Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Author Archives: Art Pedroza

The SAPD is searching for a carjacking and kidnapping suspect

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On 10/04/2009, wanted suspect Sergio Cruz, a 39-year-old man from Tustin, carjacked and kidnapped a victim at gunpoint. Cruz forced that victim to drive to the area of 10th and Ross Streets.

While there, Cruz exited the vehicle and attempted to carjack another victim. Cruz then robbed a third victim and forced them into a residence at gunpoint. While inside, Cruz robbed a family and subsequently fled the area on foot.

Description: Male, Hispanic, 5’6”, black hair and brown eyes

Anyone with information on Cruz’s whereabouts is asked to please contact Detective Corporal D. Padron at (714) 245-8545 or DPadron@santa-ana.org

Tonight’s Santa Ana City Council meeting is the first one of the year

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The Santa Ana City Council will have its regular meeting tonight, Jan. 21, at Santa Ana City Hall in the Council Chamber, 22 Civic Center Plaza.

The closed session begins at 5 p.m. and the open meeting is scheduled for 5:45 p.m.

Tonight’s meeting agenda includes:

• A resolution supporting extensions of the OC Streetcar project;
• A second ordinance reading approving a development at 2525 N. Main St., or directing staff to prepare a possible ballot initiative measure on the matter;
• Approval of a display of “E Pluribus Unum” in City Council chambers;
• A discussion on providing American Sign Language services for City Council meetings;
• Directing staff to prepare a resolution establishing a City Charter review committee;
• A discussion on restructuring or disbanding one or more existing City Council committees;
• A public hearing for a conditional use permit for alcohol sale and consumption at Mariscos Hector #1, 1801 S. Main St.;
• A public hearing on the Calvary Church master plan for 1010 and 1100-B N. Tustin Ave.;
• A discussion on providing form 602, which gives limited authorization to police to arrest trespassers on private property, to all businesses applying for a license; and
• A discussion on directing the city manager to request the Police Department and other city departments to enforce anti-camping, anti-panhandling and related laws.

The meeting will air on City of Santa Ana Channel 3 (CTV3) and can be livestreamed online.

For more information about council meetings, to see the meeting agenda in English and Spanish and for a link to the livestream, please go to www.santa-ana.org/cc/city-meetings.

A Santa Ana sexual assault suspect was shot while resisting arrest on Monday night

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An unidentified male suspect was fatally shot in an SAPD police officer-involved shooting during an investigation into a sexual assault late Monday, Jan. 20, according to the O.C. Register.

The SAPD police officers were in Fountain Valley while they were investigating a case of sexual assaults on minors, according to the SAPD.

The officers went to the suspect’s apartment, at the 10300 block of La Hacienda Ave., and were allowed to enter by the suspect’s mother. However the suspect tried to escape out the back when he saw the police officers.

The police officers caught up with the suspect and he resisted arrest – while he was holding a gun in his hand. The shooting occurred at that point.

The suspect was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

The SAPD police investigators secured the courtyard at the Serena Vista Apartments and they were able to seize the suspect’s weapon.

The incident is now being investigated by the SAPD, the Fountain Valley Police and the OCDA.

Costa Mesa man arrested for stealing from his employer

Posted on by Posted in Costa Mesa, Crime, Fountain Valley Leave a comment

On December 18, 2019, an employee of a local restaurant supply company, in the 18000 block of Pacific Ave, Fountain Valley, stole a commercial Wolf stove valued at $9300 from the business and sold it to a subject in Huntington Beach.

Fountain Valley PD Detectives investigated and contacted Guillermo Ramirez, a 28 year old resident of Costa Mesa, who admitted to the theft.

Detectives were able to recover the stove and return it to the restaurant supply company. During a search of Ramirez’s residence, additional stolen property was recovered. Ramirez was arrested for embezzlement and grand theft.

The City of Santa Ana seeks Artists to submit design proposals for utility box art

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Civic Affairs, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The City of Santa Ana’s Arts & Culture Office, in collaboration with the Public Works Agency, is issuing a Call for Art Proposals to artists or artist teams who live, work or study in Santa Ana to create art for utility boxes.

