 Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - Law enforcement and school authorities are extra vigilant Friday after students reported separate incidents of stalking.
A student of the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District was reportedly grabbed by a man while walking to school around 8:30 a.m. September 14. The student was able to break free and notify school and Sheriff’s deputies, according to school officials. The suspect, last seen near Hacienda Boulevard and Francisquito Avenue. He is a Latino man in his 40s, wearing a yellow shirt, blue hat and neck tattoo he drove a white van. West Covina Unified officials said a similar incident occurred in their area where a student appeared to be followed near Hollenbeck and Hollencrest. Authorities searched for, but did not locate the white van that was seen. “As this case undergoes investigation, HLPUSD school police, City of Industry deputies and the West Covina Police Department will be providing additional patrol officers in the surrounding areas,” according Alfonso Jiménez, superintendent of schools for the Hacienda La Puente School District.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - The suspects accused of killing a man reported missing by family in late August were formally charged, the County DA recently announced. La Verne man Elijah Thomas Rouse, 18, and Shaun Cardarelli, 37, from San Gabriel, were charged with one count of murder with the special circumstance allegation of killing during the commission of a robbery and an allegation that they used a knife as a deadly and dangerous weapon, according to Ricardo Santiago of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Evidence collected during a search warrant served in La Verne August 27 led investigators to believe the disappearance of 28-year-old John Aguila is connected to a burning body found in Upland Friday. San Bernardino County Firefighters responded to the San Antonio Heights area for a small brush fire near North Mountain Avenue and Euclid Avenue August 23 around 3:30 a.m. The body was located while flames were being extinguished.
The burned body has yet to be positively identified, however. Aguila, from West Covina, was last seen and heard from August 22 around 4:30 p.m. His abandoned car was found in San Dimas August 23 — bloodied gloves and clothing found within. Rouse and Cardarelli both face life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted as charged. They also face the death penalty. A decision on whether to seek capital punishment will be made at a later date, Santiago said.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - Authorities named the 18-year-old killed at a West Covina house party. Dennis Bracamonte of La Mirada was identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. A chaotic scene unfolded Friday, May 31. Police responded to a home in the 300 block of North Hollow Avenue to reports of a shooting around 10:30 p.m. Police found three victims suffering gunshot wounds.
Two teen boys suffered wounds to their legs and were hospitalized. Bracamonte died at the scene. A fourth victim, a teen girl, was self-admitted to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Investigators have yet to provide a description of the shooter. Email Newsletter! | Advertise! | Donate!  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - A suspect accused of committing 24 robberies across SoCal pleaded guilty to one felony county of second-degree robbery Thursday. Michael Anthony Tapia, 52, also admitted to allegations of two prior felony convictions. He was immediately sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison, according to Paul Eakins of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Tapia committed the 24 robberies over a seven-month period from June 2017 to January 2018.
The felony complaint only regarding crimes committed within Los Angeles County. Tapia was accused of a total of 40 cell phone store robberies across SoCal, including cities in Orange County and San Bernardino County. Tapia was convicted of second-degree robbery in 1998 and attempted second-degree robbery in 2001. “Under the terms of a negotiated plea agreement, the defendant waived all credit for time already served in jail and is required to pay restitution to all of the victims named in the case,” Eakins said in a written statement. The West Covina Police Department investigated Tapia, along with surrounding police agencies.  PHOTO/KTLA 5 News. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - An SUV stolen out of the Rose Hills Mortuary Wednesday was recovered, but not before the suspect evaded authorities up into the Azusa mountains. The chase began at 4:37 p.m. May 15 from Rose Hills, 3888 Workman Mill Rd. Sheriff’s deputies gave chase, but decided to cancel the pursuit to handle other emergency calls, according to Lt. Robert Westphal of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Pico Rivera Station. West Covina police officers soon gave chase and followed the suspect mostly north on Azusa Avenue where the suspect drove around stopped traffic by using a sidewalk and front yard.
The chase entered Azusa where the driver drove through an empty lot on the southeast corner of Foothill Boulevard and Azusa Avenue, drove over a sidewalk and accessed northbound Azusa Avenue again to the San Gabriel Mountains. In a bizarre twist, the driver used the rough right shoulder of northbound San Gabriel Canyon Road to bypass wide-open road. The SUV’s tires spun wildly over the right shoulder until the SUV became stuck on the terrain. The driver surrendered to West Covina Police without further incident.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - A man convicted of gunning down his wife’s mother and father inside his family’s home will see the inside of a prison cell until he dies.
Zhang and Diao, both 60, visited from China in 2016. Wang executed them both April 13 of that year inside his family’s home in the 1300 block of East Oahu Avenue ahead of his in-laws’ planned trip back home after months of friction with their son-in-law, prosecutors said.
West Covina Police were called to the home that day after a neighbor reported hearing gunfire and children screaming. Officers found the dead couple inside. Wang’s children were found hiding in a bathroom. His wife was at work when the shooting occurred, prosecutors said. Wang surrendered at the home without incident. Wang had previously threatened his wife’s life and the life of her parents, according to prosecutor Deputy District Attorney Kelsey McKeever-Unger.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor POMONA - The 21-year-old man accused of threatening violence against his former high school pleaded not guilty Wednesday.
Peña was arrested November 8.
Peña is scheduled to appear in Pomona Superior Court December 4 where it will be decided if there is enough evidence for him to stand trial. Peña is facing a possible maximum of three years and eight months in state prison if convicted as charged.  PHOTOS/Courtesy of the West Covina Police Department. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - Two felony counts of criminal threats have been announced against a West Covina man accused of publicizing threats of violence against a West Covina High School.
Dereck Peña, 21, was officially charged Tuesday and faces a possible maximum sentence of three years and eight months in state prison if convicted as charged, according to Ricardo Santiago of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. An ex-girlfriend alerted authorities November 7 after Peña allegedly told her about the acts of violence intended against South Hills High School, Santiago said. Real machetes, replica body armor, replica handguns and replica rifles were found at Peña’s home the following day, West Covina Police said. Peña was found in his residence and arrested without incident, West Covina Police said. The unspecified threat and video surfaced November 8, one day after detectives were determining the source of additional threats, the latter deemed non-credible, West Covina Police said. Peña faced arraignment in Pomona Superior Court Tuesday. |
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