Whittier: February 2012 Archives
A Whittier man driving a BMW and his passenger were in custody Tuesday night after a chase that began in Hacienda Heights and ended in North Hollywood.
The driver, Valentino Arroyas of Whittier, was booked on suspicion of felony evading, while his passenger, 20-year-old Janine Rodriguez of East Los Angeles, was booked on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Victor Sotelo said.
No one was injured in the incident that started at Colima Road and Hacienda Boulevard.
Sheriff's Lt. John Saleeby said the driver of a BMW ran red lights shortly after 8 p.m.
The car didn't stop and made a beeline for Whittier, where it was later determined the driver resides, officials said.
The pursuit, which involved several law enforcement agencies, went through different communities including Whittier, Pico Rivera and Pasadena before working its way to North Hollywood.
On surface streets the driver hit 35 to 40 mph and sped up while on the freeways.
The chase ended about an hour and a half later on the 170 Freeway at Saticoy Street in North Hollywood, where the car ran out of gas, officials said.
Arroyas and Rodriguez then surrendered to California Highway Patrol officers.
Arroyas was thought to have fled, in part, because he incorrectly believed the car he was driving had been reported stolen.
The owner of the vehicle, who is a relative of one of the suspects, had told them the vehicle would be reported stolen if not returned, Sotelo said. But that had not occurred.
According to county booking records, Arroyas was being held in lieu of $35,200 bail, while Rodriguez was being held in lieu of $13,000 bail. Both were scheduled for arraignment Thursday in West Covina Superior Court.
WHITTIER -- A resident who arrived to find a burglar in her home Tuesday afternoon was punched in the head and knocked to the ground.
Whittier police Lt. Randy Inman said the intruder fled with jewelry, laptop and other items but was later caught by officers.
The 12:45 p.m. incident happened in the 16200 block of Honnington Street. Inman said a woman and her child came home and discovered a burglar at the house.
The woman chased the man off the property, he added.
"We started getting 9-1-1 calls about a woman screaming," Inman said.
Officers spotted the man walking on Russell Street and Whittier Boulevard.
Adam West, 30, of Buena Park was arrested on suspicion of robbery and burglary. West was being held at Whittier Jail.
Inman said coins and other items taken from the house were found on the suspect.
"He discarded the laptop and the jewelry in the trash," Inman said.
- Staff report
WEST WHITTIER -- Deputies served a warrant early Thursday and arrested a man suspected of three armed robberies along Whittier Boulevard earlier this month, authorities said.
David Jimenez, 38, of West Whittier was booked on suspicion of robbery following the 7:15 a.m. raid on his home in the 6000 block of McNees Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Robert Smith said.
He was wanted in connection with three robberies that took place between Feb. 4 and Feb. 12 along Whittier Boulevard, just west of the 605 Freeway, in unincorporated West Whittier, the lieutenant said.
The robberies targeted the same donut shop twice, as well as a nearby gas station, Smith said.
Cash and merchandise were taken in the heists, he added.
"Detectives developed information that led them to believe the suspect was a resident of an adjacent neighborhood," Smith said.
Jimenez was arrested without a struggle when deputies arrived at his home early Thursday, he added.
According to county booking records, Jimenez was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail pending arraignment Monday in Whittier Superior Court.
NORWALK -- A man accused of attempted murder was released from jail Thursday after a second jury failed to reach a verdict in his case, officials said.
Joshua Michael Silva, 26, had been charged with attempted murder in connection with a June 1, 2010 shooting that wounded a 30-year-old man in the 7700 block of Washington Avenue in Whittier. He was listed as a transient at the time of his arrest.
After one jury announced it could not reach a verdict in September, a second trial was held for Silva, Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Jane Robison said.
A second trial also ended in a hung jury Feb. 7, Robison said, with jurors deadlocked 8 to 4 in favor of conviction, Robison said.
At a hearing Thursday, Norwalk Superior Court Judge Philip Hickok granted a defense motion to dismiss the case, she said.
Following the decision, Silva was released from jail just before 9 a.m. Thursday, county booking records show.
NORWALK -- A 23-year-old El Monte man was sentenced to 36 years to life in prison Thursday for the 2009 attempted murder of a Bellflower woman, who was drugged, had her throat slashed and was stabbed and beaten before she was tossed over the edge of Turnbull Canyon and left for dead.
Vincent Mendoza showed no reaction to the sentence, handed down by Norwalk Superior Court Judge Michael Cowell, who noted the "high degree of viciousness and cruelty" displayed in the attack on then-20-year-old Christina Martinez.
Defense Attorney Harriet Hawkins argued the court had discretion not to sentence her client on each individual count of kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon, attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
An allegation that Mendoza personally used a weapon, a knife, was also found to be true by a jury last December. He is one of three men convicted in the case.
Cowell agreed Thursday that he had the option to sentence Mendoza on one count, but said the severity of the crime demanded more.
PICO RIVERA -- Deputies performing a random probation compliance check early Thursday arrested a man on suspicion of breaking into a TV repair shop hours earlier.
