Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - Ground crews continue to make progress on a fire that charred several acres of brush in steep terrain Sunday afternoon.
Hot Shot crews with the US Forest Service and crews with the Los Angeles County Fire Department worked on the ground to construct a containment line. Support came from the air in the form of several water dropping helicopters and a plane dropping red Phos-Chek. The fire is 50 percent contained and has burned roughly 5 acres as of Sunday night. Firefighters were dispatched to Santa Anita Canyon Road well into the steep terrain of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument just after 3:30 p.m., Sunday, July 2. The steepness and remoteness of the terrain made it a challenge to battle the fire. Incidentally, the Chantry Fire ignited in the burn scar of the Bobcat Fire Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor SANTA FE SPRINGS - A man and woman were found and arrested in Arcadia April 3 after detectives identified them as suspects in a fatal hit and run crash.
Priscilla Michelle Cornejo, 39, and Johnathon David Cornejo, 33, were booked on suspicion of murder and other charges in the March 22 crash. Priscilla is accused of causing a head-on crash while driving in opposing lanes of the 60 freeway at Crossroads Parkway, killing an 11-year-old girl and severely wounding the girl’s father, according to the California Highway Patrol. Priscilla was driving a black Hyundai Sonata west on the 60 freeway east of the 605 freeway around 4:06 a.m. March 22, her husband following in a black Ford Taurus. Priscilla clipped a tractor trailer, causing it and the semi it was hauling to jackknife. Her Sonata flipped around, according to the CHP. Priscilla allegedly fled the scene by going eastbound in westbound lanes without headlights on. Johnathon U-turned and began following his wife Priscilla who crashed head on into a gray Toyota Corolla occupied by the 11-year-old girl who was killed at the scene. “After the collision, Priscilla Cornejo, abandoned the Hyundai and entered the Ford, being driven by her husband, and fled the scene westbound on State Route 60,” according to the CHP in a written statement. CHP Santa Fe Springs Area investigators took the husband and wife into custody with the help of the CHP Southern Division Warrant Service Team. Priscilla was charged murder, felony hit and run, two counts of driving on the wrong side of the road, reckless driving, filing a false auto theft report and misdemeanor hit and run, according to Los Angeles County booking records. Johnathon was charged with murder and being an accessory after the fact, according to Los Angeles County booking records. The husband and wife are being held in lieu $2 million bail and appeared in the Pomona Courthouse April 5. Both are scheduled back in court April 18. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - Evidence was recovered and a suspect was arrested November 8, accused of pulling the trigger in the shooting that claimed the life of a Monrovia woman.
Sidney Terrence Johnson, a 25-year-old Los Angeles man, was tracked down after a two-month investigation and arrested at his home. He was booked on suspicion of murder and is being held in lieu of $2 million bail. The case has been submitted to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, according to the California Highway Patrol. Bertha Hernandez, 35, was found with a gunshot wound to the head in a crash vehicle on the eastbound 210 freeway east of Baldwin Avenue, September 4. Hernandez was driving a black Mercedes-Benz when the shooting occurred around 9:05 a.m. “Upon arrival, officers observed a solo vehicle that had multiple bullet holes on the driver's side and the solo female occupant inside the vehicle had sustained multiple gunshot wounds,” according to the California Highway Patrol in a written statement. CHP officers responding to calls of gunfire and a traffic collision found the Mercedes-Benz had crashed into a sound wall, multiple bullet holes peppered the driver side. Hernandez was declared dead at the scene, according to the California Highway Patrol. The events leading up to the shooting are either unknown, or have yet to be publicly shared. Johnson is being held at the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles. There is no court date information available. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - Nearly 38,300 acres have burned in the San Gabriel Mountains since the Bobcat Fire ignited eight days ago and containment figures are dwindling closer to zero.
