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.
Saturday, May 29, at 4:55 p.m.
Officers responded to the 1500 block of Berkeley Street regarding an assault with a deadly weapon. Upon arrival, officers were advised by the victim that his mother asked him to go to the airport to pick up his stepfather, whom he dropped off at the airport earlier that day. The flight was “messed up,” the stepson said, and he had to return to the airport to pick up his stepfather. After arriving home, the son said that his stepfather began “screaming.” When the victim asked him what was wrong, he grabbed a knife out of the kitchen and approached his stepson. Both the victim and the mother fled the house and called police. Officers placed the suspect, Massoud Goharbawang, 53, of Santa Monica, under arrest for assault with a deadly weapon. His bail was set at $30,000.
Saturday, May 29, at 3:31 p.m.
Officers responded to Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier regarding an employee in custody for theft. Upon arrival, security advised that they had observed the suspect not following protocol and pocketing money from patrons. Security contacted the suspect and she retrieved $80 from her purse and $35 from her bra. Once contacted by officers, the suspect said that she had been having financial problems and had been taking money for the past three weeks. She admitted to taking $3,000 in all. She was identified as Rhonda Barnes, 20, of Los Angeles. She was booked for petty theft. Her bail was set at $1,000.
Sunday, May 30, at 11:58 a.m.
Santa Monica officers responded to the area of Fourth Street and Santa Monica Boulevard regarding an assault with a deadly weapon. The suspects in the case fled the scene as police arrived. The apparent victims advised officers that as they walked into a nearby parking structure, two subjects began verbally assaulting them. One of the suspects whistled and a third suspect appeared. The third suspect threw a large cement block toward the victims, but missed. At that time, one of the suspects brandished a knife and started swinging it at the victims. At that time, another suspect grabbed a wine bottle and began swinging that as well. After a short search, all three suspects were located and arrested. They were identified as: Alexander Perez, 25, of Los Angeles; Luis Leyva, 25, of Los Angeles; and Alejandro Velasco, 21, also of Los Angeles. Perez was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, obstruction of justice, challenging to fight in public, public intoxication and a probation violation. He was denied bail. Leyva was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, obstruction of justice and public intoxication. His bail was set at $30,000. Velasco was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, obstruction of justice and public intoxication. His bail was also $30,000.
Sunday, May 30, at 6 p.m.
Officers were working the 1440 beach parking lot to assist vehicles exiting the lot when a person advised them that she witnessed a car strike a parked vehicle. Officers located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. During the traffic stop, officers observed that the driver exhibited signs of intoxication. Officers formed the opinion, after a battery of tests, that the driver of the vehicle was intoxicated. They placed David Cooper, 53, of Los Angeles, under arrest for driving while impaired. His bail was set at $20,000.
Friday, May 28, at 1:52 p.m.
Officers responded to the area of the Third Street Promenade regarding a subject challenging people to a brawl. Upon arrival, officers were advised that two police department personnel were approached by an individual in an aggressive manner. The suspect jumped off of his bicycle and approached the employees while carrying a bicycle lock in his clenched fist. The employees called the police and the suspect got back on his bicycle and fled the scene. Officers stopped the suspect a short distance away as he was riding his bicycle on the sidewalk. The suspect became argumentative with the officers before they placed him under arrest. He was identified as James Houston, 55, of Los Angeles. He was charged with brandishing a deadly weapon in a threatening manner. During the pre-booking search, officers located prescription drugs that did not appear to belong to the suspect. He was also charged with possession of a controlled drug without a prescription and violation of a municipal code. His bail was set at $25,000.
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Managing Editor Daniel Archuleta compiled these reports.
