COVINA – A bar patron is facing  attempted murder after shooting at his adversary and wounding another when a fight erupted early Monday morning, police said.

Paul Timothy Rosales, 24, was arrested without further incident, accused of wounding two at Chatterbox, 943 N. Citrus Ave., September 6. Police responded to a gunfire call around 1:29 a.m., according to the Covina Police Department.

A fight erupted inside the bar. Rosales is accused of retrieving a handgun from his vehicle and returned to the bar and opened fire.

Rosales is accused of wounding his adversary in an ankle. Surveillance footage helped officers locate a female gunshot victim who was not involved in the initial fight, according to the Covina Police Department.

Rosales fled the scene, but was stopped and taken into custody.

Rosales is being held in lieu of $2 million bail at the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles ahead of a scheduled appearance in the West Covina Courthouse Wednesday, September 8.

COVINA – A man and woman are dead, the victims of a stabbing Thursday afternoon, a Covina Police sergeant said.

A 33-year-old man is in custody, connected to the stabbing at a residence in the 700 block of North Grand Avenue September 2. Police first responded at 2:22 p.m., according to Sgt. Joshua Turner of the Covina Police Department.

The suspect called 9-1-1 and told police dispatchers that he stabbed two people. Officers met the suspect outside the residence and was taken into custody without incident, according to the Covina Police Department in a written statement.

Turner was unaware of a possible motive.

Detectives are on scene and continue to investigate.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

UPDATE, August 28, 6:18 p.m.: The man who died outside of El Pollo Loco Wednesday afternoon was identified as 42-year-old Erik Garcia, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.

​The cause of death is still unknown. An autopsy has yet to be scheduled.

COVINA - A man estimated to be in his 40s died outside of a restaurant August 25 after allegedly causing a disturbance.

Covina Police arrived to El Pollo Loco, 621 N. Azusa Ave., just before 4:30 p.m. and found the man outside the front of the restaurant, unconscious and face up, according to Lt. Tony Zavala of the Covina Police Department.

A caller told officers just before they arrived that the man passed out and appeared to be not breathing. Police arrived and confirmed that the man had no pulse.

“They started CPR and administered two doses of Narcan on the individual, just in case he was suffering some type of heroin, or Fentanyl overdose, but the subject was pronounced dead by LA County Fire,” Zavala told SGV CityWatch.

The initial call was for a male causing a disturbance and yelling at patrons, Zavala told SGV CityWatch.

There were no injuries reported and no property damage caused at the El Pollo Loco, Zavala told SGV CityWatch.

It is not yet known what caused the unidentified man to die. An autopsy will reveal potential causes.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor ​

COVINA - A suspect was taken into custody Wednesday night after he carjacked a driver August 4, police said.

Duarte man Anthony Michael Zamora, 43 is accused of carjacking and attempting to carjack other drivers. He allegedly first attempted to carjack a driver and West Covina at grand Avenue and Fairway Lane. Covina Police called at 10:16 p.m. August 4 to a carjacking in progress at Grand Avenue and Puente Street, according to the Covina Police Department.

“Zamora was acting erratically and said to be jumping on The hoods of passing vehicles And attempting to enter vehicles or carjack motorists,” the Covina Police Department said in a written statement.

The suspect, identified as Zamora, jumped on the hood of a victim’s vehicle. The victim backed up and accidentally crashed into the vehicle behind them, causing the victim’s airbags to deploy, according to Sgt. Sutherland of the Covina Police Department.

Zamora allegedly took off in the vehicle after the victim fled. The vehicle was crashed soon after into a tree at Puente Street and Glendora Avenue.

Zamora was hospitalized for injuries sustained in the crash, Sutherland told SGV CityWatch.

Eyewitnesses reported the attempted carjacking at West Covina. That victim fled the scene and it has yet to be identified, Covina Police said.

Investigators believe the other multiple attempted carjackings occurred in West Covina and Covina Between Fairway Lane and Puente Street.

Zamora is a Hispanic man and stands 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 250 pounds. He is bald and has visible tattoos on his head chest and lower legs. He was wearing a white T-shirt and dark gray shorts, the Covina Police Department.

If you or someone you know is a victim of an attempted carjacking between 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. August 4 in the Covina area, you are urged to call Covina Police Detective O. Preciado at 626-384-5622 and reference case 21-21609. 

Information can be provided anonymously by calling LA regional Crime Stoppers at 1- 800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org.

COVINA – A bullet that fell from the lap of a Hesperia man led to the discovery of weapons, ammunition and narcotics during a traffic stop July 14.

Mario Navarette, a 32-year-old Hesperia man, was stopped as he drove away from the Vanllee Hotel and Suites, 1211 E. Garvey St., around 12:08 a.m. The officer believed Navarrete displayed signs of driving under the influence, according to the Covina Police Department.

“As Navarrete stepped out of the vehicle, a live round of ammunition fell from his lap. A firearm was later located in his backpack inside the vehicle,” according to the Covina Police Department in a written statement.

A records check of 33-year-old passenger Salvador Ramirez revealed he was released July 8 following a conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He served four days in jail and was sentenced to one year of probation, according to the Covina Police Department.

Ramirez, a Baldwin Park man, has five previous convictions for weapons possession while being a felon, according to the Covina Police Department.

