Teen slashed with knife during robbery in Montebello


MONTEBELLO >> Police are seeking a man who slashed a teen’s hand with a knife during a robbery along Whittier Boulevard Saturday morning, officials said.
The teenage boy was walking at Whittier and Montebello boulevards about 10:40 a.m. when the robber approached, Montebello police Lt. Boris Zeissig said.
The robber brandished a knife and demanded property from the victim, ultimately fleeing with items including a cell phone, according to the lieutenant.
At some point during the robbery, the teen suffered a cut to his hand, he said.
A detailed suspect description was not available.
Detectives were looking into the possibility the crime was related to another knifepoint robbery reported just over an hour before and four miles away in Monterey Park, though a concrete link had not been established, authorities said.
In that case, a woman was walking alone in the 1900 block of South Atlantic Avenue when a man approached from behind, Monterey Park Lt. Tina Montoya said. He brandished a knife and robbed her of her cash, purse and cell phone.
Police described the Monterey Park robber as a Latino man in his early-30s, 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 7 inches tall, with short black hair and wearing all black clothing.
Anyone with information can reach Montebello police at 323-887-1313, or Monterey Park police at 626-573-1311. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

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Montebello man admits murder of wife in 2014

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MONTBELLO >> A Montebello man who beat and strangled his wife before stashing her body in the trunk of the family car and fleeing with the couple’s four children in late-2014 admitted charges of murder and child abuse Thursday, prosecutors said.
Daniel Diego Perez was charged with murder and other crimes for the slaying of 39-year-old Erica Perez, whose body was discovered on the afternoon of Dec. 10, 2014, in the trunk of the family’s 2010 Honda Accord, parked at 2nd Street and Harding Avenue, Montebello police Capt. Luis Lopez said at the time. The family of six was reported missing Dec. 9 after a relative reported they had not been seen since Dec. 5.
Police arrested Daniel Perez and recovered the four boys — then-ages 6, 8, 9 and 11 — following a pursuit that ended with a standoff near Santee.
During what was scheduled to be a pre-trial hearing in Los Angeles County Superior Court, “Daniel Diego Perez, 45, pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of of his 39-year-old wife, Erica,” Los Angeles County District Attorney’s officials said in written statement.
He also admitted two counts of child abuse for endangering his two younger sons during the pursuit and standoff leading up to his arrest. The search for the father and sons resulting in a statewide Amber Alert.
Judge Leslie Swain sentenced Perez to 15 years to life in prison for the murder, plus seven years and four months for the child abuse.
Daniel Perez previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, which originally included kidnapping as well.
An autopsy determined Erica Perez died from probably asphyxia and strangulation, according to Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner records. Investigators also noted multiple blunt force traumatic injuries as an additional significant cause of the death. The death was ruled a homicide.
When police were first seeking the missing couple, prior to the discovery of Erica Perez’s body, police relayed that family members had reported the couple’s marriage was “unstable” and there was a history of domestic violence.
The couple’s four children have since been placed in the care of family members.

PHOTOS; Erica Perez, left. Daniel Perez, right. (Courtesy)

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San Gabriel Valley cops crack down on DUI over holiday weekend; Azusa police invite public along online

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LOS ANGELES COUNTY >> Police throughout the region will be cracking down on drunken and drugged drivers with checkpoints and extra enforcement this Labor Day weekend, with one inviting the public to tag along virtually online.
Whittier, Montebello, Arcadia and Azusa police are each planning checkpoints in their respective cities Friday night into early Saturday, according to the departments.
In Azusa, police will be broadcasting their anti-DUI efforts and answering questions from the public online via Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat, Officer Mike Bires said.
Azusa’s “Tweet from the Beat” will take place from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, he said. Follow along at www.facebook.com/AzusaPD, www.twitter.com/azusapd or www.snapchat.com/add/azusapd.
“(Officers will) explain what happens during a traffic stop, share accident investigation information and highlight traffic safety concerns for the city of Azusa,” Azusa police said in a written statement. “In addition to this, the community will be able to ask questions live, while the officers are in the field.
The checkpoints are being funded by a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, through the California Office of Traffic Safety.

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Montebello man arrested following SWAT standoff

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MONTEBELLO >> A SWAT team used teargas and a K-9 to apprehend a suspect following an hours-long standoff at a Montebello apartment complex late Tuesday into early Wednesday, police said.
Edward Palacios, 39, of Montebello was ultimately arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats, assault with a deadly weapon and resisting or obstructing police the standoff, which began about 11 p.m. Tuesday in the 200 block of S. 7th Street, Montebello police Capt. Luis Lopez said in a written statement.
A family member of Palacios called police a short time earlier to report the suspect had threatened him with a gun, Lopez said.
“When Officers arrived they made contact with Palacios, however he quickly barricaded himself inside his apartment,” the captain said. “Officers then contained the apartment and continued their efforts with communicating with him.”
Police learned a woman, Palacios’ girlfriend, was also inside the apartment, Sgt. Julio Calleros said. The woman, who was not being held against her will, exited the apartment amid the standoff. She was not arrested.
But Palacios refused to surrender, remaining holed-up inside the apartment, police.
0630_NWS_SGT-L-MONTEBELLO-STANDOFF2A Los Angeles County sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau team was summoned to take over the standoff.
After several hours, deputies used teargas to smoke Palacios out of the apartment, Calleros said. He continued to struggle once outside and was apprehended with the help of a police dog.
Palacios was taken to a hospital for treatment of dog bites described as minor to moderate prior to booking, officials said.
He was expected to be held without bail pending his initial court appearance.

