Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Author Archives: Art Pedroza

The OCDA’s decision to clear Pulido of any wrongdoing is a sound one

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Miguel Pulido, OCDA, Politics, Santa Ana 22 Comments

Miguel Pulido at city council

Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas will be clearing Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido of any criminal wrongdoing related to a property swap between the mayor and a city contractor, according to sources with knowledge of the decision, according to the Voice of OC.

Of course the Voice of OC does not explain why Pulido won’t be charged.  Instead they used their latest article to attack our Mayor yet again.

I spoke to Mayor Pulido yesterday.  He said that the OCDA twice had the parking lot that his father traded for a home in Westminster assessed.  It turned out that the parking lot, located in Downtown Santa Ana next to a Napa Auto Parts store that was desperate for more space, is worth more than the house that the Pulido family received in return for the lot. Continue reading→

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

National Child Abuse Prevention Month 2015

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Santa Ana Police Department is calling to attention the importance of preventing these tragedies, as well as the role each of us can play in these efforts.
The Santa Ana Police Department is dedicated to raising the public’s awareness of the devastating effects of child abuse and encourages members of our community to become involved. We encourage the public’s involvement in supporting families and parents so that we can prevent all forms of child abuse.

Child Abuse Prevention Month is an opportunity to highlight the role we all play to support parents and families. This month, and throughout the year as we consider child abuse, our attention is best focused on prevention efforts that create healthier environments for children and foster confident, positive parenting. Continue reading→

The SAPD will host community forums about the use of body cameras by our police

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Crime, Entertainment, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

video cameras on policemen

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD will be hosting a series of Community Forums on the Benefits and Challenges of Body-worn Camera Systems

The Santa Ana Police Department will be hosting a series of Community Forums on the Benefits and Challenges of Body-worn Camera Systems on Thursday, April 30th at 6:00 P.M. – 7:30 p.m. in the Community Room, located near the front lobby of the Police Department, 60 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana.

The primary purpose of this forum is to get input from the community and provide information related to the current research being conducted by the Santa Ana Police Department. A short presentation will be made on benefits and challenges related to the use of Body-worn Camera Systems in law enforcement with the majority of time being allocated to community input. Continue reading→

OC Tea Party to host a Tax Day protest in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Entertainment, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana, Taxes, Tea Party 2 Comments

Santa Ana Tax Day Protest

The Orange County Tea Party is hosting an OC Tax Day Sidewalk Rally on April 15, 2015, from 2 – 3 pm, at the Santa Ana Civic Center, located at Flower and West Civic Center Drive., in Santa Ana. Parking available at the Santa Ana Public Library.

In The Spirit of The Original Tea Party against unreasonable and oppressive taxation, we the people Tea Party on Tax Day Wed, April 15, 2015! Bring your American / Tea Party flags, signs and banners! The theme for signs and banners: STOP OVERTAXING CALIFORNIA!

ENTERTAINMENT: Ian Mitchell of the Bay City Rollers!

SPEAKERS: Continue reading→

Costa Mesa man to face trial in the kidnapping and murder of a Santa Ana man

Posted on by Posted in Costa Mesa, Crime, OCDA, Santa Ana Leave a comment
Gianni Anthony Van

Gianni Anthony Van

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Cases: 13ZF0162/12CF3070

Date: April 14, 2015

DEFENDANT TO FACE TRIAL FOR 1995 COLD CASE KIDNAPPING AND STABBING-MURDER OF MAN

*One co-defendant awaits jury trial in this case and two other co-defendants await sentencing in this case

SANTA ANA – A man will face trial tomorrow for the 1995 cold case kidnapping and stabbing-murder of another man. Gianni Anthony Van, 45, Costa Mesa, is charged with one felony count of special circumstances murder during the commission of a kidnapping. Van faces a maximum sentence of life in state prison without the possibility of parole. Opening statements are scheduled to begin tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. in Department C-41, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

Co-defendant Diane Tran, 46, Costa Mesa, pleaded guilty on Jan. 24, 2014, to one felony count of voluntary manslaughter with a sentencing enhancement for being armed with a firearm during the commission of a felony. She faces a maximum sentence of four years at her sentencing on June 12, 2015, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-41. Continue reading→

Man who shot and killed sister’s boyfriend caught in Mexico, facing felony charges

