Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - $25,000 could be yours after the FBI announced a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects responsible in a January 23 bombing that damaged a church known for its inflammatory remarks against the LGBTQ community. Investigators revealed a male and female were witnessed smashing a window at First Works Baptist Church, 2600 Tyler Ave. An object was ignited and thrown in. An explosion followed shortly after, according to the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. The El Monte Police Department was first called at 1 a.m. Both suspects fled into a vehicle and escaped from the scene.
First Works Baptist Church founder Delfin Bruce Mejia has unapologetically spewed hate and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric during sermons and on social media. He slowly became the ire of an entire community, which responded with protests and demands to shut down the church. A petition reportedly more than 15,000 signatures strong was sent to El Monte Mayor Jessica Ancona to close the church. The male suspect is described as Hispanic, between 5 feet 8 inches to 6 feet 1 inch tall and 170 to 180 pounds. The female is possible between 5 feet 3 inches to 5 feet 5 inches tall and between 125 to 130 pounds. Anyone with information on this incident is urged to call the FBI Los Angeles Field Office at 310-477-6565, or any local FBI field office, or American Consulate. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor EL MONTE – A head-on crash between two vehicle claimed the life of one driver Wednesday night, police said.
A crash between a Cadillac sedan and a Toyota 4Runner occurred on Santa Anita Avenue north of Valley Boulevard around 7:15 p.m. The 4Runner was southbound and apparently crossed over the median before colliding with the Cadillac, according to the El Monte Police Department. The four inside the Cadillac sedan apparently only suffered minor injuries. They were all hospitalized. The driver of the 4Runner was alone in the vehicle. El Monte Police announced just before 4:30 a.m. that road closures were ended. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor EL MONTE - The hunt continues for the driver of a black truck who struck and killed a motorcyclist February 20.
Investigators are seeking an Asian man who is 30 to 40 years old, stands 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighs 175 pounds, has black hair and brown eyes, according to the El Monte Police Department. The suspect also wore a brown plaid long-sleeve shirt and black pants. The described suspect drove a black four-door 2005 to 2015 Toyota Tacoma (SR5), which sported mud flaps, a chrome rear bumper, El Monte Police said. The rider, identified as 56-year-old John Spata, died soon after being struck at 7 p.m. near Lower Azusa Road and Peck Road. The collision was caught on nearby surveillance camera. Spata was westbound on Lower Azusa Road. The truck driver was traveling eastbound, failed to yield to oncoming traffic and made a left turn into the driveway of Shell Gas, 4801 Peck Rd. The driver of the truck appeared to intentionally drive in the path of Spata before striking him and fleeing, according to the El Monte Police Department. Spata was forced to lay the bike down and he slid into the moving truck, which was driven away from the scene, El Monte Police said. A second vehicle described as a white sedan may have run over Spata after the initial collision, El Monte Police said. Anyone with information on the hit-and-run driver is urged to call El Monte Police at 626-580-2100, 626-580-2183, or 626-580-2109. Information can be emailed to tips@empd.org. 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. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor EL MONTE - A USPS mail carrier working on deliveries died in an El Monte neighborhood Saturday.
Officers responded around 2:08 p.m. on a report of a mail carrier unresponsive in his truck. Officers arrived and performed CPR until Los Angeles County Firefighter paramedics could work to save him. He died at the scene, according to Lt. Doug Knight of the El Monte Police Department. The mail carrier died in the 3700 block of Baldwin Avenue, according to Sarah Ardalani, public information officer with the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. The carrier was identified at 56-year-old Ian Roxas. The cause of death was deferred, pending additional investigation, according to coroner records. No foul play is suspected, Knight told SGV CityWatch. U.S. Postal Service personnel took possession of the mail truck and its contents, Knight told SGV CityWatch. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor EL MONTE - A homicide investigation is underway after a woman was found dead.
The incident was reported just before 8 p.m. in the 2300 block of Mountain View Road February 22. The woman died at the scene, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau. Investigators did not yet state how the woman may have died. Anyone with information on this investigation is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. 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. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor EL MONTE - A motorcyclist died soon after being struck by a dark-colored four-door truck February 20.
The hit-and-run driver is still at-large and a family is left reeling from the aftermath that took the life of John Spata, a 56-year-old Temple City man. The collision occurred around 7 p.m. near Lower Azusa Road and Peck Road. The collision was caught on nearby surveillance camera. The driver of the dark-colored truck appeared to drive in the path of Spata before striking him and fleeing, according to the El Monte Police Department. The truck appeared to feature chrome bumpers. A second vehicle described as a white sedan may have run over Spata after the initial collision, El Monte Police said. Anyone with information on the hit-and-run driver is urged to call El Monte Police at 626-580-2100. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor EL MONTE - A robbery suspect allegedly fought with officers until he was fatally shot near a freeway off ramp Monday.
Police responded to a robbery call at 1:55 p.m. and during a search, found a man matching a suspect description near Durfee Avenue and Garvey Avenue February 15. The suspect ran from an officer who attempted to speak with him, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau. The suspect ended up near the freeway off ramp at Durfee Avenue. The officer caught up with him and the two began fighting with each other. Another officer arrived as back up. It was then that a police shooting occurred, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau. The suspect died at the scene. No officers were injured. BREAKING NEWS: Homicide Investigation Underway After Man Dies During Police Shooting in El Monte2/15/2021 Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor EL MONTE – A police shooting ended with one dead suspect Monday afternoon, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.
The shooting took place at Durfee Road and Garvey Avenue just after 2 p.m. February 15. The suspect, only described as a male adult, died at the scene, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said. Detectives with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau are investigating. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor EL MONTE - A church sustained undisclosed damage in what authorities described as an IED explosion Saturday.
The incident occurred at First Works Baptist Church, 2600 Tyler Ave. around 1:13 a.m. “The Federal Bureau of Investigation responded overnight with members of the El Monte Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to an “IED” attack at the First Works Baptist Church in El Monte, California. Bomb Technicians and an Evidence Response Team are processing the scene which sustained damage. No injuries were reported. A Joint Investigation is underway for the person or group responsible for the attack,” according to Lt. Michael Buckhannon of the El Monte Police Department in a written statement. Firefighters arrived on scene and observed smoke coming from the attic of a one-story church. Upon entering the church, firefighters found no active flames, according to a dispatch supervisor with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Anyone with information on this incident is urged to contact the FBI Los Angeles Field Office at 310-477-6565, or at fbi.tips.gov. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor EL MONTE - One person died at the scene of a collision early Sunday morning.
Investigators believe drunk driving is to blame for the crash that occurred around 5:30 a.m. at East Lower Azusa Road and North Peck Road December 13. A Toyota Tundra and Nissan Versa collided. The Tundra’s driver was taken to County USC/Medical Center. A passenger in the Versa died at the scene. The Versa’s driver was hospitalized, according to Lt. Pete Rasic of the El Monte Police Department. Preliminary information from the scene suggested that one of the drivers may have been driving under the influence. Investigators are waiting for lab results to show blood alcohol levels to determine sobriety, Rasic told SGV CityWatch. |
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