It's the Weekly's weekly round-up of local crimes and police calls–now with waaaaaay more armed robberies, bike-riding/-taking bandits and indoor pot busts.
MONDAY, NOV. 16
Wee Hour Party Goes to Pot During a party in a home in the 700 block of Maplewood Avenue in Fullerton, a resident whipped out a .22 caliber rifle, pointed it at partygoers and shot two to three rounds into the carpet. They ran outside and called police, who arrived around 4:30 a.m. to discover the man had not picked an inopportune time to remodel, but that he was snockered. But he wasn't so intoxicated that he would not surrender to cops, who did a little more snooping around and discovered a marijuana-growing operation. Wesley Dennis, 30, was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. No word on whether the indoor farm will harvest additional charges.
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TUESDAY, NOV. 17
Talk About Targeting the Wrong House An
off-duty FBI agent confronted confronted several men breaking into his
Yorba Linda garage around 2 a.m., struggled with one would-be burglar
and chased and fired rounds from his service revolver at the fleeing
men, hitting none. They were seen jumping into a champagne-colored
pickup, which was later found two miles from the house.
Additional evidence led to the arrests of Jeffery Michael Drach, 20, and Macario Alonzo Arenas, 18, both of Yorba Linda, and Justin Wesley Case, 20, of Placentia, on suspicion of burglary and assault with a deadly weapon. A fourth, unnamed suspect was also being sought.
No Guns, One Error Workers called police
this afternoon from inside the city of Santa Ana maintenance yard's
administrative building to report a man armed with a long gun was
about the downtown property. The building was locked down and nearby
streets were searched for hours, but no gunman was found. Meanwhile, a
Santa Ana police SWAT officer was accidentally shot in the foot by one
of his colleagues during the search–hey, hey, cut out those jokes
about Barney Fife being on the SAPD force! (For one
thing, Andy doesn't let Barney have any bullets.) The workers were
stuck in the building for five hours before given the all-clear to
leave.
Stop and Stab A man was walking near Main
Street and Santa Ana Boulevard in Santa Ana just before 6:30 p.m. when
he was approached by three men yelling at him in Spanish. The walker no
speak-a de spinach, but he soon figured out through the international
language of “Knifepulledonya” that he was being robbed. He handed the
dudes his wallet, and one them plunged the blade into him as a deposit
slip. Police who later arrived on the scene had the victim rushed to a
hospital, where he was expected to recover. His attackers were
described as being in their early 20s and at least two had black spiky
hair and were wearing dark clothing.
At Least They Got the Books Back A couple
were walking near a bike trail in the 1300 block of South Maple Street
in Santa Ana just before 8 p.m. when two men and a
woman approached demanding they hand over their belongings. Though no
weapon was seen, the couple was told they would be shot if they did not
comply. The robbers got a backpack filled with an iPod, a cell phone
and books, which were later recovered. The female bandit was described
as 18-19, 5 feet 3 and wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt. One man
was Latino, 20ish, 5 feet to 5 feet 5, 110 pounds and wearing a black
sweatshirt. The other guy was also Latino, 20-25, 5 feet 8, 225 pounds
and wearing a white sweatshirt.
Store and Clerk Victimized A man with a knife demanded money from the clerk at Newport Gasoline, 14391 Newport Ave., Tustin, this evening.
He got away with $600 from the business and the wallet and mobile phone
of the clerk. The robber was described as wearing blue shorts, a gray
hoodie and a white baseball cap.
Mini-Crime Spree Spoiled The clerk
at 7-Eleven, 2222 W. Commonwealth Ave., Fullerton, was robbed at
gunpoint just before 11 p.m. Twenty minutes later, an armed robbery was
reported at 5-Twelve food store, 338 N. Euclid St., Fullerton. Then,
around 11:30 p.m., a La Habra police officer patrolling the area near
Mel's Liquor King, 141 E. Imperial Hwy., spotted a man going into the
store wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt. Just as quickly, the man bolted
out of the store, and the officer detained him at gunpoint. The
suspect had a gun and about $200 on him, according to police, who
identified the alleged robber as Brian Gibney, 20, of
La Habra. Officers put 7-Eleven and 5-Twelve together, and figured
Gibney was the gunman in all three heists. But that was not all, for
around 1:15 a.m. Nov. 18 officers searching the areas of the crimes
found a gold Toyota Camry they believed was the getaway car, $400
believed to have been taken earlier in the night and the alleged
getaway driver: Leonard Edwards, 25, of Fullerton. He was arrested on suspicion of being an accessory to armed robbery.
