Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - The rider of a motorcycle was hospitalized after striking another vehicle on southbound San Gabriel Canyon Road Sunday.

The rider and passenger were southbound on San Gabriel Avenue from Sierra Madre Avenue when the rider attempted to overtake a vehicle, misjudged the distance and collided, said Sgt. John Madaloni of the Azusa Police Department.

The crash occurred in the 1300 block of North San Gabriel Canyon Road around 5:51 p.m.

Both the rider and passenger of the motorcycle received abrasions in the crash and complained of pain.

The passenger decided against hospitalization, Madaloni said.

The rider was taken to an area trauma center, according to Dispatch Supervisor Bernard Peters of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - A Mylar balloon came into contact with power lines, causing equipment to explode and a wide-spread outage Sunday.

The outage occurred at a power substation and affected several hundred customers from 9th Street to Sierra Madre and Todd Avenue to Citrus Avenue, according to City of Azusa officials.

An estimated time of repair is not yet known.

Traffic lights are out at many intersections within the outage boundaries.

Three people were stuck inside an elevator at Azusa Pacific University, 901 E. Alosta Ave., at 10:44 a.m. Los Angeles County Firefighters were called to assist with a technical rescue.

The three trapped people were rescued, firefighters said.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - The California Highway Patrol will be conducting a DUI/driver license checkpoint, which begins at 6:30 p.m. in the unincorporated area near Azusa.

Officers trained in detecting impairment in drivers will staff the checkpoint and will also use handheld breath testing devices to measure a driver’s blood-alcohol concentration when they are suspected of driving under the influence, according to Rodrigo Jimenez of the California Highway Patrol Baldwin Park Office.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - A driver was hospitalized Wednesday after failing to yield for officers and leading them on a slow one-mile drive into Glendora.
 
The driver was observed swerving and driving erratically around 6:46 p.m. in the area of San Gabriel Avenue and Foothill Boulevard by fellow motorists. Officers located and attempted to stop the driver at Calera Avenue and Alosta Avenue, but he did not comply, according to Jorge Sandoval of the Azusa Police Department.
 
Once the driver stopped in a driveway near BurgerIm, 604 W. Route 66, the driver refused to exit, Sandoval said.

Glendora Police assisted Azusa officers with the brief standoff, according to Lt. Marty Barrett of the Glendora Police Department.
 
Officers used the vehicle’s registration information, obtained contact information and ultimately spoke with the driver’s wife who told officers her husband suffered a medical condition.
 
“Based on the circumstances and believing the driver may be suffering from a medical emergency, the officers made the decision to approach the vehicle,” Sandoval said.
 
Upon contacting the driver, officers determined the driver needed medical assistance and paramedics were called.
 
The driver was taken to an area hospital for treatment.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - At least one person self-extricated from an overturned SUV that crashed on Homerest Avenue late Wednesday night.

The Kia SUV overturned in the 5300 block of Homerest Avenue around 10:41 p.m. The SUV collided with the rear of a black Chevy Camaro, which sustained heavy damage, according to the California Highway Patrol.

It was initially believed the overturned SUV caught fire. Firefighters were then told one patient was trapped inside the vehicle, but that patient self-extricated, according to Dispatch Supervisor Martin Rangel of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

It was unknown if anyone involved in the crash was taken to a hospital. No county fire units transported a patient, Rangel said.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - Two hikers were rescued by a helicopter and the Sierra Madre Search and rescue team, plucked from the mountains near Duarte Monday morning.
 
The hikers wear stranded or lost near Fish Canyon Road and Encanto Parkway. Rescuers from the Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team and Los Angeles County Firefighters responded to a 9-1-1 call around 1:32 a.m.
 
Firefighters reached the hikers around 1:56 a.m. The two hikers were hoisted out of the area and taken to a nearby Los Angeles County Fire landing zone.
 
It was unclear if any of the hikers were injured.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - Firefighters made quick work of a brush fire in the San Gabriel Riverbed Friday afternoon.

The one-quarter-acre fire was reported to firefighters at 4:36 p.m. in the 16000 block of Foothill Boulevard. Firefighters were dispatched at 4:38 p.m., according to Dispatch Supervisor Melanie Flores of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

The fire was no threat to nearby homes or businesses, according to Officer Mike Bires of the Azusa Police Department.

The two engines assigned to the fire cleared the scene within 20 minutes, Flores said.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - The discovery of a missing runaway juvenile led to a tussle with a police officer Saturday afternoon.

No one was injured in the fight after two teens, a 16-year-old male and 17-year-old female, resisted officers who tried to detain them, said Sgt. Jorge Sandoval of the Azusa Police Department.

Officers responded to a residence in the 800 block of South Vincent Avenue just after Noon June 2 to check on a teen boy who was a reported runaway from out of state. The fight began when officers tried to detain the boy to check on his well-being, Sandoval said.

Sandoval did not know what state the boy ran away from.

Both teens were eventually arrested and booked on suspicion of resisting or delaying an officer, Sandoval said.

The teens were cited and released to their parents.