Crime Scenetag:www.insidesocal.com,2008-05-27:/sgvcrime//1652009-11-20T05:08:58Z Crime scene puts 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.
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Movable Type 4.25Odor of fresh lacquer prompts concerns at West Covina apartment buildingtag:www.insidesocal.com,2009:/sgvcrime//165.1513472009-11-20T05:08:14Z2009-11-20T05:08:58ZWEST COVINA -- The smell of lacquer from a freshly refinished counter top prompted concerns at a large apartment building Thursday, authorities said.Fire officials responded to a three-story apartment building at 800 S. Sunset Avenue just after 7 p.m. after...Brian Day
Fire officials responded to a three-story apartment building at 800 S. Sunset Avenue just after 7 p.m. after people reported a strong, unidentified chemical odor, West Covina Fire Department Assistant Chief Randy Isaman said. Firefighters arrived and also smelled the odor, so they had police prepare to do evacuations if necessary while they asked residents to remain in their homes, Isaman said. Officials found the cause of the odor before evacuations were carried out, he added, and residents were able to remain in their homes. Building maintenance workers planned to continue ventilating the building through the night to get rid of the remaining odor. ]]>
Rape investigation in Arcadiatag:www.insidesocal.com,2009:/sgvcrime//165.1513412009-11-20T04:31:40Z2009-11-20T04:32:05ZARCADIA -- Police are investigating a report of a rape in or near an Arcadia day spa, however no information was available about the investigation Thursday.A woman informed police late Wednesday that she had been the victim of a rape...Brian Day
A woman informed police late Wednesday that she had been the victim of a rape at or near the Agawa Day Spa, 1013 S. Baldwin Ave., according to police radio traffic. Arcadia police officials confirmed there was an ongoing investigation Thursday, but said no further details were available. All questions were referred to the handling detective, who could not be reached for comment Thursday. ]]>
Shots fired in Baldwin Park, no one hurttag:www.insidesocal.com,2009:/sgvcrime//165.1513362009-11-20T03:08:24Z2009-11-20T03:08:51ZBALDWIN PARK -- Police responded to reports of a shooting Thursday, however no victims could be found, authorities said.Someone phoned police about 5:40 p.m. from the 3000 block of Big Dalton to report hearing gunshots and seeing people running and...Brian Day
Someone phoned police about 5:40 p.m. from the 3000 block of Big Dalton to report hearing gunshots and seeing people running and driving from the area, Baldwin Park police Sgt. Doug Parnell said. Officers found a single spent bullet casing, he said, but no homes or cars appeared to have been struck. No further information was available. ]]>
Officials seek family of elderly woman struck by cartag:www.insidesocal.com,2009:/sgvcrime//165.1513182009-11-20T01:41:14Z2009-11-20T01:42:01ZSAN GABRIEL -- Police asked the public's help Thursday in identifying an elderly woman who was critically injured while walking across the street earlier this week.The crash occurred about 5:20 p.m. Tuesday at San Gabriel Boulevard and Live Oak Street,...Brian Day
The crash occurred about 5:20 p.m. Tuesday at San Gabriel Boulevard and Live Oak Street, San Gabriel police Sgt. Antonio Hernandez said. The woman was walking in a marked crosswalk when a 43-year-old West Covina woman driving a sedan failed to see her in time, the sergeant said. The driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators, he added, and no signs of a crime were apparent Thursday. The injured woman had no identification with her when she was struck, police said. She is described as about 70 years old, Asian, about 5 feet tall and about 90 pounds. She was wearing a white shirt and a black skirt. She was listed in grave condition at a hospital Thursday, Hernandez said. "We're just trying to find her loved ones," he said. Anyone with information is asked to call the San Gabriel Police Department and refer to case 2009-02612. ]]>
