Category Archives: South El Monte

Man shot to death in South El Monte

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A man was found fatally shot near a local museum Wednesday night, deputies said.
The man’s identity was not released Thursday pending confirmation that his family had been notified, according to coroner’s officials. He was initially described as being 27 years old.
At 6:42 p.m., the sheriff’s Temple station received calls about gunshots and cars on Rosemead Boulevard, according to Lt. Ignacio Somoano.
He said someone then called to report a “person down” by the ditch in front of the American Society of Military History Museum in the 1900 block of Rosemead Boulevard, south of Rush Street.
Deputies discovered the victim dead at the scene, and homicide detectives were called in.
Initial investigation revealed that two cars were stopped next to one another when one person exited each car, Dolson said.
The victim was shot mutliple times before both cars sped away, he said.
A motive or suspect description was not available, though the shooting was not believed to be gang-related, the lietenant said.
Rosemead Boulevard between Rush Street and the 60 Freeway were closed remained closed as of 8:28 p.m.
The California Highway Patrol assisted deputies in diverting traffic around the area.

Sheriff’s, Caltrans vehicles involved in crash on 60 Freeway

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SOUTH EL MONTE — The California Highway Patrol issued a Sig Alert on the eastbound 60 Freeway near Peck Road Wednesday after a crash involving a Caltrans truck and an unmarked sheriff’s car, authorities said.
CHP Officer Francisco Villalobos said there were no reports of injuries in connection with the crash, which was reported about 10:15 a.m.
The circumstances of the crash and the extent of the damage to the vehicles were not immediately available.
Officials declared a Sig Alert for the right-hand lane of the eastbound 60 Freeway, as well well as the Peck Road onramp to the eastbound 60 Freeway, as they cleared the damaged Caltrans truck from the roadway, Villalobos said.
The crash was being investigated by the East Los Angeles office of the CHP.

Check cashing business, employee robbed at gunpoint

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SOUTH EL MONTE – An armed man robbed a Check ‘n Go of about $590 and also took an employee’s wallet and cell phone Tuesday.


Lt. Loy McBride of the sheriff’s Temple station said no one was injured during the 3 p.m. robbery of the business at 1936 Durfee Ave.

McBride said the robber walked in, pointed a gun at the employee and demanded money.

The suspect was described as a black man, 20 to 25, 5 feet 8 inches tall and 140 pounds. He was armed with a semi automatic pistol.

- Staff report

UPDATED: Jail escapee and wife sought for wounding deputy with shotgun, multiple carjackings

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SOUTH EL MONTE – Officials are seeking a jail escapee and his wife after they wounded a sheriff’s deputy with a shotgun Sunday in the midst of a violent crime spree, authorities said.
The deputy was treated for non-life threatening injuries and released from a hospital later in the day, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Capt. Mike Parker said.
The suspects, identified by sheriff’s officials as Darnell Washington, 24, and his wife, Tania Washington, 25, remained at large Sunday night.
Darnell Washington escaped from the Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center in Devore Tuesday, with help from his wife, sheriff’s officials said.
In addition to the attack on the deputy, they were believed to be linked to a series of carjackings, including one about 45 minutes after the shooting in South Gate, Parker said. 
The shooting took place just before 9 a.m. at a 7-Eleven store at Durfee Avenue and Michael Hunt Drive.
A deputy assigned to the sheriff’s Temple Station, which patrols South El Monte, saw a Nissan Armada pull into the parking lot of the convenience store and found it suspicious, Parker said. The deputy ran the Armada’s license plate and determined it was reported, “armed and dangerous,” prompting him to call for backup from additional deputies.
Before help arrived, however, “The suspects came out of the store, and a deputy-involved shooting occurred,” Parker said. “Gunfire was exchanged between at least one suspect and the deputy.”
It was not clear if either of the suspects was wounded by the deputy’s gunfire.
The suspects then fled in the Nissan Armada they arrived in, which was initially believed to have been carjacked.
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About 45 minutes later, the suspects abandoned the Nissan in South Gate, where they carjacked a minivan.
The carjacked minivan the suspects were last seen in was described as a light blue, 1996 Plymouth Voyager with a California license plate number of 3PHK484.
Deputies were also investigating the suspects in connection with other area carjackings.
“Frankly, these two suspects are responsible for a crime spree, and a violent one at that,” Parker said.
Anyone who spots them was advised to call 9-1-1 immediately, but not approach them.
“They’re considered armed and extremely dangerous,” Parker said. “We very much want to get them into custody before they hurt someone else.”
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PHOTOS courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

South El Monte man admits role in defrauding distressed homeowners

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LOS ANGELES — A South El Monte man has agreed to plead guilty in connection to a scam that allegedly bilked about 200 distressed homeowners out of more than $2.5 million by falsely promising to eliminate their mortgage debt for a large fee, authorities announced Friday.
Ernesto Diaz, 57, agreed to admit a single count of mail fraud for his role in a scam operated by his company, Crown Point Education, which has offices in Montebello and El Monte, California Department of Justice spokesman Thom Mrozek said in a written statement.
Diaz solicited homeowners to pay fees of about $15,000 each to, promising he and his organization could force banks to forgive their mortgages, Mrozek said. He further promised clients their mortgages would be forgiven within six to eight months.
“Instead of working on behalf of the homeowners, the man simply sent worthless ‘Sovereign Citizen’ paperwork to lenders — paperwork that did nothing to affect the mortgage of a single homeowner,” according to the statement.
As part of his plea agreement, officials said, Diaz promised to cooperate in an investigation into Crown Point Education, Inc., which began operating in early 2009.
While pitching the fraudulent scheme to clients, which he admitted in his plea agreement had never been successful, “Diaz failed to tell distressed homeowners that earlier Crown Point clients — including Diaz’s own brother — has lost their houses to foreclosure and been evicted from their houses,” Mrozek said.
Additionally, authorities allege, Diaz and other Crown Point representatives filed bankruptcy documents on behalf of homeowners to delay foreclosure or eviction without their knowledge, often forging signatures in the process.
Diaz was scheduled to appear in federal court Sept. 13.
If convicted as charged, Diaz faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

