Woman arrested following Glendora sushi restaurant break-in, high-speed chase

Posted on March 11, 2017 by Brian Day

GLENDORA >> Police arrested one suspect and sought two more after they burglarized a Glendora sushi restaurant early Saturday, then led police on a pursuit that ended in Compton, officials said.
A burglary alarm triggered about 4:30 a.m. first drew police to the restaurant in the 1800 block of East Route 66, according to Glendora police Lt. Rob Lamborghini.
“Officers responded and immediately confirmed that a burglary had occurred,” he said. Burglars had broken into the business through the back door and stolen cash, but fled before police arrived.
An officer searching the area spotted a suspicious car getting onto the 210 Freeway near Lone Hill Avenue and tried to pull it over, the lieutenant said. The car accelerated away, kicking off a high-speed chase on the 210, 605 and 105 freeways. Suspects inside the car were seen tossing unknown items from the vehicle during the pursuit.
The car exited the 105 Freeway in Compton and came to a stop, Lamborghini said. Two suspects ran from the car and were not found.
The driver, 33-year-old Erika Anette Washington of Redlands, was taken into custody, according to police and Los Angeles County booking records. She was booked on suspicion of burglary and evading police.
The money believed to have been stolen from the sushi restaurant was not found.
According to county booking records, Washington was being held in lieu of $20,000 bail pending her arraignment hearing, scheduled Monday in the West Covina branch of Los Angeles County Superior Court.

La Habra man accused of kidnapping following police chase

Posted on February 26, 2017 by Brian Day

LA HABRA >> A La Habra man is accused of kidnapping after leading police on a pursuit through Orange County with his girlfriend riding as an involuntary passenger on Saturday, police said.
Christopher Jonathan Westreicher, 22, was booked on suspicion of kidnapping following the pursuit, which began about 5:45 p.m. in La Habra and came to an end in Irvine, according to La Habra police officials and Orange County booking records. He was also being held on a pre-existing “no-bail” warrant.
A witness called police to report seeing a possible domestic disturbance between a man and woman inside a car in the area of Imperial Highway and Walnut Street, La Habra police Sgt. Rob Diehl said. Officers caught up with the small, gray Toyota in the area of Imperial Highway and Village drive.
The driver, later identified as Westreicher, refused to pull over, initiating a chase that sped through La Habra, Brea, Fullerton, Buena Park Anaheim and Irvine, Diehl said.
As the car drove slowly approaching the 91 Freeway at Brookhurst Street in Anaheim, the woman exited the car as it was still moving, according to the lieutenant. The woman managed to stay on her feet as she exited the moving car and ran toward officers for help. She suffered no significant injuries.
The chase continued until Westreicher stopped and surrendered to police on the 5 Freeway, near Culver Drive in Irvine, Diehl said.
Westreicher was being held without bail pending his initial court appearance, scheduled Tuesday in Orange County Superior Court’s Central Jail branch, records show.

Stolen car pursuit leads from El Monte to Baldwin Park, ends with crash on 10 Freeway

Posted on February 2, 2017 by Brian Day

BALDWIN PARK >> Police and California Highway Patrol officer jailed an auto theft suspect who led them on a pursuit from El Monte before crashing into a CHP cruiser in Baldwin Park while fleeing in the wrong direction of traffic on the 10 Freeway, authorities said.
The suspect was found and taken into custody nearby, and no officers were hurt in the incident, which began shortly before 9 p.m. in El Monte, California Highway Patrol Officer Tony Polizzi said. Authorities briefly shut down the westbound lanes of the 10 Freeway following the collision, but quickly reopened them.
A LoJack vehicle anti-theft signal first attracted the attention of El Monte police to the vehicle, officials said.
The driver failed to pull over for police, initiating a chase that reached high speeds and travelled on the wrong side of the roadway more than once.
The CHP took over the pursuit as the driver made his way onto the 60 Freeway. Shortly after he began heading east in the westbound lanes of the freeway, he collided with a CHP cruiser near Baldwin Park Boulevard, Polizzi said.
It was not immediately clear whether the CHP officer crashed into the suspect intentionally or unintentionally.
The driver got out of the crashed car and continued to flee on foot, but was soon captured in a nearby neighborhood, officials said.
CHP officials could not confirm initial radio reports from the scene that a gun was recovered from inside the suspect’s stolen car.
No further details were available late Wednesday.

