 PHOTO/Courtesy of Freddie Soltero. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA - A speaker and $500 in cash were taken in a burglary at a little league snack bar several days ago. The suspect burglarized the snack bar at the Eric Fuentes Memorial Field at Cortez Park, 2441 E. Cortez Ave. between 10 p.m. May 19 and 5 p.m. May 20, according to the West Covina Police Department.
With travel ball growing in popularity and with limited field options within the city, the last thing parents and players want is to have their field vandalized and to feel less safe, Soltero said.
The suspect wore a green jacket, white t-shirt and large chain necklace. Anyone who can identify the suspect is urged to call West Covina Police at 626-939-8500. Information can be provided anonymously on the West Covina Police Hotline at 626-939-8688.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA - A plea deal was negotiated after a mistrial was declared in the case of a Glendora man accused of sexual battery and child molestation. Patrick Adam Nelson, 41, pleaded no contest to one count of misdemeanor lewd acts. Nelson was immediately sentenced to 30 days in jail, three years of summary probation, 30 days of community labor, 52 sex compulsion classes and he was ordered to move from his residence within 90 days, according to Ricardo Santiago of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. A no contest plea is treated as a guilty plea. Nelson was originally accused of one misdemeanor count each of child molestation and sexual battery against his then 17-year-old neighbor in 2018.
Jurors deliberated for about two and a half days and could not reach a unanimous decision on either charge, ultimately splitting the decision 9-3 on the child molestation charge and 11-1 on the sexual battery charge. After jurors were excused May 17, Nelson’s defense attorneys briefly expressed to Judge Robert Serna their intentions to strike a plea deal. Nelson was initially offered a plea deal before trial began which he never accepted. During pre-trial, the defense briefly mentioned a 50-foot stay-away protective order as an issue preventing the acceptance of the plea deal. In a secret recording the victim’s father made of Nelson recounting the molestation and sexual battery incidents from 2018, the father expressed desire for Nelson to move away from the neighborhood. Nelson lives across the street from the victim and her family. Appearing in the audience Friday were Nelson’s parents, Byron Nelson and Judy Nelson — the latter is mayor of Glendora.  PHOTOS/Courtesy of West Covina Police. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA - Two drivers were jailed Saturday in separate traffic stops and officers discovered drugs and guns during vehicle searches. A driver was stopped around 2:30 a.m. May 18, suspected of a vehicle code violation. During the investigation, an officer located a loaded handgun tucked under the driver’s seat. Pico Rivera man Vutha Ly, 34, a known gang member, was arrested, according to West Covina Police Public Information Officer Cpl. Rudy Lopez. Six hours later, another driver was stopped and suspected of a vehicle code violation. After the officer discovered Jose Galindo Anzaldo-Rosales, 27, was driving on a suspended license, the vehicle was impounded, Lopez said.
During an inventory check of Anzaldo-Rosales’ vehicle, a loaded handgun, two loaded magazines, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia were discovered. The handgun was also stolen. The West Covina man was taken into custody, Lopez said.  PHOTOS/West Covina Police. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA - Three people were arrested May 15 on a variety of drug-related offenses after one of the three fled from officers and tried to break into homes. The incident began shortly after 7 a.m. Wednesday when an officer on foot patrol saw three people at Woodgrove Park. One of the subjects was carrying a glass smoking pipe and baggie of methamphetamine, according to Cpl. Rudy Lopez of the West Covina Police Department. The man carrying the contraband fled into some bushes when the officer tried to detain all three suspects. Two suspects were cuffed. A perimeter search was set up to find the fleeing suspect and West Covina dispatchers began receiving calls of a attempted home break-ins in the area.
During his getaway, the suspect accidentally ran into officers holding a perimeter and he was taken into custody, Lopez said. Fleeing suspect Jose Jesus Millan, a 24-year-old West Covina man, was booked on suspicion of resisting arrest, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and burglary. Also arrested were 42-year-old Angie Yvette Murrieta and 38-year-old Gary Valencia, both from West Covina. Murrieta was booked on a narcotics warrant, Valencia on suspicion of methamphetamine possession.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA - A driver and two passengers fled West Covina officers in a high-speed pursuit that ended in a tremendous crash in Baldwin Park Friday morning. Two suspects were detained at the crash scene at East Francisquito Avenue and Puente Avenue in Baldwin Park. One male suspect ran on foot, but was caught soon after, according to Cpl. Rudy Lopez of the West Covina Police Department. West Covina officers tried to pull over the suspect vehicle at Sandy Hook Avenue and Fairgrove Avenue at 1:01 a.m. May 17 for a traffic violation, but the driver refused to stop, Lopez said.
