Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor SOUTH PASADENA - Witnesses helped identify a burglary suspect who smashed his way into a business before being chased off last week, police said. Cristian Contreras, 22, is accused of smashing a window to a business in the 1000 block of Mission Street around 11:45 p.m. September 18. Contreras allegedly rummaged through the business before leaving. Several witnesses chased him away, according to the South Pasadena Police Department. Officers located Contreras walking in the 300 block of Monterey Road and detained him. Witnesses to the burglary identified him as the burglary suspect, South Pasadena Police said. Contreras, a Baldwin Park man, was booked on suspicion of commercial burglary. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor SOUTH PASADENA - Firefighter paramedics declared a woman dead on the Gold Line platform Sunday evening, a South Pasadena Police sergeant said. Police initially responded to a medical emergency call on the platform, 905 Meridian Ave., September 6 around 6 p.m. A man was reportedly screaming for help, prompting a call to police, according to Sgt. Jim Valencia of the South Pasadena Police Department. The cause of death has not yet been determined.
The victim, only described as a Black woman possibly in her 50s, has yet to be identified, pending notification of family, according to Investigator Nani Cholakians of the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. The Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority provided bus bridges while train traffic to and from the station was halted for several hours. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor SOUTH PASADENA - Police continue their search for a man accused of attempting to carjack a woman as she sat in her vehicle August 16.
Police released a sketch of the man who first attempted to punch through the driver side window of the woman’s vehicle with his fist wrapped in a shirt. The incident occurred in the 1800 block of State Street around 1:20 a.m., South Pasadena Police said. After failing to break through, the suspect left and returned a short time later with a rock and successfully broke the window. “The suspect pulled the victim out of the vehicle and entered. The suspect was unable to start the vehicle and exited the car then ran away,” South Pasadena Police said in a written statement. As officers were arriving to investigate the carjacking, the suspected arson of a vehicle occurred near an apartment complex in the 1700 block of State Street, South Pasadena Police said. The suspect is described as a white 30-year-old male with light-colored hair, a medium build and light brown or hazel eyes. He wore light-colored pants and was shirtless. Anyone with information on the suspect is urged to call South Pasadena Police detectives at 626-703-7280. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor SOUTH PASADENA - Police are asking anyone with information on a motorcycle crash to come forward and aid the investigation.
The rider, a 38-year-old San Gabriel man, suffered life-threatening injuries after crashing at Arroyo Drive and Pasadena Avenue around 10:52 p.m. Sunday, August 16. The rider was taken to Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, according to the South Pasadena Police Department. The rider was last listed in critical, but stable condition, South Pasadena Police said. There was apparently no other vehicle involved in the crash, South Pasadena Police said. Any witnesses to the crash, or anyone with information on the collision is urged to call the South Pasadena police department at 626-403-7297. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor SOUTH PASADENA – Two burglary suspects were arrested July 13 after police discovered items believed stolen from 35 storage units. An officer saw items believed to be stolen inside a vehicle during a traffic stop in the 1300 block of Monterey Road around 3:12 a.m. Further investigation led police to a storage business in the 900 block of Mission Street where the units were burglarized, according to the South Pasadena Police Department.
Arrested were 24-year-old Inglewood resident Kevin Ruada and 25-year-old Melvin Gomez of Lennox. Both were booked on suspicion of burglary. Anyone who may be a victim of these suspect, or who may have addition information on the investigation is urged to call the South Pasadena Police Department at 626-403-7270. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor SOUTH PASADENA - A Highland Park man was jailed Friday after fleeing through yards to avoid capture for allegedly burglarizing a series of vehicles, police said. David Aguilar, 35, was reportedly seen trying to open vehicle doors in the 1500 block of Rollin Street around 6:30 a.m. June 5. As police responded, other residents called to report their vehicles were burglarized, according to the South Pasadena Police Department. Officers located a man in the 1700 block of Marengo Avenue matching the description provided by at least one of the victims. The man then fled on foot through some residential yards and hopped fences to avoid officers, South Pasadena Police Department said. A perimeter search helped officers find and arrest Aguilar around 8:10 a.m.
In addition to being accused of burglarizing at least 10 vehicles, Aguilar was allegedly in possession of a stolen truck taken from Los Angeles. He also reportedly confessed to committing several crimes in March 2020. “Three of the crimes he allegedly committed in March were the thefts of two vehicles and the burglary of a business in the 200 block of Monterey Road,” South Pasadena Police Department said in a written statement. Aguilar was jailed and held without bail and an outstanding warrant from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and was placed on a parole hold. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor SOUTH PASADENA - A Los Angeles man was captured on the 110 freeway Memorial Day after he fled a failed robbery, police said. The suspect, identified as Gary Dwight Lawmixon, is accused of strangling his victim after the latter refused to give up the keys to his vehicle in the 1800 block of State Street around 2:15 p.m., according to the South Pasadena Police Department. The victim was able to escape. Lawmixon scrambled over a chain link fence and onto the 110 freeway in an attempt to stop drivers passing by, South Pasadena Police said.
Officers arrested Lawmixon without further incident and booked him on suspicion of attempted robbery. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor SOUTH PASADENA - Police arrested a man who allegedly set three brush fires along Arroyo Drive early Sunday. Jesus Vargas, 34, was found and detained southbound on Arroyo Drive near Sterling Place. A resident who interrupted an initial arson attempt confirmed the detainee was the arson suspect, according to the South Pasadena Police Department. A resident witnessed a man attempting to ignite brush with a cigarette lighter in the 300 block San Pascual Avenue. The suspect fled on foot after the resident went outside to see who the suspect was, according to the South Pasadena Police Department.
Around 12:39 a.m. May 3, firefighters responded to Arroyo Drive to fight the arson fires. A resident in the 300 block of St. Albans and a driver on the 110 freeway both called to report fire on a hillside, according to the South Pasadena Police Department. “There were three separate fires burning simultaneously across from the homes in the 300 block, 400 block and the 500 block of Arroyo Drive,” South Pasadena Police said in a written statement. Firefighters quickly extinguished the flames. No one was injured and no damage was reported. The arson is being investigated by the Arson Division of the San Marino Fire Department. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor PASADENA - A man South Pasadena Police accuse of driving at high speed was arrested Sunday night after crashing into a parked vehicle and narrowly missing a home with a family inside. The driver, Andrew Mellow, 35, crashed at 161 Columbia St. in Pasadena just after 9:30 p.m. March 8. He was arguing with his girlfriend and decided to drive at high speed during the fight while intoxicated, according to Sgt. Bartl of the South Pasadena Police Department. Mellow allegedly failed to negotiate a turn, hit a vehicle parked in the home’s driveway and stopped in front of the porch, Bartl said.
No one inside the home, nor Mellow or his girlfriend were injured, Bartl said. Officers saw Mellow high-speed driver northbound at Mission Road and Fremont Avenue. They estimated Mellow was moving between 60 to 70 miles per hour, Bartl said. Mellow was booked on suspicion of DUI and reckless driving. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor SOUTH PASADENA - A man was killed Wednesday after a crash on a speeding motorcycle, police said.
The rider was northbound on Fremont Street at high speed and crashed into a curb while attempting to pass slower vehicles on the right and struck the rear of a moving truck, according to the South Pasadena Police Department. The rider died at the scene. The crash occurred just before 10 a.m. January 8. All lanes of Fremont Avenue between Columbia and Buena Vista Street we’re closed for an investigation. The motorcycle was reported stolen out of Burbank, South Pasadena Police said. |
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