Suspect In Deadly LA County Police Chase No-Shows His Court Date After Being ‘Released On Own Recognizance'

Why would a man who led law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit and severely injured an innocent driver who later died be released without bail on his own recognizance? Twenty-year-old Victor Duartemacias was supposed to be in Compton court on Monday morning. He never showed up, and his attorney told the court he couldn’t communicate with Duartemacias in two days. The pursuit happened on November 24, 2023. LA County Sheriff’s deputies were pursuing Duartemacias for a reported stolen vehicle. The chase ended at the intersection of Artesia Blvd and Long Beach Boulevard when Duartemacias collided with a white truck driven by Pedro Barrera. The impact was so strong it severed the 56-year-old man’s left arm. After six weeks in the ICU, Pedro died from multiple complications. "This suspect/defendant not showing up to court is not at all surprising; he’s facing serious charges. He evaded the police, and I’m surprised the judge let him out without having to post bail. It’s hard to explain, and I don’t understand it," said former prosecutor-turned-criminal defense attorney Dmitry Gorin. The LA County Sheriff’s Department says Suspect Duartemacias was appropriately booked and charged with felony evading a peace officer with great bodily injury. On December 27, 2023, Suspect Duartemacias was released by Compton Court on an "OR" release but the department has no details on why the court gave him an OR.

FOX 11

Woman Charged With Killing Hollywood Consultant Michael Latt At Mid-City Home Pleads Not Guilty

A woman charged with killing a high-profile marketing consultant and social justice advocate in film pleaded not guilty Monday. Jameelah Elena Michl, 36, entered the plea in Los Angeles Superior Court to charges of murder and burglary, with additional allegations that she used a firearm to commit the felonies. Prosecutors say she knocked on the door of the Mid-City home of Michael Latt -- then forced her way in and fatally shot him with a semi-automatic handgun on Nov. 27. He was later declared dead at a hospital. Latt, 33, was a well-known consultant in Hollywood whose firm focused on social impact in film and entertainment. He had worked on projects with directors including Ryan Coogler and Ava DuVernay. Prosecutors and court records say Michl had been stalking and threatening director A.V. Rockwell, and targeted Latt because he was friends with Rockwell. Michl was the subject of several restraining orders from Rockwell. Rockwell's latest film " A Thousand and One," starring Teyana Taylor, won the Grand Jury Prize at last year's Sundance Film Festival, and earned her a Gotham Award for breakthrough director on the same night Latt was killed.

ABC 7

Two Hospitalized After Stabbing At Party In Westlake

Two men were hospitalized early Sunday after they were stabbed at a party in Westlake. The incident happened just after 1:45 p.m. near Union Drive and W. 6th Street, according to Los Angeles Police Department investigators. They say that both victims, still unidentified, were rushed to nearby hospitals in unknown condition after they were stabbed by someone with a knife in what appeared to be a robbery for beer. Investigators say that the suspects fled from the scene on foot and did not provide any details on their appearance. There was no further information provided. 

CBS 2

South LA Gang Member Sentenced To Over 15 Years In Federal Prison

A member of a South Los Angeles-based street gang who admitted distributing multiple pounds of methamphetamine and cocaine and to selling of dozens of firearms and 16 machine gun conversion kits, was sentenced Monday to 188 months in federal prison for distributing thousands of fentanyl pills, which weighed a total of nearly two pounds. Jose Luis Alonso, 28, also known as “AK-47,” of Huntington Park, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David O. Carter in downtown Los Angeles. Alonso has been in federal custody since October 2022. Alonso, the lead defendant in the case, pleaded guilty in August to one count of distribution of fentanyl. In his plea agreement, Alonso admitted distributing about 8,944 fentanyl pills, 855 grams of fentanyl powder, and further admitted to handling 4.8 pounds of methamphetamine, and nearly 9 pounds of cocaine. Alonso also admitted to selling 36 firearms and 16 machine gun conversion kits from May 2022 to October 2022 without a license and to illegally possessing firearms as a felon.

