IRWINDALE – A woman died after being struck by a driver who was found in West Covina Saturday morning, Irwindale Police said.

The suspect, Adrian Ortega, a 21-year-old La Puente man, was stopped by West Covina Police at Francisquito Avenue and Sunset Avenue shortly after the deadly crash and linked Ortega’s vehicle to the hit and run, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

Police responded to a reported bicyclist down on eastbound Huntington Drive on the San Gabriel River bridge around 1:40 a.m. March 27. The woman suffered significant traumatic injuries and Los Angeles County Firefighters declared her dead at the scene.

Irwindale officers went to the West Covina traffic stop and took Ortega into custody. He was booke don suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, felony drunk driving and felony hit and run charges. He was held in lieu of $100,000 bail until being released on bond, according to Los Angeles County booking records. 

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

IRWINDALE - A smoldering fire inside Santa Fe Dam Recreational Area is growing in size with the help of fairly-strong winds Tuesday.

20 to 30-mile-per-hour winds are helping the roughly-two-acre fire to spot roughly one-quarter mile ahead of the main fire, firefighters said at the scene.

Firefighters are entering through West First Street and South Peckham Road on the north side of the dam and are amassing near the nature center.

The direction the fire is moving will have it run into an area where fuels will be late. Firefighters believe that the fire was extinguished yourself out, according to Los Angeles County Fire Department radio traffic.

IRWINDALE – Westbound Arrow Highway between Irwindale Avenue and Azusa Canyon Road remains closed after a pedestrian was struck and killed early Wednesday.

The driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with investigators, according to Sgt. Rudy Gatto of the Irwindale Police Department.

The investigation is underway on westbound Arrow Highway west of 4th Street. The collision was reported to Irwindale Police at 4:05 a.m., Gatto told SGV CityWatch.

Eastbound Arrow Highway between Irwindale Avenue and Azusa Canyon Road will remain closed for possibly several more hours.

Anyone who may have witnessed the collision is urged to call the Irwindale Police Department at 626-430-2244.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

IRWINDALE – An estimated $25,000 in damage was caused after a driver destroyed a security gate, rammed a perimeter wall and other property at the Irwindale Police Department February 27.

A police dispatcher witnessed on camera the suspect, later identified as 57-year-old Anna Maria Guillen of Pomona, as Guillen allegedly used a 2000 Nissan Xterra to destroy a black metal gate leading into a secure police parking lot around 6:13 p.m., according to the Irwindale Police Department.

The gate was knocked off the track after being repeatedly hit and Guillen allegedly drove into the parking lot where she began crashing into other property.

Officers arrived and detained Guillen.

“Thankfully no one was hurt in this incident, including the suspect,” stated Irwindale Police Chief Ty Henshaw. “The quick response by our officers prevented additional damage to city property and our patrol cars.”

The Nissan Xterra was impounded. Two small dogs inside the Xterra were taken by the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Control and Care, Irwindale Police said.

Guillen was booked on suspicion of felony vandalism and trespassing charges. She was issued a citation and released. She is scheduled to appear in the West Covina Courthouse today, March 2.