Recently in South El Monte Category

Here's some stories we've been following Saturday:

* SOUTH EL MONTE -- A 26-year-old woman was killed in a two-car crash on Halloween officials believe may have been alcohol-related.
* BALDWIN PARK -- A young man was pronounced dead at the scene of a shooting early Saturday.
* POMONA - A local man was shot and killed early Saturday when he confronted two two carjackers who had just stolen his girlfriend's car at gunpoint.
* ALHAMBRA -- A man was arrested Saturday morning after allegedly firing a gun indoors and barricading himself in a house for more than four hours.
* COVINA -- Thirty to 40 residents of an assisted living home were evacuated and three were hospitalized Saturday after a gas pipe broke.

SOUTH EL MONTE -- While officials at many law enforcement agencies throughout the region reported a surprisingly slow day on Halloween, one woman lost her life in the San Gabriel Valley on Halloween.

A 26-year-old Los Angeles woman was killed in a two-car crash on Halloween officials believe may have been alcohol-related.

The crash occurred about 11:30 p.m. at the intersection of Santa Anita and Elliot avenues, officials said.

The woman, identified as Nellyda Beltran-Cruz, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the other vehicle, a 25-year-old El Monte man, remained hospitalized in critical condition Saturday, officials said.

Officials believe alcohol may have been a factor on the part of the man, but the investigation is ongoing.

A pedestrian struck and killed late Friday in South El Monte was struck by more than one vehicle, officials said Saturday.

The man, estimated to be 35 years old and listed with the coroner's office as a John Doe, was crossing Rosemead Boulevard just south of Rush Street when he was struck by a Honda being driven by a Sierra Madre man, officials said.

The Honda driver was not cited or arrested, and CHP officials said peliminary investigations indicates the pedestrian was likely at fault.

Following the initial crash, the driver of the Honda remained at the scene, however at least one additional vehicle is believed to have also struck the pedestrian and continued.

Initial reports indicated as many as three or four hit-and-run drivers may have struck the man, however officials could not confirm if that was the case Saturday.

It was not clear if the man died in the initial crash or a subsequent one.

A summary of some items we've been covering over the weekend:

1. EL MONTE -- Homicide detectives are investigating the mysterious death of a man whose body was found on the property of an office building Sunday.
2. ROSEMEAD -- The man who died in a fiery crash at the end of a police chase Saturday was driving an SUV that belonged to a woman found shot to death at her Gardena business.
3. LA PUENTE -- A man allegedly shot and wounded two of his roommates during an argument at their house Saturday.
4. SOUTH EL MONTE -- Officials have released the name of a man found who was fatally shot in his car last week.
5. NORWALK -- A man was shot and wounded in the parking lot of a convenience store Sunday.
6. SONORA -- The Montrose Search and Rescue Team rescued a 34-year-old man Sunday after he spent two nights at the bottom of an abandoned mine shaft.

HACIENDA HEIGHTS -- Two 17-year-old boys were arrested Friday on suspicion of auto theft and hit-and-run after they allegedly crashed into a car full of Army soldiers, sheriff's officials said.

The teens were cruising in the car, which was reported stolen out of Fontana, in South El Monte when they struck the car with four soldiers in it and fled the scene.

The soldiers followed the car, phoning the location and license plate number of the suspects' car to sheriff's officials.

Deputies quickly realized the car was stolen, and a helicopter began following the car as well before it crashed into a tree in Hacienda Heights.

The teens ran but were quickly caught.

This from the Associated Press:

Nearly 30 firefighters have extinguished a restaurant fire in South El Monte.

A spokesman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department told KTLA-TV that the fire at Cafe Azteca on Rush Street was reported shortly before 5 a.m. Wednesday

Early commuters on the Pomona (60) Freeway to the south and the San Bernardino (10) Freeway to the north could see smoke and flames from the blaze.

Firefighters appeared to have the fire extinguished by 5:30 a.m.

