Recently in Covina Category
COVINA -- A nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping kids away from gangs, violence and drugs invites the community to take part in the grand opening of an athletic and academic teen center later this month.
The Man-e Moreno Foundation's "212 Training Center" opens its doors Feb. 18, and a block party is planned to celebrate, organizers said.
The party will take place from noon to 4 p.m. at the center, 542 N. Second Ave.
The teen center has been the dream of Man-e Moreno Foundation organizers for years, and and is designed to give guidance and direction to youths throughout the San Gabriel Valley.
Food and live entertainment will be provided.
For more information or to RSVP, call the Man-e Moreno Foundation at 626-407-3989, or e-mail info@man-efoundation.org.
COVINA -- The arrest of a man on suspicion of drug possession at a motel Tuesday led police to arrest two other people on suspicion of stealing copper wiring, authorities said.
Richard Hughes, 43, was jailed on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine, while Laura Wohlhueter, 47, and Keith Kessler, 41, were booked on suspicion of receiving stolen property, Covina police Lt. John Curley said. All three are West Covina residents.
Officers were on patrol near the Radisson Suites, 1211 E. Garvey Street, when they spotted Hughes in the parking lot rifling through a car, the lieutenant said.
Police questioned the man and quickly discovered he had a small amount of what appeared to be methamphetamine with him, police said. He told officers that the car he was seen in belonged to a friend who was renting a room.
After arresting Hughes, police went to the hotel room he indicated to verify his story, Curley said. Once in the room, officers noticed a box full of copper wiring which they believed to be stolen and arrested Wohlhueter and Kessler.
According to county booking records, all three suspects were being held in lieu of $20,000 bail and were due due for arraignment Thursday in West Covina Superior Court.
COVINA -- Covina police are asking for the public's help in finding a 64-year-old woman with Alzheimer's who has been missing since Monday.
Leiza Margarita Ochy left her home in the 500 Block of S. Eremland Drive Monday afternoon after an argument with her daughter over the possibility of being placed into an adult care facility, Covina police said.<p>
Officials said the Covina woman also has bipolar disorder, a history of schizophrenia and other medical conditions. She didn't have medications or money with her when she left.
Ochy is Panamanian, speaks English with a Spanish accent, stand 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs about 200 pound. She was last seen wearing a lime green sweater, white pants and brown bowling-style shoes. She was carrying a blue-and-grey backpack and had a white purse with pink stripes.
Anyone with information is asked to call Covina Police at 626-384-5656 or Detective Anthony Zavala at 626-384-5622.
- Staff report
PHOTO of Leiza Ochy courtesy of the Covina Police Department
COVINA -- A Covina woman died late Wednesday after being struck by an SUV while crossing the street, authorities said.
Elsa Giron, 68, was pronounced dead at a hospital shortly after the 6:26 p.m. crash at Cypress Street and Ellen Drive, in an unincorporated county area near Covina, according to Los Angeles County Department of Coroner and California Highway Patrol officials.
The cause of the crash remained under investigation, however nothing criminal was initially suspected, said CHP Sgt. C. Fusco, who declined to give his first name.
The woman was crossing in the intersection when she was struck by a passing Ford SUV. The directions of travel and other circumstances of the crash were not available Thursday.
A 64-year-old Covina man who was driving the SUV was not injured, Fusco added.
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.
COVINA -- Police arrested a wanted parolee with convictions for home-invasion robbery and auto theft early Tuesday on suspicion of removing a GPS tracking device, officials said.
Francisco George Munoz, 30, of Covina was being held without bail at the Covina Police Department's jail following his 3 a.m. arrest at 7--Eleven on Rowland Street, just west of Barranca Street, according to Covina police and county booking records.
Covina police received word last week that Munoz had removed or tampered with a court-ordered GPS ankle bracelet, Covina police Lt. John Curley said. Police and state parole officials carried out a search for him with no success.
A patrol officer, however, spotted Munoz at the Covina 7-Eleven store and arrested him without incident, the lieutenant said. He was not wearing his GPS tracking device.
