South Gate News, CA Local News

Minor shot in South Gate was killed by another juvenile, Sheriff's Department says

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 01:35:16 +0000

A juvenile who was fatally shot in South Gate on Thursday was killed by another minor, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The victim, who was not identified due to their age, was shot in the 3100 block of Wisconsin Avenue a few minutes before 9:15 p.m., the LASD said in a news release.

That minor, who had been shot in the torso, was taken to a local hospital, where they were pronounced dead.

An investigation into the shooting identified another minor as the assailant, and that person was arrested on Tuesday, authorities said.

The alleged shooter, whose identity is also being withheld due to their age, was charged with murder on Wednesday.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the LASD Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.

To provide information anonymously, call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit lacrimestoppers.org.

What’s in a name? Funding, acceptance, as public votes to rename Metro project in LA County

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 15:23:33 +0000

For the first time in LA Metro history, the public will be choosing a new name for a proposed multibillion dollar light rail project.

The public began casting votes on Wednesday, Nov. 15 to rename the ill-named, 19.3-mile West Santa Ana Branch, which would take riders from Artesia to downtown Los Angeles. The line has nothing to do with Santa Ana and would not go to Orange County.

It would be a first of its kind train line that connects working class communities in southeast L.A. County to downtown Los Angeles.

LA Metro launched the renaming in August after board members said the name West Santa Ana Branch was misleading and may have caused state and federal agencies to skip funding for the project. Building the light rail line will cost close to $9 billion. Metro has set aside about $4 billion.

It is planned to run through the cities of Artesia, Cerritos, Bellflower, Paramount, Downey, South Gate, Cudahy, Bell, Huntington Park, Vernon, unincorporated Florence-Graham and eventually, to Union Station. The route roughly flows between the 110 and 5 freeways.

The name stems from an historic L.A. County right-of-way from the defunct Pacific Electric system that once reached the city of Santa Ana in Orange County. Many have criticized the name used for the last 10 years, including Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Chair Karen Bass who said it is confusing and sounds like an Orange County project.

Metro received 1,200 new name ideas for the project from 1,000 members of the public, including entrees from France and Ireland, said Mark Dierking, of Metro community relations. He said the new name may help Metro present a clearer case for federal funding.

“Folks felt when we go for federal funding it wasn’t catching people’s attention; they thought they were giving money to Orange County or to Santa Ana,” Dierking said.

A panel of judges whittled the entries down to 12 finalists and a website for voting on the names went live on Wednesday. Votes can be cast at RenameWSAB.com or by calling the project helpline at 213-922-6262. All votes must be in by Dec. 17.

“This rail line is going to make a huge difference in the lives of residents from Artesia all the way to Huntington Park, but few people know about it because the name is so terrible,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn in a prepared statement. “So, we’re picking a new name that people can get behind and connect with.”

Hahn was a co-author of the motion to launch the renaming, along with Whittier City Councilman and Metro board member Fernando Dutra. Hahn, whose district runs through the region, has repeatedly called for a change in the name.

A new Metro line is coming to Southeast LA and the Gateway Cities, and I need your help picking a new name. We’ve narrowed the list down to 12 finalists, and your vote will help us pick a winner—and it could also win you a $100 gift card. Visit https://t.co/op0FsT9IwK. pic.twitter.com/VbSv0JF1CF

— Janice Hahn (@SupJaniceHahn) November 15, 2023

The “Name That Train” effort lets people vote for their top three choices out of the 12 nominees. The top vote-getter will become the name of the project. The contest allowed any naming idea, as long as it didn’t include “Santa Ana.”

Some of the 12 entries conjure up historic references, such as “Calafia,” referring to the mythical queen of this state. “Tongva” refers to the “People of the Earth,” the Indigenous residents of the Los Angeles Basin. “Esperanza,” Spanish for hope, is saying the line offers hope for an improved way of life for 1.4 million people in the corridor, where 44% live below the poverty line.

Six of the entrees are geographical. “Gateway Cities” and “Los Angeles Gateway” are names that denote the rail connection between these southeast L.A. County cities and Los Angeles; “Pioneer” refers to the southern terminus of Pioneer Boulevard; “Southeast” and “Southeast Gateway” point to the area of southeast L.A. and southeast L.A. County; “The Heartland Connection” seems to say the train will connect to the heart of the LA Metro system.

Other names are “Portico,” meaning a door or new gateway; “Ruta Segura,” Spanish for safe route; and “Los Rios,” a Spanish reference to the light rail line crossing major rivers including the San Gabriel and Los Angeles rivers and the Rio Hondo, a tributary to the L.A. River.

Results of the vote will be announced in January. Construction is slated to start in 2025 and the line opening is scheduled for 2035. Once operational, it will get a letter name, following the other Metro rail and fixed-bus route lines: A, B, C, D, E, K, G and J. For more information, go to metro.net/wsab.

After 2 escapes from Downey juvenile hall, supervisors order security report

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 17:39:03 +0000

LOS ANGELES — Following the second escape of a youth from Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey since the facility reopened in July, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors directed probation officials Wednesday to provide a report in two weeks on corrective actions and increased security measures being implemented at the facility.

“It is unacceptable that two young people have managed to escape from Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in the last four months,” Supervisors board Chair Janice Hahn said in a statement after introducing the emergency motion Tuesday. “Luckily, they were both apprehended almost immediately after their escape, but this cannot happen again.”

The motion calls for the report by probation officials in two weeks to include “des

criptions of additional security measures and policies being implemented by the Probation Department to prevent any future escape from the facility.”

It also directs the county’s chief probation officer to meet with Downey and South Gate officials to brief them on additional security measures. It also calls on the Office of the Inspector General to investigate the most recent escape, which occurred Saturday when a youth detainee allegedly assaulted a staff member, managed to obtain a set of keys then climbed over a fence.

That youth was detained within about 10 minutes, according to Hahn’s office and probation officials.

Another youth escaped briefly from the facility about two weeks after it reopened in July.

Los Padrinos was renovated and reopened to replace Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall in Sylmar and Central Juvenile Hall in Lincoln Heights, both of which came under fire by state regulators for conditions that rendered them unfit to house pre-trial youth detainees.

Five LA County libraries to offer free Narcan — medicine that reverses effect of opioid overdoses

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 09:12:41 +0000

In an effort to save lives, Los Angeles County residents can get free naloxone — the medication that can reverse an opioid overdose — during distribution events at five select public library branches.

A rollout of the pilot program will run from Oct. 11 through Nov. 9, the county announced.

The public can attend a clinic at one of the five county libraries that will be giving out naloxone, the main ingredient contained in the brand name product Narcan. At these sessions, the public will watch a video and learn how to administer the medication to a person overdosing on an opioid such as Oxycontin or fentanyl.

People can pick up a dose of naloxone without providing identification, proof of insurance or payment, the L.A. County library reported. Only one dose per person will be provided.

An example of Narcan, the nasal spray that will be distributed free of charge at LA County libraries from Oct. 11 to Nov. 9, 2023. (AP File Photo/John Minchillo)

Narcan is applied as a nasal spray in the nostril of a person experiencing an opioid overdose or fentanyl poisoning. As an “opioid antagonist” it attaches to opioid receptors and reverses and blocks the effects of other opioids. It usually results in restored breathing to someone who has slowed breathing or has stopped breathing due to the opioid’s effects.

“Naloxone is easy to use, anyone can carry it, and it saves lives. I have heard from parents who are scared and want to have naloxone on hand in case of an emergency in their own home,” said Fourth District Los Angeles County Supervisor and board chair Janice Hahn in a prepared statement.

The rollout is the second part of implementing a board motion authored by Hahn a year ago. First, library personnel at the system’s 85 locations were trained to administer Narcan. Hahn had asked that libraries also become Narcan distribution centers to the public.

The distribution rollout will take place at five libraries: East Los Angeles Library, 4837 E 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA 90022; Lennox Library, 4359 Lennox Blvd., Lennox, CA 90304; Lancaster Library, 601 W Lancaster Blvd., Lancaster, CA 93534; Leland R. Weaver Library, 4035 Tweedy Blvd., South Gate, CA 90280; West Hollywood Library, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069.

“I am pleased to be able to partner with the California Department of Health Care Services and the County Department of Public Health to offer free naloxone to our customers,” said Skye Patrick, L.A. County library director, in a statement.

Residents in the county told both agencies that they wanted the free distribution, Hahn said.

“Many parents have spoken loud and clear that they want direct, easy access to Narcan. Our Department of Public Health held a public meeting to talk about the overdose crisis and there were parents there asking how to get Narcan to actually keep in their own homes,” Hahn wrote in an emailed response.

Nonprofit groups working on educating the public through schools, parent groups and military bases say the synthetic opioid is considered 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine and a small amount is often lethal. Many groups are run by parents who’ve lost a son or daughter who took a drug they thought was Oxycontin but was actually filler, binder and fentanyl. Ads for that are found online, where drug dealers use social media to sell to youth, experts said.

At a county level, fentanyl was responsible for 1,504 fatal overdoses in 2021, a 1,280% increase from 109 overdoses in 2016, according to the Department of Public Health. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 107,622 Americans died of drug poisoning in 2021, with 66 percent of those deaths related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.

“The fentanyl crisis is a tragedy of historic proportions. Illicit fentanyl is impacting all our communities and leading to the tragic deaths of thousands of our friends, family members, and loved ones,” said Barbara Ferrer, director of DPH, in a statement. She said that making Narcan more available can save lives.

Annastasia Rose Beal hands out Narcan, water, condoms and other supplies to people along First Street in Santa Ana, on Friday, April 14, 2023. Beal runs the nonprofit, Harm Reduction Circle.(Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Jaime Puerta, of Santa Clarita, is president and founder of Victims of Illicit Drugs (VOID) and goes from school-to-school educating young people and parents about the presence of fentanyl sold on social media sites such as Snapchat and Instagram.

