Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

REGION - Searchers in Arizona found remains that have been identified as those of a West Covina man missing since. September.

Shane Rollman’s remains were found January 1 in a dry creek bed near Interstate 17, according to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office.

The official cause of death either remains unknown, or has yet to be shared.

Rollman, who was 31, left his home in West Covina September 12. His BMW was found abandoned at the McGuireville rest area in Rimrock, Arizona September 23, according to the FBI.

Shane’s BMW 328i had no gas left in the tank. His computer and cell phone were also found abandoned in the car.

Shane fueled up his BMW at a supermarket in Camp Verde on September 13. He also withdrew $700, according to the article.

Shane’s grandmothers had passed away, his mother nearly died and he also apparently lost his job due to the pandemic, according to the article.

Shane’s parents said he is inexperienced in camping and hiking. They suspect he may have hitched a ride, according to the article.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

LA PUENTE - No one was injured after a fleeing suspect fired at least one round as he fled officers at the end of a brief pursuit from West Covina to La Puente Thursday night.

Few details are available right now, but the pursuit lasted roughly one minute and ended in the 15000 block of Amar Road were one suspect decided to run on foot. Two additional suspects remained in the vehicle and were detained. The suspects who fled finally surrendered to officers just after midnight, according to Lt. Keith Freeman of the West Covina Police Department.

Freeman did not know why the suspects were originally pursued, but the chase began around 7:38 p.m. January 7.

The pursuit lasted less than two minutes.

The suspect who fled on foot was apprehended in a residential rear yard just after midnight, Freeman told SGV CityWatch.

​Booking information was not readily available.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - The woman who was shot inside a vehicle as it sat at an intersection January 2 has succumbed to her wounds.

The still publicly-unidentified woman was the passenger in a vehicle at East Amar Road and South Azusa Avenue Saturday when a gunman opened fire around 10:16 p.m.

The 29-year-old woman was transported to a local hospital, according to Lt. Tony Cortina of the West Covina Police Department.

Next of kin have not been spoken to by coroner investigators, so the victim’s name is not yet being released, according to Sarah Ardalani, public information officer for the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.

It is not publicly known if detectives have a possible suspect or vehicle description.

Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to call the West Covina Police Department 24-Hour Crime Hotline at 626-939-8688. Information can be provided anonymously by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or at lacrimestoppers.org.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - Detectives are searching for the suspect who shot and wounded a woman while she sat in a vehicle at a West Covina intersection January 2.

A 29-year-old woman who was the passenger of a vehicle was struck by gunfire around 10:16 p.m. at East Amar Road and South Azusa Avenue. She was transported to a local hospital and was described as being in critical condition, according to Lt. Tony Cortina of the West Covina Police Department.

Cortina did not provide a possible suspect or vehicle description.

According to West Covina Fire Department radio traffic, the woman may have been shot in the back of the head. Police officers were first on scene and began providing first aid. Officers believe the woman’s pulse was fading, but firefighters arrived, took over patient care and were able to stabilize the woman for transport to a hospital.

Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to call the West Covina Police Department 24-Hour Crime Hotline at 626-939-8688.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - A man reported to be in his 60s was pronounced dead after police and medics responded to a medical emergency call Thursday afternoon.

An unresponsive man was found in the area of Sunset Avenue and Vine December 17. Police were called to the scene around 12:36 p.m. to a man laying face down. Firefighters declared the man dead at the scene, according to Lt. Keith Freeman of the West Covina Police Department.

“Obviously, it’s still under investigation, But at this time it appears to be no obvious signs of foul play,” Freeman told SGV CityWatch.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - A suspect who allegedly fled during a traffic stop was arrested Sunday after a brief pursuit, police said.

During the chase, the suspect crashed into a curb. He fled on foot and a search helped to put the suspect behind bars, according to the West Covina Police Department.

A patrol officer performed a traffic stop on a driver for vehicle code violations around 1:11 a.m. in the area of South Sentous Avenue and La Puente Road November 22. Although the driver stopped, he made a u-turn and sped away before the officer could contact him, according to the West Covina Police Department.

The driver crashed at Nogales Street and La Puente Road, according to Lt. Tony Cortina of the West Covina Police Department.

West Covina man Dru Benitez, 22, was booked on suspicion of felony evading, Cortina told SGV CityWatch.

Benitez is being held in lieu of $170,000 bail ahead of a scheduled appearance in West Covina Court Tuesday, November 24, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

REGION - Authorities in Arizona and California continue their investigation into the mysterious disappearance of a West Covina man who was last seen September 12.

Shane Michael Rollman, 31, Left his home in West Covina September 12. His BMW was found abandoned at the McGuireville rest area in Rimrock, Arizona September 23. He was last seen wearing a blue shirt, jeans and black shoes, according to the FBI.

In a September 28 article published in the Verde Valley Independent & Camp Verde Bugle, Rollman’s father, Steven, said recent tragedies and the COVID-19 restrictions weighed heavy on Shane’s mind.

Shane’s BMW 328i had no gas left in the tank. His computer and cell phone were also found abandoned in the car.

Shane fueled up his BMW at a supermarket in Camp Verde on September 13. He also withdrew $700, according to the article.

Shane’s grandmothers passed away, his mother nearly died and he also apparently lost his job due to the pandemic, according to the article.

Shane’s parents said he is inexperienced in camping and hiking. They suspect he may have hitched a ride, according to the article.

Anyone with information on Rollman’s whereabouts is urged to call a local FBI field office.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - An adult male died at the scene of a crash November 6, police said.

The collision occurred on Lark Ellen Avenue at Cameron Avenue at 5:07 p.m. Four vehicles were involved, according to Keith Freeman, acting lieutenant of the West Covina Police Department.

The West Covina Police Traffic Bureau is investigating the crash. One of the drivers may have suffered a medical emergency prior to the crash, but it is still unclear what caused the collision, Freeman told SGV CityWatch.

Freeman was not sure if anyone else was injured.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - The coroner recently named the man whose body was found near a parking structure at the Lakes Shopping Mall in West Covina.

Luyllin Garcia, a 28-year-old transient, was identified by Sarah Ardalani, public information officer for the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.

The cause of Garcia’s death has been deferred pending additional investigation.

Garcia’s body was found after he either fell, or jumped from the third level of a parking structure near the Lakes Shopping Mall Saturday, October 24, a West Covina Police lieutenant said.

Officers were called to the parking structure north of the Regal Edwards Cinemas around 11:25 p.m. Investigators do not suspect foul play, according to Lt. Jeff Munn of the West Covina Police Department.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - A pedestrian struck by a vehicle on Azusa Avenue south of Amar Road is undergoing surgery at the time the story was posted Sunday night.

The pedestrian, described as a transient man, may have stepped into the roadway outside of a marked crosswalk on Azusa Avenue south of Amar Road around 7:30 p.m. October 25, according to Lt. Jeff Munn of the West Covina Police Department.

The vehicle was possibly southbound on Azusa Avenue when the collision occurred.

The driver remained at the scene in his cooperating with investigators, Munn told SGV CityWatch.

There is a social media report being shared that described the pedestrian as dying at the scene, but Munn denies any fatality resulting from the crash.