Man suspected of carrying out robbery while holding child jailedtag:www.insidesocal.com,2009:/sgvcrime//165.1513102009-11-20T01:20:02Z2009-11-20T01:48:18ZNORWALK -- Tips from the public Thursday led deputies to a La Mirada man suspected of committing an armed robbery while holding a young boy in his arms.Jeremy Gallegos, 20, was booked on suspicion of robbery and child endangerment, Los...Brian DayNORWALK -- Tips from the public Thursday led deputies to a La Mirada man suspected of committing an armed robbery while holding a young boy in his arms. Jeremy Gallegos, 20, was booked on suspicion of robbery and child endangerment, Los Angeles County sheriff's Detective John Moore said. "This is quite shocking," the detective said of the unusual crime. He's committing an armed robbery holding a child in his arms. Anything at any point could happen." Officials believe Gallegos is the man pictured holding a child in a surveillance photo taken inside a liquor store in the 11000 block of Rosecrans Avenue in Norwalk on Oct. 28, just before he allegedly brandished a handgun and robbed another man in the store's parking lot. The arrest came the day after sheriff's officials released those photos to the public. Moore said members of the public who saw those photos tipped police off about the identity of the alleged robber. The detective said Gallegos was baby-sitting the child for friends, who knew nothing of the robbery until deputies informed them. "The child's fine and back with his parents," Moore said. "They're not happy," he said of the boy's parents. Deputies were carrying out a search warrant at Gallegos' La Mirada home late Thursday searching for evidence linking him to the crime, Moore said. Gallegos allegedly stole a wallet and some alcohol from the victim during the crime, sheriff's officials said in a written statement. The victim in the robbery was described as a 47-year-old man and was not injured in the crime, officials added. According to sheriff's booking records, Gallegos is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail and is due for arraignment in Bellflower Superior Court Tuesday. ]]>
Gunman robs Covina beauty salontag:www.insidesocal.com,2009:/sgvcrime//165.1512212009-11-19T06:13:25Z2009-11-19T06:14:00ZCOVINA -- A gunman robbed a beauty salon and stole a purse containing thousands of dollars Wednesday, police said.The crime was reported about 6:45 p.m. at Hair by J, 983 W. San Bernardino Road, Covina police Sgt. Trevor Gaumer said.The...Brian Day
The crime was reported about 6:45 p.m. at Hair by J, 983 W. San Bernardino Road, Covina police Sgt. Trevor Gaumer said. The robber entered the store, brandished a handgun in his waistband and demanded cash from an employee, Gaumer said. On his way out, he grabbed a purse and cell phone from inside the store, the sergeant said. The purse contained about $4,000 in cash. The robber fled out the back door of the salon, Gaumer added, and was not found despite a lengthy police search. Police described the robber as a Latino man in his late 20s, bald, about 5 feet 11 inches tall and of thin build. He wore a black hooded sweat shirt shirt. ]]>
Police jail two suspects in attempted carjackingtag:www.insidesocal.com,2009:/sgvcrime//165.1512202009-11-19T06:12:09Z2009-11-19T06:13:13ZWEST COVINA -- Police jailed a man and a teenage boy Wednesday after they allegedly tried to carjack a man, authorities said.The incident began shortly before 7 p.m. as an 18-year-old man was sitting in his vehicle in the 1700...Brian Day
The incident began shortly before 7 p.m. as an 18-year-old man was sitting in his vehicle in the 1700 block of South Cabana Avenue, West Covina police Lt. Joseph Sevilla said. The older suspect allegely got into the back seat of the vehicle, pointed a gun at the man and ordered him out of the car, the lieutenant said. The older suspect yelled for the younger one to get into the vehicle, he said, but the teenage suspect refused. Both suspects then fled the area on foot. Sevilla said a police officer spotted the suspects at a bus stop on Sunset Avenue, just south of Francisquito Avenue, where they were arrested. Inside the younger suspect's backpack, police found a BB gun resembling a .45-caliber handgun, Sevilla said. The older suspect's name was not available late Wednesday as he was still going through the booking process, the lieutenant said. He was expected to be held in lieu of $100,000 bail. The younger suspect's name was withheld due to his age. ]]>
