Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA - A driver was arrested after refusing to stop for West Covina officers in an early-morning pursuit. The unidentified driver casually drove at slow speeds from West Covina to Hacienda Heights, where he was arrested on suspicion of evading police and driving on a suspended license, according to Sgt. Keith Shishido of the West Covina Police Department. An officer attempted to pull over the driver around 12:10 a.m. May 11 near South Sunset Avenue and Cameron Avenue.
An Industry Sheriff’s Station deputy witnessed a lone West Covina officer in pursuit and joined until at least two other West Covina officers arrived, according to Sheriff’s radio traffic. The pursuit continued south on Sunset. At Las Tunas Drive and Orange Grove Avenue in Hacienda Heights is where the suspect was taken into custody. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA - A man accused of one felony count of criminal threats against South Hills High School was sentenced to three years formal probation Wednesday. Dereck Peña, 22, was also ordered to stay away from South Hills High School, to stay away from his ex-girlfriend for five years and to participate in mental health counseling, according to Ricardo Santiago of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Peña threatened to shoot up his former high school November 7, 2018. He communicated the threats to his ex-girlfriend in a social media video.
Peña was found in his residence and arrested without incident after West Covina detectives determined the source of the threat and video regarding South Hills High School, West Covina Police said. Real machetes, replica body armor, replica handguns and replica rifles were found while searching Peña’s home. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA - The jury trial against a Glendora man accused of inappropriately touching a then 17-year-old girl began Wednesday. Patrick Adam Nelson, 41, is accused of one misdemeanor count each of child molestation and sexual battery, both allegedly occurring July 8, 2018. Deputy District Attorney Mari Henderson attempted to paint the picture that Nelson groomed the girl for years. The girl’s father took the stand Wednesday. The alleged molestation and battery took place in the girl’s home while her parents were away on vacation. Nelson visited the girl, which her father said was unusual when the father was not home. The girl was sick after allegedly drinking. Nelson offered the girl a back rub and during the back rub grabbed her butt and cupped her breast, the girl’s father said. Nelson and the girl’s family have known each other for 11 years. The father and Nelson met 11 years ago when the girl was 7 or 8 years old. Nelson had virtually become family and was referred to as “Uncle Pat.” The girl and her family also became acquainted with Nelson’s parents Byron and Judy Nelson: the latter is mayor of Glendora. The jury was shown a series of photos of the girl, her family and Nelson taken during those 11 years at get-togethers, day trips and holidays: each photo showed Nelson at varying degrees of physical closeness to the girl. The girl’s father claimed that the alleged acts were not the first by Nelson. When the girl was 15, Nelson allegedly placed his hand on her thigh. Nelson also allegedly slapped the girl’s butt playfully during her freshman year: both actions illicited enough concern from the father to warn Nelson, who pledged he would never hurt the victim.
A week after the alleged July 2018 incidents took place, Nelson asked the girl’s father over to his home where Nelson apparently confessed. Nelson also apparently admitted to what he did in front of his parents Byron and Judy during a subsequent meeting between the two families. The jury listened to 58 minutes of a recording made by the girl’s father who was given a recorder by Glendora Police Detective Mike Howell to capture a confession on tape. In the recording, Nelson repeatedly said what happened was a “horrible lapse in judgement” and that he had no bad intentions as both the girl and her father worked to get Nelson to state why he allegedly did what he did, sometimes going so far as to ask if he was aroused by touching her. In the recording, the girl claimed that friends would notice Nelson always looked at her differently and would always give her gifts. The trial resumes Thursday. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA - Less than 30 customers remain without power after a driver being chased in El Monte took out a power pole and sheared a hydrant in West Covina early Tuesday. The chase was observed by California Highway Patrol officers around 3:30 a.m. as it sped east along the I-10 freeway. Before the CHP could take over the pursuit, the driver exited into West Covina, where the driver evaded officers on surface streets south of West Covina Mall, according to CHP radio traffic.
The crash occurred at West Merced Avenue and South Sunset Avenue around 3:45 a.m. Around 2,100 customers were initially without power. The pursuit driver was taken into custody. |
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