Winners of 43rd annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes announced

By City News Service

The winners of the 43rd annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes have been announced and include a re-examination of the life of longtime FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and a debut novel set in a red-light district in Pakistan.

The awards were handed out during a ceremony Friday at the University of Southern California's Bovard Auditorium.

The Book Prizes are a prologue to the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, which is being held Saturday and Sunday on the USC campus.

In addition to the Book Prize winners, several honorary awards were also presented.

James Ellroy, author of several Los Angeles-based crime novels including "L.A. Confidential" and "The Black Dahlia" received the Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime achievement.

The Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose went to Javier Zamora, whose memoir, "Solito," recounts his 4,000-mile journey from El Salvador to the United States in 1999, when he was just 9-years-old and traveling alone.

The Innovator's Award went to the Freedom to Read Foundation for its efforts to protect the public's right to access information in libraries and helping to provide legal counsel to librarians fighting to preserve their First Amendment rights. The foundation has also been active in documenting and opposing the current wave of book bans in several parts of the nation.

The free two-day book event is billed as the nation's largest literary and cultural festival and features more than 500 writers, musicians, artists and chefs, hundreds of exhibitors and an estimated 150,000 attendees each year.

Here is a complete list of the winners:

Biography

-- Beverly Gage, "G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century"

Fiction

-- Mircea Cartarescu, "Solenoid" (translation by Sean Cotter)

Graphic Novel/Comics

-- Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith, "Wash Day Diaries"

History

-- Margaret A. Burnham, "By Hands Now Known: Jim Crow's Legal Executioners"

Mystery/Thriller

-- Alex Segura, "Secret Identity"

Poetry

--Dionne Brand,"Nomenclature: New and Collected Poems"

Science & Technology

-- Sabina Imbler,"How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures"

The Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction

-- Aamina Ahmad,"The Return of Faraz Ali"

The Ray Bradbury Prize for Science Fiction, Fantasy & Speculative Fiction

-- Nicola Griffith,"Spear"

Young-adult literature

-- Lyn Miller-Lachmann, "Torch"

Current interest

-- Dahlia Lithwick, "Lady Justice: Women, the Law, and the Battle to Save America"

Los Angeles

Pasadena

Pasadena man who bought Maserati with COVID relief money sentenced to prison

A Pasadena man was sentenced Thursday to 10 years behind bars for using stolen identities to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance benefits under the coronavirus federal relief act, which he later used to purchase a Maserati luxury SUV. Robert Mateer, 32, was also ordered to pay $937,173 in restitution, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Mateer pleaded guilty last year in Los Angeles to federal charges of use of unauthorized access devices, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of ammunition.

Burbank

1 killed, 1 wounded in shooting near Hollywood Burbank Airport

A person was fatally wounded and another person was expected to survive injuries suffered during a shooting in North Hollywood, authorities said Thursday. Detectives responded to the 7000 block of Vineland Avenue, near Hollywood Burbank Airport, at around 8:40 p.m. Wednesday to reports of a shooting, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The victims were standing near the intersection of Vineland Avenue and Leadwell Street when they were approached by at least one suspect who fired shots striking both victims. Paramedics rushed the pair to a hospital, where one was pronounced dead. The second victim underwent surgery and was expected to survive.

Azusa

Man pleads guilty in Azusaarea killing

One of five men who had been charged in the beating death of a young man whose body was found on the side of a mountain road in the Angeles National Forest pleaded guilty Friday to voluntary manslaughter and other charges. Andrew Williams, now 23, is facing a 25-year prison term in connection with the May 2018 attack on Julian Hamori-Andrade, with sentencing set for Nov. 15 in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom. Williams pleaded guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter, three counts of kidnapping and seven counts of assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury. All of the charges involve the same victim.

Long Beach

Three clerks cited during Long Beach decoy operation

Three clerks were cited for selling alcohol to underage individuals during three decoy operations conducted in Long Beach, the Long Beach Police Department announced Wednesday. The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and Long Beach Police Department conducted three minor decoy operations between October 2022 and April 2023, in which people under 21, under the direct supervision of LBPD detectives and ABC agents, attempted to purchase alcohol from 23 retail licensees in Long Beach, police said. The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control will take administrative action against the businesses whose clerks were cited, which may include a fine, suspension, or permanent revocation of alcoholic beverage license, police said.

Orange County

Orange County

Sex offender accused of child annoyance in OC

A 20-year-old convicted sex offender pleaded not guilty Monday to child annoyance in Fullerton. Andrew Francis Sim was charged with a felony count of annoying or molesting a child with a prior conviction. He pleaded not guilty in his arraignment in the jail courtroom in Santa Ana and was scheduled to return to court for a pretrial hearing in the North Justice Center in Fullerton. Sim pleaded guilty on Aug. 5 to oral copulation of a person younger than 18, unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor three years or younger than the defendant, both felonies, and a misdemeanor count of sexual penetration by a foreign object with an underage victim, according to court records. He was sentenced to six months in jail for March 30, 2021, crimes and placed on two years of probation.

