New Santa Ana | Category Archives: Tustin

Two were partially ejected from a car after a high speed collision in Tustin last night

Posted on December 29, 2021 by Editor Posted in Accidents, Fires, OCFA, Tustin Leave a comment

OCFA firefighters responded to the area of Tustin Ranch Road and Pioneer Way for a traffic collision at 11:16 pm last night.

On arrival, the fire crew found a single vehicle that appeared to have been traveling at a high rate of speed and lost control.

The car collided with a large tree that was thrown 20-30 feet away from the point of impact, and split the car.

The driver and passenger were at least partially ejected and the car caught fire.

Both occupants were treated by firefighter paramedics and transported to the hospital.

The accident happened a block south of OCFA Fire Station #43 just west of the OCFA headquarters in Tustin.

Free pet food for the needy at the OC Animal Care Pet Pantry this Saturday

Posted on November 11, 2021 by Editor Posted in Food, OC Animal Care, Pets, Tustin Leave a comment

O.C. Animal Care is hosting their monthly Pet Food Pantry event this Saturday, November 13th. All pet owners in the community in need of pet food are welcome! The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the OC Animal Care facility located at 1630 Victory Road in Tustin.

In honor of #WishListWednesday, we wanted to thank everyone who has donated already! With your generosity, we are looking forward to helping many pets in our community. Still interested in donating? It’s not too late! Thanks to fast shipping, our Amazon Wishlist is a great and easy way to donate! Our Amazon Wishlist can be found at: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/DN5E6IRSH7SD.

If you prefer to drop off in person, we have a donation bin located outside our main entrance at 1630 Victory Rd. Tustin, CA 92782 for easy, contactless drop-off.

O.C. job seekers are getting scammed out of their vehicles!

Posted on November 11, 2021 by Editor Posted in automobiles, Crime, Fraud, Orange County, Tustin Leave a comment

The Tustin Police Department has posted a warning about a new scam that is happening in Orange County.

Apparently job seekers are looking for jobs on social media and in some cases are being told to use their personal vehicles to pick up or transport currency or even illegal contraband in exchange for $4,000 to $8,000 dollars. Sounds too good to be true? Of course! It is actually a huge scam.

What ends up happening is the victims are told to show up, in their vehicles, at a disclosed location. They are then instructed to hand over the vehicle so they can take it to another location to be loaded. If you hesitate at that point be aware that the suspects have been known to resort to taking the vehicles by force or fear if you refuse.

The vehicles are then driven away and are never returned. They are ultimately stolen!

If you actually do need a job we suggest you contact the Santa Ana Work Center instead. You may call them at (714) 565-2600.

Free Thanksgiving Day unity event to take place in Tustin

Posted on November 5, 2021 by Editor Posted in Charities, Food, Tustin Leave a comment

Operation Warm Wishes Presents: The 14th Annual Thanksgiving Unity In The Community Spectacular!!!!

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, preparations are in place for Operation Warm Wishes “14th Annual Unity in the Community Thanksgiving Spectacular.”
The free yearly event which runs from 11 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day at Peppertree Park at 230 West First St. in Tustin is expected to draw participants and volunteers from across Southern California.

The event features a FREE 3-course Thanksgiving dinner, with all the trimmings, for all members of the community. Once again, Operation Warm Wishes is taking the event to the next level.

Attendees will be able to enjoy an unlimited desserts & beverages, a spectacular kids craft area, live music, and a wide array of amenities including haircuts, clothing, food bags, doggy grooming, and much more!

TyRon Jackson, president and founder of the charity organization Operation Warm Wishes, said the Thanksgiving Spectacular event is something he looks forward to all year because of the joy it brings to people of all ages and backgrounds.

“Thanksgiving is a time to be with family, to remember the year that has passed and to be thankful for what we have been given,” Jackson said. “Thanksgiving is also a time to remember those less fortunate, the needy, the forgotten and the homeless.”

This year’s 14th Annual Thanksgiving Spectacular at Peppertree Park will be open to EVERYONE. No one will be turned away.

Operation Warm Wishes was founded on November 26, 2007 by community activist TyRon Jackson who has a passion for helping those in need and making a positive difference in our world.

For more information on this event, visit www.operationwarmwishes.com or contact TyRon directly.

