Police Blotter: May 3, 2024

by Andrew Alonzo | aalonzo@claremont-courier.com

Monday, April 22

Claremont Police Department officers responded at 10:58 p.m. to a call regarding someone who had damaged the window and taillights of a car outside the Claremont Palms Apartments, 750 W. San Jose Ave. Arriving officers were given a description of the suspect. Police said Mercedez Padilla, 32, of Grand Terrace, returned to the location and admitted to damaging the car. She was subsequently arrested for felony vandalism, taken to CPD jail for booking, and released with a citation to appear in Pomona Superior Court.

Wednesday, April 24

Police got a 1:22 p.m. call about a man sleeping on a bench in the 100 block of Yale Avenue. Police questioned 43-year-old Michael London from San Bernardino, and a records check revealed one outstanding misdemeanor warrant from Claremont and another three misdemeanor warrants from San Bernardino County. London was arrested, booked at CPD jail, then released with a citation to appear in court.

Thursday, April 25

Police pulled over a car near the intersection of Mountain Avenue and Foothill Boulevard at 1:59 a.m. for speeding. They allege the driver, Covina resident Andrew Apodaca, 25, showed signs of impairment, and conducted field sobriety tests. Apodaca was subsequently arrested for misdemeanor DUI, taken to CPD for booking, and held for detoxification. He was later released with a citation and a court date.

Friday, April 26

An 11:46 a.m. call regarding a shoplifter at DeeLux, 224 Yale Ave., brought CPD to question the alleged thief, a 43-year-old unhoused man from Pomona. When searching him, police allegedly found a methamphetamine pipe. The man was arrested for shoplifting and possession of unlawful paraphernalia, both misdemeanors, taken to CPD, booked, and later released with a citation.

Shawn Duarte, 62 of Ontario, was questioned at a CPD sobriety checkpoint in the 400 block of South Indian Hill Boulevard at about 9 p.m. Police allege he displayed symptoms of impairment, and after field sobriety tests he was arrested for misdemeanor DUI, taken to CPD, booked, held for detox, and given a citation to appear in court. Police also alleged Duarte’s passenger, Pomona resident Steven Smith, 50, displayed signs of being under the influence. Officers say he consented to a search that yielded a methamphetamine pipe. Smith was arrested, taken to CPD for booking, and later released with a citation for misdemeanor possession of unlawful paraphernalia.

Saturday, April 27

Claremont police received a call regarding a suspicious person taking photos of residents’ backyards in the area of Mills Avenue and Base Line Road at 10:33 a.m. Officers later found a man who fit the description of the alleged photographer, 53-year-old Pomona resident Lerone Pace, whom they say refused to comply with commands to stop and attempted to flee. Police caught up with him in the 500 block of West 10th Street, where a search allegedly turned up a methamphetamine pipe. Pace was arrested for three misdemeanors: resisting arrest, failure to comply a lawful order, and possession of unlawful paraphernalia. He was taken to CPD for booking before being released with a citation to appear at Pomona Superior Court.

Following multiple citations for trespassing in recent days, a 46-year-old unhoused woman was again found atLombardo Law Firm, 408 W. Foothill Blvd., by officers at 9:34 p.m., who arrested her for misdemeanor trespassing. She was taken to CPD for booking before being released with a citation to appear in Pomona Superior Court.

At 11:06 p.m., police were alerted that a “bait bike,” a poorly secured bicycle fitted with a tracking device used to catch would-be thieves, had been stolen from its location in the 100 block of Bucknell Avenue. Police found West Covina resident Robert Johnson, 36, in possession of the bike nearby and arrested him for felony attempted theft. Johnson was taken to CPD for booking and released with a citation to appear in court.

Sunday, April 28

Police responded to a 2:41 p.m. call regarding a motorist parked in his vehicle in the 800 block of South Indian Hill Boulevard. Police questioned 60-year-old Ontario resident Garth Schimmele, and a records check revealed he had a misdemeanor warrant out of San Bernardino County. Schimmele was arrested, booked at CPD jail, and released with a citation to appear in court.