Recently in Industry Category

INDUSTRY -- Deputies jailed three men Thursday with the help of a good Samaritan after they allegedly burglarized a delivery truck, authorities said.
Fernando Garcia, 30, of Los Angeles, Alfredo Cedeno, a 41-year-old transient and Erik Juarez, 31, of East Los Angeles were being held at the sheriff's Industry Station on suspicion of burglary, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Steven Katz said.
The incident was reported about 6:30 p.m. in the 700 block of Epperson Drive, the lieutenant said.
An employee from a nearby business called authorities to report three men were breaking into the cargo area of United Parcel Service big rig, Katz said.
The witness followed the suspected burglars as they drove away in a white van, he said, all the while giving deputies their location via cell phone.
Officials pulled over the suspects' van near Azusa Avenue and Hurley Street, Katz said. Two passengers fled into a nearby restaurant and were quickly arrested, and the driver was arrested in the car.
Deputies found several boxes from the UPS truck inside their van, Katz said.
Because the crime was a cargo theft, he added, the Sheriff's Major Crimes Bureau will be handling the investigation.

 

INDUSTRY -- A West Covina teen died early Saturday after crashing his SUV into a parked big rig on the 605 Freeway, authorities said.
Christopher Kar Leung Ng, 18, was pronounced dead following the crash, California Highway Patrol officials said in a written statement.
The crash was reported about 3:15 a.m. on the northbound 605 Freeway at the 60 Freeway.
"This impact was so severe, the Mercedes lodged underneath the trailer and Mr. Ng was extracted from the vehicle over an hour later," the statement said.
Ng was driving his Mercedes-Benz SUV north on the freeway at high speed when he allowed the SUV to drift toward the right shoulder, according to the CHP statement.
The SUV struck the rear of a big rig that had pulled over onto the shoulder, officials said, which was being driven by a 55-year-old Washington man. The truck driver was not hurt.
Ng was not wearing a seat belt, officials said.

INDUSTRY -- Two men arrested in connection with a strip club shooting in Industry that left three people wounded were free Sunday after being cleared as suspects, authorities said.
The men, initially jailed as suspects in the shooting, were released after detectives determined they were not the attackers, Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Jeff Gordon said.
"They were assisting the victims," he added.
The shooting was reported about 12:15 a.m. Saturday at Miss Kitty's Gentleman's Club.
Deputies responding to reports of a shooting found two people suffering from gunshot wounds inside the business, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Pete Cacheiro said. A third victim was dropped off at a hospital by companions.
Officials described the victims as a black man, a Latino man and a Latino woman. All three are expected to survive.
Sheriff's officials declined to release the circumstances surrounding the shooting or the motive in the attack, citing an "ongoing investigation," Gordon said.

INDUSTRY -- Two men and a woman were shot and wounded early Saturday inside an Industry strip club, and two men were jailed in connection with the shooting, authorities said.
The incident was reported about 12:15 a.m. at Miss Kitty's Gentleman's Club, 13079 Valley Boulevard, on the Bassett border.
"There were two gunshot victims inside the location," Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Kevin Walk said. "One was shot in the abdomen, one in the leg."
Another wounded person was discovered a short time later.
"A third victim was driven to a local hospital by his companions," Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Pete Cacheiro said.
All three victims were expected to survive, officials said. They were described as a black man, a Latino man and a Latino woman.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting were not immediately available, and investigating detectives withheld the suspects' names pending further investigation, Cacheiro said.
"Because it's an ongoing investigation, there's some things that we probably shouldn't release," Cacheiro said.
The shooting is being investigated by the sheriff's gang unit.
"There's been no mention of gang-involvement at this time," Walk said, "but that's a gang area."
The bar was open for business Saturday, however the owner could not be reached for comment.

INDUSTRY -- A big rig fire overturned and burst into flames on the 60 Freeway near Industry Saturday, sending the driver to the hospital with burns and prompting the closure of a transition road for more than six hours, authorities said.
The incident occurred just after 5:20 a.m. on the westbound 60 Freeway at the 605 Freeway, in an unincorporated county area near Industry, California Highway Patrol Officer Anthony Martin said.
The truck driver, a man of about 60 years old, suffered third-degree burns to one of his arms and was taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center for treatment, Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Ruben Torrez said.
The big rig apparently struck an abandoned vehicle, went over an embankment and caught fire, fire officials said.
By the time the flames were extinguished, "There was nothing left of the truck at all," Torrez said. It was unclear what, if any, cargo the truck carried.
According to CHP logs, and motorists were initially driving backwards on the northbound 605 Freeway transition road to the westbound 60 Freeway to avoid the fire.
The transition road was closed for more than six hours as officials checked for fire damage on a bridge passing over the 605 Freeway, Martin said.
The fire spread to nearby grass, authorities said, but firefighters quickly doused those flames.