DUI suspected after minor crash in West Covinatag:www.insidesocal.com,2009:/sgvcrime//165.1512162009-11-19T05:21:16Z2009-11-19T05:21:49ZWEST COVINA -- A West Covina man was jailed on suspicion of drunken driving Wednesday after he rear-ended a woman's car at an intersection, police said.Mark Munoz, 48, was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor driving under the influence, West Covina...Brian Day
Mark Munoz, 48, was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor driving under the influence, West Covina police Lt. Joseph Sevilla said. The crash was reported about 6:20 p.m. at Azusa Avenue at Aroma Drive, the lieutenant said. A woman was driving north on Azusa Avenue and was preparing to make a right turn when Munoz allegedly failed to stop in time and rear-ended her car, causing minor damage, Sevilla said. Witnesses reported Munoz stumbled after getting out of his car and was down on his hands and knees prior to the arrival of officers, he added. Police determined Munoz was driving under the influence of alcohol and arrested him, Sevilla said. No one was injured in the crash, he said. According to sheriff's booking records, Munoz was being held in lieu of $5,000 bail Wednesday at the West Covina Police Department jail and is due for arraignment in West Covina Superior Court Thursday.]]>
Officials seek man who held child during armed robberytag:www.insidesocal.com,2009:/sgvcrime//165.1511922009-11-19T01:44:54Z2009-11-19T01:49:16ZNORWALK -- Detectives released surveillance photos Wednesday of a man they say carried out an armed robbery in front of a liquor store while carrying a young child.The crime was reported about 4:40 p.m. on Oct. 28 in the 11000...Brian DayNORWALK -- Detectives released surveillance photos Wednesday of a man they say carried out an armed robbery in front of a liquor store while carrying a young child. The crime was reported about 4:40 p.m. on Oct. 28 in the 11000 block of Rosecrans Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said in a written statement. Deputies described the suspect as a Latino man in his early 20s, about 5 feet 11 inches tall and 180 pounds, wearing a black baseball cap with an "LA" logo on it, a blue and white striped shirt and black shorts. He approached a 37-year-old man who was getting into his vehicle in the parking lot of a liquor store, according the the sheriff's statement. The robber, who was holding a Latino boy between 4 and 6 years old, lifted his shirt to brandish a handgun to the victim as he demanded the victim's wallet and some alcohol the victim had just bought at the store, sheriff's officials said. Anyone with information about the robber is asked to call the sheriff's Norwalk Station at (562) 863-8711.]]>
2nd hung jury in Temple City murder casetag:www.insidesocal.com,2009:/sgvcrime//165.1511242009-11-18T19:40:00Z2009-11-18T19:40:55ZALHAMBRA -- A hung jury was declared in the re-trial of two men accused of killing Temple City teenager DeAndre Netter in a drive-by shooting in July 2007. After four days of deliberations, jurors announced Tuesday they could not reach...Frank Girardot
ALHAMBRA -- A hung jury was declared in the re-trial of two men accused of killing Temple City teenager DeAndre Netter in a drive-by shooting in July 2007.
After four days of deliberations, jurors announced Tuesday they could not reach a unanimous verdict in the murder case against Christopher Gilbert Lopez and Phillip Adrian Guerra, both of Temple City.
The first trial in April was also declared a mistrial when jurors could not reach a verdict.
The two pleaded not guilty in the slaying of Netter, 17, as he walked with his twin brother and another boy in the 5700 block of Golden West Avenue in Temple City.
Netter was struck by gunfire in the upper body about 11 p.m. after eating at a Carl's Jr. restaurant on July 25, 2007. He was taken to Methodist Hospital in Arcadia, where he was pronounced dead.
