Police blotter 2-2-18

Tuesday, January 23

A Claremont woman was arrested for DUI after getting involved in a two-car crash on College Avenue and Green Street. Police responded to the collision around 5:49 p.m., according to Sgt. Robert Ewing of the Claremont Police Department. While 41-year-old Stacy Gentile wasn’t at fault in the crash, a further investigation revealed she was under the influence of alcohol. She reportedly told police she had been drinking at home. She was arrested for DUI.

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Police arrested a Claremont man after he was caught drinking and driving with his six-year-old daughter in the car. Around 7:41 p.m., a witness called police after a car driven by 36-year-old Benjamin Scoby almost hit her near the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and Mountain Avenue. The witness told police she saw Mr. Scoby drinking what appeared to be an alcoholic beverage while driving. Police would not confirm if an open container was found in Mr. Scoby’s car. When police contacted Mr. Scoby in the driveway of a home on Wellesley Drive, he admitted to drinking and had trouble standing up, Sgt. Ewing said. His daughter was in the backseat of the car at the time. He was arrested for child endangerment and DUI.

Wednesday, January 24

Between 8:30 p.m. on January 23 and 8 a.m. on January 24, a thief entered an unlocked truck on the 1400 block of Morton Circle and stole $600 worth of miscellaneous hand tools. There is no suspect information.

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Police dispersed a group of five juveniles reportedly doing donuts in a car on the top floor of the First Street parking structure around 1:55 p.m. The teens were reprimanded and sent on their way. No arrests were made and no report was written.

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Around 2:30 p.m., a man in a car approached a woman walking near the intersection of Rockford and Longwood and repeatedly asked her if she wanted a ride. She said no, and later called police. Officers caught up with the car, driven by 24-year-old James Lopez of Pomona, and found he was driving with a suspended license. He was arrested, and as he was being booked at the jail, officers found a small bag of meth on him, Sgt. Ewing said. Mr. Lopez was given an additional charge of bringing narcotics into a jail.

Friday, January 26

Claremont police are looking for a woman who stole two tip jars with $70 from Starbucks at 665 E. Foothill Blvd. Around 1:20 p.m., the woman reportedly reached over a customer in front of her, grabbed the plastic tip boxes and fled the scene, Sgt. Ewing said. Witnesses described her as an African-American woman in her 30s, with a heavy build and long dreadlocks, wearing a white shirt and blue jeans. Anyone with information should call the Claremont Police Department at (909) 399-5411.

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An officer stopped 31-year-old Martin Torres after hearing reports of a man walking in and out of traffic near San Jose Avenue and Lehigh Drive around 8:40 p.m. Mr. Torres of Pomona reportedly put his hands in his pockets and refused to take them out at the officer’s commands, Sgt. Ewing said. When the officer reached out to Mr. Torres, he resisted arrest, punched the officer on the right side of her neck, grabbed her shirt and scratched her neck. The officer fought back, and Mr. Torres was placed in handcuffs when backup arrived. He continued to kick at officers and was placed in a hobble, a restraint device that essentially hogties an uncooperative individual. He was arrested for assault on an officer, resisting arrest, possession of a meth pipe and four warrants.

Saturday, January 27

A witness called police from the El Ranchero parking lot around 10:45 p.m. after 25-year-old Zachary Yaklin of Pomona tried to get into the man’s car while he was still inside, Sgt. Ewing said. Police found Mr. Yaklin at the corner of Foothill and Towne, and found a “plastic bindle of meth” on him. He was arrested and later released with a citation.

Sunday, January 28

A witness called place after observing 29-year-old Benjamin Kirkland of Hawthorne stumbling on First Street  just east of College Avenue around 2:32 a.m. When police arrived, Mr. Kirkland was uncooperative, refusing to give his ID and responding “No way,” when asked by police to sit down. Police determined he was too drunk to be in public and he was arrested and sent to CPD jail to sleep it off.

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Two cars were broken into on the 900 block of Arrow Highway. Around 8:45 a.m., the unidentified burglar smashed the front passenger window of one car, making off with unknown items from the center console, and then smashed the window of the car next to it, getting away with a CD case with around 50 CDs, Sgt. Ewing said. There is no suspect information.

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A 17-year-old girl was arrested for driving without a license after going for a joyride in her aunt’s car. Police pulled over the car near Base Line and Mills around 9 p.m. after observing it drifting in lanes and with a broken brake light. The girl was arrested for driving without a license and released with a citation. According to Sgt. Ewing, her aunt didn’t know the teen was driving her car.

Monday, January 29

A Mira Loma man was observed acting drunk while at the AM/PM at the corner of Claremont and Foothill Boulevards around 12:30 a.m. When 34-year-old Nestor Ortega got into his car after he was seen “stumbling” at the station, a tipster called police, Sgt. Ewing said. Officers pulled Mr. Ortega over not far from the gas station and he was arrested for DUI.

—Matthew Bramlett

news@claremont-courier.com