Pasadena Police Release Details of Recent Critical Incidents

Pasadena police released a “community brief” which summarized noteworthy incidents which occurred last month.

The report is comprised of “snapshots of the one-thousand calls received by the Pasadena Police Communications on an average day,” officials said.

 

December 1, 2019, 2:35 p.m.: Officers observed a parked vehicle in the 1700 block of Navarro Ave. with a single occupant. As officers walked up to the vehicle, they noticed the sole occupant was holding an open container of alcohol as well as the strong odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle. Officers contacted the individual and during their investigation recovered a loaded handgun under the driver’s seat.

December 1, 2019, 9:58 p.m.: Officers responded to a report of two males fighting in the street near the intersection of Colorado Blvd. and Craig Ave. While still in route to the call, updated information was provided to the officers indicating the fight had moved to the lobby of a nearby hotel located in the 2100 block of E. Colorado Blvd. When the first officer arrived at the location and entered the hotel lobby, the officer saw a male pinning the victim against a counter and holding a knife to the victim’s back. The officer gave the suspect orders to drop the knife and the suspect quickly complied. He was taken into custody without further incident and was subsequently arrested for assault with a deadly weapon. The investigation revealed the suspect and the victim were engaged in a fight as a result of an argument over drugs.

December 2, 2019, 7:39 p.m.: Officers responded to the 300 block of E. Orange Grove Blvd. regarding a dispute between former neighbors. The suspect, who had recently been evicted, returned to the residence on December 2nd to visit his mother who still lives in the complex. During the visit, the suspect became involved in a verbal argument with other residents he who he blames for his eviction. The verbal argument escalated and the suspect ultimately attempted to slash both victims with a knife but was unsuccessful as the neighbors were behind a fence.  The suspect left the location, returned in his vehicle and attempted to ram the fence that separated the two parties. Again, the fence prohibited the suspect from hitting the victim’s with the vehicle. The suspect fled the location but returned to the area while officers were investigating the incident. The suspect was taken into custody upon his return and he was found to still be in possession of the knife. No victims were injured during the incident.

December 3, 2019, 10:17 a.m.: Officers responded to the area of Del Mar Blvd. and Oakland Ave. regarding a “road rage” incident. The victim, who believed the suspect vehicle had scraped his car, followed the suspect vehicle to contact the driver. The suspect vehicle stopped and the driver and passenger both got out of the suspect vehicle and challenged the victim. During this confrontation, the passenger of the suspect vehicle opened the trunk of the suspect vehicle and removed a handgun. The victim then heard a sound that he believed was his vehicle being struck by gunfire. He called the police as he drove away from the area and officers stopped the vehicle near Catalina Ave. and California Blvd. and detained both occupants. Officers discovered an airsoft pistol in the vehicle loaded with metal pellets. Both the driver and passenger of the suspect vehicle were arrested. There were no injuries during this incident.

December 3, 2019, 2:49 p.m.: Officers responded to the report of a robbery in the area of Painter St. and Summit Ave. The victim was walking in the area when he was approached by 2 occupants inside of a passing car. Two suspects exited the vehicle and made reference to the victim about being in the wrong neighborhood. When the victim walked passed the suspects, he was struck on the right side of his face and knocked down. The suspects kicked the victim several times while he was on the ground. One suspect placed his hand in the victim’s pants pocket and took his cell phone. Both suspects fled in the vehicle. A patrol officer located the suspect vehicle a short time after the robbery. The suspects were detained and arrested. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

December 5, 2019, 2:57 p.m.: The Officers were called to a car dealership in the 300 block of E. Colorado Blvd. regarding a suspect who had made arrangements to purchase a vehicle valued at more than $200,000. The suspect had gone to the dealership to complete the transaction, however the dealership learned it was a fraudulent transaction via the use of identity theft and the victim of the stolen identity was completely unaware of the transaction. Officers responded to the dealership where they detained and arrested the suspect. The victim, who resides out of state, did not know the suspect who was attempting to purchase the luxury vehicle.