Munoz's previous convictions include auto theft and "robbery of an inhabited dwelling," Curley added.
According to county booking records, Munoz was due to appear Wednesday in West Covina Superior Court.
COVINA -- Fingerprints led to the arrest of three men Tuesday in connection with about 20 residential and car burglaries over the past month, police said.
The arrests were the result of two separate investigations, Covina police Lt. John Curley. One of the probes targeted a series of more than a dozen home break-ins in the north end of town, while the other targeted a series of about half-a-dozen car break-ins.
Michael Finchen, 29, of Covina, was booked on suspicion of burglary, and Jose Villegas, 25, of Covina was booked on suspicion of possession of stolen property in connection with the residential burglary investigation, Curley said.
Officers investigating a break-in Monday at a house in the 1300 block of North Eastburry Avenue was able to collect a latent fingerprint from a bathroom window where the burglar had entered, the lieutenant said.
The fingerprint matched Finchen, Curley said, and detectives also identified Villegas as a possible accomplice. Villegas lives about a block from Finchen.
As police were preparing to serve an arrest warrant at Finchen's home in the 1400 block of North Fenimore Avenue, Villegas came out of his home to see what the commotion was, Curley said.
Officers arrested him on an outstanding DUI warrant before discovering a stolen Honda in the process of being stripped in his garage, police said, as well as apparently stolen items such as birth certificates and passports in his home.
Finchen was then arrested on suspicion of the Monday break-in without incident.
Detectives continued working to connect Finchen and Villegas to other nearby home burglaries reported over the last month, Curley said.
According to county booking records, Finchen was being held in lieu of $20,000 bail pending his initial court appearance, while Villegas was being held in lieu of $80,000 bail.
Also Tuesday, officers arrested Matthew Aguliar, 20, of Covina on suspicion of an attempted car break-in Sunday in the 200 block of East Puente Avenue, in which police were also able to match the suspect to a fingerprint left at the scene of the crime, Curley said.
Police said they were also looking into the possibility Aguliar was connected to another half-dozen or so nearby auto burglaries since December.
Aguliar's father, Ray Aguliar, said his son was released Thursday without charges.
Los Angeles County District Attorney's officials said though Aguliar was due in court Thursday, no case had been filed against him Friday.
Police could not confirm whether the case had been dropped or if Aguliar was released from jail, however criminal charges against defendants being held in custody are generally made within 48 hours of arrest.
COVINA -- Two men were stabbed during a brawl on Badillo Street late Friday, police said.
The stabbing was reported about 11:30 p.m. in the 800 block of East Badillo Street, just west of Grand Avenue, Covina police Sgt. Rob Bobkiewicz said.
A deputy was responding to another call of a loud party when he was flagged down by a witness who reported two of his friends had been stabbed, the sergeant said.
Officials found two men in their 20s suffering from stab wounds nearby, Bobkiewicz said. Both were hospitalized with injuries not believed to be life threatening.
The victims gave conflicting accounts of what took place, police said, but it appeared they were involved in a fight with seven to 10 gang members from an unknown gang.
No further description of the attackers was available.
One of the stabbing victims was wounded in the leg, torso and arm, while the other suffered a wound to his torso, Bobkiewicz said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Covina Police Department at 626-331-3391.
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
WEST COVINA - A San Gabriel man will be serving the next two years behind bars for stealing from a parked car while a mourner visited a grave, officials said Wednesday.
Shiara Davila-Morales, spokeswoman for the District Attorney's Office, said Tommy James Lopez pleaded no contest on Tuesday to one count of petty theft with three prior convictions and was sentenced to two years in prison. He will serve the sentence in county jail.
Lopez, 34, was also given credit for nine days and ordered to give a DNA sample.
Davila-Morales said the judge dismissed the other charges of receiving stolen property and a misdemeanor count of damaging or taking part of a vehicle.
Lopez was arrested Dec. 22 when someone saw him stealing items from an unlocked car at Forest Lawn Memorial Park & Mortuary, 21300 East Via Verde Street in the unincorporated county area near Covina.
- Ruby Gonzales
Deputies arrested a man Thursday on suspicion of stealing from parked cars at a cemetery while mourners visited grave sites.
