New Santa Ana | Tag Archives: Crime

Major SAPD search underway near Hemlock and Baker

Posted on July 12, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 4 Comments

Picture courtesy of Santa Ana Cop Watch

A heavy Santa Ana police presence has been reported on Hemlock and Baker, with over ten patrol units in the neighborhood, according to Santa Ana Copwatch. They have also reported that the police are shutting down the surrounding area looking for someone in an apartment complex.

The search includes multiple helicopters, around Hemlock and Baker, and police cars have been seen speeding and reportedly driving recklessly in the surrounding area. Continue reading→

6-year-old girl calls 911 and saves her mom from a kidnapping near Memorial Park

Posted on July 12, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

A Riverside County man named Heriberto Leon accosted his estranged 30-year-old common-law wife today in Santa Ana and tried to kidnap her but was prevented from dragging her off by the woman’s brave little 6-year-old daughter, who called 911 and summoned the SAPD, according to the O.C. Register.

The woman, the little girl and 8-year-old brother were walking to a bus stop after a soccer game at Memorial Park, when Leon drove up in a brown, four-door Chrysler Concorde and took them by surprise.

The woman had been separated from Leon for three years and in 2014 she had gotten sole custody of the children. She also had obtained a restraining order against Leon because he had a history of domestic violence. Continue reading→

Gang member shot and wounded while walking south of Madison Park

Posted on July 10, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 5 Comments

An admitted gang member was shot on Friday afternoon at about 1 pm, while walking on in Santa Ana, near Halladay Street and St. Andrews Place, according to the O.C. Register. The incident happened just south of Madison Park.

A black Chevrolet SUV with three males inside pulled up beside the victim and he was fired at by one of the male occupants of the vehicle, when the victim began running from them. He was injured in his left ankle by bullet fragments. Continue reading→

Two men charged with pimping and pandering a teenager in Santa Ana

Posted on July 9, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OCDA, Santa Ana Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Date: July 7, 2015

Case # 15CF1469

TWO MEN CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING, PIMPING, AND PANDERING TEENAGE WOMAN IN SANTA ANA

SANTA ANA – Two men have been charged with trafficking, pimping, and pandering a teenage woman in Santa Ana. Caine Alexander Herrera, 18, and Emari Litrell Johnson, 18, both of Fresno, are each charged with one felony count of human trafficking, one felony count of pimping, and one felony count of pandering. If convicted, they each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in state prison. Both defendants are being held on $250,000 and must prove the money is from a legal and legitimate source before posting bond. The defendants were both arraigned yesterday and are scheduled for pre-trial on July 14, 2015, at 8:30 a.m. in Department C-55, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Domestic argument results in hit and run crashes in Santa Ana and Costa Mesa

Posted on July 9, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Accidents, Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

A man and woman were in in a domestic argument in the South Coast Plaza parking lot at around 8:30 p.m. yesterday when the man got into a vehicle and drove northbound on Bristol Street, where he struck three vehicles near MacArthur Boulevard, said Sgt. Carol Salvatierra of the Santa Ana Police Department, according to the O.C. Register.

The suspect was later identified, by the SAPD, as 19-year-old Ricardo Navarro Tolento, of Santa Ana.

The suspect then drove south on Bristol Street and he hit more vehicles in Costa Mesa, according to Costa Mesa Police Lt. Ed Everett. Continue reading→

Gas station at 17th and Broadway was robbed at gunpoint on the 4th of July

Posted on July 8, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD Robbery Detectives Request Media and Public’s Assistance in Identifying Robbery Suspect

Crime Type: Robbery
Location: 1702 North Broadway (World Oil)

Synopsis: On Saturday 7/4/15 at about 1:00 PM, the photographed suspect entered the business (World Oil). Suspect demanded money from the cash register while showing the clerk a handgun. The suspect removed U.S. currency from the cash register and fled the location on foot. Continue reading→

Kevin Jacobo identified as victim in fatal drive by shooting at the 2300 block of West Harvard