December 5, 2019, 6:14 p.m.: Officer responded to a business located in the 600 block of S. Arroyo Pkwy. regarding the report of a robbery. Both victims, who are employees of the business, stated they were in the back breakroom when they heard the doorbell ring. Both employees went to the front of the business when two suspects entered the business, holding handguns. The victims attempted to flee by running to the back of the store, but the suspects followed. When one of the victims started to scream, a suspect grabbed the victim by the neck. Fearing for her life, the other victim gave her purse to the suspects. The suspects also took a cell phone from the other victim and fled the location. The suspects have not yet been identified and the investigation into this incident is continuing.

December 6, 2019, 12:15 a.m.: Officers responded to the 400 block of North Madison Ave. regarding a victim who was reporting his neighbor was banging on his front door with a  pipe. Upon arrival, officers contacted the suspect outside the residence. The suspect, who was cooperative with the officers, was found to have an empty firearm holster attached to his waistband. Out of a concern for their safety, officers immediately detained the suspect and conducted a pat-down search. During the cursory search, the officers located a loaded handgun in the suspect’s front pocket. The investigation revealed the suspect threatened the victim while holding a large stick during the altercation and was arrested without incident.

December 6, 2019, 1:39 p.m.: Officers were dispatched to a local school in regards to arson in the bathroom. When officers arrived at the location, members of the Pasadena Fire Department had already extinguished the fire and an arson investigator was on scene. The arson investigator is conducting an investigation into the fire in an attempt to identify the individual(s) who started the fire. The fire resulted in minimal damage to the interior of a student restroom.

December 9, 2019, 1:46 a.m.: Officers responded to a motel in the 2100 block of E. Colorado Blvd. to investigate a robbery. The victim stated he was talking to a female in his motel room when she left to obtain some marijuana. When the female returned, a male suspect was accompanying her and pushed his way into the room with a handgun, demanded the victim’s money. The victim and suspect wrestled inside the room, breaking the front window. Both the suspect and the female fled from the motel room moments later. The victim received a minor cut to the back of his head which was treated by paramedics at the scene. Arriving police were unable to locate the two suspects.

December 13, 2019, 8:05 a.m.: Officers patrolling the area of El Sereno Ave. and Montana St. conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle/driver that had just committed a traffic violation. The driver does not have a driver’s license issued to him and was asked to exit the vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed a handgun under one of the front seats. The vehicle was impounded and all four occupants of the vehicle were arrested.

December 15, 2019, 1:24 a.m.: Officers responded to the 1300 block of Catalina Ave. on report of a subject knocking and kicking the victim’s front door. The subject continued to kick the front door until the frame broke and the door opened. The victim, who was behind the door, attempted to push the door closed to prevent the suspect from entering the home. Officers arrived and detained the suspect on the front porch of the home. The suspect, who is homeless, was intoxicated and thought he lived at the residence. The suspect was arrested for residential burglary. The residents of the home were not injured during the incident.

December 15, 2019, 8:16 a.m.: Officers responded to a local hospital where a social worker had reported an assault that had occurred in the area of Del Mar Blvd. and Edmonson Alley and the victim was in the hospital’s emergency room. Officers arrived and made contact with the victim, who had multiple facial lacerations, including a large cut on his eyelid. The victim, who is homeless, reported he was attacked by two males in the alley just south of Del Mar Blvd. He reported that both suspects punched him in the face multiple times. The victim walked to the hospital for medical treatment. The victim indicated he doesn’t know the suspects who attacked him.

December 17, 2019, 6:27 p.m.: Officers responded to a residence in the 300 block of Carmelo Ave. in regards to a father and adult son who were fighting in the street. The victim and suspect had an argument that started at dinner. During the confrontation, the father grabbed a machete from his vehicle and swung at the victim twice without making contact. The victim was able to grab the suspect’s arm and the machete was placed back into the vehicle. The victim and suspect continued to argue when the suspect pulled out a key chain with a utility knife attached and attempted to cut the victim’s arm. The incident continued to escalate, however the victim was able to get control of the suspect until police officers arrived. Neither the victim nor suspect requested/required medical attention as the victim sustained only minor injuries. Officers recovered both the machete and utility knife. The suspect was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon(s).

