Police blotter 10-10-14

Wednesday, October 1
A beloved statue that has graced the memorial garden at Saint Ambrose Episcopal Church has been destroyed at the hands of vandals. Sometime between September 28 and September 30, the unknown suspects entered the garden at 830 W. Bonita Ave. and threw a large rock at the four-foot St. Francis statue created by artist John Edward Svenson. The terra cotta patron saint of animals and the ecology broke into several large pieces before the suspects fled in an unknown direction. Although the value of the statue has not yet been determined, it is believed to possibly be worth thousands of dollars.
****
Thieves working in unison deceived one Claremont resident into allowing the trio to enter his home and then stole his belongings. The 84-year-old victim was sweeping his sidewalk on the 1700 block of N. Towne Avenue when approached by a woman carrying a bag of bananas. Stating she needed to come into his home and measure the fixtures to make sure everything was safe, the female suspect entered the residence and distracted the homeowner while two men ransacked the place. The thieves stole approximately $1,000 in jewelry and $120 in cash. The victim said he didn’t think anything was out of the ordinary because they looked like nice people. The suspects are described as a white female in her mid-40s, a white male in his 30s and a black male in his 60s.
****
Noah Bolin was traveling on Foothill Boulevard when officers witnessed the 32-year-old Claremont resident make a wide right turn, striking the curb with his vehicle’s right front tire. Suspecting he had been drinking, officers conducted a traffic stop and questioned Mr. Bolin,  who initially denied partaking in any alcohol and then admitted to having “just a couple.” A second officer soon approached the Chevy Silverado on the passenger side and saw a semi-automatic handgun wedged between the seats. Mr. Bolin was removed from the vehicle while officers conducted a search of the truck, which also revealed a white mask, handcuffs and a loaded magazine. Mr. Bolin was arrested for driving under the influence and possession of a loaded firearm. He was released the following morning on $35,000 bail.

Saturday, October 4
A trail of evidence led police to the home of one Claremont woman who fled the scene after her vehicle collided with a parked car. Suspect Brenda Pintado was driving east on San Jose Avenue when she lost control of her vehicle and allegedly struck the rear of a parked Ford F150. A witness spotted the 29-year-old get out of her car and get back in before driving away. Officers arrived to the collision location and followed a trail of fluid left behind at the scene, leading to the residence of Ms. Pintado. Another officer met with the suspect at her home and determined she was driving under the influence of alcohol. Ms. Pintado was positively identified by a witness as the driver of the vehicle and arrested for DUI and hit and run. She was later released on $5,000 bail.
****
A knife-wielding woman attacked a pest control man after a bee outside a Village business allegedly stung her. According to Lt. Mike Ciszek, the commercial pest control technician was hired by a private business located on the 200 block of Yale Avenue to remove bees from a tree when the suspect, Pomona resident Samantha Watt, confronted him. The suspect told police the incident began after she was stung by a bee and was trying to get the victim to get her antihistamine and demanded that he take her to the hospital. When he refused, the 29-year-old woman allegedly pulled out a 12-inch knife and began chasing the victim around the street. When asked if she was going to stab the victim with the knife, Ms. Watt responded, “F*ck yeah, he had it coming. He’s a shitty person!” Ms. Watt was arrested for assault with great bodily injury and was transferred to Century Regional Detention Facility on a medical issue. She remains in custody on a bail hold of $40,000 with a court hearing pending.

Sunday, October 5
An afternoon at the Hi-Brow left one man on a walk-about through Claremont before spending the night in jail. Steven Chizar was allegedly stumbling down Briarcroft Road and Lynoak Drive around 11:30 p.m. when somebody called the police. Officers arrived and discovered the 38-year-old disoriented, walking with his cell phone in hand and playing music loudly. Unable to figure out how to turn the music off, he handed his phone to officers to do it for him. When asked if he’d been drinking alcohol, Mr. Chizar said, “Hell, yeah!” He then admitted he’d been drinking since noon. When officers asked if he knew where he was, Mr. Chizar responded, “I have no clue where I am.” The Claremont resident was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and released the next morning on $250 bail.

Monday, October 6
Taking a bite out of crime takes on a whole new meaning for one Super King security guard who suffered serious injuries perpetrated by a shoplifter. Pomona resident Nina Scruggs entered the store to buy groceries around 5 p.m. and attempted to steal six bottles of cognac and vodka worth $188.50 before two store security guards tried to detain her. The 33-year-old fought back, taking a one-inch diameter bite out of one guard’s right forearm and removing part of the skin. The five-foot, 128-pound suspect also bit the right index finger of the same guard, leaving his finger swollen and bleeding. Ms. Scruggs was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and robbery. She remains in custody at Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood on an $80,000 bail hold and is due to appear in court on October 21.
—Angela Bailey
news@claremont-courier.com