Recently in Glendora Category

GLENDORA -- Firefighters made quick work of a quarter-acre brush fire Wednesday that burned near Glendora Mountain Road, authorities said.
The blaze was first reported by a Pomona police helicopter just after 9 p.m. near mile-marker 11 of Glendora Mountain Road, Los Angeles County Fire Department Dispatch Supervisor Ed Pickett said.
Seven fire engines, several ground crews and three water-dropping helicopters snuffed out the fire within 30 minuted, he added.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.

GLENDORA -- A parolee was behind bars Saturday on suspicion of head-butting a woman and seriously injuring her, police said.
Ryan Laing, 38, of Azusa was arrested at his home and booked on suspicion of felony battery about an hour after the alleged attack, which occurred just before 10 a.m. in the 900 block of Walnut Avenue in Glendora, Glendora police Lt. Rob Lamborghini said.
There was an argument between Laing, his girlfriend and the alleged victim, who was an acquaintance of the girlfriend, prior to the attack, the lieutenant said.
Laing head-butted the alleged victim, a 34-year-old Glendora woman, causing a large gash to her head, said Lamborghini.
The woman was hospitalized and released after receiving 17 stitches, he added.
Police tracked Laing to his home in the 1000 block of E. Gaillard Street in Azusa shortly after the incident, Lamborghini said, and he surrendered when officers surrounded the home and ordered him out.
He was being held without bail, he said, and was expected to be arraigned Monday in West Covina Superior Court.

GLENDORA -- A family was displaced from their home Wednesday after an 80-foot-tall pine tree fell on the roof of their house, police said.
No one was inside the house when the large tree toppled over about 3:30 p.m. in the 2000 block of Pinehurst Avenue, Glendora police Lt. Brian Summers said.
A significant portion of the roof collapsed, the lieutenant said, and the home was red-tagged by officials. The displaced residents made arrangements to stay with family members.
The tree apparently fell because of high winds, he added.
Some roots from the tree broke an underground gas line, Summers said, and five nearby homes were evacuated for more than three hours while officials worked to repair the leak.

GLENDORA -- A man was hospitalized with major injuries Saturday after spending an unknown amount of time trapped in his wrecked car, officials said.
A passer-by called the California Highway Patrol about 7 a.m. to report seeing a car that had driven off the connector road between the northbound 57 Freeway and the eastbound 210 Freeway, CHP Sgt. John Escobedo said.
The crash is believed to have occurred in the early-morning hours, though it was not clear Saturday exactly what time, he said.
The car, a Nissan Maxima, hit a tree after leaving the road, Escobedo said.
"Use of a seat belt definitely assisted in him surviving this collision, Escobedo said. The vehicle sustained major damage."
The injured man was described as a Rancho Cucamonga resident in his 30s, the sergeant added.
The cause of the crash remained under investigation.

GLENDORA -- Searchers found the body of a missing Glendora teenager Saturday in a remote hiking area near his home, dead from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said.
Vincent Antonio Giovanazzi, 17, was found about 8 a.m. in the foothills of Glendora off of Colby Trail, north of Loraine Avenue, Glendora police Lt. Tim Staab said.
He disappeared August 27 after telling family members he was going to the library, the lieutenant said. A review of library surveillance cameras show he never arrived.
His uncle, Bill Cooper, described the senior at Glendora High School as "genuinely a nice, good, caring kid."
"We spent a lot of time hiking together and stuff," he said. "I'm going to miss him for the rest of my life."
About 300 family members, friends and community members set out Saturday mourning to scour the wooded areas near Giovanazzi's home, Staab said.
"It was only because of those 300 volunteers that we were able to find Vincent this morning," he said.
Staab added that family members were grateful for the outpouring of community support.
The body was found under a tree in a remote area about half a mile up Colby Trail, and about one mile from his home, authorities and family members said. Giovanazzi would often hike in the area.
Because of the remote area where the body was located, Staab said it appeared he did not want to be found.
A cousin of Giovanazzi first made the discovery, officials said.
The Los Angeles County Department of Coroner will conduct a full investigation to determine the cause of death, Staab said, however a handgun was found near the body and the death initially appeared to be a suicide.
"He appears to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head," Staab said.
The gun belonged to a family member, he added.
Staab said the condition of the body indicated it likely had been there about two weeks -- the amount of time that Giovanazzi has been missing.
Since his disappearance, family members have asked the public's help finding Giovanazzi and even offered a $10,000 reward for information.
"The family is very distraught," the lieutenant said. "My heart goes out to them."
Cooper said he was searching with Lt. Staab when the body was found.
"(Staab) got a phone call and turned real serious," Cooper said. "He said, 'Get your wife and come with me.'"
Cooper said Giovanazzi showed no signs of being suicidal before his disappearance.
"I talked to him the week before," he said. "I kind of noticed he was down, but nothing to this scale."
A memorial of flowers and photographs marked the entrance to Colby Trail Saturday afternoon.
Area residents, such as 25-year-old Valerie Mendoza, stopped by to pay her respects.
Though she said she did not know Giovanazzi personally, she said the incident had affected the whole neighborhood.
"It just makes you so sad," she said. "People all around the city were talking about it. Everyone was holding out that they'd find him, that they'd find him alive."