Pilot in fatal plane crash not yet identifiedtag:www.insidesocal.com,2009:/sgvcrime//165.1500102009-11-16T03:14:45Z2009-11-16T03:15:17ZCoroner's officials said Sunday it will likely take days to positively identify a man who died at the scene of a small plane crash on the Rosemead border.The plane crashed about 4:20 p.m. in the 5100 block of Walnut Grove...Brian Day
The plane crashed about 4:20 p.m. in the 5100 block of Walnut Grove Avenue, on the border between Rosemead and an unincorporated county area to the north, officials said. The plane caught fire upon impact, and due to the charred condition of the body, it would likely take several days to identify the man, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Investigator Christie McCracken said. The plane is listed as being registered to David E. Flotho of Grants Pass, Ore. Federal Aviation Administration officials said it hade taken off from Brackett Field Airport in La Verne and was heading to Van Nuys when it fell from the sky. The dead man was the only person on-board the single-engine 1977 Beechcraft Bonanza when the pilot apparently tried to make an emergency landing along some train tracks and a market parking lot, sheriff's and fire officials said. No one on the ground was injured, and nearby businesses suffered only minor damage, according to fire officials. Federal authorities are investigating the cause of the crash. ]]>
Pilot killed when small plane crashes on Rosemead bordertag:www.insidesocal.com,2009:/sgvcrime//165.1499542009-11-15T03:56:59Z2009-11-15T04:53:56ZThe pilot of a small plane was killed in a fiery crash Saturday after attempting an emergency landing on some railroad tracks and a parking lot on the northern border of Rosemead, authorities said.The crash occurred just before 4:20 p.m....Brian Day
The crash occurred just before 4:20 p.m. at Walnut Grove Avenue, just north of Grand Avenue. Officials believe the pilot of the single-engine 1977 Beechcraft Bonanza was trying to make an emergency landing at a super market parking lot when he crashed. The pilot -- whose identity was not released Saturday night -- was killed, Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesman Fred Stowers said. Due to the condition of the body, officials could not immediately tell whether the victim was male or female. The plane is registered to David E. Flotho of Grants Pass, Ore., according to a federal registry. "We don't know what happened," said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Sgt. Jeff Walker. "We don't know if it lost power. The plane was fully engulfed when we got here." The plane had departed from Brackett Field in La Verne -- about 25 miles east of the crash site -- and was headed to Van Nuys, said Ian Gregor, spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration. Walker said at one point the pilot "was in contact with the El Monte (Airport) tower." But Sal Sandoval, of airport operations at El Monte Airport, said he was not aware of any communication between the airport and the plane. Stowers added that officials could could not find evidence late Saturday that the plane had made a distress call to any local airports. No other injuries were reported, Stowers said. Several street signs and some fencing were damaged, and a business near the crash scene sustained minor damage from fire and flying debris. Through a Spanish interpreter, Letty Rojo said she was working at the El Pavo Bakeries next to the crash scene when she heard a loud bang. She said she ran to the window to see what was happening just in time to see the tail section of the airplane go skidding down the street past the bakery. "A few seconds later, it ran into the wall and exploded," she said. Rojo added she felt fortunate the plane did not crash into the bakery. John Guzman, 35, of El Monte said he was driving near Mission Road and San Gabriel Boulevard when he first noticed the troubled plane. " I actually saw it sputtering, coming down," he said. "The next thing I knew, I saw a big ball of flames." Guzman said he watched as officials draped a blanket or sheet over the body of the pilot. Crowds of local residents gathered near the site of the crash Saturday night where firefighters doused the wreckage and a nearby building with fire retardant. Witnesses reported seeing smoke coming from the plane before it crashed and burst into flames. Walker said deputies had someone pulled over in the area right before the crash occurred saw the plane flying low over their heads just before the crash. Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Curtis Hummel said is appeared the pilot did a good job of avoiding buildings and cars. "(The pilot) basically put a thread through the end of a needle," he said, adding that the pilot narrowly missed traffic and a building. "(The pilot) put it down in a pretty narrow spot." Officials from the FAA and and the National Transportation Safety Board were investigating the cause of the crash. Traffic was blocked for both directions of Walnut Grove Avenue and the train tracks were closed down during the investigation. ]]>
