Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - A man hospitalized Wednesday evening later died from his suspicious injuries, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

A person of interest was detained at the scene in the 2500 block of Maynard Drive. First responders were sent to the home around 6:49 p.m., according to Sheriff’s Homicide investigators.

Detectives have yet to elaborate on the nature of the initial response to the home, nor a possible motive in this suspicious death.

Anyone with information on this incident is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Remain anonymous 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

DUARTE - A gunman opened fire on two people standing outside a home and fled on foot May 1.

Deputies responded to the 2200 block of Wesleygrove Avenue on an initial report of gunfire heard in the area around 3:36 p.m. They then discovered two Black men had been shot, according to Lt. Kearney of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

Both shooting victims were hit in the abdomen area and their injuries were considered graze wounds. The victims were treated at the scene by Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics and refused to be hospitalized, Kearney told SGV CityWatch.

The suspect, only described as a male Latino adult, was walking northbound on Wesleygrove Avenue when he saw the two men standing on the front yard of a home and fired roughly 10 rounds from a 9mm handgun, Kearney told SGV CityWatch.

The suspect ran southbound on Wesleygrove and eastbound on Pamela Road towards Pamela County Park.

Detectives from the Sheriff’s Operation Safe Streets Bureau are investigating a potential gang connection, Kearney told SGV CityWatch.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - A pedestrian was struck and critically injured by a U-Haul van on Huntington Drive, Wednesday morning.

Deputies do not believe that distracted, driving, drugs, or alcohol played a factor in the crash that took place on East Huntington Drive at Crestfield Drive just after 11 a.m. Wednesday, October 18.

An update on the pedestrian’s condition was not readily available Thursday morning.

Deputies had westbound lanes of Huntington Drive blocked off from Las Lomas Road to Crestfield Drive during the investigation. The U-Haul van remained stopped in the middle of Huntington Drive. A large blood stain was seen on the road in front of the van.

Why the collision happened is still under investigation, according to Lt. Ruiz of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - A fatal shooting occurred in a residential area of Duarte early Monday morning.

First responders were called to the 1000 block of Kellwil Way around 1:44 a.m. Monday, October 16. The victim, only described as a male adult, was declared dead at the scene.

No other information is readily available.

Anyone with information on this shooting is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Remain anonymous 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

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 - Two 17-year-olds were hospitalized Thursday night, reportedly found without their pulse and not breathing inside a home.

Deputies were called to the home at 8:55 p.m. November 3. Family members found the teens in the home on Bettyhill Avenue just north of Treefern Drive, according to Sgt. Leyba of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

Suspecting a possible Fentanyl overdose, deputies readied doses of Nalaxone, known by the brand name Narcan, and deployed the opioid inhibitor once on scene, according to Sheriff’s radio traffic.

“The deputies administered three cans of Narcan, because it was believed it was a possible Fentanyl overdose.

Deputies also performed chest compressions until firefighters arrived, according to Sheriff’s radio traffic.

Leyba did not know the current condition for the teens and said deputies were still determining what was behind the overdose.

DUARTE – Authorities reported the Fish Fire was 100 percent contained June 14 at 9:45 a.m.
 
The fire scorched just a little more than 55 acres of the San Gabriel Mountains after it first ignited Sunday, June 12, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
 
All forward progress was stopped June 13 after firefighters worked to establish a line around the majority of the fire, with cliffs having provided difficulty to access, the Los Angeles County Fire Department announced Monday.
 
Encanto Drive was previously reopened along with Mel Canyon Road and Brookridge Road. Encanto Park, the established site for Helicopter water refueling, has since been reopened as well.
 
Firefighters remained on fire watch into Tuesday night to ensure nothing flared up.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

UPDATE, 8:20 p.m.: The Fire in the Duarte foothills is 20 percent contained. As of 7:20 p.m., 25 to 30 acres were scorched. The small fire in the San Gabriel Riverbed was 100 contained, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

The Mel Canyon area and streets around Encanto Park will remain closed until 10 p.m, according to the City of Duarte.

UPDATE, 5:23 p.m.: Firefighters have requested a second-alarm for the brush fire burning above Duarte. The fire has burned about 15 to 20 acres, according to Los Angeles County Fire Department radio traffic.

The fire is reportedly burning north of Brookridge Road and Opal Canyon Road. There is no threat to the homes below. Traffic is blocked at the intersection of Mel Canyon Road and Royal Oaks Road, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

DUARTE - Firefighters are reporting 3 acres of brush are burning above Duarte Sunday afternoon.

The fire is burning with a moderate rate of spread in an easterly direction above Brookridge Drive and Mell Canyon Road. One structure is possibly threatened, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department radio traffic.

A full brush fire response has been initiated by Los Angeles County Fire.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

UNINCORPORATED MONROVIA - Two people were found wounded after gunfire rang out in an unincorporated neighborhood near Duarte Valentine’s Day.

The shooting occurred on South Felberg Avenue north of Maydee Street around 2:43 p.m. February 14.

Two people were shot. The victims, described as having critical injuries, were transported to two different hospitals, according to Dispatch Supervisor Cheryl Sims of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Deputies are searching for possibly as many as four suspects in the shooting. A black handgun and possibly a black rifle were used in the shooting, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department radio traffic.

The suspects reportedly entered a gray older-model four-door sedan which was driven south towards Maydee Street and out of view.

Hey sheriffs supervisor did not answer a phone call by this reporter seeking additional information. A motive for the shooting is not yet publicly clear.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - Firefighters pulled the dead body of a man from a mangled mess of electrical equipment Friday morning.

The man was likely electrocuted at a construction site at 1700 Business Center Dr. just before 7 a.m. April 3. The man’s body was found inside an energized substation, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Firefighters believe the man was electrocuted during an attempted copper wire theft overnight.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department Urban Search and Rescue team waited until Southern California Edison de-energized the equipment before extracting the body.

It is unclear how long the body was at the construction site before being discovered.