Posted on by Posted in Crime, mexico, OCDA, Santa Ana Leave a comment
Adan Rodriguez Leon

Adan Rodriguez Leon

 

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15CF0763

April 13, 2015

MAN TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR SHOOTING-MURDER OF SISTER’S BOYFRIEND

*Defendant is accused of fleeing to Mexico after the murder

SANTA ANA – A man is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow for the shooting-murder of his sister’s boyfriend. Adan Rodriguez Leon, 32, Santa Ana, is charged with one felony count of murder and a sentencing enhancement for personal discharge of a firearm causing death. He is also charged with sentencing enhancements for previously being convicted of possession of a loaded firearm by an active participant in a criminal street gang in 2008 and sale or transportation of a controlled substance in 2010. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 52 years to life in state prison. The People will be requesting he be held on $5 million bail at his arraignment tomorrow in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana.

At approximately 2:30 p.m. on April 8, 2015, Leon is accused of going to his sister’s home in Santa Ana. The defendant is accused of contacting his sister’s boyfriend, 39-year-old Paul Guzman, outside the home. Leon is accused of pulling out a loaded firearm and shooting the victim multiple times. The defendant is accused of fleeing the scene after the shooting. Continue reading→

Find out how the City is spending our money at upcoming community budget hearings

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David Cavazos

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community: Community Budget Hearings

The community is invited to participate in the upcoming Community Budget Hearings. The hearings will provide an overview of the upcoming 2015-16 Budget, Strategic Plan update and the Capital Improvement Program. This will be an opportunity for the community to provide input and priorities in the budget process.

Please join us at one of the following: Continue reading→

The OCDA is investigating where O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do resides

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Garden Grove, OCDA, Orange County, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Andrew Do Picture

It did not take long for Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do to land in hot water.  In a March 24 email, Assistant District Attorney Ebrahim Baytieh, who heads the DA’s Court and Special Prosecutions Unit, confirmed that investigations based on allegations that Do has skirted residency laws are “still proceeding,” according to the Voice of OC.

Do does not have to reveal his voter registration address, as a former employee of the O.C. District Attorney’s office.  However now that he is an elected Supervisor he does have to file conflict of interest disclosures, wherein he notes that he resides at on Irene Way in Westminster. Continue reading→

Suspected Santa Ana DUI driver crashed with his wife and kids on board this morning

Posted on by Posted in Accidents, Alcohol, Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

DUI Accident in Santa Ana

A Santa Ana family had a very bad day today as a man suspected of a DUI crashed his SUV into a tree at 3:50 am, with his wife and two kids inside the vehicle, according to the O.C. Register.

Leonardo Morales, 23, apparently failed to turn with the curve of the road near the 17th Street off-ramp on the 55 Freeway, when he crashed his 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe into a tree, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The SUV caught fire after the accident and the CHP officers who arrived on scene, T. Montoya and D. Hansen, found the driver standing Morales outside the car with his 2-year old son in his arms. Continue reading→

Scumbag criminal defense lawyers stand up for pedo-loving Judge Marc Kelly

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Remove Judge Marc Kelly from the Bench.png

As expected Orange County’s criminal defense lawyers are defending the pedo-loving Judge Marc Kelly, who came under fire recently after he reduced a possible 25 years to life sentence to only 10 years, for Santa Ana resident Kevin Jonas Rojano-Nieto, who sodomized a 3-year old little girl, who turned out to be his stepsister.

The OC Weekly published the official response to the public demand, led by three Orange County Supervisors (Todd Spitzer, Shawn Nelson and Lisa Bartlett), that Kelly resign, from the Orange County Defense Bar Association: Continue reading→

The OCTA seeks volunteers to serve on two advisory committees

Posted on by Posted in Disabled, OCDA, Santa Ana, Transportation Leave a comment

OCTA Citizens Advisory Committee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 10, 2015

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Joel Zlotnik (714) 560-5713, Eric Carpenter (714) 560-5697

OCTA Seeks Volunteers to Serve on Advisory Committees

Applications for advisory committees are being accepted through May 8

ORANGE – The Orange County Transportation Authority is seeking community leaders to fill seats on its Citizens Advisory Committee. OCTA is also seeking volunteers who represent individuals with disabilities and senior citizens in the county to serve on its Special Needs Advisory Committee.

