Mom Who Pushed Kids From Moving Car Was Astrology Influencer Disturbed By Eclipse

Danielle Johnson was worried about the eclipse. The astrology influencer and “divine healer,” who went by the name Danielle Ayoka online, called the upcoming astronomical event “the epitome of spiritual warfare” and told people they needed to “pick a side,” in posts Thursday on X. Less than three days later, in the early morning before the partial solar eclipse, Johnson left a trail of tragedy in her wake: her partner stabbed to death in the kitchen of the family apartment in Woodland Hills, her 8-month-old baby dead after being pushed from Johnson’s moving Porsche Cayenne on the 405, and Johnson herself dead after crashing her car on Pacific Coast Highway in Redondo Beach. Found by investigators lying about the Woodland Hills apartment: tarot cards and black feathers. Law enforcement sources confirmed to The Times on Wednesday that Ayoka — who was active online as an R&B recording artist as well as an astrologer offering self-help and healing sessions for a fee — was Johnson, the suspect in the two deaths. The LAPD has said little publicly about the motive in the deaths and stress the investigation is ongoing. Lt. Guy Golan, homicide supervisor for the LAPD Valley Bureau, said Johnson and her partner, 29-year-old Jaelen Allen Chaney, had no documented history of domestic violence or calls to the Los Angeles Police Department. There were no prior indicators of domestic strife, Golan said.

Los Angeles Times

$55M In Cocaine, More Than A Ton, Seized In Southern California

Police seized more than a ton of cocaine with an estimated street value of $55 million after executing several search warrants across Southern California Wednesday, authorities announced. Detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Gang and Narcotics Division, along with assistance from the Glendale Police Department, served the warrants at locations in San Gabriel, Riverside and Hesperia, LAPD said in a post to X, formerly Twitter. Authorities said several arrests were made, as well as the recovery of U.S. currency and at least three firearms. Video footage of the seizure posted to social media showed the massive haul of cocaine wrapped in dark-colored bricks, as well as a bag of currency and several firearms. Police did not provide any information on how long the investigation had been going on or whether more arrests were expected in the case. The identities of the suspects were not immediately available.  

KTLA 5

‘No Obvious Signs' Of Entry Into Vault In Multimillion-Dollar Cash Heist In Sylmar

The chief of the Los Angeles Police Department said that the burglars, who stole tens of millions of dollars from an armored truck depot in Sylmar during an Easter Sunday break-in, accessed the interior of the building through the roof before they entered the vault. “It’s unclear how they accessed the vault itself inside the building. There were no obvious signs of entry into the vault,” said LAPD Chief Dominic Choi, raising questions about whether the vault was unlocked or someone involved with the break-in knew how to open it. The burglary at the building on Roxford Street first reported to the LAPD around mid-day Sunday, March 31 is being investigated by the FBI as the cash facility is insured by the FDIC, police said. The FBI declined to comment on the chief’s remarks. Several law enforcement sources told the I-Team the amount of cash stolen was "in the $20 millions," slightly less than the $30 million widely reported in early news accounts. Choi confirmed publicly that the warehouse is owned by the Canadian private security firm GardaWorld that provides armored truck cash pickup services to retail businesses. 

NBC 4

Inappropriate Photos Circulating At Fairfax High School Prompts LAUSD Investigation

Los Angeles school officials announced Wednesday that they are investigating allegations of inappropriate photos being created and shared within the Fairfax High School community. "Based on the school’s preliminary investigation, the images were allegedly created and shared on a third-party messaging app unaffiliated with Los Angeles Unified," officials said in a statement. "Los Angeles Unified remains steadfast in providing training on the ethical use of technology – including A.I. – and is committed to enhancing education around digital citizenship, privacy and safety for all in our school communities." Word of the investigation follows the expulsion of five Beverly Hills Unified School District students, determined to have been behind the creation and circulation of fake nude photos of fellow students generated using artificial intelligence. The students allegedly superimposed pictures of classmates’ faces onto nude bodies generated by artificial intelligence. According to the district, 16 eighth-grade students were targeted by the pictures, which were shared through messaging apps. Similar photos were also discovered earlier this month at Laguna Beach High School.

