Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - 26 packages of methamphetamine were discovered after police pulled over a vehicle March 25.

The Thursday traffic stop in the area of Orange Avenue and Foothill Boulevard yielded the large quantity of meth, which police believe appeared to be ready for a bulk sale, according to the Azusa Police Department.

56-year-old Madera resident and driver Carlos Lopez, and 44-year-old Jesse Resendez, from Chowchilla, were arrested without incident, Azusa Police said.

“This incident highlights the fact that illegal narcotics continue to flow into our communities, and the Azusa Police Department remains committed to finding and stopping this flow where possible,” Azusa Police said in a written statement.

Both men were issued citations and released, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

REGION - The transient who admitted to setting the Ranch 2 Fire that burned above Azusa was sentenced to prison time recently.

Osmin Palencia, 37, pleaded no contest March 16 to one count of arson during an emergency. He was sentenced to five years in state prison. He must also register as an arson offender, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Palencia surrendered himself at the Azusa Police Department August 16, 2020.

The Ranch 2 fire burned more than 4,237 acres of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument.

Investigators from the Los Angeles County Fire Department and Azusa Police quickly learned after the fire erupted that arson was to blame and named Palencia as a suspect.

Palencia is a transient who lived In the San Gabriel River near where the fire erupted, Azusa Police said.

The Ranch 2 Fire was first reported around 2:45 p.m. August 13, 2020.

The fire ignited along Highway 39 and Ranch Road, near homes nestled in the San Gabriel Mountains

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - Two occupants who fled to the roof of a burning apartment were able to escape the property after a neighbor used a ladder to help them get down Saturday morning.

While the two occupants were saved, two firefighters did suffer injuries while extinguishing flames in the 1100 block of Calle De Las Estrellas, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

“1 FF sustained non-life threatening burn injuries and has been transported to a local burn center for further evaluation. 1 FF sustained minor lower extremity injuries and has been transported to a local hospital for further evaluation,” according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department in a statement shared on social media.

27 firefighters knock down the flames in 41 minutes, sparing two adjacent apartment units from damage, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

“Prior to FD arrival, quick acting neighbor threw a ladder to the roof and assisted two occupants of home safely to the ground. Their path downstairs and out the door was blocked by fire. As a result, they exited a 2nd floor window, taking refuge on the roof,” according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Visit the Los Angeles County Fire Department website for information on safety tips on an array of topics.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - Charges are pending for two suspects who decided to flee Azusa officers during a pursuit that ended in a chain-reaction crash Monday afternoon.

Azusa police begin pursuing the driver of an Acura Integra after discovering the vehicle had been stolen. The pursuit began in the area of foothill Boulevard and San Gabriel Ave., according to Sgt. Jason Poulos of the Azusa Police Department.

Police pursued the driver to the Covina/Glendora border where the crash occurred in the intersection of Barranca Avenue and Arrow Highway around 5:45 p.m. March 8.

The Acura Integra collided with a Toyota Camry. The Integra then struck three other vehicles.

Both suspects in the stolen Integra suffered major injuries, compounded by the fact that they were not wearing their seatbelts, according to the California Highway Patrol, which is investigating the collision aspect of the chase.

The driver of the Camry suffered only minor injuries. Other people involved in the crash were able to walk away.

Alcohol and or drugs may have played a factor, the California Highway Patrol said.

Azusa Police is considering grand theft auto and felony evading charges.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - A joint operation between the Azusa Police Department, Irwindale Police Department and California Highway Patrol yielded nearly 100 citations all in an effort to curb dangerous speeding in the canyon area.

The enforcement operation, organized by the Azusa Police Department traffic division, ended the day March 7 with 107 traffic stops for various vehicle code violations, Including speeding and equipment violations. 97 citations were issued and two vehicles were impounded, according to the Azusa Police Department.

The unfortunate operation came as a result from numerous community complaints of speeding vehicles and motorcycles within the city racing to and from the canyon area, Azusa police said.

“The Azusa Police Department Traffic Division continues to work diligently in addressing traffic violations within the city of Azusa. More traffic operations to come with funding from a grant by the Office of Traffic Safety & NHTSA,” according to the Azusa Police Department.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA – A vehicle code violation led to a traffic stop and the discovery of numerous weapons, some un-serialized and unregistered, police said.

The traffic stop was made in the 500 block of East Gladstone Street March 2 around 2 a.m. The officer saw high capacity firearm magazines and ammunition inside the vehicle, including unregistered and un-serialized hand guns, and one unregistered and un-serialized AR-15 assault rifle, according to the Azusa Police Department.

21-year-old Aaron Quinton Scruggs, a Los Angeles man, was booked on suspicion of possession of loaded, concealed, and unregistered firearms, possession of an unregistered assault weapon, and several other weapon offenses.

Scruggs was freed after posting $35,000 bond the same day of his arrest. He had a scheduled appearance in the West Covina courthouse March 4, according to Los Angeles County booking records.