The chase entered the I-10 freeway, but officers lost sight of the suspect vehicle, likely due to the high rate of speed, and the chase was cancelled. A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s helicopter soon located the suspect vehicle in Baldwin Park on city streets, still moving at high speed, Lopez said. While West Covina officers were en route to intercept the suspect vehicle, it collided with a white SUV, Lopez said. The suspect driver suffered a leg injury and a female passenger complained of pain, Lopez said. Two people were injured in the vehicle struck by the suspect driver. In all, two patients met trauma criteria, two suffered moderate injuries and one suffered minor injures, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.  PHOTO/Courtesy of West Covina Police. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA - A loaded, stolen handgun was found inside a vehicle after police towed it for impound Wednesday. West Covina man Juan Jose Reyes, 33, was taken into custody May 15 after the firearm was recovered during an inventory check of the vehicle, which was towed after Reyes got into a traffic collision. He was found to be driving on a suspended license, according to Cpl. Rudy Lopez of the West Covina Police Department. The traffic collision occurred around 7 p.m. at Barranca Avenue and South Garvey Avenue. Ammunition was also found inside the vehicle, Lopez said.
 Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA - Two full days of deliberation have left jurors with no unanimous decision on the fate of a Glendora man accused of two misdemeanor counts each of child molestation and sexual battery. Unanimous decisions must be reached for the greater and lesser crimes charged against Glendora man Patrick Adam Nelson, accused of the listed crimes against his then 17-year-old neighbor. Tuesday afternoon, jurors asked Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Robert Serna for access to transcripts of the closing arguments from both the defense and prosecution, but were denied. The closing arguments are not considered evidence, Serna said.
Wednesday, Serna asked jurors if additional deliberation would be beneficial to help solidify a decision. About three jurors desired additional deliberation. Jurors were called out of deliberation just before 4 p.m. Wednesday to determine if progress was made, but the 12 jurors still could not agree on a verdict. Considering the circumstances, Nelson’s defense team desired a decision to be made on a deadlocked jury Wednesday. The prosecution, Deputy District Attorney Mari Henderson, agreed with Serna that further deliberation should be granted. Jurors return to Department 10 of the West Covina Courthouse at 9 a.m. Thursday.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor UPDATE, 5:30 p.m. - The driver of a stolen SUV led West Covina Police on a chase into the Azusa area and the suspect is now stuck on Highway 39 near Morris Dam. The suspect is about to surrender, REGION - West Covina police are pursuing a stolen SUV in the Azusa area. The solo occupant is driving around traffic, using the sidewalk and rolling through red lights as the driver evades deputies. The chase reportedly began in the Pico River area. The chase is, at the time of this post, north on Azusa Avenue passing Arrow Highway.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA - The defense came out with both barrels blazing Monday during closing arguments in a molestation and sexual battery case against a Glendora man. The suspect, Patrick Adam Nelson, 41, is accused of two misdemeanor counts each of sexual battery and child molestation against a then 17-year-old neighbor July 8, 2018. He faces a possible maximum sentence of one year in jail. Nelson’s defense team of Stephanie Johnson and Robert Ernenwein took a less vocal approach during days one through three of the trial as the prosecution, which has the burden of proof, called witness after witness and painted a picture that Nelson allegedly groomed the girl for years and desired her sexually. Ernenwein emphasized before the trial started that this was an unfair proceeding and during closing arguments stated the district attorney’s office overreacted and overcharged in this case. Monday, Ernenwein spoke about discovery introduced late in the trial. Some of the late discovery was learned just before testimony was set to take place with certain witnesses and some was learned on the stand with little opportunity for the defense to digest it. Allegations by the girl’s parents of Nelson slapping her buttocks while she wore a bikini and an awkward touching of her thigh during a family dinner, allegedly taking place before the 2018 incidents, weren’t included in any police reports and only came out during testimony, Ernenwein said. The parents’ accounts of who witnessed the slap apparently didn’t match, with both parents stating they individually witnessed the incident, Ernenwein said. Nelson is accused of touching the girl on her breasts and buttocks last year, the reason why Nelson was charged and facing jail time. Just before her testimony May 9, the girl said Nelson also allegedly touched her vaginal area after she awoke to him touching her buttocks -- information not disclosed during discovery. Some of the girl’s testimony focused on alcohol and marijuana edibles allegedly offered by Nelson. The defense emphasized that the items were only offered to her after the girl and her sister Cori spoke openly in Nelson's presence about consuming alcohol and marijuana. The use of the wax pen wasn’t even disclosed until last week, Ernenwein said. During her testimony, the girl stated she only remembered Nelson offering marijuana after a therapy session and on cross examination, she said she initially didn’t include it during a police interview to keep Nelson from being in more trouble than he already was in. Ernenwein also questioned why the prosecution didn’t put Nelson’s parents, Glendora Mayor Judy Nelson and her husband Byron Nelson, on the stand as percipient witnesses.
