 Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - Search efforts for missing hiker Monica Reza will be limited in scope as the initial rescue phase concludes day eight, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The Sheriff’s Missing Persons Unit with the department’s Homicide Bureau is continuing the investigation. Search efforts will be limited and continuous as data and information further inform the efforts of rescuers, according to the Sheriff’s Department. “Our hearts go out to Monica’s family, friends, coworkers, and the community who have shown great concern for her disappearance,” said Ryan Vienna, acting captain for the Sheriff’s Crescenta Valley Station. Reza, 60, was last seen June 22 around 9:10 a.m. in the Mt. Waterman area near 6000 Foot Gate along Angeles Crest Highway. She was last seen wearing the clothing featured in the provided photo. The search was conducted by an extensive team, featuring nearly 100 trained searchers, K9 teams, and multiple helicopters working steep, off-trail terrain. Teams from Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, San Diego, Kern, Tulare counties and the Bay Area assisted. Once all known trails were searched, efforts were focused on the deep back country of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument in steep rugged terrain. Anyone with information on Reza’s whereabouts is urged to call Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau, Missing Persons Unit Detective Shannon Rincon, or Detective Richie Sanchez at 323-890-5500.   Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - Searches continue their quest to find a hiker last seen June 22 in the Mt. Waterman area. Monica Reza, 60, was last seen at 9:10 a.m. Saturday near 60001 Trailhead Avenue near Angeles Crest Highway. She stands 4 feet 11 inches tall, weighs 101 pounds and was wearing the clothing depicted in the above image. The Montrose Search and Rescue Team is coordinating the search with other rescue teams from the region. Anyone with information on Reza’s whereabouts is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Mission Persons Detail at 323-890-5500. Remain anonymous by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org.   Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - Investigators seek additional victims of a man accused of threatening at least one person and imprisoning at least one other near a Mt. Baldy hiking trail. Patrick Michael Flynn, 66, was arrested May 16 in the latest incident, charged with false imprisonment by violence, according to Los Angeles Superior Court records. The majority of incidents allegedly perpetrated by Flynn occurred January 12. He was charged with five counts of making criminal threats, and five special allegations of using a deadly weapon, according to Los Angeles Superior Court records. “Suspect Flinn is extremely dangerous, violent, and known to carry large knives on his person,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in a written statement. The alleged assaults occurred along the Barrett Stoddard Trail near Mt. Baldy. Flinn has already appeared in West Covina Superior Court May 20 and 21, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 2. He has pleaded not guilty. Detectives with the San Dimas Sheriff’s Station are seeking additional victims who may have been assaulted, attacked, harassed, and/or threatened. Any potential victims, or anyone with information on Flinn is urged to call San Dimas Station detectives at 909-450-2700. 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.  Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor DEATH VALLEY - A Duarte man suffered of what was described as heat exposure while hiking in the 119-degree heat of Death Valley August 1. Peter Hayes Robino, 57, endured a 1-mile round trip hike on the Natural Bridge Trail before crashing his vehicle while attempting to leave the area. Bystanders told park officials Robino was stumbling and spoke incoherently at the end of his hike, according to the National Park Service. The incident began around 3:50 p.m. Robino apparently refused the help of bystanders. Robino drove off a 20-foot embankment near a parking lot while attempting to leave. The vehicle rolled over and airbags deployed. Bystanders aided Robino out of the vehicle and to shade, but his breathing stopped around 4:10 p.m. just before park rangers arrived. EMTs attempted to revive Robino after moving him to an air-conditioned ambulance. He was declared dead at 4:42 p.m., according to the National Park Service. “An autopsy conducted by the Inyo County Coroner found that Robino died of hyperthermia. Symptoms of overheating can include confusion, irritability, and lack of coordination,” according to the National Park Service in a written statement. This is the second heat-related death this year, according to the National Park Service.  Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - A 48-year-old man last seen hiking July 14 was discovered dead five days later. Alexander Fernando Archila, a San Dimas man, was discovered somewhere along Bear Creek Trail, which is northwest of the San Gabriel Reservoir, in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The cause of death has yet to be determined. Crews focused their search in the West Fork area where Archila was last seen. He was hiking with friends when he became separated.  Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor REGION - A man has apparently been missing for four days after last being seen in the San Gabriel Mountains. Alexander Fernando Archila, 48, was last seen around 3 p.m. July 14. Investigators did not describe exactly where in the mountains Archila was last seen. Archila stands 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighs 170 pounds, has black hair and green eyes. He was last seen wearing a purple shirt, blue jeans, black shoes, and a green cap. Anyone with information on Archila’s whereabouts is urged to call Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Homicide Bureau Missing Persons Detail, Detective M. Perez at 323-890-5500. Remain anonymous by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - Searches are continuing their efforts Wednesday in locating a 59-year-old Northern California woman who was swept away in the San Gabriel River March 9.
