Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

POMONA - A Montclair man is facing a slew of charges, including two counts of murder, resulting from an October 4 pursuit in which he crashed and killed two of his passengers.

Erick Bolanos, 30, allegedly committed several vehicle code violations while driving in the area of White Avenue and Mission Boulevard October 4 around 4:30 p.m. Bolanos allegedly refused to stop for officers and a pursuit was initiated, according to the Pomona Police Department.

Bolanos chucked a handgun out the window while evading officers at high speed. Officers made multiple attempts to stop him using the Pursuit Intervention Technique, but failed , according to the Pomona Police Department.

Bolanos reportedly lost control of his vehicle and crashed, killing his two occupants. No other vehicles were involved, according to the Pomona Police Department.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed two counts of murder, one count of felony evading causing serious bodily injury and one count of possessing a concealed firearm in a vehicle, according to the Pomona Police Department.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

POMONA - A brief audio recording was released detailing a woman trying to escape a driver who was apparently following her around town January 15.

Once police caught up and located the suspect, he evaded officers for a brief time until crashing into another vehicle in Ontario. He failed to escape on foot after the crash and was taken into custody, according to the Pomona Police Department.

Luis Puga, 31, was officially charged in court with stalking, felony evading, felony hit-and-run and attempting to remove a firearm from an officer, according to the Pomona Police Department, according to the Pomona Police Department.

The female driver being followed kept a cool head and called Pomona dispatchers around 8:30 p.m. January 15. The driver reported that the man, identified by officers as Puga, was aggressively following her while driving. He insisted that she pull over and at one point he abruptly stopped his SUV in front of her to compel her to stop, according to the Pomona Police Department.

“Officers located the suspect, and a pursuit ensued. The suspect crashed into a vehicle in the City of Ontario, and in an attempt to escape, he tried to run away. With the assistance of Ontario PD’s Air Unit, the suspect was located. During the apprehension, the suspect attempted to remove an officer’s firearm,” according to the Pomona Police Department in a written statement.

Puga appears to have a extensive rap sheet. He was arrested twice in 24 hours in Claremont Christmas Eve 2024, accused of DUI.

Puga also was arrested after allegedly burglarizing at home in Azusa in 2014. He apparently entered the home after knocking on the door. He received no answer. The residents arrived home and found him eating food at the kitchen table, according to the Azusa Police Department.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

POMONA - A suspect attempted to make like a tree and leave, but instead found himself up a certain creek without a paddle during a pursuit.

Fernando Lopez, 31, was taken into custody in Corona May 23 after ditching his reportedly stolen ride. Officers attempted to stop him near White Avenue and Holt Avenue, according to the Pomona Police Department.

The incident began at 11:15 a.m.

Lopez allegedly fled police at high speed, ignored stop signs and drove in opposing lanes of traffic. The pursuit took to the southbound 71 freeway into Corona, according to the Pomona Police Department.

Lopez escaped his vehicle on Serfas Club Drive. An Ontario Police helicopter located Lopez in a tree.

Lopez was booked on suspicion of felony evading, grand theft auto, possession of burglary tools, possession of a controlled substance and driving on a suspended license, according to the Pomona Police Department.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

POMONA – A driver suspected of a traffic violation decided to flee officers on a pursuit along surface streets and freeways May 16.

Martin Luna, 37, is accused of evading officers who tried to stop him for a traffic violation at White Avenue and Rancho Valley Drive around 12:46 a.m. Luna allegedly fled officers along the 60 and 57 freeways during the chase, according to Pomona Police Public Information officer Aly Mejia.

The pursuit ended in the 1200 block of Magnolia Avenue in El Monte with Luna being arrested. He was additionally booked for outstanding warrants, Mejia told SGV CityWatch.

Luna is being held without bail ahead of a scheduled appearance in Los Angeles Municipal Court May 19.

POMONA – Two gang members were jailed after fleeing officers on a pursuit through Pomona streets November 5.

Officers attempted to stop the driver for speeding and for having expired tags in the 2400 block of Chanselor Street around 12:40 p.m. When officers caught up to the vehicle, they recognized the occupants as local gang members, according to the Pomona Police Department.

The driver, identified as 34-year-old Sergio “Silent” Pinon, fled from officers. He stopped briefly to let his passenger, Juan “Lazy” Rosales, out of the vehicle to flee on foot, according to the Pomona Police Department.

Rosales was detained by police.

