I-15 may be shut down again as officials detonate more powerful explosives
 

By Miriam Raftery

November 20, 2010 (Escondido) – More than nine pounds of Hexamethylene Triperoxide Diamine (HMTD), a powerful explosive used in suicide bombings and terrorist plots including the planned Millennium bombing in L.A., have been discovered by authorities at an Escondido home.

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.

November 19, 2010 (La Mesa) Two prowlers found themselves confronting a startled homeowner after prying off a window screen at a La Mesa residence today. The attempted break-in occurred at 4251 Woodland Drive shortly after 1 p.m.  The suspects were arrested a short time later.

Update: Two men have been arrested for this shooting. They were taken into custody at an apartment on 52nd Street near Trojan Avenue.
November 16, 2010 (San Diego)—Shortly before 2 p.m. today, two men including one on a bicycle reportedly fired several rounds near Colina del Sol Park at Orange Avenue and fled toward El Cajon Blvd. San Diego Police officers found a man shot in the back. The victim has been taken to a hospital. As a precaution, Fay Elementary School has been placed on lockdown while police search the area.

November 13, 2010 (La Mesa)—La Mesa Police responded to a robbery at the 76 gas station at 6085 Lake Murray Blvd. at 3:32 this morning. The clerk told police that a white man with heavily tattooed arms a shaved head and plug-style earrings posed as a customer and asked to purchase some items. When the clerk began ringing up the purchases, the man produced a large pocket knife and threatened to stab the clerk if she did not hand over cash from the register.

November 11, 2010 (San Diego’s East County)--FBI and the East County Regional Gang Task Force are seeking the public’s assistance to find and arrest Manuel Vera, age 37, of Chula Vista, California. Vera is wanted on federal drug charges related to a methamphetamine distribution ring in East County.

 November 8, 2010 (San Diego) -- The FBI and San Diego Police Department seekthe public’s assistance to identify a man responsible for robbing the Chase Bank at 6116 Mission Gorge Road, San Diego, on Saturday, November 6th at 3 p.m. The robber made a verbal demand for money in a soft but intense tone of voice, according to FBI special agent Darrell Foxworth. At one point during he stated “don’t mess with me.” The teller provided the robber a sum of money and he left on foot.

November 6, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Before you head out for some holiday cheer this season, the Alpine Sheriff’s Station reminds you that the cost of drinking and driving can be staggering—far more than the price of a taxicab ride home.

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.

Thief may drive a beige Mitsubishi sedan

November 6, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) --The FBI and San Diego Police Department are seeking the public’s assistance to identify a man believed responsible for robbing three San Diego banks within the last month. The latest robbery was the Wells Fargo Bank, located at 5624 Mission Center Road on Tuesday, November 2. The same robber is also suspected of bank robberies in the College and Mission Gorge areas, according to special agent Darrell Foxworth with the FBI’s San Diego office.

Rolando residents to be reimbursed for doors broken down in house-to-house search

November 3, 2010 (La Mesa) -- The FBI is announcing the arrests of two U.S. Marines, Dominique Dontae Lasker, 26 and Davon Jacques Darden, 23, of San Diego for robbery of the California Coast Credit Unionat  8002 La Mesa Boulevard, La Mesa, on October 30th. The suspects, one armed with a handgun, entered the credit union wearing masks, the FBI reports. The men jumped over the teller counter and robbed multiple tellers at gunpoint.

November 1, 2010 (La Mesa)--The FBI and San Diego Sheriff’s Department announce the arrests of Christopher James Cuerden, age 26, and Caleb Gene Halcomb, age 20, as a result of the investigation into the robbery of the US Bank, located inside of the Vons grocery store at 3681 Avocado Boulevard in the unincorporated area of La Mesa on Friday, October 29, 2010.

Update October 31, 10:20 a.m. -- The SWAT action has ended and a second suspect was taken into custody half an hour ago, Sgt. Randy Levitt has informed East County Magazine. The suspect's name and details of the arrest have not yet been released.

Exclusive! View our video of the SWAT team arriving on scene.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Dennis Richardson

October 30, 2010 8:35 p.m.  (La Mesa) -- A stand-off continues tonight as police continue searching for a bank robbery suspect believed to be hiding in the Rolando neighborhood.  A second suspect, Davan Darden, 23, was arrested at 5:45 this evening.  The area remains evacuated, according to Officer Stafford, San Diego Police.

Two robbers conducted a takeover-style robbery at the California Coast Credit Union in the Vons Center on La Mesa Boulevard around 2 p.m., San Diego Police report, prompting a chase through San Diego, La Mesa and El Cajon.

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.