Police blotter 8-7-20
by Mick Rhodes | mickrhodes@claremont-courier.com
Tuesday, July 28
Claremont Police Department detectives nabbed a suspected car burglar at 10:20 a.m. at his home at 917 E. Lexington Ave., Pomona. Police arrested Tony Yarberry, 35, after an investigation into two recent smash-and-grab vehicle burglaries that took place last month at the Thompson Creek Trail parking lot in the 2400 block of North Indian Hill Boulevard. The first break in occurred July 10, when he allegedly made off with a wallet, identification, credit cards and a cell phone. Police say he returned to the parking lot July 27, broke another car window and made off with a pink leather purse and wallet containing multiple credit cards and ID, a pair of reading glasses and an HP printer. The case came together after the two victims, following advice from CPD detectives, monitored their stolen credit card accounts to watch for illicit spending. Sure enough, the victims soon both contacted Claremont police to report unauthorized charges at Home Depot and WalMart locations in Glendora, where on one occasion it’s alleged Mr. Yarberry spent more than $1,600 and $387, respectively. Police viewed surveillance footage from Home Depot and found a recent previous arrest report for Mr. Yarberry. He was arrested and now faces three felony counts, two for car burglary and one for identity theft.
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Witnesses say Fernando Arvallo, 46, from Pomona, was “stumbling in the street” and weaving in and out traffic while carrying a case of Bud Light beer about 11:30 a.m. near Super King on Auto Center Drive. Officers arrested Mr. Arvallo for being under the influence of alcohol.
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Claremont officers responded to a 6 p.m. call regarding an adult man allegedly striking a child in front of a business in the Vons shopping center at 548 E. Base Line Rd. There, they questioned a 43-year-old Rancho Cucamonga man, his 14-year-old son and several witnesses. Bystanders reported seeing a physical struggle between the man and his son, and said he struck the child and attempted to hold him down on the ground. The man was arrested and charged with willful cruelty to a child, a felony. He was booked and released with a citation to appear.
Wednesday, July 29
At about 7:30 p.m., Claremont police received a call from an El Paso, Texas man at Claremont Toyota, 601 Auto Center Dr., claiming people were chasing him. Police responded and soon suspected he was under the influence of a hallucinogenic drug. Police say he asked officers to shoot him, and that he sometimes uses psychedelics. He was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance, but was released at 3 a.m. the next morning with a citation to appear in court. The man allegedly returned to the Claremont Police Department station at 10:43 a.m. and was seen running through the restricted area of the parking lot. He was arrested a second time for being under the influence of a controlled substance. Claremont officers did some research and located the the man’s family in Texas, who told officers he had recently come to California to break into acting, but was self-medicating for a previously diagnosed mental health issue. Claremont police then transferred him to local mental health facility on a 72-hour hold.
Friday, July 31
About 7 p.m. a license plate reader camera near Indian Hill Boulevard and San Jose Avenue picked up a grey 1997 Honda Accord that had been reported stolen. Police located the car near Indian Hill and the 10 Freeway and pulled over the driver, Graviela Ortiz, 34, of Montclair. She was arrested on two felony counts of vehicle theft and possession of a stolen vehicle, and possession of a controlled substance for a small amount of methamphetamine that police say she had concealed in her bra. Her passenger, Laura Colin Arevalo, 33, from Ontario, was also arrested for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was booked and released with a citation to appear in Pomona Superior Court. Ms. Ortiz was on probation at the time of her arrest, prompting the issuance of a no bail probation violation warrant. She was booked in Claremont then transferred the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood.
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A La Verne man who had been released from state prison just one day earlier due to COVID concerns will likely be headed back after being arrested following a bizarre incident at the Motel 6 at 840 S. Indian Hill Blvd. Police say Eufemio Alvarez, 33, admitted to snorting meth before allegedly vandalizing a motel room causing $6,000 in damages. Claremont police got a 911 call from the motel about 8 p.m. about a man throwing furniture out of a second story window. When they arrived they found Mr. Alvarez, who they say was verbally combative before refusing police orders and barricading himself into his room. Police say he then began throwing furniture around the room and yelling loudly in Spanish and English. Unable to lure Mr. Alvarez out of the room, police made entry, where they found him locked in the bathroom, again refusing to emerge. Officers then kicked open the bathroom door and said Mr. Alvarez moved his hands up and pointed an object at them. Officers used a Taser to subdue him. As he was being arrested he allegedly told officers he had earlier snorted some methamphetamine. He was held on a felony parole violation, charged with felony vandalism, with resisting arrest and for being under the influence of a controlled substance. He was transferred to the LA County Sheriff’s Inmate Reception Center to await his court dates.
Saturday, August 1
Claremont police were back at the Motel 6 at 840 S. Indian Hill Blvd conducting a 9:05 a.m. welfare check when he allegedly witnessed a hand-to-hand narcotics transaction. After calling for backup, officers arrested Ramon Cazares, 22, for possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, and Blake Burns, 51, for possession of a controlled substance for sale and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Sunday, August 2
A neighbor called police about 6 a.m. after seeing a suspicious man near the entrance to the Kaiser Permanente Indian Hill Medical Offices at 250 W. San Jose Ave. Officers arrived and found Hugo Ventura, 31, from Pomona, who they say told them he was on probation for car theft. Police say he also had a glass pipe that contained an off white residue in the bowl they presumed to be methamphetamine. Mr. Ventura was arrested on the misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia charge.
Wednesday, August 5
Claremont police got a call about 6:15 a.m. regarding a man seen hopping the fence at San Antonio High School, 125 W. San Jose Ave. They arrived and questioned Anthony Martinez, 34, who was arrested for possession of a concealed firearm—an unloaded, Taurus PT-24/7 40 caliber handgun—possession of stolen property, possession of unlawful drug paraphernalia, and for an outstanding San Bernardino County felony warrant for possession of a “dirk,” a long dagger dating back to the 17th century Scottish Highlanders. Mr. Martinez was booked in Claremont before being transferred to West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.
