Category: California crime

Felon Jailed for Killing Woman in Drunk Driving Collision in Riverside

RIVERSIDE—A convicted felon who killed a 65-year-old woman while driving drunk in Mead Valley was bound for state prison on July 14 to serve a sentence of 25 years to life after pleading guilty to second-degree murder and other charges. Lawrence Michael Dileva, 39, of Nuevo admitted the murder count, along with DUI gross vehicular…


2 Teens Arrested, One Officer Injured After Pursuit in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES—Two teenage suspects were arrested for allegedly stealing a vehicle and prompting a brief pursuit and colliding with a police motorcycle, injuring the officer, authorities said on July 14. Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Valley Traffic Division received a report from a witness about a stolen vehicle Thursday around 3:30 p.m.,…


Marine Pleads Guilty for Fatally Punching Man in Dana Point

NEWPORT BEACH—A 21-year-old San Diego former Marine reached a plea deal agreement with prosecutors on July 14 in connection with a St. Patrick’s Day fight that killed a man in a Dana Point restaurant. Jack Griffin Isaacson—who was facing a felony count of involuntary manslaughter—pleaded guilty to a felony count of battery with serious bodily…


Irvine Surgeon Gets Nearly 3 Years in Prison for Hospital Bribery Case

An orthopedic surgeon was sentenced on July 14 to 33 months in federal prison for accepting more than $315,000 in bribes and kickbacks for performing spinal surgeries at a now-defunct Long Beach hospital whose owner was imprisoned for committing workers’ compensation insurance fraud. David Payne, 65, of Irvine, was also fined $20,000 and ordered to…


Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Human Smuggling Trip That Killed 13

SAN DIEGO—A federal judge on Thursday sentenced a man to 15 years in prison for coordinating a smuggling trip in which two dozen migrants were stacked into a Ford Expedition that crashed into a tractor-trailer, killing 13 people outside a California desert town. Jose Cruz Noguez pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges stemming from…


Man Sentenced to Life Without Parole for South Bay Murder, Attempted Murder

SAN DIEGO—A man who pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder charges for his part in a 2018 South Bay crime spree that left one man dead and a woman paralyzed after she was shot multiple times was sentenced this week to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Cesar Alvarado, 44, admitted to…


South LA Gang Members Plead Guilty in Fatal Shooting of LAPD Officer

LOS ANGELES—Three members of a street gang have pleaded guilty on the eve of trial to their roles in the robbery and fatal shooting of Los Angeles Police Department Officer Fernando Arroyos who was gunned down in January 2022 while off-duty and house-hunting with his girlfriend, officials announced on July 14. The defendants—Luis Alfredo de…


Man Shot and Killed Near Los Angeles City Hall

LOS ANGELES—A 30-year-old man was shot and killed near Los Angeles City Hall before sunrise on July 14. Central Division officers from the Los Angeles Police Department were called at 3:05 a.m. to First and Spring Streets regarding shots fired. Upon their arrival, the officers found the victim on a sidewalk suffering from gunshot wounds,…


Two Additional Teenage Suspects Arrested in Fatal Long Beach Shooting

Two additional teenage suspects have been arrested in connection with a fatal shooting of a 17-year-old boy in Long Beach in January, police said on July 12. Long Beach Police Department Special Investigations Division detectives located two 16-year-old boys suspected of fatally shooting Khalil Saleem at two separate locations on July 11, according to the…


Crimes Surging in California While Arrests Declining: Attorney General’s Report

Crime statistics for 2022 show violent and property crimes increasing year-over-year in California, according to an Attorney General report released June 30. With crime increasing across many categories, homicide and driving under the influence arrests each decreased 5.9 percent and motor vehicle theft arrests fell 8.5 percent. “While crime rates remain significantly below their historical…