Operation Warm Wishes is a 501(c)(3) organization.
Contact: TyRon Jackson, Founder and President
Phone: 714.363.6621
www.OperationWarmWishes.com

Get paid for your poop at a bio lab in Tustin

Posted on October 12, 2021 by Editor Posted in Disease, Health and Medical, Tustin Leave a comment

Are you broke? You might be out of money but there is a clinic in Tustin that will pay you $75 for something you normally flush away – your poop!

Seres Therapeutics is seeking a cure for C. diff , a debilitating intestinal disease. Seres is now ready to introduce the first FDA-approved microbiome therapeutic that could stop C. diff from recurring, after a decade of research and clinical trials.

Seres needs stool donations from hundreds of healthy people in order to market the new product.

C. difficile, also known as C. diff , is a bad bacteria that is sometimes contracted in hospitals when patients are taking a lot of anti-biotics, which can kill the stomach’s good bacteria.

The current standard of care for C. diff infection is antibiotics. However, antibiotic treatment alone is ineffective against dormant spore forms of C. diff, which can germinate and grow after antibiotics are completed, leading to a vicious cycle of recurrence. Repeated antibiotic exposure also depletes beneficial bacteria that inhibit C. diff, increasing the risk of recurrence.

The new Seres product, SER-109, is designed to break the cycle of recurrent C. diff infection by simultaneously acting on multiple disease-relevant pathways to address key facets of the disease.

You may qualify to participate if you meet the following criteria:

Are 18 years or older,
Have had a C. diff infection in the past,
Now experiencing 3 or more unformed bowel movements per day over two consecutive days (potential current C. diff infection), and
Have been told by your physician you may have to take antibiotics.

If you think you may qualify, contact Seres to learn more.

For information about Seres’ Good Nature program, call (844) 476-6748 or go to takeaseat.com.

Fatal car accident reported in Tustin

Posted on October 2, 2021 by Editor Posted in Accidents, Tustin Leave a comment

Around 4:15 a.m. on 09/29/21, Tustin police officers responded to a single-vehicle traffic collision in the area of Edinger Ave and Kensington Park Dr.

A vehicle had collided with a traffic light pole and the solo male driver was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information concerning the collision is urged to contact the Traffic Unit at 714-573-3219.

Anaheim transient arrested for allegedly stabbing a security guard to death

Posted on September 13, 2021 by Editor Posted in Anaheim, Crime, homeless, Tustin Leave a comment

ANAHEIM, Calif. (September 11, 2021) – Anaheim homicide detectives have arrested 24-year-old Andrew Isaiah Godinez, a transient from the Anaheim area, for the unprovoked stabbing death of Joseph Paul
Gomez, a 46-year-old Tustin resident.

On Friday, September 10, at 10:13 p.m. Anaheim police officers responded to a strip mall in the 1800 block of W. Lincoln Avenue after multiple callers reported that a man was being stabbed. Responding officers located Godinez leaving the scene and arrested him without incident.

Gomez, who was working at the location as a security guard, was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Detectives are seeking additional witnesses or people who may have had other contacts with Godinez. Anyone with information is asked to call the APD Homicide Detail at 714-321-3669.

Friends and family of Gomez are hosting a Kermes to raise funds for his funeral on Saturday, Sep. 18, 2021, at 5103 W. 7th St., in Santa Ana, starting at 9 a.m. Food will be available for sale including tamales, tacos dorados, menudo, nachos, ceviche, tinga, beer, soda, cookies and chips.

Tustin carjacker arrested in Santa Ana

Posted on August 19, 2021 by Editor Posted in Crime, Santa Ana, Tustin Leave a comment

On August 17, 2021 at approximately 11:02 pm, a Tustin Police officer observed a female adult lying in the roadway on Red Hill Ave. The female victim stated she had been carjacked by a male suspect holding a rifle. The suspect ordered the victim out of her vehicle and then fled the scene in the stolen car. The victim sustained minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment. ⁣
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Additional officers responded to assist and the victim’s vehicle was located in the driveway of a residence in the area of Red Hill Ave. and Bryan Ave. ⁣
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Tactical resources, and additional personnel from Irvine PD and Tustin PD, were utilized to assist with this incident. During the investigation, officers learned the suspect had fled the area. The suspect was located in Santa Ana and was taken into custody without incident. The incident concluded safely with no injuries to any officers, members of the public, or the suspect.⁣
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The suspect was arrested and booked into Orange County Jail for several violations including:⁣

• Carjacking⁣
• Robbery⁣
• Assault with a Deadly Weapon⁣
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The weapon used by the suspect was recovered and was found to be a rifle assembled with un-serialized parts, commonly referred to as a “ghost gun.” ⁣
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The suspect is identified as Nathan Mejia, a 21-year-old resident of Tustin. Mejia had been previously arrested for Penal Code 25850(a); Possession of a Loaded Firearm and was currently out on bail for that crime.