Teachers and classmates remembered a 16-year-old Walnut High School senior who was killed in a car crash Thursday -- the day before her 17th birthday -- as an intelligent and compassionate girl who spent her free time giving to the community.

Here's excerpts from a developing story from reporter Thomas Himes:

A 16-year-old girl died and three other teenagers were injured Thursday in a car crash on Grand Avenue in Industry, authorities said.
Jessica Hwang, a Walnut High school senior sustained fatal injuries when the car she was riding in was forced off the road.
"You don't think about things like this, especially at the peak, going in to senior year," classmate Melissa Pryor said.
A helicopter flew 16-year-old Michelle Lin and 17-year-old Esther Hong to Los Angeles County Hospital, after firefighters freed her from the wreckage. The 17-year-old male driver was treated for minor injuries at Pomona Valley Medical Center.
"Jessica, Michelle and Esther were inseparable," Walnut High school teacher Rober Sandoval said. "They knew how to balance academics with extra-curricular activities."
Hwang and Lin were outstanding students at Walnut High School, where they participated in the International Baccalaureate program.
Hwang volunteered for a number of community service programs. As a member of Interact she provided companionship to the elderly residents of ParkVista at Morningside, and tutored children at Vejar and Collegewood elementary schools.

INDUSTRY -- A freight train crashed into a truck Friday shutting down a major road for most of the day, authorities said.
The crash occurred shortly before 12:15 p.m. on Nogales Street at Railroad Street, just north of the 60 Freeway, Los Angeles County Fire Department Captain Mike McHargue said.
Though firefighters were preparing for the worst when they received a call of a train crashing into a truck, "actually, there were no apparent injuries," McHargue said.
The driver of the truck, a man in his 50s, was hospitalized as a precaution, the captain said.
The man was inside the truck when it was struck, he added, but the cargo portion of the vehicle took the brunt of the impact.
Nogales Street was closed in both directions at the crash scene as officials worked to repair and remove the damaged train, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Sonja Bracken said. The street was expected to remain closed until at least 10 p.m.
According to California Highway Patrol logs, the westbound 60 Freeway offramp to Nogales Street was also closed down until the train could be removed.
The bobtail-style truck apparently became stuck in traffic on the train tracks and was struck by the eastbound Union Pacific freight train, Bracken said.
The railroad signals appeared to have been working properly, McHargue added.
"There was no malfunction that we know of," he said.
Either the crash itself or the commotion that followed disturbed a nearby bee hive, McHargue said. The insects did not appear to be swarming or posing an immediate threat to people, and vector control officials were notified of the hive.
The captain added that the crash also dislodged one of the railroad signal boxes, exposing underground wires.

INDUSTRY -- The Puente Hills Chili's restaurant is holding a benefit today to raise money for the family of a man who was shot to death last week during a confrontation near his home.
Father of four David Sua, 37, of Valinda died at the scene of the shooting Thursday after he confronted a man who threw a beer can at his family's car as he, his wife and his daughter were on their way to dinner, officials said.
The gunman, later identified as Jorge Zavala, 34, of West Covina, then fatally shot himself.
The benefit will be held at the restaurant, 17588 Castleton Street, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday, family members of Sua said.
Fifteen percent of customers' total bill, excluding alcohol, will be donated to the Sua family when the customer presents a flyer.
The flyers will be available at Big O Tires in West Covina, 444 S. Vincent Ave., as well as at the restaurant on the day of the event.

