Pasadena Police Release Details of Recent Critical Incidents

Pasadena police have 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.”

What follows is the briefing in full as issued by the Pasadena Police Dept.

October 1, 2019, 2:57 p.m.: Officers responded to the area of Lake Ave and Mountain St on the report of a fight, possibly involving members of a local gang. During the fight, one of the suspects swung a collapsible-baton at the victim, but did not make contact. Officers arrived quickly and took four suspects into custody. There were no injuries reported.

October 4, 2019, 12:28 p.m.: Pasadena PD received multiple calls of a vehicle collision into a residence in the area of Oakland Ave and Mountain St. A witness reported seeing the driver of the vehicle accelerate as it made its way onto the property driveway at a high rate of speed. The vehicle collided through the west residence wall and the vehicle came to rest inside of the residence, causing major structural damage. Pasadena Fire personnel along with Pasadena Police responded to the scene. The driver and lone occupant of the vehicle was extracted and found to only sustain a minor scratch but complained of pain. The lone adult occupant of the residence at the time of the incident sustained only a minor scratch to his arm from debris. He was treated at the scene and released. An assessment of the property was conducted, and the property was deemed unsafe and uninhabitable. In collaboration with the Red Cross, arrangements were made for the placement of the family. The cause of the collision is still under investigation.

October 6, 2019, 3:18 a.m.: Officers and paramedics responded to the area of Colorado Bl. and Madison on report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle. Callers stated that the vehicle, a grey, full size pick up, continued westbound after striking the pedestrian. As a result of the collision, the victim was determined to be deceased by paramedics. The Police Department’s Major Collision Investigation Team was notified and responded. Officers canvassed the immediate area for the suspect vehicle and a pickup was located parked in a nearby, underground parking structure, approximately four blocks west of the collision scene. Damage to the front of the vehicle was consistent with this type of collision. The registered owner was contacted by officers and following an interview, he was placed under arrest and booked for vehicular manslaughter, DUI, and driving without a license.

October 10, 2019, 4:43 p.m.: A person was selling jewelry on the on-line app known as “OfferUp” and agreed to meet an unknown individual in the area of Del Mar Blvd and Madre St to complete a transaction. As the seller was showing the jewelry, the potential buyer grabbed it out of the victim’s hand without paying, ran to a vehicle and attempted to flee. The victim’s friend used his vehicle in an attempt to block the fleeing suspect, however the suspect vehicle rammed the victim’s vehicle and fled the area.

October 10, 2019, 7:48 p.m.: The suspect in this case attempted to steal a case of vodka from a local grocery store near California Blvd and Fair Oaks Ave. One of the loss prevention officers attempted to stop the suspect as the shoplifter exited the store. The suspect, who discarded the stolen alcohol, was contacted in the parking lot by the Loss Prevention Officer. At that point, the suspect displayed a handgun and said, “Leave me alone. I don’t want to hurt you.” The suspect was picked up in a vehicle, which was driven by another suspect, and fled northbound on Pasadena Avenue. Through investigation, the suspect was positively identified and follow-up investigation continues to be conducted.

October 10, 2019, 11:09 p.m.: Officers responded to the 300 block of S. Raymond Ave regarding a street robbery. The victim stated he was walking in the area when he was approached by 5 to 6 suspects who assaulted him and took his backpack. Officers who were canvasing the area, saw three juveniles in the area of the Memorial Park Train Station and noticed the victim’s loss was next to the juveniles. Officers detained the juveniles and while they were conduction their investigation, a fourth suspect was found in the immediate area. Officers made contact with this fourth individual and a struggle ensued, causing multiple officers to sustain minor injuries. Officers were able to control the combative suspect and all four suspects were positivity identified by the victim.

October 12, 2019, 3:40 p.m.: Officers conducted a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle for minor vehicle code violations. During the stop, it was determined the driver was unlicensed and was extremely nervous during their contact. Subsequent to his arrest for driving without a license, a search of the vehicle was conducted and a loaded firearm was recovered. The driver was arrested and booked at the Pasadena Police Department jail.

