Corona, Ca: Corona Shooting Suspect Armed, Dangerous - Police

Authorities are searching for a man in connection with the fatal shooting of a 55-year-old grandmother in Corona, and warning the public that her 28-year-old daughter also may be in danger.

Katherine Aguirre was shot and killed shortly after noon Wednesday, according to Corona police officials. The shooting happened at the victim's home in the 700 block of South Merrill Street, where Aguirre was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She died at the hospital.

Aguirre's daughter -- Crystal Gene Lopez -- was last seen Wednesday morning and is not answering her cell phone, police said in an alert issued Wednesday afternoon. The mother of four young sons missed an appointment earlier in the day, family members told NBC4.

Carlos Martin Quezada, 28, of Corona, is wanted in connection with the slaying and is believed to be armed and dangerous, police said. Investigators believe Quezada may be dating Lopez, though a motive for the shooting has not been established.

"We believe he is out there looking for Crystal right now," said Lt. Alan Lorton, with Corona police.

Police are warning anyone who sees the suspect to call 911. He is believed to be driving a blue/gray 1982 Chevy pickup truck with California license plate 2B29305.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Lopez is asked to call the Corona Police Department at 951-739-2330, option 3.

Riverside, CA: Update on Ambushed Riverside Officers

Funeral Arrangements for Fallen Officer:

The funeral for the fallen Riverside Police Officer is scheduled for Wednesday, February 13, 2013, at 10:30 AM, PST at Grove Community Church. An Honor Guard procession will proceed to the Riverside National Cemetery for Interment immediately following the service. More information will be posted as it becomes available.

Any police agency wishing to participate please contact the following personnel for more information:
Aviation- Sgt. Dwayne May at 951-320-8078 or dmay@riversideca.gov
Honor Guard- Ofc. Marvin Braun at 951-351-6387 or mbraun@riversideca.gov
Traffic/Motor- Lt. Eric Charrette echarrette@riversideca.gov

Injured Riverside Police Officer Update:

The second Riverside Police Officer that was shot Thursday, February 7, 2013, in the ambush is currently stable and receiving treatment for his injuries.

Corona, CA: Officer on Officer involved Shootings

A massive manhunt is underway for a double murder suspect who is a former police officer, after three officers were shot overnight, one fatally.

The suspect is believed to be Christopher Jordan Dorner, 33, a former LAPD officer and Navy reservist, known to be a skilled sniper. Officials warned that he is armed and dangerous.

Dorner is believed to be driving a blue or gray Nissan Titan pickup, California license plate 8D83987 or 7X09131. He may have changed the plates.

San Diego police have confirmed that a wallet containing a badge and ID of Dorner was found near Lindbergh Field.

A blue alert for the suspect has been issued for Kern, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, San Diego and Imperial counties.

It all began early Thursday in Corona, where witnesses spotted the suspect at an AMPM and alerted authorities.

Two LAPD officers were in the area en route to the home of an individual mentioned in an online manifesto posted by the suspect threatening police.

They began following the suspect’s vehicle on the 15 Freeway. The suspect exited at Magnolia and headed eastbound.

That’s where the suspect got out of the truck and opened fire with a shoulder-type weapon (like a rifle), police said.

The officers took cover and returned fire. One officer suffered a graze wound and was treated at the scene. The other officer was not injured.

The suspect then got back into the pickup truck and continued eastbound on Magnolia.

Shortly after, around 1:30 a.m., two Riverside police officers were shot while on routine patrol in a marked unit near Magnolia and Arlington, police said.

The officers were stopped at a red light when they were ambushed. They were not actively searching for Dorner, according to Riverside police Lt. Guy Toussaint.

The officers were taken to Riverside Community Hospital, where one was pronounced dead. The other was undergoing surgery and was said to be in critical condition.

A command post has been set up at Arlington and Brockton. Riverside police do not believe that the Dorner is still in the immediate area, according to Toussaint.

School has been canceled for Thursday at Notre Dame High School. Toussaint said it would be up to individual schools to decide how to proceed.

Back in Corona, a command post has been set up on the Magnolia overpass to the 15 Freeway. Schools in the area have been alerted, police said, but classes were continuing as normal.

Dorner is wanted for allegedly killing Cal State Fullerton assistant basketball coach Monica Quan, the daughter of a former LAPD officer, and her fiance, Keith Lawrence.

The couple was found shot to death in the parking lot of their upscale apartment complex in Irvine on Sunday night.

Authorities say that Dorner wrote an online manifesto threatening to harm police officials and their families.

Law enforcement sources said police have placed security at the homes of L.A. police officials named in the manifesto and believe Dorner has numerous weapons.

In the online postings, Dorner specifically named retired L.A. police captain Randy Quan, the father of Monica Quan.

Randy Quan apparently served as Dorner’s representative in the process that ultimately led to Dorner’s dismissal.

Dorner was fired in 2008 for allegedly making false statements about his field training officer, who he accused of kicking a suspect.

Dorner said in his online postings that being a police officer had been his life’s ambition since he served in the police Explorer program.

He said it was the LAPD’s fault that he lost his law enforcement and Navy careers, as well as his relationships with family and close friends.

Dorner claimed he suffered from severe depression and was filled with rage at the people who forced him from his job.

He said he didn’t mind dying, because he had already died when he was fired form the LAPD.

Dorner’s last known address is in La Palma. He is described as a 6-foot-tall African American who weighs about 270 pounds, and has black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information is asked to call a tip line at (714) 724-7192. If you see Dorner, you should call 911 immediately.

Corona, CA: 2 killed, 2 injured in Calif. bus bench crash

Two people were killed and two others were severely injured Friday after a car plowed into a bus bench in the Southern California city of Riverside, according to police.

The four-door Kia sedan crashed into a light pole before smashing into the bus stop bench, hitting four people who were waiting for a bus, said Officer Bryan Galbreath.

Witnessed told investigators the sedan stopped at a red light, proceeded when the light turned green, and veered sharply to the right, said Lieutenant Eric Charrette. It's unclear what caused the change in direction.

A 28-year-old woman and a 7-year-old girl, both of Corona, were pronounced dead at the scene.

A 31-year-old Riverside man and a 30-year-old Corona woman were taken to Riverside Community Hospital with severe injuries. No names have been released pending family identification.

Galbreath said the 45-year-old driver has been detained.

He told the Riverside Press-Enterprise there were no skid marks leading to the bus stop and neither speed nor intoxication immediately appeared to be a factor in the crash. Galbreath said police are investigating whether the driver was intoxicated.

Riverside is about 55 miles east of Los Angeles.

The Associated Press

Corona, CA: Fatal Traffic Collision

On December 24, 2012, at 5:30 pm., Corona Police Officers responded to an injury traffic collision on Green River Rd., east of Palisades Dr. Upon arrival, officers observed a 2003 Honda S2000 coupe that had collided with a tree, occupied by two people.

The driver and passenger, both from the Chino Hills area, were transported to local hospitals with traumatic injuries. The driver, identified as Elbert Chen, 19 years, remains hospitalized, but expected to recover. The passenger, identified as Ethan Gray, 22 years, died of his injuries.

The cause of the collision is unknown at this time and still under investigation by the Corona Police Department’s Collision Response Team. Anyone with information about this collision is requested to contact the Corona Police Department at (951) 736-2335.

Corona/Norco, CA: Welcome Home a Local Soldier! Army Pvt Jason Fairchild

OK NORCO!!!

ONE of our OWN is coming home from Afganistan on FRIDAY @ 10:30!!! Most of us know Lori Fairchild of Pepperglen Farm on Pedley between 5th and 6th streets. Her son was badly injured when his ARMY vehicle was hit by an RPG. He has a traumatic brain injury and was awarded the purple heart! Lets show him a hero's welcome home!!! We did it in Corona, now lets do it for NORCO!!!! Line the streets of 6th and Pedley with flags waving and the cheers that are so rightfully due this hero! Someone with some pull contact the sheriff's dept and lets get some sirens going and an escort for this much deserved young soldier who has sacrificed so much so that we can remain free in this great country of ours!!!!

LINE 6TH STREET JUST BEFORE 10:30 AM WITH AMERICAN FLAGS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012!!!!!!!!!!!

Corona, CA: Make snowflakes or donate to support Sandy Hook students

The National PTA reports that an effort is under way to cheer the Sandy Hook Elementary students when they resume instruction. They are asking children to make snowflakes or to donate change in support of the Sandy Hook PTSA.

