Police blotter 4-24-15

Tuesday, April 14

A robber made a quick getaway after stealing the cell phone of a teenager near Claremont High School. At around 5:15 p.m., the 16-year-old boy was walking along when the thief ran by him and stole his black iPhone 6 out of his hand. The suspect, described as a six-foot-tall black male, weighing 200 pounds, got into an awaiting red or maroon sedan and traveled south on Indian Hill Boulevard towards Foothill Boulevard. The total property loss is valued at $700. The investigation remains ongoing. 

Wednesday, April 15

A bicyclist was airlifted to USC Medical Center following a collision with a vehicle in north Claremont. According to Lieutenant Mike Ciszek, officers responded to an injury accident that occurred at Base Line Road and Padua at 4:35 p.m. The cyclist, a 73-year-old Alta Loma resident, was traveling west on Base Line Road in the bike lane and approached a passive green light on Padua at 25 miles per hour. A Honda Accord, driven by a 74-year-old La Verne resident, was traveling east on Base Line and also had a green light, making a left turn onto Padua. The driver of the vehicle didn’t see the bike approaching and failed to yield, broadsiding the white Cannondale and its rider. The cyclist, who was wearing a helmet, was airlifted to USC with injuries to his right leg and hip and abrasions to his right elbow.

Thursday, April 16

An admitted drunk driver hit a parked car, injuring the passenger in her vehicle. Natalie Fordyoe, a 24-year-old Claremont resident, was driving south on Claremont Boulevard from Ninth Street around 1:24 a.m. when the car drifted to the right and struck a gray Ford Escape that was parked on the west curb at Sixth Street. The victim, a 27-year-old male Pomona resident, was sitting in the right front passenger seat and received a laceration to the mouth and complained of pain to his neck, shoulder and hip. During the investigation, police determined Ms. Fordyoe was under the influence of alcohol and that her license was also suspended. The officer asked the driver where she was before the crash, to which she responded, “I didn’t know and it doesn’t matter.” When asked by the officer if she was driving down the street, she looked confused and said, “Dude, I’m drunk.” The sassy gal was arrested for DUI, booked at Claremont jail and later released on a $100,000 bond.

Saturday, April 18

Claremont police caught a thief in the Village after witnesses chased him into the cellar of a neighboring home. The victim and two witnesses arrived at a home located on the 300 block of Harrison Avenue around 7:14 p.m. and found Ryan Coon standing inside the home with two backpacks. The witnesses chased the 28-year-old transient out the front door and Mr. Coon dropped the satchels, jumped the fence and took off running.

Claremont police set up a perimeter and a K-9 unit from the Pomona Police Department as well as a helicopter from the Ontario Police Department arrived to assist. After an approximate 45-minute search, Mr. Coon was located hiding beneath a house on the 400 block of West Sixth Street.

 Mr. Coon was taken into custody, positively identified by the witnesses, transported to Claremont jail and charged with first-degree burglary. On April 21, Mr. Coon appeared in court and entered a plea of no contest. He was sentenced to two years in state prison. The property, valued at $9,700, included cameras, camera equipment, Bose speakers and a MacBook Pro and was recovered by the witnesses.

Sunday, April 19

A Claremont home undergoing fumigation became a crime scene after two thieves used unknown means and broke into it. According to Lieutenant Ciszek, two male suspects entered the residence on the 2200 block of La Paz around 6:50 a.m. and were captured on surveillance by security cameras set up by the victim and a witness. One of the cameras took photos of the suspects as they walked up the driveway and into the backyard of the tented home. Two possible suspects have been identified, one of which is in custody but has not yet been charged with a crime. The investigation remains ongoing.

Wednesday, April 22

Claremont police received a cyber tip that resulted in the arrest of a Cal Poly Pomona student for possession of child pornography. Claremont police obtained a search warrant for the IP address out of Claremont, leading detectives to the home of a Pomona resident where child pornography was discovered. The 20-year-old male was arrested at his job site on campus and booked at Claremont jail at 8:56 a.m. He was later released on $20,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Friday.

—Angela Bailey

news@claremont-courier.com