 Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MONTEREY PARK - Suspected catalytic converter thieves fled Monterey Park Police in two different vehicles, setting off a police pursuit and two crashes, with one suspect dying at the scene. Police attempted to contact two men opening vehicle doors parked at a closed business January 5 in the 700 block of Monterey Pass Road around 5:22 p.m. A gold Nissan fled the scene and rammed a patrol car to exit the property, Monterey Park Police said. The Nissan driver got away. Officers soon began pursuing a black Mercedes that also fled the scene, Monterey Park Police said. The Mercedes fled north on Monterey Pass Road, lost control, struck a curb and crashed. Both occupants in the Mercedes were hospitalized for their injuries. While detaining the two suspects, an overturned Nissan was discovered across the street after it hit a concrete wall. The driver was partially ejected and died at the scene, Monterey Park Police said.
The arrested suspects were identified as 25-year-old Huntington Park resident Diego Ramirez and 31-year-old Wendy Mireles of Pico Rivera. Ramirez and Mireles were both booked on suspicion of attempted grand theft. Ramirez was additionally booked on suspicion of felony evading, vandalism and trespassing. Both suspects are scheduled for an appearance in Alhambra Superior Court Tuesday, January 7.  PHOTO/Monterey Park Police. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MONTEREY PARK - Police announced the arrest of a driver accused of fleeing the scene after hitting and killing a teen skateboarder November 18. Cristina Navarro, a 63-year-old Montebello resident, was arrested after her white minivan was located Nov. 22, according to the Monterey Park Police Department. 14-year-old Joshua Madrid was gravely wounded as he crossed Atlantic Boulevard at Newmark Avenue around 9:20 p.m. November 18. Investigators believe Madrid was outside a marked crosswalk and crossed against a red light when he was struck, Monterey Park police said.
Madrid was taken to an area hospital and later pronounced dead. Navarro was booked on suspicion of hit and run and vehicular manslaughter. She posted bond and remains free ahead of a scheduled appearance in Alhambra Superior Court February 24, 2020. The Driver is Accused of Hit & Run and Vehicular Manslaughter. CLICK TO READ MORE  PHOTOS/Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - Four burglary suspects with extensive criminal histories were arrested October 2 after deputies witnessed them allegedly burglarizing a home. Deputies with the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau and Burglary-Robbery Task Force witnessed the crime unfold around 1 p.m. somewhere along Floral Drive After seeing a white Mercedes-Benz SUV and silver Chevrolet SUV moving slowly and suspiciously, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said. Detectives found the Mercedes-Benz parked on Floral Drive and witnessed the driver approach a home and knock on the front door. The driver returned to the his vehicle while two suspects in the Chevy SUV arrived and gained access to the home’s rear yard after no one answered, the Sheriff’s Department said. The two suspects who entered the yard were witnessed exiting the front door of the home. Both vehicles fled the location simultaneously, the Sheriff’s Department said. “Detectives quickly confirmed a burglary had in fact occurred, with a rear window forced open and interior of the home ransacked,” the Sheriff’s Department said. The suspects who burglarized the home and their driver were stopped and arrested by Sheriff’s deputies with assistance from Monterey Park Police.
Detectives recovered stolen jewelry, currency, and a police radio scanner, from within the Chevy SUV, the Sheriff’s Department said. The driver of the Mercedes-Benz SUV fled the area, but was located and arrested in Vernon. Arrested were: The driver of the Chevy SUV, 37-year-old Kevin Green of Los Angeles, was booked on suspicion of residential burglary. Green has a significant criminal history including arrests for burglary and narcotics violations. He is a previously convicted felon, a documented criminal street gang member, and could face over 20 years in prison if convicted for these new crimes. 40-year-old William Robinson of Los Angeles was previously out of custody on “parole” for burglary. He was booked on suspicion of residential burglary and possession of burglary tools. Robinson has a significant criminal history including arrests for residential burglary and narcotics sales. He has multiple felony convictions and would likely be a “Third Strike” candidate facing life in prison upon additional conviction. He is also a documented South Los Angeles criminal street gang member. Kedrick Daniels, a 42-year-old Los Angeles man, was charged with residential burglary. Daniels has an extensive criminal history including arrests for theft, conspiracy, narcotics and weapons violations. He is facing in excess of 20 years in prison if convicted for this crime. Daniels is a documented Los Angeles criminal street gang member. Driver Frank Tisby, a 32-year-old Los Angeles man, was booked on suspicion of residential burglary. Tisby has a significant criminal history and is a twice-convicted residential burglar. He is facing a “Third Strike” and life in prison if convicted for this charge. Tisby is a documented South Los Angeles criminal street gang member. All suspects are suspected of numerous burglaries throughout Southern California. Sheriff’s detectives and the Monterey Park Police Department both handled the criminal case filing. Three of the suspects appeared in Alhambra Superior Court October 6 and are being held in excess of $1 million bail. A fourth suspect, Green, bonded out.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor
The subsequent search warrant yielded the above evidence including four arrests.
