REGION - The California Highway Patrol is asking for public assistance in locating the driver of a white 1990s Ford Ranger who struck and killed a man on the sidewalk in South San Jose Hills August 24.

Nearby security video recorded the truck seen in the area of the time of the collision. The 1990s Ford Ranger likely suffered collision damage to the right headlight and possibly along the right side of the truck. The driver was hauling landscaping equipment in the bed of the truck, which featured landscaping business logos on the doors, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

REGION - The FBI announced the arrest of a Russian man who, along with co-conspirators, sought to release malware at a Las Vegas company in an effort to extract sensitive data and extort ransom money.

Egor Igorevich Kruichkov, 27, was charged in a complaint with one count of conspiracy to intentionally cause damage to a protected computer. He was arrested August 22 at a Monrovia residence after FBI agents in Vegas learned of the suspect’s travel plans to Los Angeles, according to Laura Eimiller of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office.

He made an initial appearance in federal court August 24. U.S. Magistrate Judge Alexander F. MacKinnon ordered Kriuchkov detained pending trial.

The criminal complaint alleges from July 15, 2020, to August 22 Kruichkov and his co-conspirators sought to hire an employee of the unnamed company to infect the company’s network to steal the data.

“After the malware was introduced, Kriuchkov and his co-conspirators would extract data from the network and then threaten to make the information public, unless the company paid their ransom demand,” according to the Department of Justice in a written statement.

After entering the US with his passport and tourist visa, Kruichkov spoke with the employee multiple times to discuss the conspiracy and promised the employee $1 million upon successful deployment of the malware, the Department of Justice said.

Kruichkov drove from Reno Nevada to Los Angeles after being contacted by the FBI. He then asked an acquaintance to purchase an airline ticket for him to flee the country.

“Agents located his vehicle at a residence in the city of Monrovia and he was taken into custody by agents with the assistance of officers with the Monrovia Police Department. Kriuchkov made an initial appearance in federal court on Monday and was remanded to federal custody pending trial,” Eimiller said.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - Unstable, humid air from Tropical Storm Genevieve may create flash flood hazards as firefighters make gains on the Ranch 2 Fire containment Sunday.

All flanks of the fire remain stable and acreage did not increase overnight. The fire has scorched 4,237 acres and is 63 percent contained, according to the US Forest Service.

While the chance of rain in the fire area is only 10 percent, crews remain vigilant as heavy rain may impact trails, access roads and communities below the mountains, the US Forest Service said.

Crews continue to work the rugged mountain terrain, seeking out pockets of heat. The western edge of the fire remains a challenge, with persistent heat generated by the weather and the terrain making containment difficult.

412 personnel remain on scene, along with four water tenders, one fixed-wing aircraft, seven engines, four hand crews and three helicopters, according to the US Forest Service.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

REGION – The Azusa transient accused of causing the brush fire still burning across the San Gabriel Mountains was charged Wednesday.

Osmin Palencia, 36, was charged with one felony count each of arson during a state of emergency and arson of a structure or forest, according to Los Angeles County District Attorney Public Information Officer Ricardo Santiago.

The Ranch 2 Fire began burning near Highway 39 and Ranch Road in the Azusa foothills Thursday, August 13.

The fire has since scorched 4,300 acres and is 19 percent contained as of the morning of August 19, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

After Azusa Police publicized Palencia as a suspect in the Ranch 2 Fire, he surrendered to officers Sunday, August 16. His bail is set at $435,000.

If convicted as charged, Palencia faces a possible maximum of 23 years in state prison.

LOS ANGELES – Arraignment for the man accused of raping and brutally beating a woman found dead in her Covina retirement home unit 24 years ago was continued to September 1.

David Adolph Bernal, 46, was charged with one count of murder with the special circumstance allegations that the crime was committed during a rape, sodomy and burglary, according to Greg Risling, Assistant Media Chief with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Bernal was located and arrested at his El Monte home August 6, 2020. Investigators allege he is the suspect in the January 19, 1996 death of Mary Lindgren, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

Lindgren, 67, was found dead in her first-floor bedroom at Covina Villa Retirement Home. Her body was found by facility staff at 7:30 a.m.

