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, Feb. 15, at 2:17 a.m.,
Santa Monica police officers were on routine patrol on the 200 block of Santa Monica Boulevard when they noticed someone riding a bike at night without a headlight, a violation. Officers made contact with the cyclist a few blocks down and ordered him to get off the bike. When he did, officers said they saw an object tucked in his waistband that was wrapped in electrical tape. Believing the suspect had a weapon, officers took him into custody quickly. They later discovered that the object was a pair of wire cutters. The suspect was riding a bike that police said appeared to belong to a woman. The suspect had no reason for being in the area and would not provide his real name to officers. Police placed him under arrest for providing false information to police, possession of burglary tools, riding a bike without a light, a probation violation, and three outstanding warrants. The suspect was identified as Raul Tarango, 34, a transient. His bail was set at $70,561.
Wednesday, Feb. 15, at 10:10 p.m.,
Officers were on patrol on the 3300 block of Bernard Way when they entered an adjacent alley and saw four people huddled near a dumpster. Officers approached the group and were granted permission to search the suspects. Officers said one man was in possession of a baggy containing methamphetamine. Two others were also found to be in possession of glass pipes commonly used to smoke meth. The fourth person was released. Officers arrested the three suspects, who were identified as David Leo Schacht, 28, a transient; David Robert Poley, 23, of Santa Monica; and Trevor Donald Egbert, 36, a transient. Schacht was booked for possession of a controlled substance, providing false information to a police officer, a probation violation and an outstanding warrant. His bail was set at $60,000. Poley and Egbert were both booked for possession of drug paraphernalia. Their bail was set at $250 each.
Saturday, Feb. 18, at 9:23 a.m.,
Officers responded to the 100 block of Palisades Avenue on the report of a prowler in the area. When officers arrived, they made contact with the alleged victim, who was standing in the alley to the rear of her home talking with police dispatch. The woman pointed to a man, who was standing at the north end of the alley, and said he stuck his hand through a partially open window and tried to pry it open so that he could gain access to her home. When confronted by the woman, the suspect walked away. He was detained by police without incident and placed under arrest for burglary. He was identified as Jonathan Lewis, 28, of Northridge, Calif. His bail was set at $50,000.
Friday, Feb. 17, at 6:16 p.m.,
Officers were in the area of 700 Broadway when they were flagged down by people who saw a man assault a pedestrian. Officers detained the suspect, who appeared to be intoxicated, and made contact with the alleged victim, who stated that he had just left a grocery store with his sisters when the suspect rode up on his bike and verbally accosted him. The suspect then dropped his bike and struck the victim in the face with a clenched fist, police said. The suspect continued his attack until other people came to his aid. The victim refused any medical aid and the suspect was placed under arrest for public intoxication, assault and battery. The suspect was identified as Vidal Asante Oguinn, 28, a transient. His bail was set at $20,000.
Saturday, Feb. 18, at 8:46 a.m.,
Officers responded to the rear alley of the 1500 block of Fifth Street regarding a report of a man who returned to his old apartment to get some property that was placed in the trash. When officers arrived, they found the suspect inside a trash bin looking for items he said were thrown out approximately a week after he had moved. The suspect allegedly told officers that he broke a metal gate that enclosed the trash containers and scratched a parked car when trying to move the trash bin. After speaking with the property manager and the owner of the scratched car, officers placed the suspect under arrest for felony vandalism. He was identified as Robert Brian Hutchings, 51, a transient. His bail was set at $20,000.
Saturday, Feb. 18, at 1:58 p.m.,
Officers responded to the 1500 block of Lincoln Boulevard — Denny’s — regarding a report of a diner who refused to pay for their meal. When officers arrived, they contacted the restaurant manager, who said that the suspect entered the restaurant, ordered food and after eating told employees that he did not have money. Officers learned that the suspect was arrested days earlier for the same thing. Police cuffed him and transported him to the Santa Monica Jail where he was booked for defrauding an innkeeper. He was identified as Cameron Taylor Dodge, 38, a transient.
Monday, Feb. 20, at 5 a.m.,
Officers responded to the 2700 block of Lincoln Boulevard on the report of a man saying his girlfriend was inside an automotive business and needed help. When officers arrived to Smog Check they saw an open bay door and a man and a woman inside talking. While checking in on the woman, officers said they saw several glass pipes commonly used to smoke rock cocaine on the ground next to the two. The male suspect allegedly admitted the pipes were his. Officers checked further and said they found cocaine next to the pipes. The man was placed under arrest for possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was identified as Issam Camille Khoury, 50, of Santa Monica. His bail was set at $10,000.
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Editor-in-Chief Kevin Herrera compiled these reports.
