Recently in Azusa Category

AZUSA -- Police jailed an Azusa man Thursday on suspicion of deliberately torching his own pickup truck for the insurance money, police said.
Noel Perez, 22, of Azusa was booked on suspicion of felony counts of arson and insurance fraud, Azusa police Cpl. Dean Brewer said in a written statement.
Police responded to a report of a car fire on Oct. 27 at San Gabriel Canyon and Ranch roads where they found a 2003 Dodge Ram pickup truck completely engulfed in flames, police said. There was no one near the truck, which was destroyed.
Perez was identified as the truck's owner, Brewer said, and police learned he had reported it stolen.
An investigation by the Azusa Police Department and the California Department of Insurance - Los Angeles Auto Fraud Task Force indicated that the truck had been burned intentionally, Brewer said, and that Perez was responsible.
Police confronted Perez Thursday, police said, and he admitted setting fire to his truck because he could no longer afford the payments.
According to sheriff's booking records, Perez is being held in lieu of $25,000 bail and is due for arraignment Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court.

AZUSA -- Former Azusa police Captain Karen Pihlak, who was the first fully-trained female police officer in the Azusa Police Department, died Monday after a long battle with cancer, authorities said. She was 55.
Pihlak spent 25 years with the Azusa Police Department, officials said in a written statement. Her final assignment was as Operations Division Commander, where she supervised all uniformed personnel in the department, as well as the detective, traffic and special enforcement bureaus.
"She's just in amazing inspiration to all of us around here," said Azusa police Lt. Steve Hunt, who worked with Pihlak for about 15 years. "Not only in her professional life, but in her personal life as well."
He described her battle with breast cancer as "courageous."
"She was just a wonderful woman to work with," Hunt added. "She'll be missed by all here."
Pihlak is survived by her husband, her daughter and two brothers, Azusa Police Chief Robert Garcia said.
Family members could not be reached for comment Wednesday, and Garcia said they preferred to have media inquiries directed to the police department.
"I respected her when she worked at the Azusa Police Department and admired her strength in her battle with cancer," said Garcia, who worked with Pihlak for 22 years.
"I am devastated by her passing," he added.
While Azusa police had one female police officer, Pinky Hunter, in their ranks before Pihlak, Pihlak was the first fully-trained female officer, Garcia said.
He described Pihlak as an intelligent and resourceful police officer who worked hard to achieve the rank of captain.
"I had a high degree of respect for her," Garcia said.
"She was a hard-working person," Garcia said. "Even after she was diagnosed, she plugged away and showed a resolve that is rare."
While not on duty, Pihlak was active in both the Azusa community where she worked and the Glendora community where she lived, officials said.
In Azusa, she was instrumental in putting in a swiming pool at Slauson Park, city officials said, where a plaque thanking her still stands.
She was honored by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 2001 for her efforts to help organize the Azusa Human Relations Commission to address a spike in hate crimes in the area, Garcia said.
Following her retirement from the police force in 2004 Pihlak remained active with the local school district and local libraries, Garcia added.
"That's the kind of person Karen was," he said.
She was also active in community organizations, such as the League of Women Voters.
Azusa Mayor Joe Rocha said he was grateful for Pihlak's contributions to his city and that she will be missed.
"Azusa would not be Azusa without Karen Pihlak and the contributions she made to our city," he added.
Pihlak's favorite past times included spending time with her family, reading and traveling, colleagues said. She was proud she was able to make trips to Antarctica and the Arctic Circle in 2005.
As per Pihlak's wishes, there will be no funeral, officials said. A Celebration of Life ceremony will be held in private.
In lieu of flowers, family members ask that tax-deductible donations be made to the City of Hope, 1500 E. Duarte Road, Duarte, Calif., 91010.

PHOTO of Karen Pihlak courtest of the Azusa Police Department.

This from the Woodland Daily Democrat:

AZUSA -- Police arrested an Azusa man Friday after he allegedly broke into a car, authorities said.
Todd Oshea, 42, was booked on suspicion of burglary, Azusa police Lt. Mike Bertelsen said in a written statement.
Police responded to the 700 block of East Foothill Boulevard shortly after 3 p.m. after a caller reported the break-in, the lieutenant said.
Oshea initially fled when officers arrived, Bertelsen said, but he was found in the area. Property allegedly stolen from the car was found in his possession.
According to sheriff's booking records, Oshea is due in West Covina Superior Court Tuesday for arraignment.