FOX 11

Lyft Driver Arrested For Allegedly Sexually Assaulting Female Passenger During Ride To Santa Monica Home

Santa Monica police announced Wednesday the arrest of a man for allegedly sexually assaulting a female passenger in his vehicle while he was employed as a Lyft driver in September. Officers were sent to the 2900 block of Pennsylvania Avenue on Sept. 7, 2023, "regarding a sexual assault," according to Lt. Erika Aklufi of the Santa Monica Police Department. Police said a woman reported that a Lyft driver picked her up from a West Hollywood restaurant and sexually assaulted her during the ride to her home. "The victim, a Santa Monica resident, fell asleep in the car and woke up to inappropriate touching," Aklufi said. "The suspect then offered to walk her to her door, which she refused. Once home, she realized several hours had passed since she was picked up." Santa Monica police detectives identified the driver as Fernando Macias Morales, 34, of Los Angeles and he was arrested April 5 in the San Fernando Valley. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office charged Morales with felony counts of kidnapping to commit a sexual act, sexual penetration of a person intoxicated or under sedation, and oral copulation of a person intoxicated or under sedation, Aklufi said.

CBS 2

CHP Arrests 4, Recovers $300,000 In Legos Stolen From Target, Other SoCal Stores

Authorities announced a bust of a retail theft ring that allegedly stole at least $300,000 in Legos from Southern California retailers. The Legos were seized and four people in Los Angeles and Orange counties were arrested, according to the CHP. The suspects were involved in stealing the Legos from stores like Target, Home Depot and Lowe's and selling them to fences - people or groups who purchase stolen products and then sell them to the public, often through businesses that seem legitimate like swap meets or on websites, according to CHP investigators. The suspects were identified as Jeremy Johnson, 44, of Orange, Marta Hardt, 39, of Huntington Beach, Chung-Pei Yu, 47, of Studio City, and Shen Li, 35, of Brea. They were booked on theft and conspiracy charges. The bust was made by CHP officers who are part of a retail crime task force which has been cracking down on a surge in thefts from stores.

ABC 7

Vermont Driver Is Charged With Aggravated Murder In Crash That Killed A Police Officer

A Vermont man accused of killing a 19-year-old police officer in a head-on crash during a pursuit in Rutland last summer pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a new elevated charge of aggravated murder. Tate Rheaume, who was ordered held without bail pending an evidence hearing, was “engaged in extraordinarily dangerous driving” at more than 80 mph (129 kph) while also moving in and out of traffic before the fatal crash, Rutland County State’s Attorney Ian Sullivan said. According to a police affidavit, the July 7, 2023, pursuit started after Rheaume, 20, broke into the home of an ex-girlfriend with whom he has two children. Concerned about his mental state, she had taken the children to her grandmother’s house, but her boyfriend called police after seeing security camera images of Rheaume at their home. At the time of the collision, he was traveling at between 76 and 82 mph (122 and 132 kph) on a road with a posted speed limit of 35 mph (56 kph), Sullivan said, and he struck two police cruisers. Rutland City Police Officer Jessica Ebbighausen, who was not wearing a seatbelt and was thrown from the cruiser, was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other officers and Rheaume were taken to Rutland Regional Medical Center, and Rheaume was later transferred to the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, police said then.

