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This week’s Cochino List includes Carniceria El Toro Neza

Posted on by Posted in Business, Disease, Food, 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 Nov. 25 to Dec. 3. Most of these eateries reopen pretty quickly after the health inspectors determine their issues have been resolved.

  • Carniceria “El Toro Neza”, 1534 S. Greenville St., Santa Ana, Closed: Nov. 30, Reason: Cockroach infestation, Reopened: Nov. 30
  • The Station Liquor, 16471 McFadden Ave., Tustin, Closed: Dec. 1, Reason: Cockroach infestation, Reopened: Dec. 1
  • Harbor Pizza, 13917 Harbor Blvd., Garden Grove, Closed: Dec. 1, Reason: Cockroach infestation
  • Food sales at Five Below, 586 N. Euclid St., Anaheim, Closed: Nov. 30, Reason: Rodent infestation, Reopened: Nov. 8
  • Brewberry Cafe, 1198 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim, Closed: Nov. 30, Reason: Rodent infestation
  • Char-O-Chicken, 333 Main St., Seal Beach, Closed: Nov. 29, Reason: Cockroach infestation, Reopened: Nov. 30

An inmate at Theo Lacy died of a suspected suicide

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Domestic Violence, OC Sheriff, Orange County Leave a comment

SANTA ANA, Ca. (December 3, 2021) – On Thursday, December 2, 2021, an inmate housed at the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange died of a suspected suicide.

The inmate was booked into jail on November 30, 2021 on a domestic violence related charge.

Yesterday afternoon, he was found unresponsive in his cell. Deputies and corrections medical staff attempted life-saving measures. The inmate was pronounced deceased by paramedics at the Theo Lacy Facility at approximately 4:15 p.m. Preliminarily, there are no suspicious circumstances.

The decedent was identified as Roddy Giacomini Jr., 44, of San Juan Capistrano.

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.

A janitor allegedly took pictures of women using a restroom at an O.C. Courthouse

Posted on by Posted in Cochino Alert, Crime, OC Sheriff, Orange, Orange County Leave a comment

Three female lawyers are alleging that a janitor at the Orange County Courthouse took pictures of them while they were in the restroom.

Unbelievably the allegations date back to the end of October and the OC Sheriff and the OCDA have yet to identify or charge the suspect.

The incidents happened in the Lamoreaux Justice Courthouse, which is located in Orange, CA. The facility handles Juvenile, Family Law and Domestic Violence. Also housed at this facility is a Self-Help Center, Family Court Services and the Office of the Family Law Facilitator.

One of the victims said that sheriff’s deputies who showed her the disturbing images of her in the bathroom.

The janitor has not been seen in the courthouse since early November, but the victims want to know who else he might have targeted and whether or not he uploaded to the internet.

The victims also want to be sure all of the janitor’s electronics are searched, according to CBS News.

The Orange Police are searching for an arsonist who damaged a vehicle

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Fires, Orange Leave a comment

On December 1, at 11:00 p.m., an unknown male poured a flammable liquid onto two vehicles parked in the victim’s driveway and then ignited it. The fire burnt itself out quickly but still caused minor damage to the victim’s vehicle.

The suspect fled in the SUV.

This incident occurred in the area of Esplanade and La Veta.

An Orange City Fire arson investigator responded to assist in the investigation.

Click here to watch a video of the arsonist in action.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call Detective Ray at 714-744-7316.

$5M reward offered for a Mexican drug dealer nicknamed Pelon

Posted on by Posted in Drugs, Federal Government, Mexico Leave a comment

A federal court in the District of Columbia unsealed an indictment earlier this year against Juan Carlos Valencia Gonzalez, aka Pelon, Tricky Tres, O3, El 3, JP, and Pelacas. Yesterday, the U.S. Department of State announced a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest and conviction.

A grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment against Juan Carlos Valencia Gonzalez on Oct. 8, 2020. According to court documents, beginning in as early as 2007, Valencia Gonzalez conspired with others to import more than five kilograms of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine into the United States from a foreign country. Court documents further allege that Valencia Gonzalez carried, used, and possessed a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.

“The United States is committed to working with our global partners to pursue large scale drug trafficking organizations,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These organizations target and damage our communities, and U.S. law enforcement will target those individuals responsible for the proliferation of dangerous drugs here at home, no matter where they reside.”

“CJNG is one of Mexico’s most violent and prolific drug trafficking organizations, which has been flooding the United States with fentanyl and methamphetamine, causing the overdose and death of countless Americans,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “Today’s reward announcement underscores the U.S. government’s commitment to pursuing the individuals and organizations that are causing the most harm in our communities.”

This case is part of “Operation Pinky and the Brain,” which was supported by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The DEA’s Los Angeles Field Division is investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich, Kate Naseef, and Kaitlin Sahni of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.

The allegations of a criminal indictment are merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

OCDA challenger Hardin pledges to reopen the Mater Dei hazing case if he is elected

Posted on by Posted in Crime, OCDA, Pete Hardin, Santa Ana Leave a comment

SANTA ANA–Today, Former Marine Judge Advocate and candidate for District Attorney, Pete Hardin, called for additional investigation into battery, hazing and child endangerment charges and pledged to reopen the Mater Dei High School case if elected.

“The public is rightly concerned with DA Spitzer’s decision to reject police recommendations to file felony charges, and to do so without requesting further investigation,” said former Marine Judge Advocate Pete Hardin. “For a physical altercation to be considered ‘mutual combat,’ the combatants must have both participated willingly. Yet just one party escalated the altercation far beyond the ridiculous game, ‘bodies,’ causing broken facial bones and a traumatic brain injury–and only one party continued to batter the other as they stood still with blood streaming down their face. The DA’s decision not to charge the crime of hazing without any explanation also comes as a shock.

“Equally concerning to me as a parent is the lack of any investigation into Coach Bruce Rollinson for child endangerment. Rollinson admitted to being fully aware of the ongoing, violent, ritual hazing, and yet allowed it to continue. That puts every kid on this team in danger. As a parent there’s no chance I would let my son participate in a football program when the coaching staff willingly subjects the young men under their care to such an unreasonable risk of harm.

“The DA should immediately request further investigation. If he fails to do so, and if elected in June, I will review this matter to determine if charges are appropriate. Baffling decisions like these issued with virtually no explanation contribute to the crisis of faith and trust in our criminal justice and policing systems. DA Spitzer has turned the DA’s office into a black box, and that undermines effective democratic governance. We need transparency from our leaders and our public institutions.”

Woman arrested in Costa Mesa for stealing high-end retail merchandise worth over $300K

Posted on by Posted in Costa Mesa, Crime 3 Comments

Ekatarina Zharkova, a 38-year-old, was arrested in the Orange County city of Costa Mesa and she was charged with stealing well over $300,000 worth of high-end merchandise from stores in Southern California, according to a CHP task force.

When the CHP investigators searched Zharkova’s home they found bags and clothing from brands including Gucci, Prada and Jimmy Choo packed wall to wall in every room.

Zharkova was taken down by the CHP’s Retail Crime Task Force.

Zharkova worked alone. She used tools to avoid theft-detection equipment. However CHP investigators were able to directly observe her stealing from the stores, on several occasions.

In one instance she walked into a Nordstrom Rack store and proceeded to fill a shopping cart with high-end retail items. To escape the store she placed a coat over the shopping cart to cover up the goods and then used a device to defeat the sensors so she could remove them before leaving the store with over $3,500 worth of stolen merchandise.

That was her last hurrah as she was arrested when she got to her car.

When the CHP task force got a search warrant so they could check out her home they proceeded to find 2,333 stolen items worth nearly $330,000.

Many of the items still had store tags in place and several had disabled security sensors on them.

Zharkova was able to make money by selling the items online.

She was booked into the O.C. Jail on suspicion of grand theft but already got out on bail.

The CHP is continuing its investigation and they say that industry representatives have helped to inventory all of the stolen goods.

The OC Health Care Agency urges vaccination, testing and prevention in response to emergence of new Omicron variant

Posted on by Posted in Disease, Health and Medical, OC Health Care, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

(Santa Ana, CA) – On November 26, the World Health Organization declared a new COVID-19 strain, B.1.1.529, as a variant of concern (VOC) named Omicron based on early evidence that it has several mutations that can impact how it is transmitted.

Generally, if a variant is thought to be more contagious or likely to cause greater illness or severe disease, or may impact treatment or vaccine response, then it is considered a VOC. More is still being learned about how the Omicron variant spreads, infects people, and responds to vaccines. It is currently unknown if Omicron causes more severe COVID-19 illness than other variants or how it might impact response to treatment.

“Although we are still learning about this new variant, it’s important to understand that new versions of the virus will continue to emerge as long as there are large proportions of people who are unvaccinated,” says Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, Deputy County Health Officer. “Please know that vaccination remains the most effective way to reduce everyone’s risk of getting sick, being hospitalized or dying from COVID-19. Over 90% of people who are hospitalized due to COVID continue to be those who are unvaccinated. With vaccines widely available throughout Orange County, we strongly encourage you to complete your recommended shots if you are not fully vaccinated or are eligible to receive a booster dose.”

Residents who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or are eligible for their booster dose are encouraged to access the most convenient option available to them to get their shot, including pediatricians’ offices, local retail pharmacies, healthcare providers, or online at Vaccines.gov, MyTurn.ca.gov, or Othena.com. For more information on where to go for a vaccine, visit COVIDVaccineFacts.com and click on “Find a COVID-19 Vaccine”.

“In light of the Omicron variant being detected in multiple countries internationally over the last several days including Canada and perhaps inevitably here in the U.S., I wanted to remind our residents and visitors to adhere to guidelines for domestic and international travel from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” said Dr. Clayton Chau, OC Health Care Agency Director and County Health Officer.

For individuals who are fully vaccinated:

You can travel safely within the U.S. without being required to test or quarantine
If you are traveling internationally, check your destination’s COVID-19 situation and travel requirements before traveling, as countries may have their own entry and exit requirements. You are also required to show proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test result taken no more than 3 days before traveling back to the U.S. from a foreign country. After returning to the U.S., get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel and self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms
For individuals who are not fully vaccinated:

Please delay travel until you are fully vaccinated
If you must travel, get tested with a viral test 1-3 days before travel and 3-5 days after travel, and stay home and self-quarantine for 7 full days after travel, even if you test negative (10 days if you don’t get tested). International travelers must also provide a negative COVID-19 test result taken no more than 1 day before traveling back to the U.S. from a foreign country
Testing continues to be a critical component of the County’s strategy to reduce viral transmission. Self-collection, at-home COVID-19 test kits are available by visiting ochealthinfo.com/covidtest. These tests are available at no cost, may be used conveniently at home, and comes with a prepaid shipping return label. Regardless of vaccination status, those experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or who may have been exposed to COVID-19 due to gathering or traveling over the holidays are strongly encouraged to seek testing to support early detection, prevent the spread of possible variants, and protect loved ones.

Wearing masks in indoor public places is also highly encouraged to slow the spread of COVID-19 variants and is required for people who are not fully vaccinated. Regardless of vaccination status, everyone must wear a mask over the nose and mouth at all times on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and while indoors at U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations.

“Despite the emergence of the Omicron variant, there is still much we can do now to reduce the possibility of another surge in COVID-19 infections,” says Dr. Chinsio-Kwong. “Vaccination, testing and prevention are all important ways for us to fight a potential surge and the spread of new variants.”

Status of COVID-19 Cases in Orange County

Between November 24 and November 30, the seven-day average COVID-19 case rate dropped from 7.5 to 6.3 per 100,000 people and the average number of daily COVID-19 cases decreased from 242 to 204. The positivity rate also declined from 2.7 to 2.3 percent, hospitalizations increased slightly from 188 to 196, and ICU admissions increased slightly from 49 to 52 per day.

For more information on COVID-19 information and resources, including case counts, vaccination and testing in Orange County, visit ochealthinfo.com/covid.

La Agencia del Cuidado de la Salud de OC Urge a la Vacunación, Pruebas y Prevención en Respuesta a la Emergencia de la Nueva Variante Omicron

(Santa Ana, CA) – El 26 de noviembre, la Organización Mundial de la Salud declaró una nueva cepa de COVID-19, B.1.1.529, como variante preocupante (VOC por sus siglas en inglés) denominada Omicron, basándose en las primeras pruebas de que tiene varias mutaciones que pueden afectar a la forma en que se transmite.

Por lo general, si se cree que una variante es más contagiosa o que puede causar una enfermedad más grave, o que puede afectar al tratamiento o a la respuesta a la vacuna, se considera una VOC (variante preocupante). Todavía se está aprendiendo más sobre cómo se propaga la variante Omicron, cómo infecta a las personas y cómo responde a las vacunas. Actualmente se desconoce si Omicron causa una enfermedad más grave por el COVID-19 que otras variantes o cómo podría afectar a la respuesta al tratamiento.

“Aunque todavía estamos aprendiendo sobre esta nueva variante, es importante entender que seguirán apareciendo nuevas versiones del virus mientras haya grandes porcentajes de personas no vacunadas”, dice la Dra. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, Funcionaria Adjunta de Salud del Condado. “Sepan que la vacunación sigue siendo la forma más eficaz de reducir el riesgo de que todos enfermen, sean hospitalizados o mueran a causa del COVID-19. Más del 90% de las personas que son hospitalizadas debido al COVID siguen siendo aquellas que no están vacunadas. Con las vacunas ampliamente disponibles en todo el Condado de Orange, le alentamos encarecidamente a completar sus vacunas recomendadas si no está completamente vacunado o es apto para recibir una dosis de refuerzo”.

Se alienta a los residentes que no están completamente vacunados contra el COVID-19 o que son elegibles para su dosis de refuerzo a que accedan a la opción más conveniente disponible para ellos para obtener su vacuna, incluyendo los consultorios de los pediatras, las farmacias minoristas locales, los proveedores de servicios de salud o en línea en Vaccines.gov, MyTurn.ca.gov, u Othena.com. Para obtener más información sobre dónde ir a vacunarse, visite COVIDVaccineFacts.com y haga clic en “Find a COVID-19 Vaccine”.

“En vista de que la variante Omicron se ha detectado en múltiples países a nivel internacional en los últimos días, incluyendo Canadá y tal vez inevitablemente aquí en los EE.UU., quiero recordar a nuestros residentes y visitantes que se adhieran a las normas para los viajes nacionales e internacionales de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades “, dijo el Dr. Clayton Chau, Director de la Agencia del Cuidado de la Salud OC y Funcionario de Salud del Condado.

Para los individuos que están completamente vacunados:

Puede viajar con seguridad dentro de los Estados Unidos sin que se le exija la prueba o la cuarentena
Si viaja al extranjero, compruebe la situación de COVID-19 de su destino y los requisitos de viaje antes de viajar, ya que los países pueden tener sus propios requisitos de entrada y salida. También se requiere que muestre una prueba de vacunación y un resultado negativo de la prueba de COVID-19 tomada no más de 3 días antes de viajar a los EE.UU. desde un país extranjero. Después de regresar a los EE.UU., hágase una prueba viral 3-5 días después del viaje y vigile los síntomas de COVID-19
Para las personas que no están totalmente vacunadas:

Posponga el viaje hasta que esté completamente vacunado
Si tiene que viajar, hágase una prueba viral de 1 a 3 días antes del viaje y de 3 a 5 días después del viaje, y quédese en casa y manténgase en cuarentena durante 7 días completos después del viaje, incluso si el resultado es negativo (10 días si no se hace la prueba). Los viajeros internacionales también deben presentar un resultado negativo de la prueba de COVID-19 tomada como máximo 1 día antes de viajar a los EE.UU. desde un país extranjero
Las pruebas continúan siendo un componente crítico de la estrategia del Condado para reducir la transmisión viral. Los kits de prueba de COVID-19 de auto-recolección en casa están disponibles visitando ochealthinfo.com/covidtest. Estas pruebas están disponibles sin costo alguno, pueden ser utilizadas convenientemente en casa, y vienen con una etiqueta de devolución de envío prepagada. Independientemente del estatus de vacunación, se alienta encarecidamente a las personas que experimentan síntomas de COVID-19 o que pueden haber estado expuestas al COVID-19 debido a reuniones o viajes durante las fiestas a que se hagan las pruebas para apoyar la detección temprana, prevenir la propagación de posibles variantes y proteger a sus seres queridos.

También se alienta encarecidamente el uso de mascarillas en lugares públicos cerrados para frenar la propagación de las variantes del COVID-19 y es obligatorio para las personas que no están totalmente vacunadas. Independientemente del estatus de vacunación, todo el mundo debe llevar una mascarilla sobre la nariz y la boca en todo momento en los aviones, autobuses, trenes y otros medios de transporte público en los que se viaje hacia, dentro o fuera de los Estados Unidos y mientras se esté en interiores en los centros de transporte estadounidenses, como aeropuertos y estaciones.

“A pesar de la aparición de la variante Omicron, todavía hay mucho que podemos hacer ahora para reducir la posibilidad de otro aumento de las infecciones por el COVID-19”, dice la Dra. Chinsio-Kwong. “La vacunación, las pruebas y la prevención son formas importantes de luchar contra un posible aumento y propagación de nuevas variantes”.

Estado de los casos de COVID-19 en el Condado de Orange

Entre el 24 y el 30 de noviembre, la tasa media de casos de COVID-19 en siete días bajó de 7.5 a 6.3 por cada 100,000 personas y el número medio de casos diarios de COVID-19 disminuyó de 242 a 204. La tasa de positividad también disminuyó del 2.7% al 2.3%, las hospitalizaciones aumentaron ligeramente de 188 a 196 y los ingresos en la UCI aumentaron ligeramente de 49 a 52 por día.

Para obtener más información sobre el COVID-19 y los recursos, incluidos los recuentos de casos, la vacunación y las pruebas en el Condado de Orange, visite ochealthinfo.com/covid.

The OCDA says the recent violent hazing incident at Mater Dei was not a crime

Posted on by Posted in Education, OCDA, Sports, Todd Spitzer Leave a comment

SANTA ANA, Calif. – Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer issued the following statement:

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office does not normally comment on investigations involving juveniles. However, the facts surrounding the situation that occurred in a Mater Dei High School boys’ locker room involving two teenage football players has been so erroneously reported by the media we have no choice but to correct the record and provide the accurate facts.

Neither player involved in this fight was made to participate against their will. Other players in the locker room were seen milling around, playing on their phones, and largely uninterested in the punches being thrown by two of their teammates. The participants knew they were being filmed and they started throwing punches. Some punches landed; others did not, but it is unequivocally clear that both participants attempted to land as many punches as possible.

There is not a single shred of evidence to show that this was anything other than a mutual combat situation with two willing participants who traded blow for blow, including repeated punches to each other’s heads.

That does not make it acceptable. But it is not a crime.

At no time did one of the players in the fight tell the other player to stop, even when the punches became head shots and attempted head shots. When another player said stop, both players stopped throwing punches.

Two boys on the Mater Dei football team engaged in behavior that betrays the values of youth sports. CIF, the governing body of high school sports in California, has the motto “Dedicated to developing student-athletes of character.”

What happened in the Mater Dei locker room on February 4, 2021 is nothing anyone should be proud of and it falls short of the kind of character any of us should wish for our children.

This incident has been thoroughly investigated by law enforcement and reviewed blow by blow by the most experienced prosecutors in my office to see if we could prove a crime beyond a reasonable doubt.

We cannot.

Schools must remain safe places for our children to thrive and learn – and to develop the character that we want to see in all of our children. Watching two children trade blow for blow in a locker room environment should be unsettling for everyone. It was for me.

And as the elected District Attorney of Orange County, I have and will continue to protect our children from harm. The safety of our children is all of our responsibility.

At this point, there is no evidence of hazing or any other crime that we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt.

As the Orange County District Attorney, I have and continue to be willing to review any and all information related to this incident and any incident involving potential hazing in our schools. Hazing in any form is unacceptable and if I can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that anyone – whether a player, a coach, or a school administrator – has engaged in or condoned hazing, I will hold them accountable.

A domestic violence suspect was arrested in Irvine after a 7 hour police standoff

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Domestic Violence, Irvine Leave a comment

An unidentified suspect involved the Irvine police in a standoff that lasted more than seven hours. He was finally arrested at about 2:30 a.m. this morning.

The suspect was apparently involved in a domestic violence incident and the Irvine Police believed him to be armed and dangerous.

He barricaded himself at his apartment, at the 1000 block of Elements Way, starting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night.

The Irvine Police were able to arrest him after they deployed a diversionary device.

The unfortunate residents in that area were evacuated for several hours and the police closed off the surrounding streets until this morning.

Will the suspect use the mental health defense popularized in Santa Ana by Mayor Vince Sarmiento and City Councilman Johnathan Ryan Hernandez?

A man was fatally shot early this morning in Santa Ana’s Cornerstone Village Neighborhood

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

On Thursday, December 2, 2021, at 2:48 a.m., Santa Ana Police officers responded to the 800 south block of Minnie Street regarding reports of a male shot.

Officers located an adult male unresponsive along the east sidewalk with apparent gunshot wounds to his upper torso.

Orange County Fire Authority arrived on scene and pronounced the subject deceased at 3:02 a.m. SAPD Homicide Detectives responded and assumed the investigation.

Detectives are attempting to identify and locate any witnesses who can shed light on this incident.

The incident occurred in a residential neighborhood that abuts a light industrial corridor on the eastern edge of the Cornerstone Village Neighborhood.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call SAPD Homicide Section Detectives at (714) 245-8390, or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS. This case is eligible for the Gang Reward Program.

55 street racing citations were issued during a recent O.C. enforcement operation

Posted on by Posted in Crime, SAPD, Street Racing Leave a comment

In response to the continuous problem of street racing, the SAPD along with Garden Grove Police Department, Irvine Police Department, CHP and Costa Mesa Police Department (members of STEARRD – Strategic Traffic Enforcement Against Racing & Reckless Driving) conducted a street racing enforcement operation on 11/19-11/20 that resulted in:

  • (55) Citations
  • (2) Impounds
  • (1) Felony Warrant Arrest
  • (1) Felony Evading Arrest

These activities have proven to be deadly and they pose a clear and present threat to public safety. The SAPD has a zero tolerance policy for reckless driving / street racing and have made this issue a top priority.

The SAPD seized a gun and ammo after a shooting at an apartment complex

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Santa Ana, SAPD 2 Comments

SAPD police officers responded over the weekend to a call regarding a person who had been shot. The victim was retrieving mail from his previous apartment complex when he was confronted by a known suspect.

The victim and suspect became involved in a verbal argument and the victim decided to drive away. As the victim drove away, the suspect fired two rounds striking the vehicle twice.

The suspect fled the scene before officers arrived.

A search of the suspects residence resulted in the recovery of a loaded ghost gun, ammunition and high capacity magazines.

Santa Ana man arrested for the fatal shooting of a man in Anaheim

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Orange, Santa Ana 5 Comments
Michael Tovar

On November 28, 2021, just after midnight, Orange Police Department officers responded to the 2000 block of East Fairway Drive after receiving calls about a disturbance.

Upon their arrival they located a male adult lying on the sidewalk suffering from a single gunshot wound. The victim, later identified as 39-year-old Michael Tovar from Anaheim, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

On November 28, at 4:00 p.m., detectives from the Orange Police Department arrested 21-year-old Joseph Andrew Ruelas from Santa Ana for the murder.

Ruelas was booked at Orange County Jail. This investigation is on going and anyone with information is encouraged to call Detective Matt Moss at 714-744-7455.

Last week’s Santa Ana windstorm generated over 200 service calls to Public Works

Posted on by Posted in Public Works, Santa Ana, Weather Leave a comment

During Thanksgiving week, Santa Ana experienced Santa Ana Winds with speeds in the range of 25 to 35 mph and with gusts exceeding 60 mph.

The City’s Public Works Maintenance Services Division Team received over 200 calls for tree services, including 12 fallen trees, over 60 tree limbs down, and tree brush citywide. The Public Works Agency staff is working quickly and through the evenings to respond to the large number of service calls to ensure the streets and sidewalks are safe, accessible and clean. The core areas of the wind impacts were located in the central and eastern part of the city.

Tree limbs and debris are being cut and stacked on parkways to service priority calls such as cars or structural damages and street blockage more rapidly. City staff will follow up with removal once all major hazards are addressed. Even with the quick service response, it is estimated that it will take up to two weeks to remove all debris throughout the City. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for patience.

To report downed trees and debris:

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