It took OCFA firefighters nine minutes to knock down a fully-involved garage fire in the 1300 block of S Cedar St. in the City of Santa Ana this evening.
The firefighters were able to prevent the spread into the house. Crews searched the home and ensured everyone was out. No injuries reported. The cause is under investigation.
The fire occurred in the Madison Park Neighborhood, near Madison Elementary.
Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) Civilian Investigator assigned to Special Investigations, as well as a member of the Internet Crimes against Children Task Force (ICAC), received a cyber-tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), revealing hundreds of videos and images of child abuse and sexual material uploaded to different online accounts. The investigation revealed Santa Ana resident Joseph Martinez, 33, was storing and trading the uploaded images and videos with other users across several online platforms.
The SAPD Investigator subsequently identified Martinez after executing multiple (9) online search warrants and located Martinez’s residence.
On April 13, 2021, the SAPD Investigator and Detectives from the Special Crimes Section executed one final search warrant at Martinez’s residence in the City of Santa Ana. Detectives seized multiple electronic devices during the search warrant that are currently being examined for additional content.
Martinez was arrested and charged with 3 counts of : Distribution of child pornography – 311.1(a) PC, Possession and control of child pornography – 311.11(a) PC, Distributing obscene matter to a minor – 311.2(d) PC, and Bringing obscene material into California – 311.11 (c)(1) PC.
The SAPD is proud to be a partner in the Los Angeles Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce – a task force dedicated to the investigation and prosecution of persons involved in child abuse and exploitation involving the internet https://www.icactaskforce.org/
The SAPD will accept your old, unused and expired medications on April 24, 2021, which is National Take Back Day, at the Westend Substation located at 3750 W. McFadden Ave., Suite I, in Santa Ana, from 10am – 2pm.
You can turn in your old medications for free, anonymously, with no questions asked!
The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.7 million people misused prescription pain relievers, 4.9 million people misused prescription stimulants, and 5.9 million people misused prescription tranquilizers or sedatives in 2019. The survey also showed that a majority of misused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.
If you can’t make it on April 24, the SAPD has also partnered with KidCents and The Rite Aid Foundation to bring a Safe Medication Disposal Box to be located in their front lobby at the SAPD HQ.
This month’s segment of For the Record involves Ruby Rubio. On Thursday, July 3, 2014, Ruby and her younger sister were walking in the area of 1000 W. Warner Avenue. A suspect approached them on foot and asked for the time. As Ruby looked at her cell phone, the suspect grabbed it and took off running.
Ruby and her younger sister gave chase and saw the suspect get into the passenger seat of a gray or silver Pontiac Grand Am vehicle that was waiting. Ruby was able to catch up to the suspect vehicle and jumped on the trunk of the car. The suspects then drove off with Ruby holding on to the antenna. The driver swerved back and forth to shake Ruby from the vehicle, she subsequently fell and sustained a significant head injury.
Ruby was transported to a local trauma center where she ultimately succumbed to her injuries on July 5, 2014. A witness described the suspect as being 5 foot -8 to 5 foot -10 inches tall, with a medium build, and was last seen wearing a white tank top and light jeans.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Homicide Detective Gibbons at (714) 245-8390. We encourage anyone with information to come forward and help bring closure to Ruby Rubio’s family and friends.
On Friday, July 17th, 2020 at approximately 9:25 PM, the Santa Ana Police Department received several calls of a male down in the roadway at the intersection of Harbor Blvd and McFadden Ave. Officers responded to the area and found a male down in the roadway suffering major injuries. Orange County Fire Authority personnel responded and began to treat the male before pronouncing him deceased at the scene.
The preliminary investigation has revealed the male was standing on the center median of McFadden Ave when he was struck by a vehicle headed west. The vehicle involved fled from the scene prior to the officers’ arrival. It remains outstanding and it, along with the driver, remain unidentified. It is unknown if alcohol is to have played a role in this collision.
Possible Vehicle Description: White 2014 or newer Toyota Highlander. The vehicle will likely have damage to the front driver side of the bumper and undercarriage.
Anyone with information on the identity/whereabouts of the suspect/vehicle is asked to contact Corporal Quinones at NQuinones@santa-ana.org or (714) 245-8701.
