Police blotter 2-14-20
by Matthew Bramlett
Wednesday, February 5
A transient has been arrested in connection with a battery incident that occurred last month at Rancho San Jose Park. Justus Akins, 23, is accused of hitting another person with a three-foot long metal pipe on January 27 after the victim accused him of taking his cell phone while he was sleeping on a bench in the park. The victim suffered a bump on the head, but refused to be taken to a hospital. Mr. Akins was arrested at the Shell gas station near the 10 freeway and taken to CPD jail.
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A 61-year-old woman was arrested after she disrupted a Claremont Architectural Commission meeting. She allegedly went to the meeting and claimed the city of Claremont stole her property and that she was a homeless advocate, Det. Matt Hamill of the Claremont Police Department said. Apparently she left the meeting and began yelling outside, and was arrested for disturbing the peace.
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An Alta Loma man was arrested for DUI after he crashed his Honda Fit into a tree. The accident happened around 11 p.m. at Indian Hill Boulevard and Harrison Avenue, Det. Hamill said. The driver, 28-year-old Michael Magoni, was allegedly under the influence of alcohol, and he was arrested.
Thursday, February 6
Two people were arrested after they were caught with multiple victims’ IDs while siphoning gas from U-Haul trucks. An officer was on patrol on the 900 block of west Foothill Boulevard around 4 a.m. when they saw 37-year-old James Scott of Baldwin Park hiding between the two trucks, Det. Hamill said. It was later discovered he was siphoning gas. A woman in the car, 52-year-old Belinda Mendez, also of Baldwin Park, was in possession of multiple credit cards, IDs, social security numbers and other personal info for a number of victims. They were both arrested and taken to CPD jail.
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A camera bag with two cameras, sunglasses and a Hydroflask was stolen from an unlocked Jeep on the 300 block of Springfield Street. Between February 5 at 10:30 p.m. and February 6 at 9:20 a.m., the unknown thief cut the cable to a detached garage and took the goods from the Jeep. There is no suspect information.
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Police are looking for a burglar who broke into a mail van at the DoubleTree Hotel parking lot. The theft happened between 11:10 and 11:22 a.m., when the thief smashed the left front window to the United States Postal Service van, taking a bin full of mail that was set to be delivered to houses from the 1300 to the 1800 block of Oxford Avenue. There was no suspect information available.
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A Claremont woman was arrested after her 15-year-old daughter alleged that she threatened to kill her with a knife. Claremont police responded to the home after receiving a report from the Department of Children and Family Services that the 40-year-old woman was mentally abusing her daughter and issued the death threat, Det. Hamill said. Further investigation found the claim of abuse was warranted, and the woman was arrested on suspicion of criminal threats and child abuse.
Friday, February 7
Police broke up a fight that occurred during a party at Claremont McKenna College. Officers responded to a fight in progress at 734 N. Amherst around 1 a.m., and found that an 18-year-old man allegedly slapped another man, causing a small laceration to the bridge of his nose. The slapper was apparently so intoxicated he was unable to respond to questions, so he was taken to Montclair Hospital for treatment. He was not charged.
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Meanwhile, police are looking for a driver who hit another car near Miramar and Padua and fled on foot. The victim was driving his Lexus northbound on Padua around 8:50 p.m., and the suspect was following in his Nissan, Det. Hamill said. The Lexus driver was making a turn onto Miramar as the suspect tried to pass in the southbound lanes, leading to the accident. In a bizarre turn, the suspect then got out of his Nissan and fled on foot without exchanging information. Police are investigating.
Saturday, February 8
An officer saw 57-year-old Darren Yeoman in the field behind the 76 gas station at Foothill and Towne around 1:30 p.m., Det. Hamill said. Upon contact, Mr. Yeoman of Pomona had a warrant, as well as meth and a meth pipe. He was arrested and taken to CPD jail.
Sunday, February 9
Claremont police briefly gave chase to the driver of a stolen Toyota Camry, but had to back off for safety purposes. A license plate reader camera picked up on the Camry near Indian Hill and San Jose, and the driver didn’t stop when police tried to pull the car over. A brief pursuit happened, but police had to call it off after the car started driving erratically. The car was later located in Ontario, and the driver, a 17-year-old boy, was arrested.
Tuesday, February 11
Two people were arrested on curfew violations at Memorial Park after one of them attempted to run away. Police arrived to the park just before 2 a.m. after getting a call of two people in the park after the 10 p.m. curfew, Lt. Karlan Bennett of the Claremont Police Department said. One suspect, identified as 34-year-old Jeannette Valenton, ran from police and was eventually taken into custody for resisting arrest. The other suspect, 38-year-old Eric Borunda, had a warrant out for his arrest. Both were taken to CPD jail.
