Category Archives: oddball, weird, assorted

Man pleads not guilty to assaulting man in argument over public toilet in Montebello

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EAST LOS ANGELES — A transient appeared in court Thursday to charges that he assaulted and broke the arm of another man earlier this week during an argument over a public toilet, authorities said.
Kenny Sakamoto pleaded not guilty to a charge of battery causing serious bodily injury, court officials said.
He was arrested Tuesday after a assaulting and breaking the arm of a 64-year-old Los Angeles man during an argument over who was going to first us a public restroom at a Montebello Del Taco restaurant, 880 N. Wilcox Ave., according to Montebello police Lt. Mike Bergman.
Sakamoto was ordered back to East Los Angeles Superior Court Friday for a bail review hearing, officials said.
Because Sakamoto uses a wheelchair and may require special accommodations, the date of his preliminary hearing was uncertain, officials added.

If the shoe fits… West Covina robber leaves behind footwear

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WEST COVINA — West Covina police are looking for the man whose foot will fit the size 13 Nike rubber shoe left behind after a Tuesday night robbery.
A female police officer found the shoe that fell off the crooked Cinderfella’s foot as he fled with a bag containing an undisclosed amount.
The robber stole the bag from a woman at Westfield West Covina, 112 Plaza Drive just after 10 p.m., according to Lt. Marty Sevilla.
He said the woman went to a bank drop box on the first floor to deposit the day’s receipts from a kiosk at the mall.
The robber approached from behind and grabbed the woman’s wrist. Sevilla said the victim was knocked to the floor, the suspect took the bag and ran to a waiting light blue or gray minivan.
But the culprit left a clue.
“Apparently he lost one of his shoes,” Sevilla said, adding that the shoe was discovered in the parking lot after a review of the surveillance video.
The victim wasn’t taken to a hospital.
The robber was described as a black man in his late 20s to early 30s with a thin build and standing 5 feet 9 inches tall. He wore a gray hooded sweatshirt and dark-colored pants.
There was no description for the getaway driver.
- Ruby Gonzales

Azusa police search for truck that spilled chromic acid on Foothill Blvd.; clean-up cost $10,000

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AZUSA — Authorities continued seeking a truck that leaked a highly toxic chemical on a six-block stretch of Foothill Boulevard, prompting a closure for much of the day and a clean-up operation with a $10,000 price tag.
The chemical was later identified as chromic acid — a toxic and carcinogenic cleaning material used in metal plating, Azusa police Cpl. Terry Smith said in a written statement.
“Witnesses reported the substance was leaking from an unidentified stake bed style truck that was traveling eastbound Foothill,” Smith said.
The acid leaked onto eastbound lanes of the road from the 900 block of West Foothill Boulevard to the 300 block of West Foothill Boulevard, police added.
Westbound traffic lanes were briefly shut down following the spill, and eastbound lanes in the area remained closed for much of the day.
“The clean up costs were estimated at approximately $10,000,” Smith added.
No injuries were reported as a result of the spill, officials said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Azusa police at 626-812-3200.

Woman accused of intentionally striking county worker with car during argument over unleashed dog in Altadena

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ALTADENA — A woman is accused of intentionally striking a county employee with her car Friday following a dispute over an unleashed dog at the Eaton Canyon Nature Center, authorities said.
Arune Kavaliauskaite, 28, was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon following the 3 p.m. incident at the park, 1750 N. Altadena Drive, according to sheriff’s officials and county booking records. Her city of residency was not clear Saturday.
A Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation employee approached Kavaliauskaite and told her she needed to put her dog on a leash, Lt. Denise Stephenson of the Sheriff’s Park Services Bureau said.
“The suspect refused to put the dog on a leash (and) became abusive toward staff,” the lieutenant said.
When the county employee began taking photographs of the Kavaliauskaite’s car and her dog, she apparently became angry and intentionally struck the county employee with her car, Stephenson said. The employee suffered a minor knee injury.
Deputies responded and arrested Kavaliauskaite, officials said.
According to county booking records, Kavaliauskaite was released from jail Saturday morning after posting $30,000 bail pending her initial appearance in Pasadena Superior Court.

Nude man Tased, taken for psychiatric hold in Covina

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COVINA — A naked man was hospitalized for psychological evaluation Tuesday after assaulting random passers-by along Grand Avenue, police said.
The incident was reported about 3:45 p.m. in the 900 block of North Grand Avenue, Covina police Lt. John Curley said.
Police responded to a report that a nude man had approached a resident and attacked him with a dustpan and with his fists, the lieutenant said. The resident was not injured.
Officers found the man in the area, still naked and appearing agitated, Curley said.
The man refused officers’ commands and began throwing punches at a man who was passing by, he said. The second alleged assault victim was struck only by glancing blows.
Police then shot the suspect with a Taser, which incapacitated him, and took him into custody without a further struggle, Curley said.
Officials did not initially believe the man was under the influence of drugs, he said.
Police took a report for assault and indecent exposure and placed the man on a psychological hold.