SANTA ANA, Calif. – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office continuing efforts to clear a 30-year countywide backlog of untested sexual assault kits has resulted in another cold case conviction, providing justice for a man and woman who were kidnapped at gunpoint 28 years ago by a man claiming to be a police officer.
In recent years, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office has been working to address the issues of unsubmitted sexual assault kits from various law enforcement agencies throughout Orange County. Using a $1.86 million grant from the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (“SAKI”), the District Attorney’s Office created Orange County Sexual Assault Forensic Endeavor “OC SAFE” to inventory thousands of sexual assault kits to identify which kits have yet to be tested.
Out of the 6,350 Orange County sexual assault kits inventoried through the OC SAFE program, 3,704 sexual assault kits were identified as being previously untested. Each of those cases were subsequently reviewed and a total of 1,692 were determined to be eligible to be tested by the Orange County Crime Lab.
One of the previously untested sexual assault kits that was identified as a result of the SAKI Grant was sent to the Orange County Crime Lab, resulting in the identification of a man suspected in a 1993 kidnapping, rape and robbery.
On the evening of April 4, 1993, Jane Doe and John Doe went on a date. Following their date, they parked on the street in front of Jane Doe’s home in Stanton and sat in the car talking. In the early morning hours, a man walked up to the vehicle where they were sitting and falsely identified himself as a police officer. He told them he was investigating prostitution in the area. While holding a gun, the man got into John Doe’s vehicle and he told John Doe to drive to a different location of Stanton where he proceeded to order John Doe out of the vehicle and then sexually assaulted Jane Doe.
Following the sexual assault, the Defendant ordered John Doe back into the vehicle and the man proceeded to drive John Doe’s vehicle with Jane and John Doe still in the vehicle for several hours. During this time, the man demanded the wallets of Jane and John Doe, taking their credit cards, cash, and their driver’s licenses. He told the couple knew their addresses from the licenses, and he would kill them if they reported him. Eventually, he dropped John and Jane Doe off in Cypress on the side of the road and took John Doe’s car. Jane and John Doe flagged down a Cypress patrol officer and reported what had happened. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department investigated this case and Jane Doe was taken for a sexual assault examination.
As part of the Orange County District Attorney’s project “OC SAFE,” the Orange County District Attorney’s Office reviewed the case of Jane and John Doe in 2019. Following that review, OCDA submitted Jane Doe’s sexual assault kit for testing by the Orange County Crime Laboratory. Following that testing, the foreign DNA from Jane Doe’s sexual assault kit was uploaded into a national DNA database. In November of 2019, the OCDA was notified that a DNA comparison had identified a known suspect, Michael Ray Armijo, as the contributor of the foreign DNA from Jane Doe’s sexual assault kit.
Based upon the DNA identification, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office filed criminal charges against Michael Ray Armijo. On February 18. 2021, a jury convicted Armijo of two felony counts of kidnap to commit robbery and enhancements for personal use of a firearm. The rape could not be charged because the statute of limitations had expired, but prosecutors fought for the maximum sentence, arguing the rape was an aggravating factor because it added violence and threat of additional violence prior to the robbery. Armijo was sentenced last month to the maximum sentence of 24 years to life in state prison.
“Clearing the backlog of sexual assault kits has long been a priority of mine since I was a County supervisor,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “Every one of these untested sexual assault kits represents a victim who deserves justice and we are doing everything in our power to test every last kit that is capable of being tested. We will never stop fighting for justice for these victims.”
For detailed information on sexual assault kit testing eligibility and current OC SAFE data, please visit: http://www.occl.ocgov.com/OCSAFE/
This project was supported by Grant No. 2016-AK-BX-K003 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the SMART Office. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.
(Santa Ana, CA) – Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending a pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine out of an abundance of caution. This recommendation comes after six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe blood clot type in individuals after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. This pause will be in place until the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) completes a review of the reported cases.
In alignment with the CDC’s recommendation and with safety as our top priority, the County of Orange has removed the Johnson & Johnson vaccine from all its vaccination Point of Distribution (POD) sites until further notice from the CDC. The County’s vaccination PODs will continue to dispense the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines to individuals with appointments.
Link to CDC Media Release: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s0413-JJ-vaccine.html
How many Johnson & Johnson vaccines has the County dispensed at its sites?
