Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

MOUNTAINS - A hiker said to be in his early 30s died Sunday afternoon after jumping in a stream near Mount Baldy Road.

The hiker and a friend were out near the Barrett Stoddard Truck Trail near Mount Baldy Road when they came upon a stream. The hiker jumped once successfully into the stream and jumped in a second time, but failed to resurface, according to Sgt. Duarte of the Los Angeles county sheriffs San Dimas Station.

The friend found the hiker’s body somewhere downstream and attempted CPR. Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics took over CPR duties, but eventually declared the hiker dead at the scene, Duarte told SGV CityWatch.

The hiker was declared deceased at 6:20 p.m., Duarte told SGV CityWatch.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - A 57-year-old died after his vehicle overturned on a road in the San Gabriel Mountains Saturday.

Elias Perez Santiago, from Pico Rivera, died from blunt traumatic injuries in an accidental crash on East Fork Road, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.

The crash was reported to the California Highway Patrol at 8:47 p.m. East of the Monroe Truck Trail. Santiago died at the scene.

Moderate rain was falling in the mountains at the time first responders were dispatched.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - Sheriff’s investigators are searching for additional victims of an ex-LAPD officer accused of abusing children over nearly a decade.

Paul Jack Razo, 46, is accused of child sex abuse from 2006 to 2017 while Razo lived in unincorporated Covina in the 4800 block of Brightview Drive, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Razo was arrested May 10 and booked at the San Dimas Sheriff’s Station. Five days prior, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed eight counts of lewd acts with a child.

Razo is being held in lieu of $2.5 million bail, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

“Based on the nature of the allegations and Mr. Razo’s access to children, detectives believe there may be additional unidentified victims,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in a written statement.

Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau toll-free at 877-710-5273, or by email at specialvictimsbureau@lasd.org. Remain anonymous by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org.

LOS ANGELES - A Pomona man was found guilty May 9 of one count of abusive sexual contact during a flight from Cleveland to Los Angeles.

Mohammad Jawad Ansari, 49, committed the sexual abuse during the February 17, 2020 flight.

“Ansari occupied a 10th-row window seat while the victim occupied the middle seat next to him. The victim, who was wearing a dress, fell asleep shortly after takeoff and the armrest separating Ansari from the victim was down,” according to the US Attorney’s Office in a written statement.

Ansari Intentionally, and without the victim’s consent, touched her right knee as she slept. Ansari eventually moved his hand to her inner thigh.

Ansari placed his left hand on the victim’s right knee and knowingly, intentionally, and without the victim’s consent, moved his hand to her inner thigh. The person sitting in the 10th-row aisle seat next to the victim witnessed Ansari’s hand touching the victim’s inner thigh. A passenger seated next to the victim witnessed the abuse, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

“The victim woke up, pushed Ansari’s hand away, left her seat, and informed a flight attendant about what had happened. The flight’s attendants observed Ansari during the remainder of the flight and believed he was pretending to sleep,” according to the US Attorney’s Office in a written statement.
Ansari faces a September 29 and faces a statutory maximum of two years in federal prison.

The FBI investigated this case.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

REGION - A pedestrian was struck and killed by a Metrolink train Monday morning.

Authorities were alerted to the collision just before 11 a.m. Monday, May 1. The train struck the pedestrian between the Almonte and Baldwin Park stations, according to Jeanette Flores, assistant director of public affairs for Metrolink.

The train, which was headed to Union Station in Los Angeles, struck the pedestrian in City of Industry, Flores told SGV CityWatch.

Lines 321, 312 and 331 have been canceled, Flores told SGV CityWatch.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

REGION - Plenty of activities and delicious goodies will be available all day during during a free event that promotes active transportation.

626 Golden Streets comes to the San Gabriel Valley Sunday, April 23. The event stretches six and one half miles along portions of Bonita Avenue, Fulton Road and Arrow Highway to Claremont. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The people-centric event promotes active transportation: walking, biking, jogging, running, strolling … you name it. Other activities and chances to support local businesses will be available along the route.

The event will require the temporary closure of roadways and no vehicle traffic will be allowed.

The first 50 attendees will receive a free limited edition t-shirt and raffle tickets.

Join the Heart of the Foothills opening ceremony at Palomares Park in Pomona, 499 E. Arrow Hwy., from 8:15 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Parking restrictions will go into effect along the route beginning at Midnight prior to the event. Road closures are scheduled to start at 5 a.m. and full closures will be made by 7 a.m.

A partial reopening of the route will begin by 4 p.m. with most sections reopening by 5 p.m.

Visit the 626 Golden Streets website for frequently asked questions.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - A woman from China was identified as the victim who reportedly fell into the San Gabriel River near the Bridge to Nowhere April 8 and later drowned.

Huanjing Zheng, 27, was identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. She was declared deceased at the scene. Her death was ruled accidental. She also suffered from blunt head trauma.