Puerta lost his son, Daniel, who was 16, three years ago. Daniel received a fake pill that was really fentanyl, and it killed him. “I walked into his bedroom and found him unconscious; his fingernails were blue and his lips were blue,” Puerta said.

“Why libraries?” he asked on Friday, Oct. 13. “I think it should be bigger than in libraries. I think naloxone should be available to absolutely everybody. It should be in every home’s medicine cabinet and everyone should be trained.”

In the last few months, Narcan became available for sale over the counter at about $44 for each dose, said Amy Neville, who splits her time between Laguna Niguel and Arizona. Her son, Alexander, died from fentanyl poisoning after he took a counterfeit pill bought on Snapchat and was misinformed that it was Oxycontin.

Having Narcan available for parents at L.A. County libraries “is a good start, that’s for sure,” said Neville, who started the Alexander Neville Foundation. But she’d like to see the medication spray more readily available, similar to Automated External Defibrillator (AED) machines. By putting Narcan in more public places, it will help erase the stigma that only drug addicts die from fentanyl, she said.

“It’s part of a groundswell that makes things more available and helps prevent that stigma. That it is OK to have these available to get help,” she said.

To learn the dates and times of the naloxone clinics, go to: lacountylibrary.org/naloxone.

Man who spent 28 years in prison is found innocent of 1995 LA County rape, robbery and kidnapping

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 18:03:56 +0000

LOS ANGELES — A man who spent nearly 30 years in prison for kidnapping, robbery and rape has been declared innocent and freed, Los Angeles County prosecutors announced Tuesday.

DNA testing helped exonerate Gerardo Cabanillas in a 1995 attack on a couple sitting in a parked car in the city of South Gate, the county district attorney’s office said in a statement.

Cabanillas’ case was reexamined by the Conviction Integrity Unit of the DA’s office, and last week a judge reversed his conviction, found him factually innocent and ordered his permanent release.

“I extend my deepest apologies to Mr. Cabanillas for the miscarriage of justice and the failure of our criminal legal system,” District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement.

Cabanillas was convicted in 1996 and spent 28 years in prison. He confessed to being one of two armed men who approached the couple, forced the man out and drove the woman to an abandoned house where both raped her.

Another couple in a car in the same area were robbed two days later, authorities said.

Victims of the attacks were told of his confession and identified Cabanillas from photo lineups. But they later expressed doubts in court and said they were pressured into identifying him, according to the California Innocence Project at the California Western School of Law, which represented Cabanillas.

DNA testing on the rape kit showed that two other people committed the assault, the group said in a statement.

No other suspects were ever arrested, although one man later confessed to committing one of the crimes, the Innocence Project said.

“False confessions are one of the leading causes of wrongful convictions in the United States,” interim director Alissa Bjerkhoel said in a statement. “Police are permitted to lie to suspects, including promises of leniency if the person confesses. That is exactly what happened here and, if it was not for the DNA evidence, Gerardo would have spent the rest of his life in prison.”

“We are thrilled for Gerardo and his family that the truth has finally set him free,” she said.

LA Metro asks the public to re-name its West Santa Ana Branch train project

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 06:13:21 +0000

Question: Will the proposed West Santa Ana Branch rail line go to Santa Ana or Orange County?

Answer: Absolutely not.

That’s why the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) has launched a contest asking the public to submit new, shall we say more accurate names for the train line that will run from downtown Los Angeles to Artesia through southeast LA County.

The agency could get as many as 10,000 name suggestions, but most likely a lot less, said Mark Dierking, Metro’s director of community relations assigned to the area cities within the proposed train’s corridor.

“We are looking for something that represents the corridor and the cities there, but in a more personal way,” he said on Monday, Aug. 21. Basically, all reasonable and publicly appropriate names will be considered as long as they don’t have “Santa Ana” in the name.

This is the first time LA Metro is asking the public to rename a project, Dierking said.

The LA Metro Board approved the 19.3-mile WSAB light-rail line on Jan. 27, 2022 that would take riders from Artesia to downtown Los Angeles, a first-of-its-kind transit project serving southeast LA County.

It is planned to run through the cities of Artesia, Cerritos, Bellflower, Paramount, Downey, South Gate, Cudahy, Bell, Huntington Park, Vernon, unincorporated Florence-Graham and eventually, into Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. The route roughly flows between the 110 and 5 freeways.

At a maximum estimated cost of $9 billion to construct, the line would serve majority-minority, lower-income communities in which 44% of the residents along the route live below the poverty line. Of the 1.4 million people who live along the corridor, 18% of households do not have access to a car, Metro reported.

The LA Metro Board of Directors approved the route of the West Santa Ana Branch light-rail line on Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. They chose Alternative 3, which only goes to the Slauson Station of the A Line. But the board voted to study and pursue planning and design for a second phase that would go to Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles. (image from LA Metro)

The project would follow an old right-of-way bought by Metro but once used by the Pacific Electric rail car line to take passengers from DTLA to a terminal station in the city of Santa Ana in Orange County that ceased operations in 1950.

Hence, the name of the old right-of-way in LA County was the West Santa Ana Branch. That name was attached to the project by planners at Metro for the last 10 years and stuck, Dierking said.

However, the proposed line will not go to Santa Ana nor Orange County. By re-naming the project, Metro hopes to eliminate any confusion and re-brand it with a name that reflects the actual area the train will serve.

Recently, that confusion was amplified by possible federal dollars going to the Orange County Transportation Authority for an “Orange County West Santa Ana Branch High Capacity Transit Study.”

Also, some on the LA Metro board back in February intimated that the train line missed out on state funding in January because of the name and confusion that stopped the state from awarding dollars to the Metro train project because the state was already giving money to OCTA for a street car project in Santa Ana.

The board voted for a rebranding on May 17.

“This name has held this project back,” wrote Fourth District Supervisor Janice Hahn and Metro board member in an emailed response. “This is a rail line that will mean long-overdue reliable transit for millions of residents in the Gateway Cities and southeast Los Angeles communities that I represent – but its name makes it difficult for people to understand, connect with, and get excited about. So that is why we are turning to you, the future riders, to help us name this train.”

Here’s how the contest works:

Anyone who wants to submit a new name must be at least 13 years old.

They can go to https://www.renamewsab.com/ and follow the instructions. Or call 213-922-6262 to leave their renaming suggestion as a voice mail. Submissions are due by Friday, Sept. 29. Participants are eligible for a drawing for a $100 gift card.

Metro is reaching out to high schools, city recreation departments and Cerritos College. The agency is also planning an Instagram social media campaign.

“We are trying to generate more information on the renaming in the communities, so people can be excited, especially young people who will be the beneficiary of this project,” Dierking said.

The submissions will be judged by a panel of five consisting of: two from the Gateway Council of Governments; and one each from Hahn’s office, the Eco-Rapid Transit Authority, and a student from Cerritos College, Dierking said. “They will narrow the choices down to five names. It is like a transit academy awards,” he added.

Those five nominees will be put up for a public vote in November, he said. The name with the highest number of votes wins. Metro will announce the name in January 2024.

The new name will be used in applications for federal and state funding. Applications are due in early 2024, after Metro completes federal environmental documents and the project receives its “Record of Decision.” “We want to have this (new) title ready to go for federal FTA (Federal Transit Administration) and also state funding,” Dierking said.

The project has about $4 billion set aside by Metro from local tax measures and state and federal sources. Construction is slated to start in 2025 with opening of the line scheduled for 2035. For more information, go to metro.net/wsab.

Did bad marketing and its odd name stop a Metro rail line from getting funds?

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 17:43:39 +0000

Despite being LA Metro’s top project for federal funding, plus its inclusion in a top three list of rail projects in the agency’s application for state funding, the oddly named West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor project got zero dollars in the last funding cycle.

A map shows the route of the proposed West Santa Ana Branch light rail project. The project was denied state funding on Jan. 31, 2023. Some LA Metro board members want this project rebranded because the name is misleading. (courtesy of LA Metro)

The proposed line, dubbed the West Santa Ana Branch Corridor project, gets its confusing name from an old right-of-way, still available and once used for the now-defunct Pacific Electric Santa Ana route in L.A. County.

The envisioned combination light rail and subway line would connect downtown L.A. with the suburbs of Artesia, Cerritos, Bellflower, Paramount, Downey, South Gate, Cudahy, Bell, Huntington Park, Vernon and unincorporated Florence-Graham, running roughly between the 110 and 5 freeways.

At a cost of $9.1 billion to construct, the line would serve majority-minority, lower-income communities in which 44% of the residents along the route live below the poverty line and 18% of households do not have access to a car, Metro reported.

Supporters noted the project checks the equity box, a top criteria among Democrats in both Sacramento and the White House, and is expected to be heavily used. But those factors have not landed the project any state of federal funding, only funds from LA Metro’s four measures that collect revenues from sales taxes.

Frustration over the lack of state funding reached the boiling point at an LA Metro subcommittee hearing last week, as critics pointed fingers at LA Metro’s staff for doing a poor job at strategizing, lobbying and marketing.

In an application for the state Transit and Intercity Rail City Capital Program that had $3.7 billion for statewide use culled from a state budget surplus of $98 billion — only one of the three projects submitted by Metro was funded: The East San Fernando Valley Light Rail project, awarded $600 million.

The West Santa Ana Branch, with an ask of $500 million, and the completion of the Foothill Gold Line (now “L” Line) from Pomona into San Bernardino County, which had asked for $798 million, both received zero dollars.

Fourth District Los Angeles County Supervisor and LA Metro Board member Janice Hahn spoke at a Metro executive management committee meeting on Feb. 16, criticizing Metro’s staff for the poor showing, which could stall progress on southeast L.A. County’s first rail line.

