ROSEMEAD – Calling Steppenwolf: A man claiming he needed a ride home after his friends ditched him allegedly stole a City of Santa Monica cart and decided to haul butt on the I-10 freeway July 3.

Officers from the East Los Angeles California Highway Patrol Office responded to numerous calls of a golf cart doing 20 miles per hour on the east I-10 freeway west of the 710 freeway just before 5 a.m. The driver yielded after officers conducted a traffic stop, according to the CHP.

Drivers reportedly had to swerve to avoid crashing into the utility vehicle.

The driver ended on Columbia Street west of Del Mar Avenue. The cart, officers discovered, was a John Deere Utility Vehicle emblazoned with a City of Santa Monica seal, according to the CHP.

“The driver stated his friends had ditched him and he needed a way to get home,” according to the CHP in a written statement.

Ismael L. Fernandes, 27, was arrested and booked on suspicion of unlawful taking of a vehicle.

Fernandes pleaded not guilty. He is scheduled to appear in the Alhambra Courthouse January 12, 2023, according to Los Angeles Superior Court records.

 Fernandes was released July 13 on his own recognizance, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

ROSEMEAD - Homicide investigators are piecing together the circumstances that led to a man’s death in the 800 block of Montebello Boulevard, Saturday afternoon.

Deputies were called to the area at 3:20 p.m. June 25. The victim was declared dead at the scene, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Deputies did not yet state any apparent wounds or causes of death to the victim.

The 800 block of Montebello Boulevard is flanked by businesses on either side: a Double Tree Hotel on one side and The Shops at Montebello on the other.

Anyone with information on this death investigation is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Provide information anonymously 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

ROSEMEAD - The investigation into a Sunday-evening shooting that wounded one man has been turned over to Operation Safe Streets deputies, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

The man wounded by gunfire was likely crossing out rival gang graffiti before he was fired upon, according to Sgt. Richard Lewis of the Sheriff’s Temple Station.

“Detectives from OSS did come out and started the investigation,” Lewis told SGV CityWatch.

The shooting occurred May 1 around 6:19 p.m. near 8225 Garvey Ave. In excess of 10 gunshots were possibly fired from a grey 9 mm handgun at the driver of another vehicle, according to a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department broadcast.

The victim wound up at a San Gabriel hospital.

The suspect, described as a male Hispanic about 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 250 pounds wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with the hood up and blue and grey shorts, fled eastbound on Garvey Avenue in a dark gray SUV.

The Operation Safe Streets Bureau was created in 1979 through federal funding to expand and improve upon existing gang programs. OSS eventually expanded beyond beyond the East Los Angeles Station, Lennox Station, Lynwood Station and Pico Rivera Station to include a Men’s Central Jail team and teams at the Carson Station, Industry Station, Norwalk Station, Lakewood Station, Walnut Station and Temple Station.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

ROSEMEAD - Two vehicles fled the scene of a shooting on Garvey Avenue around 6:19 p.m. May 1.

Deputies investigating the shooting near 8225 Garvey Ave. report that in excess of 10 gunshots were fired from a grey 9 mm handgun at the driver of another vehicle, according to a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department broadcast.

Deputies tasked with calling area hospitals to look for a possible gunshot victim, have turned up a likely victim who arrived to San Gabriel Valley Medical Center in San Gabriel, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department radio traffic.

The driver of the SUV shot at the driver of a black older-model Toyota Camry. The Camry was seen being driven southbound on San Gabriel Boulevard.

The suspect, described as a male Hispanic about 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 250 pounds wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with the hood up and blue and grey shorts, fled eastbound on Garvey Avenue in a dark gray SUV.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

ROSEMEAD - A man died by apparent gunfire in a Rosemead neighborhood Saturday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.

Deputies responded to the 7800 block of East Whitmore Street around 8:49 p.m. April 30. The victim, only described as a man, died at the scene, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

Homicide investigators are determining what led to the death.

Anyone with information on this shooting is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Information can be provided anonymously by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org.

ROSEMEAD – A suspected DUI driver was arrested Sunday, accused of striking and killing a man who was standing outside his own vehicle on the I-10 February 6.

Moises Rivera Luna, 31, allegedly slammed into a disabled vehicle on the eastbound I-10 freeway west of Walnut Grove Avenue, forcing the disabled vehicle into the path of an SUV. The driver of the disabled vehicle died at the scene, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The crash occurred around 3:40 a.m.

Killed was 31-year-old Miguel Armando Garcia from Los Angeles.

The driver in the SUV was uninjured, but his passenger was hospitalized with moderate injuries.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

ROSEMEAD - A Hispanic woman was taken to a hospital Sunday morning after being shot at a hotel.

Deputies and firefighters responded to the shooting at Bokai Garden Hotel, 3633 Rosemead Blvd., January 2. The Hispanic woman was transported to a hospital for treatment.