Tommy James Lopez, 34, of San Gabriel, was booked on suspicion of petty theft from a vehicle and was being investigated in connection with at least four similar thefts at the same location -- Forest Lawn Memorial Park and Mortuary, 21300 East Via Verde Street in an unincorporated county area near Covina, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said.
A woman was visiting a grave at the cemetery about 10:20 a.m. when someone spotted Lopez stealing items from her unlocked car, Sgt. Steve Perez said.
The witness informed a security guard, who followed Lopez to the exit and flagged down a nearby Highway Patrol Officer, who took Lopez into custody, Perez said.
Perez was found in possession of several items believed to have been taken several similar break-ins at Forest Lawn reported over the past two months, Estrada said. The thefts primarily targeted women visiting the cemetery who left their cars unlocked.
Sgt. Mario Estrada reminded residents to keep valuables out of view in their cars to avoid creating temptations for opportunistic thieves, especially during the holiday season when auto burglaries tend to increase.
According to county booking records, Lopez was being held in lieu of $52,000 bail and was due for arraignment Tuesday in West Covina Superior Court.
WEST COVINA -- A former Covina Police Department civilian records clerk pleaded guilty Friday to charges of stealing more than $100,000 dollars from the agency and hiding her son-in-law's crime report to prevent his prosecution, authorities said.
Mary Louise Wasilchin, also known as Louise Vance-Wasilchin, 58, of Upland, admitted to stealing at least $140,000 from the police department and hiding the records during an arraignment hearing in West Covina Superior Court, Los Angeles County District Attorney's officials said.
Under a plea agreement, she is expected to be sentenced to two years and eight months in state prison, according to police and Los Angeles County District Attorney's officials. She will not be eligible to serve her sentence in county jail under the state's new prison realignment program.
"I'm glad there's a resolution in the case," Covina Police Chief Kim Raney said. "It's appropriate that she goes to state prison, and the next step now is to get full restitution for the city."
He added that the investigation and prosecution has been an unpleasant experience for the department.
"You've got a supervisor who was trusted by her managers, and it turns out that trust was betrayed," Raney said.
Police believe Wasilchin actually stole more than $340,000, officials said. The exact amount Wasilchin will be ordered to repay will be determined at a sentencing and restitution hearing Feb. 17.
Wasilchin has already agreed to repay $140,000 of stolen money, however officials will present evidence in the restitution hearing that the amount is higher, Lt. Patrick Buchanan said.
"We look forward to presenting more information to the court," he said.
Prior to Friday's plea deal, Wasilchin could have faced up to six years and eight months in prison if convicted as charged, according to Deputy District Attorney Edward A. Miller.
Wasilchin stole city parking meters funds and fine money, as well as vehicle impound fees, D.A. spokeswoman Jane Robison said in a written statement. The thefts allegedly took place between January 2008 and May 2011.
Raney pointed out that the amount of money Wasilchin is suspected of taking could have paid the salaries of three patrol officers for a year.
She was arrested Dec. 15 following an extensive probe, investigators said. She was first placed on leave, then resigned.
Authorities became suspicious of Wasilchin after she was involved in a car crash on April 29 and a police officer noticed 1,000 quarters inside the vehicle in a canvas bag. She was not working that day.
A subsequent search of Wasilchin's Upland home turned up more than 2,000 dollar coins in a bedroom and another $1,000 in coins in an office, Miller said.
When investigators searched Wasilchin's desk on May 5, they discovered a police report she had intercepted detailing her son-in-law's alleged driving under the influence and hit-and-run arrest on May 6, 2008.
"An investigation revealed that the report was never delivered to be filed in court," Robison said, adding that, "there was no evidence that her son-in-law was aware of her actions."
Raney said the Wasilchin's guilty plea so early in the trial process was "a reflection on how solid the case was."
"We're pleased that it didn't have to go into a long lengthy trial and she admitted her guilt," Buchanan added.