This comes from reporter Amanda Baumfeld. It's the details of a shooting that occurred Wednesday afternoon in South El Monte:

SOUTH EL MONTE - Detectives are searching for a suspect who gunned down and killed a businessman in his office Wednesday, officials said.

Lam Michael, 39, was shot several times when a male suspect walked into his office at Fashion Icon Inc., a garment business at 2459 Merced Ave., said Lt. David Coleman of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The shooting occurred around 2:30 p.m. and Michael was pronounced dead at the scene about 20 minutes later, officials said.

"We don't know the cause or reason for the shooting," said Coleman. "It could be a myriad of reasons."

The suspect is described as an Asian male, about 5 feet 9 inches tall, between the age of 20 and 25, according to Coleman. Police believe he ran from the scene.

There were about 20 workers inside Fashion Icon at the time of the killing, Coleman said. No one else was injured.

Repeated calls to the business for comment went unanswered Thursday.

It does not appear to be a gang-related shooting, Coleman said.

"He was just a businessman who was shot," Coleman said. "It is probably safe to assume it was related to some specific incident."

Some evidence has been recovered from the scene, as well as surveillance video, Coleman said.

It was business as usual Thursday afternoon on Merced Avenue where the garment manufacturer is among a variety of companies. The only remnant of a crime scene was tattered yellow police tape behind.

Many workers at surrounding businesses were unaware of the crime.

Oscar Serrano, owner of Art & Design Installations Inc. located down the block, said he heard there was shooting but knew no details.

"It's not a good neighborhood but it's not a real bad neighborhood," Serrano said. "It's strange that the shooting happened during the day, you normally hear about them at night."

CHP officers may have saved a box full of kittens from burning to death in a flaming SUV in South El Monte near Rooks Road and Peck, officials said -- or did they.

SGV crack crime ace Brian Day is getting conflicting reports from Chippies at the SFS office and firefighters on duty at County Station 90.

Chippies are saying they saved the kats. Fire says the cats were in a box at the side of the road.

There are no witnesses, but we are hoping the Chippies who were on scene last night help get this all cleared up. Where are Ponch and John when we need 'em?

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The Wrong Slip Bandit is back. And he's still targeting Bank of the West.

Sources tell Crime Scene that the bandit pictured on the left hit the Bank of the West on Durfee Road in South El Monte Monday afternoon.

He took an undisclosed amount of cash. But no doubt he had another picture taken for the inevitable court case. We profiled this guy in July, about the time the FBI unveiled their LA bank robbery website.

Here's a story from Whittier reporter Ruby Gonzales that ran back then:

He fills out a withdrawal slip, stands in line and even subjects himself to being questioned by tellers.  But the only true thing on the slip is the amount he wants. 

Dubbed "the Wrong Slip Bandit" by the FBI, this robber has struck Bank of the West locations in Pico Rivera, Commerce, Downey and South El Monte within the past three months. Authorities want help in finding him before he makes another unauthorized withdrawal. 

"He pretends to be there for bank business," said FBI Special Agent Erik Arbuthnot. 

Arbuthnot said the bandit's only robbed Bank of the West and always uses a savings withdrawal slip. 
 

Because the bandit writes a bogus account number on the slip, tellers have asked him for identification and even an address. Sometimes he has to make his intentions clear to the victims. 
 

After being asked for an ID, the bandit finally showed his hand.

"He said,`You don't understand. You're getting robbed. I have a gun. Give me the money,"' Arbuthnot said. 
 
 

A man’s body was found today near  the Pomona (60) Freeway in South El Monte. The discovery was made about 9:40 a.m., said California Highway Patrol Officer Francisco Villalobos.

Here's the CHP's log of the incident.

Homicide investigators were sent to the scene, said Deputy Oscar Butao of the
Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau.

Apparently transients were living in a van off and on for several months, according to preliminary reports. John Doe, discovered Wednesday, may have died before Memorial Day, which was the last time anybody took a look inside the vehicle.