MyNewsLA

Home-Invasion Suspects Ransack Larchmont Home, Injure Resident

Los Angeles police are searching for three home-invasion robbers who injured a resident and ransacked a Larchmont neighborhood home Monday night. The incident was reported around 9 p.m. in the 4800 block of Beverly Boulevard. A female victim reported someone knocked at the door and then pried it open as she was watching, Los Angeles Police Department Officer Lopez said. After gaining entry, the three male suspects demanded property and ransacked the home, Lopez said. The suspects then fled the scene in a dark-colored 4-door SUV. The victim was injured at some point during the robbery and taken to a nearby hospital in stable condition. It was unclear what type of injury she sustained.

KTLA 5

Deafening Sounds Of Erratic Fireworks Heard In Downtown Los Angeles, Leaving Questions

A mysterious barrage of fireworks exploded without warning in downtown Los Angeles over the weekend, startling many residents. The Los Angeles Police Department responded to calls of possible fireworks in the area around 10:45 p.m., said Mike Lopez, a department spokesperson. By the time officers investigated, he said, they found no evidence of fireworks “or if there was, there was nobody arrested.” What caught nearby resident Derek Bowe Jr. off guard was the boom he heard before the succession of fireworks Sunday night. Bowe, who lives on the border of the Historic Core, Civic Center and Little Tokyo, was sitting on his building’s rooftop listening to music when the fireworks started to go off around 10:40 p.m. “I literally thought a building had been hit by something and that missiles were being fired due to the sound,” Bowe said. “So I was relieved, puzzled and irritated when I saw it was fireworks going off and not missiles,” he said. Bowe said he doesn’t have any issues with fireworks but he does when they’re set off late in the evening and “with that intensity, it’s a bit much considering it wasn’t a holiday.” Rich Windisch, who saw the fireworks near downtown Los Angeles, said hearing random explosions isn’t entirely uncommon in the area. He thought the deafening noise was a car crash.

Los Angeles Times

Small Businesses In LA County Becoming Targets Of Rampant Thefts

Small businesses have been repeated targets in a string of break-ins and robberies in LA County. In Eagle Rock alone, more than 10 businesses have been victims of burglaries, forcing business owners to pay out of pocket to replace stolen and damaged property. Hype Kingdom, a sneaker store in Bellflower, was broken into on Jan. 21 by a group of 15 individuals who stole more than 500 items after driving through the store’s security gates. “I have one, two, three, six locks on my door, I have a security gate, a security wall that was built,” Hype Kingdom owner DJ said. “If someone wants something really bad, they are going to get it. I mean, all we can do is slow it down.” That same weekend, thieves also targeted Seco Mini Market in Santa Clarita and caused thousands of dollars in damages. Both incidents occurred only a couple of weeks after a mob of people drove into and ransacked Ruben’s Bakery in Compton. Sage Medical Aesthetics owner Dr. Chett Mallett says he and his company “do little things we can, we make sure our doors are locked,” adding security cameras as an added measure. Business owners in Studio City are rethinking whether their security measures are sufficient after armed thieves held up at least three businesses near Cahuenga Boulevard.

NBC 4

Mother Arrested After Toddler Found Alone On Boat In Marina Del Rey

A mother and her male companion have been arrested following the discovery of a lone toddler on a boat in Marina del Rey. The incident occurred on Sunday night, as reported by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Deputies located the toddler aboard the vessel, which was moored in a slip. Divers were deployed to search the water, suspecting that an adult might have accidentally fallen off the boat, leaving the child unattended. Several hours later, the child's mother appeared with a male companion. Both individuals were arrested on charges of child endangerment. Fortunately, the child was unharmed and is now in a secure environment. Further details are currently unavailable.

Westside Current

Authorities Warn Of Used Car Scam Sweeping California

A scam that began in Southern California toward the end of 2023 seems to have made its way to the northern part of the state, according to a Northern California sheriff’s office. The scam begins with someone pretending to be interested in purchasing a vehicle and contacting a seller, normally through either Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said on social media. Next, the “buyer” will arrange to “inspect and test drive the vehicle.” When they arrive to complete their test drive, they will normally show up with one or two other people, according to officials. “At some point, either during the test drive or inspection, the seller is distracted away from the vehicle while one of the persons in the buyer’s group is looking under the hood,” officials explained. They continued, “The buyer then tells the seller that they have detected a mechanical problem with the vehicle and shows the seller, who is often shocked by the discovery.” What usually occurs during this part of the scam is that the person who came along with the “potential buyer” will tamper with the vehicle being sold.

