Proposed measure announced to protect immigrants who are victims of crime

By City News Service

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón joined two area legislators Monday to announce proposed legislation that could protect undocumented Californians who are crime victims or witnesses from being deported if they come forward.

"Far too often, undocumented victims of crime and witnesses to crime are afraid to come forward because they are afraid of deportation," the district attorney said in a statement. "Your immigration status should never be a barrier to safety. Public safety for everyone and equal access to the justice system is possible if we protect those that are most vulnerable. ... I will always advocate for policies and processes that increase access to justice for the undocumented members of our community while ensuring that people who cause harm are held accountable."

Crimes included under the measure include — but are not limited to — extortion, domestic violence and stalking.

The "Immigrant Rights Act" was authored by Assemblyman Miguel Santiago, D-Los Angeles, and is sponsored by Gascón.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis said those who are undocumented are "more likely to be victims and survivors of crime than their citizen counterparts," and called the measure a "true test of our state's commitment to justice for all."

The legislation, Assembly Bill 1261, has also garnered support from Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, Koreatown Youth & Community Center, Thai Community Development Center and Chinatown Service Center.

"The 'Immigrant Rights Act' protects undocumented immigrant victims from crimes of domestic violence and human trafficking," said Peter Ng, chief executive officer of Chinatown Service Center. "With this bill, victims who help with the investigation can apply for a visa for them and their family to remain in the country. If you are a victim of such hideous crimes, please do not be afraid to report it. This law can protect you."

The measure would promote the state's goal of protecting its most vulnerable residents by codifying the procedures for certain types of visas for undocumented people who have either been victims of certain crimes or been witnesses who have aided in law enforcement investigations, according to proponents.

Connie Chung Joe, the chief executive officer of AJSOCAL, said the proposed legislation removes hurdles for undocumented crime victims involving the visas and "empowers them to come forward for help without the fear of deportation."

Los Angeles Arcadia

Couple arrested, charged in connection with girl's hit-run death

A husband and wife were behind bars Thursday in connection with a hit-andrun crash on the Pomona (60) Freeway near Industry that killed an 11-year-old girl. Priscilla Marie Cornejo, 39, and her husband, Johnathon David Cornejo, 33, were arrested Monday morning at their Arcadia home, according to the California Highway Patrol. Both were being held in lieu of $2 million bail, according to jail records. According to the CHP, shortly after 4 a.m. March 22, Priscilla Cornejo was driving a black Hyundai Sonata westbound on the 60 Freeway, east of the San Gabriel River (605) Freeway. Her husband, 33-year-old Johnathon David Cornejo, was following the Hyundai in a black Ford Taurus, CHP officials said.

Azusa

Judge approves $987.5K settlement for girl over father's freeway death

A judge has approved a nearly $1 million settlement on behalf of the 10-year-old daughter of an Azusa man who was struck and killed on a freeway in Pomona, where unsafe conditions on the poorly lit roadway allegedly contributed to his 2016 death. Dwayne Armenta, 36, was killed at about 2:35 a.m. Nov. 23, 2016, as he was trying to get to a gas station after his Ford F-150 truck ran out of gas on the eastbound San Bernardino (10) Freeway about 1,000 feet from the Kellogg Drive off-ramp. The plaintiff, who was 4 years old when her father died, is now 10 and lives in La Puente. On Friday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Jill Feeney reviewed and gave her nod to the $987,500 settlement with defendants Guy F. Atkinson Construction LLC and High-Light Electric Inc.

Burbank

Burbank park evacuated over possible chlorine leak

A possible chemical leak involving chlorine being delivered to a Burbank park prompted evacuations and a hazardous-materials investigation Wednesday. The situation was reported early Wednesday at McCambridge Park, 1515 N. Glenoaks Blvd. Burbank Fire Department officials urged people to avoid the area while the investigation was conducted. The park was evacuated. It was unclear what prompted the investigation. MyBurbank.com reported that there may have been a mishap involving a truck delivering chemicals to the pool at the park. Burbank Mayor Konstantine Anthony posted on Twitter that the entire park was being closed off and "the air reeks of chlorine."

Beach injured Monday in a crash involving a motorcycle and a vehicle in Long Beach. The crash occurred at about 2:30 p.m. at 10th Street and Redondo Avenue, according to the Long Beach Police Department. Responding crews found a male motorcyclist and his female passenger injured, and both were taken to a hospital in critical condition, police said. The circumstances of the crash were not immediately known. No other injuries were reported.

Orange County

Orange County

Man pleads guilty to deadly DUI hit and run for 1,406 days behind bars.

Anaheim

2 drivers dead in Anaheim crash allegation of targeting a vulnerable victim.

