Recently in West Covina Category
WEST COVINA -- A man was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison Friday for bludgeoning his father to death with a dumbbell in an Irwindale self-storage facility, officials said.
Jonathan Martinez Pedraza, 26, of Hollywood, received his sentence from West Covina Superior Court Judge Douglas Sortino after being convicted by a jury of first-degree murder and other crimes Feb. 3, court officials said.
He killed his 62-year-old father, Miguel Pedraza of Glendora, Sept. 3, 2010 and left his body inside a storage locker at A-1 Mini Storage, 4391 Irwindale Avenue, officials said.
A motive in the killing has not been released.
The sentence was slightly less than the maximum possible sentence of 27 years to life in prison.
After killing his father, Jonathan Pedraza fled the area in a car, crashing through a security gate and becoming involved in a hit-and-run crash in Baldwin Park before being taken into custody.
In addition to murder, he was convicted of felony vandalism and two counts of hit-and-run, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
A hearing in October in which Pedraza was determined to be mentally competent to stand trial.
His trial lasted about a day and a half, and the jury deliberated for about two hours before finding Jonathan Pedraza guilty.
Evidence presented at trial revealed that Pedraza delivered at least five powerful blows to his 62-year-old father's head causing 10 lacerations and a fractured skull.
WEST COVINA -- Three Los Angeles teens in a stolen Honda Accord were arrested after a chase through local streets that ended in a crash Thursday.
One of the boys fled but was later discovered in a trash can, according to West Covina police Lt. Marty Sevilla.
A police dog bit him as well as the suspect driving the stolen car.
The incident started at 10:47 p.m. on Sunset and Cameron avenues when a sergeant ran the license plate of a 1997 Honda Accord and it came back as being stolen from Los Angeles.
Sevilla said several units followed the car and when they tried to pull it over, the driver took off.
While heading south on Valinda Avenue, he said the driver tried to make a left turn into Meadowside Street, lost control, crashed into the southeast corner and hit a wall.
The driver tried to run but was captured by a police dog. The rear passenger surrendered and was taken to a hospital as a precaution, Sevilla said.
He said the teen sitting in the front passenger seat bolted and ran across a gated community in the area of Lemongrass Lane and Olive Grove lane which is in the county area.
"He was found hiding in a trash can," Sevilla said.
The three teens were arrested on suspicion of grand theft auto and felony evading.
- Ruby Gonzales
WEST COVINA -- Police arrested two men who ran from a stolen car Thursday, including one who was subdued with a Tazer and a bean bag gun after trying to choke a police dog sent to capture him, authorities said.
Officers received a report of a stolen car about 2:10 p.m. in the 1300 block of South Fleetwell Avenue, West Covina police Lt. Tommy Garcia said.
Officers searching the area spotted the stolen car about 2:30 p.m. less than a mile to the south, parked along a curb on Azusa and Fairgrove avenues, the lieutenant said.
Both men, initially described as appearing to be in their late teens or early 20s, ran from the car once they spotted an approaching police officer, Garcia said.
The passenger was captured almost immediately, he said, however officials set up a search perimeter to hunt for the driver.
A short time later, were notified by a resident of the 1700 block of Newcrest Drive that he had arrived home to find a man had broken into his house and was hiding in his bathroom, Garcia said.
Police ultimately forced their way into the home and sent in a police dog, the lieutenant said.
"He was fighting with the dog. He wasn't giving up," Garcia said. "He actually got the dog into a position where he was choking the dog."
At that point, officers shocked the suspect with a Taser with no effect, he said. Officers then fired a bean bag round at the suspect and took him into custody.
The suspects' names were not available Thursday afternoon pending booking, officials said.
The passenger was being held on suspicion of auto theft, while the driver was suspected of auto theft, burglary and resisting arrest.
WEST COVINA -- Two robbers posing as solicitors forced their way into the home of a 90-year-old man last week and stole items including jewelry that belonged to the man's deceased wife, authorities said.
The crime took place Thursday at a home in the 400 block of South Mesita Place, however the victim did not report it until Tuesday after family members convinced him to do so, West Covina police officials said.