AZUSA -- Two teenage boys were stabbed and two men were injured during a large brawl between two groups of partygoers Saturday, police said.
Police responded to reports of a large fight shortly after 10 p.m. in the 500 block of N. Barbara Avenue, Azusa police Sgt. Andy Sutcliffe said in a written statement.
"As officers arrived they saw roughly 15 subjects fighting in the middle of the street," the statement said.
The brawlers scattered when police arrived, and officers found two teenagers who had been stabbed in the torso, Sgt. John Madaloni said.
Two injured men were also found at the scene, officials said. One had a cut to his head from being struck with an object, and another complained of pain from being struck repeatedly.
All four injured people were hospitalized and expected to survive, Sutcliffe said.
The fight was apparently between two groups of people attending two house parties that were "more or less across the street from each other," Madaloni said.
A knife was recovered from the scene, he added, however no arrests had been made Sunday. The victims did not appear to be cooperating with investigators.
It was not clear what the groups were fighting over, and no further details were available Sunday.
Police are seeking witnesses to the fight, and anyone with information is asked to call the Azusa Police Department.

*UPDATED

AZUSA -- A Covina man died and a woman was taken to a trauma center Sunday after a solo-car crash on the 210 Freeway, authorities said.
Juan Gonzalez, 26, died at the scene of the crash, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Investigator Katalin Van Meter said.
The woman was believed to be in stable condition when firefighters took her to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center for treatment, fire officials said.
The crash was reported just after 11 a.m. on the eastbound freeway at Citrus Avenue, California Highway Patrol Sgt. Jesse Holguin said.
The cause remained under investigation Sunday, however it initially appeared that excessive speed may have played a role in the crash, CHP Sgt. Steve Licon said.
Officials also received reports, but were not immediately able to confirm them, that the Ford Mustang may have been racing prior to the crash, he added.
The Mustang was driving in the carpool lane when, for unknown reasons, it suddenly swerved toward the right shoulder, Licon said.
Gonzalez was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from the car, Licon said, which then rolled over on top of him.
The onramp from southbound Citrus Avenue to the eastbound 210 Freeway was closed during the investigation.

ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST -- Authorities Wednesday sought to charge a 13-year-old boy with starting the Morris Fire last month, which scorched more than 2,000 acres of forest north of Azusa.
Investigators from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Arson/Explosives Detail filed a petition seeking a charge against the young suspect, Detective Tim Wainscott said. The teen's city of residency was not available.
"What we filed this morning was recklessly causing a fire," the detective said.
The prosecutor will have the discretion to look at the facts of the case and decide whether an arson charge is appropriate, he added. Both crimes are felonies.
The court was closed Wednesday and no formal charges were filed, Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Jane Robison said. That will likely take place Thursday.
The suspect was not in custody, officials added.
The teenage suspect is not suspected of being responsible for the 3-week-old Station Fire, which officials said has scorched more than 160,000 acres in the Angeles National Forest and was 91 percent contained Wednesday.
Though the fires ignited one day apart and both have been ruled to be arson, Wainscott said there is no connection.
"This is absolutely not connected to the Station Fire in any way, shape or form," he said.
The Morris Fire started near the Morris Dam on Aug. 25 and grew to 2,168 acres before firefighters achieved full containment of the blaze on Sept. 3. At it's height, more than 1,600 firefighters battled the Morris Fire.
Wainscott said the teenage suspect was spotted in the area around the time the fire started, which was about 2:30 p.m.
Investigators interviewed him the day the fire first ignited, Wainscott said, and had considered him a "person of interest" in the fire ever since.
The detective declined to discuss how specifically authorities believe the fire started, deferring all questions to the District Attorney's office.
The prosecutor handling the case could not be reached for comment Wednesday, and Robison said no further information was available.

POMONA -- A recently retired longtime veteran of the Azusa Police Department was killed Saturday by a wrong-way hit-and-run driver, authorities said.
Randall "Randy" Phillips, 55, died at the scene of the crash, which occurred about 6:30 a.m. westbound 60 Freeway transition road to the northbound 71 Freeway, Azusa police Sgt. John Madaloni said in a written statement.
"He is survived by his wife and daughter and will be missed by all here at the Azusa Police Department," the statement said.
The initial California Highway Patrol investigation indicated Phillips was riding his motorcycle on the transition road when he was struck head-on by a wrong-way driver who then fled the scene, Madaloni said.
"The suspect was able to flee the scene in his damaged vehicle, which he abandoned on a nearby surface street," according to the Azusa police statement.
Phillips retired as a corporal in the Azusa Police Department on his 50th birthday in 2004, after spending 29 years with the agency, Madaloni said.
He spent most of his career with the department working as a field supervisor in the patrol division, colleagues said, however he also worked in community relations as a police explorer supervisor.
No information regarding services for Phillips was available Saturday.