Fire growth has outpaced containment, forcing firefighters to downgrade the long-standing 6 percent containment they fought to maintain and are reporting the fire is now only 3 percent contained, according to the U.S. Forest Service. A main focus for firefighters over Monday night is to strategically set back fires within the Chantry Flats area above Arcadia and Sierra Madre when opportunities permit, the U.S. Forest Service said. Not only are homes in Arcadia and Sierra Madre in harm’s way, but the Mt. Wilson Observatory and nearby radio transmission towers stand to succumb to the insatiable fire. “The fire crossed a dozer line and is burning on the ridge line above the east side of Little Santa Anita Canyon,” according to the U.S. Forest Service. “Fire activity was heavy on the west side near Winter Creek and the Santa Anita Wash with fire progressing 3/4 of the way up to the Mt. Wilson ridge line.” All personnel from the Mount Wilson observatory have evacuated the property. A mandatory evacuation order remains in effect for an unknown duration for the neighborhoods in Arcadia east of Santa Anita Avenue and north of Elkins. About 305 homes were evacuated. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION – The stubborn Bobcat Fire tearing its way through the San Gabriel Mountains is 6 percent contained Friday, the U.S. Forest Service said. 26,368 acres have burned in the steep, rugged mountain terrain since the fire’s inception five days ago. 540 firefighters from surrounding agencies, assisted by helicopters and some fixed-wing aircraft, continue to focus work on the south and north flanks of the fire that continue to grow. Firefighters achieved containment on the eastern flank where the Bobcat Fire ran into the burn scar etched by the Ranch 2 Fire, the U.S. Forest Service said. Two air tankers were able to perform drops of fire retardant Thursday after dense smoke on the south flank above Monrovia lifted. A helicopter and two groups of camp crews were also sent to bolster fire lines there, the U.S. Forest Service said. Overnight, two Los Angeles County Fire Department helicopters equipped with night vision were able to tend to flames on the south flank.
Winds continue to push the fire north towards Crystal Lake. Flames have reached the into the upper ridges near Angeles Crest Highway where fire retardant line have been laid by aircraft, the U.S. Forest Service said. Ground crews will continue to patrol the foothill communities and conduct structure protection and triage efforts, the U.S. Forest Service said. The City of Monrovia has established road blocks along planned evacuation routes and bolstered the areas with additional police patrols to push non-residents and unnecessary traffic out of the area, Monrovia city officials said. Unnecessary vehicle traffic created what Monrovia officials considered public safety concerns and apparently even delayed fire trucks from being able to move from location to location, Monrovia city officials said. Firefighters estimate the Bobcat Fire may be contained by October 15. Zero Containment: Bobcat Fire Chars Nearly 24,000 Acres, Burns Deeper Towards Crystal Lake9/10/2020 Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - Weather conditions and poor visibility are keeping firefighters from gaining an upper hand on the Bobcat Fire.
23,890 acres have burned in the parched and steep terrain of the San Gabriel Mountains since the fire’s inception four days ago. Firefighters have 0 percent containment, according to the U.S. Forest Service. More than 530 firefighters continue to work on keeping the fire from spreading further south. On the bright side, voluntary evacuation orders for Sierra Madre and Arcadia were lifted Thursday. However, Arcadia residents north of Foothill Boulevard and East of Pasadena remain under evacuation warnings. Evacuation warnings remain in effect for Pasadena, Monrovia, Duarte, Bradbury and Duarte Mesa. The Angeles National Forest remains closed for recreation. Overnight, the Bobcat Fire jumped San Gabriel Canyon Road as it burned heavily northeast. Angeles Crest Highway (State Route 2) is closed eastbound from Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road to Big Pines. San Gabriel Canyon Road (Highway 39) is closed at Old San Gabriel Canyon Road, according to Caltrans. The fire has cast a morbid orange haze over the Southland as the smoke mixes with cloud cover. An unending drizzle of ash and dirt from the burn site continues to sprinkle over the urban landscape. Burning up is mostly old-growth chaparral and tall grass in areas with little to no fire record. Firefighters have no estimate on containing the fire. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - The stubborn Bobcat Fire surpassed 10,000 acres Tuesday.
