Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

IRWINDALE - The man arrested January 29 and accused of terrorizing at least 10 other drivers over was briefly stopped by Irwindale Police late last year.

Nathaniel Walter Radimak, 36, was stopped November 25, 2022 in the 4900 block of Irwindale Avenue around 11 a.m. He was initially stopped for a vehicle code violation. He was cited for driving without a license, according to Sgt. Diego Cornejo of the Irwindale Police Department.

After months of eluding arrest, Radimak, a Los Angeles resident, was identified and arrested in Torrance by the California Highway Patrol. He is accused of assault with a deadly weapon, which was infamously caught on a dashboard camera January 11. The attack occurred on the 2 freeway near York Boulevard in Los Angeles, according to the CHP.

Radimak was caught on camera allegedly committing multiple other attacks that were also in Atwater Village, Pasadena and Echo Park.

Radimak was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. He is being held in lieu of more than $5 million bail in the Los Angeles Police Department 77th Street jail. He also has at least two outstanding warrants. Court date information was not readily available.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

IRWINDALE - A robbery suspect who led authorities on a wild chase through Irwindale and multiple other cities December 22 was arrested in Baldwin Park.

The pursuit was televised and showed the suspect fleeing as fast as 95 miles per hour, refusing to stop for stop signs, red lights and traveling on the wrong side of the road as he evaded Irwindale officers who attempted to stop him for allegedly trying to rob at least seven different victims, including children, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

One of the armed robberies was reported around 4:37 p.m. in the 6600 block of Irwindale Avenue Thursday. The suspect, Hector Damian Silvaruiz, was located in a black Honda Accord on Gladstone Street and Dugan Avenue in Azusa.

At least two of the seven victims were children, as young as 7 and 8 years old. A hammer was used during the attempted robberies. No one was injured, but a number of vehicles were vandalized. A hammer was recovered by officers, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

Silvaruiz led officers on a 40-minute, 28-mile pursuit through multiple cities: Irwindale, Azusa, Duarte, Bradbury, Monrovia, Arcadia, Sierra Madre, Pasadena and Altadena using the 210 freeway and surface streets, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

The pursuit was canceled due to the dangerous driving of Silvaruiz, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

Officers locate Silvaruiz in Baldwin Park. He was placed into custody at 1:17 a.m. Friday.

The Glendora man was booked on suspicion of robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, evading arrest, vandalism, and a number of vehicle code violations. He is being held at the West Covina City Jail in lieu $75,000.00 bail, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

Silvaruiz is scheduled to appear in the West Covina courthouse Wednesday, December 28.

IRWINDALE – A man accused of using a hammer to cause several thousand dollars in damage to seven vehicles last week, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

Ricardo Rangel, 38, allegedly damaged the vehicles near Ramona Boulevard and the southbound 605 freeway off ramp around 12:37 p.m. January 28, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

No one was injured.

“All of the vehicles he attacked were occupied at the time, some of which had children as passengers,” according to the Irwindale Police Department in a written statement.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Officefiled seven felony counts of felony vandalism against Rangel who remains in custody in lieu of $30,000 bail ahead of a scheduled appearance in the West Covina courthouse Thursday, February 3.

IRWINDALE – A man accused of stealing his girlfriend’s vehicle after assaulting her was arrested after evading Industry Station deputies into Irwindale Tuesday.

The suspect, identified as Anthony Cole, alleged shoved and punched his girlfriend of several years and her juvenile daughter. He fled in the girlfriend’s vehicle, which was located on Baldwin Park Boulevard in the City of Industry area. Deputies attempted to stop the driver, according to Lt. David Petrocelli of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Industry Station.

The incident occurred around 1:30 p.m.

A pursuit began at eastbound Live Oak Avenue at Arrow Highway in Irwindale.

“As the suspect entered the intersection of Azusa Canyon Road and Los Angeles Street in the City of Irwindale the suspect collided with another driver turning left in the intersection,” Petrocelli told SGV CityWatch.

A chain reaction collision occurred. Three other vehicles were struck and the stolen vehicle rolled over. The suspect, identified by deputies as Cole extricated himself from the wreck and briefly fled on foot before being arrested, Petrocelli told SGV CityWatch.

Los Angeles County Firefighters were dispatched at 1:36 p.m.

The collision left a mess of twisted vehicles strewn across railroad tracks used by Metrolink and Union Pacific Railroad, necessitating train traffic to hault, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

Cole submitted to a mandatory medical clearance prior to being booked, according to Sgt. Fitch of the Sheriff’s Industry Station.

There were no serious injuries. Irwindale Police traffic investigators are handling the collision investigation, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

The roadway was reopened at 3:15 p.m.

IRWINDALE – Police found a man who allegedly threatened multiple people with a knife after attempting to rob a woman November 20.

Mark Anthony Quintanilla, 25, attempted to take a woman’s purse at knifepoint Saturday in the 4300 block of Irwindale Avenue around 7:02 p.m., according to the Irwindale Police Department.

