Police Blotter: Authorities Search for Hit-and-Run Suspect

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events. To see a complete listing of crimes reported, go to the City of Monrovia website and click on the crime mapping link.

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Hit and Run Traffic Collision – Vehicle vs. Pedestrian

November 14, 2013, at approximately 8:13 p.m., the Monrovia Police Department received a phone call reporting that a pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle near the intersection of Alta Vista and Cypress, and the suspect vehicle had fled the scene. When officers arrived on scene, they located the victim and a witness. The witness reported that a vehicle traveling west on Cypress Avenue made a left turn onto Alta Vista and failed to stop for the posted stop sign.

The driver of the vehicle lost control and made a wide left turn, drifting into the parking lane, where it struck a male adult who had been standing near a parked vehicle and was walking back to the sidewalk. The victim was struck below the waist and fell onto the hood of the suspect vehicle. The suspect abruptly stopped the vehicle at the west curb, ejecting the victim from the hood of the vehicle and onto the west sidewalk of Alta Vista. The suspect put the vehicle in reverse and then sped away south on Alta Vista, out of sight.

The victim sustained minor lacerations to his upper and lower body, and his right ankle was fractured from the impact of the vehicle. The suspect is described as a female Hispanic or African American in her mid-to-late 30s, and the vehicle is described as a newer-model, small-to-midsized, white, SUV-style vehicle. The investigation is currently ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Monrovia Police Department Watch Commander.

Elder Abuse – Suspect Arrested

November 15 at 1:15 p.m., a 72-year-old female subject called police to report she was assaulted by her 22-year-old grandson. He has been staying with her for the past 3 months. The victim reported that she was choked and slapped by her grandson; she sustained visible injuries. The grandson was arrested and an emergency protective order was issued for the victim.

Grand Theft Auto

November 15 at 5:07 p.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 1500 block of South Mayflower. The victim parked and secured the vehicle in front of the location at 5:00 a.m. The victim noticed his vehicle was missing at 4:30 p.m. The vehicle is a grey, four-door, 1991 Honda Accord. The investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence / Traffic Collision

November 15 at 7:13 p.m., a witness observed a vehicle run a red light at Foothill and Magnolia. The witness followed the vehicle and phoned the police reporting a possible drunk driver. Officers responded and located the vehicle near Mountain and Huntington. The officers observed the driver swerving, straddling lanes of traffic, and then the driver abruptly sped up to pass a vehicle. An officer activated their lights, but the driver did not respond. After approximately 50 yards with the lights on, the officer activated the siren. The suspect then abruptly moved to the curb. His vehicle went over the curb and struck a tree. The driver was taken to a hospital for medical treatment.

Forgery / Counterfeiting / Burglary – Suspect Arrested

November 15 at 8:48 p.m., loss prevention personnel from a business in the 500 block of West Huntington called to report an adult female trying to pass counterfeit currency inside their store. Officers responded, but the female had exited the store and ran when confronted by loss prevention. Officers arrived, located the female and detained her. Washed currency, counterfeit currency, and ink used to make currency were found in the suspect’s purse. She was arrested and taken into custody. The Secret Service was contacted and the investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision

November 15 at 11:42 p.m., a solo vehicle traffic collision occurred when a vehicle traveling west on Huntington Drive attempted to make a left turn onto Mountain Avenue and lost control. The vehicle struck the curb on the west side of Mountain Avenue and flipped multiple times. All four occupants sustained minor injuries; three of them were taken to a hospital for treatment.

Commercial Burglary – Suspect Arrested

November 16 at 5:30 p.m., a business in the 700 block of East Huntington called police to report a known subject who stole merchandise from their store. When confronted outside the store, he returned the merchandise to employees and then ran. Officers located and detained the suspect nearby. The suspect was arrested and charged with burglary.

Grand Theft Auto – Suspect Arrested

November 16 at 10:02 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the area of Norumbega and Greystone when he passed a suspicious vehicle occupied by a male and female parked on the street in the 600 block of East Greystone. After confirming that the vehicle had been reported stolen to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Temple Station, the officer immediately turned his car around, at which time he saw the occupants quickly exiting the vehicle.

The officer was able to detain both suspects until assistance arrived. The male driver admitted to stealing the car, and was in possession of shaved keys. The female was not aware the vehicle had been stolen. The male suspect was arrested and the vehicle was returned to its owner.

Possession of Burglary Tools – Suspect Arrested

November 17 at 2:27 a.m., officers responded to a residence in the 700 block of Greystone regarding a suspicious person in the neighbor’s yard. An officer arrived and detained the subject. The subject stated he had gone into the yard to rewrap his foot. The subject was found to be in possession of a folding knife that included a window punch, a screwdriver, and a sparkplug tip. He was arrested and charged with possession of burglary tools.

Vehicle Burglary

November 17 at 7:09 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported to police. The victim parked his vehicle in the public parking lot at Lemon and Myrtle in the evening. When he returned to his vehicle in the morning, he noticed several items missing from his vehicle and called police. The investigation is continuing.

Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested

November 18 at 12:05 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the area of Highland and Foothill when he observed a suspicious person. The officer contacted the subject and through investigation determined he was under the influence of methamphetamine. The officer arrested the subject for being under the influence of a controlled substance.

Felony Vandalism – Suspects Arrested

November 18 at 2:23 a.m., an officer investigated a vandalism involving a vehicle that was damaged by large rocks being thrown at it. The suspects were not known at the time of the initial investigation. Several hours later, an officer responded to a vehicle tampering call in the area of Monterey and Huntington. When the officer arrived, he located and detained a 14-year-old male at the scene and a second male juvenile ran from the officer.

The officer coordinated a search of the area, and the second juvenile was located and detained. The investigation revealed the two boys were the vandalism suspects from the earlier call, and both juveniles were arrested. Both juveniles are from the Victorville area and were joy-riding in their parent's vehicle until it ran out of gas in Monrovia. The boys told the officer they did not know the victim, but they thought it would be fun to throw rocks at the victim's vehicle. The juveniles were arrested and later released to their parents on citations.