The intent of the Utility Box Art Program is to enhance the beauty and vibrancy of the city, provide the opportunity for artists to showcase their work, and discourage vandalism on utility boxes. The design proposals will be reviewed by a panel, and the artists/artist teams selected will be awarded an all-inclusive budget of $400 to paint a utility box. The Arts & Culture Office will apply a special coating to the painted utility boxes to extend the longevity of the art.

To view the Call for Proposals (CFP) and download a design template for the submission, go to santa-ana.org/cd/arts-culture-office/utility-box-art-program-revolving-display.

Design proposals are due by Feb. 13 at 11:59 p.m. (PST) and must be submitted online at cityofsantaana.submittable.com/submit.

Santa Ana’s City Hall is closed today in recognition of MLK Day

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City Hall will be closed on Monday, Jan. 20, for its scheduled holiday closure.

There will be no street sweeping, and trash pickup will be pushed back one day. Regular City Hall hours will resume on Tuesday.

For more information, see the Holiday and Friday Closure Schedule: https://www.santa-ana.org/holiday-and-closed-friday-schedule.

El Ayuntamiento de Santa Ana Estará Cerrado el Lunes 20 de Enero por el Día de Martin Luther King Jr.

El Ayuntamiento estará cerrado el lunes 20 de enero por el cierre programado de día festivo.

No habrá barrida de calles, y la recolección de basura se retrasará un día. El horario regular del Ayuntamiento se reanudará el martes.

Para obtener más información, consulte el calendario de cierres:
https://www.santa-ana.org/holiday-and-closed-friday-schedule.

A Santa Ana man suspected of murder was killed in a fight with an O.C. jail inmate

Posted on by Posted in Crime, OC Sheriff, Santa Ana, Tustin Leave a comment

ORANGE, Ca. (January 19, 2020) –At approximately 4 p.m. on Jan. 18, an inmate housed at the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange was pronounced deceased at a local hospital. The inmate, 57-year old Kirk Price, was transferred to the hospital December 27, 2019 due to injuries he sustained during a fight with another inmate.

Price, a Santa Ana resident, was arrested March 25, 2016 by Tustin Police investigating the death of  OC Boxing MMA Academy owner Fahness Lutalo, who died the day before Price’s arrest by a man who walked into the gym and shot him several times, according to the O.C. Register.

Price was booked into Orange County Jail on March 25, 2016, by the Tustin Police Department on suspicion of murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office will investigate the in-custody death. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will conduct an in-custody death review. No additional information will be released at this time.

Councilman Solorio announces a major reduction in homicides in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Jose Solorio, Santa Ana, SAPD 7 Comments

SANTA ANA, CA — City Councilman Jose Solorio announced a significant decline in homicides in Santa Ana and called on the police department to focus on enforcing anti-camping and related laws in order to continue the City’s progress reducing crime and making neighborhoods and business corridors safer.

Santa Ana experienced an overall 36% decline in homicides and a 44% decrease in gang-related homicides in 2019. There were 5 gang-related homicides in 2019 compared to 9 in 2018.

As chair of the City’s public safety committee in 2017, Councilman Solorio led the effort to hire more police officers and championed the police department’s initiatives to increase the size of the gang unit and bring back a vice unit. Under Police Chief David Valentin’s leadership, the Department re-allocated resources to provide 7-day a week gang suppression and intervention enforcement, prioritize getting dangerous and illegal guns off the street, and begin to rebuild the vice and narcotics unit.

“These statistics are proof that our policing strategy is working,” Councilman Solorio said. “As we see the homicide rates go down, we must also make sure we’re tackling growing areas of concern, which is why I’m calling on the Santa Ana Police Department to focus on enforcing anti-camping laws and addressing the high number of crimes committed against or by homeless individuals.”

“We need new initiatives to help reduce neighborhood crimes that residents bring to our attention, enhance community-oriented policing programs, and continue to lower 911 response times. These steps will move us toward being a safer City,” continued Councilman Solorio.

As a result of the last collective bargaining agreement signed with the Santa Ana Police Officers Association, the City has been successful in recruiting and retaining more officers — a record 50 new officers were hired in 2019. Councilman Solorio also urges the City to continue to improve staffing, technology, and youth development programs to make all Santa Ana neighborhoods safer.

The Santa Ana Police Department compiles and reports on homicide data on a monthly basis. After being elected in 2016, Councilman Solorio asked police for ongoing reporting of crime statistics to track the progress of our City’s public safety initiatives and make appropriate changes to ensure the safety of Santa Ana’s residents.