Six suspects jailed in San Gabriel Valley robbery, carjacking spree

Posted on February 2, 2017 by Brian Day

LA PUENTE >> Deputies arrested six suspects in a series of San Gabriel Valley robberies and carjackings after they crashed a just-stolen car in Chino late Tuesday, authorities said.
The incident began just after 9:10 p.m. when a woman was carjacked in front of a home in the 800 block of Greycliff Avenue, according to Deputy Juanita Navarro-Suarez of the Los Angeles County sheriff’s Information Bureau.
The woman told deputies she had just arrived home when she was confronted by a group of carjackers, “one of whom was armed with a baseball bat,” Navarro-Suarez said in a written statement.
The carjackers threatened to retrieve a handgun if the woman refused to turn over her vehicle, and she complied out of fear for her safety, the deputy said. The group of carjackers then fled in her car.
Deputies spotted the carjacked vehicle moments later in the area of the 60 Freeway and Fullerton Road in Industry, she said. They initially gave chase on the 60 Freeway, but soon cancelled the chase and followed the fleeing vehicle via helicopter only “due to excessive speeds,” Navarro-Suarez said.
The vehicle continued speeding east before ultimately crashing at Euclid and Merrill avenues in Chino. All six suspects ran from the crashed car but were soon apprehended by deputies during a search of the area.
Brian Mendez, a 20 year-old national of El Salvador and Christian Lucero, an 18 year-old national of Honduras, were booked on suspicion of carjacking, officials said. They were being held in lieu of $100,000 bail each.
Four juvenile suspects, two boys and two girls, were also arrested and taken to a juvenile hall, Navarro-Suarez said. They were described as nationals of El Salvador, Mexico and Honduras.
While continuing their investigation, deputies noticed a second car parked near the scene of the La Puente carjacking which had been reported stolen in Texas, where all six suspects are believed to live, according to Navarro-Suarez.
“It is believed that the six suspects abandoned the stolen vehicle during the time of the carjacking,” she added.
The stolen car from Texas matched the description of one used in a series of recent robberies in the La Puente and Rowland Heights areas, officials said.
Further details regarding the spate of robberies were not available late Wednesday.
The investigation was ongoing.

Man and woman jailed after chase from Azusa to Duarte

Posted on January 28, 2017 by Brian Day

AZUSA >> A man and woman led police on a pursuit that ended with a crash in Duarte before they were arrested late Friday, police said.
Driver Dennis Ayon,, 36, of Azusa was booked on suspicion of evading police and felony drug possession, Azusa police officials said in a written statement. Passenger Darla Abriel, 30, of Glendora was booked on suspicion of a misdemeanor drug offense and outstanding warrants, according to Azusa police officials and Los Angeles County booking records.
The pursuit began shortly after 8 p.m. after an Azusa police officer tried to stop the car they were riding in for a traffic violation near 5th Street and Dalton Avenue, Azusa police officials said in a written statement.
“The driver failed to stop and led officers on a vehicle pursuit from the City of Azusa through the City of Monrovia and ultimately into the City of Duarte,” according to the statement, “The vehicle lost control and collided with several parked vehicles in the 2000 block of Mountain (Avenue), City of Duarte.”
Both the driver and passenger were treated for apparently minor injuries prior to booking, officials said. Further details regarding he type and amount of drugs allegedly possessed by the suspects was not available.
Information regarding Ayon’s bail amount and initial court appearance was not available Saturday, as he remained hospitalized, officials said. He is already on felony probation under the terms of AB 109, records show.
Abriel was being held in lieu of $45,000 bail pending an arraignment hearing scheduled Monday in the West Covina branch of Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Man opens fire on El Monte police during pursuit, suspect arrested in Baldwin Park

