Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Monthly Archives: February 2016

Juvenile gangbangers arrested after shooting at another gang while kids played nearby

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Members of two opposing gangs opened fire on each other on Tuesday at around 2:43 p.m., at South Raitt Street and West Monte Vista Avenue, in Santa Ana, where kids were playing at the time, according to the O.C. Register.

Two SAPD motorcycle officers showed up at the scene after they received reports of shots fired at the 1900 block of West McFadden Avenue. The police officers arrested two of the juvenile suspects – one of them had a firearm.

Two other suspects took off on a bicycle, headed toward South Townsend St. Continue reading→

31 gangbangers arrested as the SAPD finally strikes back

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD Arrests 31 Gang Members And Recovers 7 Weapons In Three Day “Operation Impact”

In the first seven weeks of 2016, the Santa Ana Police Department reported increased levels of violent crime involving numerous gangs from throughout the city. Between February 16th and 18th, the Department responded to one homicide and two officer involved-shootings involving gang members. A Gang Unit detective was wounded by gunfire during one event. In an effort to stem the tide of increasing violence, a three-day enforcement operation was assembled. The Field Operations Bureau partnered with Detectives from the Career Criminal Unit and Gangs to provide high visibility enforcement in areas negatively impacted by gang activity. Continue reading→

The SAPD is searching for a serial sexual assault suspect who calls himself Victor

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Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD DETECTIVES REQUEST PUBLIC & MEDIA ASSISTANCE IDENTIFYING PERSON COMMITTING SEXUAL BATTERIES

The crimes occurred in September 2015, October 2015 and January 2016 – all in the city of Santa Ana

The first assault occurred shortly after 11PM on September 4th, 2015. On this occasion, the suspect approached a lone female walking in the area of Raitt Street, south of McFadden Avenue. The suspect tried to engage the victim in conversation before he grabbed her, pinned her against a tree out of sight of passing cars, and began groping and sexually assaulting her. The victim scratched the suspect’s face, yelled, and was able to escape before the assault escalated.

The second assault occurred in the parking lot of 3701 S. Bristol Street in Santa Ana, on October 7, 2015. Video of the incident shows the suspect following a lone female in the parking lot as she walks toward her car. When the suspect caught up to the victim in the parking lot, he briefly tried to engage her in conversation, saying that his name was “Victor.” The suspect followed the victim between two parked cars, where he began touching and assaulting her. The victim screamed and began calling for help from security, prompting the suspect to flee on foot. The suspect was wearing a distinctive white t-shirt with graphics, shorts, and black tennis shoes. Continue reading→

Nine people lose their home to a fire on South Hickory Street in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Fires, OCFA, Santa Ana 1 Comment

A single-story home at the 2000 block of South Hickory Street, in Santa Ana, caught fire today at approximately 1 pm, according to the O.C. Register.

The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) reported on their Twitter page that it was a 2 alarm blaze and that it was knocked down at 1:28 pm. by 23 firefighters. Continue reading→

Drug-dealing gangbangers have allegedly taken over a vacant house in Santa Ana’s Ward 6

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Gangs, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana Leave a comment

One of our readers reports that there is a vacant house in her neighborhood that has become a problem with the local gang members squatting and dealing drugs from it, at 4917 W. Kent Ave., in Santa Ana.

Our reader said that the problem was resolved – at a very basic level – in August 2014; however, recently gangbangers have again been again eyeing the house. Apparently this past Saturday, the front door of the house was found by neighbors to be wide open.

To make matters worse, the gangbangers have allegedly been bothering the neighbors and scaring the local children. Continue reading→

A bicyclist was shot on Monday morning next to Fitz Intermediate School

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An unidentified man was shot while riding a bicycle in Santa Ana early Monday morning, at 2:45 a.m., at the 4800 block of McFadden Avenue, according to the O.C. Register.

The victim was traveling west on McFadden Ave. when a green SUV heading in the same direction pulled up next to him and an unidentified assailant opened fire, shooting four or five times at him with a gun, according to the SAPD.

The victim was hit twice in his upper body. The attackers sped off and the man was taken to a local hospital with what was described as non-life-threatening injuries. Continue reading→

Councilwoman Michele Martinez pulls papers to run for the Board of Supervisors

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Andrew Do, Michele Martinez, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana 5 Comments

Santa Ana City Councilman Vince Sarmiento has chickened out again. He was all set to run for the First District of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, challenging the incumbent, Supervisor Andrew Do. But Sarmiento has apparently pulled out and now his colleague, City Councilwoman Michele Martinez, is running against Do instead.

A fellow named Robert Bao Nguyen has also pulled papers for this seat in addition to perennial candidate Steve Rocco, who has been trying for months to launch recalls of Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido and OCDA Tony Rackauckas. Continue reading→

Santa Ana gangbanger charged with multiple felonies after a shootout with the SAPD

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ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 16CF0455

Date: February 19, 2016

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO: Carlos Michael Rodriguez, 30, Santa Ana

WHAT: Was charged today with one felony count of attempted murder of a peace officer, one felony count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm on a peace officer, one felony count of possession of a firearm by a felon, and two felony counts of possession for sale of a controlled substance, and a sentencing enhancement for the personal discharge of a firearm. Rodriguez also has prison priors including a 2005 conviction for the unlawful taking of a vehicle, a 2006 conviction for possession of a controlled substance and violation of a protective order, and a 2008 strike conviction for assault with a semiautomatic rifle on a peace officer and resisting an executive officer. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 42 years to life in state prison. The defendant is being held on $1 million bail. Continue reading→