EL MONTE -- Police jailed a Baldwin Park Thursday on suspicion of felony vandalism after he allegedly scrawled graffiti in a park bathroom, police said.
Daniel Parra, 18, was arrested about 5 p.m. at Zamora Park, 3820 Penn Mar Avenue, El Monte police said in a written statement.
Officials said he caused about $500 in damage to the bathroom at the park.
According to sheriff's booking records, Parra was being held in lieu of $20,000 bail. No information was available regarding his initial court date.

AZUSA -- A 13-year-old Azusa boy was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of drawing graffiti on a park bench, officials said.
He was jailed about 4 p.m. after he was allegedly spotted writing on a bench at Slauson Park, 501 W. Fifth Street, with a marker, Azusa police Sgt. Mike Gurbada said.
The teen was released to his parents with a court date after both he and they were cited, Gurbada said.

AZUSA - Officials jailed a 14-year-old boy Friday on suspicion of doing more than $10,000 worth of damage in graffiti vandalism throughout Azusa.
The arrest came during a graffiti-enforcement operation carried out by Azusa police, Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies and a county probation officer, Azusa police said in a written statement.
Following up on an investigation into local taggers, authorities searched the home of the teenager in the 17800 block of Newburgh Street, the statement said.
They found graffiti paraphernalia and property recently reported as lost, police said.
The teen was already on probation, though it was not clear Saturday what for.
He was arrested on suspicion of vandalism, misappropriation of lost property and violation of probation, police added.
Officials said the suspected vandal was then released to his parents with a written promise to appear in court.
The Azusa Police Department takes a "zero tolerance" stance toward graffiti, police said, and seeks restitution from convicted vandals and their parents to pay for the damage they cause.

An emotionally disturbed man dumped cash out on two freeways in Glendora Sunday, prompting motorists to pull over and try to pick up the money from the roadway, authorities said.
The 56-year-old man, whose name was not released, then went to the Azusa Police Department where he told officials he wanted to commit suicide, Azusa police Lt. Steve Hunt said in a written statement.
The incident began about 11:50 p.m. when the man started throwing money out of his car on the westbound 210 Freeway between the 57 Freeway and Grand Avenue, California Highway Patrol Sgt. Kurt Stormes said.
Six or seven vehicles pulled over, and about 10 people ran into traffic lanes to grab up the cash, Stormes said.
CHP officers recovered about $1,000 from the freeway, in 20-, 50- and 100-dollar bills, he added.
The man showed up at the Azusa Police Department, 725 N. Alameda Avenue, about noon, police said, where he told police of his intent to kill himself.
Paramedics treated him for both physical and mental issues and was taken to a hospital for further evaluation, according to the police statement.
Officials ask that anyone who picked up some of the money to turn it into the Azusa Police Department so it can be returned to the man.
Police also cautioned motorists against trying to pick up money on the freeway.
"Please do not stop on the freeway to look for money," the police statement said. "Stopping on the freeway can be hazardous or even fatal."

AZUSA -- A man was behind bars Saturday on suspicion of ambushing two police officers with a handgun, authorities said.
Miguel Angel Gonzalez, 19, of Azusa was booked on suspicion of attempted murder shortly after the incident, Azusa police said in a written.
The shooting occurred just before 11 p.m. in the 600 block of N. Rockvale Avenue, police said.
The officers were not struck by the volley, but their car was, Azusa police Lt. Mike Bertelsen said.
Additionally, a stray bullet passed through the window of a nearby home where a woman and child were sleeping, he said.
"We're pretty fortunate that no officers or civilians were injured," Bertelsen said.
In response to increasing violence among area taggers, the officers were conducting a tagger and gang member enforcement operation in an unmarked police car, officials said.
The officers spotted a car driving erratically that was known to belong to a local tagger, Bertelsen said.
As they waited for backup to arrive before stopping the car, a shooter on foot opened fire on their car, police said.
Police set up a search perimeter and found Gonzalez hiding in the carport of a nearby apartment complex, Bertelsen said.
The lieutenant declined to say whether the suspect was a member of a tagging crew, or whether a weapon was recovered.
According to booking records, Gonzalez is being held in lieu of $1 million bail and is due for arraignment in West Covina Superior Court Tuesday.
Police believe additional suspects may have been involved and asked anyone with information to call the Azusa Police Department.

An affidavit filed in federal court and attached here details gun deals, drug deals and talk of contract murder and kidnapping. All apparently connected to "La Familia," a Mexican drug cartel. Here's all the details cartel gun runner - affidavit.pdf