Recently in Bassett Category

BASSETT -- Police jailed four people Friday who allegedly had an operation in their Bassett home to counterfeit Toys-R-Us store gift cards, authorities said.
Rudy Garcia, 33, Rudy Garcia, 57, Sylvia Garcia, 56, and Natalie Gonsalez, 26, were booked on suspicion of burglary and making fraudulent gift cards, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Steven Katz said in a written statement.
The older Garcia was not charged with the counterfeiting operation, but was arrested for an outstanding drunken driving warrant.
All four live in the same house in the 1300 block of Duryea Avenue, however the relationships between them were not clear Friday.
After an "extensive" investigation, officials arrested the four Friday about 7 a.m., officials said.
"Detectives discovered a complete operation for printing and embossing fraudulent Toys-R-Us gift cards," the statement said.
Officials found computers, printers and about $5,000 worth of Toys-R-Us merchandise allegedly bought with the fake cards, Katz said.
Authorities were tipped of by Toys-R-Us personnel, who reported many customers with valid gift cards were finding their balances had been drained, the lieutenant said.
Detective became suspicious of the suspects after a single phone number that was ultimately tracked to the their house was found to be responsible for 4,600 calls to the Toys-R-Us automatic gift card balance phone line, Katz said.
The suspects were allegedly transferring balanced from valid cards to the ones they made at home, officials said.
According to sheriff's booking records, the younger Rudy Garcia, who was on probation, was being held without bail, the older Garcia was being held in lieu of $30,000 bail, Sylvia Garcia was being held in lieu of $20,000 bail and Natalie Gonsalez was being held in lieu of $20,000 bail.

PHOTO of equipment allegedly used to make the fake gift cards courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

BASSETT -- A mobile home was destroyed by fire Saturday, though the resident was able to escape unharmed, authorities said.
The blaze broke out about 8 p.m. at the Wildwood Mobile Home Country Club, 901 Sixth Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Hiroshi Yokoyama said.
Officials found the mobile home engulfed in flames, it was ultimately declared a total loss, the lieutenant said.
The dollar-value of the damage was estimated at $100,000, he added.
The cause of the fire initially appeared to have been some sort of electrical short, Yokoyama said.

LA PUENTE -- Sheriff's officials jailed the former president of a local high school booster club Friday on suspicion of embezzling about $14,000 from the charity organization, authorities said.
Melinda Rivas, 47, was arrested about 11:30 a.m. at her La Puente home by officials from the Los Angeles County Commercial Crimes Bureau, sheriff's officials said in a written statement.
She was the president of the Basset Olympians Booster Club for the past six or eight years, Los Angeles County sheriff's Detective Jorge Valdez said, however the theft allegedly occurred between 2005 and 2008.
"(Rivas) was entrusted with the funds for the booster club in order to pay for things for the booster club," Valdez said.
"She was making payments from a booster club checking account to pay her mortgage, car insurance, and property taxes," the detective said.
He added that she admitted making the payments, and officials are looking into whether more money may have been stolen.
"There's a plethora of financial documents that we're still analyzing," Valdez said.
Bassett High School officials and Board Members of the Bassett Olympians Booster Club could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon.
The Bassett Unified School District Superintendent's Office declined to comment on the arrest Friday.
The Bassett Olympian Booster Club is a non-profit group that supports athletic and charitable activities at Bassett High School, the Sheriff's Department statement said.
According to the organizations Web site, "The Boosters provide uniforms, trophies, equipment, and administrative management to our youth programs."
The mission of the group is, "To enrich the community by supporting its youth; primarily through financial and administrative management of youth sports programs," the Web site states.
According to sheriff's booking records, Rivas is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail and is due in El Monte Superior Court for arraignment Tuesday.

Here's the story as we know it. 

Ontiveros, a mechanic, was visiting his grandmother's home in West Valinda to do a brake job on his aunt's car, according to his wife, Monique Ontiveros .

His 9-year-old son was with him while his other four children, aged 4 to 11, were at home with their mother in Baldwin Park.

"He was a loving father, and would do anything for them. His daily routine was go to work, come home, be with kids, and on the weekend we would do the car club," Monique Ontiveros said.

Two men, described as Hispanic, drove by in a dark colored pick-up truck and fired multiple rounds at Ontiveros.

They yelled a gang insult and drove away, Wilson said.

The shooters are believed to be members of the Puente Trece gang, Wilson said.

