Category Archives: Alhambra

UPDATE AGAIN: Lockdown lifted following bomb scare at Alhambra High School

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ALHAMBRA — A bomb scare forced a lockdown at Alhambra High School early Thursday — for the sixth time this year — though a search of the campus revealed nothing dangerous, officials said.
The bomb threat was made about 7:45 a.m., just as students were arriving for their first classes of the day, Alhambra Unified School District officials said.
Students were brought to the athletic field as police searched the school, ultimately declaring the campus safe shortly after 9 a.m., according to the district.
The threat was the sixth similar incident to take place at the campus, 101 South 2nd Street, since Jan. 1, police said.
The other threats were phoned into Alhambra High School by a male voice, Lt. Jennifer Weise said, though it was unclear if the same person was responsible.
In one of the cases, a backpack was found in an area where the caller indicated a bomb had been places, but the backpack was empty, officials said.
Details of the first bomb threat were not available.
The motive behind the bomb threats was under investigation, police added.
Though officials are becoming accustomed to visiting Alhambra High School due to bomb threats, police must take the threats seriously and respond accordingly each time, Weise said.
“You can’t get complaisant with it,” she said.
Meanwhile, the apparent prankster is drawing resources that could be better used elsewhere in the city, Weise said.
“It just taxes officers from being able to be out there and being able to prevent other types of crime, or doing enforcement,” she said.

Crash involving bus stops traffic on 10 Freeway

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ALHAMBRA — A crash involving a bus and three other cars brought the westbound 10 Freeway to a screeching halt Friday afternoon.
The crash was reported about 11:45 a.m. on the freeway just west of Atlantic Avenue, according to California Highway Patrol logs.
Initial reports from the scene indicated passengers on a Foothill Transit bus were injured, as well as occupants of three other vehicles involved in the crash.
All westbound lanes of the 10 Freeway were shut down for about 40 minutes as crews cleared the disabled vehicles from the roadway, CHP logs show.
The two right-hand lanes of the freeway were re-opened at 12:20 p.m., and all westbound lanes were back in operation by 1:45 p.m.

Court hearing delayed for accused Miramonte school teacher from Alhambra

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LOS ANGELES — A court hearing for the second of two Miramonte Elementary School teachers, and Alhambra resident, accused of molesting a student was postponed for two months Thursday.
Martin Springer, 49, was scheduled to appear in Los Angeles Superior Court for a hearing to set a date for a preliminary hearing, however the hearing was continued until April 16, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s officials said.
He was arrested Feb. 3 after two girls came forward with allegation he had touched them inappropriately in the classroom. The allegations came on the heels of the arrest of fellow teacher Mark Berndt, who is accused of sexually abusing more than 20 of his students.
Berndt is being held in lieu of $23 million bail pending his arraignment Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, according to county booking records.
Prosecutors ultimately elected to file charges in connection with only one of the girls’ allegations, citing a lack of evidence for the other girl’s statements.
Springer entered a not guilty plea to three counts of committing lewd acts on a child Feb. 7, and was released from jail after posting $300,000 bail Feb. 10, officials said.
The alleged crimes took place between April and June of 2009, when the victim was about 7 years old, officials said.
If convicted as charged, Springer could face up to 12 years in prison.

2nd teacher at South L.A. school, an Alhambra resident, suspected of molesting students