October 14, 2019, 10:26 a.m.: Pasadena Police Department personnel assisted San Marino Police Department in a dynamic residential burglary case where multiple suspects fled a home just north of Huntington Dr. Pasadena’s helicopter and K9 unit along with a few patrol personnel were deployed to assist with the multi-agency event. Three suspects were taken into custody as a result of the effort.

October 17, 2019, 12:34 p.m.: Officers responded to Washington Middle School on a report of a bomb threat. The witness stated the school received a phone call describing how the suspect intended to blow up the school at 2:00 p.m. The caller did not give any additional information. Officers searched the area and did not locate any suspicious packages or property. K-9 officers responded to the location to make an assessment while school security officers were contacted and remained on scene. A device was never located.

October 17, 2019, 3:48 p.m.: The victim had arranged delivery of medical marijuana from a delivery service. The delivery was to be made in the parking lot of the victim’s bank as he had informed the service he was getting money for the purchase. He returned to his car after leaving the bank and found a suspect leaning into his car and another suspect standing near the passenger side. When the victim asked the suspects what they were doing, the suspect who was leaning into the car, pointed a handgun into the victim’s side and made a threatening statement. The victim immediately backed away while both suspects ran and entered a nearby vehicle, which fled. The victim was not injured and the suspects were not located.

October 18, 2019, 9:34 p.m.: Officers responded to Villa Park regarding shots heard in the area of the park. According to the victims who were at the park, several people were playing cards on the bench when the suspect vehicle traveled south on Garfield Ave while the rear passenger fired at the group. The group scattered and no one was injured. The suspect vehicle was last seen south on Garfield and west on Villa St. Officers canvassed the area for additional victims, witnesses and evidence as this investigation is ongoing. No injuries were reported as a result of this incident.

October 20, 2019, 1:07 a.m.: Officers, who were assigned to the Old Pasadena area, were providing extra service to one of the local nightclubs near closing time when bouncers escorted two patrons out of the establishment. The two patrons were trying to regain entry when they were contacted by officers. Upon contact by the officers, a struggle ensued and both officers sustained injuries which required medical attention. The two patrons were consequently arrested for assaulting the police officers.

October 20, 2019, 8:09 a.m.: Pasadena Police Officers responded to assist Pasadena Fire Department with a water main break at the intersection of Mountain St. and Wilson Ave. Pasadena Water & Power was notified and responded to make the repairs. A small sink hole formed around the area impacted by the water leak. No homes or property were damaged.

October 21, 2019, 12:41 p.m.: Officers were providing extra patrols in Villa Park when they were contacted by victims who advised the officers they had been skateboarding in the park when they were approached by a suspect and asked for a cigarette and money. One victim replied “no” and the suspect held a knife in his hand and told the victims to get out of the park. The victims were in fear that the suspect was about to harm them so they proceeded to leave. When the victims met the officers, they walked through the park and located the suspect. The suspect was identified, detained and a folding knife was located. The suspect was arrested and transported to the Pasadena Police jail where he was booked for assault with a deadly weapon.

October 21, 2019, 1:30 p.m.: Pasadena Police Officers and the Pasadena Fire Department responded to a business located in the 2000 block of Colorado Blvd in regards to a fire. The Pasadena Police helicopter crew arrived on scene and saw smoke coming from the business. A containment was set up and the fire department extinguished the fire, which had damaged multiple vehicles at the business. Officers located witnesses who saw a suspect standing near the fire at the time it started. The suspect, who was seen walking away from the location, was contacted by the Pasadena Fire Department’s Arson Investigator. The suspect was taken into custody and booked for arson at the Pasadena Police Department jail after admitting to starting the fire. No one was injured during this incident.

October 22, 2019, 3:46 p.m.: Two suspects entered a clothing store in the 3400 block of Foothill Blvd and while inside, used a tool to cut the security cable off of several designer bags. When one of the suspects was confronted by an employee in an attempt to recover the loss, a physical altercation ensued. During the scuffle, the suspect brandished a knife and told the employee to “back off” or else the employee would be stabbed. Both suspects subsequently ran out of the store with the loss and entered into a dark colored vehicle, fleeing northbound on Sierra Madre Villa. A search for the suspects was conducted by officers but were not located.

