Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - A man was arrested Friday after reportedly firing a rifle into an apartment unit occupied by a family.

The suspect, 48-year-old Juan Gerardo Gonzalez, shot into the apartment unit in the 800 block of West Glentana Street around 6:52 p.m. Thursday. The mother, father and two children within the unit were able to flee through a second-story window, according to the Covina Police Department.

No one was injured.

A resident spoke with CityWatch and said around eight to 10 rounds were fired into the victims’ door.

“Family escaped through a window with the help of a neighbor with a ladder,” the resident said, adding “[the suspect] is a new neighbor just out of prison.”

As officers arrived to the apartment, Gonzalez fled in a vehicle, leading officers on a pursuit onto the westbound 210 freeway and south on the 605 where, due to Gonzalez’s reckless driving, they lost sight of him, according to the Covina Police Department.

West Covina Police officers located Gonzalez in his vehicle, performed a high-risk traffic stop and detained him until detectives took him into custody, according to the Covina Police Department.

Gonzalez was arrested at 12:14 a.m. Friday and booked on suspicion of attempted murder, being a felon in possession of a weapon, assault with a deadly weapon and other felony charges.

Gonzalez is being held in lieu of $1 million bail ahead of a scheduled appearance in West Covina Superior Court January 28.

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.
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The West Covina Police Department and California Highway Patrol are assisting with the investigation.

COVINA - Traffic lanes have reopened after a pickup truck crashed and came to rest on the right shoulder embankment on the I-10 freeway just west of Via Verde Saturday morning.

A tan Chevrolet pickup truck crashed Just before 7:30 a.m. April 24 on the eastbound I-10 freeway. The driver is reportedly the only person found inside the crashed pickup, according to the California Highway Patrol.

They were possibly as many as three other vehicles stopped in the center divider and on the right shoulder near the crash, but it is not clear yet if those vehicles were involved in a collision.

The driver’s body was found partially hanging outside of the truck, but firefighters were reluctant to remove the driver until the coroner conducts an investigation, according to Los Angeles County Fire Department radio traffic.

The CHP temporarily had all lanes stopped, but eventually opened up some lanes, leaving the No. 2, 3 and 4 lanes closed for 30 minutes Sig Alert.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor