Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DIAMOND BAR - Investigators are seeking additional victims of a man accused of raping a woman in Diamond Bar last month.

DNA evidence collected from the assault reportedly helped to identify Joel Martinez, 37. He was pegged by detectives as the man who forcibly raped a woman who was walking to work along Brea Canyon Road near Sapphire Lane just after 4:15 a.m. December 8, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

Martinez allegedly approached the woman and asked to use her cell phone. The victim denied Martinez and stated she was low on minutes on her prepaid phone, the Sheriff’s Department said.

The suspect, identified as Martinez, became angry and walked away. Five minutes later the suspect allegedly returned, approached the victim from behind, put her in a chokehold and dragged her 100 feet off the roadway into some bushes where she was assaulted. The suspect allegedly also threaten the victim with a pocket knife, the Sheriff’s Department said.

Martinez was identified as a suspect through DNA evidence January 5. He was located in Eastvale, a city in Riverside County, and arrested January 6.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office formally filed charges against Martinez, including one count of kidnapping with the intent to commit rape, one count of forcible oral copulation and one count of attempted forcible rape, the Sheriff’s Department said.

Martinez is being held in lieu of $1.2 million bail.

Anyone with information on Martinez, or who may be a victim Martinez is urged to call the Los Angeles county sheriffs special victims bureau toll-free tip line at 877-710-5273. You can also email information to specialvictimsbureau@lasd.org, use the P3Tips mobile app, or visit lacrimestoppers.org.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DIAMOND BAR - A motorcyclist was killed after colliding with the rear of a stalled car on the eastbound 60 freeway just west of Grand Avenue Friday night.

Reports from the scene indicated a Dodge Charger stalled in the No. 1 lane. The motorcyclist struck the rear of the Charger around 9:40 p.m. and landed an estimated 20 feet onto the roadway, according to California Highway Patrol traffic logs.

A white van reportedly struck the downed motorcycle and rider who landed in front of the stalled Charger.

By around 11 p.m., authorities had all eastbound lanes of the 60 freeway just west of Grand Avenue shut down, as well as the flyover from the northbound 57 freeway to the eastbound 60 freeway, according to the CHP.

By 1:30 a.m. Saturday, authorities had all lanes open after the crash was cleared and the coroner removed the body, according to the CHP.

DIAMOND BAR – The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department announced a DUI/driver license checkpoint for Friday, August 28 to be held at an undisclosed area in town.
 
The checkpoint will be held where there are statistically more collisions and DUI arrests. The main purpose of DUI checkpoints is to not make arrests, but to educate driver on the dangers of impaired driving, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

​The checkpoint is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Friday and end at 2 a.m. Saturday.

DIAMOND BAR - Homicide detectives are still determining what led to a man’s death inside a home July 29.

Deputies responded at 3:21 a.m. to the 1100 block of Cleghorn Drive Wednesday on a report of a man bleeding from the head. The man was declared dead at the scene, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

DIAMOND BAR - Homicide detectives are determining what led to a man’s death early Wednesday morning.

The death was reported to deputies at 3:21 a.m. in the 1100 block of Cleghorn Drive July 29. The man was declared dead at the scene, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

Firefighters were dispatched at 3:18 a.m. to the location. They arrived on scene at 3:22 a.m. to a report of a patient in cardiac arrest, according to a representative with the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Initially, firefighters were told the patient suffered a head injury. There was no more information.

There is no suspect information at this time.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DIAMOND BAR - Deputies are investigating a reported case of food or drink poisoning at a business Friday.

The man’s food or drink was allegedly poisoned at an unnamed business in the 700 block of Grand Avenue around 2:30 p.m. June 19.

A deputy at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Information Bureau stated no other information was available.

Investigators have not elaborated further on a possible suspect, motive, or the condition of the 36-year-old victim.

Anyone with information on this incident is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau at 213-229-1700. Information can be provided anonymously by calling Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3 Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org.

DIAMOND BAR - A man armed with a handgun took a vehicle and some of the victim’s personal property Monday.

The carjacking took place outside H Mart, 2825 S. Diamond Bar Blvd. around 3:40 p.m. The suspect, only described as a Black man between 20 and 25 years old wearing jeans and a mask, took a 1999 Toyota Camry, according to Lt. Knight of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Walnut/Diamond Bar Station.

The Camry was driven away east on Golden Springs Drive.

The victim was uninjured, Knight told SGV CityWatch.

DIAMOND BAR - Deputies searched for, but could not locate a man in a black minivan accused of exposing himself April 30, a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s sergeant said.

The man was scene exposing himself in the area of Golden Prados Drive and Mount Street just before 7:30 p.m. A witness saw the man exposing himself through an open rear passenger door to the van, according to Sgt. Estep of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Walnut/Diamond Bar Station.

Estep did not know what direction the suspect fled in, nor did she have a better description on the suspect.

DIAMOND BAR - A husband and wife were hospitalized after being attacked and zip-tied during a brazen robbery March 12.

A husband and wife arrived home and were confronted by three men clad in black clothing and masks in the 600 block of Blenfield Place around 9 p.m. One of the men had a handgun, according to Lt. Avila of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Walnut/Diamond Bar Station.

“The suspects assaulted the husband and wife. They had moderate injuries,” Avila told SGV CityWatch. They were hospitalized for bruising and contusions.

The suspect zip-tied the hands and feet of the couple and went in the home where the couple's children were.

DIAMOND BAR - A teen was hit by a vehicle near Chaparral Middle School Tuesday.

A vehicle was moving at an estimated 20 to 30 miles per hour when it hit the teen, according to Sgt. Estep of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Diamond Bar/Walnut Station.