A Tustin police officer shot and killed a suspect near a mobile home park

Posted on August 9, 2021 by Editor Posted in Crime, Tustin Leave a comment

A Tustin police officer responded to a call from a resident at the 15400 block of Williams St. at about 10:05 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 9. As the officer turned up at the scene someone jumped out of the bushes near the entrance of a mobile home park in Tustin and the officer shot and wounded the person.

The responding officers wrote in their statement after the shooting that the suspect was “advancing on the officers.”

The suspect was then taken to a hospital and was later pronounced dead on Monday.

The officers also alleged, after the shooting, that the suspect was holding some sort of object at the time. However the Tustin Police Department has not yet specified what that object might have been.

The name of the dead man has not yet been released.

No police officers were injured in this incident.

The Tustin Police pulled over a suspect and found a gun and cocaine

Posted on August 6, 2021 by Editor Posted in Crime, Drugs, Guns, Tustin Leave a comment

While patrolling the area of McFadden Ave & Tustin Village Way on Thursday night, Tustin Police Officers made a traffic stop on a vehicle.

Resulting from the investigation, the male driver was arrested for unlawful possession of a firearm (loaded 9mm handgun) and a controlled substance (cocaine).

The male subject was booked into Orange County Jail.

An O.C. Lyft driver allegedly crashed while asleep behind the wheel and a passenger died

Posted on July 24, 2021 by Editor Posted in Accidents, Crime, Drugs, Tustin Leave a comment

On April 4, 2021 at approximately 7:00 am, the Tustin Police Department responded to the area of Jamboree Road and Patriot Way regarding a major, solo vehicle traffic collision.

During the preliminary investigation, it was determined the involved driver, a LYFT driver, fell asleep behind the wheel while transporting a customer. The vehicle struck a light pole and caused traumatic injuries to the passenger ultimately resulting in death.

After an extensive investigation by the Tustin Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team, it was determined the driver, 30-year-old Andy Van Pham was driving with negligence resulting in the death of the victim.

On July 20, 2021 the Orange County Superior Court issued an arrest warrant for Pham.

After conducting surveillance, Pham was arrested without incident and booked into Orange County Jail for Vehicular Manslaughter with Ordinary Negligence.

Pham was fired from Lyft and the company said it would assist law enforcement authorities however it can.

Pham pleaded not guilty on Friday to the manslaughter charge, possession of drug paraphernalia, providing false information to a police officer, and making an unsafe turn or lane change,

Tustin ex-con gets 18 years to life in prison after setting fire to an apartment building

Posted on July 20, 2021 by Editor Posted in Fires, OCFA, Tustin Leave a comment

Patrick Andrew Ceniceros, 61, of Tustin, is heading to prison for 18 years to life after being sentenced on Friday for setting a five-alarm arson fire last year at a Tustin apartment building killed a pet dog and displaced about 100 residents. He was given credit for 599 days in custody which means he will get out of prison even sooner.

Ceniceros pleaded guilty on May 24 to aggravated arson with property damage in excess of $8.3 million, arson of an inhabited structure, arson of property and cruelty to animals, all felonies. He also admitted sentencing enhancements for using an acceleration device in an arson.

He was previously convicted for attempted murder in October of 2009 in San Bernardino County, and served 8 years in prison for that crime.

Ceniceros set the fire when the residents were asleep, which could have killed many of the apartment’s residents. The fire was reported at about 3 a.m. at Chatham Village apartments at 15751 Williams St., near McFadden Avenue. The fire burned so intensely that it caused the apartment’s roof to collapse. The fire started on the first floor but quickly grew into the second floor and the attic. It took almost five hours for 120 firefighters to finally extinguish the arson fire.

Ceniceros has been in jail since Feb. 12, 2020, after he made incriminating statements when he was interviewed by OCFA investigators about the blaze.

