 Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor COVINA - A now ex-seasonal coach from Covina High School was arrested Thursday, accused of attempting to solicit sex with a teen boy. Covina Police detectives were called to Superior Grocers, 1375 N. Citrus Ave., at 4:45 p.m. June 20 about a man intending to meet a 14-year-old boy for a sexual encounter … except that teen does not exist: the whole ordeal was a sting, according to the Covina Police Department. Stephen Cristopher Garcia, 34, a Baldwin Park man, was contacted by Creep Catching Unit, a group started to expose online predators, with the use of a fake social media profile. Garcia was booked on suspicion of arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd purposes, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Sgt. Keith Sutherland of the Covina Police Department. A meeting was arranged through text messaging and upon contact the encounter was reportedly streamed live on YouTube, according to the Covina Police Department. Garcia is described as a former seasonal walk-on coach in the Covina-Valley Unified and is no longer employed by the district. Garcia was arrested at 6:26 p.m., according to Los Angeles County booking records. He is being held without bail at the Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles. Covina detectives are attempting to locate any other potential victims. Any one with information or questions regarding this crime is urged to call Covina Police Sgt. Colburn at 626-384-5612, refer to Covina PD case # 24-13802. Remain anonymous by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or Crime Stoppers.org. A court appearance is scheduled for Monday, June 24 at West Covina Superior Court. ********** 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 - Precautionary patrols were performed Friday after authorities received a phoned threat to Gladstone Middle School.
The Azusa Police Department received a phoned threat to the school around 10:15 a.m. The Covina Police Department and school administrators were then notified, according to Sgt. Rodriguez of the Covina Police Department. The school was locked down as a precaution as well. The phone number was initially pinged to Gladstone Middle School and further investigation revealed the phone number belonged to a Covina resident reportedly unrelated to the threat, Rodriguez told SGV CityWatch. Rodriguez was not sure of what exactly the threat was, nor was he sure of what the caller sounded like. The caller was unidentified and no arrests were made, Rodriguez told SGV CityWatch. Police patrolled the school until the end of the day.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - Toxicology reports finally revealed what killed a man found dead in Covina June 6.
Julian Teltscher, 20, died from Diphenhydramine toxicity. His death was ruled a suicide, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner. A decomposing body was discovered by a gardener clearing some residential brush near area of an elementary school. The discovery was made in the 500 block of East Thelborn Street. First responders were called around 3:11 p.m., according to Lt. Anthony Zavala of the Covina Police Department. “Based on the decomposition of the body, it looks like he might have been there a while,” Zavala told SGV CityWatch. A resident driving by the scene observed what appeared to be a body covered up on the sidewalk, a coroner van, yellow crime scene tape around the entire residential property and a large police presence. The body was obscured by brush at a home across from Barranca Elementary School, 727 S. Barranca Ave.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor COVINA - A decomposing body was discovered by a gardener clearing some residential brush in the area of an elementary school Tuesday afternoon.
The discovery was made in the 500 block of East Thelborn Street. First responders were called around 3:11 p.m. First responders located a the body of a male, according to Lt. Anthony Zavala of the Covina Police Department. “Based on the decomposition of the body, it looks like he might have been there a while,” Zavala told SGV CityWatch. A resident driving by the scene observed what appeared to be a body covered up on the sidewalk, a coroner van, yellow crime scene tape around the entire residential property and a large police presence. No foul play is initially suspected. The body was obscured by brush near a home across from Barranca Elementary School, 727 S. Barranca Ave. It is not quite clear exactly how long the body was there before being discovered. The identity of the male has yet to be revealed.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor COVINA - A student was quickly identified as the culprit who phoned in a threat of a school shooting at Sierra Vista Middle School Wednesday morning.
The phone call, made at 8:09 a.m., was traced to inside a classroom at the school, 777 E. Puente St. Using security video from the classroom, the student was identified as having placed the threat, according to Sgt. Marquez of the Covina Police Department. The student is reportedly special needs. The caller told dispatchers that a police presence was needed because there was going to be a shooting. The school and officers determined within an hour that the threat was not credible, Marquez told SGV CityWatch. “The classroom actually had a camera, so we ended up reviewing the camera and it showed the kid actually making the phone call,” Marquez told SGV CityWatch. “Please be assured we are pursuing all legal and disciplinary action as threats to schools are not a joke,” said Danielle Traviseo, principal of Sierra Vista Middle School, in a email message sent by the school.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor COVINA - Homeland Security has joined numerous local agencies with a search of Covina High School after a series of threats were made against the campus Wednesday.