Anaheim

Man gets 16-to-life for beating mother to death in Anaheim

A 24-year-old man was sentenced Thursday to 16 years to life in prison for beating his mother, a veteran state Department of Corrections officer, to death with a baseball bat in Anaheim. Seth Allen White was convicted on Feb. 16 of second-degree murder with a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a deadly weapon. Jurors, who rejected a first-degree murder charge, deliberated for about 2 1/2 hours. White was given credit for 2,159 days in jail. White beat 59-year-old Karen Patrice White on May 23, 2017, but she lingered in a coma for 11 months and died on Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018.

Riverside

Riverside County

County man who beat elderly woman to death pleads guilty to murder

A 36-year-old man who fatally beat a 77-year-old woman living in the same Palm Desert apartment complex pleaded guilty to murder Wednesday. During a hearing Wednesday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, Ryan Alkana additionally admitted to a sentence-enhancing allegation of using a weapon during a felony, according to court records. He's set to be sentenced on April 26. He was initially arrested on suspicion of the attempted murder of Mary Louise Brown, who was found lying face-down in a pool of blood on Jan.

31, 2019, inside a laundry room at the apartment complex in the 7400 block of Candlewood Street.

Riverside

‘Animal Walk’ planned at Riverside park at month's end

Hundreds of pet owners are expected to pour into Fairmount Park near downtown Riverside next week for the annual "Walk with the Animals," which is open to feline and canine owners throughout the Inland Empire. The 31st annual event is slated for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on April 29, and registration is available in advance, or on the day of the walk, according to organizers. The general cost of registration is $40, while students of any age are eligible for a $10 discount. Expectations are that upwards of 1,500 pet owners and their four-legged friends will be participating, forming "walk teams" that circle the park, organizers said.

Riverside

Major injuries result in car crash on 215 freeway in Riverside

One person suffered major injuries Monday morning when a car crashed into the center divider of the Escondido (215) Freeway in Riverside. The crash was reported at 2:19 a.m. on the northbound Escondido Freeway north of Central Avenue, according to the California Highway Patrol. Debris was reported across all lanes of the freeway from the damaged white Nissan sedan, the CHP said. One person was taken to Riverside Community Hospital for treatment of major injuries, the CHP said.

Corona

Authorities ID Corona driver killed in crash on Garden Grove freeway

A convicted felon accused of fleeing California Highway Patrol officers while driving under the influence of drugs and crashing as he tried to exit Interstate 15, killing a passenger and severely injuring another, was charged Friday with gross vehicular manslaughter and other offenses.

Timmy Lee Johnson Jr., 23, of Lancaster was arrested Saturday following the 120 mph chase and crash at I-15 and California Oaks Road in Murrieta. According to the California Highway Patrol, shortly after 4 a.m. Saturday, a CHP unit patrolling southbound I-15, just north of Magnolia Avenue, in Corona spotted Johnson's Jeep Compass without license plates and initiated a traffic stop on the freeway. Officer Javier Navarro alleged that the defendant failed to yield and instead stepped on the accelerator, continuing southbound.

San Bernardino

San Bernardino County

FEMA and other federal and state aid now available to mountain communities

Mountain residents, property owners and businesses affected by the late winter blizzard are now eligible for assistance from state and federal agencies, including FEMA, thanks to the efforts of Board of Supervisors Chair Dawn Rowe and various San Bernardino County agencies who advocated and worked closely with state and federal decision-makers to secure aid for local communities. Acting on a county emergency declaration made under Rowe’s leadership and then a request by the governor, FEMA added San Bernardino County to the Presidential Major Disaster Declaration approved by the president covering several California counties affected by winter storms.

FEMA’s action makes the county eligible for Individual Assistance support, providing county residents, property owners, and businesses with access to additional state and federal aid and recovery resources.

San Bernardino

San Bernardino Public Works visits North Park Elementary

Last Wednesday, members of the city's Public Works

Urban Forestry Section, with the help of a thirdgrade class at North Park Elementary School, planted two trees on their school grounds. Students learned about the value of trees and quickly helped by digging holes and properly planting the trees. The students named the trees Ratatouille and...Mark.

