AZUSA – A 34-year-old woman allegedly behind the wheel of a stolen vehicle was arrested Saturday after attempting to escape Azusa officers.

Andrea Marie Mendez fled Azusa police officers on a chase into East Los Angeles. She attempted to flee on foot, but was caught, according to Sgt. Steven Sears of the Azusa Police Department.

A patrol officer attempted to stop the driver of a stolen vehicle, identified as Mendez, in the 700 block of North Azusa Avenue June 25 just after 8 p.m. The driver refused to pull over and fled to the freeways to escape, Sears told SGV CityWatch.

The pursuit came to an end at 535 S. Lorena St. in East Los Angeles. Mendez allegedly struck at least one vehicle during the chase. The California Highway Patrol was reportedly investigating the collision, Sears told SGV CityWatch.

Mendez was released June 26 and issued a citation and released with a court date scheduled for November 2, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - A woman behind the wheel of a stolen vehicle was arrested Monday after allegedly barricading herself inside the automobile, Azusa Police said.

Officers discovered the Range Rover was stolen at Irwindale and Foothill Boulevard around 4 p.m. January 17. The driver eventually stopped in a shopping center in the 200 block of West Foothill Boulevard, but refused to surrender, according to Cpl. Beaver of the Azusa Police Department.

The driver of the vehicle, reported stolen in Rancho Cucamonga, kept officers at bay for roughly 40 minutes and allegedly told officers to shoot her. She occasionally reached around through the Range Rover, Beaver told SGV CityWatch.

Eventually, Vanessa Monique Yslava, a Rancho Cucamonga resident, was removed from the vehicle by force.

The Range Rover was reportedly stolen after a home burglary in Rancho Cucamonga, Beaver told SGV CityWatch.

Yslava, 32, was transferred to the custody of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office. She was booked on suspicion of vehicle theft and residential burglary. She is being held in lieu of $125,000 bail at the West Valley Detention Center ahead of a scheduled appearance in Rancho Cucamonga Superior Court January 19.

Assisting with traffic control were the Irwindale and Glendora Police departments.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - The 25-year-old driver of a reported stolen vehicle was listed in critical condition late Friday night after being shot by police and crashing a black SUV into a flood control channel.

The unidentified suspect, in his attempt to escape police, collided into several patrol vehicles and accelerated towards Azusa officers who opened fire on him, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau.

Around 4:50 p.m. October 22, Azusa officers were notified of a stolen vehicle in the 200 block of South Azusa Avenue. Officers located the reported stolen vehicle and attempted to detain the driver and a female occupant. The driver decided to flee.

“The suspect vehicle continued eastbound on Azusa Lane as it lost control and collided into a chain link fence and entered a drainage wash. The vehicle came to rest on its side at the bottom of the wash as Azusa PD officers contained the area. With the assistance of their SWAT team, they were able to take the suspect into custody,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau.

The SUV landed in a twisted wreck at the bottom of the wet and filthy flood control channel.

The 28-year-old woman had emerged from the wreck and was first detained by authorities who arrived in a Bearcat into the channel. The suspect appeared to have been ejected in the crash and was very severely injured as officers approached and detained him.

A handgun was found near the crashed vehicle, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau.

Both the woman and the suspect, who sustained a gunshot wound, were hospitalized.

No officers were injured.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA – A driver decided to flee police after they attempted to stop him inside a reported stolen vehicle May 4.

Azusa patrol officers located a silver Dodge Caravan at Citrus Avenue and Gladstone Street just after 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. The driver refused to stop and made his way to Covina, according to the Azusa Police Department.

The pursuit ended near Barranca Avenue and Tudor Street.

The lone occupant, 23-year-old Thomas Buckner, a Victorville resident, was arrested and a search of the stolen vehicle yielded a firearm inside the Caravan. The gun was also reportedly stolen, Azusa Police said.

Buckner was booked on suspicion of vehicle theft, evading police and other charges connected to the stolen firearm, Azusa Police said.

Buckner is scheduled for a court appearance today, May 6.