AZUSA – Detectives are investigating a shooting that took place near a 7-Eleven convenience store May 7.

Police were dispatched to East Fifth Street and North Rockvale Avenue May 7. Police did not have a suspect description and there was no evidence found that someone was shot, according to Sgt. Steven Sears of the Azusa Police Department.

The shooting was reported at 7:02 p.m. It occurred out in the street near a 7-Eleven, 705 E. Fifth Street. Sears could only say several rounds were fired.

No suspects or victims were found at the time. It is not immediately clear if the investigation turned up anyone as of yet.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - A man and woman out walking early Sunday morning were confronted by a suspect who shot and wounded the pair, according to the Azusa Police Department.

Officers were called to a reported shooting in the 300 block of East Second Street at 3:30 a.m. May 1. A 29-year-old man and 23-year-old woman were found wounded, according to Sergeant Brandon Bailey of the Azusa Police Department.

The conditions of the man and woman were not immediately known.

The man and woman were apparently walking home from another location when they were confronted by the suspect.

“They were walking home from another location and happened to come across the suspect and some type of incident occurs,” Bailey told SGV CityWatch.

It is unclear if the man and woman were specifically targeted by the suspect. It is also unclear what was possibly said between the suspect and the man and woman that led to gunfire.

Bailey did not know if the shooting was gang-related.

The best description available for the suspect pegs him as a male Hispanic adult standing 5 feet 8 inches tall.

Anyone with information on this shooting is urged to call the Azusa Police Department at 626-812-3200.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - A vigilant resident scared off a would-be burglar April 23 as he was being watched through a surveillance camera.

The suspect scoped out a parked vehicle and tried to take a child’s scooter before the resident yelled at him in the 100 block of North Barbara Avenue just before 1:30 a.m.

The suspect scared off in Azusa bears a striking resemblance to the suspect sought by Irwindale Police for at least two vehicle burglaries and attempting multiple other vehicle break-ins in the 16000 block of Calle Breceda April 23 between 12:10 a.m. and 12:15 a.m.

AZUSA - The National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary report recently indicating the causes that contributed to a crash that injured six of water Los Angeles County sheriffs rescue helicopter.

The Eurocopter AS332L1 that was being flown March 19 to treat and transport a crash victim along Highway 39 north of Azusa became engulfed in dust as it descended to about five feet above a dirt turnout. The main rotors struck a nearby tree. The helicopter crashed and rolled over in the landing zone, according to the NTSB.

Of the six people on board, four suffered serious injuries. Two received minor injuries.

The crash occurred around 5:07 p.m.

As the pilot in command, who was behind the controls, the other pilot and crew chief coordinated a landing, the trio discussed a potential dust hazard known as a “brownout” and tree hazard, according to the NTSB.

As the Sheriff’s Air Rescue 5 helicopter descended on the landing zone, the pilot in command heard the crew chief say “hold.” As the descent slowed, a dust cloud overcame the helicopter, according to the NTSB.

The six on board had to be extricated from the crashed helicopter. Brackets securing the pilot in command’s lap belt also fractured from their position, according to the NTSB.

The main rotor system and fuselage sustained major damage.

The wreckage was taken to a secure location for further investigation, according to the NTSB.

AZUSA – A multi-agency investigation involving Azusa and Glendora detectives into catalytic converter thefts last year led to the discovery of the stolen items being stored and sold in Pomona.

Eight suspects were arrested April 2 after a search warrant was served. Numerous catalytic converters were found, as well as nearly $40,000 in cash, firearms, narcotics, items taken during railroad cargo thefts and other metal theft-related items, according to the Azusa Police Department.

Additional warrants were served with help from the task force comprised of the California Highway Patrol and Union Pacific Railroad Police. The value of the stolen cargo is estimated at $100,000, according to the Azusa Police Department.

Azusa Police property crimes detectives began investigating the catalytic converter theft and learned stolen converters from Azusa, several other local cities and converters from San Bernardino County were being stored and sold in the San Gabriel Valley prior to being transported for recycling, according to the Azusa Police Department.

The eight suspects face charges including possession of stolen property, felony vandalism, vehicle theft, firearms violations, narcotics violations, probation and parole violations, according to the Azusa Police Department.

“This investigation continues to be ongoing. The Azusa Police Department is committed to curbing thefts related to catalytic converters within the City of Azusa, as well as working with other local agencies to combat this issue within the San Gabriel Valley and other parts of Southern California,” according to the Azusa Police Department in a written statement.

