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.