Crime Scene

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Crime Scene

More tidbits on the Harper case

Reporter Brian Day went out to Powell Elementary School this afternoon to see if he could talk to some parents about the V. Cleon Harper arrest. For those of you who haven’t heard, Harper – a sub with the district – was arrested Thursday on allegations he molested schoolchildren at Powell.

Day spoke with Theresa Lopez who claimed her daughter’s friend was one of the students involved, and that Harper allegedly, “touched her all over.”

Reporter Jennifer McLain also did some legwork on the story today. Apparently, Harper holds a California emergency substitute teaching permit, which expires in September, and a credential that allows him to develop, plan and implement school counseling and guidance programs for students from pre-school to high school, which expires in 2012.

Lee Pope, assistant counsel for the teaching credentialing commission, told McLain Harpers credentials will be suspended if charges are filed with the District Attorneys office, which is supposed to happen on Monday. If Harper is convicted, he’ll lose the credential completely, according to Pope.

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Child struck by car in critical condition

I just spotted this on the Star-News website:

PASADENA — A 7-year-old child remains in critical condition after he and his parents were struck by a car that ran over the curb after a collision in Old Pasadena.

The incident occurred at about 6:30 p.m. Thursday, at the busy intersection of Fair Oaks Avenue and Colorado Boulevard.

The child’s father, Jose de la Rosa, 36, was listed in fair condition on Friday, Pasadena Police Officials said.

He had suffered several fractures, Pasadena Fire officials said.

The mother was not seriously injured and has been discharged, Fire officials said.

The family was visiting relatives, and had arrived from out-of-town just hours before the incident, officials said.

When the incident occurred, bike officials from the Pasadena Traffic Enforcement group and paramedics from Ambumed — who just happened to be in the area — aided local emergency officials on the scene.

The incident is still under investigation.

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“How about catching some of these murderers? Damn!”

I got this message today from an anonymous caller in response to the BB gun story that ran in today’s paper:

 

“Hello. I was just reading your article in the paper, ‘Pair arrested in BB gun shootings, Baldwin Park brothers face charges.’ All these people get murdered in they homes, in they driveways and the police arrested somebody with a BB gun? How about catching some of these murderers? Damn!”

 

 

 

 

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The shots heard ’round the city

There’s more trouble in Monrovia, reporter Brian Day reports. There was a officer-involved shooting involving a burglary suspect and Monrovia police early Sunday near Duarte and Mayflower..


Is it just me, or did everyone else in the city here the shots overnight? I specifically remember hearing several – probably at least 6 – rounds go off about 12:15 Sunday. I perked up my ears and then patiently waited for the sounds of sirens. It wasn’t too long until I heard them. A chopper followed…

Here’s more from Brian’s report:

MONROVIA – A police officer and a burglary suspect were both wounded in a shoot-out early Sunday, authorities said.

The Monrovia police officer, whose name was not released, remains hospitalized with two minor gunshot wounds to his upper torso and is listed in good condition, said Los Angeles County sheriff’s Deputy Oscar Butao.

The suspect, an unidentified black man in his 50s, was also shot multiple times in the upper torso and is listed in stable condition at the hospital, Butao said.

The shooting occurred shortly after midnight near the intersection of Duarte Road and Mayflower Avenue after a suspect ran from police, said Monrovia police Sgt. Glen Coleman.

A police officer stopped a possible burglary suspect and he ran, Butao said.

Police and California Highway Patrol officers set up a search perimeter and spotted the suspect a short time later, he said.

When officers tried to arrest the man, he pulled a small-caliber handgun and opened fire on officers, striking the Monrovia officer, said Butao.

A Monrovia officer and a CHP officer returned fire, striking the suspect numerous times, Butao said.

The suspect’s gun was recovered at the scene, he added.

Detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau are investigating the shooting, as is customary in all officer-involved shootings in Los Angeles County.

No further details were available.

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Witness intimidation and a guilty verdict

Some good stories from Whittier Daily News reporter Ruby Gonzales:

This one touches on gang retaliation and how it can intimidate witnesses. It’s more of an in-depth piece.

And here’s a story for all you crime news junkies: a Downey man convicted of killing his boss 25 years ago. Apparently, authorities believe the guy shot then dismembered his supervisor and dumped the remains in the Puente Hills Landfill.

 

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Man vs. Arrow

This just in on the wire. It’s out of our coverage area, but worth posting nonetheless:

LANCASTER, Calif. A man has been found dead on a Lancaster street with an arrow in his chest.
A Los Angeles County sheriffs spokesman says deputies were called to the scene of a reported traffic accident at about 1:45 a.m. Tuesday. Instead, they found the victim with the arrow in his chest.
No arrests were made, but the case is being investigated as a homicide. Sheriffs Deputy Oscar Butao says the man is believed to have been a local transient.
Some witnesses say they often saw the man, who used a cane and took long walks around the area.

Haven’t heard something like this in a while.

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Alleged baby killer guilty on some counts

Weve just confirmed the verdict is being read right now in the trial of Armando Abundis Sr., an Alhambra man accused of murdering a 2-year-old girl in 2005.

 

He is charged with murder and child abuse resulting in death in connection with the slaying of Sarah Angelina Chavez, the grandniece of Abundis wife, Frances.

I just got off the phone with the court clerk and she said hes been found guilty on some of the counts. The hearing is not complete.
Well update you when we have more information.

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“Horror” story in Valinda

I wrote a story in todays paper about a Valinda home that was boarded up by county officials Wednesday. During my walk through with two dozen other sheriffs deputies and firefighters, I heard a lot of interesting comments about the home – which, to say the least, was severely run-down.
But one seemed to sum it all up. As promised, Im not going to name the person behind the quote, but I will say that he was a sheriffs deputy.
Anyway, heres what he said:

Man, Im going to get my camcorder. Itd be like filming a horror movie in here.

See (or read) for yourself.

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False alarm

Just in case you drove by and were wondering,  there was a command post set up in Irwindale near the 210 freeway Wednesday afternoon. Officers received a report of human body parts over the freeway.

It turned out to be tree bark.

Nothing to see here.

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