GLENDORA - Three people were arrested at the end of a short-lived escape after the driver crashed in front of a Glendora home Tuesday afternoon.
 
The driver of a blue minivan sped away from a deputy on westbound Gladstone Street near Lone Hill Avenue February 23. The driver and two passengers ran after crashing on the lawn of a home at Gladstone Street and Valley Center Avenue, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s radio traffic.
 
The incident occurred sometime before 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.
 
A patrol deputy attempted to stop the driver for multiple vehicle code violations, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s San Dimas Station.
 
The suspects may have tried to change their clothing in an attempt to alter their appearance, according to deputies at the scene of the crash.
 
After the suspects ran, a containment was set up and all three suspects were soon found and taken into custody, the San Dimas Sheriff’s Station said.
 
Deputies found what is believed to be stolen property inside the van, items including gardening equipment.
 
All three male suspects were booked on suspicion of various charges, including possession of stolen property.

Sgt. Saenz of the San Dimas Sheriff’s Station detective bureau provided names of the arrestees:
Daniel Erlander Cortez, 38; Michael Rodriguez, 21; and Miguel Rebolar, 31. All three men are from Pasadena.

Cortez posted bond and is scheduled to appear in court April 1. Rodriguez was released on penal code 849(B)(1), citing insufficient/inadmissible evidence, or grounds for arrest. Information on Rebolar was unavailable, according to Los Angeles County booking records.
​
Additional information courtesy of CityWatch Contributor Gary M.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

GLENDORA - With no excuses to be found, a driver’s perfect crime was finally over February 19 after a California Highway Patrol Officer discovered his carpool companion was plastic.

The officer saw the driver’s front passenger was a fully-decked-out mannequin, even through the overly-dark tint, which is why the driver was stopped. The mannequin was dressed in a baseball hat, wig, glasses, flannel shirt and even a medical mask, according to the CHP.

We’re in a pandemic after all.

The driver was pulled over on the East 210 freeway East of Grand Avenue around 4:19 p.m.

“Officer Sullinger was amazed at how ‘complete’ the dummy was. He noticed every little bit of detail the driver put into making the dummy look realistic from the work boots, to the sunglasses in the shirt pocket,” said Officer Rodrigo Jimenez of the California Highway Patrol Baldwin Park Office.

The driver admitted to Officer Sullinger that he was getting away with this ruse for a year and a half, Jimenez told SGV CityWatch.

“Officer Sullinger complemented the violator on his realistic carpool buddy; however, this did not stop Officer Sullinger from writing this carpool violator a citation from driving solo in the carpool lane,” Jimenez told SGV CityWatch.

The mannequin had no comment.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

GLENDORA – An accused commercial burglary and felony vandalism suspect was caught with stolen property after he attempted to flee the scene of the crime, police said.

Martin Duzdabanyan, 38, was seen fleeing the Goodwill, 526 W. Foothill Blvd., and entering a vehicle parked behind the business Thursday, February 11. Officers found stolen items from within the store, including the security DVR system, according to the Glendora Police Department.

Officers responded to Goodwill at 12:35 a.m. after the business’ alarm company called Glendora Police.

Duzdabanyan posted $20,000 bond and was released at 5:59 p.m. February 12. He is scheduled for an appearance at the West Covina courthouse Wednesday, February 17, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

GLENDORA - A Long Beach man was arrested after allegedly shooting at another man after a brief argument, police said.

Investigators are seeking one count of attempted murder against Eddy Velarde, 33, and one count of possession of a controlled substance.

Officers encountered a man who said he was targeted by a an unknown man who fired several rounds at him in the parking lot of Tuesday morning, 1000 E. Route 66, around 2:19 a.m. February 5. He was not injured, according to the Glendora Police Department.

After the argument, the suspect, later identified as Velarde, returned with a handgun and opened fire, Glendora police said.

Investigators were able to identify and locate Velarde who was arrested later that night in Glendora around 8:50 p.m.

The handgun investigators allege was used in the shooting was recovered from Velarde’s possession, Glendora Police said.

The case will be filed this week with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

GLENDORA - Multiple sticks of dynamite estimated to have been in a basement for 70 to 80 years were slowly burned up to prevent a possible threat to residents Saturday.

The dynamite, apparently stored in the basement and kept secret, was found by family members of the owner in the 200 block of East Bennett Avenue around 1:30 p.m. The dynamite was apparently unstable, according to the Glendora Police Department.

“The dynamite sticks were stabilized inside the residence, and then brought outside where they were burned in a controlled setting,” the Glendora Police Department said in a written statement.

Residences were evacuated around the home for many hours while the scene was secured and bomb techs with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Arson/Explosives Detail worked.

Assisting Glendora Police and the Sheriff’s Department were the Los Angeles County Fire Department and the American Red Cross.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

GLENDORA - Homes around the 200 block of East Bennet Avenue have been evacuated as technicians from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Arson/Explosives Detail are attempting to stabilize what has been reported as a dynamite found in a residential basement.