Jose Solorio is a Santa Ana City Council Member. He previously represented the cities of Anaheim, Garden Grove and Santa Ana in the State Assembly for six years. He holds a bachelor’s degree from UC Irvine and a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University.

To learn more about City Councilman Jose Solorio, visit www.JoseSolorio.com, Facebook.com/SolorioForSantaAna, Instragram.com/SolorioForSantaAna or Twitter.com/JoseSolorio.

This week’s Cochino List includes Jack in the Box, D.D. Market and Crepe Maker

Posted on by Posted in Disease, Food & Health, Health, Health and Medical, Insects, OC Health Care, Orange County, Public Safety, Restaurants, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The O.C. Health Care Agency has released a list of the eateries (including restaurants, caterers and even school kitchens) that they inspected and shut down for the week of Jan. 9 to Jan. 17. Most of these eateries reopen pretty quickly after the health inspectors determine their issues have been resolved.

  • Crepe Maker at MainPlace Mall, 2800 N. Main St., Suite 9100, Santa Ana, Closed: Jan. 13, Reason: Rodent infestation
  • Jack In The Box, 3710 S. Bristol St., Santa Ana, Closed: Jan. 15, Reason: Sewage overflow
  • D. D. Market, 322 W. 17th St., Suite B, Santa Ana, Closed: Jan. 14 Reason: Rodent infestation
  • Asian Garden Fast Food at Asian Garden Mall, 9200 Bolsa Ave., Suite 304, Westminster, Closed: Jan. 14, Reason: Rodent infestation, Reopened: Jan. 15
  • Update: The car wash at 76 station, 13561 Newport Ave., Tustin, which was ordered closed Jan. 10 because of a rodent infestation, was allowed to reopen Jan. 10.
  • Cancun Tacos Al Carbon, 7011 Warner Ave., Suite I, Huntington Beach, Closed: Jan. 16, Reason: Cockroach infestation
  • Grill And Toast Restaurant at Wholesome Choice, 18040 Culver Drive, Irvine, Closed: Jan. 16, Reason: Fire suppression discharge in facility, Reopened: Jan. 16
  • Fonda Mixcoac, 10660 Magnolia Ave., Anaheim, Closed: Jan. 14, Reason: Rodent infestation, Reopened: Jan. 16
  • ExtraMile at Chevron station, 1740 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa, Closed: Jan. 14, Reason: Rodent infestation, Reopened: Jan. 15
  • The Flame Broiler, 1675 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim, Closed: Jan. 9, Reason: Cockroach infestation, Reopened: Jan. 11
  • Update: Samara Restaurant at 1160 N. Kraemer Blvd., Anaheim, which was ordered closed Jan. 9 because of a cockroach infestation, was allowed to reopen Jan. 10.
  • Update: La Taverna at 727 N. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim, which had its permit downgraded to sell prepackaged food only because of insufficient hot water and plumbing in disrepair, had its full permit reinstated Jan. 10.

Street closures set for this Saturday in DTSA due to the Women’s March

Posted on by Posted in Politics, Santa Ana, Traffic, Women Leave a comment

On Saturday, Jan. 18, the following street closures will occur in downtown Santa Ana for a scheduled event (the O.C. Women’s March):

Flower Street between Civic Center Drive and Santa Ana Boulevard will be closed from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m.

6th Street from Boyd Way to Flower Street will be closed from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Some surrounding streets will have intermittent street closures from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Algunas Calles del Centro Cerrarán para un Evento el Sábado, 18 de Enero

Este sábado, 18 de enero, se realizarán los siguientes cierres de calles en el centro de Santa Ana para un evento programado:

Flower Street entre Civic Center Drive y Santa Ana Boulevard estará cerrado de 3 a.m. a 3 p.m.

La Calle 6 de Boyd Way a Flower Street va a estar cerrada de 3 a.m. a 3 p.m.

Algunas calles circundantes tendrán cierres intermitentes de 10 a.m. a 1 p.m.

The SAPD is searching for a robbery suspect who stole $145K of marijuana money

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On 1/15/2020 at approximately 7:17 PM, a courier for a marijuana product distributor parked his work vehicle in the Mobil Gas Station at 1351 E. Dyer Road after collecting money from various dispensaries. After walking into the gas station, the suspect vehicle approached the passenger side of the victim’s vehicle. The front passenger exited and shattered the passenger window. The suspect stole approximately $145,000 in US Currency from the vehicle.

