Police plan Friday night checkpoint in Whittier

WHITTIER >> Police are planning to hold a sobriety and driver license checkpoint in Whittier Friday night.
The checkpoint is ton be held from 7 p.m. Friday to 2:30 a.m. Saturday at an undisclosed location within the city, Whittier police officials said in a written statement.
“Over the course of the past three years, the Whittier PD officers have investigated 344 DUI collisions which have claimed four lives and resulted in another 66 injuries,” according to the statement.
“The Whittier Police Department supports the new effort from the Office of Traffic Safety that aims to educate all drivers that ‘DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.’ If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you might be impaired enough to get a DUI. Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI.”
Funding for the checkpoint is being provided by a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, through the California Office of Traffic Safety.

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Arcadia man accused of DUI, hit-and-run following Pasadena crash


PASADENA >> An Arcadia man in a pickup truck blew through a red light while drunk, injuring a man and girl in a crash, then fled the scene late Thursday, authorities said.
Steve DiMartino, 46, was booked on suspicion of felony drunken driving and felony hit-and-run following the 11:05 p.m. crash at Green Street and Lake Avenue, Pasadena police Lt. John Mercado said.
DiMartino was at the wheel of a pickup truck that ran a red light on eastbound Green Street at Lake Avenue and collided with a Honda sedan, according to the lieutenant.
The driver of the Honda, a man in his 30s, and his passenger, a young girl, both suffered non-life-threatening injuries, he said. The man appeared to have suffered head injuries, and the girl’s injuries were included a bruised lung and lacerations to her face.
The pickup truck fled the scene of the crash, police said.
An off-duty police officer spotted the damaged car soon after, driving in the area of Washington Boulevard and Holliston Avenue, Mercado said. He thought the freshly damaged truck looked suspicious and reported the sighting to on-duty police.
“On-duty officers responded to the scene, stopped the car and found that he was intoxicated,” Mercado said.
According to county booking records, DiMartino was released from jail Friday afternoon pending his initial court appearance after posting $100,000 bail.

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Man and woman seriously injured in suspected DUI crash in La Habra


LA HABRA >> Police suspect intoxicated driving played a role in a three-vehicle crash at Beach Boulevard and Imperial Highway that sent two people to a hospital with serious injuries early Wednesday, authorities said.
The collision took place about 3 a.m., La Habra police officials said. It primarily involved a 2002 Toyota Camry and a 2004 Toyota Solara, police said in a written statement. A 2008 Dodge Charger also became involved in the wreck.
“Based on the preliminary investigation, it appears that the driver of the Camry was traveling southbound on Beach Boulevard when he entered the intersection,” according to the statement. “The driver of the Solara was traveling east bound on Imperial Highway and the driver of the Charger was traveling westbound on Imperial Highway.”
Paramedics took the driver of the Camry, a man in his late-20s, to a hospital where he was listed in critical condition, La Habra police Lt. Jeff Baylos said. The woman at the wheel of the Solara, who was also described as being in her late-20s, was treated for injuries that were serious, but not believed to be life-threatening. The driver of the Charger was unhurt.
The cause of the crash remained under investigation, Lt. Jeff Baylos said. But police suspected drunken driving on the part of the Camry driver, and were looking into the possibility the Solara driver was intoxicated as well.
No arrests had been made Wednesday afternoon as the investigation continued.

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La Puente man accused of DUI in deadly West Covina crash

WEST COVINA >> A 19-year-old La Puente man is accused of murder following an alleged DUI-related crash that claimed the life of one passenger and injured two others early Saturday, police said.
The crash took place about 3:50 a.m. on Lark Ellen Avenue, near Vine Avenue, West Covina police Lt. Ron Allen said.
Andrew James Gomez was at the wheel of a Chevrolet Cobalt when it veered off the roadway and struck a light pole along the west side of Lark Ellen Avenue, according to West Covina police officials and Los Angeles County booking records.
“The driver was ejected,” Allen said. “A rear passenger was pronounced dead at the scene.”
Two additional passengers in the car were treated for minor injuries, Allen said.
Officials withheld the identity of the victim who died pending notification of his family, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Lt. David Smith said. He was initially described only as a man.
Gomez was treated for his injuries before being booked on suspicion of murder, according to the lieutenant. Investigators determined he was under the influence of a substance. Further details were not available regarding what substance or substances were believed to be in his system.
The circumstances of the crash remain under investigation by West Covina Police Department’ Traffic Unit.
According to county booking records, Gomez was being held in lieu of $1 million bail the West Covina Police Department’s jail pending his initial court appearance.
Anyone with information can reach the traffic unit at 626-939-8555.

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Glendora man killed by alleged DUI, hit-and-run driver identified


GLENDORA >> Coroner’s officials have identified a 58-year-old Glendora man who was fatally struck by an alleged DUI, hit-and-run driver while working under the hood of a car last week.
Brian Pasley succumbed to his injuries at a hospital shortly after the 10:10 a.m. crash on April 13 along Grand Avenue, just north of Arrow Highway, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Assistant Chief of Operations Ed Winter said.
He was working on auto repairs along the side of the road when a Scion xB driven by 29-year-old Mark Stephen Gagliardi of Claremont slammed into the rear of the car Pasley was working on, Glendora police Cpl. Bill Lee said at the time.
Gagliardi fled the scene, but was found and arrested nearby after his damaged car broke down less than half a mile away, Lee said.
Investigators determined Gagliardi was driving while intoxicated and arrested him on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, felony DUI and hit-and-run, according to the corporal.
According to Los Angeles County booking records, Gagliardi was released from jail pending his initial court appearance after posting $136,000 bail.

