Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

ALHAMBRA - Two West Covina residents and a Los Angeles resident were arrested and booked on suspicion of residential burglary April 19.

Two suspects are accused of entering a residential rear yard in the 600 block of North Olive Avenue. They forced entry into a rear window while a third suspect knocked on the front door as a distraction, according to the Alhambra Police Department.

Someone notified the Alhambra Police Department and as officers arrived to the house, one of the suspects jumped into a waiting vehicle and drove away, but were stopped.

West Covina residents Jessica Vanessa Charris Rojas, 30, and Edson Rubio Diaz, 31 were taken into custody. Also arrested was Los Angeles resident David Murcea, 31.

All three suspects have since been charged with first-degree burglary. Rubio and Murcea were released on bond. Charris remains in custody. All are scheduled for an appearance in Alhambra Superior Court May 15, according to Los Angeles County Superior Court records.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

ALHAMBRA - Detectives on a stakeout caught a driver who eluded South Pasadena and Alhambra officers multiple times.

Lawrence White, a 28-year-old Pasadena resident, was caught in that city March 13 after detectives learned his location and waited for the suspect to reveal himself, according to the Alhambra Police Department.

White is accused of evading South Pasadena Police officers who attempted to perform a traffic stop on him March 1, according to Los Angeles County Superior Court records.

During the South Pasadena pursuit, White is accused of striking another vehicle at Huntington Drive in Fremont Avenue. He continued to flee and allegedly ran a red light, according to the Alhambra Police department.

Alhambra Police officers located the suspect on three separate occasions and also attempted to stop him, but he continued to flee at high rates of speed, failing to stop at multiple stop signs and deliberately disregarded the safety of others through his reckless driving, according to the Alhambra Police Department.

Once White was detained, officers searched his vehicle and found a loaded firearm in the glove compartment, according to the Alhambra Police Department.

White was officially charged in court with two counts of felony evading a police officer, one count of misdemeanor hit and run causing property damage and carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle, according to Superior Court records.

White is being held in Lou of $150,000 bail at the twin towers correctional facility in Los Angeles. He made an initial appearance on March 15 and is scheduled to reappear in Alhambra, Superior Court April 2.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

ALHAMBRA - A woman was seriously injured January 18 after her ex emerged from her vehicle with a handgun and allegedly kidnapped her, forcing her to drive from Pasadena to Alhambra.

A concerned friend received a call from the woman who was heard arguing with a man. After the call dropped, the friend notified Alhambra Police Dispatch around 6:30 a.m. During a search for the woman’s vehicle near her residence, the woman’s son notified officers about a call he received from her, according to the Alhambra Police Department.

The son said his mother was still with the ex, identified as 43-year-old Alhambra resident Clemente Enrique Contreras.

Clemente allegedly followed the victim to Pasadena and was waiting in the back seat of her vehicle. He also allegedly forced her to drive to Alhambra, hitting her several times in the head, according to the Alhambra Police Department.

Officers located the woman’s vehicle at Almansor Street and Ross Avenue where the suspect exited, allegedly still armed with a handgun. The woman drove away. Contreras allegedly refused to surrender.

“Officers secured the scene and attempted to de-escalate the situation. After almost an hour of negotiation, Clemente Contreras of Alhambra, CA, dropped his weapon and was taken into custody,” according to the Alhambra Police Department in a written statement.

Contreras was booked on suspicion of domestic violence, kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threats and false imprisonment, according to Lt. Grant Spencer of the Alhambra Police Department.

Contreras is being held in lieu $1.25 million at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility ahead of a scheduled appearance in the Alhambra Courthouse January 22.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

ALHAMBRA - A man and woman were arrested soon after allegedly attempting to flee with $10,000 in merchandise stolen from a Sephora.

The theft occurred at Sephora, 2 S. Garfield Ave., November 8. Both suspect fled in a gray Nissan. Arriving officers quickly located and stopped the vehicle Garfield Avenue and Linda Vista Avenue, according to the Alhambra Police Department.

Adrienne Lateise Burton, a 22-year-old Victorville residence, and Tanganique Donshanae Bernard, a 26-year-old Compton resident were taken into custody.

Bernard is no stranger to theft. She was arrested in August 2023 along with two other women and booked on suspicion of organized retail theft, accused of swiping merchandise from a beauty store in the 12600 block of Fredrick Street in Moreno Valley.

