Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor IRWINDALE - A dead body was found in the San Gabriel River in Irwindale February 20.
Officers were dispatched to a medical aid call at a homeless encampment between the 210 freeway and Huntington Drive in the San Gabriel Riverbed around 8:50 p.m. Saturday. Irwindale police detectives initiated a homicide investigation with help from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau, according to Sgt. Rudy Gatto of the Irwindale Police Department. After the death was discovered, authorities requested the assistance of a helicopter to the area for other suspicious circumstances after multiple people were heard screaming in the riverbed, according to police radio traffic. Brian Kim, lieutenant with the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner, declined to elaborate on an age, or if the victim was male or female, adult or juvenile. Sheriff’s homicide detectives are now leading this investigation. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor IRWINDALE - The first substation for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Transit Services Bureau along the L Line was unveiled February 1. The substation, 1300 Optical Dr., will hold 69 personnel, including 62 sworn deputies, to provide a greater presence and improved response time along the Metro L Line and busses, according to Ramon Montenegro, public information officer with the Transit Services Bureau. Department response times are some of the best in the US concerning contract policing, Montenegro told SGV CityWatch, but the department is always looking to improve.
The implementation of the Irwindale substation has been about two years in the making, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva. “Under the leadership of Sheriff's Lieutenant Eric Jaime, the new sub-station will serve TSB Deputies who police the L-Line between Azusa and Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles, as well housing TSB's Mental Evaluation Team (MET), Special Assignment Team and their Public Information Officer (PIO),” according to the Irwindale Police Department in a written statement. “We are happy to have the Sheriff in our town and look forward to working closely with them on the safety of our transit riders and those using the Irwindale Station.” The substation will be the fourth along the Metro system, joining the substations at the El Monte Bus Terminal, Downey and the Transit Services Bureau headquarters in Willowbrook, Montenegro told SGV CityWatch. The substation is intended to handle matters along Metro transit lines and not handle all policing matters. For non-emergent transit issues, call the Transit Services Bureau at 323-563-5000. To report incidents to Metro security, call 888-950-SAFE(7233), or use the Metro Transit Watch app. For emergencies, dial 911. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor IRWINDALE - About 100 firefighters and five engine companies were aided by a helicopter in knocking down a vegetation fire Sunday morning. Firefighters were dispatched just before 3 a.m. to the area east of the Lario Staging Area, 3089 E. Huntington Dr., December 6. The fire burned on the east side of Lario along the border with the Vulcan Materials property, according to the Irwindale Police Department. The fire burned one and a half acres, according to Dispatch Supervisor Bernard Peters of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Firefighters remained on scene until nearly 11:10 a.m., Peters told SGV CityWatch. No one was injured and no structures were threatened. Several transients living in the area near the fire were evacuated as a precaution, Irwindale Police said. The cause remains under investigation. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor UPDATE, 8:15 p.m.: Deputies confirmed that the girl was found safe around 7:20 p.m. She was at a friend’s home, according to Deputy Joanna Warren of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau. IRWINDALE - A 12-year-old girl is likely missing inside Santa Fe Dam Recreational Area in Irwindale. The girl was reported missing by her father at 6:03 p.m. November 30. She was last seen by her father around 5:30 p.m., according to Deputy Joanna Warren of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau. The girl is Hispanic and was last seen wearing. blue sweater, blue pants and was seen with a skateboard, Warren told SGV CityWatch. It was not yet clear what area of Santa Fe Dam she was last seen at. Deputies from surrounding stations are searching with the aid of a helicopter. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor IRWINDALE - Hazmat technicians determined the suspicious substance found inside an envelope at a SoCal Edison facility as harmless dirt, police said.
Workers were allowed back into the Southern California Edison Gateway Center, 6010 N. Irwindale Ave., around 12:30 p.m. October 29. Nine employees in all self-evacuated from the building. Two of those employees came in contact with the envelope deemed suspicious while sorting mail, according to Sgt. Rudy Gatto of the Irwindale Police Department. Firefighters were called at 8:14 a.m. Thursday. Los Angeles County Fire Department hazmat units arrived soon after as well as the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s CBRN Hazmat Detail. Gatto commends the quick work by the SoCal Edison employees who immediately initiated their response protocols after deeming the envelope as suspicious. “Their employees are trained to find suspicious packages. Kudos to their staff for being cognizant enough and recognizing that there was something suspicious,” Gatto told SGV CityWatch. The investigation into the source of the envelope and its contents, as well as why the material was sent to the location, is ongoing, Irwindale Police said. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor IRWINDALE - Coroner investigators will determine the cause of death for a man in his late 50s found in an open field Saturday. The body was located near the 15100 block of Arrow Highway in Irwindale March 21. Firefighters determined the man was dead on arrival, according to Sgt. Rudy Gatto of the Irwindale Police Department. At 5:39 p.m., firefighters were called to the area for a person in full arrest, according to Dispatch Supervisor Art Marrujo of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Irwindale detectives and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau investigated the death and found no obvious signs of foul play, Gatto said.