Earlier, at a full board of directors meeting, Hahn pushed for $1 billion but was told that seeking too much for a single line could jeopardize all state funding. So Hahn reluctantly withdrew her motion.

“You made me feel terrible and embarrassed,” she said to the Metro staff. “But it was never about asking for too much. It was about ‘they weren’t shovel ready.’

“I feel like your intel is way off,” Hahn continued. “Staff, get your intel better before you ask us to support the project,” she said, adding she even had a letter in support from Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, which did not convince the California State Transportation Agency to fund the two LA Metro projects.

She will bring up the project again at the March Metro board meeting, when alternate funding will be on the agenda. But the issue of properly marketing the unfunded projects to decision-makers in Sacramento and Washington D.C. came up at the committee meeting.

What’s in a name? Plenty, according to some Metro board members, who see the West Santa Ana Branch line as wrongly pointing to the city of Santa Ana in Orange County.

“Santa Ana? Why are we talking about Orange County?” asked Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, the newest LA Metro board member, at the committee meeting. She said she was confused by the name chosen by LA Metro staff.

“The West Santa Ana Branch (light-rail line) is going to serve a community that is disadvantaged (in southeast L.A. County),” said Fifth District Supervisor and LA Metro Board member Kathryn Barger. “I challenge you to come up with a catchy name to reflect who this line will be serving,” she said, pointing to the staff.

“Because clearly, when I hear ‘West Santa Ana’ I think of Orange County. I think a rebranding is needed to reflect what that project is,” Barger said.

Inglewood Mayor James Butts, a Metro board member, opted not to put a people-mover project into the LA Metro’s application. He decided to go it alone and work with independent consultants to meet the state funding criteria, he said.

The result? The Inglewood Transit Connector that would connect the Metro K Line with Inglewood’s new SoFi football stadium, home to the L.A. Rams and L.A. Chargers, as well as to the Kia Forum and the Intuit Dome (LA Clippers professional basketball team’s future home), got $407.4 million from the state.

It was the second time the same Inglewood project had received a state grant, the first occurring in 2020. It is also promised $784 million in Federal Transit Administration funding.

“That was a helluva job you did,” congratulated Glendale Mayor and LA Metro Board Chair Ara Najarian. “It was a master’s class in transit advocacy by Mayor Butts. Many were left with our jaws open when the report came out. But you did it.”

Butts said he worked with a team of consultants to check off each criteria listed by the California State Transportation Agency to meet grant requirements. “It’s so we were competitive,” he said.

Bass asked that each member of the Southern California congressional delegation put the project on their radar. She also suggested board members corral U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg on his next visit to California.

“Next time the secretary is here, it would be nice if he would visit some of the projects,” Bass said.

Meanwhile, Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Long Beach, wrote a letter to Buttigieg on Feb. 13, asking for $50 million to jump start the West Santa Ana Branch project. He asked for the money from the 2024 fiscal year report on funding recommendations for the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program.

“The West Santa Ana Branch is the single most important transportation infrastructure project to my community,” Garcia wrote. He said the project meets climate goals laid out in President Biden’s Justice 40 Initiative that would dramatically improve access to transportation in some of the nation’s most historically underserved communities.

3 dead in Lynwood crash moments after police pursuit in South Gate

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 23:14:56 +0000

A two-vehicle crash on the border of South Gate and Lynwood moments after the end of a police pursuit left three people dead early Sunday morning, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The crash occurred after a pursuit that started in South Gate. Police in the city said one officer spotted several people possibly stealing catalytic converters from a parked vehicle.

The officer said she attempted to stop the theft suspects, but they fled in their car.

That kicked off the pursuit, but the officer called off the chase when the suspects accelerated to dangerous speeds, said Lt. Sergio Camacho of the South Gate Police Department.

A short time after the pursuit ended, the theft suspects continued driving out of South Gate and into Lynwood, where they crashed into another car near Tweedy Boulevard and State Street.

Officials did not know how many people were in each car. But at least three people died.

None of the dead have been identified yet.

City News Service contributed to this story.

$50 million requested to start Artesia light rail project to Union Station

Sat, 05 Nov 2022 12:24:32 +0000

Less than a month ago, President Joe Biden spoke from a Metro rail construction site in Los Angeles, saying he fully expects members of the U.S. Congress to put in requests for a chunk of the $1 trillion infrastructure law.

Last week, Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Norwalk, took him up on his offer.

Sanchez, a 10-term congresswoman, wrote a detailed letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, asking for funding to build a major north-south light rail line that would link Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles with smaller, mostly minority-majority cities in southeast Los Angeles County.

The proposed LA Metro line, dubbed the West Santa Ana Branch Corridor project, gets its confusing name from an old right-of-way still available and once used by the now-defunct Pacific Electric Santa Ana route in L.A. County. The combination light rail and subway line would connect L.A. with the suburbs of Artesia, Cerritos, Bellflower, Paramount, Downey, South Gate, Cudahy, Bell, Huntington Park, Vernon and unincorporated Florence-Graham, running roughly between the 110 and 5 freeways.

A map shows the route of the proposed West Santa Ana Branch light rail project. (courtesy of LA Metro)

“Many working families in my district depend on public transit to get from point A to point B,” Sánchez said in a prepared statement. “Yet southeastern Los Angeles County has historically lacked access to high-quality, reliable public transportation. The West Santa Ana Branch project will help change that reality, providing a one-seat ride from Artesia to Union Station.”

In her letter dated Oct. 25, Sanchez asked that the 19.3-mile light rail project get funds from the Department of Transportation’s Capital Investment Grants program in the fiscal year 2024. The letter was co-signed by Reps. Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Boyle Heights), Grace Napolitano (D-El Monte), Judy Chu (D-Pasadena), and Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-Los Angeles.)

Rendering of the West Santa Ana Branch train project. (Courtesy LA Metro)

One of the requests — a relatively modest one — asks for $50 million to kick off the project, enough to cover preliminary engineering, environmental reviews and other early needs for a project of this magnitude. Undoubtedly, Sanchez will shoot higher to squeeze funding out of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed by Biden on Nov. 15, 2021, which funds roads, bridges and rail projects.

“Every dollar counts,” said Janice Hahn, Fourth District Supervisor and Metro board member on Wednesday, Nov. 2. “Fifty million dollars won’t build this project. But what it does is, it sends a big message. The fact (that) it is in the president’s budget says the president of the United States recognizes the project is significant and should be supported and funded by federal dollars.”

The West Santa Ana Branch project was approved by the LA Metro Board in January. But the board approved a preferred route — a 14.8-mile phase one segment that would run from the Artesia/Cerritos area, slanting northwest over the 105 Freeway, zigzagging east and west of the 710 Freeway and ending at the Slauson Avenue A Line (Blue) Station in the Florence-Firestone area.

Riders would have to disembark and transfer to the A Line to go north into downtown Los Angeles. The first segment could break ground next year but will not be completed until 2033.

A 4.5-mile second phase would take the West Santa Ana Branch line into the Arts District, Little Tokyo and Union Station, providing what Sanchez calls “a one seat ride” to downtown. The second phase has a completion range in the years 2041-2043.

The projected cost of the project is about $9.1 billion. Metro, which has four tax measures in play generating money from sales taxes for capital projects, including rail lines proposed or under construction, has identified about $4 billion for this project. But Metro needs other sources to close the funding gap.

The move for federal dollars has already gained some momentum, though grants are dribbled out slowly and often over several years. In late February, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) approved Metro’s request to place the project in the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) pipeline. And on April 22, 2021, the Metro board named the West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor Project as the agency’s No. 1 candidate for the federal CIG Program.

By getting the first bit of funding, it would position the project on the White House’s radar, Hahn said.

“It opens the doors to more federal funding in the future, and that is what is significant,” said Hahn.

Cities along the corridor have already begun planning transit-oriented developments, such as homes, apartments, condos and retail centers. Also, the project fits with Biden’s Justice40 Initiative to advance environmental justice and create economic opportunities in disadvantaged communities, Sanchez said in her letter.

Metro reported that 44% of the residents along the corridor live below the poverty line.

US Postal Service holding job fairs at LA-area locations

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 20:22:39 +0000

The United States Postal Service is recruiting for part-time, full-time and seasonal positions in Los Angeles County.

USPS is looking to fill about 500 positions including mail carriers, mail processors and tractor trailer operators.

Those interested in attending the job fairs will be able to ask questions on qualifications needed and job benefits. Postal human resources personnel will also answer questions on applications. Applications may be filled out and submitted at the job fair events.

Upcoming job fairs are all scheduled from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Inglewood Post Office: Oct. 5. Location, 4201 W. Imperial Highway, Inglewood.

West Los Angeles College Job Fair: USPS is participating, Oct. 6. Location, 9000 Overland Ave., Culver City.

Wagner Station: Oct. 12. Location, 2200 Century Blvd., Los Angeles.

El Segundo Post Office “Mega” Job Fair: Hiring fair for post offices in Compton, Culver City, Gardena, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, El Segundo and Venice, Oct. 3. El Segundo Post Office, 2130 E. Mariposa Ave.

City of Lynwood Job Fair: Event hosted by the office of Congressmember Nanette Barragan, Oct. 14. City of Lynwood, Bateman Hall, 11331 Ernestine Ave., Lynwood.

Main Office Los Angeles: Oct. 18, and also Oct. 26. Location, 7001 S. Central Ave., Los Angeles.

Bell Gardens Post Office “Mega” Job Fair: Hiring fair for post offices in Bell Gardens, Compton, Downey, Huntington Park, Lynwood and South Gate, Oct. 20. Location, 7001 Garfield Ave., Bell Gardens.