Both Burton and Bernard were cited and released. They are scheduled to appear at a Alhambra Municipal Court: Bernard on November 13 and Burton on January 10, 2024.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

ALHAMBRA - Narcotics and stolen items were reportedly found inside a stolen vehicle allegedly driven by a man who led officers on a pursuit October 18.

Los Angeles resident Jose Luis Vargas refused to stop for officers in the area of Garfield Avenue and Glendon way. Officers pursued the suspect and located the abandoned vehicle in a cul-de-sac at Irving Street and Sixth Street. The suspect was seen running towards the Atherton senior living complex, according to the Alhambra Police Department.

During a perimeter search, Vargas was found hiding next to a water heater and was taken into custody.

“During a vehicle search, several baggies of methamphetamine, oxycodone, and heroin were found along with several checks payable and ID cards belonging to different individuals. Additionally, the vehicle Vargas was driving was discovered to be stolen,” according to the Alhambra Police Department in a written statement.

Vargas, 37, was charged in Alhambra Superior Court with misdemeanor hit and run, driving a stolen vehicle and felony reckless evading. He pleaded not guilty to all three charges, according to Los Angeles County Superior Court records.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

ALHAMBRA - Police caught a theft suspect Thursday who apparently had merchandise taken from a Harbor Freight Tools.

Johnny Longoria, a Whittier resident, was caught in possession of the stolen tools and was driving with a suspended license, according to the Alhambra Police Department.

Officers were conducting a surveillance operation near Valley Boulevard and Curtis Avenue due to a rise thefts, according to the Alhambra Police Department.

“During the investigation, it was discovered that Longoria was also connected to a previous grand theft incident in July. Merchandise from another Harbor Freight store in Whittier was found in his vehicle,” according to the Alhambra Police Department in a written statement.

Longoria, 24, is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail at the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles. His next scheduled court appearance is October 5 in Alhambra Municipal Court.

ALHAMBRA – A Santa Ana man was put behind bars March 24 after officers determined he was the driver in a deadly DUI crash.

The Alhambra Police Department accuses Marquez Juan Fuentes Lizardo, 22, of murder and felony DUI after one of his passengers, only identified as a 21-year-old woman, died in a crash Wednesday. Lizardo’s blood alcohol content was twice the legal limit, according to the Alhambra Police Department.

A four-door sedan westbound in the 3000 block of West Valley Boulevard crashed into a concrete light pole around 9:43 p.m. Police arrived and found the woman unresponsive in the vehicle. Two men who identified themselves as passengers were found standing near the vehicle

The woman died at a hospital.

“Although neither party claimed to be the driver at the time of the collision, a witness came forward and identified one of the males … as the driver,” according to the Alhambra Police Department in a written statement.

Lizardo showed signs of being under the influence and a breath test confirmed his intoxication, Alhambra Police said.

Lizardo is being held in lieu of $2 million bail ahead of a scheduled appearance in Alhambra Superior Court Friday, March 26.

REGION - The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed charges Tuesday against the man who reportedly confessed to killing his brother and brother’s spouse.

Sam Nhat Do, 42, was charged with two counts of homicide with special circumstances and one count of child endangerment, Alhambra Police said January 28.

Do is accused of gunning down Cuong Nhat Do, a 44-year-old man, and Camha Nguyen Do, a 38-year-old woman, in an apartment unit in the 400 block of North Second Street January 24 around 7:14 p.m. Officers responding to a gunfire call found both victims inside the apartment.

CPR was administered before time of death was called at 7:26 p.m.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - The woman accused of leaving a 6-year-old boy inside a locked and sweltering hot van in June entered a plea November 9.
 
Helen Siuhung Law, 60, pleaded no contest to one misdemeanor count of child endangerment, according to Venusse Navid of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
 
Law was immediately sentenced to three years of probation and two days in county jail. She was credited with time served, Navid said.
 
Law was additionally ordered to complete 52 parenting classes and abide by a 10-year criminal protective order under a negotiated plea agreement.
 
Officers aided the distressed 6-year-old boy after a passerby found him sweating profusely and crying inside an SUV June 12 in the 700 block of Valley Boulevard.

Law reportedly left the child in the SUV for two hours while she ran errands and ate at a nearby restaurant. The inside temperature of the SUV was more than 120 degrees, Alhambra Police said.

Alhambra firefighters tended to the child and transported him to an area hospital for observation, Alhambra Police said.