The elderly victim answered a knock at his door about 1:10 p.m., Lt. Marty Sevilla said. He encountered two men -- one of about 60 years old and one of about 30 years old -- who had a clipboard with them and believed them to be solicitors.
"The men forced their way in by pushing the elderly man onto a chair," Sevilla said. "The older male remained with the victim while the other man ransacked the home, taking jewelry belonging the victim's deceased wife and cash."
The robbers were inside the man's home for about five minutes before running off, the lieutenant said. The homeowner was not hurt.
Police described the older suspect as white, about 5 feet 9 inches to 6 feet 2 inches tall and heavyset. The younger robber was white, five feet 6 inches to five feet 8 inches tall and of thin build.
Anyone with information is asked to call West Covina police at 626-939-8557, or tips can be left anonymously on the department's 24-hour tip line at 626-939-8688.
WEST COVINA -- Two robbers pulled a handgun on a store security guard who confronted them while stealing a trash bag full of merchandise from a department store late Friday, police said.
A security guard at Ross, 2753 E. Eastland Center Drive, noticed two men walking toward the exit with a trash bag full of goods just before the store's 10 p.m. closing time, West Covina police Lt. Marty Sevilla said.
One of the men pulled a revolver, pointed it at the guard and told him something in Spanish, Sevilla said.
The robbers then got into a waiting four-door, gray compact car with a third man at the wheel, he added.
Police described the robber who carried the trash bag as a Latino man in his 20s, wearing a black jacket and a dark-colored baseball cap. The gunman was also a Latino man in his 20s, wearing a blue Dodgers jersey with the number "323" written on the back and a dark-colored baseball cap.
Anyone with information is asked to call the West Covina Police Department at 626-939-8500. Tips can also be left with the department's 24-hour anonymous tip line at 626-939-8688.
WHITTIER -- A sheriff's SWAT team, with the help of a K-9, found and arrested a West Covina parolee Friday who barricaded himself in a Whittier garage for more than 10 hours after shooting at police, authorities said Saturday.
Matthew Cloutman, 36, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder of a peace officer and a parole warrant, Whittier police officials said in a written statement.
He was found hiding in a crawl space and bitten by a sheriff's K-9 shortly before 11 p.m. in the garage in the 6200 block of Washington Avenue where he had remained barricaded since about 12:30 p.m., according to Los Angeles County sheriff's Capt. Mike Parker.
A gun was found during Cloutman's arrest, Parker added.
He was being treated at a hospital for dog bite wounds before being booked into jail, Whittier police Lt. Carlos Solorza said.
U.S. Marshals Service, California Department of Corrections, West Covina police and Whittier police officials joined in an operation to apprehend Cloutman, a parolee who is suspected in a West Covina carjacking, Whittier police spokesman Officer Bradley White said.
The carjacking was believed to have taken place in December, however further details were not available.
As the team of lawmen moved in on the home, Cloutman ran from the main house to a garage in the rear while firing six to seven shots at the marshals. None were hit, and authorities did not return fire.
Other people emerged from the home on the orders of police, officials said, however Cloutman refused, prompting a tense stand-off ensued for the next 10 and a half hours.
WEST COVINA -- An attic fire late Thursday cause more than $200,000 in damage to a home but injured no one, officials said.
The fire was reported about 9:15 p.m. in the 700 block of East Merced Avenue, West Covina Fire Department firefighter/paramedic Scott Gilmore said.
Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke coming from the roof vents and eaves of the home, the firefighter said.
Nineteen firefighters extinguished the fire in about half an hour, he said.
The blaze was determined to have originated with the homes chimney, Gilmore said. It appeared some recent construction at the home may have created a breach in the chimney that allowed flames from the home's fireplace to get into the attic.
Officials estimated the fire cause $175,000 worth of damage to the home and $50,000 to the home's contents.
WHITTIER -- The principal of a private West Covina Elementary School, and former principal of a private elementary school in Whittier, will not be charged in connection with his arrest Tuesday on suspicion of molesting a student in 2008, authorities said Thursday.
