Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Crime

The new O.C. mental health facility will be located in Orange

Posted on by Posted in Andrew Do, Crime, Drugs, homeless, Orange, Orange County, Public Safety Leave a comment

Homeless Response: In 24 months, Orange County will open $26 million mental health facility

O.C.’s first publicly-owned mental health treatment facility

Santa Ana, Calif. (February 28, 2018) — With its largest homeless encampment now dismantled, Orange County is moving forward with a $26 million investment in the county’s first publicly-owned mental health treatment facility, to be located at 265 S. Anita Drive, in Orange, CA.

On Tuesday, the Orange County Board of Supervisors approved the purchase of an office building in Orange that will be renovated into a treatment center for people with mental health and substance abuse problems. Continue reading→

The O.C. Auto Theft Task Force recovered 224 stolen vehicles last year valued at over $4M

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: February 27, 2018

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY TONY RACKAUCKAS HIGHLIGHTS SUCCESS OF OC AUTO THEFT TASK FORCE IN PRESENTATION TO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

SANTA ANA, Calif. – At the request of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, Orange County District Attorney (OCDA) Tony Rackauckas delivered a presentation to the Board today highlighting the success of the Orange County Auto Theft Task Force (OCATT).

OCATT is a multi-jurisdictional law enforcement program that works to investigate, arrest, and prosecute criminals in Orange County responsible for professional-level auto theft rings. The task force has operated in Orange County since 1993 and has successfully contributed to a 55 percent decrease in auto theft across the county since its creation. Continue reading→

A Santa Ana family turned in their ex-con son after he threatened gun violence

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Santa Ana, SAPD, Seniors 1 Comment

What would you do if your son was such an awful person that you had no choice but to call the police?

The Ojeda family had to deal with exactly that situation this week when they called the SAPD to report that their son, Giovanni Santos Ojeda, 31-years-old, was threatening and abusing his parents, according to the O.C. Register. Continue reading→

OC taxpayers paid to house 700 homeless people in local motels

Posted on by Posted in Crime, homeless, Orange County, Santa Ana 1 Comment

700 Homeless Individuals Along Santa Ana Riverbed Are Motel-Sheltered

The County has linked approximately 700 homeless individuals encamped on the riverbed to motels or shelters; clearing the Riverbed of all encampments.

Santa Ana, Calif. (February 26, 2018) — As of Monday, February 26, 2018, the individuals homeless individuals encampment on the Santa Ana Riverbed Trail has officially been cleared. This announcement comes after the County has ensured temporary shelter in the form of motel vouchers, shelter beds, and alternative housing placement for all individuals who were previously encamped along the riverbed. Continue reading→

An SAPD K9 police dog knocked out most of his teeth when he chased down a carjacker yesterday

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Garden Grove, irvine, Santa Ana, SAPD Leave a comment

Puskas, an 8-year-old Dutch Shepherd and member of the SAPD Police Department, heroically took down a carjacker in Irvine yesterday but in the process he was very badly injured, according to the O.C. Register.

Puskas, who is named after Hungarian footballer Ferenc Puskás, chased the carjacking suspect, Antonio Padilla Jr., when he got out of a black Audi that he carjacked in Irvine. Continue reading→

LA/OC rehab center owner convicted of sexually assaulting seven female patients

Posted on by Posted in Alcohol, Crime, Drugs, Los Angeles County, Orange County Leave a comment

Rehab Center Owner Convicted of Sexually Assaulting Seven Female Patients

The founder of a Los Angeles drug and alcohol treatment facility was convicted today of sexually assaulting seven women, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced.

A jury deliberated for about a day before finding 56-year-old Christopher Bathum guilty of 31 counts, including forcible rape, sexual penetration by foreign object, forcible oral copulation and sexual exploitation. Continue reading→

Man arrested after carjacking a woman in Irvine and fleeing from cops

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

Antonio Padilla Jr.

Carjacking in Irvine Occurs During Pursuit

Irvine, Calif. (Feb. 26, 2018) – A female Irvine resident was the victim of a carjacking during a pursuit initiated outside of the City on Monday.

