Crime Scene

La Puente man fatally struck by big while riding bike in Industry identified

Brian Day — Sun, 19 May 2013 22:34:48 +0000

INDUSTRY — Authorities Sunday released the name of a 55-year-old La Puente man who was fatally struck by a big rig while riding a bicycle.
Jose Munoz died at the scene of the 3:05 p.m. collision in the 17600 block of Valley Boulevard, just east of Hurley Street, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner officials said.
Little information was available regarding the circumstances of the crash, however the man was initially believed to have been riding on the wrong side of the road when struck, according to Sgt. Desiree Rodriguez. The big rig driver was not initially cites or arrested, however the investigation was ongoing.
Deputies from the sheriff’s Industry Station were handling the investigation.

Carson sheriff’s deputies aid Swedish family through tough time

Brian Day — Sun, 19 May 2013 22:05:34 +0000

CARSON — When deputies spotted a family of seven walking along Sepulveda Boulevard at 4:30 a.m. Friday, they suspected something wasn’t right.
After talking with family members, who spoke very little English, deputies learned they were visiting Southern California from Sweden for a family members graduation, but had been left homeless and penniless due to a family emergency, Los Angeles County sheriff’s spokeswoman Nicole Nishida said.
“They had a family emergency where they had to cut their trip short,” Nishida said. But the cost of re-booking an earlier flight used up all of the family’s money, leaving them stranded with no means to obtain food or shelter.
The family was comprised of a mother, father and five daughters, officials added. The children were a 2-year-old girl, two 10-year-old twin girls, a 14-year-old girl and a 17-year-old girl.
“Deputies were able to kind of talk to them with the limited English they do know,” Nishida said. The family was then taken to the sheriff’s Carson Station.
“We actually have a (reserve) sergeant who speaks Swedish who came out,” she added. The sheriff’s department has deputies speaking more than 100 languages.
After learning of their predicament, the deputies decided to circulate an email to try and raise funds to help the family.
They procured donations which were used to provide the family with hotel lodging, food and transportation to Los Angeles International Airport, where they boarded a Sweden-bound airplane Sunday, Nishida said.

PHOTO courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

Pasadena man accused of DUI following after crash that critically injured passenger

Brian Day — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:49:36 +0000

PASADENA — A 39-year-old Pasadena man is accused of being drunk when crashed an SUV on the 134 Freeway, critically injuring a passenger, before fleeing the scene on foot with two young children, authorities said.
Jeremy Millan Drew was booked on suspicion of felony drunken driving following the 11:10 p.m. crash on the eastbound 134 Freeway, just east of San Rafael Avenue, according to Los Angeles County booking records and California Highway Patrol officials.
He was driving a 1992 Chevrolet Suburban at an unknown speed with three passengers prior to the crash, Officer J. Protzman of the CHP’s Altadena office said in a written statement. The passengers were another 39-year-old Pasadena man, a 12-year-old Pasadena girl and a 3-year-old Pasadena boy.
Drew lost control of the SUV, allowing it to drift to the right side of the road and collide with an unoccupied, disabled van parked along the shoulder, Protzman said.
The adult passenger suffered major injuries and became trapped inside the SUV, he said.
Firefighters cut open the SUV to free the man from the mangled wreckage, Pasadena Fire Department officials said. He was hospitalized in critical condition.
But Drew exited the crashed SUV, according to the CHP.
“(Drew) took the children and fled the scene of the collision prior to law enforcement arrival,” Protzman said.
CHP officers found him and the children at Orange Grove Boulevard and Live Oaks Avenue, just under a mile away from the crash scene, officials said.
Drew was treated for minor to moderate injuries prior to booking, Protzman said. The two children were treated for minor injuries.
Investigating officers determined Drew was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash and arrested him on suspicion of felony drunken driving, officials said.
The relationship between the four occupants of the SUV was not clear Sunday.
According to booking records, Drew was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail pending his initial court appearance.

Search and rescue team goes after injured hiker in Eaton Canyon

Brian Day — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:04:01 +0000

ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST — Search and rescue team members headed into Eaton Canyon Sunday to rescue a woman who broke her foot in a hiking mishap, officials said.
Rescuers received a call about 11:30 a.m. reporting the accident near the second waterfall of Eaton Canyon, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Angela Shepherd said.
The injured hiker, an El Monte woman in her late 40s, was hiking with two adult family members, who remained with her as rescuers hiked their way to the scene, the lieutenant said.
It was not immedlately clear exactly how the woman became injured, Shepherd said, however the area in which she was hiking is known for slippery, treacherous terrain.
Lt. Brian Fitch said the rescuers ultimately reached the injured woman and brought her out of the canyon and to an area hospital for treatmentment.