INDUSTRY -- Sheriff's officials arrested one man and cited four others after they broke up the start of an apparent cockfight Saturday.
Mauro Jara, 38, of Fontana, who was suspected of organizing the cockfight, was booked on suspicion of felony burglary and misdemeanor animal cruelty, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Hiroshi Yokoyama said.
Four other people were given citations for misdemeanor cruelty to animals, the lieutenant said.
An anonymous tipster called authorities shortly before 9:40 p.m. to report a cockfight beginning inside an unoccupied industrial building in the 21400 block of Ferrero Parkway, Yokoyama said.
Deputies found about 40 people and 44 roosters inside the building, he said.
The roughly 35 people who were not cited or arrested were briefly detained and released, Yokoyama said.
Animal control officials took custody of the roosters.
According to booking records, Jara is being held in lieu of $20,000 bail and is due for arraignment at West Covina Superior Court Tuesday.

Lately, there's been a hefty dose of folks taking filet knives to local government and exposing some of the dirty inner workings. Here's a sampling of some of the bad and the ugly:

Coroner's officials have identified two men who died Thursday in a fatal car crash in Walnut and an apparent suicide in Industry:

WALNUT -- For the third time in 15 months, a person died Thursday in a crash on Amar Road in Walnut, authorities said.
Patrick Deon Donelson, 41, of West Covina died at the scene of the crash at Amar Road near Meadow Pass Road shortly after 3 p.m., Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Chief of Operations Craig Harvey said.
He was westbound on Amar Road about half an hour earlier when his car struck a light pole, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Mario Estrada said. He was the only one inside the car.
The cause of the crash was not available Friday.
In April, 21-year-old Jennifer Marie Garcia died when the car she rode in with three friends struck a tree in the center median on on westbound Amar Road near Braes River Drive.
In April of last year, Wilfred Quizon Sabas, 30, died on westbound Amar Road at Braes River Drive when he lost control of his motorcycle and struck a traffic light pole.

INDUSTRY -- Authorities released the name Friday of a man who apparently committed suicide by jumping from a bridge.
Cardon Lenn Gifford, 54, of West Covina died at the scene after jumping from a bridge near Valley Boulevard and Azusa Avenue shortly after 10 p.m. Thursday, sheriff's and coroner's officials said.
Sheriff's officials described the man as a transient.
Officials responded after someone reported seeing the man standing on top of the bridge.
He jumped jumped head-first and landed on a set of train tracks below, authorities said.

INDUSTRY -- A bicyclist was rushed to the hospital Thursday after being struck by a freight train.
The crash was reported about 6:50 p.m. near the 605 Freeway and Valley Boulevard, Los Angeles County Fire Department Supervising Dispatcher Michael Pittman said.
The injured man was 35 years old and believed to be a transient, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Arthur Scott.
He was eastbound along the railroad tracks when he saw the train approaching eastbound and apparently decided to try to beat it across a bridge, Scott said.
His injuries did not appear to be life-threatening, he added.

INDUSTRY -- The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control suspended the liquor license Thursday of a local restaurant where a 19-year-old boy was allegedly served alcohol before being involved in a fatal car crash last year, authorities said.
A notice indicating the suspension has been posted at Joe's Crab Shack, 1420 S. Azusa Avenue, ABC spokesman John Carr said in a written statement.
The restaurant allegedly served then-20-year-old Elias Munoz of La Mirada on March 2, 2008, before he became involved in an alleged street-racing crash that killed his passenger, 20-year-old Ondrea Alvarez of Bellflower on Pathfinder Road in Rowland Heights.
"The suspension means the restaurant cannot sell alcohol for the next 35 days," Carr said in the statement. "In addition, the alcohol beverage license could face a possibly revocation anytime in the next two years if a similar violation occurs."
Munoz has been charged with drunken driving and murder in connection with March 2, 2007 crash along with co-defendant Brian Galvez, 22, of Rowland Heights, whom Munoz was allegedly racing.
Galvez is also accused of drunken driving and leaving the scene of a crash, officials said.
A waiter at the restaurant, 22-year-old Theron Miles, has been accused of serving alcohol to minors, ABC officials said.

Sheriff's deputies responded to reports of a shooting Thursday, but the apparent target of the attack did not cooperate with investigators, authorities said.
The incident was reported shortly after 8:30 p.m. and is believed to have occurred near a Taco Bell restaurant at Whittier and Norwalk boulevards, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Hiroshi Yokoyama said.
The report came from a family member of the apparent victim in an unincorporated county area near Industry, he added.
Deputies found a 25-year-old man who had not been struck by the gunfire and refused to tell officials what happened, Yokoyama said.
"The victim is also possibly a gang member who was reluctant to provide information," he said.