WEDNEDSDAY, NOV. 18
Teen-on-Teen Crime Four
kids jumped a 16-year-old boy and repeatedly stabbed him in the upper
torso some time before noon near Maple Elementary School in the 200
block of East Valencia Drive in Fullerton. The juvies then jumped into
a four-door black Honda Civic that was seen zooming west on Ash Avenue
toward Harbor Boulevard. Officers arrived to find the lad lying in the
breezeway of a nearby duplex before he was taken to UCI Medical Center.
That Deserves an Oorah! A Marine who had
parked his 2006 Jeep Wrangler near Slater Avenue and San Mateo Street
in Fountain Valley around 11 p.m. Tuesday returned to it at 3:30 p.m.
today to discover someone removed part of the soft top to get into the
car and take his dress uniforms, service awards, medals and other items
worth about $600. Marine Cpl. Christopher Erwin, 29,
of the 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment at Camp Pendleton was in
town visiting his sister, and Fountain Valley Police Department
employees felt so bad about the crime they took up a collection and
presented him $600 when he came to pick up the police report.
The Purse Didn't Even Match His Shoes A
39-year-old woman was walking in the 600 block of East Fifth Street in
Santa Ana around 6:40 p.m. when she was approached by two men, one of
whom whipped out a black handgun and demanded she had over her purse.
The robbers got it–and the $200 and cell phone inside–before running
west on Fifth. The gunman was described as Latino, 18-20, 5 feet 7, 190
pounds with a shaved head. His partner was 18-20 with a shaved head.
Another Purse-Shoes Mismatch A 48-year-old
woman was walking in the 400 block of West Fourth Street in Santa Ana
around 8 p.m. when a man came up behind her and pushed her to the
ground. He then took her purse containing $100 and jumped into a black
Mustang convertible. He was described as Latino, 20-29, 5 feet 8 to 5
feet 10, 140-160 pounds with black hair and a thin mustache and
wearing jeans and a gray shirt.
Let's Make It Three-For-Three in Santa Ana Robberies A 28-year-old
Santa Ana man was sitting in his car in the 2000 block of West Wakeham
Place in Santa Ana around 9:30 p.m. when a man got out of an older
model brown SUV while a second man stayed inside. The first man was
wearing sunglasses and a black bandana over his face (never a good sign
at 9:30 at night) and packing–pulling out a black handgun
and demanding the victim hand over his wallet and keys. He fled with a
measely $10 and was described as Latino, 25-35, 5 feet 10 and 160-170
pounds. Besides the shades and bandana, he wore jeans and a dark hooded
sweatshirt.
THURSDAY, NOV. 19
Would You Prefer Lemon-Lime, Beach Breeze or New Car Smell, Honey?
Sheriff's deputies received a distressing call just before 4 a.m. from
a woman in the 26300 block of Towne Centre Drive in Lake Forest: she
reported her boyfriend sprayed her with air freshener. Michael Roy, 22, was later arrested on suspicion of domestic violence.
Yet Another Santa Ana Purse Napping A 63-year-old
woman was walking in the 1400 block of West Edinger Avenue in Santa Ana
to her restaurant job around 5:30 a.m. when she was approached by a man
holding a handgun. He grabbed her purse, a struggle ensued and the
woman was knocked to the ground, although she was unharmed. He ran off
with the purse containing a pitiful $5, meaning the crime certainly
wasn't worth the time he'll get once caught. Genius was described as
Latino, 20-25, 5 feet 4 to 5 feet 6, 140-160 pounds with black hair and
wearing black clothing.
Um, Yeah, We'll Get Right On That, Ma'am A woman
hiding in the upstairs of her home in the 21700 block of Lake Vista
Drive in Lake Forest called sheriff's deputies just after 2 p.m. to
report having heard her sliding door being opened and strange noises
downstairs. Deputies arrived, did a thorough search but found no
intruders nor any signs anyone had come in. The frightened resident
then asked deputies to “Google Earth” her house and keep it under
satellite surveillance overnight.
Appearances Are Not What They Seem Police responding
to a possible child endangerment call from Child Protective Services
went to a home in the 15500 block of Tustin Village Way in Tustin
around 3:30 p.m. Initial reports had more than a dozen plants growing
in the room of a 1-year-old child who was later placed in protective
custody at Orangewood Children's Home. Meanwhile, the tot's parents
were arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and forced to spend
the weekend in jail. But they were later released after it was
discovered the couple was authorized to grow medical marijuana under
California's Compassionate Use Act. And all those plants? Cops conceded
there was just one in a small pot on a window sill. Anyone smell a
wrongful arrest suit?
