Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - A woman from China was identified as the victim who reportedly fell into the San Gabriel River near the Bridge to Nowhere April 8 and later drowned.
Huanjing Zheng, 27, was identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. She was declared deceased at the scene. Her death was ruled accidental. She also suffered from blunt head trauma. First responders were called to the area on a report of a hiker having fallen in the river. A large mutual aid response was initiated involving the Los Angeles County Fire Department, Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau, Montrose Search and Rescue Team and the San Dimas Mountain Rescue Team. The rescue operation was coordinated at Camp Williams RV Resort, 24210 E. Fork Rd. Hikers reported initially seeing what appeared to be a person wearing a red jacket floating down the river, according to Los Angeles County Fire Department radio traffic. Rescuers located Zheng’s body near Camp Williams and recovered her. Zheng’s body was kept in an ambulance until coroner investigators arrived to take possession. 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 LOS ANGELES - The man accused of gunning down an auxiliary bishop for the LA Archdiocese over alleged money issues awaits his day in court.
Carlos Medina, 61, is being held in lieu of $2 million bail. A court date has yet to be set. LA Archdiocese Auxiliary Bishop at David O’Connell was discovered dead from at least one gunshot wound in his bedroom after deputies were called at 1 p.m. to a report of a person not breathing in the 1500 block of Janlu Avenue in Hacienda Heights Saturday, February 18, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. The Sheriff’s Department was notified Sunday, February 19 at 7 p.m. of a person of interest tied to the murder. Deputies traveled to the city of Torrance where the person of interest lives and after the special enforcement operation, Medina was apprehended. Two firearms and items possibly tying Medina to the murder were confiscated. The firearms will have to be examined to determine if they were used in the Hacienda Heights murder, Luna said at the Monday press conference. A tipster told the Sheriff’s Department that Medina was acting strange, irrational and expressed that O’Connell owed Medina money. Medina is married to O’Connell’s housekeeper, Luna said at the Monday press conference. Investigators did not find any apparent forced entry into the home. Surveillance footage showed a dark-colored compact SUV pull into the bishops driveway and was driven away after a short time. That SUV is driven by Medina’s wife. Before Medina’s arrest, investigators were told that he was possibly in the Central California area. A tipster notified investigators that Medina had returned to his home in Torrance in the 20400 block of Kenwood Avenue. At 2 a.m. on Monday, February 20, deputies arrived to arrest Medina, but he refused to exit. At 8:15 a.m., Medina finally surrendered. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - A man convicted of murdering his neighbor during a dispute in 2019 reportedly killed himself in jail while awaiting his sentence.
Massimo Barbagallo, 49, died from multiple blunt force injuries January 10. His death was ruled suicide, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office confirmed by email that Barbagallo did die while in custody. He faced 50 years to life in prison. Barbagallo was held in the North County Correctional Facility when he died. He was convicted April 6, 2022 of murder in the July 15, 2019 shooting death of 26-year-old Christian Jonathan Alarcon in what was believed to be a longstanding feud. The shooting happened in the 9400 block of Workman Avenue. First responders found Alarcon wounded on a residential front yard. He died after being hospitalized. Barbagallo was scheduled for sentencing February 23. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor SANTA FE SPRINGS – Authorities announced September 30 charges against a driver accused of fleeing the scene of a crash from last year.
The driver fled the November 26, 2021 crash at Colima Road and Lambert Road in unincorporated South Whittier, but was caught. Darrell Maurice Jewett, 34, was detained, but later released pending additional investigation, according to the California Highway Patrol, Santa Fe Springs Office. The Santa Fe Springs Area Criminal Investigations Unit filed charges of murder, felony driving under the influence, felony hit and run and gross vehicular manslaughter, according to the CHP. The driver of a 2012 maroon Nissan Altima struck a blue 2020 Honda Accord after allegedly running a red light around 5:30 a.m. The collision caused both vehicles to strike a nearby business. Jewett was arraigned at the Bellflower Courthouse September 30 and is being held without bail. He is scheduled for an appearance in the Norwalk Courthouse October 25, according to Los Angeles County booking information. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor DOWNEY – A victim found shot multiple times in a parking lot was identified as a Monterey Park Police officer, authorities said Monday.
