 Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor REGION - Residents of Wrightwood and Pinion Hills are under evacuation orders as the unrelenting Bridge Fire continues to consume the San Gabriel Mountains and beyond. Wrightwood residents were ordered to evacuate earlier this evening, including residents of Lone Pine Canyon from Wrightwood to Highway 138 and Lone Pine Canyon Road south to the forest, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Pinion Hills from Wrightwood north to Highway 18 and Beekley Road west to Los Angeles County are also under mandatory evacuation. Highway 138 is closed from Lone Pine to Beekley Road due to evacuations. Highway 2 is closed from Big Pine to Highway 138, according to Caltrans. At 7:30 p.m., the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office issued an evacuation warning for the communities of San Antonio Heights and Upland from the Foothills down to the 23rd Street. Specific areas of the cities of San Dimas, La Verne and Claremont are now under evacuation warnings: San Dimas (E-003-A): North of Sycamore Flats Motorway, south of Johnstone Peak Truck Trail, east of Blue Bird Road, west of Lodi Lateral Mtwy, North San Dimas Canyon Road La Verne (LVN-E001): North of Golden Hills Road, south of San Dimas Canyon Road, east of Charmont Road, west of Sunset Ridge Truck Trail. (LVN-E002): North of Golden Hills Road, Vista De Oro, south of Sunset Peak Motorway , East of Sunset Peak Motorway, west of Stephens Ranch Road, Sunset Peak Motorway. Claremont (CLA-E003): north of Pomello Motorway, south of Cobal Canyon Motorway, Sunset Ridge Fire Road, Palmer Evie Motorway, west of Villa Padova, West Fork Palmer Motorway. (CLA-E-006-A): North of Mount Baldy Road, south of Potato Mountain, east of West Fork Palmer Motorway, west of Mt. Baldy Road. Video from KTLA 5 news showed insatiable flames destroying structures at Mountain High Resort. Video from KNBC 4 news showed what appeared to be a home well involved with fire at Mt. Baldy Village. The Bridge Fire, which ignited Sunday, September 8, has consumed 34,240 acres and remains without containment, according to the U.S. Forest Service. After finding some solace with a little overnight activity on September 9, fire crews had to deal with the mind-boggling exponential growth of the fire throughout Tuesday.  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 REGION - A Red Flag warning is in effect with the threat of dry lightning, forecasters said. Wind and relative low humidity, coupled with the recent heatwaves that created rapidly drying fuels, have created and increased fire weather risk, according to the National Weather Service. The risk is highest this afternoon through Friday and closest to Los Angeles and Ventura counties. “Thunderstorms will be high-based, and produce little to no precipitation, with lightning strikes being capable of igniting fires…,” the NWS said. “While still a low certainty scenario in terms of frequency and aerial coverage of any dry lightning … a significant fire-weather risk will exist.” Strong and erratic outflow winds produced by the dry thunderstorms could produce locally gusting winds of 45 to 60 miles per hour. Areas potentially impacted are the eastern San Gabriel Mountains, western San Gabriel Mountains and the Highway 14 corridor, Santa Clarita Valley, Santa Barbara County interior mountains, southern Ventura County mountains, Interstate 5 corridor, western and eastern Antelope Valley foothills, and the Antelope Valley. The Red Flag Warning is set to expire at 8 p.m. August 2.  Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor REGION - Three San Gabriel Valley residents and a resident of Nevada were arrested Wednesday, accused of organizing what is described as a massive, complex fraud and money laundering scheme targeting seniors. In all, five people are facing charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and criminal forfeiture, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. More than 2,000 seniors across the country were conned out of more than $27 million from 2021 through June of 2024, according to the DOJ. Arrested are:
Gong was the first to be arrested, taken into custody April 9 on state charges. “The indictment said conspirators contacted victims through unsolicited pop-up ads, emails and phone calls designed to get victims to contact scam call centers in India. The conspirators used social engineering techniques to build trust with victims. “In many cases, the conspirators had victims install remote desktop software that the conspirators used to gain remote access to victims’ computers. After building trust with a victim based on fraudulent pretenses, the conspirators used technical support, government impersonation, bank impersonation and/or refund scams to induce victims to send money to other members of the conspiracy, including the five defendants charged in the indictment,” according to the DOJ. The victims sent wire transfers or mailed cash in express packages to specific locations in Southern California, Nevada and elsewhere. Fake names were provided, along with addresses to retail locations, including CVS pharmacies, where the packages were then picked up using fake identification, according to the DOJ. The cash was then laundered through cryptocurrency transactions to co-conspirators based in India. Investigating agencies include the FBI, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, US Attorney’s Office, San Diego Police Department, San Diego Elder Justice Task Force, Chino Police Department, Coronado Police Department, Carlsbad Police Department, Escondido Police Department, Glendora Police Department, Long Beach Police Department, Orange County Sheriff’s Department and California Highway Patrol.  Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - Firefighters have reassessed the burn area left behind by the fork fire that scorched wild land and steep terrain above La Verne and San Dimas. The Fork Fire has burned 301 acres and is now 70 percent contained, according to the US Forest Service. Highway 39 (San Gabriel Canyon Road) has reopened up to the Crystal Lake Campground. Both the Crystal Lake Campground and Coldbrook Campground are now open. East Fork Road remains closed from Highway 39 to Glendora Mountain Road and Glendora Ridge Road. The Fork Fire was first reported around 3:20 p.m. Friday, July 19 in the vicinity of the Bridge to Nowhere near Camp Bonita Prairie Forks Road. The fire burned chaparral in steep terrain in a north east direction towards the Sheep Mountain Wilderness area. Recreationists were evacuated shortly after the fire started, according to the U.S. Forest Service. More than 350 personnel worked to extinguish the fire, personnel from the Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County Fire Department, Ventura County Fire Department, CalFire, the California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.  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 LOS ANGELES - A Federal arrest warrant has been issued for a non-custodial mother accused of taking her baby after an unsupervised visit February 6.