Man fatally shot while riding skateboard in La Puente

Brian Day — Sun, 19 May 2013 18:15:35 +0000

LA PUENTE — A La Puente man died after being shot while riding a skateboard down a street late Saturday, according to sheriff’s officials and neighbors.
The identity of the shooting victim was not released Sunday pending confirmation that his family had been notified, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Lt. Cheryl MacWillie said. He was initially described as 35 years old.
He died at a hospital shortly after the attack, which took place about 11:15 p.m. on 2nd Street, just south of Main Street, authorities said.
“The suspects were last seen driving a silver Honda Accord,” Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said in a written statement. They were initially described only as three Latino men.
“Preliminary investigation seems to indicate that the shooting was gang related,” according to the sheriff’s department statement. “There is no further information available at this time.”
The killing was described in coroner’s documents as a drive-by shooting, MacWillie said.
Several neighbors said they heard a series of gunshots, followed by the sound of a car speeding away. Neighbors’ estimates of the number of gunshots they heard ranged from six to 12.
“There were 10 to 12 shots at least,” said on neighbor, who asked that his name be withheld for fear of retaliation. “Then I heard a car buzzing off. Zooming off.”
When the neighbor looked outside, he said he saw the wounded man lying in the street.
“He was awake, crying, saying, ‘Help me, I’m dying,’” the witness said. “It was really scary.”
But within a few minutes, the wounded man was no longer moving or speaking, he said.
Another nearby resident, who also asked his name be withheld, also said he heard the cries of the wounded man.
Before he was shot, the shooting victim had been riding his skateboard south on 2nd Street, he said.
The slaying came as a shock on what is normally a quiet street, the man added. “Thirteen years we’ve lived here. “Nothing like this has ever happened.”
The fatal shooting occurred about a block from La Puente City Hall, and about a quarter-mile away from the sheriff’s Industry Station.
While neighbors said they did not know the identity of the victim, several of them said they prayed for him, and were saddened to learn Sunday morning that he succumbed to his injuries at a hospital.
Anyone with information was asked to contact the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.

Man suspected of lewd acts at Glendora park

Brian Day — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:07:43 +0000

GLENDORA – Police arrested a Glendora man Friday after two girls discovered him inside a park bathroom with his pants down, authorities said.
Alexander Estrada, 21, was booked on suspicion of lewd acts in public, child annoyance and battery following the incident, which took place about 1:40 p.m. at Finkbiner Park, 160 N. Wabash Avenue, Glendora police Lt. Larry Lamborghini said.
Two girls of about 11 years old entered the women’s bathroom and found Estrada inside with his pants down and his genitals exposed, the lieutenant said.
They girls exited the bathroom and told their father, who was at the park with them, what they had seen, Lamborghini said.
A bystander who realized what was happening tried to detain the suspect — later identified as Estrada — and a scuffle ensued, he said. Estrada managed to escape. The bystander suffered no serious injuries.
Responding officers found Estrada nearby and arrested him, Lamborghini said.

Man fatally shot at Alhambra Police Department identified

Brian Day — Sat, 18 May 2013 23:38:34 +0000

ALHAMBRA — Coroner’s officials Saturday released the identity of a man shot to death by Alhambra police in the lobby of the police station after allegedly brandishing a large kitchen knife.
Tony Nim, 35, of Alhambra died at the scene of Friday’s officer-involved shooting, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Investigator Kristy McCracken said.
Nim showed up in the lobby of the Alhambra Police Department, 211 S. First St., shortly before the fatal shooting, which took place about 7:30 a.m., Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said.
He was clutching a large backpack and appeared incoherent, Lt. Dave Coleman of the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau said. Five officers tried to speak to him in several languages, however he would not respond to them.
Nim then pulled a large kitchen knife, which Coleman described as a foot long or larger, from his backpack. Three officers opened fire, fatally wounding Nim.
The names of the involved officers were not released Saturday.
Detectives from the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau are handling the investigation, and anyone with information was asked to contact the bureau at 323-890-5500.

Bicyclist fatally struck by big rig in Industry

Brian Day — Sat, 18 May 2013 22:58:32 +0000

INDUSTRY – A bicyclist died Saturday after colliding with a big rig along Valley Boulevard, authorities said.
The collision was reported about 3:05 p.m. in the 17600 block of Valley Boulevard, just east of Hurley Street, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Michael Strickland said.
The bicyclist, initially described only as a man, was pronounced dead at the scene, the lieutenant said.
The circumstances of the crash remained under investigation, but it initially appeared the cyclist was riding on the wrong side of the road when struck, Sgt. Desiree Rodriguez said.
The driver remained at the scene and was cooperating with investigators, she added.
No further details were immediately available.

Man robbed of wallet in Baldwin Park

Brian Day — Sat, 18 May 2013 21:10:19 +0000

BALDWIN PARK — A man lost his wallet to an armed robber late Friday in a residential neighborhood, authorities said.
The victim was walking in the area of Syracuse Avenue and Royston Street about 11:30 p.m. when he was approached by another man who brandished a handgun and demanded the victim’s wallet, Baldwin Park police Sgt. Darryl Kosaka said.
The victim complied and handed over his wallet, which contained about $25, the lieutenant said.
The robber was described as a Latino man between 5 feet 5 inches and 5 feet 7 inches tall, wearing a black hooded sweat shirt, Kosaka said. He was last seen getting into a white car.

Pedestrian fatally struck by car in Pasadena

Brian Day — Sat, 18 May 2013 17:45:16 +0000

PASADENA — A Los Angeles man crossing the street was struck and killed Friday night, officials said.
Coroner’s officials withheld the name of the pedestrian, who was in his late-30s, Saturday pending notification of his family.
The fatal collision was reported about 9:40 p.m. on Colorado Boulevard, just west of Berkeley Avenue.
The pedestrian was crossing north across Colorado Boulevard when he was stuck by a westbound Acura Integra being driven by a 28-year-old Pasadena man, Pasadena police Lt. Jason Clawson said.
The driver failed to see the pedestrian, who was not within a crosswalk, the lieutenant said. No crime was initially suspected, however the collision remained under investigation.