Assisting Azusa and Glendora detectives were the Taskforce for Regional Autotheft Prevention, Foothill Special Enforcement Team, San Bernardino County Auto Theft Task Force, Chino Hills Station Multiple Enforcement Team, Chino Police Department, Los Angeles County Probation and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Metal Theft Investigator.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - A suspect wanted in a murder case was tracked down and arrested and Azusa late Friday morning.

There are a few details available, but a high-risk stop was performed on Vernon Avenue near the 210 freeway March 25. Video recorded by an SGV CityWatch reader of the active scene at 11:48 a.m. shows the tail end of the high-risk stop where the suspect was taken into custody. A large number of unmarked Pasadena detective vehicles surrounded the suspects car.

“This guy was a murder suspect and our undercover units had him under surveillance. As soon as he came off the freeway the decision was made to do a traffic stop,” according to Lt. Chris Sharma of the Pasadena Police Department.

The details as to what murder case the suspect was wanted for were not available Friday night.

MOUNTAINS – A motorcyclist died Tuesday after a crash in the mountains far above Azusa, the CHP said.
 
The rider crashed on Highway 39 March 8 and was airlifted to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to Officer Kendricks of the California Highway Patrol.

The crash occurred around 4:30 p.m. The rider was southbound on Highway 39 at mile marker 25.16 when the 2014 Yamaha WR250 left the roadway at a curve at an unknown speed. The rider was ejected when the motorcycle overturned, according to the CHP in a written statement.
 
The U.S. Forest Service, Los Angeles County firefighters and a helicopter responded to Highway 39 near Morris Dam March 8 around 4:52 p.m.
 
The rider has yet to be identified.

AZUSA – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, assisted by Azusa Police officers, worked to remove an impressive amount of debris and property from 60 acres the San Gabriel Riverbed in late February.

The weeklong project occurred from February 22 through February 28 and resulted in 128 tons of floatable debris being removed, which filled 16 40-cubic-yard dumpsters, according to William Reese of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District.

The work was necessary, Reese said, to abate runoff blockage risks that could cause flooding of populated areas during heavy rains.

Debris consisted of wood pallets, empty propane and gas canisters, tarps, furniture, old tires, electronics, water cans and even a vintage arcade game that long since stopped working, Reese said.

Reese noted a large amount of a giant invasive reed, the Arundo Donax, was removed after having been used to construct encampment walls and huts.

“The work was done by hand, so as not to disturb bird nesting and other wildlife habitats, with debris gathered directly to dumpsters or at collection points along a hardtop pedestrian/bicycle path,” Reese said in a written statement.

A crew of 15 contracted personnel worked to remove the debris and were slightly hampered by intermittent and light rain as they had to traverse soggy terrain while hauling the trash up steep cement embankments to the dumpsters, Reese said.

Another important aspect of the cleanup was to not disturb the wildlife habitat and nesting birds.

“Camping in the San Gabriel River is illegal and inherently dangerous, as flash flooding can occur from heavy rains further upstream,” Reese said in a written statement.

Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and Veterans Affairs personnel assisted an undisclosed number of homeless people with offers of services prior to the cleanup, Reese said.

The Irwindale Police Department, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles County Department of Animal Control, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and City of Duarte also assisted, Reese said. 

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA – An officer was hospitalized for injuries considered not life-threatening after being shot during a struggle with a suspect who fled from a reported stolen vehicle Wednesday.

The unidentified suspect ran from officers in the 1000 block of West Gladstone Street around 4 p.m. February 16. Two officers chased the suspect on foot and an altercation began, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

“During the struggle, the suspect produced a handgun and fired at the officers, at which time one officer returned gunfire and an officer involved shooting occurred. One officer was struck in the lower torso and was transported to a local hospital,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau in a written statement.

The suspect is only described as a man in his 30s. Next of kin have yet to be notified, according to Sarah Ardalani of the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.

The suspect was struck multiple times. He was treated by paramedics at the scene, but was pronounced dead. A handgun was recovered at the scene, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

A 28-year-old passenger in the reported stolen vehicle was detained, but it is unclear if she was arrested or released.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - Police arrested a man who may have possibly ignited the small brush fire that burned for a few hours about homes in Azusa Saturday.

Artemio Sanchez-Gutierrez, 30, was booked on suspicion of arson. He told the Los Angeles County Fire arson investigators that he put out a cigarette in the area where the fire started and believes he may have ignited the small brush fire, according to the Azusa Police Department.

The fire scorched about one and a half acres to two acres in the hillside above Azusa February 12, according to Dispatch Supervisor Melanie Flores of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Water dropping helicopters equipped with night vision aided ground crews in keeping the fire from expanding.

Firefighters are continuing mop-up of the location this morning, Flores told SGV CityWatch.

Sanchez was issued a citation and released, according to Los Angeles County booking records.