December 19, 2019, 10:20 p.m.: Officers responded to a call of a fight at an establishment in Old Pasadena. Both men had been drinking inside of the business when a verbal altercation erupted between the two. It is unclear what started the altercation. The argument escalated when the suspect pushed the victim to the ground and kicked the victim in the head. The suspect fled the location before the officers’ arrival, but was quickly apprehended a short distance away. The victim required medical treatment and was transported to a local hospital for his injuries.

December 19, 2019, 10:444 p.m.: Officers responded to the 100 block of E. Villa St. in regards to a 911 call. Upon arrival, officers located a male victim in the area covered in blood with multiple injuries. During the officers’ investigation, it was discovered the victim had been riding a bicycle as he was approached by an unknown male and female who pushed him off the bike. The suspects then assaulted the victim with their hands and feet. The victim blacked out and when he awoke, saw the suspects removing the contents of his pockets. The victim attempted to retain his property, but the suspects were able to flee the scene. The investigation is ongoing and the suspects remain at large. The victim was treated by paramedics and transported to a local hospital.

December 20, 2019, 8:07 a.m.: Officers responded to the 1400 block of N. Fair Oaks Ave. on a report of an assault. The victim and her boyfriend were in her vehicle when they began to argue. The suspect stabbed the victim in the arm with a knife and made further threats towards her and their child (who was not present inside the vehicle). The victim was able to escape the car running into a nearby residence to seek help. Officers arrived and found the suspect inside the location with the victim. As they attempted to arrest the suspect, he pulled the knife from his pocket. Officers reacted quickly, taking the knife from the suspect and arrested him for the assault. The victim’s injuries were minor and did not require medical attention. There were no other injuries as a result of the incident.

December 20, 2019, 2:24 p.m.: Officers responded to a robbery at a financial institution located at the 100 block of W. California Blvd. The suspect had run into the bank shouting, “This is a robbery” and demanded money from numerous tellers. Out of fear for their safety, the tellers gave the suspect the money from the tills and the suspect fled the location on foot. A witness told officers that they saw the suspect run south across California Blvd. Officers searched the area where the witness last saw the suspect run and located a trail of money near the southeast corner of California Blvd. and Pasadena Ave. Additional information indicates the suspect entered a vehicle and fled the area. The suspect has not yet been captured and detectives are conducting further investigation.

December 20, 2019, 4:38 p.m.: Members of the Pasadena Police Department’s Special Enforcement Section (SES) attempted to contact a known subject at a motel located in the 2000  block of E. Colorado Blvd. The male subject is a gang member on parole with an outstanding arrest warrant. The suspect fled from the officers on a bicycle and attempted to jump over a fence. The officers were able to apprehend the suspect before he was able to climb a fence. The suspect was found to be in possession of a loaded firearm along with multiple pounds of narcotics, and other narcotic items indicating the suspect is involved in the sales of narcotics. A female who was accompanying the male suspect in the motel room was arrested for providing false names to the officers.

December 20, 2019, 10:40 p.m.: An officer attempted to stop a vehicle for a vehicle code violation near the intersection of Arroyo Blvd. and Howard St. The vehicle pulled to the curb briefly then sped away at a high rate of speed. The officer pursued the vehicle as it traveled north on Arroyo Blvd. and entered the 210 Frwy East. The vehicle quickly reached speeds in excess of 90 MPH. The vehicle exited the Mountain off-ramp at a high rate of speed and collided with a tree on the south side of Mountain St. The suspect’s vehicle immediately burst into flames and officers quickly removed the driver/sole occupant. The driver did not sustain any injuries as a result of the collision. The suspect, who was determined to be driving under the influence, was taken into custody without incident. A search of the vehicle revealed an open bottle of alcohol as well as other contraband.

December 21, 2019, 8:10 a.m.: Officers responded to a report of a robbery at a business located in the 300 block of E. Orange Grove Blvd. As the employee walked into the business to open for the day, the suspect walked behind her into a secured area of the store. The suspect demanded money and out of fear, the employee complied. The loss was approximately $130 dollars. No weapon was seen and the suspect was not immediately located.