The calls sounded like prerecorded messages sent to both the school, 463 S. Hollenbeck Ave., and the Covina Police Department. Covina Police began fielding the calls around 9:30 a.m., according to Lt. Josh Turner of the Covina Police Department. The threats indicated there would be explosions at the school. Covina Police fielded recurring calls over a 10 to 15-minute span, Turner told SGV CityWatch. Only a handful of teachers and administrators remain on campus. Roughly eight bomb-sniffing K9s are assisting. The Los Angeles County Fire Department is also assisting along with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Pasadena Police, San Gabriel Police and California Highway Patrol, Turner told SGV CityWatch. Detectives are trying to pinpoint the location of the calls.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor COVINA - Richard Sheehan, a superintendent beloved by many in the Covina-Valley Unified School District, has agreed to resign effective June 30. The Covina-Valley Unified school board made the announcement after a closed session meeting Tuesday. Sheehan is mired in a criminal investigation involving three victims. The Covina Police Department was contacted during an internal investigation conducted by the school district into misconduct with current and former students, according to a written statement by the Covina Police Department. “We’ve asked the Glendora Police Department to assist us by handling this initial investigation. Our intent is to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation by law enforcement,” Covina Police said in a written statement.
Sheehan will remain on paid administrative leave until his resignation next month. What Sheehan is accused of doing has run the gamut among the community, in real life and on social media. Covina Police emphasized that Sheehan's alleged transgressions go beyond social media posts allegedly involving the embattled former superintendent. In doing light research on social media, a video surfaced showing very brief flashes of a shirtless Sheehan flexing a bicep in a selfie -- his lower half was blocked by a black square insinuating he was nude. That same photo was seen elsewhere on Twitter sans the black square, showing he was actually wearing a pair of black shorts. How these photos were acquired is not immediately known. Parents took to the streets May 17 to protest Sheehan’s treatment by the district after learning of the plan to replace him — the same day the district announced he was placed on administrative leave. Elizabeth Eminhizer was named acting superintendent by a unanimous vote May 18. Extra Patrols Planned for Charter Oak HS After Fight Escalates To Potential Social Media Threat11/21/2019  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor COVINA - Four teens were arrested Wednesday after a feud between students of the Charter Oak Unified School district devolved to a brutal fight and social media threat of further violence at Charter Oak High School. The reported threat of violence is supposedly to take place at Charter Oak High School Friday, November 22. Covina Police and San Dimas Sheriff’s deputies will have an increased presence to ensure the safety of students and staff, the Covina Police Department said in a written statement. Social media posts suggest that the long-standing feud would allegedly escalate to gunfire and as the posts were shared more and more, people believed a school shooting was planned, according to Lt. Ryan Davis of the Covina Police Department. “There isn’t any specific information that we can confirm as valid at this point,” Davis said. The threat is fallout of an escalating fight between students at Charter Oak High School and students from elsewhere in the Charter Oak Unified School District -- the latter group entered a Charter Oak High locker room and a fistfight broke out November 20, Davis said.
“This was a planned fight. A mutual fight,” Davis said. “One of the the subjects from another school gets this kid into a choke hold and he ends up choking the kid unconscious.” The subject kept the teen in a choke hold, even after the teen lost consciousness. The teen was dropped to the ground and kicked twice in the head, Davis said. Police were notified the evening of the fight. Four suspects were identified. Police took them into custody Thursday, Davis said. Among the charges are assault with a deadly weapon for the primary suspect, fighting on a school campus and trespassing, Davis said. Some of the students were advised to stay away from the high school previously. The Charter Oak Unified School District released a statement on the threat: “The Charter Oak Unified School District, Glendora Police Department and Covina Police Department are aware of a fight at Charter Oak High School and video postings of the fight and are investigating rumors regarding potential additional serious disturbances on the COHS and/or Arrow High School campuses tomorrow, Friday, November 22, 2019. “The entire COUSD administration is being proactive and is planning with the Covina Police Department, Glendora Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff to ensure a presence in the area tomorrow. Additionally, district leadership and Covina Police will be on campus at Charter Oak High School all day on Friday.”  Google Maps. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor COVINA - A man accused of being under the influence of drugs was arrested on the Covina High School campus Friday and was found in possession of ammunition before officers located a gun nearby. The man ran into a school office at Covina High School, 463 S. Hollenbeck Ave., at 7:54 a.m. He was acting erratic, claiming someone was chasing him, Covina Police said. The Covina Police school resource officer arrived to the office and detained the man after believing he was under the influence of a controlled substance. The man was placed in custody after a background check revealed he had outstanding warrants. A single bullet was found in the man's possession, Covina Police said.
After being questioned about a firearm, the man led the school resource officer to some bushes near the school and a loaded semi-automatic handgun was found, Covina Police said. “The suspect was arrested without incident and any potential threat to the school was eliminated,” Covina Police said in a written statement. 34-year-old George Gonzales from Rialto was booked on suspicion of obstructing a peace officer and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is being held at the Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles in lieu of $105,000 bail. |
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