Posted on January 12, 2017 by Brian Day

#ElMontePD #PURSUIT Shooting at officers pic.twitter.com/m22QjSDDWj

— LA Basin Scanner (@LABasinScanner) January 12, 2017

EL MONTE >> A fleeing suspect fired gunshots at El Monte police during a high-speed pursuit before he was taken into custody in Baldwin Park late Wednesday.
Richard Cortez, 26, of Baldwin Park was ultimately arrested on suspicion of attempted murder on a peace officer, evading police, resisting arrest, burglary and hit-and-run, El Monte police Sgt. Richard Luna said.
“He’s shooting at my vehicle,” an officer is heard calmly saying over the radio as the chase sped down the 60 Freeway. “My windshield’s now broken. We’re still westbound. Probably about five or six rounds.”
The incident began about 10 p.m. in the southwest portion of the city, when an officer spotted and began following a suspicious car, according to the sergeant.
When the officer tried to stop the car for a traffic violation, the driver sped away, initiating a chase that worked its way to the 60 freeway.
While on the 60 Freeway, the suspect opened fire on pursuing officers several times, Luna said. One officer initially believed his patrol car had been struck, but no damage was ultimately found.
Police continued chasing the suspect, who reached speeds as high as 100 mph, as he got onto the 10 Freeway and ultimately exited at Frazier Avenue in Baldwin Park.
He was involved in a minor crash with a parked car as he ditched his vehicle and continued to flee on foot.
Cortez fled through the neighborhood and broke into a home before he was apprehended with the help of a police K-9, Luna said. Television news helicopters broadcast footage of the chase arrest.
He was taken to a hospital for treatment prior to booking, officials said.
No additional suspects were believed to be outstanding.
The investigation was ongoing, Luna said.
According to Los Angeles County Superior Court records, Cortez was previously convicted of vandalism, brandishing a handgun and burglary in 2016; fighting in public and spousal abuse in 2013; possession of methamphetamine in 2012; and being under the influence of a controlled substance in 2010.
Cortez was being held without bail pending a scheduled arraignment hearing Friday in the El Monte branch of Los Angeles County Superior Court, county booking records show.

Audio courtesy of @LABasinScanner on Twitter

San Gabriel robbery suspects arrested following pursuit

Posted on January 12, 2017 by Brian Day

SAN GABRIEL >> Two men accused of robbing a San Gabriel cell phone store on Wednesday afternoon led police on a high-speed chase before being cornered and apprehended in Los Angeles, authorities said.
An officer first tried to stop the suspects’ car about 5:51 p.m. for a routine traffic violation in the area of San Gabriel Boulevard, south of Valley Boulevard, San Gabriel Police Lt. Tony Hernandez said.
The driver failed to pull over, instead starting a chase during which he drove recklessly and at high speed down the westbound 10 Freeway, he said.
As the pursuit was ongoing, police received information that the car was believed to have been involved in a robbery that occurred about 5:45 p.m. at a cell phone store in the 800 block of Valley Boulevard, according to the lieutenant.
Two men with at least one gun had entered the store and fled with about 20 phones, he said. It was not immediately clear if cash was also taken.
Officers continued chasing the suspects as they exited the freeway at Mission Road in Los Angeles and crashed into another motorist, Hernandez said. The two suspects abandoned the car and continued to flee on foot. The other driver involved in the crash was unhurt.
The fleeing suspects ran directly into a commercial property enclosed by a 6-foot-tall, razor-wire-topped fence, he said. They surrendered once they realized they were trapped.
The suspects identities were not immediately available.
Police were re-tracing the path of the pursuit late Wednesday in search of items possible tossed from the suspects during the chase, he added.

Burglary suspects arrested after Alhambra woman chases them from home with baseball bat

Posted on January 6, 2017 by Brian Day

ALHAMBRA >> A woman armed herself with a baseball bat and chased away three intruders as they tried to force their way through the window of her Alhambra home before police apprehended three suspects following a brief pursuit, officials said.
The incident began about 1:25 p.m. when the woman heard the sound of burglars inside a detached laundry room of her home on Front Street, near Fremont Avenue, Alhambra police Sgt. Jerry Johnson said.
The three intruders then began trying to force their way through a window into the main house, he said.
The frightened resident, a woman in her 20s, grabbed a baseball bat to defend herself, Johnson said. She pounded it and managed to scare the burglars away. They got into a an SUV and drove off.
An Alhambra police motorcycle officer soon spotted an SUV matching the description driving along Fremont Avenue, near the 10 Freeway, according to the sergeant.
Officers followed as the SUV got onto the eastbound 10 Freeway, Johnson said. The driver at first drove calmly as officers amassed behind them, but then suddenly got into the carpool lane and accelerated.
The driver led officers on a chase before exiting the freeway at Peck Road and pulling over in a parking lot, police said. Officers then took the three suspects into custody without a struggle.
Davone Claude Garrett, 18, of Los Angeles; Agoin Malik Boyd, 19, of Los Angeles; and Ramire Blue, Male, 20, of Compton, were booked on suspicion of burglary, Johnson said. Boyd allegedly drove the getaway car.
According to Los Angeles County booking records, all three were being held in lieu of $50,000 bail pending their initial court appearances.