A break in the case came this July when DNA evidence submitted last year yielded a result, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau said.

Sheriff’s Homicide detectives assisted Covina Police in the investigation. Facility staff, residents, family members, outside vendors and neighbors living near the facility were interviewed and determined to have no involvement in the murder, the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said.

DNA, as well as several other pieces of evidence, was collected at the scene.

A suspect profile was generated from DNA collected at the scene, but matches with state and federal criminal justice databases could not be found, the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said.

As years went by, state and national crime broadcasts were sent to participating agencies. Several leads were acquired, but led nowhere, the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said.

It was last year when the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and homicide detectives with the Sheriff’s Unsolved Unit submitted suspect DNA evidence with the California State Department of Justice for a DNA search and identification process, the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said.

Investigators focused their attention on the possible suspect, eventually jailing Bernal, who is being held in lieu of $2 million bail. He is scheduled for a court appearance August 7.

If convicted as charged, Bernal faces life in prison without the possibility of parole, or the death penalty. A decision to seek capital punishment will be decided at a later date, Risling said.​

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

REGION - Deputies announced the arrest of four suspects in a recent home invasion robbery.

The men are accused of terrorizing an older couple who arrived home in the 2200 block of Oldridge August 4 in Hacienda Heights. At gunpoint, the couple were forced through their home after enter the garage, relinquishing cash and jewelry, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

Several thousand in cash and jewelry were taken.

The Sheriff’s Department Major Crimes Bureau and Burglary-Robbery Task Force worked the incident and obtained a vehicle description based on witness statements and home security camera video, the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said.

Deputies in the South Los Angeles patrol area stopped a vehicle matching that seen fleeing the Hacienda Heights home. The four men were identified as the home invasion suspects, the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said.

Arrested were:
-Tyler Evans, a 22-year-old Los Angeles man
-Jimmy Griffin, an 18-year-old Tarzana man
-Michael Brown, an 18-year-old Lancaster man
-Jonathan Olivia, an 18-year-old Los Angeles man

A 17-year-old male was detained during the traffic stop, the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said.

All four suspects were booked on suspicion of Robbery, kidnapping and false imprisonment.

Griffin was additionally booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

All four men have extensive criminal histories, the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said.

Recovered inside the suspect vehicle was a purse, ID, wallet, cash and jewelry — all belonging to the victims.

A handgun was recovered. It was reported stolen during another home invasion robbery in Hacienda Heights from July 22, the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

REGION - Investigators working the cold case of a brutally beaten, raped and murdered woman in Covina used a statewide DNA technology to identify and arrest a suspect.

David Adolph Bernal, 46, was located and arrested at his El Monte home August 6. Investigators allege he is the suspect in the death of Mary Lindgren, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

Lindgren, 67, was found dead in her first-floor bedroom at Covina Villa Retirement Home January 19, 1996. Her body was found by facility staff at 7:30 a.m.

A break in the case came this July when DNA evidence submitted last year yielded a result, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau said.

Sheriff’s Homicide detectives assisted Covina Police in the investigation. Facility staff, residents, family members, outside vendors and neighbors living near the facility were interviewed and determined to have no involvement in the murder, the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said.

DNA, as well as several other pieces of evidence, were collected at the scene.

A suspect profile was generated from DNA collected at the scene, but matches with state and federal criminal justice databases could not be found, the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said.

As years went by, state and national crime broadcasts were sent to participating agencies. Several leads were acquired, but led nowhere, the Sheriffs Information Bureau said.

It was last year when the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and homicide detectives with the Sheriff’s Unsolved Unit submitted suspect DNA evidence with the California State Department of Justice for a DNA search and identification process, the Sheriffs Information Bureau said.

Investigators focused their attention on the possible suspect, eventually jailing Bernal, who is being held in lieu of $2 million bail. He is scheduled for a court appearance August 7.