In addition to stealing parking and impound fees, the former employee is also accused of hiding a police report of her son-in-law's arrest for DUI and hit-and-run, effectively preventing his prosecution. Here's more from Ruby Gonzales' story:
FULL STORY:
COVINA - A former police records supervisor was arrested Thursday on suspicion of stealing $342,000 in city funds that came from parking meters, parking fines and impound fees.
Louise Vance-Wasilchin, also known as Mary Louise Wasilchin, 58, was arrested in her Upland home after a seven-month investigation that started when authorities were tipped off by finding 1,000 quarters in her car while investigating an accident.
The District Attorney's Public Integrity Division charged Wasilchin with one count of misappropriation of public funds and one count of secretion, or hiding, of a public record.
Prosecutors say the money, allegedly stolen over three years, from Jan. 1, 2008 to May 5, 2011, also came from the sales of overnight parking permits and copies of police reports.
"She betrayed the organization, the city, the public. What she did was beyond criminal," police Chief Kim Raney said.
Part of Wasilchin's duties as records supervisor, a job she took in 1997, was to deliver the money that came from parking permits and meters, impound fees and sale of copies of police reports to the finance department.
Investigators allege Wasilchin logged part of the deposits on a receipt she created and allegedly pocketed the rest of the money.
FULL STORY:
POMONA -- A judge Wednesday ordered a former San Dimas man arrested in Las Vegas earlier this year in connection with the murder of a Covina woman 26 years ago to stand trial Wednesday.
Stafford Joel Spicer, 55, is charged with the death of aspiring model and travel agency employee Jo Anne Marie, 23, of Covina, who went missing after leaving her boyfriend's condo in Long Beach on April 28, 1985.
Her body was discovered off of East Fork Road, near highway 39, in the Angeles National Forest more than a month later.
After a three-day preliminary hearing in Pomona Superior Court, Judge Bruce Marrs ruled that there was sufficient evidence to hold Spicer for a trial, court officials said.
He's scheduled to return to court Jan. 24 for an arraignment.
Prosecutors allege the killing occurred as Spicer was trying to kidnap, rob and rape Jones.
He was found driving Jones 1978 Chevrolet Camaro and initially arrested three days after Jones went missing, but more than a month before her body was found, authorities said. He was ultimately released due to a lack of evidence.
In 2009, Los Angeles County sheriff's homicide detectives learned new information and obtained new DNA evidence that caused them to take another look at the 26-year-old investigation, authorities said. Recent advances in DNA technology also made the arrest possible.
He was taken into custody in Las Vegas, where he had since moved.
According to county booking records, Spicer is being held without bail at the Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles pending trial.
Stafford Joel Spicer, 55, is charged with the death of aspiring model and travel agency employee Jo Anne Marie, 23, of Covina, who went missing after leaving her boyfriend's condo in Long Beach on April 28, 1985.
Her body was discovered off of East Fork Road, near highway 39, in the Angeles National Forest more than a month later.
After a three-day preliminary hearing in Pomona Superior Court, Judge Bruce Marrs ruled that there was sufficient evidence to hold Spicer for a trial, court officials said.
He's scheduled to return to court Jan. 24 for an arraignment.
Prosecutors allege the killing occurred as Spicer was trying to kidnap, rob and rape Jones.
He was found driving Jones 1978 Chevrolet Camaro and initially arrested three days after Jones went missing, but more than a month before her body was found, authorities said. He was ultimately released due to a lack of evidence.
In 2009, Los Angeles County sheriff's homicide detectives learned new information and obtained new DNA evidence that caused them to take another look at the 26-year-old investigation, authorities said. Recent advances in DNA technology also made the arrest possible.
He was taken into custody in Las Vegas, where he had since moved.
According to county booking records, Spicer is being held without bail at the Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles pending trial.
CONTRIBUTORS
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| Frank Girardot, Metro Editor for the San Gabriel Valley Newspapers, brings you behind the yellow tape with takes on true crime, cold cases and more. This is also your forum to discuss crime, its impact on your neighborhood and how we cover it. Have any questions or tips? You can leave a comment here or e-mail Frank. |
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Brian Day is the crime reporter for the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper group. E-mail Brian. |
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