 PHOTOS/Courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor NEWHALL - Investigators released surveillance images of a vehicle driven by a suspect who flashed his privates to a woman at an area hiking spot. The incident occurred Thursday May 16 at Towsley Canyon Park, 24335 The Old Rd., in Newhall. The victim was exercising when the suspect stood next to her and exposed himself, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The woman screamed and the suspect fled into a newer-model, dark purple Lincoln MKZ.
The suspect is described as a light-skinned man between 25 and 30 years old. He has a thin build and has dark hair. He wore dark sweats, deputies said. Anyone with suspect information is urged to call Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Santa Clarita Station Detective Bryne at 661-255-1121. Information can be provided anonymously by calling L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - A man accused of beating to death a married couple in their hillside estate almost five years to go and stealing the wife’s cell phone was convicted in the crimes. Luke Fabela, 27, was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of first-degree residential burglary. Jurors also found true the special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and murder during the commission of burglary, according to Greg Risling of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Husband and wife a Shirley Isom, 75, and Armie “Troy” Isom, 89, were both found in their home on Roughrider Road December 26, 2014. Shirley died of blunt force trauma and multiple stab wounds in the home. Armie died later at a hospital. Fabela was already in jail in an unrelated vehicle theft case in San Bernardino. DNA evidence collected from Fabela linked him to the La Verne murder scene. Fabela is scheduled to be sentenced August 30 when he faces the possibility of life in prison without parole, Risling said.  PHOTO/KTLA 5 News. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - An SUV stolen out of the Rose Hills Mortuary Wednesday was recovered, but not before the suspect evaded authorities up into the Azusa mountains. The chase began at 4:37 p.m. May 15 from Rose Hills, 3888 Workman Mill Rd. Sheriff’s deputies gave chase, but decided to cancel the pursuit to handle other emergency calls, according to Lt. Robert Westphal of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Pico Rivera Station. West Covina police officers soon gave chase and followed the suspect mostly north on Azusa Avenue where the suspect drove around stopped traffic by using a sidewalk and front yard.
The chase entered Azusa where the driver drove through an empty lot on the southeast corner of Foothill Boulevard and Azusa Avenue, drove over a sidewalk and accessed northbound Azusa Avenue again to the San Gabriel Mountains. In a bizarre twist, the driver used the rough right shoulder of northbound San Gabriel Canyon Road to bypass wide-open road. The SUV’s tires spun wildly over the right shoulder until the SUV became stuck on the terrain. The driver surrendered to West Covina Police without further incident.  PHOTO/Courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor NORWALK - A driver was hospitalized early Wednesday after his car exited the Glen Anderson Freeway and crashed through a building. The crash occurred around 1:52 a.m. at a medical building at 12820 Studebaker Road. The vehicle exited the freeway and didn’t stop until it slammed into the unoccupied medical building.
“The driver was lucky to make it out alive,” said deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Norwalk Station. It is unclear if alcohol, drugs or distracted driving were factors in the crash.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WHITTIER - A mother was arrested May 13, accused of felony evading and child endangerment after officers realized the woman’s 5-year-old son went along during a pursuit. Jazmine Renea Pratcher, 26, was detained by Whittier officers as she ran from the vehicle at the end of the pursuit and pulled her son from the car in an attempt to run into her hotel room. Her 8-year-old son was waiting inside, according to the Whittier Police Department.
Pratcher allegedly refused to stop when officers tried to pull her over after they believed she was driving under the influence around 2 a.m. Monday Pratcher fled recklessly and dove over a residential front lawn and crashed into a parked vehicle, Whittier Police said. The 8-year-old child inside the motel room was left unattended, Whittier Police said. Both children were placed in protective custody. Pratcher was additionally booked on hit and run and has a no-bail warrant for a probation violation. 
PHOTO/Amgen Tour of California
Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor
REGION - A heads up for drivers in the East San Gabriel Valley area as loads of cyclists will speed through for the Amgen Tour of California Friday.