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UPDATED: Whittier man accused of DUI in Cypress crash that killed La Mirada woman


CYPRESS >> A La Mirada woman died and a Whittier man is accused of manslaughter and DUI following a three-car crash in Cypress early Easter Sunday.
Alexis Barragan, 22, died in the 12:40 a.m. crash at Katella Avenue and Valley View Street, according to Orange County coroner’s records.
She was a passenger in a car being driven by 22-year-old Nicholas Sanchez-McCormick of Whittier, Cypress police Sgt. Ken Ramsey said.
“During the investigation, it was determined that the vehicle driven by (Sanchez-McCormick) was traveling westbound on Katella and ran a red light at the intersection of Valley View,” Cypress police officials said in a written statement. “His vehicle collided with two other vehicles, which were traveling north and south on Valley View.”
Paramedics pronounced Barragan dead at the scene.
Three occupants of the other two involved cars were taken to a hospital as a precaution, police said.
Officers determined Sanchez-McCormick was under the influence of alcohol and arrested him on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and felony drunken driving, Ramsey said.
Sanchez-McCormick already had a pending DUI case at the time of Sunday’s crash, according to Los Angeles County booking records and sheriff’s officials.
He was arrested on Jan. 1 by deputies from the sheriff’s Norwalk Station on suspicion of misdemeanor DUI, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Jason Cunningham said.
He was issued a citation following that arrest and released from custody the same day, records show. Formal charges have yet to be filed.
Sanchez-McCormick pleaded “no contest” in 2015 in Los Angeles County Superior Court to a count of driving without a valid license, court records show. A second charge of driving on a suspended license was dismissed.
According to Orange County booking records, Sanchez McCormick was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail pending his initial court appearance, scheduled Tuesday in the Central Jail branch of Orange County Superior Court.

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Glendora man fatally struck by alleged DUI, hit-and-run driver while working on car


GLENDORA >> A Claremont man is accused of manslaughter, DUI and hit-and-run after he crashed his car into a parked car early Thursday, killing a man who was working under the hood, authorities said.
Mark Stephen Gagliardi, 29, was jailed in connection with the 10:10 a.m. crash along Grand Avenue, just north of Arrow Highway, according to Glendora police officials and Los Angeles County booking records.
The victim, a 59-year-old Glendora man whose name was not available, was working on his car, which was parked along the east curbline of Grand Avenue, prior to the crash, Glendora police Cpl. Bill Lee said.
Gagliardi was northbound on Grand Avenue when his Scion xB veered toward the side of the road and rear-ended the victim’s parked vehicle, according to the corporal. The impact pushed the victim’s vehicle forward, crushing him between his own vehicle and another vehicle parked in front of it.
Paramedics treated the badly injured man at the scene and took him to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries a short time later, Lee said.
The driver, later identified as Gagliardi, tried to drive away, Lee said. But his car, which was damaged in the collision, broke down less than half a mile away. Officers arrested him without a struggle.
Gagliardi was ultimately booked on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, DUI and felony hit-and-run, Lee said.
According to county booking records, Gagliardi was being held in lieu of $136,000 bail pending his initial court appearance.

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2 DUI suspects jailed during Whittier checkpoint


WHITTIER >> Police arrested two alleged drunken drivers and made another 41 citations and arrests during a checkpoint in Whittier late Friday and early Saturday.
The checkpoint was held for seven hours overnight on Whittier Boulevard, just south of Philadelphia Street, Whittier police Sgt. David Elizarraras said.
Officers screened 1,212 vehicles, ultimately arresting two drivers on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, according to the sergeant.
Fifteen drivers were arrested or cited for driving without licenses, or driving on suspended or revoked licenses, he said. Police issued another 25 tickets during the checkpoint and arrested one person on unspecified criminal charges.
Funding for the checkpoint was provided by a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, through the California Office of Public Safety.

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Passenger killed in Pasadena alleged DUI crash identified


PASADENA >> Officials have released the identity of a passenger killed in an alleged drunken driving-related crash in Pasadena late Thursday.
Alejandro Banuelos, 26, of Pasadena died in the 11:42 p.m. solo-car crash at Colorado Boulevard and Michigan Avenue, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Lt. David Smith said.
Banuelos was riding as a front passenger in the 1998 Cadillac, which was heading east on Colorado Boulevard, according to Pasadena police Lt. Diego Torres.
“Preliminary investigation revealed the driver lost control of the vehicle and the vehicle struck the south curb line of Colorado Boulevard and a light standard,” he said in a written statement.
Paramedics pronounced Banuelos dead at the scene.
The driver, 22-year-old Diego Gomez of Altadena, and a second passenger, described as a 22-year-old Pasadena man, were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, officials said.
Investigators determined Gomez was under the influence of alcohol and arrested him on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter, Lt. Mark Goodman said.
According to county booking records, Gomez was released from jail on Friday pending his initial court appearance after posting $50,000 bail.

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Police plan checkpoint tonight in Whittier

WHITTIER >> Police plan to hold a sobriety and driver license checkpoint in Whittier tonight.
The checkpoint will be held from 7:30 p.m. tonight through 3 a.m. Saturday at an undisclosed location within the city, Whittier police officials said in a written statement.
Over the past three years alone, Whittier police have investigated 246 DUI-related collisions, which resulted in four deaths and another 88 injuries, according to the statement.
Funding for the checkpoint is being provided by a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, through the California Office of Traffic Safety.

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