New Santa Ana | Tag Archives: westminster

Santa Ana man charged with murdering a girl in a crash while fleeing from police

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

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15ZF0002

Date: May 8, 2015

MAN ARRAIGNED IN COURT ON INDICTMENT FOR MURDERING 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL AND INJURING HER BROTHER AND MOTHER IN HIGH SPEED CRASH WHILE FLEEING FROM POLICE

SANTA ANA – A man indicted by the Orange County Grand Jury for murdering a 12-year-old girl and seriously injuring her brother and mother in a high-speed crash while fleeing from police was in court today for arraignment on the indictment. Aleksandar Apostolovic, 32, Santa Ana, was indicted May 6, 2015, on one felony count each of murder, aggravated assault on a peace officer, hit and run causing death or permanent injury, and evading causing death, with sentencing enhancements for a prior strike conviction for first degree burglary in 2008 and multiple prison priors. If convicted on all counts, Apostolovic faces a maximum sentence of more than 30 years to life in state prison with an additional eight years in state prison. He is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing Aug. 13, 2015, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-5, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office and the Westminster Police Department (WPD) released a press release April 7, 2014, with the following information about the case: Continue reading→

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

Posted on April 13, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Garden Grove, OCDA, Orange County, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana Leave a comment

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→

Street racer sentenced for accident that killed another driver’s 18-year-old sister

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OCDA, Westminster Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 12WF1749

Date: April 3, 2015

DRIVER SENTENCED FOR STREET RACING AND CAUSING CRASH THAT KILLED 18-YEAR-OLD GIRL

*Co-defendant in this case is the victim’s brother and was previously sentenced

SANTA ANA – A driver was sentenced today for illegal street racing and causing a crash that resulted in the death of an 18-year-old girl. Joshua Lautherboren, 26, Garden Grove, was found guilty by a jury on Dec. 11, 2014, of one felony count of engaging in a speed contest causing specified injury and one felony count of hit and run resulting in injury or death. On March 20, 2015, the defendant, a former member of the U.S. Army, was referred to the Veteran’s Court for review on March 27, 2015, but was found unsuitable for sentencing. He was sentenced today to nine months in jail and five years of formal probation.

Co-defendant, Jorel Bagtas Dayoan, 22, Westminster, was found guilty by a jury on Dec. 11, 2014, of one felony count of vehicular manslaughter by an unlawful manner of driving with gross negligence and one felony count of engaging in a speed contest causing specified injury. He was sentenced on Feb. 6, 2015, to one year in jail, five years of formal probation, and ordered to pay over $75,000 in restitution. Continue reading→

First Baptist Church of Santa Ana to host an Easter service this Sunday

Posted on April 3, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Churches and Religion, Entertainment, Santa Ana Leave a comment

First Baptist Church of Santa Ana is no more – they sold their church to Newsong Church. However the remaining members of what used to be First Baptist Church of Santa Ana have come together to try to relaunch their historic congregation with an Easter service at the Summerset Mobile Estates Clubhouse, located at 9200 Westminster Avenue, in Westminster, on April 5, 2015.

The service will feature:

An Informal Atmosphere
Traditional Music
Relevant Message

Continue reading→

Local DMV employee arrested for taking bribes in return for driver’s licenses

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OCDA, Westminster Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15WF0525

Date: March 19, 2015

DMV EMPLOYEE ARRESTED AND CHARGED FOR TAKING BRIBES TO OBTAIN DRIVER’S LICENSES FOR TWO APPLICANTS

WESTMINSTER – A Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) employee was arrested and charged today for accepting bribes from customers in exchange for providing California driver’s licenses (CDL). Jose Alberto Carrillo, 47, Fresno, is charged with two felony counts of altering public documents and two felony counts of computer access and fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of five years in jail. He was arrested today in Fresno and is out of custody on $20,000 bail. He is scheduled to appear for arraignment on April 20, 2015, at the North Justice Center, Fullerton. The time and department are to be determined.

At the time of the crimes, Carrillo worked as a Motor Vehicle Representative at the Westminster DMV Office. Continue reading→

Nephew with criminal history charged with killing his uncle at a birthday party

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OCDA, Westminster Leave a comment

Daniel Lee Duvall and Tina Arbogast

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15WF0501

Date: March 13, 2015

NEPHEW TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR SHOOTING-MURDER OF UNCLE AFTER ARGUMENT AT BIRTHDAY PARTY

*Co-defendant girlfriend is charged as an accessory after the fact in this case

WESTMINSTER – A nephew is scheduled to be arraigned today for the shooting murder of his uncle. Daniel Lee Duvall, 37, Westminster, is charged with one felony count of murder with sentencing enhancements for personal discharge of a firearm causing death, three sentencing enhancements for crime-bail-crime, prior felony convictions for residential burglary in 1996, possession of a firearm by a felon in 2002, possession of a firearm by a felon in 2008, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell in 2010. Co-defendant Tina Pauline Arbogast, 48, Westminster, is charged with one felony count of accessory after the fact.

