Police blotter 4-17-15
Tuesday, April 7
A Chino man was rushed to the hospital following a collision on his bicycle. Claremont police dispatch received several 911 calls around 3:20 p.m. after a man crashed his bike near San Jose Avenue and Marion Drive. An officer who happened to be driving by at the time assisted the 56-year-old man who had ridden his grey Magna off the curb, lost control and crashed to the ground. The rider who wasn’t wearing a helmet, suffered abrasions to his face and was airlifted to USC Medical Center for treatment.
Wednesday, April 8
Claremont police responded to a burglar alarm located on the 900 block of Harrison Avenue but the thieves, and some of the homeowner’s property, were already gone. According to Lieutenant Mike Ciszek, the victim had locked the residence before leaving the home and there were no signs of forced entry. Property loss is estimated at $13,500 and includes jewelry, pet medications and a Kindle Fire.
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A family disturbance resulted in the arrest of a Claremont man. Officers responded to the 700 block of West First Street after the parents of a small child became involved in a verbal altercation that turned physical. The 30-year-old suspect threw a box of oranges at the woman while she was holding their child before threatening to stab them both with a kitchen knife. The man was arrested for threats and assault with great bodily injury with a weapon other than a firearm. The couple has been dating for nearly three years.
Thursday, April 9
Claremont police caught the bad guys thanks to the keen eye of a homeowner following a burglary in progress at her residence. Officers responded to the 1000 block of Pomello Drive at 3:20 p.m. after the victim arrived home and saw the door to the garage was open. She called into the residence and a man came walking out holding an iPad, telling her he was a contractor doing work. At that point, the resident realized her home had been burglarized. She later reported over $250,000 in jewelry had been stolen. The victim told police she saw a car backed in at the northeastern portion of her property and provided a description of the male and female suspects and their vehicle—a light blue or turquoise car with a blanket in the rear window and a license plate beginning with the number 6.
During a routine patrol the following day, a Claremont officer spotted the vehicle on the 400 block of Auto Center Drive and followed it as it entered eastbound on the 10 freeway from Indian Hill Boulevard, at which time the officer stopped the vehicle. The female driver, Esther Setiawan, 27, and male passenger Angelo Barsotti, 42, were detained at the scene and arrested for residential burglary following identification from the homeowner. Property from the Pomello burglary as well as others was located inside the vehicle. Both suspects have prior arrests for burglary, forgery and other offenses as well as prior addresses in West Covina, but both claim to be homeless. They remain in custody on $50,000 bail each.
Friday, April 10
A car traveling on Route 66 with a flat tire and front-end damage was a red flag for Claremont police. According to Lt. Ciszek, Ryan Massie was spotted driving 40 miles per hour down Foothill at 8:30 p.m. and the physical damage to his car caught the attention of police. Officers conducted a field sobriety test and determined Mr. Massie was driving under the influence. Further investigation found that the 21-year-old Alta Loma resident was also involved in a hit and run collision at the intersection of Indian Hill and Fourth Street. “The median came out of nowhere,” Mr. Massie told police. He was arrested for DUI and hit and run.
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An unknown burglar broke the rear living room window of a home on the 200 block of Andover Drive. The thieves ransacked the home, taking unknown property before fleeing.
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A taxi driver intending to pick up his passenger knocked her to the ground instead, sending her to the hospital. The 47-year-old cab driver was making a U-turn in the parking lot of Super King to pick up his 60-year-old female fare when the front of his bumper went over the sidewalk and collided with her shopping cart, causing her to fall backward to the ground. The Montclair resident complained of pain to her buttocks, lower back and chest and was taken to Pomona Valley Medical Center for evaluation. There was no damage to the vehicle or the shopping cart.
Saturday, April 11
A hit and run driver confessed to his crime hours after damaging property in the Village. A La Verne resident was traveling north on Indian Hill near Second Street at 2:44 a.m. when he made an unsafe turn and crashed into the curb before hitting a traffic signal and a tree. He fled the scene. The 26-year-old called Claremont police at 5 a.m., telling the officer he was tired and thought he saw something in the road and jerked the wheel, causing the collision. Although he left the scene of the accident, the man told police he pulled the debris out of the road so no one would be injured. The investigation remains ongoing.
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Burglars entered another Claremont residence with little to stand in their way. At approximately 5:30 p.m., thieves accessed the home on the 800 block of Highpoint Drive through the unlocked front door. Once inside, the suspects ransacked the house and fled the location in an unknown direction. The victim was unable to determine what property had been taken from the home.
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A thief left four girls little to cheer about after stealing their cell phones during a SoCal Classic Dance and Cheer Competition at Claremont High School. At approximately 7 p.m., four students, three from Ontario and one from Redlands, left their backpacks in the boy’s locker room area that was being used to change into their uniforms. When the girls returned 30 minutes later, their phones were gone. Over 55 schools from all over California participated in the competition.
Tuesday, April 14
A feisty gal with a lead foot took Claremont police on a 10-mile tour of Upland after they attempted to pull her over for speeding. At approximately 1 a.m., a Claremont officer observed a Toyota Matrix speeding near Base Line and Monte Vista and attempted to stop the car. The driver, Danielle Goodman, refused to stop and a pursuit ensued. The Chino resident entered the 210 freeway east at Base Line Road and exited at Mountain Avenue in Upland before getting back on and exiting at Campus Avenue, speeding and running red lights and stop signs through residential areas.
The 29-year-old driver struck a Claremont patrol vehicle with her car before coming to a dead end at Euclid Avenue and 24th Street, where she was detained and arrested for DUI following a field sobriety test. Ms. Goodman told officers she’d had nothing to drink and saw the police lights but didn’t stop because, “After everything that’s happened to me this year, I apologize. It’s nothing personal.”
She was transported to Claremont jail for booking where she damaged the jail visitor’s phone and struck the arm of a jailer. She racked up a laundry list of offenses and remains in Claremont custody on $75,000 bail.
—Angela Bailey
news@claremont-courier.com
