 Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor PASADENA - A suspect was booked on suspicion of attempted murder Wednesday after a woman was beaten and dragged from a train station onto the 210 freeway. The shocking assault took place around 5:40 a.m. at the A Line Allen Station August 7. After being punched and knocked down, the woman was dragged away onto the railroad tracks and then the 210 freeway, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Transit Services Bureau. The woman was hospitalized in stable condition. The suspect fled the area, but was arrested by deputies near Allen Avenue and Villa Street. Los Angeles County booking records show Juan Pablo Flores, 33, was arrested August 7 by Transit Services Bureau deputies. He was booked on suspicion of attempted murder and is being held in lieu of $2 million bail at the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles. Los Angeles County Board Supervisor Kathryn Barger issued a statement in the wake of the attack: “I am outraged to hear of yet another attack on our Metro system. I want to commend the transit deputies who responded quickly and apprehended the suspect. This incident is a perfect example of why we need to urgently address safety issues, not only on the Metro train system, but also at stations. I expect a full report from Metro on what security measures will be put in place to increase security, especially during early morning commute hours. “Our Metro Board has already taken some steps to improve public safety, including enforcing fares. But, it’s obvious to me that our Metro system commuters are still confronted with serious safety issues that cannot be ignored.” Flores is scheduled for an appearance in Pasadena Superior Court Friday, August 9.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor PASADENA - The suspect accused of murdering a man at a Pasadena Park November 18 was arrested and charged with murder and was charged with crimes stemming from other incidents in town.
Aaron Miguel Conell, 24, was officially charged with one count each of murder, attempted murder and assault with a semiautomatic firearm, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Conell allegedly shot and wounded another victim October 29 at Washington Park, 700 E. Washington Blvd., the same park where 64-year-old Mickey Cooper was found shot dead last week. Conell is also accused of walking up to a driver at a Pasadena gas station and aiming a handgun at the driver’s head, according to the District Attorney’s Office. Mickey Cooper is the brother of former NBA basketball player Michael Cooper. Michael told ABC7 Eyewitness News that the brothers would often play basketball at the same park where Mickey was slain. Mickey led a somewhat troubled, but otherwise quiet life in his adult years. If convicted as charged, Conell will face 50 years to life in prison.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor PASADENA – Investigators believe a Houston, Texas man is behind a series of suspicious fires that all burned in close proximity to each other and over the course of one hour.
David William Powell, 40, is accused arson and attempted murder. He is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility on Los Angeles ahead of a scheduled appearance in Pasadena Municipal Court October 19. Powell is believed to have ignited two very destructive residential fires, two smaller fires and used a hammer to attack a man October 17, authorities said. The first destructive fire was dispatched at 5:41 p.m. in the 300 block of North Chester Avenue. The fire was located in a detached garage housing two vehicles. The fire extended into an adjacent apartment, according to Lisa Derderian, City Public Information Officer for Pasadena. Around 6 p.m., firefighters then reported a fire burning one block east and discovered a residential structure well-involved with fire near Holliston Avenue and Corson Street, Derderian said in a written statement. The Chester fire was quickly knocked down. The Holliston fire was knocked down in nearly 18 minutes. No one was home at the time, but the fire displaced all residents, Derderian said. A third, but smaller, fire was reported and extinguished at a construction site just before 7 p.m. in the 700 block of East Walnut Street. Another small fire was reported and extinguished in the 1800 block of Locust Street just before 8 p.m., authorities said. While the first two fires burned, Pasadena Police also responded to Allen Avenue and Corson Street to investigate an assault and found a man in his 50s suffering from major injuries allegedly caused in a hammer attack. The suspect fled in an SUV, authorities said. Police saw a suspicious SUV near the fourth fire and attempted to stop the driver possibly linked to the hammer attack. The driver fled and ran briefly, but was caught. Police seized evidence allegedly linking Powell to the hammer attack and fires. Damage caused in the Chester fire is estimated at $50,000. The fire damage on Holliston is estimated at $200,000 to the structure and $100,000 in contents, Derderian said.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - The man accused of stabbing two family members to death, a portion of the crime that was witnessed on a live Zoom meeting, was officially charged Monday.
Robert Anderson Cotton, 32, faces two counts of murder with an allegation of using a knife as a deadly and dangerous weapon. Cotton’s arraignment was continued to April 5. He is accused of killing mother Carol Brown, 67, and uncle Kenneth Preston, 69, at the house they all shared in the 3000 block of North Marengo Avenue March 22. The bodies were discovered after police were called around 2:50 p.m. in the 3000 block of North Marengo Avenue. Brown was a 15-year-member of Pasadena City College and was reportedly in the middle of a work meeting on Zoom when a suspect, later identified as Cotton, entered the room and kidnapped her. Coworkers called 9-1-1. Cotton was not at the scene when deputies arrived, but returned in a vehicle either belonging to Brown or Preston, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide investigators.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor PASADENA - The suspect sought in an unprovoked assault that led to a woman’s death was found and arrested January 5.
Oscar Villamil, 43, was recognized by deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Transit Services Bureau. He was seen and detained in the 700 block of South Raymond Avenue around 8:37 a.m. where Pasadena Police took him into custody, Pasadena Police said. Villamil was officially charged with one count of murder and one count of elder abuse, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Villamil was identified as the suspect in the assault that occurred December 28 in the area of Colorado Boulevard and Arroyo Parkway just before 8 a.m. A man and woman were beaten. The woman suffered fatal injuries and died days after hospitalization, according to the Pasadena Police Department. Pui Gee Ng Lee, an 80-year-old Pasadena resident, was identified as the woman killed. Her husband was treated for minor injuries and released, according to the Pasadena Police Department. “The investigation revealed that the elderly couple were walking on the sidewalk when the suspect, for unknown reason(s) and without provocation, punched and kicked the male victim and pushed the female victim, causing her to fall and hit her head on the concrete sidewalk,” Pasadena Police said in a written statement. Villamil, 43, is described as a transient man who was known to frequent the Pasadena area and used the Metro bus and light rail system to keep mobile.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor PASADENA - A stabbing suspect faces one charge of murder after he allegedly fatally stabbed another man in Pasadena. Enrique Antonio Real, a 19-year-old Baldwin Park man, allegedly killed Altadena man Christopher Flores in a parking lot at CVS, 20 E. Orange Grove Blvd. September 11. Officers responded to calls of a stabbing in progress. Officers found Flores, 30, bleeding on the ground. He was taken to an area hospital where he later died, according to the Pasadena Police Department.
Eye witnesses helped police track down Real near the scene of the stabbing. A bloodied knife and other evidence was confiscated, Pasadena Police said. There is no known motive for the stabbing. Real allegedly was walking alongside Flores and began stabbing him multiple times, Pasadena Police said. Real is being held in lieu of more than $2 million ahead of his second scheduled court date on October 21.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor PASADENA – An attempted murder suspect is facing seven years to life in state prison after admitting to slashing a woman’s throat during a rampage in 2017. Lance Anthony Semkus, 75, pleaded no contest to one felony count of willful, deliberate and premeditated attempted murder. He also admitted to an allegation of using a knife and a deadly and dangerous weapon, according to Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office Public Information Officer Ricardo Santiago.
The attack occurred October 23, 2017. After attempting to steal a woman’s dog outside a Pasadena pet store, Semkus approached another woman and slashed her throat. The woman fought back and survived, but suffered severe injuries, Santiago said. Investigators learned that Semkus killed his two dogs. Semkus is scheduled to be sentenced July 13 in Pasadena Superior Court.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - A man was arrested last week, accused by investigators of gunning down a Pasadena man found dead on Angeles Crest Highway. 30-year-old Daniel Cervantes, from Pasadena, was found and arrested by the U.S. Marshal Service in the 1600 block of Brigden Road in Pasadena. Cervantes was arrested around 12:15 p.m. November 7 and is being held without bail, according to Los Angeles County booking records.
A motive is still being sought in the killing of 22-year-old Julio Robles-Castaneda, whose dead body was discovered by a driver on Angeles Crest Highway near mile marker 26.87 November 6. Cervantes made an initial appearance in Pasadena Superior Court November 12. He is next scheduled to appear in court December 4.  PHOTO/Stock image. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor PASADENA - Detectives announced the arrest of a man and woman accused in the stabbing death of another man over a social media feud.
Miguel Castaneda, 23, was arrested October 2. Valentina Rosales, 23, was arrested the following day. The two have since been charged in the fatal stabbing of Demetrio Tapia II in a Pasadena Rose Bowl parking lot, the Pasadena Police Department said. Castaneda was charged with one count of murder. Bail is set at more than $2 million. Rosales was charged with one count of being an accessory after the fact. Her bail has been set at more than $1 million. Rosales and Tapia feuded over social media days prior to the stabbing and both agreed to meet in a Rose Bowl lot to settle their fight, according to the Pasadena Police Department. A physical altercation occurred in Parking Lot K where Tapia was stabbed to death, Pasadena Police said. Castaneda and Rosales are scheduled to appear in Pasadena Superior Court Friday, October 5.  PHOTO/Stock image. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor PASADENA - The man caught at the scene of the arson fire he is accused of igniting entered a plea Tuesday.
Kristoffer Caldwell, 38, from Pasadena, pleaded not guilty to one count of arson of an inhabited structure, according to Greg Risling of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Caldwell was taken into custody August 2 after witnesses saw him return to the fire, 30 W. Mountain Street. Caldwell apparently returned subsequent to the firefight and was detained by a fire investigator until police could take him into custody, according to Lt. Mark Goodman of the Pasadena Police Department. The fire gutted a 130-year-old, two-story Victorian home around 10:17 p.m. August 2. Firefighters arrived at 10:17 p.m. Caldwell is being held in lieu of $310,000 bail in the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles. Caldwell is scheduled to appear in the Pasadena Superior Courthouse August 29 for a preliminary hearing. |
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