Police Blotter: August 27, 2021
by Mick Rhodes | mickrhodes@claremont-courier.com
Wednesday, August 18
The Claremont Police Department received a 10:24 p.m. call about a suspicious person at College Park, 126 S. College Ave., and sent patrol officers to investigate. The officers talked to Phillip Borunda, 39, from Pomona, and determined he was under the influence of a controlled substance, suspected to be methamphetamine. A records check turned up an outstanding misdemeanor warrant, and Mr. Borunda was arrested on the warrant, as well as one misdemeanor count of being under the influence of a controlled substance. He was booked, then released with a citation to appear in Pomona Superior Court.
Friday, August 20
Security guards at the DoubleTree Hotel, 555 W. Foothill Blvd., called police to report a man who’d previously been advised to stay off the property was back, was refusing to leave, and they wanted him arrested. Officers met up with the man, Ernie Preston, 23, from Moreno Valley, at 10:15 p.m., and placed him under arrested for misdemeanor trespassing. He was then booked and released with a citation to appear in court.
Saturday, August 21
Officers on patrol at 2:59 a.m. spotted a grey 2005 Chevy Suburban parked in an alley behind a residence in the 700 block of west San Jose Ave. that had been reported stolen out of Riverside. As they rolled up on the scene and shone a spotlight on the Suburban, a man who had been sitting in the driver’s seat opened the door and bolted. The officers weren’t able to chase him down, but while investigating at the scene, two more people emerged from behind another parked car and were detained. A search of the backpack of Andrea Ruiz-Estrada, 20, from Montclair, allegedly turned up methamphetamine and a meth pipe, and a records check revealed she was on probation. The second person, Pomona resident Joaquin Gonzalez, 23, had an outstanding misdemeanor warrant out of Pomona. The cops were unable in the moment to find enough evidence to connect the pair to the stolen SUV, but they were nonetheless arrested. Ms. Ruiz-Estrada was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, both misdemeanors, and for the probation violation. Mr. Gonzalez was taken into custody for the warrant. Both were booked and released with citations to appear in Pomona Superior Court.
Claremont police dispatch was hard pressed to help Dionicio Medina, 51, from Norco, when he made multiple early morning 9-1-1 calls requesting help from the area of Auto Center Dr. and Indian Hill Blvd. The CPD dispatcher said Mr. Medina would offer no further details as to why he was requesting police assistance, but officers responded nonetheless, and at 3:14 a.m., based on his slurred speech and other factors, determined he was under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested for drunk in public, a misdemeanor, and spent the rest of the morning detoxing in the Claremont jail before being released with a ticket and a court date.
A 32-year-old unhoused man was arrested after allegedly shoplifting some King’s Hawaiian Rolls and two cold beverages from Stater Bros., 1055 W. Foothill Blvd. A store employee called police at 9:41 a.m. to report a theft had just occurred. Arriving officers found a man matching the description nearby, who was then identified by a Stater Bros. security guard. The man was arrested, but initially gave police a false name. At the station his true identity was discerned, which revealed a no-bail parole violation hold. He was booked, issued a ticket for the misdemeanor shoplifting charge, then transported to the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles to face a judge on the parole violation.
Witnesses called police at 4:24 p.m. to report a man standing outside Towne Cleaners, 1330 Towne Ave., “loitering and screaming at people.” Officers responded and interviewed a 54-year-old unhoused man, quickly determining he was “heavily intoxicated,” and arrested him on a misdemeanor drunk in public charge. A records check then revealed an astounding eight misdemeanor warrants out for his arrest issued from multiple municipal and county agencies. The man slept it off in the Claremont jail for the remainder of his evening before being released with a notice to appear in court on the new charge and the outstanding warrants.
Saturday, August 21
At 11:10 p.m., Claremont police pulled over a white 2007 Honda CRV driven by Michael Atwater, 29, from Upland, for speeding near Foothill Blvd. and Mills Ave. Suspecting he had been drinking, they administered a field sobriety test, which they say he failed. Mr. Atwater was arrested for misdemeanor DUI, booked, and spent the morning detoxing in the Claremont jail before being released with a citation.
Monday, August 23
Police say 30-year-old Montclair resident Monica Magallon called 9-1-1 at 2:39 a.m., told the dispatcher her name was Monica, and then spoke some more words the dispatcher said were unintelligible. Police determined her location from the call, Eighth St. and Yale Ave., and say Ms. Magallon was slumped over in the driver’s seat of her white Acura TSX when they arrived. They rousted her, administered a field sobriety test, and arrested her for misdemeanor DUI. Ms. Magallon was booked and jailed for the remainder of the morning, then released with a citation to appear in Pomona court.
Claremont PD received a 11:12 p.m. call regarding a suspicious person at the parking structure at 470 W. First St. Arriving officers questioned a 28-year-old unhoused man, and a records check turned up a felony warrant issued by the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. He was then arrested on the warrant, booked, and transferred the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles where he was held for court.