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58243-Martin Springer, 49, of Alhambra-thumb-300x375-58242.jpeg
SOUTH LOS ANGELES — Investigators arrested a second school teacher at Miramonte Elementary School, an Alhambra man, Friday on suspicion of child molestation, authorities said.
Detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Special Victims Unit arrested Martin Springer, 49, about 10 a.m. as he was exiting a Los Angeles Unified School District building at 107th Street and Western in South Los Angeles, sheriff’s Capt. Mike Parker said in a written statement.
“The allegations involve two girls who were allegedly fondled in the classroom at Miramonte school by suspect Springer,” Parker said. “They were approximately 7-years old at the time of the incidents, which were alleged to have occurred during the past three years.”
Springer was being held in lieu of $2 million bail at the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles pending his arraignment, which was scheduled Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, according to county booking records.
Springer’s arrest stemmed indirectly from Monday’s arrest of another teacher at Miramonte Elementary School, 61-year-old Mark Berndt.
Berndt is being held in lieu of $23 million bail pending his Feb. 21 arraignment on 23 counts of child molestation.
He’s accused of taping the eyes and mouths of students, placing cockroaches on their faces and spoon-feeding them a substance authorities have said had been identified as Berndt’s semen.
Berndt’s arrest came after a photo shop employee became concerned and notified authorities while developing Berndt’s pictures, investigators said.
“As a result of recent requests from the sheriff’s department for members of the public to contact us with any information regarding possible criminal activity at Miramonte school, we received new information (Thursday) morning. That information led investigators to (Springer).”
Springer was interviewed by investigators Wednesday and subsequently suspended from his teaching duties, Parker said. he had been under surveillance by deputies since Thursday, Parker said.
He was arrested by detectives exiting a school building at 107th Street and Western in South Los Angeles, officials added.
No one answered one phone phone numbers listed in public records as belonging to Springer Friday afternoon. A second phone number associated with him was disconnected.
And the investigation continues, Parker said.
“Sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau investigators are seeking the help of the public to identify possible additional victims during the suspect’s tenure at Miramonte Elementary School,” he said.
Additionally, Parker said, “Sheriff (Lee) Baca understands the public’s concern about this and has dedicated the necessary resources to thoroughly investigate all the information that we have received and will receive.”
Anyone with information was asked to contact Special Victims Unit detectives at 877-710-5273, or tips can be left anonymously be calling L.A. Crimestoppers at 800-222-8477.
PHOTO of Martin Springer courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

Bomb threat prompts evacuation of Alhambra High School

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ALHAMBRA — Students were evacuated from Alhambra High School Friday after someone phoned in a bomb threat to the campus, though a search of the campus revealed no danger, police said.
The incident began about 11:40 a.m. at the school, 101 S. 2nd Street, when “an unidentified person called this school and basically threatened that there was a bomb on campus,” Alhambra police Sgt. Jerry Johnson said.
“Initially there was a lockdown,” the sergeant said. “Shortly after the campus was evacuated.”
Police conducted a “thorough search” of the campus, he said. Once officials were confident there was nothing dangerous at the school, students were allowed to return to the campus about 2:30 p.m.
Parents were able to pick up their children at the normal time and place, Johnson added.
No information regarding the motive or suspect in the bomb threat was available.
The investigation was ongoing.

Alhambra officers to ride in honor of fallen comrade

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Six Alhambra police officers will ride in the Police Unity Tour in Washington, D.C., in May to honor Alhambra police Officer Ryan Stringer, who died in the line of duty in July 2010.

The officers will hold a fundraiser from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday at 38 Degrees Ale House and Grill, 100 West Main St., Alhambra.

Attendees can purchase food and also participate in a raffle for prizes like an iPod Nano, Kindle Fire and Disneyland tickets. Proceeds will go toward the officers’ entry fees.

In May, the officers will ride 250 miles in three days with the tour’s Southern California Chapter from Somerset, N.J., to Washington, D.C. To participate in the tour, each officer must raise the $125 entry fee and an additional $1,800 in donations.

Proceeds from the Police Unity Tour, which had its first ride in 1997, go to the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial in Washington, D.C. Last year, 1,300 officers participated, raising $1.5 million.

Lieutenant Jennifer Wiese, who is riding in the tour this year, said Alhambra officers have been in the ride before, but this year there is increased participation for a cause that is now closer to home.

“We’re like a family and when you lose a family member and it’s not expected, it’s very difficult, and you have that loss and that void in your life,” she said.

Wiese added that in her 23 years with the Alhambra Police Department, Stringer has been the only officer to die in the line of duty. Stringer, 26, was killed on July 10, 2010, in a collision with another police vehicle. Both cars were responding to a reported robbery.

