Police blotter 9-25-15

Thursday, September 17

Proving once again that selfie sticks have no place in our modern society, 40-year-old Edwin Blas was arrested for strapping his cell phone to a selfie stick and using it to film someone showering. The incident occurred on the 700 block of Bridgeport Avenue around 7:30 a.m., according to Detective Lieutenant Mike Ciszek. The victim, horrified at her acquaintance’s actions, called the police after Mr. Blas showed her the video then deleted it from his phone. The police arrived and Mr. Blas admitted to filming the victim without her consent. Mr. Blas was arrested and taken to Claremont Police Department jail, where he was released with a notice to appear.

Friday, September 18

In a move described by Lt. Ciszek as “malicious mischief,” a person who takes high school rivalries a little too seriously spray-painted “F**k the Pack,” among other obscenities—alongside green-colored male genitalia—over the Claremont High School grounds sometime between 4 and 8 a.m. the morning before the football game between CHS and Damien. Equipment affected by the sophomoric scribblings include stadium bleachers, player benches and the five-foot concrete wall on the home side of the field. The effort to destroy the morale of the Wolfpack proved futile; the Pack stomped all over Damien at the big game, winning 42-17.

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Claremont PD picked up a lead on a couple from Bakersfield who were driving a car stolen from Ontario. Maricela Herrera and Steven Alvarez were stopped on the 900 block of west Foothill Boulevard at approximately 3:50 p.m. Once pulled over, officers found meth and various drug paraphernalia on Ms. Herrera, leading to her arrest. Mr. Alvarez was booked for possession of stolen property.

Saturday, September 19

41-year-old Dennis Simon was stirred from his slumber in a shopping center by Claremont cops on the 300 block of North Towne Avenue. After police ran his info, they found out he had a warrant. Mr. Simon was going to be cited but not placed in handcuffs, but he became “irate” and begin walking away from the cops. Police officers told him to stop and that he was not free to go, but Mr. Simon continued to walk away, grabbing a pocket knife in the process. That was more or less around the time Claremont police tazed him. Mr. Simon was detained and taken to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center for a check-up on his injuries.

Sunday, September 20

Somewhere between 3:24 and 4:10 a.m., 29-year-old Adrien Lea had one too many. The Garden Grove resident was visiting a friend at the Colleges when he evidently became drunk and started fighting with another person outside of a dorm building. Mr. Lea then bolted inside his friend’s dorm room, locked himself inside the bathroom and passed out on the toilet while urinating, according to Lt. Ciszek. After officers arrived to diffuse the situation, Mr. Lea was arrested and taken to the police department to sober up. 

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Later in the day at the Colleges, two Ontario men were conducting a petty theft crime spree. Jesus Mendivil, Jr., 24, and Andrew Sindelar, 22, entered into a dorm building on the 400 block of Platt Boulevard. They walked right into an open dorm where they stole a wallet, a laptop, an iPhone and a skateboard. Evidently not done for the day, Mr. Sindelar and Mr. Mendivil then happened upon a picnic table on the 300 block of West Ninth Street and stole a wallet that was left there, unguarded. One of the victims used the “find my iPhone” app and found the two thieves at the Montclair Transit Station, presumably about to make their escape. Officers responded to the location and arrested Mr. Sindelar, who also had a warrant out for his arrest in San Bernardino County, and Mr. Mendivil without incident.

Tuesday, September 22

A short pursuit through the streets of Claremont ended in an overturned wreck on Harrison Avenue at approximately 10:06 a.m. Claremont PD located a stolen car at 10:01 a.m. and tried to pull over the driver, identified as 26-year-old Jaime Plasencia of Perris. The fast and furious driver took off, leading police on a short chase through the streets before taking a turn too sharply and flipping the car, according to Lt. Ciszek. Mr. Plasencia was largely uninjured, but complained of minor pain while he was in custody. Mr. Plasencia has been booked on a laundry list of charges, including evading the police, car theft, possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition, possession of stolen property and driving on a suspended license.

—Matthew Bramlett

news@claremont-courier.com