February 11, 2011 (Rolando) – San Diego Police report that around 3:26 a.m., two suspects broke the front glass doors at Change U Beauty 6463 University Ave and entered, then stole numerous human hair extensions value at about $10,000 and an undisclosed amount of money.

February 5, 2011 (San Diego) – A bicyclist traveling eastbound on Friars Road struck the side of a box truck while attempting to pass the off-ramp from northbound I-15. The cyclist fell and was run over by the truck, sustaining fatal injuries.

January 31, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) -- San Diego Police Department Homicide Unit detectives have arrested Crystal Cardenas for the murder of her daughter, Elizabeth Holloway, 9. The mother was arrested at 10:25 a.m. today while walking in the 1600 block of Canyon Road in Spring Valley.

On January 17 at 10:22 p.m., officers and paramedics were dispatched to the family’s home at 328 Milbrae Street in the Mountain View community when the child went into medical distress. She was taken to a trauma center, and her autopsy revealed she died from blunt force trauma.

January 27, 2011 (San Diego)--San Diego Police Department will conduct a driving under the influence (DUI) checkpoint on Friday, January 28 at an undisclosed location within city limits between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. If officers suspect that a driver has been drinking or is impaired by drugs, they will conduct a field sobriety test.

January 20, 2011 (San Diego) – Three months after suffering a gunshot wound to his head, Monty is back to full duty as a San Diego Police service dog. The canine patrol member was injured by gunfire on October 27, 2010 while he and his handler were trying to locate a suspect wanted for assault with a deadly weapon and robbery charges in a Skyline apartment. The suspect shot and killed San Diego Police Officer Christopher Wilson, then later fatally shot himself.

January 17, 2011 (San Diego) – San Diego Police report that a resident at 3000 Central Avenue became angered when a transient parked his pushcart on the property at 7:24 a.m. According to Officer J. Jacobsen, the resident hit the homeless man in the face with a 2 x 4 board. 

January 16, 2011 (San Diego)—A woman, 40, lost control of a 2007 Hummer H3 that she was driving at a high rate of speed on Mission Gorge Road at 3:25 this morning, according to San Diego Police Officer David Stafford. The vehicle plunged down an embankment and into the backyard of a house on Echo Dell Road, then struck a fence and a tree.

January 1, 2010 (Normal Heights)—A homeowner at 4348 38th Street in San Diego’s Normal Heights neighborhood heard a knock on his front door, but didn’t answer. Moments later, the living room window was smashed. The homeowner pursued the intruder into an alley, where a fight ensued and the homeowner was stabbed several times in the head, Officer Frank Cali with San Diego Police reports.

December 9, 2010 (San Diego) – San Diego Police arrested Jorge Pando, 22, for impersonating a police officer. According to Sgt. Ray Battrick, Pando had been drinking at Vallartas Bar at 4125 El Cajon Blvd. around 1 a.m. when he told a woman that he was a police officer and insisted that she had to give him personal information. She refused, telling him her boyfriend was present, and Pando then flashed a badge twice.

Update: The victim has been identified as Emily Palmeter, who resided on Via Vallarta in San Diego, according to the San Diego Medical Examiner.  An autopsy has not yet been conducted.  

November 20, 2010 (Tierrasanta)--San Diego Police Department Homicide Unit detectives are investigating the death of a 16-year-old girl inside a Tierrasanta apartment last night.

Editor’s note: While ECM normally only covers crimes east of I-15, because many East County students attend UCSD we are providing this information to our readers.

November 6, 2010 (San Diego) -- San Diego Police Department Homicide Unit detectives have arrested Julio Angel Garcia-Puente for the murder of a woman whose body was found in a burning vehicle at a University of California San Diego parking lot on October 29 at 9:20 p.m. An autopsy revealed that the victim was murdered.

Editor's note: Although UCSD is not in East County, since many East County students attend the university we are publishing this information for our readers.

By Miriam Raftery

October 28, 2010 (San Diego) – Christopher Wilson, a veteran police officer was shot last night and died early this morning, San Diego Police report. “Officers were assisting U.S. marshals and probation units in doing a compliance check, when there was an exchange of gunshots,” Lt. Andra Brown told East County Magazine. “The officer was fatally wounded and a police canine was injured as well.” The shooting occurred at the Canyon View Apartments at 479 S. Meadowbrook Drive in the Skyline area of southeast San Diego, near Paradise Valley Road.

October 9, 2010 (San Diego) – A dirt motorcyclist who was not wearing a helmet has suffered a skull fracture after striking a planter box and being thrown off his motorcycle, landing on his head.

Helmets dramatically reduce the risk of serious injury or death for motorcyclists. According to data compiled in 2009 by the National Hihgway Transportation Safety Administration, helmets reduce the risk of death by 37% and are 67% effective in preventing brain injuries to motorcycle riders.