The National PTA met with PTA leaders of all of the schools in Newtown, Conn., including the Sandy Hook PTA, as well as community leaders who requested the group’s help in supporting the families, according to a statement from the National PTA.

Below are details about the two efforts that have begun at the request of the parents group at Sandy Hook in the wake of last Friday’s school shooting.

Corona, CA: Please support Corona wounded Hero tomorrow Tuesday December 18

Army Sgt. Jordan Sisco, a Santiago High School graduate, stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) while on foot patrol in Kandahar, Afghanistan this past July. Jordan lost both legs and his left thumb, and suffered serious damage to his pelvis, colon and bladder. He has been in Texas under medical care since his injury.

Jordan will be returning to Corona for a visit early Tuesday, December 18th.

We are reaching out to City of Corona residents and neighboring communities. Please come and pay your respects to our severely wounded hero, Jordan Sisco.

Corona, CA: Man killed by truck after disturbance call

Police racing to quell a fight found the body of a 29-year-old Riverside man who apparently had been hit by a truck in a Corona parking lot, coroner’s officials say.

Bryan Vannoy died at the scene of the 12:51 a.m. incident Sunday, Dec. 9, along the 1500 block of East Ontario Avenue.
A call to police seeking details was not immediately answered.

Corona, CA: Barricade Suspect Fatally Shoots Himself After Standoff In Corona

Police in Corona say a man who barricaded himself inside a home after he reportedly ran through the streets trying to shoot a female acquaintance, took his own life Saturday.

According to authorities, police received several calls after 10:35 a.m. about shots being fired in the vicinity of Ingram Drive and Norgate Circle.

Witnesses told police they saw a man allegedly firing shots at a woman who was fleeing on foot. The unidentified woman was able to make it to a neighbor’s home without injury.

Officials said the man returned to his home in the 5000 block of Ingram Street and refused to come out.

The man’s relationship to the woman is unclear.

A SWAT team was called but authorities said they were unable to make contact with the alleged shooter.

Corona SWAT, along with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, made entry into the residence hours later and found the suspect dead as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The man’s name is being withheld pending notification of his next of kin.

Corona, CA: Pilot Killed in Corona Helicopter Fire.

One person was killed late Sunday when a helicopter burned near a re-fueling area at Corona Municipal Airport.

The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the 11 p.m. fire. The identity of victim, the pilot, was not immediately available.

The charred wreckage of the helicopter remained at the airport early Monday. The pilot had stopped to refuel at the airport, located northwest of the 91 and 15 freeway interchange (map), when the fire started.

The FAA released the following statement: "An unidentified Robinson helicopter caught fire near the fuel pumps at Corona Municipal Airport around 11 p.m. Local authorities reported the pilot, who apparently was the only person on board, was killed. The FAA and NTSB will investigate."

A preliminary investigation indicated that one of the helicopter's blades hit a canopy that covers the pumps, which are available 24 hours per day, according to the NTSB. Two witnesses reported sounds coming from the re-fueling area before seeing the chopper on fire.

"He could have just been taxiing by, going to a parking area -- there's too much that we don't know at this point to speculate on that," said Harold Plagens, NTSB investigator.

Parts of the helicopter ripped through a nearby metal hanger. Video showed several gashes in the wall of the hangar.

Dental records will likely be used to identify the pilot, investigators told NBC4.

The airport, on 100 acres of land leased by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is managed by the city of Corona.

Corona/Norco, CA: 10th Annual Free Thanksgiving Day Dinner

10th Annual Free Thanksgiving Dinner - Everyone is Invited!!

For the 10 th year, there will be a Free Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner at Silverado Burgers & Mexican Food 1091 6th Street Norco, Ca 92860 from 11 am - 3 pm on Thanksgiving Day November 22, 2012. Everyone is invited. Country Band - Hillbilly Reign will be performing. This dinner since its start 10 years ago - has served thousands of folks. It has served folks from all over the region, some driving over 40 miles to come have a nice meal. We have served folks who do not have the ability to have a nice meal, some who do not have anyone to spend the holiday with, and many working during the holiday such as Law Enforcement, Fire, E.M.S. Crews, and many more working the holiday. Last years attendance was 724 folks and it grows annually, especially this year with current difficult economic times and unemployment rates. What makes this dinner unique is it is not run by any organization.

