 Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - An 18-month dig into the Eaton Fire’s cause led arson investigators to finger malfunctioning SoCal Edison equipment. The Los Angeles County Fire Department and CalFire said after reviewing available evidence and with the expertise of electrical and metallurgical experts determined “electrical arcing events that took place on the out-of-service Southern California Edison tower.” The tower in question was perched on a hill above the Eaton Wash, a “dry receptive fuel bed” rested below and was set ablaze January 7, 2025. The “arcing events” on the Southwest conductor paddle of the out-of-service Mesa-Sylmar tower ejected hot metal particles onto the fuel bed, igniting it. Southern California Edition disassembled and stored the tower in question at a warehouse in Azusa. Arson investigators were unable to examine it during an initial investigation, but examined the equipment during a subsequent probe in late 2025. Size limitations necessitated transporting the disassembled tower to an examination facility in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Supplemental testing was conducted in California cities Signal Hill and Goleta, according to the arson report. The Eaton Fire killed 19 people, injured nine firefighters, destroyed 1,076 homes, destroyed 9,419 other structures and incinerated 14,021 acres.  Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor NORWALK - The final suspect implicated in the murder of an off-duty Monterey Park Police officer was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole Wednesday. Carlos Daniel Delcid, 24, was found guilty in May of this year of one felony count each of first-degree murder, shooting at an occupied vehicle, robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Delcid was also found guilty of the special circumstance allegation that the murder was committed during an attempted carjacking. Delcid had two accomplices when he attempted to carjack Gardiel Solorio in the parking lot of a gym in Downey August 8, 2022. Solorio was about to exit his vehicle, which he just parked, when he was approached by Delcid. Solorio attempted to flee by driving in reverse, but Delcid shot him five times at close range, according to the DA’s office. Delcid fled to a waiting vehicle where Gerardo Magallanes and a 17-year-old by were waiting. Magallanes was tried and pleaded no contest September 12, 2025 to one count of voluntary manslaughter and one count of the unlawful possession of a firearm. He also admitted gang and gun allegations and was sentenced to 24 years and eight months in prison. The teen was tried in juvenile court and later pleaded no contest in adult court. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison. Gardiel Solorio, a Bell Gardens native, was 26 when his life was taken. He was hired by the Monterey Park Police Department January 31, 2022 as a recruit. He graduated from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department academy July 22, 2022 and started his field training program with Monterey Park three days later. ********** Copyright 2026. All stories and original images published here are the exclusive property of SGV CityWatch and may not be republished in any form without the permission of this organization.  Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor REGION - A major Caltrans repaving project will severely hamper traffic on the southbound 605 freeway from Valley Boulevard to State Route 60 beginning Friday night. The construction project is scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. July 24 and end Monday, July 27 at 5 a.m. Full freeway closures are not expected, but the affected area will see traffic reduced to one to two lanes, according to Caltrans:
All times are subject to change. Caltrans recommends driver to seek alternate routes. ********** Copyright 2026. All stories and original images published here are the exclusive property of SGV CityWatch and may not be republished in any form without the permission of this organization.  Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - A 32-year-old San Pedro man was identified as the suspect shot and killed by authorities after reportedly shooting a tow truck driver on a freeway July 3. Kevin Perez died from multiple gunshot wounds. His death is ruled a homicide, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner. Meanwhile, Jan’s Tow Truck driver Jorge Arias Mayen remains in critical condition. He endured a fourth surgery Monday, July 6, according to a statement from Jan’s Towing. “We want to take a moment and say thank you. The love and support for Jorge and his family over the past few days has been incredible,” said Jan Quackenbush, founder of Jan’s Towing. From our towing family, first responders, city officials, customers, friends, the racing and NASCAR community, local agencies and so many others … have meant the world to us.” Donate to Jorge’s gofundme TODAY Perez’s white Volkswagen SUV was stopped on the right shoulder of the eastbound 210 freeway near Grand Avenue in Glendora Friday just before 3 a.m. He reportedly called for tow truck assistance. Mayen arrived. 9-1-1 dispatchers with the California Highway Patrol received multiple calls from passersby witnessing a confrontation between two people at the scene, with at least one passerby reporting a handgun being brandished. “As our officers responded, there was only one vehicle, which was the tow truck … and the driver was down on the ground with major injuries,” according to Lt. Dan Keene of the CHP. Perez was somehow quickly located. He evaded CHP officers on the freeway and surface streets in Glendora and Covina until stopping at the Fuel Club gas station, 110 W. Arrow Hwy. He exited his vehicle and brandished a handgun. Officers shot him, Keene said in a Friday press conference. It is unclear if Perez ever fired his weapon at law enforcement. He died at a hospital. ********** The Medical Examiner record in this article is being redistributed by SGV CityWatch and is protected by constitutional, publishing and other legal rights. Death records are public information and are distributed by government sources. Copyright 2026. All stories and original images published here are the exclusive property of SGV CityWatch and may not be republished in any form without the permission of this organization.  Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - A meager vegetation fire smoldering in the mountains above Azusa inched closer to containment Tuesday. The Burro Fire is 70 percent contained. It has torched 30 acres near Burro Peak in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The cause remains under investigation. First received the call Monday, May 18 around 1:28 p.m. An evacuation warning was issued Monday for the Burro Canyon Shooting Range, but was lifted Tuesday morning. A full brush fire assignment responded. As containment grew to 20 percent Monday, air tankers were called off. Ground crews remain for mop up and to increase containment lines. ********** Copyright 2026. All stories and original images published here are the exclusive property of SGV CityWatch and may not be republished in any form without the permission of this organization.  Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - A woman died March 1 after she was swept under the current of the San Gabriel River. Despite the quick action of San Dimas Mountain Rescue Team personnel, already in the area conducting safety outreach, the woman was declared dead after being found. Search and rescue personnel were notified of the emergency just after 8 a.m. near the Bridge to Nowhere area of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. “We were out there doing what we love—talking with hikers, sharing safety tips about river crossings, and trying to prevent tragedies in high-water conditions,” according to the San Dimas Mountain Rescue Team in a social media statement. A Good Samaritan ran to rescuers to notify them that a young mother fell in at the second river crossing and was taken by the current, according to the San Dimas Mountain Rescue Team. Jaqueline Aguilar de Lao, 33, was identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner. The victim was hiking with family when she was swept away. She is described as a “young mother,” but it is unclear if her child/children was with her when the incident happened. Teams from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and Los Angeles County Fire Department aided from the ground and the air. “This is a devastating reminder of how dangerous the East Fork and Bridge to Nowhere Trail can be right now, especially with swift, high water from recent conditions. Multiple crossings are required, and even experienced hikers can be caught off guard,” according to the San Dimas Mountain Rescue Team. ********** The death record in this article is being redistributed by SGV CityWatch and is protected by constitutional, publishing and other legal rights. Information about the decedent(s), including cause and manner of death, is public record and was distributed by government sources. Copyright 2025. All stories and original images published here are the exclusive property of SGV CityWatch and may not be republished in any form without the permission of this organization.  Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - A man was arrested back in October, accused of sexually assaulting women over a period of 15 years. Kenneth Michael Harris, 47, a La Cañada Flintridge man, was arrested October 14 by deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Crescenta Valley Station. He was booked on suspicion of oral copulation by use of force or injury. He posted $400,000 bond and was released, according to Los Angeles County booking records. Harris is accused of sexually assaulting women in the unincorporated area of Arcadia between 2010 and May 2025, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. “Based on the nature of the allegations, detectives believe there may be additional unidentified victims. Detectives are seeking the public’s help in identifying any such victims,” according to the Sheriff’s Department in a written statement. Anyone with information on this incident is urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Special Victims Bureau toll free tip line at 877-710-5273 or by email at [email protected]. Remain anonymous by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org. ********** The arrest record in this article is being redistributed by SGV CityWatch and is protected by constitutional, publishing and other legal rights. Arrest information is public record and was distributed by government sources. The person named in this article has only been arrested on suspicion of the crime(s) listed and is presumed innocent. Copyright 2025. All stories and original images published here are the exclusive property of SGV CityWatch and may not be republished in any form without the permission of this organization.  Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA - California Highway Patrol officers from the Santa Fe Springs Office announced the arrest of a man accused of shooting at another driver January 31. With the help of West Covina Police and the CHP Baldwin Park Office, the suspect was arrested February 4. The shooting occurred on the westbound 91 Freeway east of Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach just after 5 p.m. The vehicle the suspect shot at was also occupied by two children, according to the CHP. No one was wounded. CHP Special Services assisted with serving a search warrant at the suspect’s residence where related evidence was located and seized, according to the CHP. Alfredo Magin Medrano Jr., 37, was taken into custody. Medrano was arraigned in Bellflower Superior Court February 6 with one count each of shooting at an inhabited vehicle, possession of ammunition, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and special enhancements for one or more serious violent felony convictions, and a five-year prison sentence enhancement for each prior conviction of a serious felony, according to Los Angeles County booking records. Medrano, who pleaded not guilty, is being held in lieu of $1.65 million bail, according to the CHP. Medrano is scheduled for further proceedings in Norwalk Superior Court February 20. ********** Copyright 2025. All stories and original images published here are the exclusive property of SGV CityWatch and may not be republished in any form without the permission of this organization.  Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - A Pomona resident was arrested January 27 by FBI agents after an investigation revealed he allegedly stole two planes, using one to joyride across state lines. Christian Estoque, 38, was arrested January 27 at the Corona Municipal Airport where FBI agents were conducting surveillance and allegedly witnessed him power up the aircraft, according to the FBI. Estoque, according to the complaint, admitted to being under the influence of methamphetamine when operating the plane. Estoque is accused of previously stealing a plane from the Auburn Municipal Airport in Washington State January 3. The plane could not be tracked during a three-day period. It was recovered in Corona where police determined the transponder was tampered with, according to the FBI. The plane stolen in Auburn was seen at an airport in Kelso, Washington State. A man and woman occupying a rented vehicle are believed to have flown in the stolen plane, according to the FBI. Estoque is not a registered pilot and is not listed on the registration for the plane he attempted to fly, according to the FBI. It is unclear if this suspect is tied to a plane stolen from La Verne’s Brackett Field and recovered in El Monte last August. Estoque had an initial appearance before a federal magistrate on Thursday, January 29 and was released on bond. This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s LAX Joint Terrorism Task Force, with aid from the Corona Police Department, La Verne Police Department, Kelso Police Department, Auburn Police Department and King County Sheriff’s Office in Washington State, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Air Marshal Service. ********** The arrest record in this article is being redistributed by SGV CityWatch and is protected by constitutional, publishing and other legal rights. Arrest information is public record and was distributed by government sources. The person named in this article has only been arrested on suspicion of the crime(s) listed and is presumed innocent. Copyright 2025. All stories and original images published here are the exclusive property of SGV CityWatch and may not be republished in any form without the permission of this organization.  Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - Six men were arrested December 17, accused of taking part in kidnappings, illegal firearms sales and narcotics trafficking as part of a San Gabriel Valley gang. In all, 20 suspects were charged with various charges offenses, according to a criminal complaint, including one kidnapping, two shootings, illegal firearms sales, trafficking of narcotics, including methamphetamine cocaine, fentanyl, and carfentanil, a synthetic opioid 100 times more powerful than fentanyl, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Arrested today include:
In all, 20 suspects have been charged on various offenses, including distribution of methamphetamine, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a machine gun, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Prosecutors said nine of the charged suspects are expected to appear in United States District Court, Los Angeles December 17, while seven more are scheduled to appear in federal court. Three suspects remain at-large:
Another defendant, Heather Johnson, 38, of Victorville, is in state custody, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Investigators seized 10 pounds of methamphetamine, thousands of fentanyl and carfentanil pills, fentanyl powder, 71 firearms, including 14 rifles, one machine-gun conversion device, four short-barreled rifles, three firearms with obliterated serial numbers, three pieces of body armor, thousands of rounds of ammunition and approximately $9,500 in cash, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The investigation is targeting members of the La Puente based Puente-13 street gang which prosecutors said enriches itself and the Mexican Mafia prison gang by controlling the distribution of narcotics within its “territory,” maintaining and expanding that control through violence and threats of violence and punishing those in its territory who cooperate with law enforcement. Some of the criminals acts carried out by those arrested include the December 2022 shooting of rival gangsters at a Covina residence. One of the shooters, Ornelas, tripped and left behind his left shoe, which later helped investigators link him to the shooting, according to an affidavit. In July 2023, Lopez, Covarrubias, and others kidnapped two victims to retrieve items they believed had been stolen during a burglary at Lopez’s residence earlier that month. One of the victims eventually was allowed to leave, but the other victim fled after being severely beaten, according to the affidavit. Another Puente-13-linked shooting occurred in May 2025 outside a La Puente liquor store in which Estrada-Frost, mistaking a victim for being a member of a rival gang, yelled racial slurs at the victim and shot at the victim’s car when the victim drove away from the scene, striking one of the car’s doors, according to the affidavit. If convicted as charged, nine of the defendants arrested December 17 would face statutory maximum sentences of life in federal prison. ********** The arrest record in this article is being redistributed by SGV CityWatch and is protected by constitutional, publishing and other legal rights. Arrest information is public record and was distributed by government sources. The person named in this article has only been arrested on suspicion of the crime(s) listed and is presumed innocent. Copyright 2025. All stories and original images published here are the exclusive property of SGV CityWatch and may not be republished in any form without the permission of this organization. |
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