BOOKING PHOTOS: [Left to right] Davone Claude Garrett, 18, of Los Angeles; Agoin Malik Boyd, 19, of Los Angeles; and Ramire Blue, Male, 20, of Compton. (Courtesy, Alhambra Police Department)

Wanted San Dimas man arrested after pursuit through Covina

Posted on January 2, 2017 by Brian Day

COVINA >> Police on Sunday jailed a San Dimas man on suspicion on outstanding robbery and drug smuggling warrants, and were investigating his possible connection to an armed robbery in Glendora early Saturday, after he led Covina police on a high-speed chase before being captured by a SWAT team and a K-9, authorities said.
Bryan McMaster, 46, was ultimately booked on suspicion of felony evading of police, as well as warrants for robbery and smuggling drugs into the Glendora Police Department’s jail, Covina police Sgt. Antonio Zavala said.
Detectives were also looking into the possibility McMaster was responsible for a Saturday morning armed robbery at a CVS Pharmacy in Glendora, Covina and Glendora police officials said. A concrete link was yet to be established.
The chase began after an officer spotted the wanted man about 9:30 a.m. in a car in the parking lot of the Park Inn, 1211 E. Garvey Street, Zavala said.
McMaster refused to pull over, initiating a chase that reached speeds of more than 100 mph on surface streets, the sergeant said. After leading police on a chase for about three miles, McMaster abandoned his car and continued fleeing on foot after driving into a cul-de-sac on Bender Avenue, just north of Navilla Place, in an unincorporated county area just outside of Covina.
A SWAT team was summoned to search for the suspect, as he was presumed armed and dangerous, according to Zavala.
SWAT officers, aided by Covina police K-9 Jarno, found McMaster hiding in a shed behind a vacant home nearby about noon, he said.
McMaster was treated for minor dog bite injuries and booked into jail, Zavala said.
His wife, who was riding as a passenger during the pursuit, was also being detained for questioning Sunday afternoon, he added.

UPDATE: Man fatally shot by police following pursuit in El Monte

Posted on December 24, 2016 by Brian Day

EL MONTE >> Police in El Monte shot and killed a man as he allegedly charged at officers with an SUV late Friday, authorities said.
The incident took place about 9:35 p.m. at Esto Avenue and Fieldcrest Street, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said in a written statement. Detectives from the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau are handling the investigation into the officer-involved shooting.
The identity of the suspect was not released Saturday pending notification of his family, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Capt. John Kades said.
Prior to the shooting, El Monte tried to pull over a mid-size SUV near Valley Boulevard and Tyler Avenue, suspecting that the driver was intoxicated, according to Deputy Trina Schrader of the sheriff’s Information Bureau. The driver refused to stop, starting a pursuit.
The suspect crashed into another motorist during the chase and continued fleeing, she said. The driver of the car struck by the suspect was not hurt.
Police continued chasing the SUV until it came to a stop at the intersection of Esto Avenue and Fieldcrest Street, Schrader said. Officers got out of their cars and approached the suspect.
“The suspect then drove into the cul-de-sac, turned around and drove towards the officers, who were standing outside their vehicles,” Schrader said. “An officer-involved shooting occurred.”
Paramedics pronounced the wounded suspect dead at the scene.
Three officers fired their weapons in the incident, officials said. No officers were injured.
Another El Monte officer collided with a civilian car while responding to the pursuit. The driver of that car was treated for injuries described by officials as minor.
Further details were not available.
Anyone with information was urged to contact the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

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