To apply in-person or online, applicants must:

Be age 18 or oder;
Pass a drug screening; and
Pass a criminal background investigation

Starting pay for most positions is $18-$30 per hour, according to a USPS press release.

Applications may also be submitted online, about.usps.com/careers/welcome.htm

Report on dirty bus stops and unreliable service draws reactions from LA Metro board members

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 19:37:52 +0000

In response to a nonprofit’s survey that found widespread complaints about poor bus service, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn on Thursday, Sept. 23, asked the head of Los Angeles County Metro to report back next month on what the transit agency is doing to fix the problems.

Supervisor Hahn, also a member of the LA Metro Board of Directors, was livid after reading about the report “The Bus Stops Here” in an article in the Daily Breeze, one of the Southern California News Group’s newspapers. She said she heard from constituents who agreed with the findings released by the group who conducted the survey, Investing In Place.

The survey reported that half of the Metro buses did not arrive when scheduled, while half of bus stops in the city of Los Angeles were dirty with trash or litter, and more than one-fourth had no shade. Stephanie Wiggins, Metro CEO, seemed to be caught off guard by the report and did not respond to Hahn’s questions.

“Folks read that report and are just concerned,” Hahn said to Wiggins during the Thursday Metro board meeting. “It was very distressing to read that report for our transit-dependent population.”

Hahn urged Wiggins to meet with her staff and report back to the board “and tell us how we are urgently addressing some of these failings in our system.”

Investing in Place conducted its survey by recruiting 58 volunteers who ride buses regularly. They provided 126 observations about bus service, and 244 comments about bus stops, on six busy Metro bus routes serving South L.A., Central L.A., East L.A. and the San Fernando Valley. The surveys were conducted November through December 2021 on bus routes that mostly serve people of color and those dependent on mass transit.

On Sept. 22, county supervisor and Metro board member Holly Mitchell made this observation about the survey in a tweet: “The Bus Stops Here report articulates the inconsistency of bus stop infrastructure in Los Angeles. It’s painful but not shocking that the greatest inconsistencies are observed in Black and Brown communities.”

.@InvestinPlace's The Bus Stops Here report articulates the inconsistency of bus stop infrastructure in Los Angeles. It's painful but not shocking that the greatest inconsistencies are observed in Black and Brown communities. Local jurisdictions manage that infrastructure. (1/2)

— Holly J. Mitchell (@HollyJMitchell) September 23, 2022

Jessica Meaney, executive director of Investing In Place, was pleased with the attention the report drew. “We need to find a way to bring the experience people are having on Metro buses to the board room every month,” she said on Friday.

She has repeatedly asked that any of the 14 Metro board members, and members of the Los Angeles City Council, ride the bus with her.

“We would love to ride the bus with them,” she said. “The more policymakers who can ride the bus and connect with what’s happening on the ground, the more informed their votes can be.”

After the group presented its report to the L.A. City Council this week, the Council voted to approve a 10-year contract to build 3,000 transit-stop shelters and 450 additional shade structures across the city.

A homeless man sleeps on a Metro bus bench at 8th and Alvarado streets in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022. A community group found bus riders concerned about delays, dirty bus stops, lack of shade and unreliable service. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

L.A. City Council member Mike Bonin answered an email inquiry Friday, saying the vote on Tuesday, Sept. 20 to build new bus infrastructure via a new contract is a promise to L.A. residents, one that the city has not always kept in the past.

“Our bus riders deserve shade,” Bonin wrote. “Many riders don’t realize that it is the local city that is responsible for providing bus shelters. In Los Angeles, we have fallen short due to a bad contract and misplaced priorities.”

But Meaney said the new contract depends on acquiring revenue from bus-bench advertising, which doesn’t guarantee all of them will be built. Instead, she wants to see Los Angeles use money from four transit-oriented tax measures that bring in $800 million yearly to the city and pay directly for bus infrastructure.

Metro in June 2021 launched an update of its bus service, known as the NextGen Bus Plan, with the intention of expanding bus service and targeting the most-used routes. Phase two of the NextGen Bus Plan was launched this summer on June 27, and offered more frequent bus service on dozens of routes, Metro reported.

But having each city in the county provide bus shelters and bus signs leads to inconsistencies, because LA Metro and the cities in L.A. County are not in sync. “They (Metro) don’t know where the purveyors are providing these amenities,” said Bart Reed, executive director of The Transit Coalition, a nonprofit advocating for mass transit in the county. “This whole report shows a total disconnect.”

Meanwhile, a group of about 10 Southeast Los Angeles County cities along the 710 Freeway eventually will see new bus shelters, traffic signal synchronization, bus stop lighting, and digital signs displaying the real time a bus will arrive, as part of a $29.5 million allotment approved by LA Metro on Thursday.

The money comes from a new transportation improvement plan for the 710 corridor stretching from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to the “SELA” cities, or southeast L.A. County cities, which include Bell, Cudahy, Huntington Park and Lynwood. The money became available after a plan was scrapped by Metro in May to widen the 710 freeway.

“Many of my constituents in Southeast L.A. depend on our buses — and they tell me how hard it is to wait for the bus at stops that don’t have shade from the sun or lighting at night,” Hahn said in a prepared statement.

The new focus on improving bus service and investing in the small cities, which don’t have the funding to pay for such improvements, was welcomed by SELA city members, Hahn reported.

“Our neighbors, compadres, and students deserve to have quality bus service,” said Bell City Councilmember Ali Saleh in a prepared statement. “They ride these buses regularly and don’t have any other ways to get to places like work or the grocery store. Some of our residents wait hours for buses. Supervisor Hahn’s motion is exactly the type of investments that we need to be making in our SELA region.”

Improvements to bus stops can be expected in late 2023 and early 2024, Hahn reported.

Man Found Shot Dead At Homeless Encampment In South Gate

Sat, 20 Nov 2021 15:26:47 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA) – A 28-year-old man was found shot dead at a homeless encampment in South Gate, authorities said Saturday.

South Gate police officers dispatched at 10:30 p.m. Friday regarding shots heard in the 8600 block of Atlantic Avenue arrived at a homeless encampment and found the victim suffering from apparent gunshot wounds, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reported.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene and there was no suspect or suspect vehicle description. It was unknown whether the shooting was gang-related.

The sheriff’s Homicide Bureau urged anyone with information regarding the shooting to call them at 323-890-5500 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

12-Year-Old Boy Killed In A Deputy-Involved Crash In South Gate

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 00:43:51 +0000

Photos of Isaiah and Alexa. Credit: GoFundMe

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA) — A horrific car accident in South Gate last week that left a child dead and two others injured may have been caused by an off-duty Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy.

The crash occurred Nov. 4 at the intersection of San Juan Avenue and Firestone Boulevard,

Isaiah Suarez Rodriguez, 12, was pronounced dead shortly after the accident. His older sister, Alexa, 19, was driving and and making a left turn when a pickup truck slammed into the side of their vehicle.

Onlookers attempted to help the victims of the accident before emergency personnel arrived on scene, removing at least one person from the wreckage.

Isaiah was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

An investigation into the incident has been opened, with investigators stating that the driver of the pickup truck was an off-duty Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy.

Their initial investigation has also made it clear that the pickup truck appeared to be speeding at the point of impact, which can be seen via security camera footage from local business, Tacos Ensenada.

An L.A. County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson issued a statement stating that they cannot comment until the investigation is complete, but their hearts go out to the victims.

In a GoFundMe, which can be found by searching “Alexa & Isaiah Suarez Rodriguez – Brother & Sister,” family describes Isaiah as an avid sports fan who loved video games, with dreams of one day becoming a chef.

4 People Transported To Hospital After 2-Car Crash In South Gate

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 01:02:43 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA) – Officers with the South Gate Police Department responded to a two-car crash Wednesday near the intersection of San Juan Avenue and Firestone Boulevard.

(credit: CBS)

Calls about the incident came in just before 4 p.m.

Four people were transported to the hospital in unknown condition.

(credit: CBS)

Authorities said the incident was not related to street racing and there is no criminal element to the accident.

No other information was made available.

Authorities Across Southern California Crack Down On Illegal Fireworks Ahead Of Fourth Of July

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 10:15:21 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA) — Authorities across Southern California are busy cracking down on illegal fireworks.

(credit: South Gate Police Department)

On Sunday, South Gate police officers say they arrested a man who bought 800 pounds worth of fireworks from another man selling them out of a rental truck. The seller ran off as officers arrived and abandoned the rental truck.

When officers searched the truck, they recovered about 1,200 pounds of illegal fireworks. Los Angeles County Fire Department officials took possession of the fireworks to destroy them at a safe location.

There was an uptick in the use of illegal fireworks throughout Southern California during the pandemic and it exploded to the top of authorities’ priorities when a huge cache being kept at an Ontario home blew up, killing two people in March.

Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer said his office has sent cease-and-desist letters Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp, and 5Miles to notify them they were hosting fireworks for sale within the city of Los Angeles, where both selling and setting off fireworks is illegal. He cited the risk of bodily harm and the wildfire danger as two very good reasons to not buy or sell fireworks.

“Angelenos should leave fireworks to the pros, and with pandemic restrictions easing there will be many spectacular Fourth of July events throughout Southern California,” Feuer said in a statement.

Each of the online platforms agreed to take down posts advertising fireworks for sale in the City of Los Angeles. Fireworks in the city of Los Angeles can be reported online or surrendered to the LAPD without penalty.

Further east, the Pomona Police Department is offering a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone selling or storing fireworks in Pomona.

CHP Pursuit Of Honda Ends With PIT Maneuver In South Gate; 2 In Custody

Fri, 28 May 2021 01:14:23 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA) — The pursuit of a red Honda ended after more than an hour Thursday evening in the South Gate area after California Highway Patrol officers conducted a PIT maneuver.