Posted on July 7, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 3 Comments

Santa Ana Police Department

UPDATE: Victim In 7-5-2015 Shooting Dies From His Injuries – Homicide Investigation

Victim: Kevin Jacobo (20) Santa Ana

On 7-6-2014 shortly after 9:00 am victim Kevin Jacobo died from injuries. This is now a homicide investigation. Detectives ask that anyone with information about this case please call SAPD Homicide detectives at (714) 245-8390 or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS. Continue reading→

L.A. Deputy Sheriff to be charged with assaulting an O.C. woman and setting her hair on fire

Posted on July 6, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in buena park, Crime, OCDA, Orange County Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # TBA

Date: July 6, 2015

LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTY TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR THREATENING AND ASSAULTING WOMAN INCLUDING LIGHTING HER HAIR ON FIRE

FULLERTON – A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) deputy is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow for threatening and assaulting a woman including lighting her hair on fire. Alejandro Flores, 33, Buena Park, is charged with three felony counts of domestic battery with corporal injury, two felony counts of assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, one felony count of aggravated assault, one felony count of criminal threats, one felony count of dissuading a witness by force or threat, and one felony count of false imprisonment by menace or violence with sentencing enhancement allegations for great bodily injury inflicted during domestic violence and the personal use of a firearm. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 25 years and eight months in state prison. He is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow, July 7, 2015, at 8:30 a.m. in Department N-3, North Justice Center, Fullerton.

At the time of the crime the defendant was a LASD deputy and was in a romantic relationship with Jane Doe. The defendant lived with the victim and a child relative under two years old in Buena Park. Continue reading→

New independent, external committee to evaluate the OCDA’s use of jailhouse informants

Posted on July 6, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OCDA, Orange County, Politics Leave a comment

Tony Rackauckas and Susan Kang Schroeder

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Date: July 6, 2015

OCDA ANNOUNCES NEW INDEPENDENT EXTERNAL COMMITTEE TO EVALUATE USE OF JAILHOUSE INFORMANTS

SANTA ANA – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) announced today that a new independent, external committee has been created to thoroughly examine OCDA policies and practices regarding the use of jailhouse informants. The Informant Policies and Practices Evaluation Committee (IPPEC) is comprised of legal experts from outside the OCDA, including retired Orange County Superior Court Judge Jim Smith, retired Los Angeles County Assistant District Attorney Patrick Dixon, former Orange County Bar Association President Robert Gerard, and Blithe Leece, an attorney who specializes in ethics law and professional responsibility. Legal scholar and ethics expert, Professor Laurie Levenson of Loyola Law School, will serve on IPPEC as an advisor.

The creation of IPPEC follows a thorough in-house investigation conducted by the OCDA into legal questions raised concerning the use of in-custody informants and their effects on the rights of defendants who have been charged with crimes. The investigation resulted in policy and personnel changes to ensure that no material or technical violations of a defendant’s rights occur in the future. The changes include: new leadership and personnel; additional staff in the Gang Unit; new internal committee headed by District Attorney Tony Rackauckas to review and approve or disapprove the use of an in-custody informant in a criminal case; and an updated informant policy manual to establish new guidelines for the use of informants. Continue reading→

Ten men convicted of trying to hook up with prostitutes in Orange County

Posted on July 6, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OCDA, Santa Ana Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Date: July 2, 2015

TEN MEN CONVICTED OF LOITERING WITH INTENT TO COMMIT PROSTITUTION OR AGREEING TO ENGAGE IN PROSTITUTION

*Conviction details of sex purchasers are featured on the OCDA website

SANTA ANA – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) convicted 10 men in May and June of 2015 of loitering with the intent to commit prostitution or agreeing to engage in prostitution. The defendants in these cases approached a woman whom they believed to be a prostitute, or loitered in areas known for prostitution and human trafficking in Orange County. Each of the defendants below agreed to engage, or loitered with the intent to engage, in commercial sex with a woman and were subsequently arrested by law enforcement.

