Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - A man was found dead in a hotel room Wednesday afternoon.

A staff member of the Hotel Huntington, 1200 Huntington Dr., opened the room to find the man unresponsive. He was declared dead at the scene, according to Lt. Kearney of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

First responders were sent to the location around 12:25 p.m. The staff member reported that the victim was not breathing and not responding, Kearney told SGV CityWatch.

Deputies on scene were unable to contact next of kin and turned that task over to the Homicide Bureau. Because detectives could not notify next of kin in time, coroner investigators were called to pick up the body, Kearny told SGV CityWatch.

The man has since been identified as Sandon Scott Larson, 37, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner.

Larson’s cause of death has been deferred pending additional investigation.

There were no signs of foul play, Kearney told SGV CityWatch.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - A resident received a rude awakening August 26 when she found a burglar entering her bedroom.

The burglary was discovered at 6 a.m. in the 1600 block of Third Street. The resident screamed and the suspect fled the house, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

The suspect was only described as a white man in his 20s to 30s. He wore a tan shirt and tan shorts.

It was not divulged how the suspect entered the house. Nothing was apparently stolen.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - Two suspects pressed handguns up against their victim’s face and took off with his wallet, cell phone, keys and Jeep Liberty outside a Walmart July 7.

The robbery and carjacking was reported at 5:12 a.m. outside the Walmart, 1600 Mountain Ave. Victim was waiting for the arrival of his carpool partner when one suspect approached and ordered him out of the vehicle while pointing a black semi-automatic handgun at him, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Fearing for his life, the victim exited the vehicle and then was met by second suspect, also armed with a firearm.

“Both suspects place the muzzles of their weapons on the victim’s face and ordered him to look down and away from them. The victim was ordered to hand over the vehicle’s keys, his wallet and his phone, to which he complied,” according to the Sheriff’s Temple Station in a written statement.

Both suspects, described as Black men, had the hoods of their hooded sweatshirts cinched tightly over their faces.

After surrendering his vehicle, the victim heard his Jeep Liberty speeding away. Moments later, he heard a collision and saw a secondary vehicle tied to the car jacking that collided with the rear of his Jeep. Both vehicles then sped away from the Walmart west on Central Avenue.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - A burglary was discovered early Saturday morning at Duarte High School, a fast pitch softball team’s equipment taken and no suspects identified.

A coach arrived to Duarte High School, 1565 Central Ave., around 7 a.m. May 13 to prep the field and discovered a broken door behind home plate. Further detective work revealed a busted lock on a shed and equipment taken from the 16U Lady Colt .45s, according to Coach Phillip Peinado.

“All softball gear is gone for the girls,” Peinado told SGV CityWatch. “They stole both pitching machines we have. Those are about $2,500 a piece. There were nine girls who left their equipment in the shed, gloves, bats, helmets, pitching masks, catching gear, their cleats. Everything.”

Peinado estimates the loss is $1,700 per player. Boxes of brand new CIF softballs and a speaker used to announce players and play music was also taken.

Whoever committed the burglary made use of an existing hole in a chain link fence near the first base dugout and widened it in order to take the equipment, Peinado believes.

Two buckets filled with Duarte High School equipment, including jerseys, were left behind on the way through the torn chain link fence, Peinado told SGV CityWatch.

Possibly more than two burglars may have been involved, Peinado believes, because the two stolen pitching machines are considerably heavy to move.

There is currently no suspect, or surveillance video available, according to Sgt. Blalock of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

Monday may shed some light once Duarte High School’s athletic director reviews the recordings. There is one camera near the football equipment shed that may have captured the burglary, or the escape, since a burglary attempt was made to take football gear, Peinado told SGV CityWatch.

“The .45 girls play for Duarte High School. Everything that I bring, I leave for the high school. In the five years that I’ve been there I’ve never had an incident,” Peinado said.

Most of the stolen equipment was personalized with Peinado’s logo, except for player bats, Peinado said. He contacted Play It Again Sports, which sells used sporting equipment, to be aware of anyone attempting to sell the stolen items.

Play It Again has a store in Pasadena, Fullerton and Los Alamitos.

For now, a few sponsors have reached out to help financially. Helmets, gloves and cleats are most needed, Peinado said.

a gofundme has been launched.

Anyone who would like to help the Lady Colt .45s can direct message Peinado through his Instagram: ladycolt45_peinado07.

Anyone with information on this burglary is urged to call the Sheriff’s Temple Station at 626-285-7171.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - A man rescued a female who was being assaulted inside a Walmart bathroom stall April 27.

The attack occurred around 3:06 p.m. at the store located at 1600 Mountain Ave. The suspect, described only as female white, jumped into the stall occupied by the victim and began strangling her with a USB cable, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

“The victim, fearing for her life, began to scream for help. As the victim struggled and screamed for help, the suspect placed a sock in her mouth to prevent her from screaming,” according to the Sheriff’s Temple Station in a written statement.

A man nearby heard the screams for help and entered the restroom. He pulled the victim free from the suspect. Deputies arrived and located the suspect still inside the bathroom and took her into custody.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - A burglar alarm led to the arrest of a man accused of ransacking a classroom at California School of the Arts April 10.

Deputies went to the school, 1401 Highland Ave. at 3 a.m. and located a suspect, only described as a Latino man, inside of the property. The classroom he was inside where the alarm activated was ransacked and multiple laptops were placed next to a door, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

The suspect was not identified.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - Burglars broke their way into a Mediterranean restaurant March 26 and took a reported $13,000 in cash.

The burglary occurred at Janet’s, 1402 Huntington Dr., just after 4 a.m. The suspects, wearing face masks, dark hoodies and dark pants, were caught on surveillance video as they forced their way through the front entrance and made their way to a cash register and safe, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

“The suspects used a skill saw to cut open the safe and took money bags from inside,” according to the Sheriff’s Temple Station in a written statement.

The suspects escaped in a possible gray Volvo sedan.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - A suspect or suspects took off with expensive property after shattering a rear glass sliding door March 10.

The home burglary occurred in the 1900 block of Royal Oaks Drive. The burglary is believed to have occurred between 1:30 p.m. and 2:18 p.m. Approximately $70,000 in jewelry and purses were stolen, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Detectives state no surveillance video is available. It is unclear if anyone obtained a description of any suspects.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - Two male suspects fled with an iPhone 13 after demanding it from their victim January 29.

The strong arm robbery occurred around 3 p.m. at Lena Valenzuela Park, 2120 S. Mountain Ave. The victim, fearing for his safety, surrendered the iPhone and fled. The loss was $1,050, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

The only description of the suspects labeled them as Latino.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - Deputies searched two schools in Duarte Tuesday morning and soon determined that a call of an active shooter turned out to be a hoax.

Deputies searched and secured Duarte High School, 1565 Central Avenue, and California School of the Arts, 1401 Highland Avenue, February 7.

A call was received at 9:29 a.m. of an active shooter at the Duarte High School address, but the caller mentioned California School of the Arts, according to Sgt. Robert Leyba of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

“We’ve been informed just a little while ago that there were several hoaxes in different counties with an active shooter and students,” Leyba told SGV CityWatch.

Both schools were searched, and nothing was found.

Detectives are trying to determine the source of the call and if the call in Duarte was related to any of the hoax calls in surrounding counties.