The shooting victim’s condition was not immediately known, according to Lt. Meza of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

Not much information was available at the time this post was launched, but deputies were told initially that two suspects were seen leaving a room after the shooting occurred.

Investigators are searching for witnesses to the shooting, Meza told SGV CityWatch.

Meza did not have details, or declined to elaborate on who called to report a shooting victim at the hotel.

Deputies are searching for the two suspects, one of whom is a heavyset Hispanic man in a black jacket, denim jeans, a black baseball hat and a gaiter cover over his mouth. The second suspect is a thin Hispanic man in dark clothing, according to a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s crime broadcast.

Both men were seen fleeing into a dark 2015 Honda Civic, which was seen heading to the I-10 freeway.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

ROSEMEAD - Investigators released Friday an image of the 16-year-old boy who is still missing and sought in connection with a fatal hit-and-run crash.

Mariano Coc, a South El Monte teen, was last seen November 7. He had access to the 2009 Nissan Altima that was witnessed running over and fatally injuring a pedestrian in Rosemead one day later, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

According to two independent eyewitness statements, the person behind the wheel of the Altima that struck the pedestrian did not match Coc’s description, which is why detectives believe Coc may be the victim of a crime.

“Right now he is listed as a person of interest because he was last seen with that vehicle
by the registered owner of that vehicle,” according to Sgt. Richard Lewis of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station. “We do not know if he was present at the time of the incident, or the driver of the incident.”

The eyewitness statements describe the suspect driver as a light-skin male Hispanic or Caucasian between 20 to 30 years old, Lewis said.

Coc had previously runaway in 2020. He has no criminal history, Lewis said.

Deputies initially responded to the 2700 block of San Gabriel Boulevard around 10:38 a.m. Monday to a reported vehicle versus pedestrian south of Garvey Avenue and found a victim laying in traffic lanes and bleeding from the head.

Possibly a traffic collision between the driver of the Altima and the other driver, identified as 61-year-old Riverside man Haiou He, led to an argument.

He exited his vehicle and walked to the driver side of the Altima. During the argument, the Altima was accelerated in reverse and dragged He underneath causing major injuries, Lewis said.

He died on Wednesday, November 10 at County/USC Medical Center at 8:30 p.m.

The Altima was found abandoned the same day in South El Monte. Detectives located the owner of the vehicle and eventually learned of Coc’s disappearance, Lewis said.

“The family and the registered owner of the vehicle allow the child to take the vehicle and have possession of the vehicle and they could not tell us that he had any business near the intersection of San Gabriel and Garvey,” Lewis said, adding he is an unlicensed teen who may not even have a learners permit.

​​Coc stands 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighs 145 pounds and was last seen wearing a tan tank top, light-colored jeans and black slip-on sandals.

Anyone with information on Coc’s whereabouts or who may have witnessed any aspect of the vehicle versus pedestrian incident, or what may have led up to the verbal argument is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station and speak with Detective Bravo at 626-292-3389, or email kbravo@lasd.org.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

ROSEMEAD – Sheriff’s detectives revealed Friday that a missing teen is being sought as a person of interest in a fatal hit and run collision.

Detectives with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station are looking for 16-year-old Mariano Coc, who is possibly involved in the collision between a black 2009 Nissan Altima and a 61-year-old pedestrian on San Gabriel Boulevard south of Garvey Avenue November 8.

The victim died from his injuries days later, detectives said.

Coc has been missing from his South El Monte home since Sunday, November 7. It is unclear if he is the driver of the Altima.

The crash occurred around 10:38 a.m. Lt. Moen of the Sheriff’s Temple Station said initially that two vehicles collided and that the 61-year-old man exited his vehicle to speak with the Altima driver, the latter struck the man and drove away from the scene.

The Nissan Altima was found abandoned.

Detectives will hold a press conference to distribute the teen’s missing persons flyer.

“Detectives will ask for any information leading to Mariano’s whereabouts, as he could possibly be a potential victim of another crime or might have information about the fatal hit and run incident,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in a written statement.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

ROSEMEAD - Deputies are still searching for the driver of a vehicle that struck and critically wounded another person after a two-vehicle collision November 8.

The two-vehicle collision occurred in the area of San Gabriel Boulevard and Garvey Avenue around 10:38 a.m. Monday morning. One driver exited his vehicle to speak with the other driver, the latter struck and critically wounded the first driver during an escape, according to Lt. Moen of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

The critically-wounded driver was taken to County/USC Medical Center.

Deputies did locate the suspect’s abandoned vehicle, described as a possible black Nissan Altima with a grey bumper, Moen told SGV CityWatch.

Moen did not known where the suspect’s vehicle was located.

No suspect description was available.