The Tour will be coming through the cities of Azusa, Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, Claremont and through the San Gabriel Mountains. The race is split into men’s and women’s brackets. Women’s Stage 2: 9:45 a.m. start time ONTARIO - Begins at Citizen’s Business Bank Arena -North on North Haven Avenue -West on Arrow Route UPLAND -North on Euclid Avenue UPLAND/CLAREMONT -West on East 16th Street/ Baseline Road LA VERNE/SAN DIMAS -West on Foothill Boulevard GLENDORA -North on Amelia Avenue -West on Foothill Boulevard GLENDORA/MOUNTAINS -North on Glendora Mountain Road -North on Glendora Ridge Road -North on Mt. Baldy Road -Finish at Mt. Baldy Resort: 12:09 a.m. (estimated)
Men’s Stage 6: 11:50 a.m. start time
ONTARIO - Begins at Citizen’s Business Bank Arena -North on North Haven Avenue -West on Arrow Route UPLAND/SAN ANTONIO HEIGHTS -North on Euclid Avenue UPLAND/CLAREMONT -North on North Mountain Avenue/Mt. Baldy Road MOUNTAINS -South on Glendora Ridge Road -North on Glendora Mountain Road -South on East Fork Road MOUNTAINS/AZUSA -South on San Gabriel Canyon Road AZUSA/GLENDORA -East on Sierra Madre Avenue GLENDORA/MOUNTAINS -North on Glendora Mountain Road MOUNTAINS -North on Glendora Ridge Road Mt. BALDY -North on Mt. Baldy Road -End at Mt. Baldy Resort: 3:40 p.m. (estimated) The entire race will conclude in Pasadena. The Amgen Tour of California is an annual, professional Tour de France-style cycling event that challenges the world’s top cycling teams along hundreds of miles of iconic California highways, byways and coastlines.  PHOTO/Sonoma County Sheriff's Department. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor SAN DIMAS - Nearly four years after a fast food restaurant owner was gunned down outside his own business, the suspect accused of pulling the trigger has entered a plea. Sergey Gutsu, 26, pleaded not guilty May 9 to one count of murder with a special circumstance allegation that the crime was committed during a robbery, according to Paul Eakins of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Gutsu also faces one count of second-degree robbery and two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, which are all felonies. The charges include firearm allegations, Eakins said. The murder charge coupled with the special circumstance allegation makes Gutsu eligible for the death penalty, Eakins said. Pravin Patel, the 62-year-old owner of the San Dimas Quiznos shop, was shot in an altercation with an armed robbery suspect around 3:20 p.m. June 2, 2015. The suspect fled on foot from the now-defunct Quiznos, 1034 W. Arrow Hwy. Before being shot, Patel gave up an undisclosed amount of cash to the suspect who also threatened patrons at the restaurant. As the suspect exited, Patel followed him and struggled over the cash. Patel died at a hospital that day. Gutsu was already incarcerated, serving 51 years to life in prison after pleading no contest in December 2017 to armed robbery and attempted murder of a Calistoga police officer. Gutsu allegedly implicated himself nearly three years ago in the Quiznos murder while being questioned by authorities for an armored truck robbery, shooting and wild pursuit in July 2016. Gutsu and an accomplice, 24-year-old Ivan Morales, are accused of firing upon an armored truck at a Chase Bank in the City of Windsor July 12, 2016. Gutsu and Morales drove up to the armored truck in a carjacked van, confronted the guards and started shooting, authorities said. One guard was hit by gunfire while Gutsu and Morales fled into another vehicle, taking $30,000 with them.
An officer with the Calistoga Police Department located the suspects. A pursuit began, during which the pursuing officer was fired upon. The officer being fired at by Gutsu rammed him with the patrol car. Gutsu was hospitalized and later jailed. Morales briefly eluded police, initiating a manhunt in Calistoga. Gutsu and Morales are also accused of an armored truck robbery in Granada Hills March 29, 2016, authorities said. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s detectives arrived at Santa Rosa July 13, 2016 to interview Gutsu who then confessed to being involved in Patel’s murder, according to information provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau. Bail for Gutsu in the Quiznos murder case has been denied. If convicted as charged, Gutsu faces the possibility of life in prison without parole or the death sentence. Prosecutors may still seek the death penalty at a later date, Eakins said. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 12 at the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor
Perez was sentenced to 12 years and four months in state prison.
Perez struck and injured Mei Li and granddaughter Paisley Chen as he was driving northbound on Del Mar Avenue at Live Oak Street October 26, 2018. Both victims, who later died at a hospital, in a marked crosswalk, Santiago said.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor EAST LOS ANGELES - A Sig Alert has been issued for all lanes of the north and south 710 freeway south of Whittier Boulevard after fallen cables have caused traffic to come to a halt. The California Highway Patrol is reporting drivers who are not stuck are exiting the freeway on nearby onramps. At least one vehicle may have been damaged by the falling cables. Construction is being done in the area. A crane operator became trapped by the fallen cables until he was freed from his equipment, according to the CHP.
An off-duty Sheriff’s deputy reported that some of the wire are sparking, the CHP said. It is unclear if all the fallen cables are live power lines. CHP officers report traffic signals around the 710 and 60 freeways are out.  PHOTO/Chino Police. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor CHINO - The suspect sought by investigators for shooting to death his ex-girlfriend and the attempted murder of a man was found in Mexico, Chino Police reported. Julio Cesar Rocha, 25, was brought back to the U.S. and was booked at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga April 24. Rocha was wanted on suspicion of murder and attempted murder in a March 21 shooting that left ex-girlfriend, 25-year-old Thalia Flores dead, Chino Police said.
A male victim who was with Flores at the time suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. Flores was shot while she sat in a parked vehicle in the 12500 block of Central Avenue. She reportedly ended her relationship with Rocha shortly before she was killed. Rocha is being held in lieu of $3 million bail. He was scheduled for an appearance in Rancho Superior Court. |
Archives
May 2019
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed