October 24, 2012 (La Mesa)—A suspect wielding what witnesses described as a “submachine gun”, attempted to hold up the Well Deck Liquor Company at 3773 Avocado Blvd. in the unincorporated area of San Diego County near La Mesa on October 20 around 11:07 a.m.  The suspect carried an orange backpack and as described as possibly Hispanic with blood shot eyes. He was dressed all in black including a cloth over his face. 

February 20, 2012 (La Mesa) – A male suspect wielding a black semi-automatic attempted to rob On Cue Billiards, 8308 Parkway Drive in La Mesa, at 1:55 a.m. on February 18. Two employees exiting the business spotted the suspect running in their direction and ran back into the business, trying to lock the door. The suspect pointed his gun at the employee who was trying to lock the door and stated, “Give me the money.” When the suspect saw an additional employee inside the business, he became nervous and fled the scene without taking any money, according to La Mesa Police. 

East County Magazine News Service

July 2, 2011 (El Cajon) – Pilots of the Sheriff’s ASTREA helicopter followed a trail of smoke and directed El Cajon Police officers to a teen, 17, who is suspected of firing a flare gun at the helicopter. The flare, believed to have been shot from the vicinity of Main Street and Sunshine Avenue, exploded about 30 feet from the helicopter.

“Fortuntely the flare did not impact the helicopter, but could have caused a fire on the aircraft or entered the cockpit and incapacitated the pilot,” said Lt. J.D. Arvan.

June 15, 2011 (Ramona) – A female hiker was air lifted out of the Cedar Creek Falls area June 12 around 4 p.m. “She jumped from a rock and impacted the water, injuring her back,”said Deputy Tim Johnson with the Sheriff’s ASTREA helicopter unit.

The number of visitors to the waterfall has soared since the U.S. Forest Service completed a new trail earlier this month. “All these improvements just make it that much more attractive out there,” said Johnson, who offered this safety advice for visitors to this local Shangri-La. “Don’t jump off rocks that are elevated above the water, not knowing what’s under there. It’s common sense.”

April 24, 2011 (Julian) – San Diego Sheriff’s ASTREA 12 helicopter conducted a hoist rescue late this afternoon for a victim who fell 30 feet, suffered injuries and became trapped between rocks at the base of Mildred Falls near Julian.

County honors deputies who saved couple’s lives during Monte Fire;

Climbers offer safety tips for others

By Miriam Raftery

August 26, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – San Diego Sheriff’s deputies Gary Kneeshaw and Scott Blight saved two rock climbers trapped on the face of El Capitan mountain during the Monte Fire in Lakeside on Saturday.  Today, the deputies were honored with a commendation from the County Board of Supervisors for their heroic actions in a daring ASTREA helicopter rescue. In a press conference at Gillespie Field in El Cajon today, Lieutenant Richardson praised the deputies for actions “above and beyond the call of duty” which “without a doubt, saved the lives” of rock climbers André Doria and Meg Rippy.
 

Doria and Rippy, 27-year-old graduate students at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, revealed details of their ordeal to East County Magazine.