Roman Vega Escobar, 40, a resident of unincorporated West Whittier, was booked on suspicion of burglary, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Robert Smith said.
A passer-by called authorities just after 6:30 a.m. to report seeing a front window smashed at World Electronics, 9355 Telegraph Road in Pico Rivera, the lieutenant said.
Deputies responded and determined a burglar had broken in, and two big-scree TVs -- one 47-inch and one 36-inch -- had been taken, Smith said.
Meanwhile, he said, deputies assigned to the sheriff's Community Oriented Policing Team were visiting local probationers to make sure they were in compliance with the terms of their probations.
When they visited Escobar's home in the 8300 block in the 8300 block of Summerfield Avenue in West Whittier about 7 a.m., deputies noticed two big-screen TVs, including one that was wrapped in plastic, according to sheriff's officials and county booking records.
After contacting the business owner, deputies confirmed that the TVs found in Escobar's home were taken from World Electronics, Smith said.
Escobar was being held in lieu of $40,250 bail pending arraignment Tuesday in Whittier Superior Court, records indicated.
WHITTIER -- A pregnant woman and her husband ended up in the hospital after a two-car crash Thursday.
Whittier police Sgt. Terry McAllister said the man sustained minor injuries and the woman was taken to a hospital as a precaution.
The collision on Colima Road and Cullen Street was reported to police at 6:08 p.m.
McAllister said the couple's car was traveling on Colima Road when another car made a left turn from Cullen Street to Colima Road and hit their vehicle.
No one was injured in the second car, according to McAllister.
- Ruby Gonzales
SANTA FE SPRINGS -- Three parolees arrested on suspicion of carrying out a car-to-car shooting that left one man dead and another seriously wounded last week have not been charged in connection with the slaying, officials said Thursday.
Jason Uzel, 37, of Whittier, Brian Recinos, 22, of Whittier and Frank Ramos, 45, of Eureka were arrested on suspicion of murder in the hours following the Jan. 2 shooting on Sorensen Avenue, just south of Washington Boulevard, Whittier police officials said.
While all three men remained behind bars on suspicion of violating their parole, police had not yet presented the murder case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, Whittier police Officer Bradley White said.
"There's no criminal filing at this time," he said. The investigation is still ongoing."
The shooting claimed the life of 18-year-old Mark Joseph Rodriguez of Whittier, and left a second man who was riding in a car with Rodriguez seriously wounded, according to police and coroner's officials.
The shooting is being investigated by the Whittier Police Department, which provides police services to Santa Fe Springs.
WHITTIER -- A South Whittier man has begun serving a 12-year prison sentence for stabbing wife to death at their home in an unincorporated county area near Whittier.
Andres Zazueta, 47, was sentenced to prison Feb. 3 after pleading no contest to voluntary manslaughter in the death of 45-year-old Maria Guzman on March 13, Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Jane Robison said.
Originally charged with murder, Zazueta attacked his wife with a kitchen knife at their home in the 10700 block of Carmenita Road, then wounded himself as well before deputies arrived at the scene, officials said.
Guzman died at the scene, while Zazueta was hospitalized for his injuries before being arrested.
Other than domestic violence, a motive in the killing has not been released.
NORWALK -- Sentencing was delayed Wednesday for a La Habra man facing the death penalty for two gang-related murders in Whittier, including one in which he fatally stabbed the wrong man, authorities said.
A jury recommended the death sentence in January for Gabriel Alexander Ronquillo, 39, for the 2004 mistaken-identity murder of 47-year-old Gary Frausto, as well as the 1999 slaying of rival gang member David Borunda, 23. He was convicted of the killings in December in Norwalk Superior Court.
His sentencing was initially scheduled for Wednesday, but was postponed to March 15, court officials said.
Ronquillo was arrested following the most recent killing, after his would-be getaway car failed to start, investigators said.
In Frausto's killing, authorities said, Ronquillo was following an order from the Mexican Mafia to kill another man, Frausto's brother, but stabbed Frausto to death by mistake when he answered a midnight knock at the door.
In addition to the two murders, a jury also found true special allegation of multiple murder, murder for the benefit of a street gang, murder by an active gang member, use of a deadly and dangerous weapon and principal discharge of a firearm causing death, officials said.
WHITTIER - Deputies are looking for a gunman who shot another man several times Tuesday night.
Sheriff's Sgt. Mike Mendoza said the injured man was in stable condition at a hospital.
The station received calls about multiple shots being heard about 8:50 p.m. at Laurel and Virginia avenues in an unincorporated county area near Whittier, he said. Deputies checking out the calls found the wounded man.
The gunman said nothing before opening fire, striking the victim, a 30-year-old man, several time in the stomach area, Sgt. James Franks said.
The shooting happened in an unincorporated county area near Whittier.
A relative was driving the man to the hospital but decided to let paramedics transport him, according to Mendoza. He said the relative pulled over in nearby Santa Fe Springs.