Two men were taken into custody, a driver and a passenger, in the area of Seville Avenue and California Street shortly after 6 p.m. after a CHP officer struck the Honda, spinning it around.

It was not immediately clear why officers were pursuing the vehicle, but the chase started in the Bell Gardens area.

Man Killed, Second Wounded In South Gate Shooting

Wed, 12 May 2021 13:20:47 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA) – One man was killed and a second wounded in a shooting in South Gate Tuesday afternoon.

The shooting occurred at 2:50 p.m. in the 8900 block of Elizabeth Avenue, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

South Gate police responded to find two men with multiple gunshot wounds. They were rushed to local hospitals, where one man died. He was not identified.

The other victim’s condition was not known, the sheriff’s department said. Both men were in the 20s.

There was no suspect information and no word on a motive.

Authorities Find Silvia Ochoa De Hernandez, Woman Who Went Missing In South Gate

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 03:30:00 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA) — A 78-year-old woman with memory loss who went missing in the South Gate area has been found, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.

Silvia Ochoa De Hernandez was last seen on Sunday, March 7.

Silvia Ochoa De Hernandez was last seen around 10:30 a.m. on Sunday at South Gate Park, 4900 Southern Ave., LASD said.

“Her family has not seen or heard from her. They are very concerned and asking for the public’s help,” the department said in its initial search for the woman.

According to a sheriff’s department statement, she suffers from memory loss and requires medication.

It was not immediately disclosed where Ochoa De Hernandez was found.

“Thank you to the South Gate PD, LA Search Dogs, public, the media, and deputy personnel for their tireless efforts in the search for Mrs. Ochoa,” LASD said in a statement.

South Gate Police Searching For Vehicle, Driver In Hit-And-Run That Left Pedestrian In Critical Condition

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 23:52:38 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA) — A pedestrian was struck by a car and left in critical condition after a hit-and-run over the weekend, family members said.

The incident happened at the intersection of Long Beach Boulevard and Indiana Avenue in the city of South Gate on Sunday around 12:30 p.m.

The male victim was crossing the street when he was struck by a black Crysler 300 with black tinted windows.

Photo of the hit-and-run suspect’s vehicle, provided by South Gate Police.

As a result of the collision, the vehicle had damage to its front driver’s side. The driver’s side mirror also appeared to be damaged, South Gate police said.

The victim’s identity has not yet been released but the family said he is the oldest of eight siblings and was a caretaker to his parents who were battling coronavirus.

Anyone with information about the vehicle or crash is asked to contact South Gate Police Department at 323-563-5436 and reference DR# 20-07611.

New COVID-19 Testing Sites In Montebello, South Gate, Panorama City Open Today

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 20:41:29 +0000

MONTEBELLO (CBSLA) — Three new COVID-19 testing sites opened Monday in Montebello, South Gate and Panorama City as part of Los Angeles County’s effort to expand access to “high-need areas.”

Dressed in protective gear, university student working on her master’s degree Jacquelyn Augustine displays information for arranging COVID-19 testing amid the coronavirus pandemic on April 8, 2020, on the first day of testing at the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine in south Los Angeles. – California has ramped up coronavirus testing recently but is still way behind other US states as cases across the country top 402,000 with over 13,000 deaths. (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)

Appointments will be available Monday at South Gate Park, 4900 Southern Ave.; Tuesday at Montebello Civic Center, 1600 W. Beverly Blvd.; and Wednesday at 14665 Roscoe Blvd. in Panorama City.

According to the LA County Emergency Operations Center, the three sites will have the capacity to test almost 2,000 residents a day, five days a week, by the end of this week.

The city of Los Angeles also continues to deploy mobile testing units to areas like the Nickerson Gardens housing development and in Boyle Heights – where teams offered testing to residents last week. A testing site was also recently opened at the Veterans Affairs’ Parking Lot 15 at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

Testing is prioritized for people who have symptoms or at high risk of contracting the virus and essential workers, but any Los Angeles County resident can make an appointment for a test. For availability or the full list of testing sites, visit covid19.lacounty.gov/testing/ or coronavirus.lacity.org/testing. Testing is also offered at select CVS, Rite-Aid, Federally Qualified Health Centers and the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services-operated health centers.

LA County To Open 3 Additional COVID-19 Testing Sites In ‘High-Need’ Areas

Wed, 22 Jul 2020 23:56:48 +0000

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Los Angeles County will open three new COVID-19 testing sites next week to expand access to “high-need areas” including Montebello, South Gate and Panorama City.

Appointments will be available on Monday at South Gate Park, 4900 Southern Ave.; Tuesday at Montebello Civic Center, 1600 W. Beverly Blvd.; and Wednesday at 14665 Roscoe Blvd. in Panorama City.

The additional sites will have the capacity to test almost 2,000 residents each weekday, according to the county’s Emergency Operations Center.

The city of Los Angeles is also continuing to deploy mobile testing units to communities with a high need for testing.

Teams are offering testing to residents in the Nickerson Gardens housing development and in the Boyle Heights neighborhood.

“Our communities of color have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 due to decades of systemic inequities and this is unacceptable,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis said.

“While a County testing site may ask for insurance information in order to recover costs, no one will be turned away for being uninsured.”

Last week, the city opened a new site at the Veterans Affairs’ Parking Lot 15, at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

“Testing helps us track this virus, stop its spread and saves lives, so it’s imperative that Los Angeles continue delivering more tests than ever and deploying mobile testing to hard-hit communities,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said.

Between the city and county’s test sites, more than 140,000 are able to be tested a day, according to a joint statement.

Since launching free testing in March, 1.2 million tests to have been provided to residents.

More information can be found at covid19.lacounty.gov/testing/ or coronavirus.lacity.org/testing.

Woman Arrested In South Gate After Allegedly Stealing, Killing Kitten

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 05:02:10 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA) — A woman was arrested Tuesday after being caught on surveillance video carrying off a kitten who was later found dead on a South Gate street.

Local residents posted fliers about the incident in the area and shared the video with authorities, including animal rights groups, in the hopes the woman could be identified and found.

(credit: Candice Esquivel)

According to officials, someone spotted the woman and called the police on Tuesday evening. She was found with another kitten.

In a Facebook post, Cindy Esquivel posted images of the woman with orange hair walking onto a porch.

Security video shows the woman walking up to the porch carrying a bag, a sweatshirt and a face mask under her chin unlatching the gate to the porch. In another video from another angle, the woman fiddles with a Coca-Cola box before turning around with Esquivel’s 6-week-old kitten in one arm and a cigarette in her mouth. At one point, the woman is seeing spraying the kitten — known as Porch — with bug spray.

“This person, I just don’t understand how they can do something like that to a little innocent animal, it’s scary,” she said.

Porch’s body was later found in the street, his body brutalized and jaw broken.

“I think if she can do that to a small animal, who knows, she can do it to another one,” Esquival said. “Who knows what she’s capable of.”

Woman Arrested After Multi-City Stolen Ambulance Pursuit

Sun, 05 Jul 2020 05:10:08 +0000

MAYWOOD (CBSLA) — Police were pursuing a stolen Los Angeles Fire Department ambulance on Saturday night in the southeast Los Angeles area.

The ambulance sped through South Gate, Bell, Vernon and Maywood. At some points, the vehicle drove on the wrong side of the road.

Illegal fireworks could be seen going off briefly near the stolen ambulance during the pursuit.

The vehicle came to a stop around 9:30 p.m. and a female suspect ran out of the ambulance.

She was taken into custody minutes later.

No further details were immediately available.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Armored Truck Robbed Outside South Gate Bank

Mon, 23 Dec 2019 01:41:10 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA) — An hours long standoff in South Gate shutdown Tweedy Boulevard as police surrounded an armored truck outside this Bank of America where an armored truck was robbed. The armed guards were taken hostage until police arrived and interrupted the whole thing.

South Gate Police say it all started around 8:45 Sunday morning when they got a call of a robbery in progress at the Bank of America. Police say the suspects approached armed guards servicing the ATM at the bank. They forced them into the truck, disarmed and bound them.

When police arrived they interrupted the robbery and were able to rescue the armed guards. The Three suspects ran away. Police say they arrested two suspects but one suspect got away.

Police say they are still looking for one more suspect. It’s unclear if that suspect got away with any money.

4 Killed In High-Speed Crash Into Pole On Northbound 710 Freeway In South Gate

Wed, 22 May 2019 19:01:09 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA) — Four men were killed Wednesday after their BMW lost control on the northbound 710 Freeway and crashed into a freeway sign pole at high speed.

The first reports of the crash started at about 3:15 a.m. Callers told 911 two cars were racing on the freeway when one passed the Firestone Boulevard exit, lost control, went through a guardrail and slammed into a freeway sign pole.

A man who identified himself only as Alex says he heard the horrific boom of the impact and jumped the block wall fence behind his home to try to help.

“Like, I never seen anybody trapped in a car like that. The image is stuck in my head, you know?” he said.

The force of the impact catapulted the engine from the BMW, and sent several car parts over the wall and into Alex’s pool.

The BMW was left on its side, wrapped around the freeway sign pole. Four men were inside the car, and all were killed on impact. Two of the men were 22 years old, and all four identities have been withheld pending notification of their families.

Family members of at least one of the men had already pulled up to the scene of the crash, and tried to free the men, but metal was caved in all around them. The CHP said one of those family members put his fist through a car window in his grief.

CHP says there were significant skid marks leading up to where the BMW crashed, but there’s no sign of a second car. Investigators say it’s not clear if a second was indeed involved, or if the BMW was simply speeding.

(credit: CBS)

Three of four lanes of the freeway were shut down for several hours after the crash. By noon, only the right lane remained closed so the guardrail could be repaired.