Police searched Ramirez and allegedly found a methamphetamine pipe and a semi-automatic handgun strapped with a hook and loop band around his waist, according to the Covina Police Department.

A spent shell casing was found in the vehicle.

Navarrete was booked on suspicion of carrying a loaded firearm in a public place and possessing a concealed firearm, Ramirez was booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance while armed, possession of a concealed firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition, according to the Covina Police Department.

Anyone with information on these suspects possibly being involved in a shooting is urged to call Covina Police Detective Preciado at 626-384-5622, reference case #21-19391.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA – A concerned citizen mustered the courage to confront a man armed with a machete reportedly hitting a Chihuahua July 2.

Police responded to Azusa Avenue at the Metrolink railroad tracks to investigate the report. Officers were told that the suspect, identified as Manuel Marquez-Ramirez, turned the machete towards the citizen when confronted, according to the Covina Police Department.

The concerned citizen was able to flee and call 9-1-1.

“Covina PD officers located Marquez-Ramirez a short distance away carrying a deceased Chihuahua dog and a machete,” according to the Covina Police Department in a written statement.

Arrested was Manuel Marquez-Ramirez, a 34-year-old La Puente man. He was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm, animal cruelty and trespassing on railroad property.

“Marquez-Ramirez was cited out from the Covina PD Jail due to Los Angeles County Bail Reform procedures,” according to the Covina Police Department.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - Crashing into a fence and disabling his vehicle did not stop a hit and run suspect from fleeing police until officers had to stop him July 8.

The suspect, a parolee-at-large, crashed into a fence at East Italia Street and Prospero Drive around 6:22 p.m. Officers located him and pursued the driver when he refused to stop, according to Lt. Tony Zavala of the Covina Police Department.

During the chase, the driver got into multiple crashes, Zavala told SGV CityWatch.

During the slow-speed chase, the driver, identified as Covina man Raymundo Duran circled the area of Ruddock Street, North Prospero Drive, Vecino Drive and San Bernardino Road.

The above-mentioned roads encompass Duran’s home where family members also went out to greet him, Zavala told SGV CityWatch.

Covina officers further disabled Duran’s vehicle with spike strips. A PIT maneuver caused Duran to crash onto a sidewalk at East San Bernardino Road and North Grand Avenue.

Duran fled on foot before being tackled by Covina officers.

“He also had some narcotics paraphernalia in the car and he admitted to using heroin prior to the pursuit,” Zavala told SGV CityWatch.

Duran was booked on misdemeanor hit and run, felony evading, resisting arrest and for a no-bail parole warrant, Zavala told SGV CityWatch.

Duran is being held at the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles ahead of a scheduled appearance in the West Covina courthouse Tuesday, July 13.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA – Sheriff’s deputies helped to end a lengthy barricade June 2 after an armed man refused to give himself up, police said.

Patrick Miller, 60, was wanted on a $100,000 warrant related to a vehicular manslaughter case out of Covina. The fatal DUI crash occurred January 27 at Grand Avenue and Covina Boulevard. Miller spoke with officers and said he refused to surrender, according to the Covina Police Department.

Officers attempted to serve the arrest warrant at 3:19 p.m. June 1 at Miller’s home in the 100 block of North Forestdale Avenue.

Homes near Miller’s residence were evacuated as a precaution, since Miller is known to possess firearms and has been the subject of multiple calls for police presence, Covina Police said.

Officers used “less lethal devices” and “chemical munitions” to get Miller to surrender, but he refused to relent, Covina Police said.

Crisis negotiators from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department were called to de-escalate the situation.

Miller could be seen in his garage, armed with a knife, handgun and occasionally smoked from a glass pipe. He also ignited fireworks, Covina Police said.

Multiple gunshots could be heard coming from within Miller’s home and police believe Miller directed those gunshots at officers, Covina Police said.

The Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau eventually forced Miller to surrender 16 hours later after deploying additional “chemical munitions,” Covina Police said.

Miller was hospitalized after suffering what officers described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - A suspect reportedly sought for manslaughter was taken into custody this morning after barricading himself in a residence.

Deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau announced the suspect’s arrest just before 8:30 a.m.

It is not yet clear when the barricade began in the area of the 200 block of North Forestdale Avenue, but community members alerted SGV CityWatch about the barricade just before 6:30 p.m.

Covina Police have yet to release details regarding the barricade.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

UPDATE, 11 p.m.: The Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureay and crisis negotiators were able to get the suspect to surrender sometime before 8 p.m., According to Deputy Eric Ortiz of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

Deputies originally responded to a residence and 18000 block of Gaillard Street in unincorporated Azusa to investigate a family disturbance. The suspect fled and led deputies on a pursuit until they were able to disable his truck.

COVINA - A pursuit suspect continues to remain inside of a truck he used to evade San Dimas deputies after they pursued him Saturday afternoon.

The suspect remains inside of his vehicle on North Hollenbeck Avenue south of East Cypress Street in Covina May 8. San Dimas deputies originally responded to a residence in the unincorporated area of Azusa at 3:39 p.m. to investigate a family disturbance, according to Deputy Shawn Dubusky Of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

It was not yet clear to Dubusky, but the suspect fled from deputies and a pursuit ensued until a spike strip was used to disable the suspect’s tires.

The Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau was summoned to the barricade to get the suspect to surrender. the barricade to get the suspect to surrender.