Witnesses saw a man fleeing from the scene after the shooting. Mendoza said the suspect was last seen running west through Amelia Mayberry County Park.
The suspect was described a Latino, 25, 5 feet 6 inches tall, between 150 to 160 pounds and wearing a black shirt and black pants.
- staff report
ALTADENA -- Rescuers hoisted a Whittier woman from Eaton Canyon by helicopter after she took a fall while hiking and broke her ankle, authorities said.
The 38-year-old woman was hiking with her husband 100 yards below the first waterfall of Eaton Canyon about 11:30 a.m. when she lost her footing and fell, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said.
Altadena Search and Rescue Team members, along with a sheriff's helicopter, reached the couple and hoisted the injured woman into a helicopter via a rescue basket about 1:30 p.m., Lt. Marjory Jacobs of the sheriff's Crescenta Valley Station said.
Her husband was not injured, she added.
A search and rescue team members also took a spill during the incident and was taken to a hospital for treatment of a minor injury to his knee, Jacobs said.
The algae-lined trails near the Eaton Canyon Falls are well-known to rescuers, who help pull dozens of injured hikers to safety every year.
WEST WHITTIER -- Deputies arrested a parolee spotted with a gun Saturday following a stand-off of nearly two hours, authorities said.
William Lemus, 28, was ultimately taken into custody and was expected to be booked on charges including violating parole and weapons violations, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Dianna Woodward said.
The incident began just before 11 a.m. in the 7800 block of Morrill Avenue, just north of Washington Boulevard, the sergeant said.
A resident reported seeing a person with a gun walking in the area, and the man fled from responding deputies, she said.
Deputies recognized the man as a parolee, Woodward said.
Officials surrounded a house and yard where Lemus was believed to be hiding and summoned a SWAT team to assist, according to the sergeant.
As SWAT team members were en route, however, the suspect made a run for it and tried to escape the search perimeter, Woodward said. He was promptly met by two deputies and surrendered.
WHITTIER -- A fire damaged a home, along with a 75-year-old pickup truck, but caused no injuries Friday, authorities said.
The blaze was first reported just after 11:30 a.m. at a house in the 14300 block of Chestnut Street, Los Angeles County Fire Department Inspector Quvondo Johnson said.
"On arrival, we did see smoke and fire coming from a single-story, single-family dwelling," he said.
A man who lives at the home returned from a trip to the store just before firefighters arrived, Capt. Matt Arledge said. He and a neighbor were trying to control the flames with water hoses.
Firefighters extinguished the flames by 11:50 a.m., Johnson said. No one was injured.
The fire mainly scorched only one room of the home, however the house sustained smoke damage throughout, Battalion Chief Ron Cabrera said. The blaze left the home uninhabitable pending repairs.
The blaze caused an estimated $200,000 worth of damage to the home and its contents, including a 1937 Chevrolet pickup truck parked at the property, the residents, Keith and Nancy Kowalsi, had been restoring, officials said.
The couple has invested about $20,000 in the project and had planned to continue the restoration, Nancy Kowalsi said.
Additionally, Nancy Kowalski said, a chest she inherited from her mother containing china and a doll collection was consumed by the blaze.
Nonetheless, she said she was just happy no one was hurt.
"It's all stuff," she said. "It can be replaced."
Nancy Kowalski said she normally would be home at the time the fire broke out, but she was delayed at work Friday due to a malfunctioning copy machine.
The couple has lived in the home for 15 years, she added.
The cause of the fire was initially believed to be accidental, possibly caused by discarded smoking materials, officials said.
WHITTIER -- Police are planning to hold a sobriety and driver's license checkpoint Friday.
The checkpoint will take place from 7 p.m. Friday to 3 a.m. Saturday in the area of Whittier Boulevard and Philadelphia Street, Whittier police officials said in a written statement.
"Research shows that crashes involving alcohol drop by an average of 20 percent when well-publicized checkpoints are conducted often enough," according to the police statement.
When possible, officers will, "strive to delay motorist only momentarily," the statement added.
Funding for the checkpoint is being provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
SANTA FE SPRINGS -- Two men are in custody and a third was being sought Wednesday after a break-in at a medical marijuana dispensary, police said.
Germell Miles, 35, of Los Angeles and Bryan Adams, 25, of Hawthorne were booked on suspicion of burglary, Whittier police Lt. Randy Inman said.
Officers responded to a burglary call about 1:30 a.m. at the dispensary on Los Nietos Road, just west of Norwalk Boulevard, according to the lieutenant.
Three suspects ran when police arrived, he said.
Officers found two of the men during a search of the area, Inman said. One was arrested with the use of a police K-9 and was treated for dog bites before being taken to jail.
Police also impounded the suspects' car, which was left at the scene of the burglary when they fled, the lieutenant said.
It was not clear whether any marijuana had been stolen or recovered, police said.
According to county booking records, Miles was released from jail Wednesday after posting $20,000 bail, while Adams was being held without bail pending his initial court appearance.
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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