Corona, CA: Child Porn Suspect Held on $1 Million Bail

Charles Russell Long was arrested at the Glen Ivy RV Resort in the 24000 block of Glen Ivy Road, in Corona on Tuesday, according to Lake Elsinore sheriff's officials; he was released on bail, then arrested again.

A 56-year-old Corona man who allegedly took pictures and video of young girls in bikinis at an RV park pool was arrested, made $5,000 bail, then re-arrested when investigators got a look at his computer's contents.

Charles Russell Long was arrested at the Glen Ivy RV Resort in the 24000 block of Glen Ivy Road, in Corona, on Tuesday, according to a sergeant with the county sheriff's Lake Elsinore station.

Corona, CA: Corona man dies in custody after being restrained and tasered

A 27-year-old Corona man who had been put in four-point restraints and shocked with a Taser died in sheriff's custody in Norco today, the man's aunt said.

Anthony Lawson was arrested about 1:30 a.m. near 7462 Citrus Valley Ave. and "hogtied," his aunt, who identified herself only as Darline, told City News Service.

The sheriff's department did not have anyone available for comment early today.

Corona, CA: Motorcyclist Killed On Freeway Was Corona Man

Matthew Warne, 31, died last Saturday night, the coroner's office is reporting.

A motorcyclist who was struck and killed on the 91 Freeway last weekend was a Corona man, the Riverside County Coroner’s Office reported.

Matthew Warne, 31, was driving at a high rate of speed on the westbound side of the freeway near Adams Street on Saturday night when he struck a pickup truck, crashed, and was subsequently hit by a sedan, according to the coroner’s office.

Corona, CA: Motorcyclist Dies in Collision on 91 Freeway in Cerritos

The Corona resident was killed in an accident on Friday night.

A 54-year-old motorcyclist from Corona was killed Friday night when his bike rear-ended two stopped vehicles in heavy traffic on the Artesia (91) Freeway in Cerritos, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The motorcyclist was later identified as James R. Scarborough, a resident of Corona, according to a department statement.

The crash on the eastbound freeway at Shoemaker Avenue took place about 6:50 p.m. Friday, according to the CHP.

Corona, CA: U.S. EPA Settles with Lead Acid Battery Manufacturer in Corona for Air Violations / Company to Pay More Than $167,000, Install Additional Air Filters to Capture Lead Particles (CA)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that U.S. Battery Manufacturing Company has agreed to pay $167,300 to resolve federal Clean Air Act violations. U.S. Battery, located in Corona, Calif., failed to comply with federal emissions monitoring and reporting requirements, including performance testing requirements for its lead emission control devices. In addition to paying the penalty, the company will install secondary high efficiency air filters to capture additional lead particles.

"By failing to monitor and test its pollution controls, the company increased the health risks for employees and the nearby community," said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA's Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. "EPA will remain vigilant in enforcing the Clean Air Act."

Corona, CA: AVT's Wall-Mounted Vender For Doctors' Offices Dispenses Information And Samples

AVT Inc. is rolling out a line of wall-mounted vending machines that provide patients with information about various medicines, and dispense samples of them.

Called the Automated Medicine Information and Dispensing System, the machine displays product information on a 32" touchscreen display and can be programmed to dispense samples when authorized. It has a capacity of up to 300 items.

Corona, CA: West Covina officer honored for fiery plane crash rescue

A West Covina police officer received the Burn Institute's 2012 Inland Empire Spirit of Courage Award last weekend for pulling an injured pilot and passenger from the burning wreckage of an airplane crash in Corona.

Officer Mike Weathermon was given the honor at a Sept. 21 ceremony in Riverside, officials said.

"I'm very proud of him," West Covina Police Chief Frank Wills said. "He brought a tremendous credit and distinction to the West Covina Police Department.

Corona, CA: 17-Year-Old Pedestrian Fatally Struck By Car In Menifee

Authorities say a 17-year-old pedestrian suffered fatal injuries following a collision in Menifee.

Riverside County Sheriff’s Sgt. Sergio Rodriguez reported in a department statement that the fatal crash took place in the area of Domenigoni Parkway and Laguna Vista Drive about 11:10 p.m. Friday.

The statement said the victim, identified by the coroner’s office as Steven Nunez of Corona, was struck by a sedan while walking east on the westbound side of Domenigoni Parkway.