South El Monte food truck robbery nets suspects $4 in change

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OUTH EL MONTE — A group of men on Thursday attacked and robbed the owner of a food truck then took his cash box which contained about $4 in pennies.
Sgt. Mark Skaggs of the sheriff’s Temple Station doubted if the suspects knew how much was in the box.
“Apparently (the victim) kept pennies there,” Skaggs said.
The robbery was reported at 10:07 p.m. in the 2300 block of Continental Avenue.
Skaggs said four to six men tried to pull the victim out of the truck. He was knocked down inside the vehicle. Some of the robbers then punched and hit him, Skaggs said.
One suspect took the cash box from the truck.
The robbers, described only as Latinos, fled in a silver 4-door Jeep.
- Ruby Gonzales

South El Monte tattoo supply business robbed

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SOUTH EL MONTE — Armed robbers fled with cash Thursday after robbing a tattoo supply business on Rush Street, officials said.
The robbers entered Tattoo Wholesale, 11000 Rush Street, with a small, black handgun about 9:15 a.m. and demanded money, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Ignacio Samoano said.
After obtaining on unknown amount of cash, the robbers were last seen fleeing the business on foot, through the property’s parking lot, officials said.
Deputies described one of the robbers as a black man, about 30 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall, 200 pounds, wearing a black hooded sweat shirt and blue jeans. The second robber was described only as a black man in a black shirt.
Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s Temple Station.

South El Monte man convicted of ex-girlfriend’s murder

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LOS ANGELES – A South El Monte man faces a maximum sentence of 40 years to life in prison for fatally shooting a former girlfriend two years ago, authorities said Thursday.

A Los Angeles Superior Court jury on Tuesday convicted 40-year-old Toan Phan of second-degree murder. He will be sentenced Sept. 11.

Phan shot Hong Nguyen and himself in the 11400 block of Thienes Avenue in South El Monte on July 17, 2010.

He claimed the shooting was accidental.

But Deputy District Attorney Terrie Tengelsen said Phan killed Nguyen in a murder-suicide attempt.

The 34-year-old Nguyen, who lived in Orange County, was Phan’s former girlfriend. Phan married someone else.

Phan wrote a suicide note saying he still loved Nguyen and hoped they could be husband and wife in the next life, according to Tengelsen.

Before the shooting, Tengelsen said Phan went to Greater El Monte Community Hospital with chest pains. Either the hospital or Phan then called Nguyen to pick him up.

She drove him home.

At 4:45 a.m. on July 17, 2010, deputies went to the Thienes Avenue home on a call about a shooting.

They found a wounded Phan in the doorway. They also discovered Nguyen who was pronounced dead at the scene. Both were shot in the upper body.

- Ruby Gonzales

UPDATED (again): Robbery reported at Ramada Hotel in South El Monte

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SOUTH EL MONTE – A couple wearing ski masks and hooded sweatshirts robbed two people at gunpoint Friday in the lobby of a hotel.

The robbers entered the lobby of the Ramada Hotel at 1089 Santa Anita Ave. shortly before 8:30 a.m. and brandished a handgun, according to deputies at the sheriff’s Temple Station which patrols South El Monte.

Sheriff’s Lt. Ignacio Somoano said the suspects took money and personal property from a man and a woman who were customers at the hotel.

He said the robbers, described only as a black man and a black woman, left in a black Honda driven by a Latina.

UPDATED: Man hospitalized after hiigh-speed crash in stolen car in South El Monte

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SOUTH EL MONTE — A man driving a stolen car was in critical condition after the speeding vehicle hit another car and a building Tuesday night.

The collision was reported about 9 p.m. on Rush Street and Tyler Avenue, according to Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials.
Sheriff’s Sgt. James Long said the car, which was later found to have been reported stolen in Montebello, was speeding in excess of 100 mph while northbound on Rush Street. Police were not in pursuit.
The driver tried to pass the vehicle ahead of him.
Long said the driver moved to the left and into the opposing lane. When the driver went back to his original lane, Long said the stolen car clipped the other vehicle then lost control.
The stolen 1996 Honda Civic struck a building and rolled several times. Long said the driver was taken to Los Angeles County USC Medical Center in “extremely critical condition.”
He remained hospitalized with major injuries Wednesday, Lieutenant Augustine Del Via said.
A second man who was riding as a passenger in the stolen vehicle fled from the crash on foot and was not found, the lieutenant said.
The driver of the second car, a 1999 Nissan Altima, suffered minor injuries, he added.
The driver of the stolen car had not been arrested as of Wednesday, authorities said. The investigation was ongoing.