New Santa Ana | Category Archives: Santa Ana

The SAPD arrests another woman in the hate crime killing of Kim Pham

Posted on January 24, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 46 Comments

A 27-year-old woman was arrested Friday morning and a third woman was being sought in connection with a violent beating outside a Santa Ana nightclub that left Kim Pham, a 23-year-old Westminister woman dead, authorities announced during a news conference Friday afternoon, according to KTLA.

Carlos Rojas, Santa Ana’s interim police chief, declined to release the name of the most recent arrestee, citing the ongoing investigation. Police did, however, release a photo of the third woman being sought, according to the L.A. Times. (The photo is below). Continue reading→

SAPD investigating shooting death on S. Stanford

Posted on January 24, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Santa Ana 2 Comments

SAPD Advisory: Homicide Detectives investigating shooting death in the 1400 block of South Standard

On 1-24-14, at approximately 1:10 AM, patrol officers responded to a report of a person who was observed lying on the ground in the 1400 block South Standard Street. Upon their arrival, officers found a male adult who was shot and in need of medical assistance. The Orange County Fire Authority and paramedics responded to the scene and pronounced the subject deceased. Continue reading→

Why isn’t the City Council conducting a national search for a new Police Chief?

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, Santa Ana 8 Comments

Carlos Rojas, a 22-year veteran of the Santa Ana Police Department, was appointed Acting Chief of Police by then Santa Ana City Manager Paul Walters back in August of 2012, which was touted online by the Santa Ana Police Foundation.

But did you know that Rojas is still our Interim Police Chief and that the City of Santa Ana is still posting for a new Police Chief online? Continue reading→

The SAPD says that Kim Pham’s murder was just part of an altercation

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 37 Comments

The Santa Ana Police Department is going to hold a press conference this Friday, January 24, 2014, at 1 pm, at the Community Room at their headquarters, regarding their investigation into the brutal murder of Annie Hung Kim Pham, by bar patrons, last Friday night, while she waited to get into The Crosby, a hipster bar/restaurant in Downtown Santa Ana.

A defense lawyer hired by one of the murderers is now blaming Pham for the attack saying that the Chapman graduate, who was a writer and who worked with several charities, threw the first punch. She was a petite young lady and we’re supposed to believe she attacked her killers? Continue reading→

City of Santa Ana announces homebuyer down payment assistance loans

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Santa Ana Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community Alert: CITY ANNOUNCES SANTA ANA DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE LOAN PROGRAM

SANTA ANA, CA (January 23, 2014) – Are you looking to purchase your own home in the City of Santa Ana? If you are a first-time homebuyer or have not owned property in the last 3 years, you may be eligible for a down payment assistance loan for up to $40,000.

For more information, Homebuyer Informational Meetings will be held at the City of Santa Ana Council Chambers on the following days: Continue reading→

The Coroner says Crosby victim was killed by blunt force trauma to her head

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 6 Comments

The Santa Ana Police Department announced today that the Coroner completed autopsy today of the Annie Kim Pham (23) Westminster, who was beat to death by bar patrons outside of The Crosby, a hipster bar/restaurant in Downtown Santa Ana.

The Coronoer determined that the cause of death was “complications from blunt force trauma to head.” Continue reading→

RIP, Ricky Cardenas

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Santa Ana 113 Comments

Santa Ana lost one of its own on Saturday, January 18, 2014, when Ricky Cardenas died of a heart attack, according to an online source. Cardenas, a graduate of Century High School and MacArthur Intermediate, had developed a successful career as a nightclub VIP Host and Promoter.

The Heat Ultra Lounge, in Anaheim, is in fact hosting a huge party tonight in his memory with So Cal’s greatest DJ’s and promoters united. Tickets available here: www.TicketHookUps.com/RIPRicky. Call 714.776.4328 for more info and table reservations. All of the proceeds will be going to the Cardenas family to help them pay for funeral expenses. Continue reading→

Business owner charged with embezzling over $950K

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OCDA, Santa Ana, Westminster 2 Comments

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 13WF2843: January 22, 2014

BUSINESS OWNER SENTENCED TO NINE YEARS AND EIGHTS MONTHS IN PRISON FOR EMBEZZLING OVER $950,000 FROM CLIENT/EMPLOYER

SANTA ANA – A business owner was sentenced to nine years and eight months in state prison for defrauding over $950,000 from his client/employer. Carino Torres, 45, Westminster, pleaded guilty yesterday, Jan. 21, 2014, to three felony counts of forgery, one felony count of grand theft, and one felony count of writing non-sufficient fund checks with sentencing enhancements for committing an aggravated white collar crime over $500,000 and property loss over $200,000. Continue reading→

Man charged for intent to commit a lewd act on a 13-year-old girl

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # TBA: January 22, 2014

MAN TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR CONTACTING 13-YEAR-OLD FEMALE TO COMMIT SEXUAL OFFENSE

SANTA ANA – A man is to be arraigned today for contacting a minor female he met online to commit a sexual offense. Jordon Michael Bresyn, 22, Buena Park, is charged with one felony count each of arranging to meet a minor with the intent to commit a sexual offense, contacting a minor with the intent to commit a lewd act, and sending harmful matter to a minor. If convicted on all counts, he faces a maximum sentence of five years and eight months in state prison and mandatory lifetime sex offender registration. The defendant is being held on $200,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned today, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined.

