Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - A police officer and his K9 were transported and evaluated after crashing during an early-morning pursuit.

The officer was pursuing a disturbance suspect who fled from him and other officers in the 500 block of Eremland Drive May 6. The crash occurred at East Rowland Street and Shoppers Lane, according to the Covina Police Department.

Officers were dispatched to investigate a disturbance call on Eremland around 4 a.m.

The pursuit suspect stopped and surrendered on the I-10 Freeway at Vincent Avenue.

Alexis Santiago Avila, 27, was taken into custody. He was booked on suspicion of felony evading, driving under the influence and driving on a suspended license, according to the Covina Police Department.

The condition of the officer and K9 are not publicly known.
​
The West Covina Police Department and California Highway Patrol are assisting with the investigation.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - A male juvenile received major injuries after being hit by a train in Covina March 25, a California Highway Patrol officer said.

The juvenile was hit at the Sunflower Avenue crossing around 3:30 p.m.

The juvenile, said to be 17 years old, is apparently on life support which will end today. A gofundme has been established for the teen and his family

“As a young member of our community, Diego's life hangs in the balance, and the circumstances surrounding the accident raise significant concerns about railway safety and the well-being of pedestrians in our area,” according to a woman who identified herself as Jenna Crofts, the gofundme organizer.

The juvenile may not have been paying attention when the train approached. The train was passing just as the juvenile walked into it, according to Officer Joseph Davila of the California Highway Patrol Baldwin Park Office.

The crossing is an active crossing with lights, bells and gates for automobiles, but does not feature pedestrian barriers.

The juvenile was being treated at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - A wrong U-turn killed one person and led to four others being hospitalized Wednesday afternoon, deputies said.

The crash occurred on Badillo Street at Sunflower Avenue in unincorporated Covina around 1:03 p.m. November 29. The T-bone collision led to four people being trapped inside one vehicle and they required firefighters to free them from the twisted wreck, according to reports from the scene.

“Upon our arrival, the Los Angeles County Fire Department was performing lifesaving procedures on one of the injured passengers. Unfortunately, the injured passenger succumbed to the injuries sustained and was pronounced deceased on scene,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s San Dimas Station.

At least one person was transported to a waiting helicopter and flown to Los Angeles General Medical Center for further treatment.

Alcohol was recovered at the crash scene, but deputies determined none of the drivers were under the influence, according to the sheriffs San Dimas Station.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - All eastbound traffic of the I-10 freeway in Covina is being diverted off at Via Verde Street after a multi-vehicle collision claimed one life Sunday morning.

A motorcycle is among the vehicles involved in the crash that likely claimed the life of the rider. It is difficult to say how many other vehicles in addition to the motorcycle were involved in the initial crash. Other vehicles have become disabled due to striking debris in the roadway, according to the California Highway Patrol.

​at 6 a.m., a Sig Alert was issued for two hours.

The CHP was initially dispatched to the crash on the eastbound I-10 freeway near Villa Verde Street at 5:30 a.m. October 24.

Initially, the crash likely involve the motorcycle, a black Chevy Cruz and one other sedan.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - No injuries were reported after an alleged DUI driver in an RV drove through an active railroad crossing and struck a westbound Metrolink train after crashing at a nearby business, police said.

The railroad gates were down when the unnamed driver in the RV allegedly drove through them on southbound Grand Avenue. A Metrolink train was already through the intersection, according to Lt. Dan Regan of the Covina Police Department.

The RV struck the back of the train according to Paul Gonzales, public affairs manager for Metrolink.

The collision is considered only a misdemeanor offense. The driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI, issued a citation and released.

The collision happened around 6:41 p.m. July 11.

“The train continued to go westbound, stopping in Covina, Baldwin Park and ultimately El Monte,” Regan told SGV CityWatch.

The train’s engineer apparently did not known a collision happened. Covina Police informed Metrolink of the crash and Metrolink dispatchers ordered the train to stop so the train’s crew could inspect for damage, which was located towards the rear of the train, Gonzales told SGV CityWatch.

During the investigation, Covina officers were told that the RV’s driver collided with some property at a business in the 4700 block of N. Grand Ave., Reagan told SGV CityWatch.

The driver was hauling some sort of trailer behind his RV, but it jackknifed at the business and separated from the RV. It was left at the scene.

The first collision occurred in the county area of Covina. The California Highway Patrol responded to the abandoned trailer to write a report, Reagan told SGV CityWatch.

Metrolink workers repaired the broken gate arms.

The railroad tracks between the Pomona North Metrolink station and the Covina station we are temporarily closed while repairs are made and an investigation was conducted.

The Los Angeles bound train that was struck by the RV was canceled at the El Monte station, while a San Bernardino bound train was canceled, Metrolink said.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office could potentially additionally charge the driver with hit-and-run and for a potential issue regarding a suspended license, Reagan told SGV CityWatch.

COVINA - Two are dead and six are injured in a multi-vehicle crash on the westbound I-10 freeway at Via Verde Avenue.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - One person was pulled from an overturned car unconscious after it rolled over in a multi-vehicle crash Thursday night.

All lanes are open on the west Interstate 10 freeway west of Via Verde Drive after the collision briefly closed all lanes, according to the California Highway Patrol.

At least two vehicles collided, with one ending up in the center divider and a dark sedan overturning in the slow lane around 6:25 p.m. Earlier reports indicated possibly seven vehicles crashed.

The occupant in the overturned vehicle was pulled out unconscious.

The No. 2, 3 and 4 lanes were booked to traffic long enough to force impatient drivers to exit the freeway via the Kellogg Drive onramp, the CHP said.

At least one patient was taken to an area hospital, according to Dispatch Supervisor Michael Pittman of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - A driver wanted on suspicion of crossing the carpool lane double barrier on the 210 freeway was arrested after fleeing the CHP Friday.
 
A CHP officer attempted to stop the driver on the east 210 freeway at Baldwin Avenue in Arcadia around 7:15 a.m. The driver refused to stop and fled the CHP at high speed, according to Sgt. Ernie Amaya of the California Highway Patrol Altadena Office.
 
The pursuit, which went more than 100 miles per hour at times, exited in the Azusa area and went south on Citrus Avenue and west onto Cypress Street in Covina where the driver fled the car on foot at Viceroy Avenue, Amaya said.
 
“He went on foot and tried to blend in at a Chevron station,” Amaya said.
 
Altadena CHP officers, aided by officers from the Baldwin Park Office, located the suspect and took him into custody without incident.
 
Arrested was Rito Rodriguez. He was booked on suspicion of felony evading police, Amaya said.
 
A background check revealed multiple driver license suspensions on Rodriguez’s record, Amaya said.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - At least two people are in custody after a pursuit lead officers into Riverside Tuesday.

Police attempted to stop a driver behind the wheel of a car without license plates in the 1200 block of North Azusa Avenue around 7:15 p.m., but the driver refused to stop, according to Sgt. Joshua Turner of the Covina Police Department.

The driver led police through a parking lot, through surface streets and onto the 210 freeway where the chase headed east, Turner said.

With a police helicopter and media helicopters overhead, the pursuit sped along through the 210, 15,  and 91 freeways, ending up on surface streets in the Corona/Riverside area.

The California Highway Patrol and a Sheriff’s helicopter aided Covina officers as they used the Pursuit Intervention Technique to disable the vehicle at La Sierra and Indiana avenues in Riverside.

At least two suspect surrendered to officers.