Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

UPDATE: As of 7:45 a.m., all lanes are now open.

WEST COVINA - At least one person died in a multi-vehicle crash on the eastbound I-10 freeway just east of Azusa Avenue early Saturday morning.

Only the No. 5 lane is open. All other lanes remain closed until further notice, according to the California Highway Patrol.

It is unclear how the crash led to the fatality, but after the collision involving a blue Toyota Camry, a semi and at least one other car, occupants exited their vehicles and were standing in traffic lanes with other vehicles coming in fast, according to California Highway Patrol traffic logs.

The crash was reported to the CHP around 4 a.m. August 31. Debris apparently was spread across all lanes, necessitating a brief full lane closure of the eastbound side before law enforcement was able to open up one lane.

Details on the person who died at the scene we’re not readily available.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - Two suspects fled with a stolen Rolex watch during an armed robbery at Plaza West Covina Wednesday evening.

The victim reportedly followed the suspects who escaped to the I-10 freeway westbound where one of the suspects allegedly fired a handgun near Pacific Avenue and scared off the victim, according to Lt. Matt Nelson of the West Covina Police Department.

Police were called to the mall, 112 Plaza Dr., around 5:48 p.m. July 17.

California Highway Patrol officers assisted West Covina police by shutting down westbound lanes of the I-10 freeway to canvas the pavement for spent shell casings to corroborate the shooting aspect, according to Officer Sean Lough of the CHP Traffic Management Center.

The westbound side was shut down near Pacific Avenue just after 5:55 p.m. and remained closed for about an hour, Lough told SGV CityWatch.

It is not immediately clear if any evidence was located on the freeway.

Both suspects are described as a black males. They each wore a surgical mask, black hooded sweatshirt, black pants and have thin builds. Both suspects occupied a blue Jeep.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - A pedestrian was struck and killed while running in lanes of the westbound I-10 freeway at Vincent Avenue Monday night.

The California Highway Patrol received at least one report of what the caller described as a woman running across freeway lanes, causing vehicles to swerve. The pedestrian was struck by a red Ford Explorer, according to CHP traffic logs.

First responders were notified of the collision at 10:14 p.m. Monday, April 15. The pedestrian, who has yet to be identified publicly, died at the scene, according to Officer Garcia of the California Highway Patrol.

It appears the collision happened in the HOV lane. A Sig Alert was issued for the HOV and the No. 1, 2 and 3 lanes.

By 2:16 a.m. the Sig Alert was canceled. Some officers still remain on scene for the investigation, Garcia told SGV CityWatch.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WHITTIER - A high-speed freeway pursuit in West Covina that took to surface streets ended with the rider surrendering to California Highway Patrol officers early Friday morning.

A CHP officer attempted to pull over the rider for excessive speed on the I-10 freeway at Pacific Avenue just after 4:30 a.m. January 27. The rider refused to stop and took off westbound, eventually exiting onto Puente Avenue, according to California Highway Patrol radio broadcasts.

After a very brief stint on surface streets along Merced Avenue and Baldwin Park Boulevard, sometimes doing 90 miles per hour, the rider entered eastbound on the I-10 freeway and then quickly exited, only to go westbound again.

The pursuit made a brief appearance in El Monte on Garvey Avenue and Durfee Avenue, where the suspect entered the southbound 605 freeway all the way into the Whittier area.

After escaping to surface streets in the Whittier area, the rider decided to stop and surrendered to officers in the area of Slauson Avenue and Norwalk Boulevard.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

UPDATE, 8:53 p.m.: A Sig Alert for westbound lanes of the I-10 freeway at Sunset Avenue has ended and CHP officers are leaving the scene. It is unclear if CHP officers ever located evidence tied to a vehicle-to-vehicle shooting.

WEST COVINA - California Highway Patrol officers are canvassing the westbound I-10 freeway near Vincent Avenue after a driver reported a suspect fired a weapon Friday night.

The CHP responded to the scene around 7:30 p.m. May 6. Freeway lanes near Azusa Avenue are also being checked, according to Officer Stephan Brandt of the California Highway Patrol.

