 Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - A 30-year-old Baldwin Park man shot and killed hours after 50cent made an appearance at a Baldwin Park liquor store was identified. Benny Norbert Aguirre was identified by Sarah Ardalani, public information officer for the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. Aguirre was shot and killed outside JNJ Liquor, 3216 Baldwin Park Blvd., January 11. Rapper 50cent was scheduled for an appearance at the liquor store from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., likely to promote a line of champagne and or cognac. It is unclear if the shooting has any connection. Police responded to the shooting at 6:19 p.m. Firefighters were called to the scene at 6:21 p.m. At 6:32 p.m. a second victim was found in the 3300 Block of Maine Avenue, according to Dispatch Supervisor Martin Rangel of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Homicide detectives have yet to offer a suspect description, or a possible motive for the shooting. Anyone with information is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Information can be provided anonymously by calling L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or through the P3 Tips mobile app.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor BALDWIN PARK - Sheriff’s homicide detectives are assisting Baldwin Park Police with a double shooting Saturday night. One man died at the scene of the shooting in the 3200 block of Baldwin Park Boulevard. A second man was transported to a local hospital, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau. The condition of the hospitalized man was not disclosed. Rapper 50cent was scheduled for an appearance at JNJ Liquor, 3216 Baldwin Park Blvd., from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., likely to promote a line of champagne and or cognac. It is unclear if the shooting has any connection.  Police responded to the shooting at 6:19 p.m.
Firefighters were called to the scene at 6:21 p.m. At 6:32 p.m. a second victim was found in the 3300 Block of Maine Avenue, according to Dispatch Supervisor Martin Rangel of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Homicide detectives have yet to offer a suspect description, or a possible motive for the shooting. Anyone with information is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Information can be provided anonymously by calling L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or through the P3 Tips mobile app.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor BALDWIN PARK - An older driver crashed into a dialysis building Saturday morning and injured three people inside December 14. Preliminarily, the older driver may have mistaken the gas pedal for the brake and sent the vehicle into Advanced Dialysis Center, 3932 Downing Ave., according to Lt. Chris Hofford of the Baldwin Park Police Department. The crash was reported around 7:51 a.m. One patient complained of pain, one suffered a possible fractured leg. The nurse suffered moderate lacerations, Hofford said.
Other patients were taking dialysis at the time and about 30 patients were moved to other facilities. “The building is structurally sound and it was boarded up,” Hofford told SGV CityWatch.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - The deaths of a mother and adult son in a Baldwin Park home last year resulted from a cute drug toxicity, coroner investigators said.
Susie Drake, 73, and Joseph Drake, 50, died from acute fentanyl and morphine toxicity, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. Their deaths were ruled accidental. The mother and son were found dead inside the home by responding Baldwin Park officers after officers were initially called for a medical response to the 3900 block of Kenmore Avenue December 4, 2018, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau. Relatives inside the home called firefighters after finding Joseph unresponsive around 4:42 a.m. Firefighters were dispatched to a cardiac arrest call at the home, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Officers found the dead mother in a separate room.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor BALDWIN PARK - Trains have been halted in the area after a Metrolink train bound for San Bernardino struck an unknown object on the tracks. The collision occurred somewhere west of the Baldwin Park Metrolink station, according to Metrolink Spokesman Scott Johnson, who did not yet know if the object was a person or something else. The collision occurred around 7 p.m. November 21.
An initial tweet from Metrolink stated debris was hit on the tracks. A later tweet stated a person was hit. Baldwin Park Police are on scene, focusing an investigation near Hamburger Lane, according to police radio traffic. Train 330 bound for San Bernardino is stopped near the Baldwin Park station. Train 332 also bound for San Bernardino is holding in El Monte. Train 335 bound for Los Angeles is holding at the Covina Metrolink Station.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - The man who orchestrated a series of attacks six years ago that left two dead and four wounded was sentenced recently. Ulises Jose Gutierrez, 26, was sentenced to life without parole. Gutierrez was convicted in September on two counts of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted murder, according to Paul Eakins, public information officer for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Jurors found true special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and that he was an active participant in a criminal street gang as well as allegations that he used a firearm and a knife, caused great bodily injury and committed the crimes for the benefit of a gang, Eakins said. Three other men have already been sentenced and two others are awaiting sentencing in a series of attacks that terrorized Baldwin Park from May until October 2013. Under Gutierrez’s direction, Francisco Moran, Gustavo Cruz, Arturo Mendoza, Johnny Balbuena and Elton Bennett targeted people they believed to be associated with a rival gang or otherwise opposed to them, according to court testimony. According to court testimony, on May 24, Cruz and Mendoza drove to a house on Maine Avenue and confronted Raymond Vasquez, 22, who was outside. A second vehicle driven by Balbuena arrived moments later and Gutierrez got out and fatally shot Vasquez with an AK-47 rifle, Eakins said.