Ontario

Man arrested in Ontario for Northridge killing

A Panorama City man was in custody Monday for allegedly fatally shooting a man who had been hired to paint over gang graffiti on the wall of a Northridge business. Jamal Jackson, 24, was arrested Sunday in the San Bernardino County community of Ontario by personnel from the Operations-Valley Bureau Homicide Unit and the LAPD/FBI Fugitive and U.S. Marshals Task Force, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Jackson was booked on suspicion of murder, and he was being held without bail, the LAPD reported.

M onrovia April 11

At 7:57 a.m., a caller in the 300 block of South Myrtle reported a group of subjects setting up camp. A computer check of one of the subjects revealed an outstanding warrant. He was arrested and taken into custody.

At 9:04 a.m., officers responded to the 200 block of East Central regarding a fight between two roommates. One of the roommates accused the other of stealing his medications and punched him in the face. The victim's roommate refused to prosecute. This investigation is continuing.

At 10:58 a.m., an officer patrolling the area of Peck and Live Oak conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for a red light violation. As he approached the driver, he saw a handgun case laying in the back seat. The driver admitted to having the gun on him. A search revealed he was in possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested and taken into custody.

At 12:23 p.m., officers responded to the area of Acacia and Oaks regarding a traffic collision. The vehicle collided with a power pole, causing it to lean and shut down traffic. A resident's water line was also broken and public works responded to the water shut-off. This investigation is continuing.

At 12:24 p.m., a caller in the 100 block of West Huntington regarding an intoxicated subject. When they arrived, they saw it was a known subject that was intoxicated. The intoxicated subject assaulted a security guard at the location. He was arrested and taken into custody.

At 1:51 p.m., a resident in the 500 block of South Madison reported hearing her neighbor’s rear window being broken. The neighbor looked outside and saw broken glass, but no suspects. Officers arrived and checked the residence. The window screen was off and fresh pry marks were around the broken window. The suspects were unable to gain entry. This investigation is continuing.

At 8:23 p.m., an employee of a clothing store in the 500 block of West Huntington reported a male subject was in their store who has been known to shoplift. The subject was walking toward the exit doors with merchandise he did not pay for. Officers contacted the subject and he swung his fist at one officer. He was arrested and taken into custody.

April 12

At 8:05 a.m., an officer was patrolling a parking lot in the 300 block of South Peck when he saw an unoccupied vehicle. A computer check of the license plate revealed it was reported stolen in Irwindale. The owner of the vehicle was contacted and the vehicle was stored. This investigation is continuing.

At 10:46 a.m., officers conducted a traffic stop in the area of Shamrock & Evergreen for a traffic violation. The driver told officers he was unlicensed and on parole for robbery. A computer check revealed a warrant for traffic violations. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

At 1:35 p.m., a caller reported a hit-and-run traffic collision in the area of Mountain & Evergreen. The suspect vehicle fled. After units arrived on the scene, LASD advised they had a traffic collision at Buena Vista & Central and had the suspect vehicle stopped. The suspect was identified by the victims. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

At 2:18 p.m., a vehicle fire was reported in the area of Pomona and Ivy. Officers arrived and saw a hole in the rear passenger window with smoke coming from the back seat. The vehicle abruptly burst into flames and was extinguished by MFD. This investigation is continuing.

April 13

At 2:48 a.m., officers responded to a business in the 900 block of West Huntington due to an alarm activation. They arrived and found the front window shattered. The loss is to be determined. This investigation is continuing.

At 2:51 a.m., officers responded to a second business in the 900 block of West Huntington due to an alarm activation. They arrived and found the side window shattered. An employee arrived and confirmed a burglary had occurred. This investigation is continuing.

Blotters

At 5:43 p.m., Arcadia PD reported a stolen vehicle seen driving into Monrovia. An officer located the vehicle at Fifth and Foothill. A high-risk stop ensued and it was discovered the vehicle was mistakenly not removed from the stolen vehicle system by another agency.

At 8:40 p.m., an employee of a hardware store in the 1600 block of South Mountain reported two adult males entered the store, took merchandise and fled in two separate vehicles. Officers searched the area for the suspects but were unable to locate them. This investigation is continuing.

April 14

At 1:55 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 1600 block of South Mountain when he discovered graffiti on the wall of a hardware store. Graffiti removal was notified. This investigation is continuing.

At 8:55 a.m., an employee from a business in the 1300 block of South Magnolia called to report a male subject violated a no-trespass order. Officers arrived and located the subject. He was arrested and taken into custody.

At 9:20 a.m., a resident in the 800 block of Alta called to report that his vehicle was taken sometime during the night. This investigation is continuing.

At 9:52 a.m., a resident in the 1800 block of Encino called to report that his vehicle was taken sometime during the night. This investigation is continuing.

At 11:21 a.m., an employee from a car rental company in the 1100 block of East Huntington called to report that a vehicle was rented in February and the responsible party has not returned it. This investigation is continuing.