Lost His Wallet, Phone and Bike A
21-year-old Orange man was riding his bicycle
in the 2600 block of North Grand Avenue in Santa Ana around 7:30 p.m.
when two men blocked his path and asked him where he was from. They
then demanded his wallet and one of them punched him in the mouth
before the bicyclist fell to the ground. Besides his wallet, the pair
made off with his bike and cell phone. One robber was described as
Latino, 17-18, 5
feet 5, 160 pounds with black shaved hair and wearing a black
sweatshirt. His partner was Latino, 17-18, 5 feet 7, 170 pounds with
black shaved hair and
wearing a white T-shirt.
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FRIDAY, NOV. 20
Ride and Rob–and Arrested
A man hiding in the dark in the 1000 block of North Main Street in
Santa Ana grabbed another man by the shirt and simulated he had a gun
just after 12:30 a.m. The
victim pulled himself away and dialed 9-1-1 on his cell phone.
Meanwhile, the robber rode off on a bike, but police arrested a man
minutes later at Main and Walnut Street they believe is their man. Alejandro Gutierrez,
19, of Santa Ana, was arrested on suspicion of attempted
robbery.
Donations Safe, Box Holding Them Not So Much Police
responding to a silent alarm at the Islamic Educational Center of
Orange County, 3194-B Airport Loop Dr., Costa Mesa, around 12:40 a.m.
discovered the wooden donation box had been pried open and damaged, but
nothing
inside was taken. The same facility suffered a burglary about a year
ago.
You Want Fries With That?
When an employees went outside to empty the trash at the Burger King at
1201 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim, around 1:30 a.m., a man with a shotgun
ordered him back inside to open the safe, speaking in English and
Spanish. He got away with what police only described as a significant
amount of cash. He was described as Latino, 25-30, 5 feet 5 to
5 feet 6, with a medium build, a shaved head and wearing a
beanie cap and a white and blue stripped shirt.
SATURDAY, NOV. 21
Knock-Knock
A man knocked on the door of a home on Cellini in Aliso Viejo just
before 4 p.m. and started calling the resident who answered names and
“looking like he wanted to kill” the resident, who managed to chase the
stranger away. He was described as wearing Bermuda shorts and a black
shirt.
SUNDAY, NOV. 22
Stab in the Dark A 28-year-old man was visiting a friend who
resides in the 100 block of
into a fight with the first man outside the residence. He was later
stabbed before the stranger ran off. Police arrived in time to get the
stabbing victim rushed to
Taken For a Ride
A woman called authorities around 5:30 p.m. to say a paraglider crashed
into the ocean off 36th Street in Newport Beach. After the U.S. Coast
Guard launched an extensive search with a whole bunch of
expensive-to-operate resources, the search was called off. Why? Because
the woman was now saying she'd heard about the paraglider secondhand
from some surfers, and authorities–who had never heard from any
friends or family members of the supposed missing man–determined it
was a false report.
Designated Driver's Day Off? Two cars collided just before 9 p.m. at Walnut and The Mall in Mission Viejo. Responding officers discovered one driver–Elizabeth Jenkins,
55, of Mission Viejo–had been
drinking earlier in the evening and arrested her on suspicion of
DUI.Two people in the other vehicle complained of back pain, but no one
was hospitalized.
Ride-By Shooting After
being called around 10:30 p.m. to the 1600 block of South Evergreen
Street in Santa Ana about shots being fired and finding no victim,
officers were sent to a hospital treating a man with a gunshot wound to
his buttocks. The unidentified man told police he had been walking in
that area of Evergreen when a man on a bike rode up and started firing
a gun at him for no reason. His attacker was wearing a dark-hooded
sweatshirt.
MONDAY, NOV. 23
Another Day, Another Young Male Stabbed in Fullerton
A 23-year-old man was walking on Elm Avenue in Fullerton after leaving
a taqueria about 1 a.m. when a newer model gray
Nissan Altima pulled up, four or five men filed out and they began
yelling,: “Where are you from?” The man answered he was not from
anywhere, nor did he belong to a gang, but that did not stop the pack
from pulling out knives and stabbing the victim 15 times in his right
arm and torso. The victim later told police he thinks he lost
consciousness before awaking and running to a relative's house before
being taken to St. Jude Medical Center. He was listed there in stable
condition. His attackers were described as 18-20 and wearing blue pants
and gray jackets. Investigators were trying to determine whether it was
some kind of pay back for the Nov. 18 stabbing of the 16-year-old.
OC Weekly Editor-in-Chief Matt Coker has been engaging, enraging and entertaining readers of newspapers, magazines and websites for decades. He spent the first 13 years of his career in journalism at daily newspapers before “graduating” to OC Weekly in 1995 as the alternative newsweekly’s first calendar editor.