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.