Police blotter 12.8.12

Drunk driving incident results in severe injuries

 On Saturday, December 1, a 27-year-old Pomona resident was arrested after involvement in a near-fatal crash Saturday evening. An employee of Claremont Toyota, where the drive came to a grisly end, notified police of the crash. Jesus Rodriguez was found standing next to his truck, which had crashed through a chained-off driveway on the property.

Mr. Rodriguez was unable to tell police what had taken place or where he was. Police found his passenger unresponsive nearby. After some investigation, police believe Mr. Rodriguez made a sharp turn after crashing through the barrier. Police believe Mr. Rodriguez’s passenger was flung from the truck to the ground because the side door was not fully closed.

The man was found with severe head wounds and transported to the hospital. He was unable to be flown to USC Medical Center because of the rain, according to Lt. Vander Veen. As of press time, the man’s health was reported to be improving. Mr. Rodriguez, on the other hand, was arrested for drunk driving resulting in great bodily injury along with driving unlicensed.

Thursday, November 29

A driver fell out of his moving vehicle upon exiting the 210-Freeway at Towne Avenue Thursday evening. The driver told police that his van door was broken and known to not properly close all the way. He noticed his door was not properly locked while driving on the 210 and planned to exit to fix the problem. However, before being able to do so, the door opened and the driver, not wearing a seatbelt, fell out. The car, occupied by a front-seat passenger, proceeded to crash into a nearby tree. Though the driver suffered from road rash, neither sustained serious injuries.

Friday, November 30

A man was attacked by an armed aggressor while walking in the parking lot of the Brighton Park apartment complex, 1415 Morton Circle, at 9 p.m. on Friday. The man was approached by a hooded figure brandishing a handgun and demanding that the victim hand over his wallet. After telling him that he did not have his wallet, the armed man fled. He was last seen heading north on Claremont Boulevard. He is described as approximately 29 years old with black hair, 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing about 140 pounds and wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with black pants. The victim believes he was a transient.

Saturday, December 1

An evening gas station brawl ended in jail time for 20-year-old Elizabeth Morales on Saturday night. Ms. Morales entered an unlocked car parked at the Shell Gas Station at 1091 W. Foothill Blvd., pocketing some coins and grabbing an iPod and charger. The owner of the vehicle, who had witnessed the incident, approached Ms. Morales, who was holding the woman’s iPod and charger in her hand. The women began to fight. Ms. Morales fled before police arrived, but was located hiding behind a business nearby. Because of the fight over the stolen property, Ms. Morales, found to be under the influence of a stimulant, was arrested for robbery. She was transported to the hospital, complaining of pain to her eye from the fight.

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A man found lying in the middle of the road near Mills Avenue and Bryn Mawr Road around 5 p.m. found his feet when contacted by the Claremont police. Jesse Arroyo, 34, of Montclair was drunk and unable to stand without their assistance, according to Lt. Shelly Vander Veen. He was arrested for public intoxication.

Sunday, December 2

Keeping a low profile was not on the agenda for Ramon Sambrano, 23, of Highland, though maybe it should have been. Mr. Sambrano raised suspicion after he was heard yelling at someone on the phone near Lehigh Drive and San Jose. He was found to have 2 outstanding warrants for domestic violence and arrested.

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A driver cruising down Base Line Road on Sunday, December 2, lost control of the vehicle when attempting to make a left on Indian Hill and crashed into the American Red Cross building at 2065 N. Indian Hill Blvd. No one was hurt and only minor damage was done to the wood exterior of the building, according to Lt. Vander Veen.

Monday, December 3

Several boxes of food have been reported missing from a cafeteria supply room at El Roble Intermediate. The room is secured with a padlock, which doesn’t display any damage or tampering. Investigation continues.

Tuesday, December 4

While “the dog ate my homework” might not be considered a viable excuse by most teachers, the driver of a Ford Explorer found burglarized Tuesday afternoon might have a more convincing justification. The car, parked in the 2200 block of Silver Tree Road, was broken into sometime between Sunday, November 24 and Tuesday, December 4. A backpack with schoolbooks and a flash drive with all of the student’s homework was reported missing. There is no sign of forced entry into the vehicle.

—Beth Hartnett

news@claremont-courier.com