On Monday evening, the Santa Ana Police Department informed the Irvine Police Department of a pursuit in which a suspect was driving in and out of Irvine. At approximately 5:40 p.m., the suspect came to a dead end on Rosa Drew. At that time, a female Irvine resident was backing up her black Audi SUV. The suspect exited his vehicle, opened the door of the Audi and pulled the woman from her vehicle. Continue reading→

The OC Sheriff will enforce trespass laws on the Santa Ana River Trail as of today

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Crime, homeless, OC Sheriff, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OCSD to enforce trespass laws following the voluntary transition of homeless individuals encamped along the Santa Ana River Trail

SANTA ANA, Ca. (Feb. 26, 2018) – As of 2 p.m. today, all individuals encamped along the Santa Ana River Trail in the project area between Ball Road in the city of Anaheim and Memory Lane in the city of Orange have voluntarily complied with the request to relocate. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will now actively enforce state trespass laws and will maintain high visibility patrols in the area. Continue reading→

Transient woman charged with kidnapping a 12-year-old Santa Ana girl

Posted on by Posted in Crime, homeless, OCDA, Santa Ana, SAPD, SAUSD 1 Comment

Case # 18CF0538

TRANSIENT WOMAN CHARGED WITH KIDNAPPING 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL AS SHE WALKED TO SCHOOL IN SANTA ANA

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A transient woman was charged yesterday with kidnapping a 12-year-old girl as she walked to school in Santa Ana.

Defendant: Claudia Hernandez, 34, transient

Charged on Feb. 22, 2018, with the following felony counts: Continue reading→

A man was stabbed last night on East Third St., in Santa Ana

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While most of us were enjoying our Friday evening a man was getting stabbed last night, at around 8:30 p.m., at the 900 block of East Third St., in Santa Ana.

The man was found on the sidewalk and was taken to a local hospital with injuries described as multiple, non-life threatening stab wounds. Continue reading→

A Costa Mesa murder suspect was arrested today in Garden Grove

Posted on by Posted in Costa Mesa, Crime, Garden Grove Leave a comment

Today, shortly after 12:00 p.m., the Garden Grove Police Department located and arrested Jasper Bear Belknap, 21, the suspect wanted in the homicide of 23-year-old Austin D. Robinson on Feb. 12, 2018.

Belknap was located in the area of Trask Avenue and Leda Lane in Garden Grove and was turned over to the Costa Mesa Police at the scene of the arrest. Belknap is now in the custody of the Costa Mesa Police Department and was booked into their city jail.  Continue reading→

The OC School of the Arts was locked down today due to a nearby fatal shooting

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Crime, Education, Santa Ana, SAPD Leave a comment

An unidentified man was shot multiple times in the chest this morning, Feb. 23,  in an alley at 15th Street, which compelled officials at Orange County School of the Arts, a few blocks away, to lock down their school until 12:30 p.m., according to the O.C. Register.

The victim was shot when he was between Broadway and Durant Street and then he ran to 15th and Broadway, where he collapsed, according to the SAPD. Continue reading→

The OCDA is suing three OC Fair contractors for not paying prevailing wages and taxes

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Labor, OCDA, Orange County Leave a comment

Case # 30-2018-00974579-CU-BT-CJC

Date: February 21, 2018

OCDA FILES CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWSUIT AGAINST COMPANIES THAT FAILED TO PAY OVER $200,000 IN PREVAILING WAGES AND TAXES ON OC FAIR PROJECT

SANTA ANA, Calif. – Orange County District Attorney (OCDA) Tony Rackauckas filed a civil lawsuit yesterday, Feb. 20, 2018, against a family of companies and their officers for failing to pay over $200,000 in prevailing wages and taxes on a project at the Orange County Fairgrounds. AWI Builders, Inc., Construction Contractors Corporation (CCC), TOSC Inc., Zhirayr “Robert” Mekikyan, Anna Mekikyan, and Tigran Oganesian are named as defendants.

Defendants’ Unlawful and Unfair Business Practices Continue reading→

Orange County pays to house 477 homeless transients at local motels

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Crime, homeless, Orange County, Santa Ana 1 Comment

County Connects 477 Individuals Encamped on the Santa Ana Riverbed with Motels Stays, Shelter

Santa Ana, Calif. (February 21, 2018) — Delivering on its promise, the County of Orange and its contracted non-profit, CityNet, have connected 477 encamped individuals with motel stays and shelter since February 14, 2018.

Yesterday alone, which was the first day the Temporary Restraining Order was lifted by U.S. District Court Judge David O. Carter, Orange County Health Care Agency provided 180 homeless residents in the Santa Ana Riverbed with housing in motels throughout the County. These homeless residents also receive transportation services as well food vouchers for the duration of their motel stay. Continue reading→