Felon released due to Prop. 47 indicted again for attempting to murder SAPD officers

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ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 16ZF0003

Date: February 19, 2016

FELON OUT ON THE STREETS DUE TO PROP 47 LAW CHANGE INDICTED FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER OF PEACE OFFICERS

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A felon who had two of his prior felony convictions reduced to misdemeanors under Proposition 47 (Prop 47), which resulted in his release from custody, was arraigned on an indictment today for shooting his firearm at police officers while leading them on a chase. Jimmy Hoang Truong, 28, Santa Ana, was indicted Feb. 18, 2016, by the Orange County Grand Jury on charges of three felony counts of attempted murder on a peace officer, four felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm on peace officers, one felony count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one felony count of evading peace officers while driving recklessly, and sentencing enhancements for the use of a firearm. If convicted, Truong faces a maximum sentence of life in state prison. Truong is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing May 6, 2016, 2016, at 8:30 a.m. in Department C-5, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

On Nov. 9, 2015, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office released a press release with the following information on the case: Continue reading→

Hit and run driver wrecked four cars in Garden Grove on Sunday night

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An unidentified man fled from a pickup truck late Sunday night, after allegedly causing a four-car wreck in Garden Grove that injured two people, according to the O.C. Register.

The man was driving southbound in a 2008 white Chevrolet Silverado at around 11:30 p.m. Sunday at the 13100 block of Magnolia Street when he crashed into a vehicle headed in the same direction, according to the Garden Grove Police. Continue reading→

The Bowers presents a lecture on Sephardic poetry and music today

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, music, Santa Ana Leave a comment

For Immediate Release

Contact: Victor Payan, Latino Audience Engagement Specialist, 714-567-3645, Vpayan@bowers.org

Bowers Presents Lecture on Sephardic Poetry and Music in Judeo-Spanish on Feb. 21

Author Jacobo Sefami and Singer Vanya Green To Share Bilingual Readings and Songs

Author and UCI Professor Dr. Jacobo Sefami will give a special presentation titled “POR MI BOKA: Sephardic poetry and music in Judeo-Spanish” at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana on Sunday, February 21 at 2pm. This special lecture and bilingual poetry reading will also feature a performance of traditional Sephardic songs in Ladino by Fulbright Scholar and certified music therapist Vanya Green.

Dr. Jacobo Sefami is the grandson of Sephardic Jews who emigrated to Mexico City from Turkey and Syria. He received his Licenciatura en Lengua y Literatura Hispánicas from UNAM, and his Ph.D. in Latin American literature from the University of Texas at Austin. He is Professor in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of California, Irvine and was the Editor of the academic journal Mexican Studies/Estudios Mexicanos. His novel Los dolientes (translated and published in English as Mourning for Papá, A Story of a Syrian-Jewish Family in Mexico, 2010) explores the rituals of mourning in the context of Syrian Jews in Mexico City. He co-edited with Myriam Moscona Por mi boka (By My Mouth, 2013), a selection of texts in Judeo-Spanish. Continue reading→

Missing 95-year-old Santa Ana man died in a car accident in Irvine at 4 a.m.

Posted on by Posted in Accidents, irvine, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana, Seniors Leave a comment

Jack Edwin Winchester, a missing 95-year-old Santa Ana man died after driving off the 73 Toll Road and onto Bonita Canyon Drive in Irvine, according to the O.C. Register.

The crash happened just before 4 a.m., after the driver of a Volkswagen Jetta was reported traveling north in the southbound lanes of the 73, according to the California Highway Patrol. Continue reading→

Community Policing Forum for West Santa Ana residents set for 2/27

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Neighborhood Associations, Public Safety, Santa Ana 1 Comment

PRESS RELEASE, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 19, 2016

Contact: Chris Schmidt, West End Community Oriented Policing, westendcop1@gmail.com

Connie Hamilton, Connect-to-Council, 714-745-1692 (Phone/text)

West End Community Oriented Policing to present second Community Policing Forum for Santa Ana residents in West End District

Santa Ana, CA, –West End Community Oriented Policing, along with Connect-to-Council, will present the second Community Policing forum for the residents of Santa Ana. This forum will offer residents the opportunity to provide their input and assist in creating a community policing plan for Santa Ana. At the first forum that took place last month, one of the suggestions was to encourage SAPD to build stronger partnerships with the community and faith-based organizations. Other
suggestions are being solicited and the public is invited to share input. Continue reading→

Another possible gang-related shooting at McFadden and South Sullivan

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A day after an SAPD gang unit got into a shootout with suspects at McFadden and South Sullivan, there was another possible gang-related shooting, not far from the site of yesterday’s police officer-involved shooting, according to the O.C. Register.

A man showed up at a local hospital today at around 4:15 p.m. with what looked like a gunshot wound, according to the SAPD. The man’s exact condition was not revealed. Continue reading→

Two home burglars shot dead and two more detained by the SAPD

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 13 Comments

Two days, two officer involved shootings in Santa Ana. That might be a record even by our city’s standards!

SAPD police officers were called to the 400 block of Eastwood Ave. today at about 3:10 p.m. after a report of a home burglary at the 400 block of Eastwood Avenue, with multiple suspects, according to the O.C. Register. Continue reading→