Police blotter 5-22-15

Monday, May 11

A Pomona gal paid a visit to a Motel 6 guest and then up and stole his car. Darlene Luna was in the victim’s motel room around 4:30 a.m. when she stole the keys to his 2008 Chevy Cobalt and fled in his car. Claremont officers responded and during their investigation made contact with 24-year-old Francisco Castaneda, an associate of the suspect still at the scene.

Police found the Pomona resident to be in possession of a key fab, a shaved key and a methamphetamine pipe. Mr. Castaneda told officers the key fab belonged to his father’s garage but when the officer hit a button, it unlocked the doors to a white Honda Accord that was parked nearby and had reported stolen out of Upland on May 7. Mr. Castaneda was arrested for possession of stolen property, possession of burglary tools and possession of narcotic paraphernalia and was later released. Brea police apprehended Ms. Luna a few hours later. She was identified by the victim and transported to Claremont jail for booking. The 24-year-old was charged with driving or taking a vehicle without consent with a prior conviction. She remains in custody at Century Detention Facility in Lynwood with a scheduled release date of April 30, 2016.

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A kid with a penchant for paint was arrested following a graffiti spree in two local towns. According to Lieutenant Mike Ciszek, officers responded to Wheeler Park around 8:30 a.m. after graffiti was discovered on two exterior walls of a building. The suspect, a male juvenile from Claremont, was also a suspect in several graffiti incidents in the city of Montclair. Working in collaboration with Claremont police, Montclair PD obtained a search warrant and the Claremont High School student was arrested for his alleged crimes.

 

Tuesday, May 12

One man is smiling once again thanks to a Good Samaritan who turned in a set of dentures found sitting on fire hydrant near the Claremont police station. According to Lt. Ciszek, the owner of the teeth had just been released from police custody. Apparently he took his teeth out, set them on the hydrant to do something and then forgot about them and walked off. Police returned the chompers to their rightful owner.

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Around 3:15 p.m., police responded to Arrow Highway and College Avenue following a call of sexual battery. Officers made contact with the 45-year-old victim who told police the suspect had patted her on the buttocks with his hand. Police located the suspect, Marcus Wilder of Altadena, nearby and the victim identified him as the perpetrator. The 44-year-old man was arrested for sexual battery and later released on $20,000 bond.

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A Covina man visited a Claremont pizza joint for a beer and left in the backseat of a patrol car. Christopher Herrin went into Eddie’s New York Pizza around 5 p.m., had one beer then got too boisterous. Police were called and, upon their arrival, asked Mr. Herrin a series of questions, none of which he could answer. He later admitted to police, “Yeah, I’m drunk.” The 44-year-old man also refused a Breathalyzer test, reportedly telling officers to “blow this” while grabbing his crotch. Officers determined he was inebriated and arrested him for being drunk and disorderly.

 

Thursday, May 14

An 86-year-old woman was transported to the hospital following a traffic collision. The Walnut resident was driving her Toyota Corolla east on Bonita Avenue and attempted to turn left onto Mountain Ave. when she made an unsafe turn in front of a Ford Eclipse heading west on Bonita. The driver of the Eclipse, a 40-year-old Fontana resident, struck the Corolla and the elderly driver was transported to Pomona Valley Medical Center with complaint of pain to her neck and chest. The driver of the Eclipse complained of pain to her chest and shoulders but refused transport.

 

Friday, May 15

A “family” took advantage of a Claremont man hoping to sell his vehicle. According to Lt. Ciszek, three suspects—a 40-year-old man, a 30-year-old woman and an 8-year-old girl—arrived at the victim’s Pepperdine Lane home impersonating potential buyers for a car that the owner had listed for sale.

The male suspect asked if his “daughter” could use the restroom and the victim escorted the duo into the residence. A short time later, the 83-year-old victim went inside to see where the two were and found the man in his master bedroom on the second floor of the residence. The homeowner asked the family to leave immediately. The trio got into a four-door light colored pickup truck with paper plates and fled the scene. The victim discovered that $420 in jewelry had been taken from the residence.

 

Sunday, May 17

A graphic depiction of male genitalia was discovered on the driveway of a Claremont home. An unknown vandal used black spray paint to write “Penis Bandits” in 18-by-24-inch letters and to draw a four-foot tall penis on the driveway of a residence located on the 1000 block of Fuller Drive. The suspect then chose white spray paint to depict a two-and-a-half foot penis alongside it. The Urban Dictionary explains that a “Penis Bandit” is a person who is obsessed with male genitals and likes to draw them everywhere.

 

Monday, May 18

Around 1 a.m., officers pulled over the driver of a Volkswagen Jetta who had failed to turn on the headlights while driving in the dark. The driver, Xiaocun Dai, was also drifting out of her lane. Police pulled her over and arrested the 34-year-old Montclair resident for DUI. Her friend, Calvin Chow, was driving behind her in another car and pulled up behind the officer during Ms. Dai’s traffic stop. Officers spoke with the 34-year-old San Gabriel resident and determined that he was also driving under the influence.

“I just wanted to check on my friend who drank too much,” Mr. Chow told police. “It doesn’t make any sense that I could be arrested for drunk driving if I wasn’t pulled over. Yes, I was drinking but I felt okay to drive.”

Both Ms. Dai and Mr. Chow were booked at Claremont jail and later released on $5,000 bond each.

 

Tuesday, May 19

Claremont police pulled out all the stops when a resident alerted them that he’d heard noises coming from a vacant home on the 1400 block of Lafayette Road. Officers responded to the home at 10:42 p.m. and saw a flickering light in one of the rooms. Believing a residential burglary may be in progress, police established a perimeter and saw a person in the house wearing all black clothing. Officers verbally attempted to get the person to exit the home but received no response.

A helicopter from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department was requested along with Claremont’s K-9 Luther, who successfully made his first “arrest.” Officers in the helicopter made numerous requests over the public address system, demanding that the person exit the home, however, there was no response. At 12:38 a.m., officers entered the home and deployed Luther. The K-9 found Alex Bosserman hiding behind a door and he immediately surrendered. The 44-year-old Claremont resident was arrested for trespassing and remains in custody pending court.

—Angela Bailey

news@claremont-courier.com

 

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