Riverside

Two people were critically

A 40-year-old man pleaded guilty Monday and was sentenced to nine years in prison for an alcoholfueled, hit-and-run crash that killed a man and injured another victim in Garden Grove. Mario Miguel Hernandez-Lopez of Garden Grove admitted one count each of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury and hit-and-run with permanent and serious injury, all felonies, as well as two misdemeanor counts of hit-and-run with property damage. The defendant also admitted a sentencing enhancement allegation of fleeing the scene of a vehicular manslaughter. Hernandez-Lopez accepted a plea deal from Orange County Superior Court Judge Craig Robison, who gave the defendant credit

Two drivers were killed Sunday morning when the vehicles they were driving collided in Anaheim. The crash was reported at 12:24 a.m. at Nohl Ranch Road and Serrano Avenue, Anaheim Police Sgt. Jonathan McClintock told City News Service. "Upon officers' arrival, they located the vehicles, including one that was overturned," McClintock said. "The drivers of both vehicles were pronounced deceased at the scene by Anaheim Fire & Rescue." Two passengers of one of the vehicles were injured and paramedics took them to hospitals for treatment, he said.

Riverside

Riverside County

Felon charged with raping, sex trafficking minor in Hemet area

A convicted felon accused of taking a runaway girl off the streets of Hemet, plying her with alcohol and sexually assaulting her multiple times, was charged Tuesday with rape of an intoxicated person and other offenses. Frankie Lopez Frias, 39, of Valle Vista was arrested Thursday following a Riverside County Sheriff's Department investigation. Along with the rape count, Frias is charged with two counts each of sex trafficking and unlawful intercourse with a minor, as well as one count of providing a tattoo to a person under 18 years old and a sentence-enhancing

Motorist critically injured in crash at Riverside intersection

A man was critically injured in a collision Monday that police said was triggered when he plowed through a stop sign at a Riverside intersection and his pickup was struck by an oncoming car, causing the truck to overturn. The crash happened at about 10 a.m. at Highridge and Washington streets, according to the Riverside Police Department. Sgt. Ryan Taack said the pickup driver, whose identity was not disclosed, was going westbound on Highridge in his Ford F-150 and "failed to stop for the stop sign at the intersection."

Corona

Authorities ID Corona driver killed in crash on Garden Grove freeway

The Orange County Sheriff's Department Thursday released the name of a man killed while he was behind the wheel of a sedan during a crash with a big rig on the Garden Grove (22) Freeway in Garden Grove. The motorist was identified as Juan Jose Mendoza, 38, of Corona, said sheriff's Sgt. Mike Woodroof. The crash on the westbound freeway at Valley View Street occurred about 11:55 p.m. Friday, the California Highway Patrol reported.

San Bernardino

San Bernardino County

Live Nation sued by county residents over fan stampede at Lovers & Friends concert

Beverly Hills-based Live Nation Entertainment Inc. is being sued by two Southern California residents and a third from Arizona, who allege they were injured in a stampede of panicking fans during the 2022 Lovers & Friends Music Festival in Las Vegas who thought a noise they heard was gunfire. The May 14 concert attended by plaintiffs James Thomas and Carla Thomas of San Bernardino County and Aaliyah Aguilar of Tempe, Arizona featured Usher, Lil Kim, Ciara, Akon, T-Pain and Sean Paul. The three maintain the concert had insufficient security and medical personnel present. The plaintiffs seek unspecified damages from Live Nation, which promoted the event, as well as other entities associated with providing security and medical care.

San Bernardino

Public Works announces downtown San Bernardino improvement project

San Bernardino County Public Works is excited to announce the Little Third Street and Little Tippecanoe Avenue improvement project which is located in downtown San Bernardino. The project provides over half a mile long of improvements and is funded through a federal earmark and Measure I. The project will provide for pavement reconstruction, street widening, installation of new asphalt concrete, sidewalk construction, streetlight installation, and updating or installing new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) curb ramps. Decorative fencing will also be installed between the sidewalk and the City Creek Channel to enhance the aesthetics and safety of the community.

Ontario

Family center in Ontario names reading room after Beverly Clearly

You may know and love her books, but did you know Beverly Cleary was a former Ontario resident and Ontario City Library employee? The City Council of Ontario named the children’s room at Ovitt Family Community Library after the beloved author. The city invited residents to celebrate the name change, along with Clearly’s birthday, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the library on Wednesday, April 12.

M onrovia

March 31

At 11:37 a.m., a resident in the area of Foothill and Stedman called to report a female subject was going through trash cans and removing items. Officers arrived and located the subject. It was discovered she had multiple warrants for her arrest. She was arrested and taken into custody.

At 8:09 p.m., a caller in the 600 block of West Huntington reported theft. This investigation is continuing.

At 10:38 p.m., officers were dispatched to a school facility in the 200 block of South Ivy regarding a person on the roof. Officers arrived and with assistance from a police helicopter and MFD the subject was located. It was determined that the subject was a danger to himself and he was transported to a medical facility for a mental evaluation.

April 1

At 1:47 a.m., an officer observed a vehicle commit a vehicle code violation in the 200 block of East Olive and conducted a traffic stop. The driver showed symptoms of being under the influence of alcohol, so the officer began a DUI investigation. After standardized field sobriety tests were conducted the driver was arrested for DUI.

At 10:58 a.m., a resident in the 600 block of Canyon called to report that her vehicle's catalytic converter was taken sometime during the night. This investigation is continuing.

At 1:12 p.m., a caller in the 700 block of South Ivy