Crime Watch: He asked for it
Crime Watch is a weekly series culled from reports provided by the Santa Monica Police Department. These are arrests only. All parties are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Friday, July 6, at 9:20 p.m.,
Santa Monica police officers reported to the 1000 block of 18th Street to check on someone requesting help from inside a silver van. When officers arrived, they found a silver Dodge Caravan parked along the curb. As they approached the vehicle, they saw a man sitting in the back seat. The man said he wanted the police because he had a nightmare. Officers asked if they could search the van and the man agreed. During the search, officers said they found cocaine and a glass pipe used to smoke the drug. The man was placed under arrest for possession. While being booked at the Santa Monica Jail, officers said they also found cocaine in one of the suspects socks. He was eventually booked for possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. He was identified as Thorne Radel, 54, of Ventura, Calif. His bail was set at $10,000.
Sunday, July 8, at 10:45 p.m.,
Officers assigned to patrol the Santa Monica Pier received a radio call about a woman chasing a man through the Newcomb Parking Lot yelling that he had put something in her drink. When officers arrived, they detained the two and learned that they were dating and had just gotten into a spat over a cell phone. During the investigation, the woman allegedly admitted that she was in possession of methamphetamines and that she was carrying it for her boyfriend. Officers searched her and found two bags containing the drug. The boyfriend had a narcotics warrant for his arrest. Officers placed the two under arrest. Johanna Jiminez, 32, of Los Angeles was booked for possession of a controlled substance. Her bail was set at $10,000. Robert Martinez, 24, a transient, was booked for the warrant. His bail was set at $30,000.
Sunday, July 8, at 11:01 p.m.,
Officers responded to the 1800 block of 12th Street on the report of a residential burglary that had just occurred. When officers arrived, they spoke with the victim who said she was asleep in her bedroom when she was woken up to the sound of her dog barking. She got up and went into her living room where she said she saw her front door open and the suspect standing just outside. The victim asked the suspect how she opened the door. The suspect allegedly told her that she used a key that was hidden under the doormat. The victim told the suspect that she was calling the police, at which point the suspect ran. Officers caught up to her a short time later and placed her under arrest. The suspect was in possession of the victims keys and purse, police said. She was booked for burglary and violation of probation. She was identified as Carri Sue Johnson, 43, a transient. No bail was set.
Saturday, July 7, at 12:26 a.m.,
Officers responded to the 2200 block of 27th Street regarding a prowler. When officers arrived, they made contact with the victim who said she was asleep when she heard a loud noise coming from her kitchen. She walked into the kitchen and said she saw a man standing in her patio with one of her window screens in his hand. She yelled out and the suspect ran. The woman called police and gave a description to officers. Police in the area found two men, one of whom matched the description of the suspect. Officers detained them and the victim was able to identify one of the two as the one who tried to get into her home. Officers said both were in on the crime and placed them under arrest for conspiracy and attempted burglary. The suspects were identified as Joaquin Alvarez, 20, of Los Angeles, and Marco Ramirez, 27, of Santa Monica. Bail was set at $52,500 for Alvarez and $50,000 for Ramirez.
Thursday, July 5, at 10:41 p.m.,
Officers were on patrol in the 1500 block of Michigan Avenue when they saw a cyclist traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of traffic in violation of the California Vehicle Code. Officers stopped the cyclist and struck up a conversation with her. She identified herself as Taylor Panasiti and said she did not have any identification on her. Officers asked if they could search her bag and she agreed. Officers said they found a California drivers license in another womans name with the suspects photo affixed to it. Officers also found two checks with the same name on the license. The suspect was placed under arrest and booked for possession of bad checks, forgery and possession of blank checks for the purpose of fraud. She was identified as Taylor Renee Panasiti, 24, of Santa Monica. Her bail was set at $20,000.
Tuesday, July 3, at 11:54 p.m.,
Officers responded to the 1900 block of 12th Street regarding a suspicious person sneaking around homes with a flashlight. When officers arrived, they searched a specific address which contained both a single-family home and several apartments in the back. While doing so, officers said they saw the suspect trying to force open a window to one of the first level apartments. When the suspect saw the police, he allegedly started to run south on 12th Street toward Pico Boulevard. Officers lost sight of the suspect and called in air support. An LAPD helicopter came to assist and spotted the suspect hiding on a rooftop. When the helicopter shined a light on the suspect, he jumped from the roof and tried hiding underneath a patio cover. Officers found the suspect and a short struggled ensued. Officers eventually placed him in handcuffs and transported him to jail where he was booked for attempted burglary, resisting arrest and a probation violation. Officers said the suspect had in his possession a pair of gloves and binoculars. The suspect was identified as Terrance Sadler, 19, of Santa Monica. No bail was set.
Editor-in-Chief Kevin Herrera compiled these reports.