First responders were called to the area on a report of a hiker having fallen in the river. A large mutual aid response was initiated involving the Los Angeles County Fire Department, Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau, Montrose Search and Rescue Team and the San Dimas Mountain Rescue Team.

The rescue operation was coordinated at Camp Williams RV Resort, 24210 E. Fork Rd.

Hikers reported initially seeing what appeared to be a person wearing a red jacket floating down the river, according to Los Angeles County Fire Department radio traffic.

Rescuers located Zheng’s body near Camp Williams and recovered her.

Zheng’s body was kept in an ambulance until coroner investigators arrived to take possession.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

UPDATE, 11:17 a.m.: Firefighters have brought the body out of the river and up to Camp Williams. The body will remain in an ambulance for two hours until the arrival of coroner investigators.

UPDATE, 10:40 a.m.: First responders have located a body in the river near Camp Williams RV Resort. They do not know if this is specifically the person spotted floating face down in the river this morning.

MOUNTAINS - Los Angeles County Firefighters and Sheriff’s deputies are searching for a report of two bodies seen floating down the San Gabriel River.

The rescue operation is unfolding at Camp Williams RV Resort, 24210 E. Fork Rd. Hikers reported initially seeing what appeared to be a person wearing a red jacket floating down the river, according to Los Angeles County Fire Department radio traffic.

Firefighters were told once they arrived to Camp Williams that there are possibly two bodies floating down the river.

A Los Angeles County Fire Department helicopter and a rescue team aboard a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s helicopter are all en route for reconnaissance and possible body recovery.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
​CityWatch Editor

SANTA FE SPRINGS - A man and woman were found and arrested in Arcadia April 3 after detectives identified them as suspects in a fatal hit and run crash.

Priscilla Michelle Cornejo, 39, and Johnathon David Cornejo, 33, were booked on suspicion of murder and other charges in the March 22 crash.

Priscilla is accused of causing a head-on crash while driving in opposing lanes of the 60 freeway at Crossroads Parkway, killing an 11-year-old girl and severely wounding the girl’s father, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Priscilla was driving a black Hyundai Sonata west on the 60 freeway east of the 605 freeway around 4:06 a.m. March 22, her husband following in a black Ford Taurus. Priscilla clipped a tractor trailer, causing it and the semi it was hauling to jackknife. Her Sonata flipped around, according to the CHP.

Priscilla allegedly fled the scene by going eastbound in westbound lanes without headlights on. Johnathon U-turned and began following his wife Priscilla who crashed head on into a gray Toyota Corolla occupied by the 11-year-old girl who was killed at the scene.

“After the collision, Priscilla Cornejo, abandoned the Hyundai and entered the Ford, being driven by her husband, and fled the scene westbound on State Route 60,” according to the CHP in a written statement.

CHP Santa Fe Springs Area investigators took the husband and wife into custody with the help of the CHP Southern Division Warrant Service Team.

Priscilla was charged murder, felony hit and run, two counts of driving on the wrong side of the road, reckless driving, filing a false auto theft report and misdemeanor hit and run, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

Johnathon was charged with murder and being an accessory after the fact, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

The husband and wife are being held in lieu $2 million bail and appeared in the Pomona Courthouse April 5. Both are scheduled back in court April 18.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - The man accused of gunning down an auxiliary bishop for the LA Archdiocese over alleged money issues awaits his day in court.

Carlos Medina, 61, is being held in lieu of $2 million bail. A court date has yet to be set.

LA Archdiocese Auxiliary Bishop at David O’Connell was discovered dead from at least one gunshot wound in his bedroom after deputies were called at 1 p.m. to a report of a person not breathing in the 1500 block of Janlu Avenue in Hacienda Heights Saturday, February 18, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.

The Sheriff’s Department was notified Sunday, February 19 at 7 p.m. of a person of interest tied to the murder. Deputies traveled to the city of Torrance where the person of interest lives and after the special enforcement operation, Medina was apprehended.

Two firearms and items possibly tying Medina to the murder were confiscated. The firearms will have to be examined to determine if they were used in the Hacienda Heights murder, Luna said at the Monday press conference.

A tipster told the Sheriff’s Department that Medina was acting strange, irrational and expressed that O’Connell owed Medina money. Medina is married to O’Connell’s housekeeper, Luna said at the Monday press conference.

Investigators did not find any apparent forced entry into the home. Surveillance footage showed a dark-colored compact SUV pull into the bishops driveway and was driven away after a short time. That SUV is driven by Medina’s wife.

Before Medina’s arrest, investigators were told that he was possibly in the Central California area. A tipster notified investigators that Medina had returned to his home in Torrance in the 20400 block of Kenwood Avenue.

At 2 a.m. on Monday, February 20, deputies arrived to arrest Medina, but he refused to exit. At 8:15 a.m., Medina finally surrendered.