Police Blotter: September 30, 2022

by Steven Felschundneff | steven@claremont-courier.com

Tuesday, September 20

A woman called the Claremont Police Department to report she had parked her car in the driveway of her residence in the 400 block of Harrison Avenue on Monday at 8 p.m., but when she woke Tuesday at 4 a.m. it was missing. The victim also said her purse was missing. According to police, the victim said she believed the person who took the items was her daughter, later identified as Huntington Beach resident Blare Relf, 30. The victim said Relf had been living with her in Claremont for the last two months. On Wednesday at 11:33 p.m., Relf allegedly returned the vehicle to her mother’s driveway and the victim called police. Officers contacted Relf and arrested her for felony grand theft auto and petty theft for the purse, which was not recovered. Relf was transported to the Claremont jail, booked, and released with a citation to appear at Pomona Superior Court.

At 10:31 a.m. Claremont police were called about a battery in progress at the bus stop at Harvard Avenue and First Street. When officers responded they questioned the victim,  who was sitting on the bench at the corner when a man, later identified as West Hollywood resident Tyrone Frazier, 56, allegedly walked up and spat in her face. Frazier walked away but came back and attempted to spit on the victim again, but missed. Frazier was arrested for misdemeanor battery, transported to the Claremont jail, booked, and released with a citation to appear in court.

Officers on patrol at 10:04 p.m. near Auto Center Drive and Indian Hill Boulevard saw a black BMW 328 with expired registration. They attempted a traffic stop but say the driver failed to yield and instead entered the westbound 10 Freeway. While cornering onto the on-ramp, the driver’s side tire of the suspect’s vehicle collided with a curb,  causing the tire to deflate. Police reported that even with the flat tire, the BMW continued onto the freeway, eventually reaching speeds in excess of 90 mph. The car eventually became disabled near the Garey Avenue offramp. The driver, Pomona resident Abraham Chavez, 19, and two passengers were detained at the scene. Police say a records check revealed Chavez had never been issued a driver’s license. He was arrested for misdemeanor charges of failure to yield, driving in a reckless manner, and driving without a valid driver’s license. During questioning Chavez allegedly invoked his Constitutional right not to speak or incriminate himself. He was transported to CPD jail where an additional records check showed he was on probation in Los Angeles County for weapons charges. He was booked and later released on the open charges but held on the probation charge. He was later transported to the Inmate Reception Center, also know as Twin Towers, in Los Angeles, to await a court date.

Thursday, September 22

At 1:53 p.m. school officials called police to report a suspicious subject walking back and forth in front of Claremont High School, 1600 N. Indian Hill Blvd. When officers arrived, they contacted Pomona resident Andres Villa Real, 31, nearby and say he was in possession of methamphetamine pipe. Villa Real reportedly told officers the pipe was “for my medicine,” and a search allegedly turned up the “medicine”: a container of what police suspected to be methamphetamine. He was arrested for the misdemeanor charges of possession of controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, cited, and released in the field. Police then transported Villa Real to his home in Pomona.

Friday, September 23

Officers on patrol at 9:26 p.m. spotted a white Toyota Tundra traveling slowly on the wrong side of northbound Berkeley Avenue. The driver, San Dimas resident Crystal Wheeler, 67, then allegedly ignored the right hand turn only sign and made a left turn onto westbound Foothill Boulevard. Officers reported the vehicle was swerving across both lanes of traffic and conducted a traffic stop in the 500 block of East Foothill in Pomona. Police say Wheeler suspected she was under the influence and administered field sobriety tests. Wheeler was arrested for DUI, transported to CPD jail, booked, and held for detoxification. She was later released with citation to appear in court.

Saturday, September 24

At 12:38 a.m. officers say a vehicle traveling east on Foothill Boulevard ran a red light at Towne Avenue, narrowly missing another car, and then continued eastbound at high rate of speed. Police conducted a traffic stop and allegedly saw a large quantity of Mylar balloons inside the vehicle. They talked to the driver, Ontario resident Omar Garcia, 27, and reportedly smelled alcohol coming from the car. Garcia also appeared to be drunk, police said. And, his passenger, Brandon Aparicio, 27, also from Ontario, was allegedly passed out in the passenger seat. Police say Garcia stated that he had drank a few beers at Piano Piano in Claremont. Officers conducted a field sobriety test and arrested him for DUI. They woke Aparicio and said he was too intoxicated to walk, speak or care for himself. He was arrested for being drunk in public, however, police determined Aparicio was too intoxicated to detox at the police station, so he was transported to Montclair Hospital Medical Center. Castro was transported to CPD jail and later released with citation.