If convicted, Daniel Duvall faces a maximum sentence of 85 years to life in state prison. Arbogast faces a maximum sentence of three years in state prison. Both defendants are scheduled to be arraigned today, March 13, 2015, in Department W-12, West Justice Center, Westminster. The time is to be determined. Continue reading→

Santa Ana man pleads guilty to hit and run death of a 3-year old girl

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

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 12CF1494

Date: March 6, 2015

MAN SENTENCED TO NINE YEARS IN PRISON FOR KILLING 3-YEAR-OLD AND INJURING MOTHER IN HIT-AND-RUN IN SCHOOL CROSSWALK

*Defendant’s girlfriend helped him cover his crime by filing false police report

SANTA ANA – A man was sentenced to nine years in state prison yesterday for killing a 3-year-old girl and severely injuring the child’s mother by crashing his girlfriend’s car into them as they passed through a crosswalk and then fleeing the scene. Carlos Antonio Parra, 23, Santa Ana, pleaded guilty yesterday, March 5, 2015, to one felony count each of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, two felony counts of hit and run with permanent injury or death, and one misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substance.

Parra’s girlfriend Rebeca Beltran, 27, Santa Ana, pleaded guilty on Aug. 16, 2013, to one felony count each of accessory after the fact and possession of a controlled substance. She faces a maximum sentence of three years and eight months in state prison at her sentencing on March 20, 2015, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-41, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Man charged with neglecting a dog that chewed off part of his own leg

Posted on February 25, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OC Animal Care, Orange County, Pets, Westminster Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15WM01698

Date: February 25, 2015

MAN TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR NEGLECTING TO CARE FOR DOG’S ENTANGLED LEG CAUSING DOG TO CHEW PART OF HIS OWN LEG OFF

WESTMINSTER – A man is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow on animal abuse charges for allowing his dog to become entangled in the backyard, causing the dog to chew a part of his own leg off. Samer Samir Ibrahim, 23, Westminster, is charged with one misdemeanor count of keeping an animal without proper care and one misdemeanor count of animal abuse by a caretaker. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of one year in jail. He is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow, Feb. 26, 2015, at 8:30 a.m. in Department W-4, West Justice Center, Westminster.

Ibrahim is accused of owning and caring for an 11-month-old German Shepherd named Rocky. He is accused of only allowing the dog to remain in the backyard in conditions where the dog caught fleas and was significantly thinner than an average healthy German Shepherd. Continue reading→

Dedication ceremony for $297M West County Connectors Project set for 2/12

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in OCTA, Transportation, Westminster Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 10, 2015

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Joel Zlotnik, OCTA (714) 560-5713, Yvonne Washington, Caltrans (949) 724-2644

NEWS ADVISORY: Dedication Ceremony Planned for $297 Million West County Connectors Project

WHAT: Transportation officials from the Orange County Transportation Authority and Caltrans will join with partners from the federal, state and local levels to mark the completion of the West County Connectors project, which directly connects the carpool lanes between the I-405, I-605 and SR-22 freeways and adds six miles of carpool lane.

The event will mark the completion of the four-year $297 million project that runs through the cities of Garden Grove, Westminster, Seal Beach, Los Alamitos, Long Beach and the community of Rossmoor.
WHEN: 2 to 3 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 12. Continue reading→

Mother is going to prison for stabbing her kids while they slept

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OCDA, Westminster Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 09WF1952

Date: January 26, 2015

MOTHER SENTENCED TO 11 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR ATTEMPTING TO MURDER HER TWO CHILDREN BY STABBING THEM WHILE THEY WERE ASLEEP

SANTA ANA – A mother was sentenced Friday, Jan. 23, 2015, to 11 years to life in state prison for attempting to murder her two young children by stabbing them while they were asleep. Thuy Thi Le, 43, Westminster, was found guilty by a jury Feb. 4, 2014, of two felony counts each of attempted murder, and child abuse and endangerment with sentencing enhancements for the personal use of a deadly weapon and committing great bodily injury. On Oct. 27, 2014, a unanimous jury found the sentencing enhancement for premeditation and deliberation for the attempted murder charge to be true following a retrial of the sentencing enhancement as a former jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict, finding 11 to one for the sentencing enhancement to be true. The defendant, who entered pleas of “not guilty” and “not guilty by reason of insanity,” was found to be legally sane at the time of the murder by the jury on Oct. 31, 2014. Continue reading→

