A Merry Christmas for a Santa Fe Springs Family

Santa Fe Springs, CA - On Christmas Eve, members of the weekend Santa Fe Springs Policing Team delivered wrapped gifts and food to a family they adopted for this Christmas season. In addition to the gifts that were generously purchased and wrapped by each of the officers, Director of Police Services, Dino Torres, also arranged for Walmart to donate a $275 gift card to be given to the family. Whittier PD Chaplain Don Sanderson and First Family Church also donated a generous amount of food to the family. The family was very moved by this act of kindness and celebrated a wonderful Christmas and a very hopeful start to their New Year.

Christmas Pursuit

Whittier, CA - On Christmas morning at 12:15am, a Whittier Police Officer observed a Red Honda Accord driving northbound on Laurel Avenue. As the officer made a U-turn to follow, the driver made a right turn to eastbound Whittier Blvd., cutting off two vehicles. The driver unsafely passed 3 cars on the right while eastbound, then went northbound Strub Avenue to eastbound High Street. While making a U-turn on High Street, the Honda hit a parked Ford F-250 causing minor damage to the truck and moderate damage to the Honda. To evade the officer’s patrol car, which was now stopped on High Street, the driver cut across the lawns of three residences. The Honda was last seen westbound on High Street from Strub Avenue. Ultimately, the Honda was located unoccupied in the area of 13600 Lanning Avenue and determined to be stolen.

Christmas Morning Arrest

Santa Fe Springs, CA - On Christmas morning, (12-25-10 at 2:30am) the suspect, who lives in the 9000 of Danby Avenue, was drinking at his next door neighbor’s house when an argument ensued, which escalated into a fight. Coming out on the losing end of this fight, the suspect returned to his house, retrieved a loaded .22 ca. rifle, goes into the backyard and fires several rounds into the air. The suspect then goes to his front lawn, where he confronted his neighbors and threatened to shoot them while brandishing the firearm and pointing it at them. Whittier Police officers arrived moments later, contained the house, and ordered the suspect out. The suspect complies, admits to his actions and is arrested. The gun is recovered in the house, along with several expended casings and live rounds located in the backyard. Henry Santana, (25yrs of Santa Fe Springs) was arrested on numerous charges.

Police Seek Bank Robbery Suspect

On Saturday December 18th, the US Bank located at 13525 Whittier Blvd. was robbed, at approximately 11am. The suspect, described by witnesses as a short and slender White male adult in his 50's, wearing a dark colored beanie, claimed to be to be carrying an explosive device. He eventually walked up to a teller showed her the device and demanded money. The suspect fled the bank in an unknown diredtion with an undisclosed ammount of money.

Anyone with information pertaining to this robbery is urged to contact the Whittier Police Department at 562.945.8250.

Cell Phones Targeted in Burglary

Santa Fe Springs, CA - On December 10, 2010 at approximately 5:53pm, Whittier PD Officers assigned to Santa Fe Springs responded to a burglary alarm at Planet Cellular, located at 15400 Carmenita Road. When officers arrived on scene they noticed one of the windows had been broken out and it was apparent entry into the building was made.

The officers conducted a search of the building, however no suspects were located. An inventory of the business revealed over $400,000 of high end cell phones were stolen.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Whittier Police Department at 562-945-8250.

Additional media inquiries may be directed to Press Information Officer Mike Dekowski at 562-505-6983.

Man In Wheelchair Struck While Crossing Street

Santa Fe Springs, CA - On December 9, 2010 at approximately 1:22pm, a 61 year old Whittier man riding a powered wheelchair, was struck in the crosswalk by a commercial type van at the intersection of Telegraph Road and Alburtis Ave. The victim was transported to St. Francis Hospital in serious condition.

Stabbing

Two men remain in critical condition after being stabbed early Sunday morning (1:15am) at a residence in the 6200 block of Friends Avenue. The stabbing occurred on December 5th when two acquaintances of the victims arrived intoxicated to a party taking place at the home. The homeowners asked the men to leave and an argument ensued. Things escalated and the homeowner, Gabriel Davalos(34) and a friend, Steve Sanchez(34) of Indio, were stabbed by the two suspects, who fled. Both victims were transported to County USC, where they remain in the intensive care unit. Sanchez suffered a punctured ventricle, while Davalos incurred a puncture wound to the side of his chest cavity. Both men are expected to survive however, Sanchez remains in a medically induced coma.

Arriving just moments after the stabbing, Officers developed sound information pertaining to the suspects that in turn was relayed to detectives working the case. Anyone with information pertaining to this case however, is urged to contact the Whittier Police Department at (562) 945-8250.

***UPDATE***
On the evening of December 9th, the suspects in this case were arrested for attempted murder.

Arrested were:
Jonathan Alexander Moran 10-27-83, Highland, CA (pictured above)
Raymond Martinez 4-13-81, Rancho Cucamonga, CA (pictured below)

Sobriety (DUI) Drivers/License Checkpoint

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

Date: December 1, 2010
Contact: Traffic Sergeant Dan Lowe
Subject: Sobriety (DUI) Drivers/License Checkpoint
When: Friday, December 3, 2010
Location: Santa Fe Springs


Whittier, CA. – On Friday, December 3, 2010, the Whittier Police Department will conduct a DUI/Drivers License Checkpoint. The checkpoint will be conducted in the City of Santa Fe Springs. The time of the checkpoint will be 7:00 PM to 3:00 AM.

A major component of the checkpoints, beyond taking dangerous drivers off the road, is to increase awareness of the consequences of impaired driving and to encourage using sober designated drivers. A DUI checkpoint is a proven effective method for achieving this goal. By publicizing these enforcement and education efforts, Whittier Police Department believes motorists are deterred from drinking and driving when they know that the DUI crackdowns are underway.

The checkpoint and other enforcement efforts are part of the Whittier Police Department’s grant project for “DUI Enforcement and Awareness Program.” Officers will also be checking for those who are driving with a suspended driver’s license as well as those who are unlicensed. Any motorist found driving with an invalid license may have their vehicle impounded for 30 days and be issued a citation.

The funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Whittier Police reminds everyone to please, help make your community safe; if you see a Drunk Driver – Call 9-1-1.”


For further information, please contact Sgt. Dan Lowe at 562-945-8256.


-END-