Crime Watch: Man arrested for camping under pier
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.
Wednesday, June 6, at 9:33 a.m.,
Santa Monica police officers were checking under the Santa Monica Pier for anyone who may be camping or loitering in violation of the Santa Monica Municipal Code. Once under the pier, officers said they saw a man they knew from a prior arrest who appeared to be camping near a fence. The suspect was placed under arrest for the violation and for violating a court order preventing him from being under the pier. The suspect was identified as Tyler Craig Larson, 32, a transient. His bail was set at $5,000.
Wednesday, June 6, at 9:40 p.m.,
Officers responded to the corner of Euclid Street and Ashland Avenue after receiving a report of someone suspicious in the area. When officers arrived, they saw a man matching the description given by dispatch and approached him. During an interview with the man, officers learned that he had a no-bail warrant for his arrest for narcotics. The suspect was placed under arrest and transported to jail to be booked. During the booking process, police said they found methamphetamine inside the suspects wallet. He was booked for drug possession and the warrant. No bail was set. The suspect was identified as Jose Isais Gonzales, 30, of Sylmar, Calif.
Thursday, June 7, at 5:45 p.m.,
Officers were on routine patrol on the 3100 block of Colorado Avenue when they saw an older model Buick Sentry driving with a broken right brake light. Officers pulled the driver over on the 1600 block of Stanford Street. As officers were walking up to the vehicle, one said they saw the right front passenger place something in the front of his waistband. The officer asked the man what he was concealing and he allegedly told the cops that it was a small amount of marijuana. The man said he was on parole and did not want to be busted for violating it. The officers asked the man again what he was hiding, believing he was not being truthful. The suspect reached into his waistband and removed a plastic bag containing a significant amount of meth, police said. The suspect was placed under arrest and booked for possession of meth, providing false information to a police officer and a parole violation. He was identified as Christopher Fry, 40. No bail was set.
Friday, June 8, at 12:55 a.m.,
Officers responded to the 1800 block of 17th Street regarding a report of an assault. When officers arrived, they made contact with the suspect, who had been locked outside of a residence by those who called police. He was banging on the door while cursing and demanding to be let back in, police said. Officers approached the suspect and determined him to be extremely intoxicated. He was unable to stand or walk without holding on to a nearby wall, police said. Officers spoke with the person who called police. She told them that the suspect was allowed to stay at the home from time to time, but she wanted him to leave that night because he pushed her when she asked him where her cigarettes were. She did not want the man arrested, however, officers felt he was too intoxicated to care for himself and planned to place him under arrest for public intoxication. The man allegedly resisted, forcing officers to take him to the ground. He was handcuffed and transported to jail where he was booked for public intoxication, resisting arrest and two outstanding warrants. He was identified as Jonathon Thomas Bailey, 25, of Santa Monica. His bail was set at $15,035.
Friday, June 8, at 11:34 p.m.,
Officers walking along the Third Street Promenade were called to assist Santa Monica Place security who had detained someone on the malls third floor. When officers arrived, they found security officers struggling with the suspect on the ground as he was fighting to get away. Officers went to assist security and had to struggle with the suspect before eventually handcuffing him. During interviews with staff at Sonoma Wine Garden officers learned that the suspect had vandalized the restaurants mens bathroom by ripping from the wall the metal toilet seat ring holder. When the manager confronted the suspect, he allegedly punched the manager in the face several times, knocking him to the ground. The suspect then ran off. When security caught up with him, the suspect punched one guard in the face before being tackled. The suspect was booked for battery, resisting arrest and vandalism. He was identified as Michael Mejia, 20. His bail was set at $20,000.
Editor-in-Chief Kevin Herrera compiled these reports.
