Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

COVINA - A driver wanted on a traffic violation led West Covina Police on a reckless pursuit and eventually fled capture in Covina, police said.

The pursuit led West Covina officers on surface streets as the suspect drive north into Covina where the suspect fled the vehicle near the intersection of Cypress Street and Irwindale Avenue, said Sgt. Brian Prizzi of the West Covina Police Department.

The pursuit began around 9:39 a.m. when an officer attempted pull the suspect over near Garvey Avenue and Walnuthaven Drive.

The driver failed to yield and fled recklessly, Prizzi said.

The driver was able to briefly escape the pursuing officers in the vehicle. West Covina officers were able to locate the abandoned vehicle, Prizzi said.

Nearby Merwin Elementary School, 16125 Cypress St, was on lockdown during the search.

Prizzi declined to confirm if the vehicle was stolen or belonged to the suspect.

Irwindale Police assisted West Covina with the search.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

COVINA - West Covina police are attempting to locate and arrest a suspect or suspects who fled at the end of a pursuit.
 
The pursuit began at 9:39 a.m. West Covina officers are being assisted by Irwindale officers. Nearby Merwin Elementary School is on a precautionary lockdown, according to Sgt. Prizzi of the West Covina Police Department.
 
No further information is available.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

 WEST COVINA - The West Covina Police Department released video Thursday that refutes the account of the female detainee who alleged police brutality during an April 12 traffic stop.
 
Eileen Aquino accused one of the officers of punching and kicking her handcuffed husband, while her dress came up while she exited her vehicle to be handcuffed, partially exposing her bottom and the officer refused to let her adjust her dress.
 
Two West Covina officers conducted a traffic stop April 12 for a vehicle not displaying its license plates and upon running the license of driver, identified by Aquino as Chris Moreno, learned he was a convicted arsonist, on probation and previously arrested for possession of a loaded firearm, West Covina Police said.

The driver is also a convicted felon with previous convictions for battery on a police officer, arson and being a convicted felon in possession of a loaded firearm, West Covina Police said.
 

The officer running the license decided to investigate further by conducting a probation search of the vehicle.

“The officer requested the female and male to exit the vehicle. The male initially complied but later became agitated. The female passenger delayed exiting the vehicle and was recording the incident with a cellular phone,” West Covina Police said.

The officer asked Aquino to put the phone down for safety reasons. She refused to comply and a confrontation occurred.
 
Aquino and Moreno were not arrested and were released at the scene.

A written complaint was filed and will be investigated by West Covina Police.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - The West Covina Police Department issued a rebuttal Wednesday evening to the claims by a woman detained at a traffic stop that excessive force was used.

The woman, who identified herself in media interviews as Eileen Aquino, alleged one of the officers punched and kicked her handcuffed husband, while her dress came up while she exited her vehicle to be handcuffed, partially exposing her bottom and the officer refused to let her adjust her dress.

Aquino recorded the confrontation with the officer as he grabbed her phone and posted the recording to Facebook, but the video has since been taken down.

The most damning claims made by Aquino were not recorded on her cell phone video and the West Covina Police Department refutes Aquino’s claims.

Two West Covina officers conducted a traffic stop April 12 for a vehicle not displaying its license plates and upon running the license of driver, identified by Aquino as Chris Moreno, learned he was a convicted arsonist, on probation and previously arrested for possession of a loaded firearm, West Covina Police said.

The driver is also a convicted felon with previous convictions for battery on a police officer, arson and being a convicted felon in possession of a loaded firearm, West Covina Police said.

The officer running the license decided to investigate further by conducting a probation search of the vehicle.

“The officer requested the female and male to exit the vehicle. The male initially complied but later became agitated. The female passenger delayed exiting the vehicle and was recording the incident with a cellular phone,” West Covina Police said.

The officer asked Aquino to put the phone down for safety reasons. She refused to comply and a confrontation occurred.

A written complaint was filed and will be investigated by West Covina Police.

Aquino and Moreno were not arrested and were released at the scene.

The department plans on releasing the dash camera footage, which they said disputes Aquino’s claims.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | City Watch Editor

WEST COVINA - Police are investigating a traffic stop caught on cell phone video that shows a West Covina officer attempting to forcefully take a woman’s cell phone April 12.
 
Eileen Aquino and her husband Chris Moreno believe their civil rights were violated during the stop. The unidentified officer’s demeanor changed from friendly to stern when he discovered that Moreno was on probation for a gun violation, Aquino told KTLA 5 news.
 
Aquino said one of the officers punched and kicked her handcuffed husband, while her dress came up while she exited her vehicle to be handcuffed, partially exposing her bottom and the officer refused to let her adjust her dress.
 
The traffic stop was initiated at Meadow Road and Garvey Avenue last Thursday over husband and wife’s vehicle not displaying plates. Aquino and Moreno said they provided officers with the paperwork.
 
Aquino and Moreno said the officers denied their request to have a higher-ranking officer to be present during a vehicle search, but began complying once Moreno was cuffed and taken out of the vehicle.
 
Aquino began recording the officers, much to their chagrin.

One of the officers told her to put the phone down and remove her seatbelt and place her purse on the driver side, but she refused.
 
 “No, I am going to hold my phone because I have my rights. My mom worked for the Sheriff’s Department, she’s still working,” KTLA 5 reported.
 
The officer then forcefully entered the vehicle and tried to grab the still-recording cell phone.
 
The department is investigating the incident, Sgt. Tim Rodgers of the West Covina Police Department told KTLA 5 news.
 
Aquino and Moreno were apparently not cited for the license plate issue, instead cited over having an open marijuana container to which Aquino said there was only residue in the container.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

UPDATED, 7:08 a.m. - All non-emergency phone lines are operational, West Covina Police said as of 2 a.m.

WEST COVINA - An unspecified issue has rendered non-emergency phone lines at West Covina Police inoperable.

The 9-1-1 emergency line is still operational. The non-emergency lines went down around 8 p.m., West Covina Police said.

For non-emergency calls, use 626-827-0238, 626-827-0236 and  626-824-0974.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - A suspected DUI driver was arrested after causing a three-vehicle wreck near Amar Road and Temple Avenue just after 1 a.m.

A West Covina officer on patrol witnessed the collision at 1:03 a.m. and attempted to stop the driver, but he refused to yield and led officers on a pursuit, which reached high speeds and slow speeds, according to Sgt. Keith Shishido of the West Covina Police Department.

One of the three drivers involved in the crash took off from the scene. The third driver who remained at the scene only complained of pain in the collision, Shishido said.

The Pursuit Intervention Technique was used to disable the suspect’s vehicle in the 500 block of South Charvers Avenue.

Arrested was Esteban Steven Valenciano, who was booked on suspicion of DUI, hit and run and felony evading. He is being held in lieu of $75,000 bail.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - A female robbery suspect brandished a stun gun while she and an accomplice fled with possibly $1,500 in stolen merchandise from a store at Eastland Center Thursday night.

The robbery occurred just after 8 p.m. at Ulta Beauty, 2700 E. Workman Ave. Ste. A. As the woman left the store, she brandished a stun gun, according to Sgt. William Worley of the West Covina Police Department.

A West Covina Police broadcast described the stun gun as pink and it was brandished at an employee.

The woman was accompanied by and man and both fled in a car from the location, according to the crime broadcast.

An incident report was not yet written and no more information was available, Worley said.