Someone cleaning out a relatives basement located what appears to be dynamite around 1:30 p.m. January 30. Glendora officers arrived to the scene and after seeing a picture of the suspicious items decided to call bomb squad technicians, according to Sgt. Shawna Celello of the Glendora Police Department.

“They are advising that it is unstable and they are in the process of stabilizing it and removing it from the home,” Celello told SGV CityWatch.

And estimated 25 residences have been evacuated in the area. The Glendora Police Department is asking residents and curious onlookers to stay away from the 200 block of East Bennet Avenue.

Access to the 200 block of East Bennett Avenue is blocked.

The American Legion Building, 159 N. Cullen Ave., is serving as a evacuation center for residents only, Celello told SGV CityWatch.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

GLENDORA - Police tracked down a self-admitted Azusa 13 gang member in a stolen vehicle after they say he committed two armed robberies in town Tuesday.

Police accuse Jesus Avina, 19, of driving around, using a knife to threaten his two victims and demand money and cell phone.

Avina first threatened a female victim as she rode a bicycle near Yucca Place and Leadora Avenue around 6:30 a.m. Avina drove off and 10 minutes later, he brandished the knife at a man out for a walk near Palm Drive and Estrada Way. Avina allegedly escaped with the demanded property, according to the Glendora Police Department.

A license plate number was obtained and detectives determined the suspect vehicle was reported stolen in Covina. Detectives also identified Avina as a suspect, Glendora Police said.

“At about 1:30 p.m. Avina was located in Azusa while driving the stolen vehicle. He was arrested and transported the Glendora Police Jail. The weapon used in the robberies was located in Avina’s possession at the time of his arrest,” according to the Glendora Police Department.

Avina has been arrested four time since November of 2020 for grand theft auto. He is also on probation for robbery. He was released a little more than two hours from the Covina Police jail under the current “zero-bail” order. He was in Covina Police custody for grand theft auto and allegedly stole the vehicle used in the Glendora robberies after his release, Glendora Police said.

Police will present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and seek two charges for robbery, one count of stealing a vehicle, possessing metal knuckles and possession of a concealed dagger.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

GLENDORA - A 20-year-old Glendora man whom investigators said was amongst Trump loyalists who besieged the Capitol Hill Complex January 6 in a furor over conspiracies of voter fraud was released after being taken into custody.

Hunter Allen Ehmke is accused of one count of damaging or destroying government property, one count of obstruction of an official proceeding and one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

With the help of Glendora Police, Ehmke was taken into custody at his relative’s home, former Glendora councilman Bob Kuhn, Wednesday, January 13.

Ehmke was scheduled for an initial appearance in federal court January 14. He was released on the $40,000 bond and is confined to home detention and electronic home monitoring, according to the DOJ.

According to a Statement of Facts released by the DOJ, a Capitol Hill Police officer witnessed Ehmke who stood on a ledge near the Capitol Rotunda steps landing. Ehmke, clad in a dark gray jacket and dark-colored pants, motioned for additional rioters to join him.

Ehmke proceeded to strike a 6-foot-tall window pane with his fist. The window leads to an interior office. The Capitol Hill officer ran from fellow officers who were holding back a line of rioters and struck Ehmke with a riot shield twice, eventually causing both Ehmke and the officer to fall to the ground, the Statement said.

The window was broken, allegedly by Ehmke.

As the fellow officers came to their partner’s assistance and restrained Ehmke, a group of rioters advanced on the officers and reportedly refused to allow them to take their detainee. The officers felt it was best to allow Ehmke to be released at the scene, but not before Taking pictures of Ehmke, the damage window and informing him that they would seek a warrant for his arrest later. His California ID was also confiscated before Ehmke was released back into the crowd.

Ehmke is scheduled for an initial appearance in federal court in Washington, D.C.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

GLENDORA - A man issued a demand note to a bank teller during a robbery at Chase Bank Friday afternoon.

The robbery occurred at the Chase Bank, 1905 E. Route 66, January 8. Police responded to the bank at 4:30 p.m., according to Lt. Marty Barrett of the Glendora Police Department.

“A note was passed in which a gun was threatened,” according to Laura Eimiller from FBI Media Relations. She noted that no weapon was actually seen.

It was not specified if the suspect fled with any money. The suspect is still at-large.

The suspect is described as a possibly white, Hispanic, or Middle Eastern man. Anyone with information on the robbery suspect is urged to call the FBI at 310-477-6565.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

GLENDORA - Five people were seen running from a home by a vigilant neighbor who called police December 25.

Officers arrived and confirmed a residential burglary took place when suspects entered through a side door at a home in the 1000 block of East Bradford Drive. Officers were called to the home at 8:04 p.m., according to Sgt. Shawna Celello of the Glendora Police Department.

The suspects were described as possibly four males and one female. The suspects fled with items in their hands, Celello told SGV CityWatch.

“A neighbor knew the resident wasn’t home and saw people running out,” Celello told SGV CityWatch.

A helicopter was called to search the area, but the search yielded nothing.