*UPDATED:

BASSETT -- A 24-year-old La Puente man was shot and killed early Sunday morning in what police say may have been a gang-related attack.
Michael Alexis Gudiel, 24, of La Puente died at the scene of the shooting, which occurred about 3:15 a.m. in the 13900 block of Proctor Avenue, coroner's and sheriff's officials said.
Though authorities believe the shooting may have been gang-related, family members of Gudiel said he was not involved with gangs.
"He had a good heart," said Michael Gudiel's brother, Jose Gudiel. "He used to make me laugh."
Deputies from the sheriff's Industry Station had initially responded to reports of a shooting when, "they discovered the victim lying in the street, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound," Deputy Lillian Peck said in a written statement.
Homicide detectives handling the investigation could not be reached for comment Sunday.
Michael Gudiel's sister, Rose Gudiel, said her brother was attacked in a drive-by shooting as he walked home alone.
She said her brother was unmarried and had no children, but was working with an employment agency at the time of his death and was studying for a career with computers.
"He had plans to come ahead in life," Rose Gudiel said. "He had plans to get married and have kids."
Letty Gudiel, Michael Gudiel's sister-in-law, said although Michael Gudiel was the youngest of his brothers and sisters, "he was very protective of his family."
Family members also recalled him as a funny and shy man who loved music and the Lakers. They said Michael Gudiel was also competitive and athletic, and loved playing basketball.
"He was definitely funny," said brother Herbert Gudiel. "And confident."
Since the shooting, Rose Gudiel said the family has received support and comfort from neighbors.
Family members urged anyone who may have information about the shooting to come forward.
"If anyone saw anything, please help us," Jose Gudiel said.

BASSETT -- A gunman escaped with an unknown amount of cash after robbing a Shell gas station Saturday, officials said.
The crime occurred about 1:15 p.m. at the gas station on Valley Boulevard at Sunset Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. James Wolak said.
The robber, who was described only as a man, used a black handgun and demanded cash from the register, he said.
Wolak added he was last seen fleeing the area south on 7th Avenue in an unknown-type vehicle.

BASSETT -- Sheriff's officials and school administrators placed Bassett High School on lockdown Thursday -- the last day of school -- after a student reported hearing talk of a shooting, authorities said.
The incident began just after noon at the high school, 755 Ardilla Ave.
"One kid overheard another student saying there was going to be a shooting after school," Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Arthur Scott said.
The student notified a parent, who then called sheriff's officials, Scott said.
The school was immediately placed on lockdown as patrol cars filled the neighborhood.
A junior at Bassett High School, Rene Payan, said students were told over the intercom system to stay in their classrooms, though they were not told why.
Class by class, sheriff's deputies escorted the students in a single-file line from the campus through the rear exit on Puente Avenue, the student said.
Shortly after 2:15 p.m., the campus had been emptied of students, Watanabe said. Students were scheduled to be released at 12:15 p.m.
No weapons or evidence of a shooting plot was found, sheriff's officials said, however the incident remains under investigation.
Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. John McBride said authorities took the potential threat seriously.
The fact that the incident occurred on the last day of school, along with the fact that an 18-year-old man was shot and wounded in a drive-by shooting near the campus at Amar Road and Ardilla Avenue on June 5, added to officials' concerns, McBride said.
As a precaution, the number of deputies on duty at Thursday night's graduation ceremony was more than doubled, from nine to more than 18, authorities said.
"(Deputies) will be highly visible tonight," Watanabe said. "You can't take any chances."
As she waited to pick up her brother from school, Zulema Carmona of West Covina said she was confident that the sheriff's and school officials were keeping the students safe.
She added that she was concerned, however, because she and other parents had not been told why the lockdown had been ordered.
"If they don't tell us why, I'm not going to feel safe enough to come back to the graduation," she said.
The superintendent said parents of Bassett High School students were being notified through a phone system of what happened, and that the school was safe for the graduation ceremony.
The seniors were practicing their march when the lockdown began, Watanabe said.
The school choir sang to students who had to wait in the gym during the lockdown, he said. "The kids were very well-behaved," he added.

BASSETT -- Authorities locked down Bassett High School Thursday afternoon after receiving reports of a planned shooting on campus.

The report came in about 12:10 p.m. , according to Sheriff's Sgt. S. Bracken, at the Industry substation.

"It was an anonymous call about a potential shooting," Bracken said. "Our lieutenants and sergeants are at the scene right now attempting to sort it out."

