Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

UPDATE, OCTOBER 5 - The Charter Oak High School teacher accused of sexually abusing a minor was released two days after his publicized arrest.

Joshua McGinn, was released October 4, the day he was scheduled to appear in court. He was released due to insufficient evidence, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

It is not publicly clear what specifically led to the findings of insufficient evidence.

McGinn is accused of committing unlawful sexual acts with a minor. These alleged acts are said to have occurred in 2022, according to the Covina Police Department.

McGinn’s future as a teacher is unclear.

PREVIOUS - Covina Police announced the arrest of a current Charter Oak Unified School District who allegedly abused a minor in 2022.

Joshua McGinn, 41, was booked on suspicion of unlawful sex with a minor. McGinn was arrested October 2 by Covina Police detectives, according to the Covina Police Department.

Records show McGinn is a teacher at Charter Oak High School. He is being held without bail pending a future court appearance, according to the Covina Police Department.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact Covina Police Detective G. Hagle at 626-384-5621 or by email at: [email protected].

​**********
The arrest record in this article is being redistributed by SGV CityWatch and is protected by constitutional, publishing and other legal rights. Arrest information is public record and was distributed by government sources. The person named in this article has only been arrested on suspicion of the crime(s) listed and is presumed innocent.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - A wrong 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 Sheriff's San Dimas Station.

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 - 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 - 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.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - A man was bit by a K9, shocked with a stun gun twice, hit with less lethal rounds when he resisted officers after jumping from the roof of the closed Covina Bowl, Police said.

The still unidentified suspect is being medically evaluated and will be booked in the Covina jail after the roughly 40-minute standoff. The suspect was reportedly tampering with an air-conditioning unit on the defunct bowling alley, According to Lt. Trevor Gaumer of the Covina Police Department.

Police were called to Covina Bowl, 1060 W. San Bernardino Rd. around 4:48 p.m. November 16. The owner happened to be at the property and discovered the suspect on the roof, Gaumer said.

The suspect refused police commands to descend and began throwing objects at police on the ground. The suspect even lit palm fronds on fire and threw them at police, Gaumer said.

“We decided we had to go up on the roof and get him. With the help of a fire department ladder, we got up on the roof,” Gaumer said.

The suspect then jumped about 20 feet down, with a nearby awning to help break his fall at the shuttered Radio Shack. He landed on his feet and ultimately resisted arrest until subdued.

It is unclear if the suspect was under the influence of drugs.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

COVINA - A motorcyclist died at the scene of a head-on crash on Reeder Avenue and Puente Street May 15.

The rider was northbound on Reeder Avenue around 8:46 p.m. when the motorcycle possibly drifted into southbound lanes and into the path of a BMW, according to the Covina Police Department.

The motorcycle and BMW hit head on. The rider sustained major injuries and died at the scene by Los Angeles County firefighters.

The driver of the BMW, a woman, was uninjured. She was not suspected of DUI, Covina Police said.

The rider’s identity has not been made public yet, pending notification of next of kin, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.