In late December 2013, Bresyn is accused of finding 13-year-old Jane Doe on a dating website and contacting her. Continue reading→

Woman arrested in death of Kim Pham charged with murder

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OCDA, Santa Ana 22 Comments

Photo of Vanesa Tapia Zavala courtesy of KTLA

Vanesa Tapia Zavala, 25, of Santa Ana was charged with one felony count of murder this afternoon for her role in the death of 23-year-old Kim Pham in Santa Ana in the early morning hours of Jan. 19, 2014. You can watch a video of today’s court proceedings at this link, courtesy of CBS News.

Zavala faces a maximum sentence of 15 years to life in state prison if convicted. The OCDA requested that Zavala be held on $1 million bail at her arraignment this afternoon. The OCDA also advised that the investigation is ongoing and additional information will not be released at this time. Continue reading→

Broadway rehab begins and traffic will be bad through May

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, public works, Santa Ana, Traffic 2 Comments

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Advisory: Broadway Rehabilitation Construction Begins – Motorists Should Expect Increased Traffic Congestion

SANTA ANA, CA ( January 22, 2014) – Christensen Brothers General Engineering, Inc. was awarded a contract in the amount of $4,312,894.65 for the rehabilitation of Broadway from Civic Center Drive to Main Place Drive and the replacement of the water main on Broadway and Washington Avenue. Phase 2 of this project has begun and because of the extensive improvements, traffic will be limited to one lane in each direction. It is expected that this project will be completed by summer 2014 barring unforeseen conditions that will cause delays. Continue reading→

DTSA’s image wrecked as the Crosby murder story goes global

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 40 Comments

In a blog post, titled: ‘These Are the 7 Biggest Fears That You Need To Avoid Having In Your Twenties’ on the website Elite Daily, Kim Pham called on people her age to stop being fearful, according to the Daily Mail, a newspaper in London.

But that was written before she was beaten into a coma while the 23-year old graduate of Chapman University was waiting to enter the hipster bar/restaurant called The Crosby, last Friday night. Continue reading→

OC Health Profile Report identifies key health disparities

Posted on January 21, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Health and Medical, Latinos, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Orange County Health Profile Report Identifies Key Health Disparities

(Santa Ana) – A new report from the Orange County Health Care Agency shows a complex picture of health in Orange County. Orange County’s health indicators fare well compared to other counties and state and national data, however disparities exist in health conditions amongst groups of people based on economics, race, ethnicity, gender, age, and geography. The report provides a breakdown of many health and health-associated indicators at a sub-county level to help in understanding where these health disparities occur.

As just one example, while overall rates of obesity are lower in Orange County (23.8%) than in California (25.4%) and the nation (27.8%), obesity continues to disproportionately impact some communities more than others. With an obesity rate of 39.8%, Latina women are nearly twice as likely to be obese as compared to the overall population. Continue reading→

No – the Crosby victim wasn’t killed because she photo-bombed her murderers

Posted on January 21, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 26 Comments

Victim was taken of life support and pronounced dead today at 12:36 this afternoon, according to the SAPD.

The attack on a woman who was beaten into unconsciousness outside a popular Santa Ana nightspot may have been sparked when the 23-year-old accidentally walked in front of a camera as a group of nightclub patrons posed for a photo, a friend said Tuesday, according to the Los Angeles Times.

A friend, who declined to be identified because police are still investigating the case, said three women and two men got into a heated argument with Pham after she accidently walked into one of their photos. A cellphone, believed to belong to one of the suspects, was recovered from the scene, the friend said. Continue reading→

SAPD arrests stabbing and carjacking suspect

Posted on January 21, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department Advisory: Police arrest suspect in Stabbing/Carjacking

Mon, 1/20/14 10 PM, SAPD officers responded to 3900 W. Hazard, reference a report of a subject who had been stabbed multiple times. Upon their arrival, officers learned the victim (M/H/42) was seated in the driver’s seat of his parked vehicle when the suspect (Osvaldo Vallejo -18) entered the passenger’s side and began to physically assault and stab him.

The victim was able to flee on foot and call 911. After the victim fled on foot, the suspect stole the victim’s vehicle a 2001 Honda Civic, white in color. The victim sustained multiple stab wounds to his neck and upper torso. He was transported to UCI with non-life threatening injuries. Continue reading→