These 34-member committees meet throughout the year to provide input on a broad spectrum of transportation projects, studies and outreach activities and offer input to OCTA staff and its board of directors. Continue reading→

Annual Memorial Day service at Fairhaven Memorial Park set for May 25

Posted on by Posted in Entertainment, Military, Santa Ana, Veterans Leave a comment

Fairhaven 2015 Memorial Day event

“Celebrate Freedom”: Fairhaven Memorial Park’s 23rd Annual Memorial Day Service set for May 25

More than 3,500 Orange County residents are expected to “Celebrate Freedom” with Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary at its 23rd Annual Memorial Day Service on Monday, May 25 at 10:30 a.m. Attendees will enjoy inspiring speeches by military veterans, a “Parade of Flags” by The Tustin Young Marines, the Boy Scouts of America and the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps, and music by the Orange County Concert Band and the Tustin Community Choir. The event will begin with a special performance of the National Anthem by the “Star Spangled Singer” contest winner and conclude with an aerial fly-over of World War II-era planes by Memorial Flights.

This celebration of patriotism will also feature an antique cars display, “America’s Wars” life-sized photo essay and more. Complimentary hot dogs and refreshments will be served. Continue reading→

Woman to face trial for throwing glass bottles at a Buddhist Temple

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Trang Thu Pham

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15CF0089

Date: April 10, 2015

WOMAN TO FACE TRIAL FOR REPEATEDLY THROWING GLASS BOTTLES AT STATUES IN FRONT OF BUDDHIST TEMPLE

SANTA ANA – A woman is scheduled to face trial for repeatedly throwing glass bottles at statues in front of a Buddhist temple. Trang Thu Pham, 45, Santa Ana, is charged with one felony count of vandalism of a religious property, and one felony count of vandalism with damage of $400 or more. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of three years in state prison. Opening statements are scheduled to begin Monday, April 13, 2015, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-29, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

Between Nov. 25, 2014, and Jan. 7, 2015, Pham is accused of throwing and smashing glass bottles on several religious statues outside of the Huong Tich Buddhist Temple (HTBT) in Santa Ana. On 10 separate days, HTBT employees noticed the broken glass and damage to the statues and contacted the Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD), who began investigating this case. The defendant was observed on surveillance cameras on three separate days throwing numerous bottles at the temple statues. Continue reading→

Texas man charged with raping a girl under the age of 10, in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Dustin Lee Morgan

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: MAN TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR ENTERING HOME AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTING SLEEPING GIRL UNDER TEN YEARS OLD

*This case is a 2008 cold case linked through DNA

SANTA ANA – A man is scheduled to be arraigned Monday for entering the home of a girl under 10 years old and sexually assaulting her while she was asleep in her bed. Dustin Lee Morgan, 36, Texarkana, Texas, is charged with one felony count of performing lewd acts upon a child under 14 years old, one felony count of sexual penetration of a child under 10-years-old and a sentencing enhancement allegation for performing lewd acts on a child under 14 during the commission of a burglary. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in state prison. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday, April 13, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana.

At approximately 5:00 a.m. on Feb. 8, 2008, the defendant is accused of breaking into the Santa Ana home of Jane Doe. Jane Doe is under the age of 10. Morgan is accused of walking into Jane Doe’s bedroom while she was sleeping. The defendant is accused of pushing the victim’s face down after she woke up and covering Jane Doe’s mouth to prevent her from making any noise. The defendant is accused of keeping his hand over the victim’s mouth while sexually assaulted her. Continue reading→

Santa Ana man’s killer, who was on the Most Wanted list, convicted

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Gerald Guy Byrne

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 11CF3436

Date: April 10, 2015

MAN FORMERLY ON SAPD’S MOST WANTED LIST SENTENCED TO 55 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR MURDERING EMPLOYER IN 2009

SANTA ANA – A man who was on the Santa Ana Police Department’s (SAPD) most wanted list was sentenced today to 55 years to life in state prison for murdering his employer. Gerald Guy Byrne, 54, was found guilty by a jury on March 11, 2015, of one felony count of second degree murder. The Court also found the defendant’s two prior strike convictions for robbery in 1986 and arson in 1993 to be true.

At the time of the crime, Byrne was working for 69-year-old Charles Samo. Continue reading→