On July 19, Gutierrez and Moran drove to a bus stop at Los Angeles Street and Merced Avenue and confronted Maurio Sotelo, 20. Moran fatally shot the victim with a handgun. Earlier that night, Gutierrez and Moran approached a man walking on a sidewalk in a residential area and Gutierrez shot and wounded him, Eakins said. Gutierrez shot and wounded a teenage boy on June 21. The next night, Bennett shot and wounded a man who was an innocent bystander in front of his home. On Oct. 2, Gutierrez stabbed a woman with a knife, Eakins said. On July 19, 2018, 31-year-old Moran of Baldwin Park was sentenced to 82 years to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of one count each of first-degree murder and attempted murder with gun and gang allegations. On Oct. 10, 2019, 29-year-old Gustavo Cruz of El Monte was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison and waived six years of credit for time already served in jail after pleading no contest to one count of second-degree murder. On Oct. 16, 2019, 29-year-old Arturo Mendoza of Baldwin Park was sentenced to 21 years in prison and waived six years of credit for time served after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter. 24-year-old Johnny Balbuena of Baldwin Park was sentenced to 50 years to life in state prison November 5 after being convicted of one count of first-degree murder and found true gun and gang allegations. 26-year-old Elton Bennett of Baldwin Park faces up to 80 years to life in prison after a jury convicted him in April of two counts of attempted murder and found true gang and gun allegations. His sentencing is scheduled for December 12.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor BALDWIN PARK - Police are searching for the driver who killed a pedestrian Wednesday night. The unidentified pedestrian was struck and killed on Pacific Avenue between Vineland Avenue and Stichman Avenue around 5:30 p.m. November 6. The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Sgt. Andy Velebil of the Baldwin Park Police Department.
Velebil did not have a suspect or vehicle description. Traffic on Pacific near Stichman is being diverted onto side streets while the investigation continues, Velebil said. Anyone with information on the hit and run is urged to call Baldwin Park Police at 626-960-1955.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor BALDWIN PARK – Inspectors are checking the stability of a railroad bridge after a fire possibly caused an unknown amount of damage Tuesday. The fire burned near the bridge behind a UPS Customer Center in the 1100 block of Baldwin Park Boulevard just after 5 a.m. October 29, according to Inspector Sean Rios of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. It was initially believed that a possible transient fire could have grown out of control, Rios said.
No injuries were reported, Rios said. Metrolink trains 303, 305, 307, 309, 311 and 313 are stopped with major delays after authorities closed the tracks. according to Paul Gonzales, Metrolink spokesman. Train 302 is cancelled. Bus bridges are being provided to stranded passengers, Gonzales said.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor BALDWIN PARK - A man was hospitalized October 10 after being attacked by a trespasser at a condominium complex. The attack occurred around 8:30 p.m. in the 13400 block of Tracy Street. The suspect beat the victim and fled the scene, but was located nearby on Baldwin Park Boulevard and arrested, according to Sgt. Darryl Kosaka of the Baldwin Park Police Department. The victim’s son, Kevin Graciano, said his father questioned the suspect’s presence at the apartment complex, given he was on private property. After exchanging words, the suspect struck first. “The man made the first strike to my father and wrestled him on the floor until my father was bloody. My cousin who also lives in the nearby condominium came out and picked my father up, but asked what the man was doing there,” Graciano said. “The homeless man immediately ran away and the cops were contacted.” The suspect was described as homeless and possibly suffering from mental issues, Kosaka told SGV CityWatch. Dana Ragsdale, 26, was arrested at 8:41 p.m. According to Los Angeles County booking records, Ragsdale bonded out on October 16. After his arrest, Ragsdale was transferred to a county jail in Los Angeles equipped with a psychiatric ward, Kosaka said.
Graciano’s father was left with multiple bruises and fractures and was hospitalized in critical condition. He has since returned home to continue the long road to recovery. Graciano wants everyone in Baldwin Park to become more aware of a homeless population that he believes is endangering the city. “This entire story sets a dangerous precedent about the current state of issues with Baldwin Park and homeless and drug problems that plague this city,” Graciano said. He added that residents and business patrons of Baldwin Park bear witness to drug dealing commonly occurring near major businesses in town, such as Jack In the Box, near Food4Less, McDonald’s and more. Gaciano’s father fears that children walk the same streets as this recent contingent of troublemakers. “He doesn't want anyone to endure this sort of fate. Luckily my father is walking, talking, and doing well, but someone else might not be as fortunate as he is,” Graciano said.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - A man found dead inside a van October 17 was named by the county coroner. 54-year-old Jose Godinez was identified by Lt. Larry Dietz of the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. Godinez is listed as a transient. A liquor store employee in the 13700 block of Ramona Boulevard called police about a foul odor coming from a van parked around 10:47 p.m. Officers discovered the body positioned between the front seats and the rear, Baldwin Park Police said.
Officers were unsure how long Godinez was inside the van before being found. A cause of death was not listed. |
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