Brandt did not have a suspect description, or vehicle description.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

BALDWIN PARK - The California Highway Patrol will conduct a DUI/driver license checkpoint tonight scheduled for 7 p.m. at an undisclosed area in the unincorporated City of Industry and West Covina areas.

CHP officers trained in detecting impaired drivers will be equipped with hand-held breath testing devices to measure the blood alcohol concentration of suspected drunk drivers. All vehicles will be checked, traffic volume permitting. If the volume becomes too heavy, every third or fifth vehicle will be checked to assure objectivity, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Funding for this checkpoint was possible through a grant provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

BALDWIN PARK – A 19-year-old Palmdale man was arrested, accused of causing a fiery three-vehicle crash that killed a woman Wednesday.

Noe L. Manzanarez was driving a 2022 Toyota Camry eastbound on the 210 freeway west of Azusa Avenue around 12:02 a.m. April 27 in the No. 1 lane. He crashed into the rear of a 2019 Nissan Sentra that was stopped due to heavy traffic, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The still-unidentified female driver of the Nissan Sentra died at the scene.

A 2007 Ford F-350 was hit on the left side by one of the vehicles in the first collision. The F-350’s driver, a Rancho Cucamonga man, was uninjured, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Alcohol is a suspected factor in the crash.

All lanes, except lane No. 5, were closed for nearly several hours during the investigation. All lanes were reopened at 3:15 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.

Manzanarez received minor injuries. He is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail at the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles ahead of a scheduled appearance in the Pomona Courthouse April 29.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - The No. 5 lane of the east I-10 freeway west of Azusa Avenue may reopen to traffic soon while all others remain closed after a fiery crash killed at least one person.

As many as two vehicles were involved in the crash that was reported just after midnight. One vehicle was allegedly being driven in excess of 100 miles per hour before crashing, according to California Highway Patrol radio traffic.

As officers arrived on scene to the crash, they observed one vehicle already fully-engulfed in flames, according to the California Highway Patrol.

One caller reported hearing the crash from their residence.

Caltrans is en route to set up a closure.

WEST COVINA – A pedestrian was struck and killed after walking onto lanes of the east I-10 freeway near Holt Avenue.

All eastbound lanes at the Holt Avenue on ramp are closed for three to four hours for an investigation, according to the California Highway Patrol.

It appears a CHP officer spoke to a pedestrian on the west I-10 freeway near Holt Avenue around 5:47 a.m. The pedestrian allegedly said someone as trying to kill him. The pedestrian, only described as a male with tattoos then ran across traffic lanes to the center divider, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The pedestrian was first hit by a vehicle’s side mirror as the pedestrian walked against traffic along the middle lanes of the freeway as he attempted to flag down drivers, according to the CHP.

Around 6:04 a.m. came in the first report of the pedestrian possibly down in traffic lanes just west of Via Verde in the No. 3 and 4 lanes. By 6:19 a.m., CHP officers were requesting a hard closure of eastbound lanes.

WEST COVINA – An adult and juvenile were arrested after one of the two suspects brandished a firearm at the occupant of another vehicle Monday afternoon.

CHP officers were told of the incident around 2:50 p.m. November 29 on the eastbound I-10 freeway at Vincent Avenue. The victim exited the freeway into West Covina on Vincent Avenue, according to Officer Rodrigo Jimenez of the California Highway Patrol Baldwin Park Office.

The West Covina Police Department was also notified after the occupants of the suspect vehicle, a Ford F-150, entered surface streets, according to the West Covina Police Department.

At 3:15 p.m., the West Covina Police Department notified the CHP that the two suspects were being detained at gunpoint, Jimenez told SGV CityWatch.

CHP officers arrived to take both suspects into custody. The Ford F-150 was reported stolen out of Las Vegas.

The adult was identified as 18-year-old Jason Armando Orellana, a Los Angeles resident.

The juvenile was booked and later released to the custody of his parents or guardian, Jimenez told SGV CityWatch.

Jimenez did not know who brandished the firearm.

Among the crimes being investigated are occupying a stolen vehicle, tampering or altering a Vehicle Identification Number, brandishing a firearm, possession of a loaded firearm and possession of a loaded firearm while not being the registered owner, Jimenez told SGV CityWatch.