Three wounded in Santa Fe Springs shootingtag:www.insidesocal.com,2009:/sgvcrime//165.1499212009-11-14T22:59:58Z2009-11-14T23:01:05ZSANTA FE SPRINGS -- Three men were shot and wounded early Saturday following a car crash, police said.The incident occurred about 1:40 a.m. in the 12900 block of Los Nietos Road, Whittier police Lt. Carlos Solorza said.The victims were leaving...Brian Day
The incident occurred about 1:40 a.m. in the 12900 block of Los Nietos Road, Whittier police Lt. Carlos Solorza said. The victims were leaving Señor Charlie's Sports Bar near Santa Fe Springs and Los Nietos roads when they crashed their sedan into a gray, full-sized pickup truck, the lieutenant said. The men in the car drove away from the crash scene, Solorza said, and were followed by the pickup truck. "When they noticed the truck was following them, they pulled over," he said. "One of the occupants confronted the driver of the pickup, who produced a handgun and started firing." The man who got out to confront the pickup truck driver, as well as two people who were still inside the sedan were shot and wounded, Solorza said. A fourth man inside the sedan escaped injury. Police described the victims as Whittier-area men in their 20s. None of the wounds were believed to be life-threatening. A description of the pickup truck driver was not available Saturday. ]]>
Stabbing suspect knocked out by bystander, jailedtag:www.insidesocal.com,2009:/sgvcrime//165.1499122009-11-14T22:09:24Z2009-11-14T22:10:17ZLA HABRA -- A man allegedly stabbed another man during an argument in a bar Friday before being knocked unconscious by a good Samaritan who came to the wounded man's aid, police said.Jack Duke, 56, of La Habra was booked...Brian Day
Jack Duke, 56, of La Habra was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, according to La Habra police and sheriff's booking records. The incident occurred about 9:45 p.m. at Heads and Tails, 211 E. Imperial Highway, La Habra police Lt. Fred Wiste said. Duke got into an argument with a 44-year-old La Habra man and stabbed him in the lower back with a steak knife, the lieutenant said. "A witness saw the stabbing occurring and hit the suspect over the head with a bench, rendering him unconscious," Wiste said. Duke remained unconscious until police arrived and arrested him, he added. The wounded man was hospitalized in stable condition, officials said. Duke was still trying to attack the victim when he was struck in the head, Wiste said. The man who intervened with the bench "may have even prevented a murder." According to booking records, Duke is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail and is due for arraignment Tuesday in the Orange County Superior Court North Justice Center. ]]>
UPDATED: Man beaten, robbed in Altadenatag:www.insidesocal.com,2009:/sgvcrime//165.1498582009-11-14T04:50:32Z2009-11-14T22:36:01ZALTADENA -- A man and woman beat and robbed a man Friday on Fair Oaks Avenue in Altadena, authorities said. The incident was reported about 6:30 p.m. on Fair Oaks Avenue near Mendocino Street, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Mike...Brian Day
The incident was reported about 6:30 p.m. on Fair Oaks Avenue near Mendocino Street, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Mike Brandriff said. A black woman in her 30s approached the victim, a man in his early 50s, and propositioned him for sex, Lt. Larry Landreth said. A black man in his 50s then pushed the victim to the ground, causing him to strike his head, and punched him in the face, the lieutenant said. As the injured man lied on the ground, he added, the woman reached into his pocket and stole his wallet. The man and woman ran south on Fair Oaks Avenue and deputies searched the area with police dogs, but Landreth said the robbers were not found. The victim suffered a broken nose, a large cut to his head and other injuries in the attack, Landreth said. He was hospitalized but checked himself out before deputies could interview him at the hospital, officials said. The address and other information he left at the hospital did not appear to be valid. ]]>
NORWALK -- Tips from the public Thursday led deputies to a La Mirada man suspected of committing an armed robbery while holding a young boy in his arms.