PHOTOS: [TOP] Edward Palacios booking photo courtesy of the Montebello Police Department. [BELOW] Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau deputies during standoff, courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

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Ex-Montebello cop pleads guilty to on-duty assault; sentenced to probation

MONTEBELLO >> A former Montebello police officer charged with slamming a tagging suspect’s head into the pavement during an arrest will avoid jail time after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge Tuesday, authorities said.
Mark Jason Ryan, 37, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of assault under color of authority in Los Angeles County Superior Court in Los Angeles at what was scheduled to be a hearing to set a date for his preliminary hearing, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Jane Robison said.
He was immediately sentenced to 36 months of summary probation and 300 hours of community service, and ordered to stay 100 yards away from the victim for the term of his probation, Robison said.
Prosecutors initially filed a felony charge against Ryan for the on-duty attack, which took place on Halloween of 2014.
If convicted of the felony charge, Ryan could have faced up to three years in state prison.
Ryan worked as a corporal with the Montebello Police Department when he responded to a report of two men tagging in the 2100 block of West Whittier Boulevard.
While arresting then 26-year-old Anthony Acosta, Ryan slammed Acosta’s head into the pavement in an unjustified assault, prosecutors said.
“He was roughed up pretty good,” said Acosta’s father, Oscar Acosta said. His son, who already suffered from mental health issues, remains depressed and anxious and has been dealing with memory loss issues since the incident.
“Since it happened, he hasn’t been the same,” Oscar Acosta said.
And even following the conviction, the victim, his family and their attorney, Brian Claypool of the Pasadena-based Claypool Law Firm, said they have many questions about exactly what happened that day.
Oscar Acosta said he and his son first learned of the arrest through media reports and were not notified of the pending plea arrangement.
While the assault was reportedly captured on video by the surveillance camera of a nearby restaurant, authorities have not released the video.
Since the case ended in a plea arrangement prior to trial, the video was not entered into evidence and would not be released by the district attorney’s office, Robison said.
Montebello Police Chief Kevin McClure deferred to the district attorney’s office regarding the video. “Everything evidentiary was turned over to the District Attorney and they have authority over it,” he said in an email.
Claypool said he intended to file a lawsuit to pursue more information.
“We plan on getting to the bottom of this. We want to see that video tape,” he said.
“We’re going to file a civil lawsuit,” Claypool said. “We’re also going to file a preservation of evidence letter,” Claypool said, which would seek to prevent authorities from deleting or discarding any video or other evidence.
Ryan retired from the Montebello Police Department in early 2016, officials said.
He worked for the department for 13 years, according to his online resume. Prior to that, He served in the U.S. Army from 1999 to 2003
Ryan served as president of the Montebello Police Officers’ Association in 2015.
McClure declined to comment on Tuesday’s conviction.
“Mark Ryan was a former officer so we were not made aware of today’s proceeding’s,” McClure said. The Montebello PD does not have any comment related to this case.”
Ryan was scheduled to return to court for a probation progress report in one year, Robison said.

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10 horses killed in Montebello stable fire


MONTEBELLO>> Ten horses died in a fire that tore through a Montebello stable early Sunday, officials said.
The fire was first reported a few minutes after midnight at a large stable in the 300 block of South Bluff Road.
It quickly grew to consume a 120-foot by 170-foot section of the large stable, Montebello Fire Department Battalion Chief Richard Fredrickson said.
“It took about an hour for us to get more-or-less control,” he said. The fire was declared extinguished about two hours after it began.
Ten horses inside the stables died in the fire, Fredrickson said. No people were hurt.
Montebello police and firefighters managed to evacuate another 22 horses unharmed, according to Montebello police and fire officials.
Representatives of the stable could not be reached for comment Sunday.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation, Fredrickson said.
“We’re still looking into everything. We haven’t ruled anything out,” the battalion chief said.
Police had not been asked to get involved to get involved investigation Sunday, Montebello police Lt. Rick Rojas said.
A dollar-value estimate of the damage was not available.