KTLA 5

Chicago Officers Can Wear Uniforms To Suspected Cop Killer’s Trial, Judge Decides

Police officers who wish to attend the trial of a murder suspect in the case of Officer Ella French are allowed to come to court in uniform, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Defense attorneys had asked that officers who attend the trial of Emonte Morgan, 23, not wear their uniforms, citing concerns that a “sea of blue” might intimidate the jury, according to the report. The incident occurred on Aug. 7, 2021, when Officer Ella French and her partners pulled over Eric Morgan, 25. Emonte was in the backseat, according to the report. After Eric refused to put down a drink and a cell phone he was holding, a struggle with officers ensued. During the struggle, Emonte produced a handgun from his waistband and shot French and her partner, Officer Carlos Yanez. The suspects were taken into custody after trying to flee, according to the report. French did not survive. Officers did wear uniforms in the October trial of Morgan’s brother, Eric Morgan, 25, who pleaded guilty to battery with a deadly weapon and obstruction of justice in the incident. He was sentenced to seven years in prison, the maximum allowed for the charges, according to the report. Defense attorneys filed several motions to keep the shows of support for French at bay during Emonte’s trial, claiming they wanted to prevent it from “becoming a circus,” according to the report. Judge Ursula Walowski, who also presided over Eric’s trial, stated she would not let that happen, according to the report. She also denied a motion to prohibit trial attendees from wearing T-shirts in support of French. “I’m not going to tell people what they can or can’t wear in the courtroom,” Walowski said.

PoliceOne

Video: Wrong-Way Driver Admits To Intentionally Hitting NYPD Cop With Car

Dash camera video shows the moment a wrong-way driver intentionally hit an NYPD officer, PIX 11 reported. The Jan. 17 incident occurred when an officer on foot approached a vehicle turning the wrong way onto a one-way street, according to the report. The vehicle briefly stopped as Officer Ruchiran Dias approached. Then, the vehicle suddenly sped up, sending Dias over the hood and to the ground. Video shows bystanders approaching the driver, now known to be Sahara Dula, 24, and helping Dias as he lay in the roadway. Dula appeared in court on Jan. 19, where she informed investigators she had done it on purpose. “[Expletive] these cops; he wouldn’t move. I told the cop I wanted to go straight, and he would not move so I hit him. I did it on purpose,” Dula stated, according to court documents. Dula’s attorney stated in court that she suffers from bipolar disorder, is on medication and gets mental health help, according to the report. “Until these people are punished for assaulting New York City police officers, they’re going to continue,” PBA President Patrick Hendry said. 

PoliceOne

LAFD Captain Injured In Blast At Homeless Encampment

A Los Angeles Fire Department captain sustained a non-life-threatening injury when a pressurized gas cylinder exploded at an encampment in an abandoned subterranean pedestrian tunnel Tuesday in the Vermont Knolls area of South Los Angeles. Fire crews responded at 3:09 a.m. to 7501 S. Normandie Ave. south of 74th Street where they found the fire, said LAFD spokesman Brian Humphrey. The captain was taken to a hospital in fair condition for treatment. No other injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation. 

Westside Current

LA County Warns Of Norovirus Outbreaks Linked To Raw Oysters

LA County health officials are warning people to avoid consuming raw oysters after norovirus outbreaks have sprung up across SoCal. Sixty-nine oyster-related outbreaks have been reported in San Diego, and over 150 cases in LA — all linked to oysters harvested in the Gulf of California in Western Mexico, the Baja Peninsula and Sonora, among other locations. Dr. Lello Tesema at LA County’s Department of Health says norovirus is very contagious, and restaurants and markets have been advised to “either confiscate the oysters or stop selling them.”“People who are immunocompromised or older adults, specifically, should be avoiding raw oysters at this time,” Tesema said. While cooked oysters are “less risky,” Tesema says they are still a possible source of disease, especially if they come from the aforementioned locations. Norovirus can even survive steaming, up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The stubborn, food-borne germ has been known to cause high-profile outbreaks on cruise ships every year, which often leave hundreds of passengers restricted to quarters with diarrhea and headaches. According to Tesema, other side effects include “nausea, vomiting; for most people, from one to three days — sometimes stomachaches.” 

NBC 4

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.