The apartment building was considered to be a total loss even though some of the lower units were not burned as those units were damaged by the water and smoke.

Seven O.C. defendants charged with defrauding 79 victims with a mortgage and foreclosure scam

Posted on July 20, 2021 by Editor Posted in Crime, Fraud, OCDA, Santa Ana, Tustin Leave a comment

Seven suspects are facing multiple felony charges for offering fraudulent mortgage foreclosure consulting and debt consolidations at offices in Tustin and in Santa Ana. In total they are alleged to have defrauded 79 victims out of about $247K. They were, allegedly, going after the most desperate and needy people in Orange County and then stealing from them.

The defendants include Natalie Nava, 36; Amir Khoshnevis, 35; Aaron Pierson, 33; Alejandra Orozco, 27; Maria De La Paz, 24; Payom Ilkhanipour, 34; and Ryan Pelzer, 30. They are each charged with multiple felony counts of conspiracy, money laundering and grand theft with sentencing enhancements for aggravated white collar crime between $100,000 and $500,000.

The defendants all worked for Regional Community Services, according to the OCDA. They lied to their victims and offered fake low-interest mortgages then demanded advance payments before the mortgage modifications were approved.

The scam operated from April of 2018 to July of 2018. They wrapped up the operation when a local prosecutor called them and questioned the legality of their operation and services.

The defendants then shut the whole scam down which made it almost impossible for their victims to contact them.

Most of the defendants have been arrested except for Khoshnevis, Pierson and Pelzer, who are considered fugitives. The other defendants will be arraigned on Aug. 5.

The Tustin Police Dept. arrested two DUI drivers at their checkpoint on Friday night

Posted on July 19, 2021 by Editor Posted in Alcohol, Crime, Tustin Leave a comment

The Tustin Police Department’s Traffic Unit hosted an OTS DUI and Driver’s License Checkpoint on Friday night at McFadden Ave west of Tustin Village Way.

As a result, two drivers were arrested for DUI. 13 citations were issued for unlicensed drivers, 2 for driving on a suspended license, and 10 for various hazardous vehicle code violations. Four vehicles were impounded.

Funding for the operation was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS).

OC Animal Care urges pet owners to keep animals safe during the 4th of July

Posted on July 2, 2021 by Editor Posted in Pets, Public Safety, Tustin Leave a comment

TUSTIN, Calif. (July 2, 2021) – The Fourth of July weekend is traditionally the highest intake time for animal shelters across the country. In preparation for the upcoming holiday, OC Animal Care presents residents with the following tips to ensure a safe and happy celebration for pets and their owners.

Provide a Safe Space for Your Pet Indoors

Fireworks are loud and sometimes frightening for pets which can lead to panic and possible fleeing. To ensure pets are comfortable at home, pet owners can create a safe space by:

• Keeping doors, windows, and curtains closed
• Designating a quiet room or crate for their pet
• Placing a sign on the door to prevent people from entering the pet’s room
• Playing calm music or “white noise” such as the television in the background to distract their pet from loud noises
• Giving their pet their favorite chew toy to keep them busy, such as a Kong stuffed with treats

Ensure Pet Identification Is Up to Date

Securing your pet with their collar and ID tag attached can make a difference if your animal escapes. Verify your pet’s name, phone number, and any important information such as medical conditions to ensure they are updated and current. Microchip your pet as an additional security measure in case your pet loses its collar and ID tag.

Tips if You Lose or Find a Pet

If you find a lost pet or your own goes missing, the following are actions you can take:

• Contact OC Animal Care at (714) 935-6848 to make a lost or found pet report
• Ask neighbors if they recognize the found pet or ask if they have seen your missing pet
• Post lost/found flyers in your neighborhood or on local lost/found pages on Facebook, Nextdoor, Pawboost, and other social platforms
• Contact your local vet office to see if your missing pet was brought in or take a found pet to a local vet office for a microchip scan

For more tips and resources to share online, visit ocpetinfo.com.

OC Animal Care is the largest municipal animal shelter in Orange County, taking in over 18,000 animals each year. It services 14 cities and all of the County’s unincorporated areas. OC Animal Care is guided by its strategic plan establishing progressive programs and policies to help the agency achieve its vision of a safe and compassionate community for all. For more information about OC Animal Care, please visit www.ocpetinfo.com and follow @ocanimalcare on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.