The OC Health Care Agency dispensed approximately 27,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine between the week of March 8 and April 12, 2021.
How rare is this side effect?
As of April 12, more than 6.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine have been administered in the U.S. The CDC and FDA are reviewing data involving six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. There are reports that six women between the ages of 18 and 48 developed unusual types of blood clots 6 to 13 days after receiving the vaccine.
I received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. What should I do?
People who received the vaccine in the last three weeks should look for any symptoms of these unusual clots, including severe headaches, abdominal or leg pain, and shortness of breath, and contact their medical provider if symptoms develop. People who don’t have a medical provider can call 2-1-1 to connect with a healthcare provider.
Are you unable to pay rent due to COVID-19? Santa Ana tenants can apply for up to $5,500 in emergency rental relief through the City of Santa Ana.
Join us on Wednesday, April 14, 2021, at 7 p.m. for a Zoom meeting where you can ask questions about the program. Spanish and Vietnamese interpreters will be available.
Join on Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89866232311?pwd=S09uaXJHcGRtNjNSY1J2SEZHUi93QT09
Meeting ID: 898 6623 2311
Passcode: 739474
Learn more about the rental relief program here: www.santa-ana.org/cares-for-tenants
For families facing eviction, please go to www.santa-ana.org/SAVES to learn more about the SAVES Program and submit a pre-application. Families at risk of eviction can also call 2-1-1 or go to santaana.211oc.org to start the application process today.
Landlords who have experienced a loss of income because of unpaid rent can apply now to get financial assistance for tenants through the California COVID-19 Rent Relief program. Landlords can get reimbursed for 80% of past due rent accrued between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021, if they agree to waive the remaining 20% of unpaid rent. Landlords can verify their eligibility and apply immediately on behalf of their tenants by visiting https://housing.ca.gov/ or by calling 833-430-2122 for more information.
Reunión virtual sobre ayuda de renta
Spanish/español: https://bit.ly/3g5YLhk
Cuộc họp hỏi đáp ảo về cứu trợ tiền thuê khẩn cấp
Vietnamese/Tiếng Việt: https://bit.ly/3dejT3d
Orange County Supervisors Andrew Do and Don Wagner issued a joint statement opposing government-issued vaccine passports.
Each Supervisor holds that vaccinations should never be required to access government services and government must never discriminate against its citizens.
Supervisor Do said “This is America. Under no circumstances would or should we ever need a passport to live and get services within our community.”
Supervisor Wagner said “The science has not justified the indiscriminate lockdowns from the state. I also see no justification for a vaccine passport. It is no business of the government telling free citizens where they may travel and government must never discriminate against its citizens because of their vaccine status.”
Both Supervisors Do and Wagner would support the County in certifying an individual’s vaccine status if those adults got the vaccine through the County and only if the individual requests verification to keep their medical records updated.
Supervisor Do proudly serves the First District, which includes Santa Ana. Supervisor Wagner serves in the Third District, which includes Irvine.
The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), in coordination with Metrolink, will upgrade safety features at six stations in Orange County. Improvements will include removal and replacement of yellow detectable warning tiles and other directional tiles, as well as restriping of station platforms. Six stations will receive these upgrades: Santa Ana, Buena Park, Fullerton, Orange, Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo, and San Clemente.
The construction work is expected to begin this week on Platform 2 at the Santa Train Station. Activities will begin as early as Wednesday, April 14, 2021 and continue for up to three weeks.
Construction is set for 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. During the construction, the following can be expected:
Note: Dates and times may change due to unforeseen operational factors or inclement weather.
For any questions about the Detectable Tile Replacement, please contact StationImprovements@octa.net or (800) 724-0353.
Construcción en la estación de tren de Santa Ana
Spanish/español: https://bit.ly/3scfAd0
Xây dựng tại ga tàu Santa Ana
Vietnamese/Tiếng Việt: https://bit.ly/3g5g824
The Santa Ana Literary Association will be presenting a new poem by a local poet every week this year. This week’s poem is “This is a Rare Moment” by Stephen Anderson.