Quintanilla then allegedly chased a witness to the attempted robbery and threatened that witness with a knife. A second witness fled to the safety of a vehicle after also allegedly being chased by Quintanilla who also struck the victim’s ride, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

“Quintanilla fled into a nearby residential area before officers arrived, however he was located hiding under a vehicle in the 15000 block of Ballentine Place and was arrested without incident,” according to the Irwindale Police Department in a written statement.

Quintanilla, a West Covina resident, was booked on suspicion of attempted robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and making criminal threats.

Quintanilla is being held in the West Covina Police jail in lieu of $70,000 bail ahead of a scheduled appearance in the West Covina Courthouse November 23.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

IRWINDALE - Police announced the arrest of a man wanted in two separate machete attacks in undeveloped areas of Irwindale in the month of September.

The suspect, Fidel Esparza, 52, was located in the 1400 block of Arrow Highway in Irwindale just before 11 a.m. October 19. Esparza briefly ran from officers and detectives who approached him while they conducted surveillance in the area and was eventually taken into custody, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

Esparza is accused of attacking a woman September 4 and attacking a man September 29 at transient camps located north of the 1200 block of Arrow Highway in undeveloped land owned by the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Irwindale Police Department said.

The woman was attacked by a man wielding a machete at her transient camp and was slashed on an arm. 25 days later a man was assaulted by a suspect wielding a machete and was left with injuries to a hand and some fingers, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

While the attacks were apparently separate, both victims were familiar with the suspect and identify him by name and told investigators that he frequented the area.

After Esparza’s arrest, detectives located and confiscated multiple machetes from the transient camp the suspect lives at.

Esparza was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and on suspicion of resisting arrest, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

Esparza is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail at the West Covina Jail ahead of a scheduled appearance in the West Covina courthouse Wednesday, October 21.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

IRWINDALE - Police announced the arrest of a domestic violence suspect found hiding in a transient camp Wednesday.

Steven Anthony Chaffino, a 50-year-old man from Baldwin Park, was booked on suspicion of felony spousal abuse. Police met Chaffino’s victim at a local hospital August 24.

“On arrival, the officers learned that the female victim had been physically assaulted and burned with hot water by a male suspect known to her,” according to the Irwindale Police Department in a written statement. The alleged abuse occurred in a transient camp near Huntington Drive and the San Gabriel River August 20.

With the help of a Pasadena Police helicopter, Chaffino was found hiding in a transient camp hidden amongst thick brush in an undeveloped area of Santa Fe Dam Recreational Area one-quarter mile south of Huntington Drive and one-quarter mile east of the river, Irwindale Police said.

Chaffino could be seen peering at police through through a tent and upon seeing the circling police helicopter, he fled on a fire road towards Huntington Drive before being cuffed.

Evidence connecting Chaffino to the crime was found at the transient camp, Irwindale Police said.

Chaffino is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail.

IRWINDALE - A South El Monte man was arrested August 11 after police tracked him down courtesy of information from the community.

Jesus Avila Jr., 33, was arrested after officers served a search warrant at an undisclosed location in Irwindale at 5:30 p.m. Avila was booked on suspicion of attempted homicide, according to the Irwindale Police Department in a written statement.

Avila is being held in lieu of a little more than $2 million bail in the West Covina jail.

IRWINDALE – Upset over an empty soda machine, a Baldwin Park man became irate and threatened AMPM employees, ultimately kicked and punched one and assaulted him with a hammer, and assaulted another with a stun device.

The tirade unfolded at AMPM, 15875 Arrow Hwy, just after 4:30 p.m. August 9.

Edger Morelos, 35, “produced a hammer and began to threaten store employees with the hammer.  He then armed himself with a large kitchen knife, which he brandished and swung at the employees, all while still continuing to threaten them,” according to the Irwindale Police Department in a written statement.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

IRWINDALE - An attempted homicide suspect remains at-large after brutally punching and knocking a man to the pavement at a gas station July 12.

Detectives do not know what led to the attack at an Arco Gas Station, 110 Longden Ave. around 1:50 a.m. After punching the victim, the suspect fled in a Honda Pilot, which was since recovered, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

The victim’s head hit the pavement. He suffered severe head injuries and brain trauma, Irwindale Police said.

“Unfortunately, there was no audio associated with the video and thus far the victim has been unable to make a statement due to his medical condition,” according to Sgt. Rudy Gatto of the Irwindale Police Department. “We are not sure what led to the altercation, or what preceded the assault.

The suspect appears Hispanic, in his mid-30s, stands 6 feet tall, weights 275 pounds, has black hair and a black mustache/goatee. He wore a black t-shirt with a Marilyn Monroe design on the front, black and white checkered shorts and grey tennis shoes.

Anyone with information on the assault is urged to call Irwindale Police Detective D. Cornejo at 626-430-2290, or email [email protected]. 

Information can be provided anonymously by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or at lacrimestoppers.org.