CHP investigators say they plan to look into how the family was able to arrive so quickly — whether they were driving to a destination with the BMW, and if they can shed more light on the moments leading up to the crash.

Suspect In 3-Hour Pursuit Was AB 109 Early Release Parolee Who Just Got Out Of Prison

Thu, 25 Apr 2019 06:59:02 +0000

ROWLAND HEIGHTS (CBSLA) — A police pursuit that began in South Gate just after 5 p.m. Wednesday lasted three hours and eventually ended inside a 99 Cents Only store in Rowland Heights.

The driver, a man suspected of assaulting the female passenger, took police through Los Angeles and Orange counties before parking the vehicle and running into a 99 Cents Only store where he was arrested at gunpoint.

The woman was reported to be bloody when police tended to her in the car. She was later taken to Pomona Valley Hospital.

The pursuit began when police were alerted of a possible physical altercation between a man and woman inside the vehicle. The driver then reportedly took off in the vehicle when he saw an officer approaching.

While the chase was happening, Sky9 captured the woman struggling with the suspect, who police later confirmed was an admitted gang member from Buena Park and an AB 109 early release parolee who had just gotten out of jail on a separate DUI warrant. The passenger was seen opening the passenger side door multiple times, in what looked like an attempt to escape.

The suspect drove erratically, running red lights, driving on the wrong side of the road, and at one point, driving through a park and dragging a fence and a bicycle that had been chained to it.

The suspect drove into Orange County before heading back to Los Angeles County.

South Gate police chased the car for a time before the California Highway Patrol stepped in, using multiple PIT maneuvers in efforts to stop the vehicle.

(credit: CBS)

About three hours after the chase began, the suspect pulled into a parking space and ran into a 99 Cents Only store near the intersection of Nogales Street and Colima Road in Rowland Heights. Customers were seen running out of the store as police ran in with rifles drawn and apprehended the suspect.

The suspect was later identified as Alexis Avinai, and he was booked on suspicion of domestic violence and felony evading. He is being held on $125,000 bail.

19-Year-Old Arrested For Attempted Murder After Slashing At Least 9 People In South LA

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 23:38:11 +0000

SOUTH LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Police have arrested 19-year-old Lenrey Briones for attempted murder after he was identified as the man who was riding his bicycle through South Los Angeles slashing pedestrians with a sharp object over the past several weeks.

Briones was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon after his parole officer recognized him as the man police were searching for.

He is accused of attacking at least nine people, in at least four different occasions over the past two weeks, while bicycling around South L.A. and South Gate.

“One lady had 20 sutures to her face,” LAPD Lt. Raul Jovel said at a Wednesday evening news conference. “These are life changing events and incidents.”

Surveillance photos of a male bicyclist wanted for slashing pedestrians with a sharp object while riding through South Los Angeles. The first attack was reported on March 20, 2019, with the latest attack occurring April 1. (LAPD)

Police said Briones may have been using a box cutter in the attacks as he cut them without stopping his bike.

Briones lives in a transitional home and is on parole for arson. Police caught him Wednesday near a homeless camp at Wilmington Avenue and 109th Street. They found a bike in the area that they believe is the one he used on his violent rides.

The attacks happened as far east as Lynwood and as far south as Harbor City.

“Everyone was touched by this, I talked to gang members, I talked to parolees, I talked to homeless, I talked to countless everybody was on board with this because this guy was victimizing innocent people,” LAPD Det. Steve Garcia said.

The first attack was reported on March 20, with the latest two incidents occurring on Monday. All four victims sustained severe facial injuries.

According to Los Angeles police, at around 8:40 a.m. Monday, a man reported that he was standing on a sidewalk near a bus stop at Florence Avenue and Avalon Boulevard when the suspect rode by on a bike and slashed him in the face with an unknown weapon. The suspect then continued riding north on Avalon.

About 15 minutes later, police received a second call from a woman who was attacked at 59th Place and Avalon Boulevard in a similar fashion. She suffered a severe injury to the left side of her face and ear, police said.

At around 7:30 a.m. on March 20, a man was injured when a male bicyclist slashed his face while he stood at the intersection of 59th Street and Avalon Boulevard.

At about 11:09 a.m. on March 27, an attack occurred in South Gate in which a victim’s face was slashed, also sustaining severe injuries.

Man Riding A Bicycle Slashes Woman’s Face In South Gate Area

Thu, 28 Mar 2019 00:20:37 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA) – Police say a man riding a bicycle slashed the face of a woman he does not know – and there may be additional victims.

Sheriff’s officials told CBSLA there were at least two instances Wednesday of a Hispanic man “swiping at people” in and around the South Gate area. The victims were left with scratches, but nobody has been seriously hurt, deputies said.

The first call came in around 10 a.m. and a second call was received at 11:15 a.m., according to officials. One man and one woman have been scratched in the incidents.

In the second incident, the female victim had her face slashed “with something sharp”, police said. The same suspect may be involved with as many as two additional reported similar incidents.

“The guy came with the bike and just stabbed her,” said neighbor Joanna Santos. “No reason…it’s sad, I live here.”

Investigators released a photo of the suspect riding a mountain bike with oversized wheels. He was described as a 30-year-old Hispanic man with a shaved head, dark skin, and wearing black clothing. He was last seen riding a black bicycle.

Reports on social media indicated the alleged attacks targeted “random women” and took place near the intersections of San Luis/Abbott, Long Beach/Imperial, and Firestone/Hunt.

WOMEN IN SOUTH GATE PLEASE BE CAREFUL SPREAD THE WORD pic.twitter.com/ESSBlLQCOu

— ang

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA) – A suspect was shot and wounded by South Gate police officers Tuesday morning.

(CBS2)

The shooting occurred at approximately 8:30 a.m. on Paramount Boulevard, just north of the 105 Freeway.

The suspect was taken to a hospital in undisclosed condition, officials at the scene told CBS2. There was no word of injuries to any officers.

The circumstances that led up to the shooting were not confirmed.

It’s unclear if the suspect was armed or shot at police. The number of officers who fired on the suspect was also not disclosed.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s detectives are assisting in the investigation.

Man Rescued From South Gate House Fire

Wed, 26 Dec 2018 15:47:52 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA) – A man was rescued from a burning house in South Gate early Wednesday morning and rushed to a hospital.

(CBS2)

The fire was reported sometime before 2:49 a.m. in the 10300 block of San Vincente Avenue, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Crews arrived on scene to find a man inside the home. He was transported to a local hospital with burns, the fire department said. His condition is unknown.

There was no immediate word on the cause of the fire. After dousing the flames, crews remained on scene for several hours monitoring the home for hot spots.

South Gate Residents Protest Downey Homeless Project Close To Their Neighborhood

Sun, 21 Oct 2018 00:28:40 +0000

DOWNEY (CBSLA) — South Gate residents were protesting in Downey on Saturday over plans for a veterans housing project on Los Angeles County property.

“Let it affect their own city rather than our city,” said South Gate resident Maria Hernandez.

There are no Downey neighborhoods close by, but a South Gate neighborhood is across the street.

“I’m concerned for my children. I’m concerned for my home. My safety,” said South Gate resident Maria Salazar.

Protesters view this project as a second homeless housing project.

The project is too close, they say, to their neighborhood.

“The other homeless project a half a mile away is going to be 60 units,” said South Gate resident Alicia Flores.

“We are going to have an overflow of homelessness around here,” said Hernandez.

“I think South Gate has got a little uptight about this idea of a homeless shelter. It’s not a homeless shelter,” said Downey Mayor Pro Tem Rick Rodriguez. “I think they don’t know what they don’t know.”

Rodriguez said there are 11,000 homeless vets in L.A. County and some will be among those housed there when the project is completed in 2020.

“Not only for homeless veterans but for veterans leaving the military service. Honorable. Ready to serve in our civilian community,” said Rodriguez.

In the proposed facility, he said veterans will get the services they might need — from therapy to job training.

There are two views.

South Gaters don’t want what they see as a homeless shelter on their border while Rodriguez sees it as a vital resource for veterans who need some help.

Will we be seeing more of these projects across county?

“I hope this is a template that all of America can use,” said Rodriguez.

(This post has been updated.)

Man Dies After Road Rage Shooting On 710 Freeway

Fri, 27 Jul 2018 16:55:53 +0000

BELL GARDENS (CBSLA) — A man who was shot in a road range incident on the 710 Freeway has died of his injuries, authorities said Friday.

Shots were fired at about 9:30 p.m. Thursday, after a road rage incident on the northbound 710 Freeway, north of the 91 Freeway in South Gate. The victim was a passenger in one of the vehicles involved.

Details of the road rage incident were not available, but the suspect fired several rounds, hitting the victim at least once in the upper torso, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Deputy Trina Schrader said.

The driver of the victim vehicle got off the freeway on Florence Avenue and drove to a parking lot to call for help, Schrader said. The victim was then taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The driver was not hurt.

A description of the suspect or vehicle were not immediately available.

Anyone with information about either the road rage incident or the shooting can call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.

South Gate Soldier Killed By ‘Apparent Insider Attack’ In Afghanistan

Mon, 09 Jul 2018 16:27:52 +0000

(CNN) — The Pentagon has identified the soldier killed in an apparent insider attack Saturday in Afghanistan as Army Cpl. Joseph Maciel of South Gate.

Maciel was killed and two other American service members were wounded in what US military officials called an “apparent insider attack” on July 7 while they were advising local forces at an Afghan military facility in the town of Tarin Kowt in Uruzgan Province.

This is the third combat fatality in Afghanistan this year.

The NATO-led coalition in Afghanistan, Resolute Support, said Saturday that the incident was under investigation and that the two wounded US service members are being treated and are in stable condition.

Maciel was assigned to 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, based at Fort Benning, Georgia, according to the Department of Defense. He had been serving in Afghanistan since February.