…full story by Lauren Gold

UPDATE: Death investigation in Alhambra

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ALHAMBRA — Detectives are investigating after an elderly Alhambra man was found dead inside his apartment early Saturday, authorities said.
The death was reported just after midnight in the 200 block of South Curtis Avenue, Deputy Peter Gomez of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Headquarter’s Bureau said in a written statement.
The man’s name was not released pending notification of his family, officials said. Sheriff’s investigators initially described him as a 79-year-old man who lived alone in the single-room apartment.
While there was nothing “overtly suspicious” about the scene, “There’s just enough unusual things to make us need to do an investigation,” Detective Philip Guzman of the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau said. “But it may very well be a natural death.”
Guzman said the man’s neighbor’s became concerned after not seeing him for several days and found his body lying on the floor of his apartment when they went to check on him.
Because the investigation was ongoing and detectives couldn’t definitively rule out foul play early Saturday, Guzman declined to discuss what unusual factors were noted.
Alhambra police deferred all comments to the sheriff’s department.

Man no longer ‘person of interest’ in Alhambra woman’s death

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ALHAMBRA — The investigation into the death of an Alhambra woman found hanged in an apartment remains ongoing, authorities said Wednesday, however the woman’s boyfriend is no longer considered a person of interest in the investigation as evidence supporting suicide mounts.
Elizabeth Setiawan, 38, was pronounced dead shortly after midnight Sunday after she was discovered hanging and unresponsive in an apartment at 1121 W. Hellman Ave., Los Angeles County Department of coroner’s officials said.
A coroner’s investigator initially noted some anomalies in Setiawan’s eyes that were possibly consistent with head trauma, Detective Efren Tamayo of the Alhambra Police Department said.
Based on that observation, he said, police named the woman’s boyfriend as a “person of interest” as they probed the death as a possible homicide, Tamayo said.
After further investigation, the detective said, “It’s leaning toward being a suicide.”
Setiawan’s officials cause of death remained under investigation as coroner’s officials awaited the results of toxicology tests, officials said.

Boyfriend considered ‘person of interest’ following woman’s death in Alhambra

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ALHAMBRA – Detectives are investigating the death of a woman who was discovered hanging in a bedroom of an apartment early Sunday.
Coroner’s officials identified the woman as Elizabeth Setiawan, 38, of Alhambra and ruled the death a homicide after a preliminary examination.
Craig Harvey, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Department of the Coroner, said it was reported as a suicide but there are other injuries that are inconsistent with suicide and the manner of death. He said there is blunt force trauma to the body.
An autopsy was scheduled to be performed Tuesday, Harvey said.
Setiawan’s boyfriend was named as a person of interest in the case and taken to the Alhambra Police station, according to police. He hasn’t been arrested and is cooperating with the investigation.
Officers responding to an apartment at 1121 W. Hellman Avenue shortly after midnight Sunday found a man holding up a woman who was hanging in the bedroom.
Police said the woman was cut down, but attempts to revive her were unsuccessful and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Alhambra Police Department at 626-570-5162.

Alhambra student aide suspected of molesting girl

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ALHAMBRA – An El Monte man who works as a student aide was arrested Friday for allegedly assaulting a 13-year-old girl earlier this year.
Alhambra police Lt. Dan Rodriguez said the alleged molestation happened sometime between January and February at Garfield Elementary School, 119 W. Mclean St.
Authorities found out on Friday.
“It appears the (girl) didn’t reveal it to any school staff until today,” Rodriguez said.
School employees then notified police.
Johnny Lagunas, 20, was arrested on suspicion of child molestation. He was being held at Alhambra jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.
Rodriguez said Lagunas should be arraigned Tuesday at Alhambra Superior Court.
Police suspect Lagunas could have been involved in other similar incidents and are looking for other victims.
Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Huezo or Det. Orozco at 626-570-5151.
-From staff reports

PHOTO of Johnny Lagunas courtesy of the Alhambra Police Department.