So far, 10,344 acres have burned. Firefighters have yet to set any containment figures on the fire, according to the U.S. Forest Service. A Red Flag warning, which went into effect at Noon Tuesday, remains in effect until 8 p.m. Wednesday, September 8 for the mountains and valleys of Ventura and Los Angeles counties. Cities that could face great danger should Santa Ana winds drive the fire further south now include Pasadena and Altadena, in addition to Arcadia, Bradbury, Duarte, Monrovia and Sierra Madre. Arcadia officials announced Tuesday night that residents north of Foothill Boulevard and east of Santa Anita Avenue should consider voluntarily evacuating. “Although there is no immediate threat of fire to Arcadia residences at this time, predictive modeling of both the weather and the Bobcat Fire suggests that circumstances could become more concerning overnight,” Arcadia officials said in a written statement. Arcadia City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto has issued a Declaration of Local Emergency allowing for emergency provisions to be enacted in response to the fire. The Red Cross has established a temporary evacuation point at Santa Anita Park, 285 W. Huntington Dr., Gate 5, in Arcadia. It is now open for anyone affected by the Bobcat Fire. COVID-19 safety measures are in place & Red Cross volunteers are ready to help evacuees into safe lodging, the Red Cross announced. A hotline has been established at 626-574-5463 for the most current and up-to-date information regarding the fire’s impact on Arcadia. Fire crews in Monrovia performed preventative work Tuesday, cleaning hazardous vegetation, per-treating areas and improving access points in the event flames reach foothill neighborhoods, according to Monrovia city officials. Containment has been made even more laborious due to poor visibility and the treacherous terrain. The Bobcat Fire is burning in steep terrain of the West Fork area of the San Gabriel drainage. Flames continue to move north into the wilderness and south towards Mt. Bliss. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - Multiple agencies worked to suppress a brush fire that ignited in the mountains above Arcadia Monday. Firefighters from the US Forest Service, Los Angeles County Fire Department, Arcadia Fire Department, Monrovia Fire Department, Pasadena Fire Department, Sierra Madre Fire Department and Glendale Fire Department held the brush fire to seven acres.
The fire was first dispatched just before 12:30 p.m. July 20. No structures were threatened. Sierra Madre firefighters were first on scene, according to the Sierra Madre Fire Department. There were a number of hikers in the area when the fire ignited near the restroom area at Chantry Flats. The hikers were asked to shelter in place during the fire fight, according to the US Forest Service. The cause is under investigation. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - The 27-year-old man caught on security camera allegedly assaulting his estranged girlfriend was officially charged Wednesday. Robert Michael Mendez was charged with one count felony each of criminal threats, kidnapping and three counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. The charges filed include a special circumstance allegation that Mendez inflicted great bodily harm during domestic violence. Arcadia Police believe the assault on camera occurred Sunday September 29. Officers were sent a link of the assault around 2 p.m. September 30. The video was believed to have taken place in the area of Santa Anita Avenue and Camino Real. Detectives canvassed the area and narrowed the location to the 1500 block of South Santa Anita where the woman and suspect were found, Arcadia Police said.
The victim was hospitalized for her injuries. Mendez was found and arrested within the home in the 1500 block of South Santa Anita Avenue and arrested, Arcadia Police said. “Investigation also revealed that the female victim had been held against her will inside the residence since late last evening,” Arcadia Police said. Mendez was ordered to be held in jail in lieu of $330,000 bail ahead of a scheduled appearance in Pasadena Superior Court October 9. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES -The man accused of beating to death a 76-year-old woman during a burglary in her home April 9 pleaded not guilty Wednesday. Heber Enoc Diaz, from Pasadena, is charged with one count of murder with special circumstance allegations that the crime was committed during a robbery and a burglary. He also is charged with two felony counts of second-degree burglary and one felony count each of first-degree residential burglary, second-degree robbery and elder abuse, said Los Angeles County District Attorney’s public information officer Paul Eakins. Diaz, 27, is accused of causing great bodily harm when he used a hammer, a jab saw and a box cutter to kill Chyong Jen Tsai, according to the complaint. Diaz was previously employed by Tsai to renovate her home, but was not employed at the time Tsai stumbled upon the suspect burglarizing her garage. Diaz is also accused of burglarizing Tsai’s home March 19 while he was employed. Also charged in the case are Luis Alonso Cruz Gaitan, 33, of Altadena, who faces one felony count each of accessory after the fact and receiving stolen property exceeding $950 in value, and Isis Ondina Villalobos, 26, of Pasadena. She faces one felony count of accessory after the fact, Eakins said.
If convicted as charged, Diaz faces life in prison without the possibility of parole or death. Gaitan and Villalobos each face up to three years in county jail if convicted as charged. Diaz was scheduled to be arraigned in the Foltz Criminal Justice Center in Los Angeles. Gaitan and Villalobos are scheduled for a hearing June 28. |
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