Police blotter 9-25-20

by Mick Rhodes | mickrhodes@claremont-courier.com

Wednesday, September 16

A Claremont Police Department officer on patrol at 4:45 a.m. near the House of Pong restaurant at 1077 W. Foothill Blvd. spotted a man sitting in front of the building and approached him to check on his welfare. The officer allegedly determined the man, 36-year-old Victor Servin, of San Jacinto, was drunk, so he arrested him for misdemeanor public intoxication. Mr. Servin spent the morning detoxing in the Claremont jail before being released with a citation to appear in Pomona Superior Court.

Thursday, September 17

Claremont cops spotted more people sitting outside a restaurant at an odd hour, this time it was BC Café, 701 S. Indian Hill Blvd, at 12:15 a.m. Officers approached the group and questioned them. One, Cituan Newman, 33, of Pomona, had a felony warrant out for his arrest from San Bernardino County. He was arrested, booked, and released with a citation to appear.

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CPD was notified about 7:30 a.m. on the 16th that a 27-year-old Riverside man, Devin Garnett, had allegedly stolen a car from the parking lot of the Claremont Knight’s Inn, 721 S. Indian Hill Blvd. Based on a subsequent interview with the 40-year-old male victim, they suspected Mr. Garnett may have fled to Moreno Valley. They notified the Riverside County Sheriff’s Moreno Valley office and let their colleagues know that Mr. Garnett was likely in the area. The Moreno Valley cops caught up with him about 3 a.m. on the 18th and called Claremont police, who then  made the trip east to retrieve Mr. Garnett. He was booked at the Claremont Police Department on a felony grand theft auto charge, then released with a citation to appear in Pomona court.

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Claremont PD got a call about a possible drunk driver heading east on Foothill Blvd. about 12:40 p.m. A patrol car caught up with driver, Alexis Barajas, 28, from Lynwood, near Foothill and Monte Vista Ave. A plate check revealed the owner had just reported the car stolen earlier that day. Cops say Ms. Barajas initially gave them a fake name before being arrested on a felony grand theft auto charge, as well misdemeanor charges of driving with a suspended license and delaying an officer. She was booked and released with a citation to appear in Pomona court.

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Officers on extra patrol at the Motel 6, 840 S. Indian Hill Blvd., saw two people sitting in a car at 8:30 p.m. They allege the driver, David Diaz, 46, from Pomona, had methamphetamine on him,  and the passenger, 63-year-old Baldwin Park resident Lucretia Barillas, was also in possession of meth and a meth pipe as well. They were both arrested on the three misdemeanor drug charges, booked and released with citations to appear.

Friday, September 18

Joshua Crawford, a 28-year-old Pico Rivera resident, got arrested on a felony DUI charge after allegedly crashing his Chevy sedan into a light pole near College and Bonita avenues about 1 a.m. His passenger, a 34-year-old Los Angeles woman, had injuries to her right foot and left knee, prompting the felony charge for Mr. Crawford of causing great bodily injury during a DUI within 10 years of a previous DUI conviction. He was held in the Claremont jail before appearing for his arraignment September 22 in Pomona Superior Court.

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In yet another vexing example of what not to do when you’ve had one too many, a 53-year-old homeless man got arrested at 1:45 a.m. after he once again allegedly walked up to the Claremont Police Department’s front door and began banging on it and yelling incoherently. This is the second such incident for the man, as he was arrested August 23 for the same display. That time he sobered up overnight and was released in the morning without charges. This time cops say he was “very intoxicated,” and was charged with misdemeanor public intoxication. He also had three warrants for his arrest out of Los Angeles County. The man spent a few hours sobering up in the Claremont jail before being released with a citation to appear. Let’s all hope he gets some help with whatever is troubling him, and of course some much needed shelter.

Monday, September 21

Claremont PD got a call regarding a possible domestic violence situation at 6:40 a.m. in the 500 block of south Indian Hill. They arrived and witnessed a dispute in-progress between a 29-year-old Claremont man and a 26-year-old woman. The man was arrested on two felony counts, domestic violence and making criminal threats, as well as two misdemeanors, being under the influence of a controlled substance and being in possession of a controlled substance. CPD couldn’t say what substance the man allegedly had on him, though they did specify it was not marijuana or meth. He was booked and spent a couple days in the Claremont jail before being arraigned September 23 in Pomona Superior court. 

Tuesday, September 22

Police found another hot car at about 12:45 when they ran a plate of a Ford Expedition that had been reported stolen out of Pomona. They pulled over the driver, Benjamin Aguilar, 22, from Pomona, near the northwest corner of Foothill Blvd. and Garey Ave. Mr. Aguilar was arrested for grand theft auto (CPD wasn’t sure if it was a felony or misdemeanor charge), booked and released with a citation to appear.