Crime Watch: Tempers flare en route to the pokey
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.
Tuesday, Dec. 11, at 2:40 p.m.,
Santa Monica police officers assigned to the Transit Services Unit were on patrol monitoring Big Blue Bus routes in Downtown Los Angeles when they saw a man riding a bike with a beer in his hands. The man allegedly ran a red light. When the suspect saw police, he threw the beer can and began riding faster in an effort to evade capture. Officers gave chase and caught up with the suspect and placed him under arrest. As he was being transported to the Santa Monica Jail, the suspect alleged slipped his hands underneath his legs to his chest and began hitting a rear window with his elbow in an attempt to break it, police said. A few moments later the suspect somehow reached under the Plexiglas divider separating the officers from the back seat and grabbed a road flare. He allegedly lit the flare and tried to burn the divider and passenger door. Officers pulled over on Interstate 10, retrieved the flare and re-handcuffed the suspect. He was eventually booked for arson, obstructing justice and failing to stop at a red light. He was identified as Erik Espinoza, of Los Angeles. His bail was set at $50,000.
Saturday, Dec. 15, at 11:55 p.m.,
Officers responded to a home on the 500 block of California Avenue after someone called 911 from their cell phone. When officers arrived, they approached the apartment in question and knocked on the door, but there was no answer. The door was left slightly open and officers stepped inside to do a “protective sweep.” While inside, officers said they saw in plain view on top of a file cabinet some cocaine on a mirror and in several glass vials. After the sweep, the residents — a married couple — returned home. The husband told officers that he and his wife had gone out and had some drinks. When they returned they got into an argument and the wife allegedly struck him in the face, neck and upper body, causing minor injuries. When asked about the cocaine, the man told police that the drugs were his and that he had last used them a few hours ago, police said. The wife told police that she did get into an argument with her husband but would not provide any details. Both were placed under arrest. Romeen Patel, 32, of Santa Monica was booked for possession of a controlled substance. His bail was set at $10,000. Joleen Archibald, 27, of Santa Monica was booked for injuring her spouse. Her bail was set at $50,000.
Saturday, Dec. 15, at 11:33 a.m.,
Officers responded to the 2400 block of Santa Monica Boulevard — Starbucks — regarding an aggressive panhandler. When officers arrived they made contact with the suspect, who allegedly lied about his identity. Officers did some digging and learned that the man had a full extradition warrant for his arrest out of Minnesota for larceny. The suspect was placed under arrest and booked for providing false information to police and for the warrant. No bail was provided. He was identified as Andrew Stephen Hutton, 30, a transient.
Saturday, Dec. 15, at 6:47 p.m.,
Officers were stopped for a red light at the corner of Santa Monica and Cloverfield boulevards when they saw a man riding a bike and make an illegal right-hand turn against a solid red light. Officers stopped the man for the violation and learned that he had an outstanding warrant. Officers placed him under arrest for the red light violation and for the warrant. While searching him, officers said they found cocaine hidden in his pants pocket. The suspect was identified as Stephen Norris, 56, of Santa Monica. His bail was set at $10,750.
Friday, Dec. 14, at 7:55 p.m.,
Officers were on routine patrol at the corner of Cloverfield Boulevard and Michigan Avenue when they saw a man allegedly jaywalk. Officers stopped him and issued a citation, which the man refused to sign. He also allegedly tried to walk away from officers several times. He was eventually arrested and booked for resisting. He was identified as Richard Paul Roddy, II, 58, of Santa Monica.
Thursday, Dec. 13, at 5:30 P.M.,
Officers responded to a home on the 2800 block of Sixth Street regarding a report of an assault that had occurred involving a handgun. When officers arrived they made contact with a woman who said that she was driving home and decided to stop by her ex-boyfriend’s place to see how he was doing. She told cops that her ex opened his front door with a gun to his head. He allegedly told her that he was going to kill her and then himself and then pointed the gun at her head. The woman ran back to her car and fled the scene. Officers set up a perimeter around the suspect’s home on the 400 block of Raymond Avenue and called him on the phone. He answered and agreed to exit the home. He was taken into custody and the handgun was recovered from inside the home. The suspect was booked for assault with a firearm, making criminal threats and domestic battery. He was identified as Kenneth Quattlebaum, 32, of Santa Monica. His bail was set at $50,000.
Wednesday, Dec. 12, at 3:45 p.m.,
Officers were on patrol in the area of Main and Bicknell streets when they saw a man cross the street against a red light. He was detained and admitted to officers that he was on probation for selling drugs. Officers searched him and allegedly found heroin and a hypodermic needle in his backpack. He was booked for possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. He was identified as George Arango, 24, of Baldwin Park, Calif. His bail was set at $10,000.
Editor-in-Chief Kevin Herrera compiled these reports.
