Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - A stolen vehicle was recovered Friday and its driver was arrested after a destructive pursuit, police said.

Driver Jose Antonio Hernandez Fitoria sideswiped a semi while fleeing officers along the southbound 605 Freeway at Lower Azusa Road in the early morning hours of April 25. The driver crashed while exiting the freeway and try to run down the on-ramp, according to the Azusa Police Department.

Officers received a report of a stolen vehicle and attempted to stop Hernandez while he was driving in the area of Foothill Boulevard and Virginia Avenue just before 2:30 a.m.

The vehicle was reported stolen out of Anaheim, according to the Azusa Police Department.

It is not immediately clear if Hernandez, or anyone else, suffered injuries in the crash.

Hernandez was booked on suspicion of multiple charges, including vehicle theft, felony evading, and driving under the influence, according to the Azusa Police Department.

Hernandez is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail at the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles ahead of a scheduled appearance in West Covina Superior Court April 29.

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 - A driver was hospitalized Saturday after another driver unloaded a firearm at him while on the 210 freeway early Saturday.

A man from Fontana was eastbound 210 freeway at Irwindale Avenue in a Kia when someone from inside another vehicle began firing at him. Multiple bullets struck the left side of the Kia.

The man from Fontana was also wounded in the left leg. He continued to flee eastbound until he stopped at a 7-Eleven in Azusa at 504 S. Citrus Ave, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - A convicted felon was arrested Thursday evening after briefly fleeing Azusa police during a traffic stop near Irwindale.

The suspect was a rear passenger and one of five occupants in a vehicle that was pulled over for a traffic violation investigation in the 5700 block of Irwindale Avenue around 6:38 p.m. November 14. A handgun was recovered during the search for the fleeing suspect, according to Sgt. Nick Covarrubias of the Azusa police department.

Covarrubias is confident the fleeing suspect tossed the handgun while running from police, but investigators are still working to establish a concrete link.

The four remaining passengers were safely detained. The driver and a female passenger were eventually arrested for charges not related to the fleeing suspect or handgun, Covarrubias said.

The stolen handgun was located within the same large parking lot where the original traffic stop began, Covarrubias said.

“It was a large property of the parking lot. Ultimately, after the subjects of the vehicle were detained officers did a search of the commercial business area and they located the subject hiding,” Covarrubias said.

The suspect was found about 20 minutes after he ran, Covarrubias said.

Covarrubias did not have the charges the driver and female passenger will be booked on just yet.

The fleeing suspect will be booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm and other charges.

The two other occupants not arrested were released at the scene.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
​CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - No injuries were reported after officers struggled with an armed burglary suspect and opened fire on him Friday morning.

The struggle and officer-involved shooting occurred at Irwindale Avenue and McKinley Avenue around 12:40 a.m. December 21. Officers were searching for a burglary suspect in the 1500 block of McKinley Avenue when they encountered an armed man, according to Lt. Robert Landeros of the Azusa Police Department.

The suspect armed himself with a handgun. The officers began struggling with him to get the gun away, Azusa Police said.

At least one officer fired upon the suspect as he fled, but is unclear if he was hit.

Officers are concentrating their search in an area near Motor Avenue and Paramount Street, according to Paul Arrasmith, who works in the area.

Police vehicles, fire trucks and a SWAT truck are at the scene.

Employees and trucks nearby the search are being prevented from entering their buildings.

A large warehouse about two blocks north of the scene reported an unknown subject was trying to buzz someone through the front door intercom around 11:30 p.m. — about an hour before the shooting. No employees were inside the building at the time. An alert was received about the mysterious person.


Irwindale, Glendora, Covina and Baldwin Park Police Officers are assisting with traffic control.


Irwindale Avenue from First Street to Gladstone Street remain closed

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - An attempted carjacking suspect was subdued with a stun gun after barricading himself in a garage September 13.
 
The suspect used a knife to carjack a driver in the 100 block of East Fifth Street sometime before 8 a.m. The suspect failed and fled to a neighborhood in the 400 block of North Alameda Avenue, according to the Azusa Police Department.
 
Fernando Jaimes, 21, fled into a garage and barricaded himself inside. The homeowner called police and notified them of the hiding suspect, according to Sgt. Fernan Vasconcelos of the Azusa Police Department.
 
Jaimes was eventually shocked with a stun gun and taken into custody. The knife was recovered, Vasconcelos said.
 
Jaimes was reportedly non-complaint and refused to drop the knife as he exited the garage after nearly three hours of hiding from police.
 
Jaimes was later hospitalized and booked on suspicion of attempted carjacking.
 
Police departments from Glendora, Irwindale, West Covina and Baldwin Park assisted Azusa in setting up a perimeter.
 
Jaimes is scheduled to appear in the West Covina Courthouse September 17. He is being held without bail, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED TO REFLECT THAT ONLY ONE PEDESTRIAN WAS INJURED

AZUSA - A man was hit by a vehicle in the 100 block of South Irwindale Avenue Friday morning.
 
The man was struck around 2 a.m. He met trauma center criteria and were taken by ambulance to an area trauma center for treatment, according to Dispatch Supervisor Ed Pickett of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
 
It was unclear if the man was in a crosswalk when they were hit.
 
The Azusa Police Department continues to conduct a traffic investigation. Traffic is impacted in the area of Irwindale Avenue between First Street and McKinley.

​The driver remained at the scene.