The school remains on lockdown.

Bracken said the call came from a concerned parent.

"A kid wanted to come home early because he heard there was going to be a shooting on campus," Bracken said.

Bracken did not know if the threat was gang related.

The Valley Inn in Bassett was the scene of a stabbing Tuesday morning that left a woman severely injured and her boyfriend in custody.

Detectives suspect Lorenzo Latimer stabbed his girlfriend several times in the throat and body before escaping to Riverside where he was captured.

Latimere is suspected of causing a freeway accident on the 57 freeway as he fled the crime scene. Additionally, detectives said he tried to burn his get away car.

Latimer is being held in lieu of $1 million bail. He's due to appear in Rio Hondo Court Thursday morning, according to official records.

Deputies at the sheriff's Industry station are seeking a pair of robbers who enjoyed a meal at a local restaurant before helping themselves to the cash register and tip jar:

BASSETT -- Two men sat down and ate at a local restaurant before robbing it at gunpoint, authorities said.
The crime occurred about 6 p.m. at Little Beijing, 550 S. Workman Mill Road, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Mark Relyea said.
Two robbers, described only as Latino men in there 20s, ate at the restaurant before standing up and using a handgun to steal cash from the register as well as the restaurant's tip jar, the lieutenant said.
No further details were available.

Police identified a man who was shot sunday as Oscar Torres, 38, of Bassett.

Torres was shot and killed in the 2200 block of Mardel Avenue early Sunday morning, officials said. Coroner's officials said Torres was shot in the head, the torso, the hand and leg.

A man with him was wounded in the shooting.

Reporter Brian Day visited the crime scene Sunday, took this picture and filed this story:

BASSETT - A man was killed and another wounded early Sunday in a shooting in an equestrian neighborhood, authorities said.

The incident was reported about 6:30 a.m. in the 2200 block of Mardel Avenue in an unincorporated county area near Industry, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. James Beamon said.

The dead man was identified only as a Latino man in his 30s, Lt. Dan Rosenberg of the sheriff's Homicide Bureau said.

His name had not been released late Sunday pending notification of family members, coroner's officials said.

No motive or shooter information was known Sunday afternoon, according to Rosenberg.

"At this point, we're talking to witnesses and trying to determine what happened," he said.

Deputies from the sheriff's Industry station were initially sent to investigate a report of a shooting, Rosenberg said.

"They found a male Hispanic adult suffering from gunshot wounds deceased in the front yard," Rosenberg said.

BASSETT -- Homicide investigators visited the 2200 block of Mardel Avenue Sunday to investigate the shooting death of a man and the wounding of another.

Detectives initially said there was little known about the incident, which occurred about 6:30 a.m. in the 2200 block of Mardel Avenue.

The dead man was described only as a Latino man estimated to be in his 30s, and the wounded man, who was hospitalized in critical condition, appeared to be in his 20s, according to sheriff's and fire officials.

The dead man died in the driveway of the home, where his body remained shielded by a green tarp early Sunday afternoon.

The wounded man was found inside the home, however officials believe the attack most likely occurred outside.

No motive or suspect information was available.

Former Pomona teacher Steven Petralia is set to be sentenced in Superior Court *tomorrow.

A wrong way crash on the Southbound 605 kills a driver.  Just minutes before the accident, Anissa Rivera, our "Mom's the word" blogger describes her family's close call.

APU students are causing a parking problem in the neighborhood.

The search for more Manson Family victims at Barker Ranch in Inyo was a big zip.

Sheriff's Department about to release more information in the March slaying of a Covina Hills woman who was on the phone with 9-1-1 when she was shot to death.

 

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INDUSTRY -- Sheriff's officials are in the process of "relocating" several homeless people encamped near San Angelo Park in La Puente.

The operation began about 7 a.m. and will continue through the day. As many as 60 homeless are encamped near the park in the San Mateo Creek, according to Los Angeles County sheriff's Capt. Mike Smith.

"There's a lot of underbrush and thickets there," he said. "It's not hygenic. Another problem is that it's still winter and we're due for rainstorms. A rising river poses a threat to them and public safety personel."

Smith said the homeless will be hooked up with mental and social services and beds will be found. The folks will be innoculated.

Oh, and the sheriff's department will run a criminal background check on al lthey come into contact with, Smith said.

"There are criminals that use homeless encampments for cover to go out and commit burglaries and robberies," he said. "Everyone will be run for warrants and their criminal wanted history."