Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA - An Azusa Police motor officer was uninjured after a driver attempted to crash into him on the 210 freeway in Glendora Friday morning. The suspects were arrested at the end of a pursuit initiated by an on-duty West Covina Police officer who witnessed the incident and the officer allegedly targeted by the driver and his passengers, according to the Azusa Police Department. The driver, 27-year-old Alberto Gracida, swerved into the path of the Azusa motor officer on the west 210 freeway near Sunflower Avenue around 5:30 a.m. The officer initially believed the action to be accidental, but the suspects began throwing objects at the officer, Azusa Police said. The motor officer maintained control of his motorcycle, was able to notify his dispatchers and attempted to stop the driver who refused to comply.
The pursuit exited at Azusa Avenue and continued on surface streets until the driver crashed through a residential yard and hit a wall. The driver briefly fled on foot before being arrested, Azusa Police said. The two occupants, Sonya Luevao and Justine Torres, both 28, were arrested at the crash scene, Azusa Police said. The crash occurred at East 3rd Street and North Dominguez Place around 6:06 a.m., according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. All three suspects were booked on suspicion of attempted homicide of a police officer, Azusa Police said. Gracida is being held in lieu of $1 million bail. County booking information was not readily available for the three suspects. Email Newsletter! | Advertise! | Donate! Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA - A Black woman stabbed in an incident near Azusa Pacific University May 23 May have been targeted because of her skin color. In a Citrus College notice obtained by SGV CityWatch, Campus Safety personnel were told of three male suspects who attacked their victim while calling her racial slurs. One suspect stabbed the woman with a sharp object, according to the Citrus College notice. The attack occurred around 2:18 p.m. outside the Alosta Place Apartments, 1130 E. Alosta Ave.
The victim was transported to a nearby hospital where she was listed in stable condition, according to the Citrus College notice. The three suspects were last seen fleeing in different directions. They are described as Hispanic men between 18 and 25 years old, according to the notice. One of the suspects was arrested and booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, said Sgt. Fernando Vasconcelos of the Azusa Police Department. Suspect Trevor Kittridge, 22, was arrested around 7:15 p.m. and booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. He is being held without bail on a probation hold at the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles, according to Los Angeles County booking records. It was not stated during a Friday morning interview for the original story of the stabbing if additional arrests were made. The Azusa Police detective sergeant and detective lieutenant were unavailable for additional details. Get the email Newsletter! | Advertise! | Donate! Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA - A suspect is in custody after stabbing a woman in the arm Thursday, police said. The woman was stabbed for, as of yet, unexplained reasons in the 1100 block of East Alosta Avenue around 2:18 p.m. May 23, according to Sgt. Fernando Vasconcelos of the Azusa Police Department. Suspect Trevor Kittridge, 22, was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. He is being held without bail on a probation hold at the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles, according to Los Angeles County booking records.
The extent of injuries to the woman was not immediately known. Get the email Newsletter! | Advertise! | Donate! Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA - A 28-year-old employee of the Azusa Unified School District was arrested May 6, accused of an unlawful sexual relationship with a minor student. Jessica Marie Esparza is accused of engaging in the illicit relationship two years ago when the alleged victim was 16 years old. The alleged acts occurred over the course of a year, according to Lt. Robert Chivas of the Azusa Police Department. Esparza is a part-time Azusa Unified staff member. The alleged victim is a student of the district, according to Azusa Unified Superintendent Linda Kaminski.
The district was made aware of the allegations Friday, May 3. School administrators then notified Azusa Police officers around 2:20 p.m. the same day. “The district has a zero-tolerance policy regarding misconduct of any kind as the safety and security of our students is our chief priority,” Kaminski said in a written statement. “Breaches of trust are disheartening and will not be tolerated. As such, we remain committed to acting swiftly and aggressively to safeguard all of our learning environments.” The district is also conducting its own investigation, Kaminski said, and believes this was an isolated incident and that there are no other victims. Esparza was booked on suspicion of lewd acts on a child. She is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail and awaits a scheduled appearance at Pomona Courthouse Wednesday, May 8. Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to call Azusa Police Detective Beaver at 626-812-3271. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA - Police arrested a Los Angeles man Thursday after he allegedly stabbed another man multiple times during an argument. Azusa Police dispatchers were called to CVS, 101 W. Foothill Blvd., at 10:39 a.m. February 28. The victim and Vincent Isaiah Cornejo, 21, began arguing. Cornejo then pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim multiple times, according to Sgt. Jason Poulos of the Azusa Police Department. Cornejo fled the scene, but officers found him nearby and took him into custody, Poulos said.
The victim was treated by Los Angeles County Firefighters and later hospitalized. He is listed in stable condition, Poulos said. Cornejo was booked on suspicion of attempted murder. He is being held in lieu of $1 million bail and awaits a scheduled appearance at the West Covina Courthouse March 4. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor AZUSA - Two women were injured in what police describe as a domestic violence incident when they were stabbed Wednesday night.
Police found two women suffering from stab wounds after responding to a residence in the 500 block of East Arrow Highway September 19 around 8:25 p.m. Police determined a domestic violence incident occurred and searched for an outstanding suspect, according to Azusa Police in a written statement. Firefighters first received a call at 8:22 p.m. and arrived five minutes later. Firefighters were told of a woman bleeding from the face and an additional patient. Firefighters learned the attacker fled, according to Inspector Joey Marron of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The women were transported to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, Marron said. The injuries are non-life-threatening. The suspect, 27-year-old Frank Perez, was located at a Covina Park and arrested. Perez was booked on suspicion of domestic violence, assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder. He is scheduled to appear in Citrus Municipal Court Monday, September 24. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor AZUSA - A man was arrested Monday night after he attempted to force a woman into a secluded area to sexually assault her.
Juan Cucul-Caal, 20, from Azusa, was arrested and booked on suspicion of kidnapping and attempted sexual assault after being located by officers responding to the area of Gladstone Park Monday, September 17. Cucul-Caal was found September 19 and arrested, according to Los Angeles County booking records. Cucul-Caal approached his victim from behind, forced her into a secluded and knocked her down in attempt to assault her, according to the Azusa Police Department. “She was able to fend off the suspect with the help of two citizens who were in the area. The suspect was located by Azusa Police Detectives and subsequently arrested,” Azusa Police said in a written statement. Cucul-Caal is scheduled to appear in Citrus Municipal Court September 21. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor AZUSA - Police announced the arrest of an Uber driver accused of sexually assaulting a female passenger after he picked her up instead of the driver she was assigned.
Luis Gerardo Pena-Ayala, 40, from Azusa, was arrested after being identified by Azusa Police. Detectives arrested Pena Friday morning without incident and is being held in lieu of $1million bail, Azusa Police said. The assault occurred sometime before 10:07 a.m. after the woman was picked up by Pena-Ayala. The woman noticed the vehicle was not the one she was assigned, but dismissed the discrepancy as a mistake, Azusa Police said. “Once inside the vehicle the female victim realized something was wrong when the driver began asking her inappropriate questions. The driver then reached over and began inappropriately touching the victim,” Azusa Police said. The woman fought off Pena-Ayala and exited the vehicle, Azusa Police said. Pena-Ayala performed a u-turn and sped away, Azusa Police said. Pena-Ayala was booked on suspicion of kidnapping and sexual battery. |
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