Downey Police officers responded to a parking lot at 12070 Lakewood Blvd. August 8 to a reported shooting victim around 3:25 p.m. The victim was found in the Downey Landing shopping center inside a vehicle and paramedics pronounced him dead. “Despite emergency medical treatment, the victim was pronounced deceased from his injuries,” according to the Downey Police Department in a written statement. The officer’s name has not been publicly revealed. Anyone with information on this murder is urged to call Downy Police Detective Ron Gee at 562-904-2331, or Lt. Dwayne Cooper at 562-904-2370. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - A 74-year-old cyclist died of natural causes while riding a bicycle on Highway 39 above Azusa July 28.
Initially, the California Highway Patrol reported a collision with a vehicle resulted in the death of Stephen Naftilan. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner revealed he died from acute cardian dysfunction. Naftilan crashed while cycling at 10 a.m. at mile marker 24.10. In a follow-up inquiry, Rodrigo Jimenez of the CHP Baldwin Park Office reported Naftilan "was unable to keep his bicycle upright and the right side of Mr. Doe's bicycle crashed into the asphalt roadway. A passerby and another bicyclist who observed the crash, responded to Mr. Doe and observed he was unresponsive." CPR was administered until Los Angeles County Firefighters arrived. CPR was continued until Naftilan was pronounced dead at 10:52 a.m. Highway 39 from East Fork Road to Roxspring Way was closed until 5:43 p.m. for the investigation. Alcohol and drugs are not considered factors in Naftilan's death, Jimenez said. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - A bicyclist reportedly died in a collision on Highway 39 in the Azusa foothills Thursday morning.
Los Angeles County fire fighters and the California Highway Patrol were called to Highway 39 south of East Fork Road around 10:16 a.m. July 28. Few details are available at the time this post was launched. It is unclear how many bicyclists or vehicles were involved, according to Officer Kendricks of the California Highway Patrol. Firefighters arrived on scene and met with someone who was performing CPR on an injured person, according to California Highway Patrol traffic logs. Northbound and southbound lanes of Highway 39 between rocks Springs Way in Azusa to East Fork Road are closed for at least three more hours for an investigation, the CHP said. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor SOUTH WHITTIER – A pedestrian died after being struck and killed by a driver who escaped on foot after driving away from the crash, the California Highway Patrol said.
It is unclear if investigators have a description of the suspect who ran from the damaged white Mercedes-Benz C300. The collision occurred around 10:10 p.m. at the intersection of Leffingwell Road and Corley Drive, according to the California Highway Patrol Santa Fe Springs Office. The driver fled west on Leffingwell Road and the abandoned C300 was found on Laurel Avenue. The pedestrian was identified as 53-year-old Lorraine Naranjo, a Whittier resident. Anyone with information on this deadly crash is urged to call CHP Officer J. Contreras, or Public Information Officer E. Torres at 562-868-0503. Information can be provided anonymously by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - Law enforcement agencies are scrambling to identify the suspect or suspects involved in a series of 7-Eleven robberies that left a wake of violence across three counties.
The crimes all occurred, strangely enough, on 7/11. A clerk in Brea was shot and killed inside a convenience store, while a man outside a Santa Ana store was shot and killed. An Ontario store was robbed just after midnight Monday at 636 N. Vine Ave. A robbery in Upland occurred around 12:40 a.m. at 2410 W. Arrow Rte. An image taken from surveillance video shows a uncanny similarity to the Brea robbery and murder. A Riverside 7-Eleven, 5102 La Sierra Ave., was robbed around 1:50 a.m. A customer was shot and was last listed in grave condition, according to the Riverside Police Department. Investigators released two images taken from a surveillance camera inside the store, giving the public a clearer view of the outstanding suspect. A man, identified as 24-year-old Matthew Rule, was shot and killed outside a 7-Eleven, 302 E. 17th St., just before 3:30 a.m. Santa Ana Police confirmed Monday afternoon their suspect was the man connected to the other 7-Eleven shootings. Brea police officers and firefighters responded to the 7-Eleven, 109 W. Lambert Rd., around 4:18 a.m. to a report of an employee down, suffering from a gunshot wound. The clerk, identified as 40-year-old Matthre Hirsch, was pronounced dead by firefighters, according to the Brea Police Department. Investigators believe the same suspect wounded two people at a La Habra 7-Eleven, 381 E. Whittier Blvd. La Habra police responded to the scene around 4:55 a.m. Both Victims were treated at a hospital where they were last listed in stable condition. Anyone with information on this shooting is urged to call Brea Police Det. Alfred Rodriguez at 714-671-4438, or email alfredr@cityofbrea.net. It is unclear if a robbery at a 7-Eleven in Vincent July 9 is connected to this string of Monday violence. The suspect. a Black man with a thin build and dressed in dark clothing, took cash while brandishing a handgun. |
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