December 21, 2019, 5:06 p.m.: Pasadena Police Department received a call for service reporting a kidnapping that had occurred in the area of Orange Grove Blvd. and Garfield Ave. The victim was walking near the area after just leaving a check cashing establishment. A gray pick-up truck pulled up alongside the victim and one of the occupants asked the victim some questions. After a short conversation, the passenger told the victim to get in the truck. The victim did not initially get in the truck, but the passenger suspect pointed a handgun at the victim and told him to get in the truck. In fear of his life, the victim got into the truck with both suspects. The suspects drove the victim to the area of Hill Ave. and Casa Grande St. where the suspects told the victim to give them all of his cash. The victim initially refused to hand over his money, but the suspect threatened the victim with the handgun again and the victim relinquished more than $800 in cash. The suspects then told the victim to exit the truck and the truck left the area south on Hill Ave. A search of the area was conducted but the suspects were not located.

December 23, 2019, 6:46 p.m.: After shopping at a department store located at the 400 block of S. Lake Ave, an Alhambra resident walked to his car parked in a nearby parking structure and began putting Christmas gifts in the trunk. At that moment, the suspect approached the victim, pointed a handgun at him and demanded the victim’s cash and gifts. The victim immediately closed his trunk and removed approximately $40 from his pocket. The suspect took the money and fled on foot. The Pasadena police helicopter arrived on scene immediately and observed the suspect vehicle fleeing the area at a high rate of speed. Officers quickly caught up to the suspect vehicle in South Pasadena, where a short pursuit ensued. The pursuit ended once the suspect collided in a solo accident. The suspect fled the collision on foot in an attempt to escape however the police helicopter as well as other arriving Pasadena Police officers located the suspect. The suspect was arrested without incident. The handgun was recovered in the suspect vehicle and the loss was recovered from the suspect’s pocket.

December 24, 2019, 8:36 a.m.: Officers responded to the area of California Blvd. and Los Robles Ave. after receiving a call of a robbery from a Pasadena Transit bus. The victim was the bus driver and was driving eastbound on California Blvd. when passengers behind the victim began screaming, “He’s got a knife!” The victim turned around and saw that the suspect, seated behind her, had grabbed her purse, which was hung over the headrest of her seat, and was slashing at the straps with a 6-inch pocket knife. She pulled to the curb at Los Robles Ave. and opened the door. The suspect stood up and walked off the bus without saying anything. He continued walking eastbound on California Blvd. in the middle of the street, between eastbound and westbound lanes, brandishing the knife and yelling at passing vehicles. Responding officers found him still in the middle of the street and ordered him to drop the knife. The suspect complied and was taken into custody without incident. Investigation revealed that the suspect had slashed one of the purse straps, but the other strap kept him from removing the purse. The suspect was arrested for armed robbery and booked into the City Jail. No one was injured during the incident.

December 25, 2019, 10:13 a.m.: After receiving a call regarding a person at a motel located in the 2400 block of Colorado Blvd. who was believed to be involved in identity theft as well as possession of narcotics and a firearm, officers contacted and detained five suspects as they exited the motel room. During the investigation, officers recovered drug paraphernalia, an unregistered firearm and evidence of identity theft. All five suspects were arrested for identity theft and booked at the Pasadena Police Department jail.

December 30, 2019, 8:13 p.m.: Officers responded to the 300 block of E. Orange Grove Blvd. to the report of an armed robbery. The victim, a street vendor, was at the corner selling corn when a vehicle stopped adjacent to her location. One of the vehicle’s occupants exited and approached the victim, asking about the cost of the corn. The occupant returned to the vehicle, retrieved $10.00 and gave it to the victim. As the victim reached into her apron to get change, the customer removed a gun from his rear waistband and told the victim to give him her money. The suspect then reached into the victim’s apron pocket, took the cash and fled to the waiting vehicle which contained two additional suspects. The victim was not injured during the robbery. The suspects were not immediately located.