The cornerstone of the defense’s closing argument is that Nelson had no ill intent during the 2018 incidents, that touching the girl the way he did was done out of awkwardness and the prosecution did not prove criminal intent required for a sex offense. The girl’s father, Brian, on a secret recording, asked Nelson if he was aroused by touching her, which Nelson always denied. Regardless of the alcohol and marijuana consumption, Ernenwein emphasized Nelson is only being charged with child molestation and sexual battery, not contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The defense conceded that Nelson did make terrible decisions throughout his relationship with the girl and her family. Ernenwein acknowledged that Nelson’s texting of explicit messages to a teen girl is, in his words, totally inappropriate and that allowing a teen access to alcohol and marijuana is illegal under the law and he is likely guilty of battery, but a child molester he is not. “His conscience led him to speak to Brian [the girl’s father] ... Pat Nelson is a lot of things --some good, some bad -- but he has a conscience. His disclosure was complete and it was gut-wrenching,” Ernenwein said. The prosecution’s rebuttal to the defense's closing argument is scheduled for May 14 at 9 a.m. at the West Covina Courthouse before deliberation is set to begin. Prosecution: Suspect Accused of Molestation, Battery of Glendora Girl Groomed Her for Years5/12/2019  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA - Days two and three of the trial against a Glendora man accused of molestation and battery of his then 17-year-old neighbor revealed more details of what the prosecution believes is the suspect’s obsession with the girl. The prosecution led by Deputy District Attorney Mari Henderson alleges that suspect Patrick Adam Nelson, 41, groomed the victim for years in a variety of ways. The girl’s parents, a friend of the girl and two of the mother’s coworkers took the stand Thursday and Friday. In their testimony, the parents, identified as Brian and Maggie, and the girl said Nelson would give more expensive gifts to her, such as a necklace for her 17th birthday, and pay more attention to her than her sister. Maggie, said that when she first met Nelson about 11 years ago, she warned him not to harm her girls in anyway, which Nelson apparently assured her the girls would never be hurt. The girl and her friend alleged in their testimony that Nelson freely offered alcohol and marijuana edibles from his home, which was accessed through a rear unlocked door. The girl also would allegedly ask Nelson for Vodka through Snapchat messages. On Wednesday, the jury listened to 58 minutes of a secret recording Brian made of Nelson re-telling the accounts of July 8 when the alleged incidents occurred. Glendora Police Detective Michael Howell gave a recording device to Brian to get Nelson’s account. On cross-examination, defense attorney Stephanie Johnson believed Howell told Brian what questions to ask in order to force specific answers, but Brian denied the claim, stating he was only told how to operate the device and to get Nelson to recount the incidents in his own words. On Thursday, the girl said she was home with some friends and was tasked to watch her ailing grandmother July 7, 2018. The girl and friends had been drinking and Nelson allegedly did as well. The victim and her friends became ill and began throwing up. In the wee hours of July 8, the girl called Nelson to keep her company, because she felt physically sick and didn’t want to be alone -- she needed him there as a father figure and to help tend to her grandmother’s wound, the girl said. Nelson helped her as she threw up, talked with her for about two hours and allowed her use of his wax vaporizer pen to feel better, the girl said.
A vaporizer pen allows the user to inhale cannabis concentrate or wax. After the girl showered, Nelson allegedly offered her a back rub, which she agreed to. The girl said she heard nervous breathing from Nelson during the back rub and that he soon rubbed across her stomach and moved his hand across her breasts twice. She flinched, panicked and elbowed him to stop him. The girl said she fell asleep, but woke to Nelson allegedly rubbing her butt for several seconds. In the moments, hours and days after the alleged battery and molestation took place, the girl felt confused, sad and dirty about what happened. A series of Snapchat messages were shown by both the prosecution and defense between the girl and Nelson. The prosecution said the messages showed how Nelson would compliment the girl’s physical appearance, that if she were older he would marry her, how much he wanted to hug and kiss her and that he is so in love with her and everything she is. The girl would respond with platonic default emojis of two bears hugging, a heart and sometimes used an emoji stating “I love you,” the girl said. The girl once offered to kiss Nelson if he fixed his spa, which she wanted to use, although she said she never meant to follow through. Nelson, however, allegedly believed she would and in person, as well as Snapchat, would ask for kisses from her. On cross examination, the defense questioned the usage of the emojis in response to Nelson’s messages, possibly to emphasize a possibly misleading nature. Day three of the trial ended earlier than anticipated. The trial itself may possibly end six days ahead of schedule Monday, May 13. The girl’s sister may be called to testify, after which the jury may go inter deliberation and render a verdict. If convicted as charged, Nelson faces a possible maximum of one year in jail. |
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