Tag Archives: Sunland

Skeletal remains found in Angeles National Forest identified as those of missing Sunland woman

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ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST >> Coroner’s officials Wednesday confirmed that skeletal remains found near an overgrown SUV crash scene in the Angeles National Forest near Mt. Wilson last week are those of a 47-year-old Sunland woman who went missing more than two years ago.
Kimberly Ann Blum, 47, was last seen on June 5, 2014, after leaving her sister’s home in La Crescenta, according to Los Angeles police investigators and her mother, Rosalie Blum.
After more than two years with no answers as to the circumstances of her disappearance, authorities discovered Blum’s Honda CRV SUV on Aug. 24, more than 500 feet over the side of Angeles Crest Highway, near mile marker 41.69, Lt. Steve Jauch of the Los Angeles County sheriff’s Homicide Bureau said.
Skeletal remains were found near the SUV, which was being overgrown with weeds and foliage, the lieutenant said. But the remains remained officially unidentified due to the condition of the remains.
Coroner’s investigators determined through dental record comparison that the person found dead at the apparent crash scene was, in fact, Kimberly Blum, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Chief of Operations Brian Elias said.
Blum’s cause of death remained under investigation, Elias said.

PHOTO of Kimberly Blum, courtesy

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SUV found next to skeletal remains in forest linked to missing Sunland woman, last seen in La Crescenta

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ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST >> A crashed and overgrown SUV found near a set of skeletal remains deep in the Angeles National Forest near Mt. Wilson has been connected to a Sunland woman who disappeared just over two years ago after leaving her sister’s home in La Crescenta, authorities said Thursday.
The silver Honda CRV was discovered Tuesday, more than 500 feet over the side of Angeles Crest Highway, near mile marker 41.69, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said. The SUV was becoming overgrown with weeds and foliage.
Searchers returned to the apparent crash scene Wednesday morning, where they discovered the skeletal remains of an unidentified person, Lt. Steve Jauch of the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau said. The age or gender of the person whose remains were found was not clear. Jauch declined to speculate on how long the SUV and remains had been there.
The Honda has been “connected” to Kimberly Blum, who was reported missing by her family on June 5, 2014, at age 45, Deputy Trina Schrader of the sheriff’s Information Bureau said in a written statement.
Blum briefly stopped by her sister’s house in the 2000 block of Cinco Casitas Lane in La Crescenta, where a graduation party was being held for her niece, her mother, Rosalie Blum, said last year.
Surveillance camera footage shows Blum walking away from her sister’s home and driving off in a silver Honda CRV.
She was never seen or heard from again.
The only sign of Blum was a small bag containing medication and other personal items belonging to her that was found along the side of Angeles Crest Highway, 21 miles north of the 210 Freeway, in the early days of the search for her.
Anyone with information was asked to contact LAPD Detective Cletus Carlton at 213-996-1800.

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Rosemead woman killed in crash on 210 Freeway in Sunland

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SUNLAND >> A Rosemead woman died Thursday after her car crashed into a parked big rig alongside the 210 Freeway in Sunland, authorities said.
Valerie Lovio-Gonzales, 59, was pronounced dead at the scene of the 4:15 p.m. crash on the eastbound 210 Freeway, just east of Sunland Boulevard, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Assistant Chief of Operations Ed Winter said.
She was at the wheel of a 2012 Nissan Altima when it struck the rear of a 2015 Freightliner tractor-trailer that was stopped on the right shoulder, California Highway Patrol officials said in a written statement. The cause of the crash remained under investigation, however officials said alcohol did not appear to be a factor.
Anyone with information was asked to contact Officer Fan of the CHP’s Altadena office at 626-296-8100.

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Police, worried family members seek missing Sunland woman last seen in La Crescenta

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Police and worried family members are asking the public’s help in finding a Sunland woman who mysteriously vanished four weeks ago after stopping by her sister’s home in La Crescenta.
Kimberly Ann Blum, 44, was last seen the afternoon of June 5 as she left her sister’s home in the 2000 block of Cinco Casitas Lane in La Crescenta, according to family members and Los Angeles police officials.
After briefly stopping by the house, where a graduation party was planned for her niece, Blum, suddenly left, her mother Rosalie Blum said.
“She was at a family event, and left, and hasn’t been since,” the worried mother said. “I don’t know if she went to get some air, or what.”
A bag containing some of Kim Blum’s belongings, including medication, was found along Angeles Crest Highway in the Angeles National Forest, about 21 miles north of the 210 Freeway, according to police and family members.
And despite extensive searches of the area, Kim Blum’s silver, 2004 honda CRV SUV with California license plate 5JVU774, remains missing, officials said.
“We’ve exhausted all leads,” Detective Cletus Carlton of the LAPD’s Adult Missing Persons Unit. “We’ve not found her car, which is unusual.”
Finding the SUV may be the key to finding out what happened to Kim Blum, Carlton said.
Police, aided by a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department helicopter and the Montrose Search and Rescue Team have searched the area where the Kim Blum’s bag was found multiple times since her disappearance, finding no other clues into her whereabouts, Carlton said.
Family members even hired a private helicopter to conduct a search, with no success, Rosalie Blum said. “It’s really, really treacherous terrain up there,” she added.
Kim Blum’ credit cards and bank accounts have not been accessed since her disappearance, police and family members said. “And she didn’t have much cash on her, from what we know,” the mother said.
“She did have a cell phone, a smart phone, but the last ping was at a tower near her sister’s house, so we don’t know whether she turned it off. There hasn’t been anything from that,” Rosalie Blum said.
Rosalie Blum said her daughter has never gone missing before and had been busy making plans at the time of her disappearance.
A friend was scheduled to arrive in town to stay with Kim Blum June 6, Rosalie Blum said. Kim Blum had also made several appointments to meet with clients of her personal organizer business.
Rosalie Blum said she also couldn’t imagine her daughter voluntarily leaving behind her beloved dog, Sadie.
The mother said she planned to head up into the forest again Thursday to pass out fliers with pictures of Kim Blum as far north as Wrightwood.
“You always want to be hopeful,” Rosalie Blum said.
The worried mother asked those who will be recreating in the forest this Independence Day weekend to keep an eye out for Kim Blum or her SUV.
Kim Blum, a graduate of La Canada high School and the University of Redlands, is described as white, 5 feet 2 inches tall, 144 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a black tank top, and she also wears prescription glasses.
Anyone with information was asked to contact Detective Carlton at 213-996-1800.