At 12:08 p.m., a caller reported her vehicle was broken into while she was shopping at a business in the 700 block of East Huntington. The driverside window was smashed and items were missing from the vehicle. This investigation is continuing.

At 4:12 p.m., a victim reported her vehicle was broken into in the 100 block of West

Chestnut. This investigation is continuing.

At 9:36 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 2600 block of South Peck when she discovered an abandoned vehicle. A computer check of the license plate revealed the car had been reported stolen the day prior. No suspects were located. The vehicle was recovered. This investigation is continuing.

At 10:09 p.m., several residents in the area of the 900 block of Crescent called to report hearing several gunshots. Officers responded and located evidence indicating a shooting had taken place. There were no victims and none of the nearby homes were struck. This investigation is continuing.

April 15

At 12:46 a.m., a resident in the 1400 block of South Alta Vista reported hearing several gunshots in his neighborhood. Officers responded and located evidence indicating a shooting had taken place. There were no victims and none of the nearby homes were struck. This investigation is continuing.

At 1:53 a.m., a driver reported he collided with a parked car in the 1000 block of South Ivy. Officers responded and located the driver who was heavily intoxicated. He admitted to drinking and driving. A DUI investigation revealed the driver was under the influence. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

At 3:16 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 400 block of West Huntington when he saw a motorist commit a driving violation. He stopped the driver and found she displayed symptoms of being intoxicated. A DUI investigation revealed she was under the influence. She was arrested and taken into custody.

At 10:51 p.m., a resident in the 900 block of Genoa reported her husband hit her and strangled her. He also battered their 7-month-old daughter, not causing injury. Officers arrived and made contact with the suspect. He was arrested and taken into custody.

April 16

At 5:03 p.m., an employee from a business in the 400 block of West Huntington called to report a female subject took merchandise without paying. Officers arrived and located the female subject with a male subject. A computer check revealed that they both had warrants for their arrest. A search of the male subject revealed he was in possession of drug paraphernalia. They were arrested and taken into custody.

April 17

At 9:03 a.m., officers responded to a business in the 700 block of East Huntington regarding a disturbing subject. Officers arrived and found a male adult under the influence of narcotics. A computer check revealed that he had a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.

At 3:52 p.m., a two-vehicle collision was reported in the area of Myrtle and Central. One driver was cited for a moving violation while the other received a citation for not having insurance.

At 5:30 p.m., officers responded to a business in the 400 block of West Huntington regarding male stealing items. The suspect fled before officers arrived. It was discovered the suspect took a large amount of merchandise without paying and fled. This investigation is continuing.

At 7:47 p.m., a concerned citizen reported to MPD a missing subject and had little information. Several hours later the subject was located and removed from the system.

April 18

At 9:20 a.m., a caller reported a suspicious vehicle parked in the 1700 block of Rosewood. Officers arrived and a computer check revealed the vehicle was reported stolen. The vehicle's owner was contacted. This investigation is continuing.

At 12:24 p.m., a caller reported his vehicle was broken into while parked in a parking lot in the 1600 block of South Mountain. The victim reported the property was stolen. This investigation is continuing.

At 2:58 p.m., a subject walked into a business in the 500 block of West Huntington and stole multiple items. The suspect fled the store and was caught nearby. The subject complained to be injured prior to police contact so the MFD was called to the location. The suspect was transported to a local hospital.

At 11:23 p.m., officers responded to the 400 block of Hurstview regarding a court order violation. The subject violated his restraining order by throwing a bottle at his neighbor's house. This investigation is continuing.

April 19

At 12:32 a.m., the same subject from the 400 block of Hurstview tried to attack his parents. He was held down until the police arrived. It was determined that he was a danger to others and was transported to a medical facility for a mental evaluation.

At 11:05 a.m., a caller reported an intoxicated male in the 100 block of West Foothill. Officers arrived and found a male who could not care for himself. The subject was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

At 3:25 p.m., a vehicle collision was reported in the area of Huntington and Monterey. Both parties were treated at the scene for minor injuries. This investigation is continuing.

At 6:15 p.m., a resident reported that sometime between April 15 and April 19, someone burglarized his garage in the 300 block of West Lemon. Tools and electronics were taken. This investigation is continuing.

At 11:42 p.m., a security guard witnessed a subject force open a door and enter the building in the 200 block of East Huntington. The subject emerged shortly after with a stolen package. The security guard followed the subject and called the police. Officers arrived and tried to stop the subject but he ran off. A short foot pursuit ensued. As the subject attempted to jump a fence into an apartment complex, officers grabbed him and placed him under arrest. The subject complained of multiple previous medical conditions and was transported to the hospital. He was issued an emergency citation.

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