The Pentagon said Maciel was part of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, which conducts counterterrorism missions targeting terrorist groups like al Qaeda and the local ISIS affiliate in Afghanistan and also focuses on building up local Afghan forces.

Maciel’s task force was deployed in support of the 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade, a newly established unit that is focused on advising and bolstering local troops and is seen as critical to America’s strategy in Afghanistan. The specially trained unit’s 800 members are intended to advise Afghan forces in small teams, embedding more closely with their Afghan partners than conventional units.

US Army Col. Scott Jackson, the Security Force Assistance Brigade’s commander in Afghanistan, told reporters last month that insider attacks were a threat but that US forces were taking necessary precautions.

“As the commander of this organization, I take all threats seriously, and I assess all threats,” Jackson said in a briefing with reporters at the Pentagon by video teleconference from Afghanistan.

“And right now, you know, yes, green on blue could be a threat, but we have not had a single incident,” Jackson said, using a military term for insider attacks. “And I will tell you honestly, we have had our Afghan partners come to us with intelligence that preempted potential attacks, and they have been proactively taking care of their own problems.”

The last insider attack occurred in August 2017. In that incident, a Romanian NATO soldier was injured. The last insider attack that resulted in a US casualty occurred two months earlier, in June of last year.

Maciel is survived by his father and mother.

South Gate Standoff Ends With Hail Of Bullets, Suspect Dead

Tue, 28 Nov 2017 14:41:44 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA) — Another standoff with police ended with a man dead after he allegedly fired shots at officers while holed up in a pickup truck in South Gate for more than three hours.

The standoff in South Gate began at about 7:35 p.m. in the 2700 block of Illinois Avenue near Stanford Avenue, according to Los Angeles County sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Kelvin Moody.

The suspect, who lived in the area, was wanted for pistol-whipping his live-in girlfriend on Sunday, authorities said. The suspect fled the scene following the attack and the woman had to be hospitalized, Moody said.

When the woman returned home Monday night, she alerted South Gate police, who had an arrest warrant for the suspect, that her boyfriend was in the area. Officers found him in his truck, but he refused to get out.

The man could be seen smoking and drinking while reclined in the driver’s seat. Officers shot pepper balls into the truck to get him out, and at one point, he fired shots out of the passenger door at officers.

No officers were hit by gunfire.

Five South Gate police officers and one from Huntington Park returned fire on the man, and once he was shot, he was dragged out of the truck by a police dog.

He was determined to have been fatally wounded and was pronounced dead at the scene.

A handgun was recovered from the scene, Moody said. It’s not known yet whether the suspect died from police gunfire, or from a self-inflicted gunshot.

On Sunday night, another standoff in Covina involved a man holding his 7-month-old daughter hostage for nearly seven hours. He threatened to hurt himself with a knife, and police fatally shot him after hours of negotiations.

The standoff happened right across the street from Stanford Elementary School, and police may have the scene blocked off for several more hours. Parents were advised to use Iowa Avenue for drop off instead.

Deadly standoff has Illinois Avenue in South Gate blocked off. Elementary school is across the street from the scene. Parents should drop off students on Iowa Avenue instead. @CBSLA pic.twitter.com/WXJ28crsTb

— Kandiss Crone (@KandissCronetv) November 28, 2017

Caught On Camera: Homeowner Chases Alleged Intruder

Tue, 05 Sep 2017 06:12:48 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA.com) — A homeowner caught on camera chasing after a suspected intruder says he wouldn’t do it again.

“Richard, he could have a gun!” was the cry that rung out as the homeowner ran after the suspect.

“The scary part is just being in a vulnerable position,” the homeowner, who agreed only to go by his first name, said. “You think you’re safe in your own home and then you open your eyes and somebody [is] standing at your doorway.”

South Gate police got a call Friday morning about an intruder inside the home but when they got to the scene the suspect was gone.

Richard says he got into a scuffle with the suspect inside the home before the chase.

“I got him in a headlock and I chased him out of the house,” he said.

Looking back, he would have made a different decision.

“I actually did stop after running for six houses and I definitely won’t do it again,” he said.

Police are still searching for the suspect.

Robbery Suspects Lead Police On Pursuit To South Gate Home, 1 Arrested

Mon, 21 Aug 2017 04:06:10 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA.com) — Police arrested one man and are searching for three others believed to have broken into a South Gate home following an armed robbery Sunday.

Whittier police responded to a call of an armed robbery at a cell phone store Sunday evening. The suspects led authorities on a short pursuit in a silver Honda to a home om McKinley Avenue, on the border of Downey and South Gate.

Neighboring homes were evacuated.

It was unclear if the homeowner was inside with the suspects at the time of this report.

40-Year-Old Father Shot To Death In South Gate

Tue, 25 Jul 2017 05:16:20 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA.com) — A 40-year-old father was shot and killed inside a South Gate business Monday evening.

His family says the victim lived in the area and that his name was Hugo Avila.

The incident took place just before 5 p.m. at a smog shop at the 9200 block of California Ave., police said.

Police believe he may have been targeted.

Several people were seen running away from the scene and jumping into a car. They got away.

Police are looking for more witnesses.

The LA County Sheriff’s Department is asking the public to contact them with any information regarding this case. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.

Carjacking Suspect Shot, Killed By Officers In South Gate After Wild Pursuit, Crash

Tue, 20 Jun 2017 19:00:03 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA.com) – A carjacking suspect was shot and killed by officers in South Gate after a wild pursuit and chain-reaction crash Tuesday morning that left several vehicles damaged.

(CBS2)

The fatal shooting occurred just before 8 a.m. at the boundary line between Huntington Park and South Gate. According to South Gate police, the chase began when officers picked up a LoJack on an SUV that had been reported stolen out of West Los Angeles.

“Some of our police units are equipped with LoJack devices,” South Gate police Capt. Darren Arakawa said. “So if there is a LoJack activation, and a vehicle is in the proximity of a police unit, it will pick that up.”

A one-mile pursuit with the SUV ensued before the suspect eventually crashed in the area of California Avenue and Santa Ana Street. According to police, the suspect rear-ended a car which was traveling in the same direction, spun out and slammed into three other parked cars.

The suspect, who police say was armed, got out and ran into a nearby apartment complex where he was shot and killed by officers, police said. Authorities did not disclose if the suspect fired at the officers, none of whom were injured. The suspect, whose name was not released, was described as a known gang member.

Meanwhile, it was not confirmed if the woman driving the car that was struck by the suspect was seriously hurt.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department was brought in to investigate. Los Angeles police also responded since the SUV had been stolen out of their jurisdiction.

Anyone with information on the case should call LASD at 323-890-5500.

Man Shot, Killed By South Gate Police After Chase; 2 Arrested

Tue, 16 May 2017 03:46:34 +0000

PARAMOUNT (CBSLA.com/AP) — Authorities in Los Angeles County say South Gate police shot and killed a man who pointed a black object that appeared to be a gun at them after leading them on a chase through several cities Monday afternoon.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s officials say three people led South Gate police on the chase in a stolen van that began in South Gate and proceeded on two freeways. The chase wound its way through South Gate, Lynwood and Compton. One man leapt out of the van and surrendered partway through the pursuit.

The chase ended on a dead-end road in Paramount, where the male driver and a female passenger jumped out of the van.

The two then ran under the 91 Freeway, jumped a fence and continued along some railroad tracks.

The woman was carrying several bags, but dropped them and ran into a building where she barricaded herself inside for hours. The driver stopped on the tracks, pulled something from a backpack and was shot by South Gate police at around 12:30 p.m. in the area of East Artesia Boulevard and Cherry Avenue, LASD said.

“During the foot pursuit, he put a glove on his hand reached into the backpack, tried to pull something out, turned on officers, and as he pulled something out that’s when the shooting happened,” Los Angeles Sheriff’s Lt. John Corina said.

A sheriff’s helicopter circled overhead, warning the woman inside this building to come out or they would send the K-9 units in after her. When she didn’t surrender, deputies went in. They found her hiding in a storage area near the ceiling and arrested her.

The names of the two suspects who were arrested and the man who was killed were not released.

Deputies did not confirm if the deceased suspect was armed or what was in the bags that were being carried by the female suspect.

Pursuit Suspect Ends Chase By Running Into South Gate Movie Theater

Fri, 12 May 2017 05:35:24 +0000

SOITH GATE (CBSLA.com) — A suspect that led police on a high-speed chase Thursday ended the pursuit by racing into a movie theater.

Theater employees were able to tell police that the suspect ran into Theater 13.

After several tense moments, the suspect — originally wanted for allegedly stealing packages — was taken into custody without further incident.

KCAL 9’s Brittney Hopper reported from the scene.

Debbie Lopez was inside the theater when the pursuit suspect ran inside after ditching his car in a nearby parking garage.

She told Hopper the suspect ran in just as their movie was about to start.

Without warning, the movie stopped and that’s when security announced that everyone had to get out.

“At first I was really scared because I thought you know I didn’t know what was going on,” said Lopez. “And the fact I didn’t know what was going on, got me more scared.”

Late Thursday, Arcadia Police identified the suspect as 27-year-old Christopher Cook of La Mirada.

(credit: Arcadia Police Dept.)

She says there were only a handful of people inside that movie. But it was chaotic as everyone made their way out.

Police quickly surrounded the parking lot.

“I was like is this a show or something” But it was real. Helicopters showed up and then security closed down the theater and didn’t let anybody in,” said one man.

Arcadia Police says that a GPS device in a stolen package was what led them to the suspect.

No one was hurt in the incident.

Cook was booked on grand theft, evading, and grand theft vehicle charges, Arcadia Police said.