Daniel Edwin Weston, 47, of Covina, was arrested Tuesday and booked on suspicion of committing lewd acts with a child while he worked at the Seventh Day Adventist Elementary School in Whittier, Whittier police Officer Bradley White said.
But after reviewing the case, prosecutors elected not to filed criminal charges against him, Los Angeles County District Attorney's spokeswoman Jane Robison said.
"We rejected it because there's insufficient evidence, she said.
Whittier police allege the inappropriate behavior took place with a female student, whose age was not released, in January of 2008, White said. Weston was working at the Whittier campus at the time.
In a court document, Deputy District Attorney Michael Michelena wrote that Weston had no criminal record and made no statements supporting his guilt during the investigation.
"At this point, there is insufficient evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt," Michelena wrote. "I am declining to file this case at this time."
Southern California Conference of Seventh Day Adventists Superintendent of Schools Harold Crook said Weston was immediately placed on administrative leave once the school learned of the investigation Wednesday.
"We are saddened and shocked by this allegation," Crook said.
"Our first and primary concern is for the safety of our children and our schools," he said. "We are cooperating with the authorities while this investigation is being conducted. Our hearts and prayers go out to all those affected by this situation."
After learning the case had been dismissed, Crook said, "I am relieved for our principal and his school."
"It's wonderful news to know that this accusation was not founded," Crook said, adding that, "We'll continue to cooperate in any fashion with the authorities."
Weston's future employment status with the school remained unclear.
"For the immediate time being, he's still on administrative leave as we process this ordeal," Crook said.
In court documents, the prosecutor said the alleged victim is a now-17-year-old girl who was 13 at the time of the alleged incident, while Weston was her teacher at the Seventh Day Adventist Elementary School in Whittier.
The girl alleged that while Weston was helping her with her homework, he "put his hand under her shirt and momentarily caressed her chest," Michelena wrote.
"She immediately pulled back and walked out of the room," he added. "She decided to disclose this now because she is going to college soon and wants to start a new chapter in her life without this hanging over her."
Weston is in his first year as principal at the West Covina campus, officials said. He worked at the Whittier campus for seven years prior, both as a teacher and a principal.
Prior to Whittier, he again worked in West Covina, Crook said. Weston began his career with the Southern California Conference of Seventh Day Adventists -- a private district of about 18 schools -- at the Adventist Elementary School in Santa Barbara in 1987, Crook said.
In addition to being principal at the West Covina Hills Adventist School, according to the website, "Mr. Daniel Weston is the homeroom teacher for the 7th/8th Grades. Mr. Weston teaches Math, Science, and Bible to the 5th through 8th grade classes."
PHOTO of Daniel Weston courtesy of the Whittier Police Department
WEST COVINA - A West Covina man was attacked, stabbed several times and robbed of a $400 gift card by three men Wednesday night.
The sheriff's Industry station originally received the 7:45 p.m. call about the stabbing on Francisquito Avenue. (The street runs through both city and unincorporated county areas.)
"It just came in as a person stabbed by unknown persons. He's breathing and conscious," Sheriff's Lt. Joe Chavez said.
Deputies notified West Covina police.
West Covina police Lt. Alan Henley said a 27-year-old man was walking on Francisquito Avenue near Glenview Road when a black sport utility vehicle stopped near him.
Three Latinos in their 20s got out of the SUV and assaulted the man.
Henley said the suspects pulled the man's sweater over his head, punched and kicked him. The culprits ended up taking the sweater which had a $400 gift card.
Henley said the man later realized he'd been stabbed in the upper torso. Henley said the injuries weren't life-threatening.
The injured man was taken to Los Angeles County USC Medical Center.
- Ruby Gonzales
WEST COVINA -- Two officers are being credited for saving a 19-month-old child who stopped breathing Friday night.
West Covine police got a call at 8:10 p.m. about a child possibly having a seizure in the 2700 block of Dawn Ridge Place.