This is a Rare Moment
By Stephen Anderson
To Reflect Upon
To Reimage Society
To Reevaluate Values
To Realize our Role
To Reduce our Greed
Speed
Need
Seed
To Relax
To Rethink
To Reform
To Resist
This is a Reset
This is not a Test
Stephen Anderson was born and raised in Southern California and has been creating artwork professionally since graduating from Cal State University Long Beach with a B.F.A. in Drawing & Painting / Intermedia. He was the Executive Director for the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art (OCCCA) for eight years and is the Exhibition & Education Coordinator at the OC Fair & Event Center. Anderson has received numerous accolades for his art and has been in several publications, and he has shown extensively across the United States and overseas. He also organized and co-founded the Santa Ana Noise Fest and Soundwave Festival music events.
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 March 31 to April 9. Most of these eateries reopen pretty quickly after the health inspectors determine their issues have been resolved.
SANTA ANA, Calif. – The first of three inmates charged with carrying out an elaborate escape from the Orange County Men’s Central Jail along with two other inmates in 2016 has been convicted of the escape and kidnapping of a 72-year-old cab driver to help aid in the escape. The three escaped inmates were the targets of a statewide manhunt that lasted more than a week.
Bac Tien Duong, 48, was convicted by a jury of one felony count of escape by a prisoner and one felony count of kidnapping. The jury failed to reach a verdict on one felony count of taking of a vehicle.
He faces a maximum sentence of eight years and eight months in state prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 14, 2021.
On January 22, 2016, Duong is accused of escaping from the Orange County Men’s Central Jail along with inmates Hossein Nayeri and Jonathan Tieu after spending several weeks cutting through jail vents in order to access the jail’s plumbing tunnels and climb up on the jail’s roof.
Duong and the other two inmates are accused of using jail sheets to rappel down the side of the jail. Later that day, Duong called an unlicensed taxi service he located in a Vietnamese-language periodical, and 72-year-old Long Ma arrived to drive the three escapees to various points in Orange County and Rosemead. At various points, Duong held the cab driver at gunpoint.
Over the next few days, the three escapees and the abducted cab driver drove to various locations around California, ending up in San Jose.
On January 29, 2016, Duong drove with Ma back to Southern California. Duong arranged to turn himself in at a Santa Ana auto shop and after dropping Duong off at the auto shop, Ma drove away.
Nayeri and Tieu were captured in San Francisco the next day after a man recognized the two escapees from media reports. Then -Orange County Supervisor Todd Spitzer presented Matthew Hay-Chapman with a $100,000 reward for providing the information that led to the capture of Nayeri and Tieu.
When he escaped, Duong was facing charges for attempted murder with a 25-life gun-use enhancement, assault with a firearm, first-degree burglary, and discharging a firearm at an inhabited dwelling. His trial is still pending on those charges.
Nayeri was sentenced in October to two consecutive terms of life without the possibility of parole along with another seven years to life for kidnapping and torturing a marijuana dispensary owner. After the commission of those crimes in October of 2012, Nayeri fled to the country of Iran, before traveling to the Czech Republic where he was arrested and extradited to the United States.
Nayeri and Tieu are still awaiting trial on the jail escape.
Deputy District Attorney Jake Jondle of Special Prosecutions is prosecuting this case.
Santa Ana residents ages 16 and older who live in the 92701 and 92703 ZIP codes can get the COVID-19 vaccine now. These ZIP codes were identified by the State as the most vulnerable to the virus.
The vaccine is also being given to the following groups throughout Orange County:
Starting April 15, anyone age 16 or older can get the vaccine.
Learn more: www.santa-ana.org/vaccine
Obtenga la Vacuna Contra el COVID-19
Spanish/español: https://bit.ly/3wFKE8p
Nhận vắc xin COVID-19
Vietnamese/Tiếng Việt: https://bit.ly/3uDO7T7
A full closure of Fairview Street, between 5th Street and Civic Center Drive, will be in place during the day and night on the following dates:
Detour routes will be in place, please follow detour signage and plan for possible delays. Please note construction schedules are subject to change.
Access to businesses will be maintained.
For any questions about the OC Streetcar project, please contact OCstreetcar@octa.net or (844) 746-6272.
Cierre total de Fairview Street
Spanish/español: https://bit.ly/3t4G0yH
Đóng cửa Toàn bộ Phố Fairview
Vietnamese/Tiếng Việt: https://bit.ly/2OAI6r2