Toddler helps catch car theft suspect in Covina

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COVINA — A wanted parolee ran out of luck Wednesday.

After parking a stolen vehicle, he spotted an officer and fled which led police to check the car’s license plate. He tried to elude capture but a 2-year-old boy pointed out his hiding place to officers.
Covina police Sgt. Trevor Gaumer said the toddler told police “Uncle Ian” was in the attic.
Officers already had their eye on the attic area of the apartment in the 300 block of Vecino Drive when the little tipster verified their suspicions.
Ian McGaughe, 28, of Covina was arrested on suspicion of grand theft auto, evading police, possession of drug paraphernalia (a syringe) and driving on a suspended license.
He is also a parolee-at-large, Gaumer said.
McGaughe is being held at Covina jail without bail since he is a parolee.
He reportedly drew the attention of police about 9:30 p.m. in the 300 block of Vecino Drive.
“He parks the car, gets out, sees an officer and runs,” Gaumer said.
The officer ran the license plate and found out the 2002 Toyota Camry was stolen two days ago while its owner was delivering Chinese food in Monrovia.
Police closed off the area. Gaumer said officers noticed a lot of people were out and about at a particular apartment.
They found their quarry there.
- Ruby Gonzales

Passenger suspected of shining laser at helicopter in Glendora, driver jailed for alleged drug possession

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GLENDORA — A green laser light that hit a police helicopter Tuesday also led Glendora officers to the alleged culprit who was riding in a car.
But police also carted off the driver to jail after a small amount of drugs was found.
The helicopter that Azusa police contracts for was over Barranca Avenue and Route 66 around 6:15 p.m. when a passenger of a Chrysler Sebring shined a green laser at it three to four times, according to Glendora police Lt. Joe Ward.
He said Glendora officers stopped the car, recovered the laser pointer and arrested Jerrod Ferren, 31, of Glendora on suspicion of using a laser light at the helicopter.
But during the investigation, Ward said police also arrested the driver, 26-year-old William Dixon of Los Angeles, on suspicion of being under the influence and possession of a controlled substance. He said officers discovered less than a gram of methamphetamine.
Both men were being held at Glendora jail. Ferren’s bail is $20,000 while Dixon’s bail is $10,000.
Sheriff’s online booking records show the two will be arraigned Thursday at West Covina Superior Court.
- Ruby Gonzales

Air Jordan sneaker release fuels bad craziness throughout American shopping malls

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The release of new Air Jordan sneakers is apparently causing chaos throughout the country. Here’s just a few headlines:



License plate left at scene of Uptown Whittier hit-and-run

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WHITTIER — Police said a hit-and-run driver left a major clue at the scene where a traffic signal was knocked down in Uptown Whittier late Monday — the vehicle’s license plate.
Officers responded about 11:10 p.m. to reports of a hit-and-run crash that had knocked down a traffic signal at Philadelphia Street and Comstock Avenue, Whittier police Lt. Randy Inman said. “On arrival, they discovered a license plate left at the scene.”
Police hadn’t found the car, which was registered “out of the area,” Tuesday morning, he said, however investigators expected to track down the owner soon.

Deputy has ear partially bitten off by suspect in Palmdale

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PALMDALE — A suspect bit of a large portion of a deputies ear and tried to grab the deputy’s gun during an arrest early Monday, authorities said.
Miguel Barcenas De La Cruz, 41, was booked on suspicion of mayhem and attempted murder of a peace officer, according to Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials and county booking records.
The incident began just before 3:45 a.m. Monday as a deputy was on patrol in the 200 block of East Palmdale Boulevard, Detective Mike Baker said in a written statement. The deputy encountered De La Cruz who was walking in in the middle of the street in the 38-degree weather.
As the deputy tried to escort De La Cruz to his patrol car, the suspect suddenly attacked the deputy and a fight ensued, officials said.
“During the minutes-long fight, suspect De La Cruz bit off part of the deputy’s left ear,” Baker said.
The fight continued, and De La Cruz allegedly grabbed the deputy’s gun and tried to take it, Baker said.
“Although in pain from the loss of a significant portion of his ear, the deputy was able to retain his gun as he tried to overcome the suspect and arrest him,” he said.
Other deputies arrived as the struggle continued and helped take De La Cruz into custody, authorities said.
The deputy was treated and released from a hospital.
“Unfortunately, the doctors decided the risk of infection was too great to try and re-attach (the severed portion of ear,)” Baker said.
The missing portion of ear was described by officials as about 1-inch by 1 and a half inches.
De La Cruz, who Baker said was already on probation for a previous kidnapping conviction, was being held without bail at the Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles after being treated for injuries suffered in the fight with deputies.