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.

POMONA – The alleged gunman in a June 3 murder and the man accused of hiding him from justice are due back in court June 30.

Luis Alberto Gonzalez-Frausto, 38, was charged June 7 with one count of murder in the death of Adrian Gonzalez-Frausto. Edgar Martinez, 28, was charged June 7 with one count of being an accessory after the fact for allegedly knowingly harboring, concealing, or aiding a felon, according to Los Angeles Superior Court documents.

Adrian, 38, died of a gunshot wound to the abdomen, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.

Investigators determined the shooting happened at La Tiendita JNK Market, 1459 N. Hollenbeck Ave. after a person detained for questioning allegedly lied that the shooting occurred at a public park, according to the Covina Police Department.

Adrian was driven to Kindred Hospital, 845 N. Lark Ellen Ave., in West Covina shortly after the shooting. Officers responded to the scene around 4:40 p.m. Adrian died soon after.

One day after the murder, Luis was arrested at the Covina Police Department and booked on suspicion of murder.

Luis is being held at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic in lieu of $3 million bail. Martinez is also being held in the same facility in lieu of $2 million bail. Both men await arraignment in Pomona Superior Court, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - Police announced the arrest of a man investigators pegged as the gunman in a convenience store shooting.

The still-unidentified victim of the shooting turned up at Kindred Hospital, 845 N. Lark Ellen Ave., around 4:40 p.m. in West Covina just after the shooting happened June 3. A man who drove the victim to the hospital was uncooperative, only stating the shooting happened at a park. The victim soon died from his injuries, according to the Covina Police Department.

Investigators determined the shooting happened at La Tiendita JNK Market, 1459 N. Hollenbeck Ave.

Two unidentified people were arrested.

One day after the shooting, Luis Gonzalez, a 38-year-old West Covina man, was arrested at the Covina Police Department and booked on suspicion of murder.

Anyone with information on this shooting is urged to call Covina Police Detective Preciado at 626-384-5622, reference case 22-15083. Leave an anonymous tip by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA – A West Covina man was arrested May 25, identified as the suspect who threatened a video game store employee with a knife and stole cash and gaming consoles.

London Paige Leones, 22, was booked on suspicion of robbery. The crime took place around 2:09 p.m. at 1Up Video Games, 111 N. Citrus Ave. May 15, according to the Covina Police Department.

“The suspect … held a knife up to a store employee and demanded money. Fearing for his life, the employee complied and Leones took approximately $450 from the cash register, as well as a Playstation 5, and two Gameboy Advances,” according to the Covina Police Department in a written statement.

A search warrant served at Leones’ West Covina home reportedly revealed the stolen gaming devices, weapon and clothing related to the crime, according to the Covina Police Department.

Leones was released on bond. He is scheduled to appear in the West Covina courthouse Thursday, June 9.

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.

COVINA - A man on probation for vehicle theft was caught with stolen property — some of which he attempted to sell to undercover detectives, Covina Police said.

Josue Oliva, a Pomona man, is accused of attempting to sell items through OfferUp — items taken in a recent theft case, according to the Covina Police Department.