Serial groper sentenced to three years in prison

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OCDA, Orange County Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 13WF2913

Date: January 22, 2015

MAN SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS IN PRISON FOR FALSE IMPRISONMENT BY VIOLENCE AND GROPING FOUR WOMEN WITH SEXUAL INTENT

SANTA ANA – A man was sentenced todayto three years in state prison and mandatory lifetime sex offender registration for false imprisonment by violence and groping four women by grabbing them on the buttocks with sexual intent in public. Matthew Andrew Linville, 20, Westminster, pleaded guilty today to one felony count of false imprisonment by violence and four misdemeanor counts of sexual battery.

At approximately 6:45 a.m., on Aug. 28, 2013, Linville approached 34-year-old Jane Doe #1 as she was jogging through a neighborhood in Huntington Beach. Linville grabbed the victim on the buttocks, pushed her to the ground, and groped her. He then fled the scene. Continue reading→

Suspected molester released due to lack of evidence

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 6 Comments

Hai Truong Vo, 39, of Garden Grove, was released by the Santa Ana Police Department without bail last night, due to “insufficient evidence,” according to an email we received this afternoon from “Xuanxanh Laurie.”

The O.C Register confirmed this in an article posted today. They reported that “Prosecutors apparently have sent the criminal case against Hai Truong Vo, 39, of Garden Grove back to detectives for further investigation, Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.” Continue reading→

Three O.C. men to be charged with selling counterfeit Apple products

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Fountain Valley, irvine, Westminster Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 14WF4259

January 15, 2015

TWO MEN TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR MONEY LAUNDERING AND CONSPIRING TO SELL COUNTERFEIT ELECTRONIC MERCHANDISE VALUED AT NEARLY $3 MILLION

*Items included Apple iPhones, iPads, smartphones, and cameras. Third co-defendant in this case is a fugitive.

WESTMINSTER – Two men are scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow on money laundering and conspiracy charges for selling counterfeit electronic goods valued at nearly $3 million, including counterfeit iPhones and iPads, following an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Fountain Valley Police Department (FVPD).

Rateb Said Najjar, 60, and his son, Eyad Rateb Najjar, 36, both of Westminster, are each charged with 134 felony counts of money laundering, six felony counts of manufacturing and sale of a counterfeit mark, two felony counts of conspiracy to commit a crime with sentencing enhancements for property damage over $1.3 million, and money laundering in excess of $2.5 million. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 104 years in jail. Continue reading→

Vietnamese suspected molester arrested

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana, Vietnamese, Westminster 2 Comments

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Detectives request media and public’s assistance in identifying additional victims in child molestation case.

On 1/13/15, detectives from the Santa Ana Police Family Crimes Unit arrested Hai Truong Vo, also known as “Joseph,” age 39, of Garden Grove, for Child Molest. Vo is suspected of molesting a seven-year-old female in Westminster in 2011, and a six-year-old female in Santa Ana in 2013. Both victims are of Vietnamese decent.

Vo is a heating/air conditioner repairman and plumber. In both the 2011 and 2013 incidents, Vo entered the victim’s home after he was hired to perform repairs. Once inside the home, Vo was able to find an opportunity to be alone with the victims. Continue reading→

Janet Nguyen’s former Chief of Staff to run for the 1st District

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2015 Elections, Andrew Do, Janet Nguyen, Orange County, Politics, Republican Party, Westminster Leave a comment

For Immediate Release: November 20, 2014
Contact: Dave Gilliard, 916-626-6804

Andrew Do to Run for Supervisor in First District Special Election
Nguyen, Bates,Walters and Royce to serve as Campaign Co-Chairs

Westminster, CA – – Today, Andrew Do announced his candidacy for Orange County Supervisor in the First District, where a special election will be called soon to replace Senator-elect Janet Nguyen.

Supervisor Nguyen, along with Supervisor Pat Bates, Senator and Congresswoman-Elect Mimi Walters and Congressman Ed Royce will serve as honorary co-chairs of Do’s campaign.

“I am honored that so many community leaders have encouraged me to run for Supervisor to follow in the footsteps of Janet Nguyen, who has done such a tremendous job for our communities,” said Do. Continue reading→