Police Blotter: November 11, 2022

Wednesday, October 26

At 4 p.m. the Claremont Police Department received a call about a burglary in progress in the parking lot at Claremont City Hall, 207 Harvard Ave. A female victim was backing her car out of parking space when police say a woman tried to distract her by saying over and over “look at your car.” Allegedly that is when a second suspect reached into the car and stole $200 in cash and a checkbook from the victim’s purse. The woman was unable to identify either suspect.

Thursday, October 27

Officers on patrol in the Village at 3:30 a.m. reported seeing a suspicious person riding a scooter in the alley behind businesses on Harvard Avenue. A man later identified as West Covina resident Derek Quinonez, 25, took off on the scooter as soon as he spotted the police, and was able to escape traveling south on Harvard. About a half hour later police spotted what appeared to be same person on a scooter in the 800 block of S. Indian Hill Boulevard. The officer said he recognized the suspect from previous arrests. Police attempted to stop Quinonez but said he once again fled on the scooter. The officer chased him down on foot and Quinonez apparently tried to escape by taking off behind the Denny’s restaurant at 820 S. Indian Hill Boulevard, but surrendered after encountering more officers who had been called in for backup. A records check revealed he had a felony no-bail warrant in Los Angeles County. He was arrested for the warrant and on a misdemeanor resisting arrest charge and transported to CPD jail where he was booked. Quinonez was given a citation on the new charge and transferred to the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles and held for court on the warrant.

Saturday, October 29

At 4:20 a.m. police saw a silver 2009 Hyundai Sonata traveling east on Foothill Boulevard and say the driver appeared to have difficulty remaining in his lane, swerving six times and nearly striking the center median. He then allegedly ran the traffic signal at Claremont Boulevard, at which point police pulled him over for the violation. While talking with the driver, Stephen Spence, 31, of El Cajon, officers reported smelling a strong odor of alcohol. When asked if he had been drinking Spence reportedly said, “I had a few.” Officers administered sobriety tests which showed his blood alcohol level was 1.5 times the legal limit of .08. Spence was arrested for misdemeanor DUI, transported to the Claremont jail, held for detoxification, and released with a citation to appear at Pomona Superior Court.

Sunday, October 30

Police were called by Claremont Colleges safety at 2:24 a.m. about a person walking near Mills Avenue and Sixth Street allegedly saying he wanted to harm himself. When officers contacted Chino resident Angel Ramirez-Vega, 21, they reported smelling a strong odor of alcohol and said he was slurring his speech and had difficulty standing. When officers attempted to detain Ramirez-Vega he began to struggle and allegedly spit a large amount of fluid onto the right side of an officer’s face. He continued to struggle, and it took the efforts of several officers to place him in handcuffs. While being transported to jail in the back of the patrol car he slipped the handcuffs from behind his back to in front of his body and removed a “spit mask” officers had placed on his head. He then reportedly began acting irate and officers responded by removing him from the vehicle and adding a second set of handcuffs. Due to his erratic behavior, officers were unsure whether Ramirez-Vega had consumed other substances, so they issued him a citation for misdemeanor battery on an officer and transported him to a hospital.

Officers were called at 3:36 a.m. regarding a traffic collision in the 600 block of W. San Jose Avenue. Upon arrival they spotted an unoccupied black Honda facing west on the north curb with major front end damage. A short distance away they came upon another vehicle with front end damage, this one a grey Toyota Corolla. Quian Keesee, 35, from Ontario was outside the car and allegedly said he was driving the car when he fell asleep and collided with the median. Police say he was unaware that he had also collided with another car. Officers said they could smell a very strong odor of alcohol on his breath and that he appeared to be intoxicated. Keesee allegedly said he was returning from a friend’s birthday party in Orange County. Police say sobriety tests showed his blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit of .08. He was arrested for misdemeanor DUI, transported to jail, held for detoxification, and released with a citation to appear in court.

Monday, October 31

Police were called to Denny’s restaurant, 820 S. Indian Hill Blvd., at 2:13 a.m., regarding a man in the parking lot witnesses say had struck a woman with his hand. The unhoused couple were then seen leaving the parking lot in a silver Honda Accord. Officers conducted a traffic stop to check on the welfare of the woman and say they recognized the couple from previous domestic violence calls. The victim said they were having a verbal fight when the man, a Pomona resident, punched her in the head. Officers say they observed swelling on the back of the woman’s head and arrested the male for felony assault on a spouse or cohabitant. He was transported to CPD jail where he was booked transported to the Inmate Reception Center and held for court.

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