according to Peterson.
After being detained and questioned further, “He admitted he didn’t know the person,” Peterson said.
Pruitt then told officers he found the check along Azusa Avenue.
“We really don’t know at this point where it came from,” Peterson said.
Officers arrested Pruitt on suspicion of possession of a completed check with intent to defraud, Peterson said.
According to Los Angeles County booking records, Pruitt was being held in lieu of $20,000 bail at the Covina Police Department jail pending arraignment, scheduled Tuesday in West Covina Superior Court.