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UPDATED: Montebello shooting suspect jailed after East L.A. standoff

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EAST LOS ANGELES >> A sheriff’s SWAT team helped Montebello police apprehend a wanted, armed felon without violence Friday after he barricaded himself inside an East Los Angeles home for five hours, authorities said.
Frank Javier Chavez, 28, of Los Angeles was ultimately arrested about noon following the stand-off, which began about 7 a.m. in the 100 block of Carmelita Street in East Los Angeles, according to Montebello police and Los Angeles County 0618_NWS_SGT-L-BARRICADE3sheriff’s officials.
“Montebello personnel made contact with the suspect, however he barricaded himself in a rear dwelling,” Montebello police said in a written statement. “After several hours of negotiations, the suspect surrendered without incident.”
Following the standoff, deputies recovered three guns — two handguns and a rifle — from the detached bungalow in which Chavez had been holed up.
Deputies evacuated nearby homes as the standoff continued, including one woman who was invalid, Montebello polic Sgt. Julio Calleros said. The disabled woman was taken to a friend’s house by paramedics.
Chavez first crossed paths with Montebello police June 3, when he was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, police said.
He was released from jail the same day pending his initial court appearance after posting $50,000 bail, county booking records show.
“On June 8, 2016 Mr. Chavez returned to the victim’s residence in an attempt to retrieve some personal items,” according to the police statement. “Mr. Chavez became angry at which point it is alleged that he made threatening statements, brandished a firearm and shot the victims vehicle several times before fleeing the area.”
Chavez was not found, and detectives obtained an arrest warrant related to the shooting incident.
Investigators tracked Chavez to Carmelita Street in East Los Angeles Friday morning, leading to the standoff and arrest.
Chavez was booked on suspicion of domestic violence, making criminal threats, shooting at a vehicle and possession of firearms by a convicted felon, police said.
Chavez, who was recently discharged from parole following a previous felony conviction, was expected to be held without bail pending his next court appearance, officials said.

PHOTOS courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Enforcement Bureau.

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UPDATED: Missing Montebello senior turns up safe in Japan

MONTEBELLO >> A 73-year-old man with dementia who was reported missing by concerned neighbors earlier this week was found safe Friday in Japan, police said.
Jiro Kamai was last seen Monday at his home in the area of Sycamore Street and Bluff Road, Montebello police officials said.
“He suffers from dementia,” police said in a written statement. “He doesn’t have any friends or family in the area.”
Police began searching for Kamai after neighbors reported he’d gone missing, Sgt. Julio Calleros said.
After “some digging,” investigators determined Kamai had boarded a flight to Japan Wednesday to visit an ailing relative, Calleros said. He was in the company of family members.
Though it ultimately tuned out Kamai was in no danger, Calleros thanked the concerned neighbors who notified police when they became concerned for his well-being.

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Ex-Montebello police corporal accused of assault under color of authority

MONTEBELLO >> Investigators arrested a former Montebello police corporal Wednesday on a charge of assault under color of authority for slamming a tagging suspect’s head into the pavement during a 2014 arrest, according to authorities, as well as county court and booking documents.
Mark Jason Ryan, 37, is charged with one felony count of assault by a public officer in connection with an alleged on-duty attack, which took place on Halloween of 2014, according to a felony complaint for arrest warrant filed against the former officer April 5 in Los Angeles Superior Court. The charge followed an investigation that lasted more than 17 months.
Los Angles County Sheriff’s Department deputies, who have been investigating the case, arrested Ryan on a warrant about 10 a.m. Wednesday, according to Los Angeles County Superior Court and booking records.
According to the complaint, “(Ryan) assaulted and beat Anthony Acosta under color of authority, the defendant being then and there a public officer, to wit, Montebello Police Department Corporal.”
Ryan responded to a report of two men tagging in the 2100 block of West Whittier Boulevard, district attorney’s officials said in a written statement.
While arresting one of the men, “Ryan allegedly slammed one suspect’s head into the pavement,” according to the statement.
Acosta was 26 years old at the time of the alleged attack, records show.
He ultimately pleaded “no contest” to a count of vandalism, and admitted the crime was gang related, and received a one-year prison sentence in March of 2015, district attorney’s office spokeswoman Jane Robison said.
Prosecutors declined to discussed the level of injury suffered by the alleged victim. Further detail regarding the circumstances of the alleged assault were not available Wednesday afternoon.
Ryan retired from the Montebello Police Department early this year, Montebello Police Chief Kevin McClure said.
The chief declined to comment further regarding the case or the incident, deferring to investigators in the district attorney’s office and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
According to Ryan’s online resume, he left the Montebello Police Department in February after 13 years as an officer, and is now working as a real estate agent. Ryan also served in the U.S. Army from 1999 to 2003, according to the profile.
Ryan served as Montebello Police Officers’ Association president last year.
According to prosecutors and county booking records, Ryan was released on a $35,000 bail bond Wednesday pending his arraignment hearing, scheduled May 4.
If convicted as charged, Ryan faces up to three years in state prison.

 

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Four DUI suspects arrested during Montebello checkpoint

MONTEBELLO >> Four suspected drunken drivers found themselves behind bars following an overnight police checkpoint in Montebello, officials said Sunday.
The checkpoint was held from 7 p.m. Friday to 3 a.m. Saturday in the 1500 block of South Greenwood Avenue, Montebello police officials said in a written statement.
More than 2,000 cars passed through the checkpoint.
Police jailed four drivers on suspicion of DUI, and eight people on suspicion of other crimes, according to the statement.
Officers also issued 27 tickets for those driving without licenses and with suspended or revoked licenses.
Funding for the checkpoint was provided by a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, through the California Office of Traffic Safety.

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