ABOVE: Courtesy photo of Vincent Giovanazzi

An emotionally disturbed man dumped cash out on two freeways in Glendora Sunday, prompting motorists to pull over and try to pick up the money from the roadway, authorities said.
The 56-year-old man, whose name was not released, then went to the Azusa Police Department where he told officials he wanted to commit suicide, Azusa police Lt. Steve Hunt said in a written statement.
The incident began about 11:50 p.m. when the man started throwing money out of his car on the westbound 210 Freeway between the 57 Freeway and Grand Avenue, California Highway Patrol Sgt. Kurt Stormes said.
Six or seven vehicles pulled over, and about 10 people ran into traffic lanes to grab up the cash, Stormes said.
CHP officers recovered about $1,000 from the freeway, in 20-, 50- and 100-dollar bills, he added.
The man showed up at the Azusa Police Department, 725 N. Alameda Avenue, about noon, police said, where he told police of his intent to kill himself.
Paramedics treated him for both physical and mental issues and was taken to a hospital for further evaluation, according to the police statement.
Officials ask that anyone who picked up some of the money to turn it into the Azusa Police Department so it can be returned to the man.
Police also cautioned motorists against trying to pick up money on the freeway.
"Please do not stop on the freeway to look for money," the police statement said. "Stopping on the freeway can be hazardous or even fatal."

AZUSA -- A 24-year-old Glendora woman died early Sunday when her car flipped several times on the 210 Freeway, authorities said.
Lindsay Nava died at the scene of the crash, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Investigator Katalin Van Meter said.
The incident occurred about 2:15 a.m. as Nava was driving a 2009 Toyota Corolla east on the freeway, just west of Vernon Avenue, California Highway Patrol officials said in a written statement.
"For undetermined reasons, (Nava) lost control of the Toyota and veered off the roadway, causing the vehicle to overturn several times," the statement said.
Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene about half an hour after the crash, authorities said.
The cause of the crash was being investigated by the Baldwin Park office of the CHP.

GLENDORA -- Police asked the public's help Saturday in finding a developmentally disabled man who wandered off from his residential care facility.
Richard Cruz, 59, walked away from the El Dorado Oaks Residential Care Facility, 1771 S. Grand Avenue, about 4 p.m. Wednesday, Glendora police said in a written statement.
In addition to being developmentally disabled, Cruz suffers from high blood pressure, officials said.
"The Glendora Police Department is concerned that he is lost and may experience a medical emergency without proper treatment," the statement said.
Family members told police that once in the past, Cruz disappeared and rode a bus to Downtown Los Angeles, where he was found a month later.
He is described as a Latino man, about 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing about 180 pounds. He has short sandy blond hair and brown eyes.
Cruz was last seen wearing a black polo shirt and black pants, officials said. He often wears suspenders.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Glendora Police Department.

*PHOTO of Richard Cruz, 59, courtesy of the Glendora Police Department.

GLENDORA -- A police officer responding to reports of a vicious Pit Bull Sunday ended up being bit by the animal, officials said.
The incident occurred about 6:15 p.m. in the 700 block of Hunters Trail, Glendora police Lt. Brian Summers said.
The officer suffered puncture wounds to his leg but is expected to be fine, he said.
Residents called police to report a loose Pit Bull had children trapped inside a car, and when the officer arrived, the dog was running down the street, the lieutenant said.
The dog ran ran back to it's own yard, and when the officer tried to close the gate to contain it, he was bit, Summers said.
The dog's owner was cited for violating the leash law and having an unlicensed dog, he said. The Pit Bull was taken by animal control officials.

GLENDORA -- Three to four men wearing ski masks and hooded sweat shirts carried out a takeover robbery at a local bank Friday, authorities said.
The robbery occurred about 5:40 p.m. at a Chase bank branch at 1905 E. Route 66, Glendora police Lt. Brian Summers said.
After ordering about 20 customers and employees to the ground, the robbers took money from each teller, the lieutenant said.
No weapons was scene, though the men motioned as if they had weapons hidden under their clothes, he added.
A getaway car was found abandoned nearby at Glenkirk Presbyterian Church, 1700 Palopinto Ave., Summers said. It was determined to be a stolen car.
The FBI is assisting Glendora police in the investigation.

A well-liked kid was apparently blown away after an argument over drugs at a party apparently celebrating the use of marijuana on 4-20. Here's another crime story from reporter Daniel Tedford:

GLENDORA - A party allegedly celebrating the use of marijuana Monday turned deadly when a well-known local man was shot to death following an argument, his friends said.
Ronson Edgerly, 20, of Glendora, died after suffering several gunshot wounds to his upper body, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner officials said.

Within minutes of the 9:20 p.m. shooting, police officers arrested Zachary Flanders, 19, of La Verne in connection with the incident.

He is being held in lieu of $1 million bail and will be arraigned in Citrus Court on Thursday, according to public records. In recent weeks, Flanders had been arrested on suspicion of brandishing a pellet pistol, according to those same public records.

A woman was killed in Covina. Police are now seeking her boyfriend.

SAN DIMAS - Customers at the Ranch Town Liquor and Deli have erected a makeshift memorial of flowers, candles and signs to a longtime employee who was killed Wednesday in his home in Rancho Cucamonga.

Darel Hakim, 46, of Rancho Cucamonga was fatally shot by masked intruders.

Though Hakim lived in Rancho Cucamonga at the time of his death, he was born in Glendora and has a long history in the foothill cities of the northern San Gabriel Valley.

Watch for a full story in the coming days.

This comes from reporter Daniel Tedford:

GLENDORA - An off-duty Montebello police officer is in critical condition after crashing his motorcycle on Glendora Mountain Road Tuesday, police said.

Eric Bermudiz, 29, veered into the opposing lane at 1 p.m. Tuesday and hit the guard rail while driving on the road, said Lt. Rob Lamborghini. The impact ejected Bermudiz from the vehicle, Lamorghini said.

Bermudiz is in critical condition Thursday and is being treated at USC Medical Center, said Montebello police.

Reasons for the crash are still being investigated by Glendora Police.

Glendora Mountain Road is known for having its share of accidents, but police said this particular area isn't known to be dangerous.

"There have been some accidents in that area of the roadway, but there haven't been more than a handful in the last several years in that particular area," Lamorghini said.