 Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor POMONA - The California Highway Patrol arrested a driver September 7 after he allegedly led Claremont Police and CHP officers on a chase throughout the San Gabriel Valley.
Claremont officers initially pursued Anthony Orlando Franco, 33, who was driving in a stolen vehicle. The CHP was notified of the chase as it was west on the I-10 freeway west of Indian Hill Boulevard, according to Officer Rodrigo Jimenez of the California Highway Patrol Baldwin Park Office. CHP officers took over the pursuit of a black 2017 Kia Soul on the west 210 freeway at Grand Avenue, Jimenez told SGV CityWatch. The chase took to surface streets through Glendora, Covina, Irwindale, Pomona, La Verne, Claremont, Baldwin Park and West Covina. He also allegedly fled in opposing lanes of traffic, Jimenez told SGV CityWatch. The suspect also traversed the I-10, 210, 57, 71 and 605 freeways. The pursuit briefly reentered the 210 freeway eastbound from Sunflower Avenue in Glendora. The CHP attempted to disable the Kia Soul with the Pursuit Intervention Technique, but the vehicle kept moving and exited onto southbound San Dimas Avenue in San Dimas. While westbound in the area of Walnut Avenue and Arrow Highway, the driver reportedly struck the front of a CHP officer’s patrol vehicle, Jimenez told SGV CityWatch. The CHP canceled the chase due to the driver’s reckless nature. Claremont officers located the suspect and continued the pursuit into Pomona where the suspect abandoned the Soul and fled on foot at the American Inn & Suites, 310 E. Foothill Blvd. The Kia rolled and crashed into two parked vehicles, Jimenez told SGV CityWatch. Franco was caught shortly after running and was medically cleared before being booked at the Inmate Reception Center on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm, assaulting a peace officer, felony evading an officer, being in possession of a stolen vehicle and driving under the influence of drugs, Jimenez told SGV CityWatch. Franco was additionally booked for warrants related to felony evading and parole violations.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - Two men charged with capital murder in the stabbing death of a West Covina man pleaded not guilty Thursday. La Verne man Elijah Thomas Rouse, 18, and 37-year-old Shaun Cardarelli, of San Gabriel, are of accused of killing John Aguila during the commission of a robbery. The murder charge includes that both men used a knife during the commission of a crime, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Both suspects are also accused of conspiracy to commit arson. Whether or not to seek the death penalty will be determined at a later date, the district attorney’s office said.
Prosecutors accuse the suspects of killing Aguila in his West Covina apartment in late August 2019. Aguila was wrapped in a blanket along with cellophane, his body bound with duct tape. The suspects used his 2017 Honda Civic to take his body to San Bernardino county where it was dumped off a road in Upland, doused in gasoline and set on fire. A third man Davone Anthony Smith, 26, Also faces a conspiracy charge to commit arson, and a felony count of being an accessory after the fact.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - The 33-year-old motorist killed after a suspected DUI driver crashed into her car last week has been identified. Debby Shen was named by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. An autopsy has yet to be performed, according to public coroner records. David Busby, 56, was traveling south on the 57 freeway past Arrow Highway in the No. 2 lane just before 10 p.m. June 19. He slammed his 2016 Ford Transit 250 into the stalled 2012 Hyundai Elantra occupied by Shen, according to the California Highway Patrol. The Elantra was stalled in the No. 1 and 2 lanes when it was hit.
A Sig Alert was issued for the No. 1, 2 and 3 lanes from 10:19 p.m. to 1:16 a.m. Busby was booked at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s San Dimas Station and is being held in lieu of $2 million bail at the North County Correctional Facility, according to county booking records. Busby is scheduled for a July 23 appearance in Pomona Superior Court. Email Newsletter! | Advertise! | Donate! 
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.  Google Maps. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - The Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority will be performing signal testing along the freight line in Azusa, Glendora and San Dimas April 28, officials said. The construction authority plans to run either a Metrolink or Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight engine six times through the cities from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the following crossings:
The signal testing is being done as part of the Gold Line Foothill Extension work from Azusa to Montclair. The Construction Authority has moved overhead signal communication equipment for the freight line and has installed it underground.
The engine will run at 40 miles per hour through each crossing to test signal and gate activation. Railroad workers known as flaggers will be stationed at each crossing, the Construction Authority said. Six successful runs will complete the testing, the Construction Authority said.  Friends and family of a man killed by gunfire stand behind police tape at the scene of the shooting in San Dimas Sunday, December 23. PHOTO/By Aaron Castrejon. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - The 35-year-old man killed near a San Dimas park was identified Tuesday.
Michael Moreno was identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. Moreno was found with another man badly wounded after being struck by gunfire in the 200 block of South Acacia Street around 6:20 p.m. December 23. Moreno was declared dead at the scene. Moreno's body was discovered in the street near a truck. The second man was found suffering at least three gunshot wounds. He was taken to a nearby trauma center for treatment. His condition has not been disclosed. Moreno and the other man were found injured outside of a truck on the east side of Acacia Street near Pioneer Park. The relationship between the two men, as well as a motive for the shooting, remains unknown or undisclosed. A shooting occurred in an alley in the 300 block of West 1st Street Wednesday, December 18. A man taking out the trash was fired upon by at least one man inside a dark-colored 2011 to 2014 Toyota Corolla.  PHOTO/Stock image. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor SAN DIMAS - Detectives are still investigating a reported argument that led to gunfire at Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park Saturday.
During the reported argument, an unknown suspect fired at least one round into the air. The gun was not pointed at anyone in particular, according to Lt. Ben Torres of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Park Bureau. Deputies with the San Dimas Station and Park Bureau responded to the park, 120 Via Verde, just after 5:30 p.m. There were people at the park during the gunfire, Torres said. No one has come forward to deputies yet claiming to be a victim of the incident, Torres said. No one has provided information about the shooting and a suspect description is not available.  SCREENSHOT/ciclavia.org Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor REGION - 6.5 miles of road will close for at least seven hours April 22 for the CicLAvia Heart of the Foothills event.
A brand new route for the CicLAvia event will kick off the event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to celebrate Earth Day, organizers said. Billed as the country’s biggest open streets event, CicLAvia promotes active transportation and good health by organizing car-free streets for people to walk, bike ride, or skate through asphalt streets. CicLAvia is inspired from Bogotá, Columbia’s Cicloviá events. The event will begin at San Dimas Park and Ride, 205 S. San Dimas Ave., follow Bonita Avenue east, turn south on Fulton Road in Pomona, east on Arrow Highway into Claremont, north on South College Avenue and to the Claremont Metrolink Station. CicLAvia is free to attend.  U.S. Forest Service Firefighters will conduct prescribed burns near the San Dimas Experimental Forest Wednesday, March 28. PHOTO/U.S. Forest Service. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS – A smoke advisory was issued in the San Dimas/Glendora area as firefighters issue prescribed burns Wednesday.
The prescribed burns will take place in the San Dimas Experimental Forest as part of an ongoing hazardous fuels mitigation effort, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Smoke may be visible along Glendora Ridge Road, San Dimas and La Verne. The San Dimas Experimental Forest is an outdoor hydrological laboratory to document and quantify the water cycle in semi-arid steeplands. Recognized as a biosphere reserve, the Experimental Forest was established in 1933, the U.S. Forest Service said. |
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