Bridget Benitez, 31, was confirmed to have crossed the border at Otay Mesa March 6. She was last seen with her biological son, Miguel Eduardo Zuniga Medina, who is 16 months, according to the FBI. The child was placed into the care of a foster parent by the Department of Child and Family Services. Benitez and the baby were last seen in a black 2021 Toyota Camry with California license plate 8WAS968, according to the FBI. Benitez may have taken the baby to Aguascalientes, Mexico. “A federal arrest warrant for Benitez was obtained on Thursday, March 7, after she was charged with international parental kidnapping in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. The complaint alleges that Benitez intentionally obstructed the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), who holds legal and physical custody of Medina, Jr.,” according to the FBI in a written statement. The child’s father, Miguel Eduardo Medina Zuniga, Sr., is the non-custodial father and is believed to be living in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Medina was arrested last year, accused of a domestic violence incident and apparently has a history of violent altercations in the presence of children, according to a juvenile dependency petition filed in Los Angeles County. Following last year’s arrest, the child was placed in the custody of DCFS, according to the FBI. “The Superior Court in Los Angeles County found that it was necessary to remove Medina, Jr. from his parents for his own health, safety, and well-being. Benitez and Medina, Sr. have also been charged in Superior Court in Los Angeles County,” according to the FBI. Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of Benitez is asked to call their local FBI office or nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Information may also be provided at www.tips.fbi.gov.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - The driver of a Ford Ranger had little choice but to wait for help to somehow find her as she lay injured after crashing down 250 over Mt. Baldy Road one week ago.
Authorities said the driver, only described as a middle-aged woman, swerved to avoid striking a deer. She suffered a fractured ankle and was unable to call for help due to a lack of cellphone reception. The twisted Ford Ranger could not be seen from the roadway. “In this person’s case, she had enough supplies to survive in her pickup for four nights before help arrived,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s San Dimas Station in a social media statement. A passing hiker set on finding new fishing spots heard the woman’s cries for help and contacted first responders. The San Dimas Mountain Rescue Team rappelled down to the twisted wreck, pulled the woman free and helped package her for air transport to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center. “We can’t stress this enough: if you plan on traveling on a mountain road this winter, bring extra supplies. It never hurts to have food, water, a sleeping bag, and extra layers on hand in the event of an emergency,” according to the Sheriff’s San Dimas Station.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - A 22-year-old Monrovia man was charged in a two-count federal grand jury indictment, accused of coercing a two-year-old child into engaging in a sexually explicit act with him so he could record record it.
David Lisandro Prerez Figueroa was charged with production of child pornography and distribution of child pornography. Figueroa was arrested earlier in December and is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles December 28, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. A federal magistrate ordered Figueroa to be held without bond, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. A federal search warrant was executed December at Figueroa’s home where he was arrested. British authorities investigating a target in the United Kingdom obtained chat logs from the X social media platform showing child sex abuse material and notified authorities stateside. Figueroa allegedly distributed the child sex abuse material on July 22 through X in an account allegedly linked to him. “If convicted of all charges, Figueroa would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 50 years in federal prison,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in a written statement.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - Multiple private schools have been evacuated and have closed the rest of the day after an email threat was sent to the schools.
Damien High School in La Verne was evacuated and will remain closed Monday, according to the La Verne Police Department. “Following further investigation, the threat appears to have come from overseas and has been deemed not credible by LVPD,” according to the La Verne Police Department. Students at St. John the Baptist School in Baldwin similarly evacuated and closed Monday around 10:20 a.m. after a threat was received, according to a parent who received an email and voicemail to pick up their child. “This morning a mass email was sent out to some Catholic and non-Catholic schools making a threat to school safety on this date. While there is no current evidence to suggest that this threat is credible, out of an abundance of caution, we decided to cancel classes for today,” according to an email sent by St. John the Baptist School. Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School in Claremont and Bishop Amat High School also canceled classes for Monday and sent students home after receiving a similar thread. Fox11 News reported that a Catholic School in Compton received a similar threat. “The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is aware of the online threats to schools in LA County. LA County Sheriff’s Stations will conduct patrol checks at local schools throughout the day. We will continue to monitor and provide future information as it becomes available,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. |
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