Defendant/Conviction/Sentence: Continue reading→

Can we stop the use of illegal fireworks before lives are lost?

Posted on July 6, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Fires, Orange County, Santa Ana 10 Comments

Illegal fireworks have always been a problem in Santa Ana but this 4th of July seemed like perhaps the worst ever in this regard. Residents all over the city posted pictures of the illegal fireworks on Facebook – and even the more exclusive neighborhoods in north Santa Ana were bombarded with bottle rockets and mortars.

The O.C. Register reported that sales at Santa Ana fireworks stands were down this year and blamed the legalization of safe and sane fireworks in Anaheim and in Huntington Beach. However I suspect that residents weren’t buying the legal fireworks because they invested in the illegal ones instead.

And this year the illegal fireworks actually caused significant harm. A fire broke out at 9:25 p.m. Saturday in the 800 block of Townsend Street in Santa Ana, after two palm trees burst into flames after illegal fireworks were set off, according to the O.C. Register. Continue reading→

55-year-old man dies after a fight at a Santa Ana 4th of July block party

Posted on July 5, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD Homicide Detectives Investigate Man’s Death During July 4th Block Party

On 7-4-15, at approximately 9:40 p.m. Officers responded to 2500 Block of North Linwood Avenue (just south of Fairhaven Elementary School and West of Fairhaven Memorial Park and Mortuary) to assist OCFA personnel with a man identified as William Branch III, who was unresponsive in the street. Officers arrived to find OCFA personnel performing CPR on a 55 year old male. Branch was transported to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana where he was pronounced dead. Homicide detectives responded to the scene and are currently investigating the incident.

A preliminary investigation found that a fight occurred during a large neighborhood Fourth of July party. Branch was a participant in the fight. It is unclear if he sustained an injury from an assault or died of a medical condition. The cause of death is undetermined pending autopsy. Continue reading→

Man arrested after using a pickaxe to threaten a man taking pictures of the homeless in DTSA

Posted on July 2, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, homeless, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Suspect Arrested For Assaulting Victims With A Pickaxe And Possession Of A Stolen Vehicle

Arrested: Isaiah Gassaway (23) Santa Ana

Summary: Thu, 7/2/15 at approx. 9:06 a.m., SAPD Communications received calls of a subject who had reportedly pulled out a pickaxe and began waving it around at the intersection of Ross and Civic Center.

Officers responded to the area and detained the suspect (Isaiah Gassaway) without incident. Investigation determined that a subject had been taking photographs of the homeless population and this angered the suspect. The suspect then brandished the pickaxe at the photographer and chased him with it. Continue reading→

Boy shot by unknown suspects in a vehicle not far from Mater Dei High School

Posted on July 2, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana Leave a comment

A 13-year-old boy was shot while walking early Wednesday afternoon at around 12:30 p.m., at the intersection of South Pacific Avenue and West Wilshire Avenue, in Santa Ana, just north of Mater Dei High School, according to the SAPD, as reported by the O.C. Register.

The victim said that he heard three or four shots coming from a vehicle. The boy was hit by bullets in a forearm and thigh and he was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries described as non-life threatening. His identity was not revealed by the police. Continue reading→

Man arrested after throwing a bottle bomb at a child

Posted on July 2, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD Officers Arrest Suspect For Throwing Destructive Device At A Child

Arrested: Ryan Matthew Brown (37) Santa Ana

Charges: CPC 18750 –Use Destructive Device Causing Bodily Injury;CPC 273a (a) Willful Cruelty to Child with Possible Injury or Death

Location: 900 Block West. 17th Street

Summary: Wednesday, 7/1/15 6:47 pm, Officers responded to 900 block of West 17th Street reference a fireworks complaint. The reporting parties advised officers that a resident (Ryan Brown) at the complex had thrown a makeshift bottle bomb at a juvenile victim as he was walking in the alley. Continue reading→