Officer Justin Schienle was the first officer to arrive at the house. The child, Maddox Proglio, wasn't breathing.
Lt. Marty Sevilla said Schienle gave back blows to Maddox and used his finger to check if there was something blocking the boy's airway.
Officer Matthew Nelson who also responded to the call did the same thing. Sevilla said the two officers were able to get Maddox breathing again.
The boy was taken to a local hospital.
"The family is thankful," Sevilla said.
- Ruby Gonzales
WEST COVINA -- Police alleged a 17-year-old West Covina boy tagged seven locations in the city since November, causing about $1,300 in damages.
West Covina police Lt. Marty Sevilla said the teen was arrested Friday on suspicion of felony vandalism, resisting arrest and possession of a vandalism tool.
The incident began at 11:33 a.m. when an alarm was activated at the ITT Technical Institute building, 1530 W. Cameron Ave.
Sevilla said officers who went to the call saw the teen hiding in the bushes and thought he had something to do with the alarm.
The teen ran from the officers and allegedly tossed a marker during the chase. Police found the marker and also caught the boy by Orange Avenue.
Sevilla said the teen didn't vandalize the ITT building.
Because of the marker, he said the teen admitted to being part of a tagging crew. Police checked a database and matched the teen's alleged moniker to seven previous tagging incidents in the city.
The teen was later released to the custody of his parents. He has a Feb. 21 appearance at Pomona Juvenile Court.
Sevilla said the teen's parents are also facing a $1,000 fine under the West Covina municipal code.
- Ruby Gonzales
WEST COVINA -- Three people including two brothers were injured when a car ran a red light and hit another vehicle Thursday night.
West Covina police Lt. Marty Sevilla said one of the brothers was in critical condition.
The collision was reported around 10:30 p.m. at Azusa and Cameron avenues.
He said a Chevrolet Impala heading north on Azusa Avenue and travelling at an excessive speed failed to stop at red light.
The Impala struck a car that was preparing to make a left turn from Cameron Avenue to Azusa Avenue, according to Sevilla.
The lieutenant said the Impala's driver is suspected of being under the influence. The driver sustained serious injuries and was taken to Los Angeles County USC Medical Center.
The siblings, both 19, were in the other car.
Sevilla said the one sitting in the passenger seat was taken to Citrus Valley Medical Center, Queen of the Valley campus as a precaution.
The other brother who was behind the wheel was taken to Los Angeles County USC Medical Center where he was in critical condition, Sevilla said.
- Ruby Gonzales
WEST COVINA -- Firefighters rescued a 14-year-old boy who became stuck in a drainage pipe at Gingrich Park Wednesday while trying to retrieve his basketball, authorities said.
The boy was playing at the park, 1935 Woodgate Drive, about 1:40 p.m. when his basketball rolled into the mouth of an exposed drainage pipe, West Covina Fire Department Capt. Marco Arredondo said.
"When we arrived, you could just see his hands sticking out, holding on," the captain said.
The pipe is 20 inches in diameter and descends 12 to 15 feet at a 45-degree angle, officials said.
He had apparently been trapped in the pipe for about 10 minutes before his friends called 9-1-1 for help, Arredondo said.
Firefighters quickly managed to unwedge the teen from the pipe and pull him to freedom, he said. He was unharmed.
City crews were summoned to erect a temporary barricade around the pipe opening until it could be sealed with metal bars to prevent another incident, Arredondo said. It appeared the pipe had been sealed off in the past, but the metal bars had been broken off.
Officials also retrieved the ball from the pipe, he added. "That way it wouldn't be tempting for other kids in the future."
The FBI has released a photo of a man who robbed a West Covina bank Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011.
CONTRIBUTORS
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| Frank Girardot, Metro Editor for the San Gabriel Valley Newspapers, brings you behind the yellow tape with takes on true crime, cold cases and more. This is also your forum to discuss crime, its impact on your neighborhood and how we cover it. Have any questions or tips? You can leave a comment here or e-mail Frank. |
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Brian Day is the crime reporter for the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper group. E-mail Brian. |
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