Associated Press

21-Year-Old Who Stabbed Florida Officer Sentenced To Life In Prison

A 21-year-old woman rolled her car in a crash, then stabbed a deputy in the neck to get away when she was confronted, Florida authorities said. Two years later, she’s been sentenced to life in prison, the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office announced April 10. Leigha Michelle Day is accused of crashing her car shortly before midnight March 23, 2022, according to an arrest report from the sheriff’s office. A witness said a woman walked away from the crash, and deputies went to search for her. Body camera footage from deputy Cody Colangelo shows him encountering Day crying on a beach. He asks her if she’s been in a crash and asks her to come toward him. “Let’s walk up here, let’s get off this water, OK?” he is heard saying in the recording. She appears to be holding her hands together in front of her as they begin walking up the stairs of a dock away from the beach, with the deputy following behind Day, the video shows. Suddenly, she turns around and stabs him in the neck, officials said. He can be heard in the video firing a shot and continues pursuing the woman while calling for backup. His hand in the body camera footage appears bloody. He’s eventually taken into an ambulance, and other law enforcement officers reported finding the woman standing between two docks in waist-high water.

Charlotte Observer

Video: Suspect Grabs Police TASER, Uses It On Wyoming Officer During Traffic Stop

Body camera video released by the Cheyenne Police Department shows an incident where a suspect reached for an officer’s TASER and allegedly used it against the officer, the Wyoming Tribune Eagle reported. The April 5 incident, captured on both citizen and body camera footage, shows a traffic stop for a license plate violation involving a 26-year-old suspect , according to the report. The incident began when officers noted the absence of seat belts among the vehicle’s occupants. Video shows an officer telling the suspect and another person holding a baby in the backseat to exit the vehicle, saying that the suspect had given officers a false ID and was “acting weird.” The other person complied and got out of the car, but the suspect became combative and reached for the officer’s TASER. The TASER can be heard deploying in the video. The suspect then deployed the TASER on an officer, according to the CPD. According to CPD, the suspect’s attempt to flee and his aggressive actions, including using a TASER on an officer, prompted the use of baton strikes to control his arm and prevent him from accessing a knife. The body camera footage shows the suspect receiving baton strikes aimed at specified zones, according to CPD. Following the altercation, the suspect was arrested on multiple charges and was medically cleared before being booked into jail.

PoliceOne

1 Dead After Flames Rip Through Sun Valley Home

One person was found dead after flames tore through a home in Sun Valley on Wednesday. The fire was reported just after 4 p.m. in the 7500 block of North Craner Avenue. It took 30 firefighters about 13 minutes to extinguish the flames at the one-story home. They found one person dead inside the home. The causes of the fire and the person's death remain under investigation.

ABC 7

Hospital Trying To Identify Man Found Unresponsive In Downtown L.A.

Los Angeles General Medical Center is asking for the public’s help to identify a man who has been hospitalized for several days after he was found unconscious and unresponsive in downtown L.A. The man was found by bystanders on Saturday, officials said, and the Boyle Heights hospital has yet to determine who he is. He’s described as Black man around 60 years of age with a thin build, standing 5 feet 7 inches and weighing around 133 pounds. He has brown eyes and black hair with some grays, L.A. County Department of Health Services officials said. The man has no scars or tattoos and nothing on his person that could assist in identifying him or any potential family members. Due to patient confidentiality laws, the hospital was unable to provide details about his medical condition. Anyone who might recognize the man is urged to contact Cesar Robles, a clinical social worker at L.A. General’s Department of Social Work, by calling 323-409-6884.

KTLA 5

LA Council Committee Hears Early Plans For Eliminating Vacant Positions

With Los Angeles facing budget challenges brought on in part by $289 million in overspending, a City Council committee voted unanimously Wednesday to continue discussions on a plan to eliminate nearly 2,000 vacant positions across a range of departments. The three-member Personnel, Audits and Hiring Committee noted that the list of vacant positions is expected to be published alongside Mayor Karen Bass' proposed 2024-25 budget, which should be announced later this month. Councilman Tim McOsker, who chairs the committee, instructed staff to bring back the list at its next meeting so members can review it in detail. "I think it's really important for us to know that should we eliminate positions, whether it's one position or 2,000 positions -- while it's real for those departments -- it also puts us inextricably on a course where we are going to spend less on something," McOsker said prior to the vote. "It is important to make sure that we are funding our departments in a way that is rational, sustainable and structurally sound," he added. 

Westside Current

About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents more than 8,900 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education.