LAUSD Employee Dies Of Meningococcal Meningitis, County Health Officials Say

Sat, 11 Feb 2017 07:30:00 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA.com) — An employee in the Los Angeles Unified School District has died from a bacterial meningitis infection, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed Friday.

Health officials would not reveal the name of the employee. But a parent told CBS2’s Rachel Kim that the woman was a third-grade teacher at Montara Avenue Elementary School in South Gate.

The parent said school and health officials met with parents on campus Friday night. One mother said she was given instructions on medication to give her child.

Meningococcal meningitis is a serious infection of the thin lining that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. It can be transmitted by direct contact with secretions.

“Public Health is working closely with LAUSD and the affected school to ensure the appropriate school contacts and other close contacts of the patient are identified and receive preventive antibiotics, and that information about meningococcal disease is available to the school community,” the L.A. County Department of Public Health said in a statement.

Parents said they want the campus cleaned before allowing their children back to school and plan to hold a protest on campus Monday morning.

LA County Fire Pulls Off Dramatic Rescue To Keep Man From Being Swept Down River In South Gate

Mon, 21 Nov 2016 07:41:23 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA.com) — Los Angeles County Fire and Rescue crews saved the life of a man who found himself swept up in strong currents in the L.A. River near South Gate Sunday evening.

The rescue call went out about 10:45 p.m.

It was unclear why the unidentified man was in the river but very often people standing near the edge of the river get caught up in the current, especially following a heavy rain.

Desmond Shaw was overhead in SKY2 when a rescuer was hoisted down to the man by helicopter.

The man was hanging on to a pillar for dear life.

The rescue occurred just under the Imperial Highway about 11:20 p.m.

The man was hoisted out of the water and placed on nearby dry land. His condition wasn’t immediately known.

Police Pursue Motorcyclist In And Around South Gate

Thu, 10 Nov 2016 05:30:24 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA.com) — Police chased a motorcyclist in and around South Gate Wednesday evening.

It was unclear what the suspect was originally wanted for.

The suspect averaged about 40 m.p.h. He is pursued by at least six patrol cars.

After the suspect lost control and crashed, he ran on foot.

After jumping a fence, police tackled the suspect and took him into custody.

(credit: CBS)

Suspected Car Thief Surrenders To Police On I-405 In Long Beach After High-Speed Chase

Tue, 31 May 2016 00:01:17 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA.com) — A man traveling in a stolen vehicle surrendered to police Monday after leading officers on a high-speed pursuit for nearly three hours through more than a dozen cities and communities.

The chase began around 10:30 a.m. when officers attempted to pull over the suspect in South Gate.

The pursuit went through Downey, Hacienda Heights, Rowland Heights, Diamond Bar, Pomona, Chino, South El Monte, Montebello, East L.A., Commerce, Bell Gardens, Lynwood, Harbor Gateway, Hawthorne and Willowbrook.

SKY2 captured the accused auto thief driving a gray Kia Crossover erratically on residential streets and the 105, 605, 60, 710 and 405 freeways.

At least seven police cruisers chased the suspect, who traveled at speeds reaching 90 mph.

He traveled in opposite lanes of traffic, blew through stop signs, rammed into at least two other vehicles and nearly struck a bicyclist. At one point, the driver threw papers out his window.

Officers deployed a spike strip but failed to stop the suspect.

Around 1:20 p.m., the vehicle appeared to have run out of gas on the southbound 405 Freeway in Long Beach. The driver got out of the minivan and surrendered to police on the freeway.

The CHP said there were reports the suspect was possibly suicidal and may have been high on drugs.

According to sources, there were some radio transmissions with the CHP saying the suspect was not going to give up without a fight and wanted to meet with his wife in Costa Mesa.

Fire Chars Mattress Retailer In South Gate

Sat, 14 May 2016 05:05:14 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA.com) — A massive fire Friday night destroyed a mattress retailer in South Gate, authorities said.

The fire at a one-story building near the corner of California and Duane Way could be seen for miles.

Fire crews quickly made progress in knocking down the flames that began about 9:45 p.m. Friday.

By 10:15, flames were no longer visible as crews were able to corral the flames.

No estimate of damage or determination of cause of the fire were immediate available.

Man Found Dead In South Gate Standoff

Fri, 06 May 2016 14:24:27 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA.com) — A man was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound Friday at a South Gate home where authorities had responded to reports of shots fired.

Authorities say the standoff began at about 3 a.m. Friday when shots were heard that apparently came from a home on Santa Ana Street near California Avenue.

Some evacuations were ordered. South Gate police and Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies were sent to the scene.

The man was found dead in the garage of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound at about 7:45 a.m., according to the police and sheriff’s departments.

Man In Custody Following All-Night Standoff In South Gate

Fri, 22 Apr 2016 14:20:45 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA.com) — A man surrendered Friday morning after an all-night standoff with police in South Gate.

Officers responded to the 2700 block of Iowa Avenue in South Gate at about 8:40 p.m. on three separate reports of “shots fired,” South Gate police Capt. Darren Arakawa said. One caller reported hearing an argument between an unrelated man and a woman and said it may have been a dispute between neighbors.

South Gate’s SWAT team and crisis negotiators spent the night trying to get the man, who had gone inside a home, to surrender peacefully.

Twelve homes were evacuated during the standoff. At 6:44 a.m., Los Angeles Unified School District police tweeted that students at nearby Stanford Elementary School would be relocated to Southeast High School because of the standoff, but the relocation did not go forward as planned because the suspect was taken into custody at 7:05 a.m.

No injuries were reported, Arakawa said.

South Gate Hit-And-Run Crash Claimed Lives Of Father Driving Daughter, Her Friends To Movie

Mon, 28 Mar 2016 04:33:36 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA.com) — Officials on Sunday identified two of the dead in a hit-and-run crash in South Gate Saturday.

CBS2;s Laurie Perez said the deceased — three other passengers were critically injured — were a 55-year-old Bell father driving his daughter and her friends to a movie.

She reported from St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood where friends and family are holding vigil inside.

Easter Mass at Bell”s Santa Maria de Guadalupe Church was punctured with sadness this morning as parishioners celebrated without five of their church family.

Leslye Larios, Angie Ruiz, her sister Karolina, and Jennifer Lopez were together yesterday afternoon, heading to the movies when a silver Mercedes hit the car they were in, driven by Leslye’s dad Lestor.

The crash, on Garfield Avenue near El Paseo in South Gate, killed Mr. Larios and 15-year-old Angie — and put the other three teens in the ICU.

A friend sent Perez a picture of the group, now haunting — she says it was taken minutes before the accident.

“They’re always smiling I know they can do this, they’re really strong,” said Judith Algape.

What they have to do is survive the hit-and-run crash. Police are looking for the suspected driver of the Mercedes that broadsided their car — Bryan Rojas, 22, who police say fled the scene.

Friends say each of the girls had multiple surgeries overnight, 15-year-old Leslye Larios’ brother says his sister has a broken hip and swelling in the brain. He said his mother won’t leave her bedside as he worries, now alone at home without the dad and sister who share his baseball obsession.

“He always had his feud with Mike Scioscia and the TV you know like he never knew why he was there,” said Juan, “she’s an Angels fan, too. She’s like in love with Johnny Giavotella, he plays second base.”

The girls are all part of their church youth group — and tonight their loved ones are leaning on the faith they share to help them survive.

“Yeah, we’ve been praying constantly they were all very strong believers of God and we’re all very united as a family and we all believe that Angie is in Heaven as well as Leslye’s father,” said Reyna Lopez, a friend of the victims.

Friends of the teens have started a GoFundMe page to pay for medical, hospital and funeral costs.

2 Dead, 3 Critically Injured In 2-Vehicle Crash, Hit-And-Run In South Gate

Sun, 27 Mar 2016 01:22:02 +0000

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA.com) — Authorities said two people were killed and five others injured in a two-vehicle crash in South Gate Saturday afternoon.

Three of the injured suffered critical injuries, police said.

The two victims who died were identified by authorities on Saturday as 15-year-old Angie Ruiz and 55-year-old Lester Larios, both of Bell.

Police said the driver of one of the cars fled the scene.

The crash was reported just before 4:30 p.m. on Garfield Avenue near El Paseo Street, according to Los Angeles County Fire Department Dispatch Supervisor Cheryl Sims.

KCAL9’s Jeff Nguyen reported from the horrific scene.

Aaron Ponce and his parents were at the El Paseo Shopping Center in South Gate.

“It wasn’t good what I saw,” says Ponce.

What he saw — left him shaking.

“There’s a dad and a daughter right there who are already dead,” he said. Officials described the deceased as a man in his 40s and a young woman in her teens or early 20s.

The deceased and critically injured were in a Mitsubishi Galant that was turning left on South Garfield Avenue into the Shopping Center.

That’s when a silver Mercedes T-boned the Galant, officials said.

Ophelia Padilla says several people in the Mitsubishi appeared unconscious.

Police said the driver of the Galant and a passenger left the scene. Officers managed to track the passenger down.

Investigators on Saturday evening released a picture of 22-year-old Bryan Rojas, the suspected driver.

(credit: South Gate Police)

Police said the sedan was speeding but do not know why.

The fact the sedan was reportedly speeding only angered the assembled crowd who heard the impact of the crash.

“They were saying oh stupid people, I don’t know why they do this stuff,” said Ponce.

Police Pursue Suspect On 105 Freeway

Sun, 10 Jan 2016 04:57:29 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA.com) — The CHP is chasing a suspect on the 105 Freeway Saturday evening.

The driver is reaching speeds of 80-90 mph.

He is driving erratically with his hazard lights on.

The CHP said the chase started in the South Gate area — where a chase also began earlier in the evening — after the driver ran a stop sign.

Officials were able to employ spike strips. The driver’s front tires appear to be flat.

The chase continued through the Lynwood area as the driver came to a crawl.