“The suspect driver continued to evade Officers, but eventually abandoned his car and fled on foot as well. The suspect driver was found hiding within an apartment complex laundry room,” according to the Pomona Police Department in a written statement.

A search of the vehicle Pinon drove revealed a loaded firearm which the suspect admitted to owning, Pomona Police said.

Pinon, a San Bernardino man, was booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, being a felon in possession of ammunition and felony evading police.

Pinion is being held in lieu of $75,000 in the Pomona Police jail ahead of a scheduled appearance in Pomona Superior Court November 9.

POMONA – A parolee and his driver were arrested and a gun that one of the suspects attempted to discard was seized after the suspects fled police Wednesday.

Driver Salvador Ortiz, 26, and parolee and documented gang member Christian Ayala, 24, were both arrested Ortiz refused to yield for a traffic stop. Police with the department’s Major Crimes Task Force reportedly witnessed Ortiz run a stop sign, according to the Pomona Police Department.

The stop sign violation occurred in the area of Grand Avenue and Reservoir Street around 9:48 p.m. July 7. Ortiz also suspiciously drove too close to vehicles parked along the street, Pomona Police said.

As he fled, Ortiz allegedly drove up on a sidewalk as he turned south onto Reservoir Street. Ayala allegedly tossed a handgun from the vehicle during the pursuit, Pomona Police said.

Ortiz briefly stopped to allow Ayala to flee on foot, but both men were soon caught.

Ayala was booked on suspicion of a parole violation, being a gang member in possession of a loaded firearm, possession of a loaded and unregistered firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm and being a felon in possession of ammunition. A gang enhancement was also added, Pomona Police said.

Ortiz was booked on suspicion of felony evading police.

POMONA – Three men and an unnamed teen were all sentenced after pleading guilty to a series of crimes committed over nearly a month’s time in 2019.

Treshawn Lovett, 26, the aptly-named Justice Rivers, 22, Jordan Menefee, 20, and the teen were all involved in multiple fights, shootings, a robbery and a police pursuit. One of the shootings unfolded inside a fast food restaurant, which left the establishment damaged by gunfire, according to the Pomona Police Department.

Several months of investigation led to the arrest of all four suspects. The adult suspects pleaded guilty March 9, 2021.

The four went to 1302 E. Kingsley Dr. on October 27, 2019 and after getting in a fight, Rivers and Menefee unloaded firearms into an occupied apartment. Lovett and the teen were the getaway drivers, Pomona Police said in a written statement.

November 14, 2019, Menefee and the teen began arguing with a customer inside Popeye’s Chicken, 1911 Indian Hill Blvd. After the argument, both suspects opened fire at the customer. The restaurant was struck multiple times, the Pomona Police Department said.

It was not specifically stated if the customer was injured.

November 22, 2019, Rivers, Menefee and the teen escaped police after a brief pursuit. Officers chased the suspects who robbed a Pomona High School student at gunpoint prior to the chase. Police recovered firearms and other evidence inside the abandoned vehicle, connecting the quartet with the previous crimes.

Lovett, a Pomona man, pleaded guilty to one count of negligent discharge of a firearm and was sentenced to three years in state prison.

Menefee, a Hemet resident, pleaded guilty to attempted murder and armed robbery. He was sentenced to nine years in state prison.

Rivers, a Pomona man, pleaded guilty to attempted murder and armed robbery. He was sentenced to nine years in state prison.

The teen also pleaded guilty and served one year in jail, Pomona Police said.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

POMONA - A gun was recovered after a driver led police on a chase December 9.

19-year-old Sebastian Rico allegedly refused to stop for police after he committed several vehicle code violations at Holt Avenue and White Avenue just before 7 p.m., Pomona Police said.

During the chase, a handgun was tossed from the vehicle, Pomona Police said.

Rico, a documented Pomona gang member, was arrested and booked on suspicion of possessing a loaded firearm, being a gang member in possession of a loaded firearm and possessing a loaded & unregistered firearm.

The arrest was made by members of the Pomona Police Major Crimes Task Force.

POMONA - A stolen truck was recovered after a brief, reckless pursuit ended in a crash Wednesday.

The suspect, 28-year-old Fernando Lopez, admitted to knowing he was behind the wheel of a stolen vehicle. He was also in possession of shaved keys, according to the Pomona Police Department.

POMONA – The area at Phillips Ranch Road and Village Loop Road is expected to be closed for a few hours after a suspect fleeing San Bernardino deputies crashed into a light pole Tuesday.