Surveillance footage helped identify several suspects driving away after the gunfire erupted. April 17, Los Angeles Police officers began pursuing one of the vehicles involved in the shooting. The televised pursuit ended at Hellman Avenue and Atlantic Boulevard in Monterey Park. Four suspects fled the vehicle, but were all found and arrested. Two handguns believed to be used in the April 15 shooting were recovered, Monterey Park Police said. April 18, an additional suspect, 28-year-old Johhny Nguyen, was arrested at his El Monte home around 8 p.m. A vehicle parked at his home was damaged with bullet holes, El Monte Police said. Nguyen was booked on suspicion of identity theft, possession for sales of narcotics, being armed with a firearm while selling narcotics, selling narcotics from a fortified location, conspiracy (street terrorism and illegal gambling) and being a member of a criminal street gang. All nine suspects, who have ties to San Gabriel Valley gangs, are scheduled to appear in Alhambra Superior Court April 30.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MONTEREY PARK - Two suspects may be hiding in a restaurant bathroom after a chase terminated near North Atlantic Boulevard and West Hellman Avenue. The chase ended in the underground parking structure. At least two suspects may be hiding and are cornered by CHP officers, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The suspects may be hiding in the restroom of the Tasty Garden, 500 N. Atlantic Blvd. There may be as many as two outstanding suspects in addition to the two holed up in the bathroom. 
VIDEO/Max Palomera.
Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor
MONTEREY PARK - A Southern California Edison employee recorded a video of a flaming garbage truck that rolled down a Monterey Park Street after its brakes failed Monday.
Firefighters were dousing the flaming truck near South Abajo Drive and West Verde Vista Drive around 10:38 a.m. March 18 when the truck slowly started rolling forward. The fire likely compromised the brakes and the truck rolled down the road until came to rest in a residential yard.
Firefighters and SoCal Edison workers ran for cover as the truck began rolling. The truck’s content of yard waste spilled on the road after it stopped. No injuries were reported. 
Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor
MONTEREY PARK - There were no apparent injuries after a garbage truck burst into flames, then rolled down a street and landed in a yard Monday morning.
The garbage truck stopped in the front yard of a residence at South Abajo Drive and West Verde Vista Drive around 10:38 a.m.
PHOTO/Embedded from Matt Williams on Instagram.
The garbage truck was stationary on the road when it began to ignite. It then rolled down the road and stopped in the yard. The truck’s content of yard waste spilled on the road after it stopped.
It is unclear if the driver was in the truck when it rolled down the street.  PHOTOS/Courtesy of Monterey Park Police. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MONTEREY PARK - Police made quick work of a pair of accused home burglars caught leaving the scene Monday. Police were alerted to a home burglary in progress in the 1200 block of South Lincoln Avenue at 7:21 a.m. Shortly after arriving, police found and detained 32-year-old Raul Ceja and 24-year-old Analleli Geray.
Officers further investigated the duo and confirmed their involvement in the burglary, Monterey Park Police said. Ceja, a Los Angeles resident, and Geray, a South Gate resident, were both booked on suspicion of residential burglary and held in lieu of $50,000 bail. The suspects made an initial court appearance February 27.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MONTEREY PARK - Police are scheduled to be out in force Friday, educating bicyclists, drivers and pedestrians who violate traffic laws. Police will look for drivers speeding, making illegal turns, failing to yield to pedestrians; pedestrians jaywalking, failing to yield to drivers; bicyclists riding against traffic, violating stop signs and signals ... and a whole host of other violations. “In 2018, Monterey Park Police Department has investigated 54 fatal and injury collisions involving bicyclists and pedestrians,” Monterey Park Police said.
Bicycle and pedestrian fatalities are rising at an alarming rate. In 2016, 138 bicyclists and 867 pedestrians were killed on California roads. Pedestrian fatalities are up nearly 33 percent from 2012, and the number of bicyclists killed are up nearly 25 percent over the past five years, according to Monterey Park Police. Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  PHOTO/Courtesy of the Monterey Park Police Department. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MONTEREY PARK - Police announced the Friday arrest of a Los Angeles man accused of striking and critically injuring a pedestrian. Thomas Lawrence Potter, 52, was identified during the follow-up investigation. He was located and arrested without incident at 3:06 p.m. January 25, according to the Monterey Park Police Department. Potter was booked on suspicion of felony hit and run causing injuries. He is being held in lieu of $50,000. He is scheduled to appear in Alhambra Superior Court Monday.
Potter and his passenger were in a light-colored SUV when the pedestrian was struck mid-block in the 100 block of West Newmark Avenue just before 7:30 p.m. January 18, according to the Monterey Park Police Department. Potter, his passenger and the SUV were all captured on surveillance camera around the time of the crash. |
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