Life guards also responded to the scene during the initial response with Irwindale Police and Los Angeles County firefighters. Westbound lanes of Arrow Highway were shut down for five hours from Gayhurst Avenue to Elton Street, Gatto said. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor IRWINDALE - A man wanted on suspicion of vandalizing signal equipment along the Gold Line railroad tracks around the Duarte area was arrested after fleeing authorities August 21. The unidentified suspect was recognized from a wanted poster circulated by deputies. A metal recycling center employee recognized the suspect’s face and called authorities, according to Ramon Montenegro, public information officer for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Transit Services Bureau. TSB detectives, deputies, Irwindale Police and the Sheriff’s Temple Station worked to establish a containment search when the suspect ran from TSB deputies who tried to detain him, Montenegro told SGV CityWatch. The suspect was attempting to sell stolen materials at an Irwindale recycling center in the 2400 block of Buena Vista Street around 11 a.m. Wednesday. The suspect fled over walls and ran through neighboring businesses before being caught a short time later in the 2300 block of Bateman Avenue, according to Irwindale Police. The suspect is possibly behind an incident August 21 around 2:30 a.m. when the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority became aware of signal and switch issues in Duarte. Officials located damaged equipment by someone who stole wire and attempted to steal cable, Montenegro said.
The Wednesday vandalism caused minor delays during p.m. rush hour service. Bus bridges were required during emergency repairs. Similar crimes have occurred over the past several months, including a wire theft incident that resulted in a days-long closure of Gold Line stations in Azusa July 13. The suspect was booked on suspicion of grand theft, tampering with a railroad system (a federal crime), felony vandalism, and possession of a controlled substance. Detectives may consider adding additional charges, Montenegro said. Since the investigation continues, the suspect’s name will not be released. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor IRWINDALE - Deputies aided by a helicopter and a neighboring agency could not locate a man reportedly armed with a handgun at the Irwindale Gold Line Station early Wednesday.
A deputy observing live security video around 1 a.m. July 10 witnessed a man remove what appeared to be a handgun from a backpack and place it in his waistband, according to Ramon Montenegro, public information officer for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Transit Services Bureau. The suspect likely fled the station platform quickly. Deputies believed the suspect ran to the Santa Fe Dam Recreational Area, Montenegro said. East and west Gold Line trains were held at the Duarte and Azusa Downtown stations for roughly 30 minutes during the search, Montenegro said. Irwindale Police assisted deputies with a containment. Rat Rescued, Suspect Jailed After Irwindale Carjacking Spills Into El Monte, Avocado Heights1/30/2019 Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor IRWINDALE - A carjacking suspect was tracked into Avocado Heights after he ditched the first stolen vehicle, tried to carjack another victim and got into an altercation with a bicyclist before vandalizing a McDonald’s Monday, police said. Angel Bernal, a 26-year-old Los Angeles man on Post-Release Community Supervision, was arrested through the teamwork of at least three law enforcement agencies who were following the suspect’s path of crime. Irwindale officers responded to the Arco AMPM, 15875 Arrow Hwy., at 9:08 p.m. January 28 after a victim said the suspect, later identified as Bernal, flashed a handgun tucked in his waistband. Bernal allegedly took off with the dark blue Jeep Liberty west on Arrow Highway, according to Sgt. Rudy Gatto of the Irwindale Police Department. After the Liberty was registered as stolen, the vehicle’s LoJack system activated. At 10:15 p.m., El Monte Police located the Jeep abandoned at a cul de sac in their city with the help of the LoJack system, Gatto said. The victim’s pet rat had a backseat ride during the ordeal and was recovered safely in the stolen vehicle. “They [El Monte Police] received word of an attempted carjacking that occurred a few blocks away,” Gatto said. “The suspect description matched that of the suspect in our case.” The suspect failed to commit the second carjacking and reportedly fled on foot. El Monte officers were soon flagged down by a bicyclist who reported getting into an altercation with the same suspect, Gatto said.
Bernal fled onto a bus. Later that night, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies responded a vandalism in progress at McDonald’s, 13814 Valley Blvd., in Avocado Heights. After being detained by deputies, Bernal was identified through surveillance images as the same man who committed a trail of crimes originating to Irwindale. The handgun Bernal had was never located, Gatto said. Bernal is being held without bail after being booked on several felony charges. Iriwndale police are working with El Monte officers and Industry deputies to possibly prosecute their crimes with Irwindale’s, Gatto said. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor IRWINDALE - An envelope that visually looked suspicious was later found to pose no threat at a City of Hope Facility Tuesday. Staff at a mail processing location at the City of Hope FLASH building, 2240 Buena Vista St., thought the way the envelope was addressed and labeled looked suspicious while screening incoming mail, according to Sgt. Rudy Gatto of the Irwindale Police Department. Supervisors at the Facilities, Logistics and Support Hub notified police and Los Angeles County firefighters. Emergency protocols at the facility were initiated, which included evacuation of about 100 employees, Gatto said.
Irwindale Police, firefighters, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Arson/Explosives Detail and Sheriff’s Hazmat Detail determined no crime was committed. “There were no explosives, no hazardous materials inside. It was basically something that would have normally been sent to them,” Gatto said. Authorities cleared the area around 5:20 p.m. The FLASH building, which has an Irwindale address on the Duarte border, is separate from the City of Hope hospital. Hospital operations were not impacted. |
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