Pico Rivera: April 2008 Archives

Here's the Pomona Freeway mudslide photo from 1969. What kind of car is that?

The caption information provided by the Los Angeles Public Library is kind of sketchy. Here's what it says:

"Mudslide covering all eastbound and two of the westbound lanes of the Pomona Freeway, 2 1/2 miles east of Pico Rivera."

If you are interested, here's a link to the full record, which contains information about the photographer (Fred Garcia), and the fact it was part of the Her-Ex photo collection.

Last week in this spot I wrote about some wonderful historical pictures.

Many of the shots can be found on the Web either through the Los Angeles Public Library, UCLA or at fototeka.com, an art site devoted to ancient LAPD crime scene photos.

There's a reason I'm writing about these photos again this week: I made a mistake describing my favorite one of the bunch.

The picture in question, shot in 1921, depicts a funeral procession for a 106-year-old man. Santo Juncio's casket is being escorted just beyond the walls of an unrestored San Gabriel Mission.

A group of cars is parked alongside a dirt path next to the mission. I described the cars as Model A's.

They were, in fact, Model T's.

Almost 100 years later, that doesn't seem like a huge distinction. But to several of you who called, wrote and e-mailed me it was a glaring error.

Here's an example, written by Bill Ruh of Montclair:

"The Ford Model A was not around in 1921. Ford did(n't) produce the Model A until late 1927. The cars had to be the Ford Model T. The Model T speaks even more volumes about the photo - the first mass-production motor car along the final road of a man who was born when all humans relied on horses."

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Thanks, Bill.

A couple others were less complimentary. And, quite honestly, I should know better.

In case you didn't know, or if I haven't  said so before, I was born in Detroit and have lived most of my life on the Los Angeles freeway system.

By default, the American automotive industry is in my blood, and I should know the entire history of Henry Ford, assembly lines and how the Model T's DNA runs through the cars we drive today.

So, excuse the mistake. By the way, there's a great Detroit photo Web site called "Ruins of Detroit." Take a look; you'll be glad you live here.

Since we are on the subject of these wonderful archives, I can take the time to point out a few other Los Angeles-area photos that are quite interesting.

This past week has been filled with talk about the possibility of billionaire developer Ed Roski Jr. bringing professional football back to Los Angeles by building a stadium in Industry.

A search of "pro football" in the public library archive went as far back as 1927.

None of them mention Industry, but there is a great 1944 photo of a guy named Roy

"Bullet" Baker, a USC left halfback who racked up 107 yards in the 1923 Rose Bowl - the first played in the "new" stadium.

Roski's proposed stadium will be built where the 57 and the 60 freeways come together. A search of the library archive for "Pomona Freeway" revealed a 1969 shot titled "Pomona Freeway Mudslide."

Here's the caption:

"Mudslide covering all eastbound and two of the westbound lanes of the Pomona Freeway, 2 1/2 miles east of Pico Rivera."

What's fascinating about the shot is that there is a car atop the massive pile of mud. The car has obviously been pushed from the fast lane into oncoming traffic.

I tried hard to figure out the make and model of the car, but no such luck.

One thing for certain: it's not a Model T.

FBI calls this guy the "Late Bloomer" bandit. It appears he's struck again in Pico Rivera Monday afternoon.

A man described as a male Hispanic in his 60s about 5-feet-4 tall and weighing 140 pounds struck the Bank of the West at 9001 Whittier Boulevard in Pico Rivera. He escaped with an unknown amount of cash.

A previous story by Brian Day on the "Late Bloomer" read like this:

The FBI is seeking a serial robber suspected of three Whittier area bank robberies since late March, authorities said.

Dubbed the "Late Bloomer Bandit" because of his age, officials are worried because the robber seems to be growing bolder with each crime.

The bandit is believed to have struck the Whittier Union Bank branch at 8510 Painter Ave. on March 28, a Pico Rivera Banco Popular at 8500 Washington Blvd. on March 29, and a Santa Fe Springs Banco Popular at 13310 Telegraph Road on April 16, Eimiller said.

The bandit presents a note and also verbally demands money, she said. He threatens to have a gun and says he's "not afraid to use it," Eimiller said, however a weapon has not been seen.

The Late Bloomer Bandit is described as a white or Latino man in his late 50s, standing about 5 feet 7 inches tall, and weighing 180 to 190 pounds, with gray hair and a mustache, Eimiller said. He wears prescription glasses with black frames and carries a newspaper or magazine where he stows the stolen cash, she said.

In the latest incident the Late Bloomer was described wearing a cap with the letter "G" a long-sleeved white shirt and blue jeans. 

The Department of Coroner is apparently backing off earlier statements about the mysterious death of Ernesto Fraye. On Monday Coroner's Lt. Fred Corral said that an investigator from his office believed Fraye died as the result of a suicide.

The investigator visited the scene in Pico Rivera where Frayre was shot to death and made the determination in his narrative of the case, Corral said Monday.

Sheriff's detectives viewing the same scene called Fraye's demise "a criminal death."

Frayre, 24, was found in his car on Sideview Drive, just North of Shade Lane and Rivera Park about 10 a.m. Sunday.

On Tuesday, the department of coroner decided to withhold judgment in the case and are beginning to question the theory of suicide, Chief Coroner's investigator Craig Harvey told City News Service.

Among Harvey's revelations to CNS, no gun was found at the scene.

On Sunday morning, Frayre's body was found sitting in the driver's seat of a Ford sedan. He appeared to have been shot in the head, Los Angeles County Fire Department officials said, however it was not clear how many times he had been shot. At the time of the discovery, officials did not say if a gun was recovered at the scene.

A witness who spoke to reporter Brian Day, but declined to give his name for fear of retaliation, said he heard gunshots in the area shortly after 3:30 a.m. About three hours later, the witness said he walked down the street and saw the car with Fraye inside but didn't realize he was dead and thought nothing of it.

Fraye had been married Saturday night, friends and family members said.

Tuesday afternoon a makeshift memorial had been placed near where Fraye had died. At left is a photo of Fraye and the memorial.