PHOTO of Kim Blum courtesy of the Los Angeles Police Department.

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Hear the fire fight on the Internet

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Scan America has a link to live audio from the front lines of the fire fight in the San Fernando Valley. Much of the traffic is Verdugo dispatch and Los Angeles County Fire. Here’s a direct link to the audio.

Here’s the photo caption:

Vehicles burn early Monday morning, Oct. 13, 2008,  after intense Santa Ana winds  whipped up a 3,700-acre wildfire. (AP Photo/Mike Meadows)

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Fire update day two; one dead, thousands evacuated

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Here’s the latest from the Associated Press on the Marek Fire:

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Two wildfires driven by strong Santa Ana winds threatened neighborhoods on the edges of the San Fernando Valley on Monday, killing one person, destroying several dozen mobile homes and forcing evacuations.

Firefighters were struggling with a 3,700-acre blaze in the Sylmar area in the valley’s northeastern corner when a new blaze erupted at midmorning a few miles to the west in mountains above the Porter Ranch area and quickly grew to 500 acres.

“It is a blowtorch we can’t get in front of,” said Los Angeles County fire Inspector Frank Garrido.

Fire officials could not immediately estimate how many homes in Porter Ranch were in the fire’s path. Flames burned furiously at midday just across a road from one development of luxury homes.

The fatality occurred at the so-called Marek Fire burning in the Sylmar area. where neighborhoods abut rugged canyonlands below the mountainous Angeles National forest. The victim was a man who appeared to be a transient living with a dog in a makeshift shelter, officials said.

An estimated 1,200 people were evacuated due to the Marek Fire, which was just 5 percent contained.

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Two thousand acres and counting in Little Tujunga

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Inciweb now indicates the Little Tujunga fire has spread to 2066 acres. Here’s the latest AP story:

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Firefighters backed by water-dumping helicopters and planes gained ground Sunday on awildfirethat destroyed two homes and forced the evacuation of about 1,200 people in a rugged area 20 miles north of downtown. The blaze charred up to 750 acres and also burned a garage, several sheds and three motor homes, said Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesman Ron Haralson. No one was seriously injured, but a firefighter and one resident reported minor breathing problems.

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Little Tujunga noon fire update

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Here’s what AP is reporting about the 750 acre fire near Sunland and little Tujunga:

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LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Firefighters backed by water-dumping helicopters and planes gained ground Sunday on awildfirethat destroyed two homes and forced the evacuation of about 1,200 people in a rugged area 20 miles north of downtown.
Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesman Ron Haralson said the blaze charred up to 750 acres and also burned a garage, several sheds and three motor homes.
No one was seriously injured. A firefighter and one resident reported minor breathing problems.
Haralson said firefighters are “getting a really good handle” on the blaze that started early. Sunday. But powerful Santa Ana winds are expected to arrive in the evening, and gusts could spread embers igniting brush, grass and chaparral in the area.
About 450 homes were evacuated early Sunday when the blaze moved southeast toward city limits, said U.S. Forest Service spokesman Stanton Florea.
“It burned right down to a couple of neighborhoods,” Florea said.
The fire was burning south of the Wildlife Waystation, an animal sanctuary and rehabilitation facility set on 160 acres. The nonprofit agency houses more than 400 animals, including lions, bears and deer. Officials were loading up the animals in case the fire switched direction.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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At the front lines of a raging wildfire

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Firefighters from the Los Angeles County Fire Department battle thewildfirein the Angeles National Forest near Los Angeles on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008. Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesman Ron Haralson says the blaze has charred up to 750 acres in the rugged area of Little Tujunga Canyon, about 20 miles north of downtown. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg)

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Fire burns in Little Tujunga; Evacuations ordered *

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This from LAist:

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A fire aided by overnight windsbroke out around 2 this morningin Little Tujunga Canyon and has already claimed 500 acres of brush and has forced the evacuation of about 1,200 nearby residents. Mandatory evacuations are currently in effect in Kagel Canyon, Lopez Canyon, and Little Tujunga Canyon. Residents of nearby Lakeview Terrace are on the ready, but are not required to evacuate as of yet.


*As of 9 a.m. Inciweb has raised the number of affected acres to 600. The fire is reportedly 5 percent contained. This is known as the Marek Wildland Fire. The cause remains under investigation. A total of 900 firefighters have been dispatched to the scene of the blaze.

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