Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - Two people died Monday in a major collision on Azusa Avenue.

The crash occurred on South Azusa Avenue at East Greenville Drive. First responders were called to the crash around 7:46 p.m. September 30. one of the vehicles reportedly overturned, according to West Covina Fire Department radio traffic.

One of the vehicles was being driven wrong way at the time of the crash, according to Lt. Travis Tibbetts of the West Covina Police Department.

Both vehicles collided head-on. One victim died at the scene. Another died after being hospitalized.

The West Covina Police Major Accident Investigation Team is determining the circumstances leading up to the crash, Tibbetts told SGV CityWatch.

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

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner revealed the manner of death for a 38-year-old man found in a home July 14.

Felipe de Jesus Rodriguez died from multiple sharp force injuries. The death was deemed a homicide.

An early-morning call of a man down led first responders to a dead body July 14 in a house in the 2300 block of West Havenbrook Street around 5:49 a.m. Firefighters declared the victim dead at the scene.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - Police officers called to investigate a suspicious vehicle discovered a dead body inside Wednesday.

The body was found in a Toyota Camry parked on the street at Fairgrove Ave and Aroma Drive July 24. Detectives said there is likely nothing criminal in the death, according to Lt. Tim Rodgers of the West Covina Police Department.

First responders were sent to the scene around 7 p.m.

Rodgers declined to visually identify the victim, but stated the vehicle was entered into law enforcement databases regarding a missing persons case from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau, Missing Persons Detail. Which case specifically, Rodgers declined to say.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - One week after a brutal homicide was reported at a bus stop, detectives arrested a suspect.

Kevin Davis, 64, a North Hollywood resident, was found with a stab wound to the chest at a bus stop at California Avenue and West Covina Parkway around 3:47 a.m. Sunday, July 7. Despite efforts to save Davis, he was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Detectives somehow identified Rodney Chapman Jr., 34, as a suspect. He was located in the city of Pomona where he was arrested.

Chapman was charged with first-degree murder along with enhancements for using a weapon during the murder and for having been convicted of five previous felonies dating back to 2010, according to the West Covina Police Department in a written statement.

Chapman is being held without bail at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles. He is next scheduled for an appearance in West Covina Superior Court, July 29.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - An early-morning call of a man down led first responders to a dead body Sunday.

Firefighters were called to a house in the 2300 block of West Havenbrook Street around 5:49 a.m. Firefighters discovered the body of a 30-to-40-year-old Latino man, according to Lt. Brian Daniels of the West Covina Police Department.

“Our detectives were notified and they are investigating a homicide,” Daniels told SGV CityWatch.

Daniels did not elaborate on the possible cause of the man’s death. It does not appear that anyone else was injured.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - A 60-year-old man was found dead at a bus stop early Sunday morning.

First responders were sent to the intersection of California Avenue and West Covina Parkway around 3:47 a.m. July 7 to a call of a man down at the location. Investigators are deeming this death a homicide, according to the West Covina Police Department.

The victim has yet to be publicly identified.

Anyone with information on this incident is urged to call the West Covina Police Department at 626-939-8688. Remain anonymous by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - A Tesla slammed into a power pole, dropping live power lines down on the crash scene Thursday.

First responders were sent to West Merced Avenue and South Orange Avenue around 1:50 a.m. May 2. Despite their efforts, paramedics declared the driver dead at the scene, according to the West Covina Fire Department.

The driver was the only occupant in the Tesla. No other injuries were reported.

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

WEST COVINA - Detectives tracked down and arrested two additional suspects tied to the murder of a West Covina convenience, store clerk.

19-year-old Arturo Ornelas, a Monterey Park resident, and 18-year-old Ivan Ventura Vanegas, an Alhambra resident, were taken into custody and booked on suspicion of murder, robbery, being an accessory to a crime and conspiracy to commit a crime, according to the West Covina Police Department.

Ornelas was arrested November 16. Vanegas was arrested December 7.

Ornelas was released on bond. Vanegas remain behind bars and is being held without bail.

All three suspects are believed to be members of the same criminal street gang, which detectives will not disclose, according to the West Covina Police Department.

A 17-year-old suspect was the first to be arrested, taken into custody October 10

Karanvir Singh, a 34-year-old clerk of Big Bob’s Liquor was gunned down October 8.

First responders found the clerk was wounded in the upper torso. He was hospitalized and later died, according to the West Covina Police department.

“It appears two males entered the store and stole merchandise. The victim confronted the men at which time a shooting occurred,” according to the West Covina Police Department in a written statement.