Terrain and the swiftness of the river in certain locations makes the effort more difficult for searchers. Tuesday was spent with searchers traversing the river to inspect areas obscured by debris, according to deputy Bommarito, search and rescue coordinator with the San Dimas Mountain Rescue Team. “We haven’t stopped yet. We’re not going to stop. We’re going to keep pushing through with different missions,” Bommarito told SGV CityWatch. Searchers are continuing to focus on an area from the point last seen, which is the Bridge to Nowhere, south to San Gabriel Reservoir. However, Bommarito doesn’t believe at this time that the hiker traveled as far as the reservoir. If she did make it to the reservoir, the hiker would have to travel in one to two miles of shallow water: anywhere from 6 inches to one foot deep, Bommarito told SGV CityWatch. Depending on availability, search teams may range from as few as six to as many as 30 per day, with teams from San Dimas, Sierra Madre, Altadena, Malibu and Avalon, Bommarito said. From the air, the Sheriff’s Department has deployed their Air Rescue 5 helicopter and have had drones from the Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau searching the river. The trail leading to the Bridge to Nowhere is a roughly 10-mile hike with as many as four to five river crossings. Some crossings take hikers through ankle-deep water in late spring or early summer. Where the missing hiker tried to cross features water that can be waist deep or chest high, Bommarito told SGV CityWatch. Eyewitnesses who crossed before and after the missing hiker and her friends told searchers that the water was waist high for them Saturday, Bommarito told SGV CityWatch.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - Authorities recently announced that a hiker missing since July 1 in the mountains above the Altadena area was found dead one week after he was reported missing.
Albert Baer Zisook, 65, was found on Bear Canyon Trail near Mt. Lowe Road, according to the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner. His cause of death has been deferred, pending additional investigation. Zisook was reported missing to the Los Angeles Police Department. He was last seen July 1 at 6 a.m. near Chaney Trail and Loma Alta Drive in Altadena. Zisook's family noted that he was an avid hiker. "After many days of searching, with more than a thousand man-hours from multiple search & rescue teams, our operation concluded. However, the outcome was not as hoped. Our heartfelt condolences to the family of Albert Zisook," according to the Altadena Mountain Rescue Team in a written statement. The arduous search led a search team member to sustain serious injuries.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - A South Pasadena man who set out on a hike July 15 above Monrovia has not returned home, authorities said.
Colin Brian Walker, 53, was las seen on a Monrovia resident’s security camera in the 900 block of Ridgeside Drive heading to a hiking trail around 6:23 a.m. July 15. He has not been heard from since, according to the South Pasadena Police Department. Members of the Sierra Madre Search and Rescue team and the Montrose Search and Rescue Team have been searching by ground. A helicopter has also searched the area. Walker is white, stands 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 165 pounds. He was last seen in a gray t-shirt, dark shorts, gray socks, brown boots, a brown hat, carried hiking sticks and a large green backpack. Anyone with information on Walker’s whereabouts is urged to call the South Pasadena Police Department at 626-403-7297.  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. |
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