Tag Archives: lakewood

Man pistol-whipped during robbery attempt while playing Pokemon Go in Lakewood

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LAKEWOOD >> A would-be robber attacked to men, pistol-whipping one of them, as the victims were out playing the popular new Pokemon Go mobile video game early Wednesday morning, authorities said.
The crime unfolded about 2:40 a.m. as two men were chasing after digital creatures in the augmented-reality video game at South Street and Clark Avenue, according to Deputy Trina Schrader of the Los Angeles County sheriff’s Information Bureau.
As the men played the game on their cell phones, a tan, four-door car described as possibly a Chevrolet Impala, pulled alongside them, she said. A man got out of the car with a handgun and demanded the victims’ property.
“One of the victims charged at the suspect and began to struggle with the suspect for the firearm,” Schrader said in a written statement.
“During the struggle, the victim was hit multiple times in the face with the handgun by the suspect,” the deputy said. “The suspect ran back to the tan vehicle, which then sped toward the victims and attempted to run over them. The victims were able to get out of the way before being struck by the vehicle.”
The beating victim suffered a broken nose and a cut to his lip, Schrader said.
Officials described the gunman as a black man, between 18 and 25 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall, of thin build, with short hair. A description of the driver was not available.
The suspects’ car was last seen speeding west on South Street, officials added.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Borges of the sheriff’s Lakewood Station at 562-623-3500. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

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Lakewood man killed in fiery West Covina crash that also killed Taiwanese fugitive identified

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WEST COVINA >> Coroner’s officials have identified a Lakewood man who died in a fiery multi-car freeway wreck in West Covina last week along with a South Pasadena man described as one of Taiwan’s most wanted fugitives, authorities said.
Gregory Donald Smith, 69, died at the scene of the crash, which took place about 1 a.m. on May 27 on the westbound 10 Freeway, just east of Citrus Avenue, said Ed Winter, assistant chief of operations at the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.
He was unable to get out of his pickup truck following the crash. The truck became engulfed in flames.
An autopsy determined Smith died of “thermal burns,” and the death was ruled accidental, Winter said.
Also killed in the crash while driving another vehicle was 89-year-old You T. Wang, also identified by authorities as Wang You-theng, of South Pasadena.
Wang was in the middle of a decade-long court battle to avoid extradition to Taiwan, where he’s accused of embezzling more than $9 billion from a steel company called Rebar, which Wang founded in 1959. He allegedly drained the company’s assets and fled to the U.S. after the company when business took a sour turn in 2006.
Wang was ordered removed from the U.S. in late-2014 after years of litigation.
His appeal of that order was dismissed in December, but he then filed a petition for a review of his case by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Virginia Kice.
That review was yet to be heard when Wang was killed in last week’s crash.
The cause of the fiery five-car chain reaction, which resulted in two separate crash scenes, remained under investigation by the CHP.
It was initially believed to have been triggered when a Toyota Tacoma driven by Smith sideswiped a Lexus in the left-hand lane, initiating a series of collisions, CHP Officer Rodrigo Jimenez said.
Anyone with information can reach the Baldwin Park area office of the CHP at 626-338-1164.
— The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Abandoned newborn baby girl found by bicyclist in Lakewood

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LAKEWOOD >> A passer-by discovered a newborn girl abandoned on a Lakewood Street corner Sunday, authorities said.
The infant was hospitalized in stable condition after an unidentified bicyclist found her about 6 a.m., Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said.
The bicyclist heard noises coming from behind a wall near Hardwick Street and Lakewood Boulevard, Lt. Dan Beringer said in a written statement.
“Thankfully, he checked further and discovered a baby girl, who appeared to be only a few hours old,” Beringer said. “He took the newborn infant to a nearby fire station, where Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics administered treatment to her and transported her to Long Beach Memorial Hospital.”
The baby was found lying in some grass and wrapped in a blanket, Lt. A. Malone said.
Under California’s Safely Surrendered Baby Law, newborns may be surrendered at hospitals and fire stations, which will accept them with no questions asked.
“Unfortunately in this case, we are now investigating a child endangerment incident,” Beringer said.
“Although we are investigating a crime, we are concerned about the mother’s health and well being. We urge her to seek follow up treatment from a qualified medical professional,” Beringer added.
– City News Service contributed to this report.

 

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Officials: Deputy badly beaten by suspect at Lakewood mall

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LAKEWOOD >> A sheriff’s deputy was suffered major injuries Friday when he was badly beaten in an unexpected attack at the Lakewood Center shopping mall, authorities said.
Frankie Estrada, 21, was ultimately arrested on suspicion of attempted murder of a peace officer following the incident, which unfolded about 8 p.m. at the mall, 500 Lakewood Center Mall, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Joe Reveles said.
Deputies went to the mall to investigate a report of a domestic disturbance between a man and woman, officials said. One deputy located the woman, while the second deputy sought out the man.
“While escorting the man out of the location towards the other deputy, the man unexpectedly turned on the deputy and hit him several times, knocking the deputy to the ground, and continued his assault with a shod foot,” Reveles said in a written statement.
“A bystander in the mall witnessing the assault intervened by pushing the suspect away from the deputy. Assisting deputies arrived, and took the suspect into custody without further incident,” Reveles said.
The deputy was hospitalized in critical-but-stable condition, Reveles said.
Estrada was being held in lieu of $1 million bail, according to county booking records. He was scheduled to appear in Bellflower Superior Court Tuesday for an arraignment hearing.

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