SUSPECT DESCRIPTION: Male with medium complexion, 25-35 years-old, wearing a red jacket with a white hooded jacket underneath and blue gloves.

SUSPECT VEHICLE: Newer model white Nissan Pathfinder

Anyone with information identifying the suspect/vehicle in this case is asked to contact Det. Cpl. Angel at (714) 245-8404 / Det. Romero at (714) 245-8529 or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS

A bus and an SUV crashed this morning south of Madison Park

Posted on by Posted in OCTA, Santa Ana, SAPD Leave a comment

SAPD police officers are currently working an OCTA bus vs SUV collision in the area of St Andrew Pl & Standard Ave., south of Madison Park, according to the SAPD’s Twitter page.

The accident happened at about 8 a.m. this morning.

Four bus passengers and the SUV driver have been transported to a nearby hospital, none w/ life threatening injuries.

Please stay away from this area until cleared.

A suspect crashed into a truck this morning during an SAPD police pursuit

Posted on by Posted in Accidents, Crime, Santa Ana, SAPD Leave a comment

On Thursday, January 16th, 2020 at approximately 12:59 AM, Santa Ana Police Officers attempted to stop a truck driving at a high rate of speed in the area of Fairview Street and McFadden Ave. The driver of the truck failed to yield to Officers and a pursuit was initiated.

The truck continued west on McFadden traveling in the opposing lanes of traffic of McFadden Ave. As the truck was entering the intersection of McFadden Ave and Harbor Blvd on a red light, a bobtail truck was traveling north on Harbor Blvd. The bobtail truck collided into the vehicle being pursued.

Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) personnel responded and briefly treated the male (suspect) before he was transported by CARE Ambulance to the UCI Medical Center. The male sustained serious injuries and is in critical condition at UCI Medical Center. The driver of the bobtail truck did not suffer any injuries as a result of the crash. The truck was later determined to be stolen out of the City of Huntington Beach.

The California Highway Patrol was called and is handling the collision investigation. The Santa Ana Police Department’s Collision Investigation Unit (CIU) is assisting in the investigation. Anyone possibly having information about this collision is asked to contact Corporal Daniel Carrillo at (714) 245-8346.

The SAPD is looking for a suspected arsonist

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Fires, Santa Ana, SAPD Leave a comment

On 12/01/2019 at 5:30 AM, an unknown suspect intentionally lit a door on fire at a hotel located in the 100 block of East MacArthur Blvd. This unidentified suspect is a person of interest in this arson investigation.

Description: Male, Hispanic, 5’6”, medium build, eyeglasses, dark hooded sweatshirt and pants, dark/light colored shoes, light colored backpack.

Anyone with information identifying the suspect in this case is asked to contact Detective A. Castro at (714) 245-8345 or acastro@santa-ana.org.

Supervisor Do selected as the new Vice Chair of the O.C. Board of Supervisors

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Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do has been unanimously selected by his colleagues to serve as Vice Chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

During the upcoming year, Vice Chair Do vows to work closely with Chairwoman Michele Steel to expand access to mental health care services and enhance the county’s system of care for combatting homelessness.

“I am honored to serve as Vice Chair and humbled to receive the unanimous support of our Board,” said Supervisor Andrew Do. “By working together, Orange County can continue to keep our neighborhoods safe as we work to address our community’s homeless crisis.”

In 2020, Supervisor Do will also serve as Vice Chair of the OC Housing Finance Trust, Vice Chair of the Orange County Transportation Authority, Vice Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee at Metrolink, and Chairman of the OC Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.

Supervisor Do started working for the County more than 30 years ago, serving in various County departments. He previously served as Chairman of the Board of Supervisors in 2018 and Vice Chair in 2017.

In addition to keeping Orange County safe and providing care to the homeless, Supervisor Do plans to focus on creating more affordable housing, investing in Orange County’s public infrastructure, increasing access to vital health care services for seniors and low-income families, and alleviating financial burdens on students and recent graduates.

“Orange County is a wonderful place to live,” said Supervisor Do. “Our county must find new ways to deliver that same high-quality of life to everyone in our community. We must create more opportunities for students, recent graduates, and young families to afford Orange County.”