October 23, 2019, 12:04 p.m.: Officers conducted a traffic stop in the area of Morton Ave and Mountain St. During the stop, the driver exited the vehicle and became aggressive towards the officers. The driver refused to provide his identification and threatened to fight the officers if they approached him. Officers attempted to detain the suspect and a violent struggle ensued. During the struggle, officers received minor injuries and the suspect was eventually taken into custody. Further investigation revealed the suspect displayed signs of being under the influence of controlled substance. He was arrested for resisting arrest – resulting in injury to the officers, being under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of both drugs and drug paraphernalia.

October 23, 2019, 9:10 p.m.: A robbery was reported at a business in the 2700 block of Colorado Blvd. An employee who was inside the store at the time, reported the suspect entered the business and immediately demanded the money from the register as well as a pack of cigarettes. The suspect kept one hand in his jacket pocket during the robbery, but the employee never saw a weapon. The suspect left the store and was last seen on foot, walking southbound on San Gabriel Blvd. The victim was not injured. A search for the suspect was conducted by officers, but was not located.

October 26, 2019, 12:16 p.m.: Officers responded to the report of a robbery in the area of Raymond Ave and Colorado Blvd. The victim stated she was standing at the corner of the intersection when she felt her purse, which was hanging from her shoulder, being tugged from behind. As the victim turned, the suspect pulled the victim’s purse from her shoulder and ran. The victim called the police as she chased the suspect to the area of Arroyo Parkway and Union St. Officers found the suspect hiding in a parking structure nearby. The suspect was positively identified as the person who took the victim’s purse and the loss was recovered.

October 27, 2019, 6:27 a.m.: Officers responded to the 500 block of N. Marengo Ave on a report of a tree fire. As officers arrived, they attempted to extinguish the fire, however it grew quickly, fully engulfing the tree. Officers evacuated a nearby home out of concern the fire would spread and the resident would be in danger. Pasadena Fire Department arrived and quickly extinguished the fire. No structures were damaged and there were no reported injuries. Pasadena Arson Investigators are investigating the cause of the fire.

October 27, 2019, 8:50 p.m.: Officers responded to the area of Fair Oaks and Washington on the report of a white vehicle that was driving recklessly with a male riding on the hood. While checking the area, officers located a person down in the intersection at Sunset and Pepper bleeding from his head and hand; it appeared the person had been hit by a car. Paramedics arrived and began treating the injured individual. The injured person was extremely intoxicated and was found to be in possession of a loaded handgun concealed on his person. The gun had been stolen from the Los Angeles area in 2011. After being treated and medically cleared, the subject was ultimately arrested for possessing the stolen firearm. The white vehicle was not immediately located.

October 28, 2019, 5:37 p.m.: Officers responded to the area of Washington Blvd and Raymond Ave regarding a stabbing. The suspect and victim who claimed to know each other, became involved in a fight when they saw each other. During the fight, the suspect produced a knife and stabbed the victim multiple times. The suspect left the scene on foot, but was located by officers. Both victim and suspect were transported to a local hospital, where they were treated for their injuries. The victim is expected to survive her injuries while the suspect sustained minor injuries.

October 28, 2019, 5:54 p.m.: Officers responded to the area of the 100 block of W. Green St regarding an assault. The victim, who is an employee in the Old Pasadena area, advised a transient was causing a disturbance in a nearby business. When the employee attempted to contact the transient, she removed a sharp item from her pocket and began chasing the victim, making stabbing motions. Eventually the suspect stopped and walked away. She was later detained by police officers and arrested for assault with a deadly weapon. The sharp weapon was determined to be a dental pick and was recovered in her property. The victim did not sustain any injuries as a result of this incident.

October 29, 2019, 8:19 p.m.: An assault with a deadly weapon was reported in the area of the 1500 block of N. Lake Ave. The victim, who claimed to know the suspect, told officers the suspect had become upset at the victim for an unknown reason and challenged the victim to a fight. The victim refused to fight and attempted to leave the location. The suspect pushed the victim into a wooden window frame causing facial injuries and threatened to kill the victim. The victim went outside to contact police at which time he saw the handle of a gun in the suspect’s waistband. The suspect placed the gun in a bag and left the location on foot. The suspect was not located.