Police blotter 8-2-19

Monday, July 22

A Riverside man was arrested on drug charges after police found him passed out in his car on the 400 block of Auto Center Drive. When officers arrived to the scene at 8:50 a.m., they found 37-year-old Christopher Benites behind the wheel allegedly in possession of heroin and syringes, Lt. Jason Walters of the Claremont Police Department said. He was arrested and taken to CPD jail.

Tuesday, July 23

Police are investigating a burglary at a home on the 2500 block of San Andreas Way that occurred between July 16 and July 23. The burglar made entry by smashing the sliding glass door to the home, Lt. Walters said. It is unknown what was taken.

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On July 23, police allege 41-year-old Michael Crutchfield of Claremont burglarized a home on the 400 block of Middlebury, taking an unknown amount of jewelry, Lt. Walters said. Two days later, police responded to a family disturbance call on the 1100 block of N. Mountain Avenue and found Mr. Crutchfield there with the stolen property. The victim was a 67-year-old woman who was known to Mr. Crutchfield through family, but no additional information was available.

Wednesday, July 24

Police responded to two people in the middle of an argument on the 700 block of S. Indian Hill Boulevard to find one of them, 49-year-old Tasha Moses of Riverside, under the influence of an unknown drug. The other had a warrant out for his arrest. Both were arrested.

Friday, July 26

An officer pulled over a car driven by 49-year-old Francisco Vergara of Pomona for a light violation around 3:45 a.m. near Towne and Richbrook, Lt. Walters said. Mr. Vergara was driving with a suspended license, and apparently had meth in his car. A passenger was also arrested after police found a warrant on her record.

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A tree-hater in Claremont poured an unknown substance around the trunks of several citrus trees, causing them to die, Lt. Walters said. The mass tree poisoning occurred sometime between July 26 at 8 p.m. and July 27 at 1 p.m. on the 700 block of North Gettysburg Circle. The substance “smelled like a chemical used on vehicles” according to the report. The trees will have to be removed, and there is no suspect information.

Saturday, July 27

Callie Jefferson, 48, was arrested after police found meth and a meth pipe at the Knight’s Inn. The contraband was found when police arrived around 11:15 p.m. and found Mr. Jefferson had a warrant. He was arrested and taken to CPD jail.

Sunday, July 28

A Claremont woman was arrested after police allege she got into a physical altercation with a 32-year-old man. Police arrived to a home on the 200 block of Olive Street around 4:20 a.m. and arrested a 34-year-old woman after an investigation revealed the victim had “visible marks on his body,” Lt. Walters said. The victim was not taken to a hospital.

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Claremont police arrested two people on drugs and theft charges at Starbucks on S. Indian Hill Boulevard. Around 10:30 a.m., police found 19-year-old Victoria Viveros of Gardena in possession of a debit card that didn’t belong to her, Lt. Walters said. Her companion, 30-year-old Jaime Barajas of Hesperia, was allegedly under the influence of an unknown drug. Both were arrested.

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Around 10:30 p.m., officers were called to the Motel 6 in south Claremont after 41-year-old Jose Garcia of Indio was allegedly banging on a window at the business, Lt. Walters said. Police determined he was under the influence of drugs, and he was arrested.

Monday, July 29

Police were called to a bike theft in progress on the 100 block of West Oak Park Drive around 1:50 a.m. and found two 16-year-old boys, one from Pomona and the other from El Monte, with it, Lt. Walters said. One of the boys gave police a false name, and they later determined he had a warrant out for his arrest. Both were arrested and taken to CPD jail.

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Multiple packs of lottery scratchers were burglarized from Hands Down Too at 234 Yale Ave. Sometime during the night, an unidentified suspect removed the glass pane to the front door of the business and stole scratchers from inside, police said. There is no suspect information available.

—Matthew Bramlett

news@claremont-courier.com