Suspects in helicopter laser incidents arrested

Two Los Angeles men were arrested Monday on suspicion of shining a laser at police helicopters in South Los Angeles, police said, which could lead to both state and federal felony charges.

Floyd Atkins, 22, and Alvaro Jimenez, 20, were apprehended around 2:40 a.m. at a home near the corner of Paloma and 29th streets, not far from Central Avenue. Officers found two laser devices, which can cause a pilot to be temporarily blinded and sustain retina damage, said Sgt. Mel Stevenson of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Air Support Division.

Crime alerts for Reseda, Chesterfield Square and 16 other L.A. neighborhoods

Crime reports are up significantly in 18 L.A. neighborhoods, according to an analysis of the latest week of LAPD data by the Los Angeles Times’ Crime L.A. database.

11 neighborhoods reported a significant increase in violent crime. Reseda (A) was the most unusual, recording 13 reports compared with a weekly average of 3.5 over the last three months.

Chesterfield Square (L) topped the list of seven neighborhoods with property crime alerts. It recorded 19 property crimes compared with its weekly average of 8.2 over the last three months.

Alerts are based on an analysis of crime reports for June 22–June 28, the most recent seven days for which data are available.

New discipline policy at LAPD results in some officers avoiding punishment

A growing number of Los Angeles police officers who have used excessive force, driven while intoxicated, falsely imprisoned people or committed other serious misconduct are being let off without punishment as part of a new, controversial approach to discipline at the LAPD.

Instead of handing down suspensions without pay, as was the norm for such offenses, police officials increasingly are putting officers on notice that another gaffe of the same sort will bring a severe penalty and possible termination.

Maricopa slows to a crawl

One long day last week, Tina's Diner in tiny Maricopa served just two customers. The next day, things picked up: There were four.

Business isn't any better down the street at Sandi and Mike Smith's rock and gem shop. It's closing in a month or two — just as soon as the Smiths can sell off their inventory.

Three shot at Pomona graduation party

Three people were shot and wounded, one critically, at a graduation party in Pomona on Saturday, authorities said.

The suspect, who remains at large, allegedly started shooting about 11 p.m. as he was “being escorted out of the party after causing a fight,” according to a news release from the Pomona Police Department.

Boy, 6, sexually molested in public park bathroom, officials say

Authorities are looking for a man who allegedly molested a 6-year-old boy in a public bathroom at a Pico Rivera park Saturday.

The boy reported being molested at 2:37 p.m. in a stall of the restroom at Rio Hondo Park, where he had come for a soccer match, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff's Sgt. Michael Thomas. The boy immediately told his mother and pointed out the suspect, whom witnesses saw fleeing in a white van with a license plate that started with "6J," Thomas said.

San Pedro shootout kills one man, critically injures another

Police are looking for clues after an early-morning shooting in San Pedro left one man dead and another in critical condition.

The two men, who have not been identified, were in the 1300 block of South Mesa Avenue at about 1 a.m. Sunday when at least one suspect approached them on foot and started shooting, said Los Angeles Police Department Officer Rosario Herrera.

Drunk driver convicted in death of aspiring model who beat cancer

A Costa Mesa man was convicted  of killing a 20-year-old aspiring model while driving drunk on Valentine’s Day last year.

A jury on Thursday convicted Gustavo Vega, 23, of killing Cara Lee, a passenger in another car, in a collision at the intersection of Sunflower Avenue and Flower Street, after he sped through a red light in his Toyota Tundra early on the morning of Feb. 14, 2010, according to prosecutors.

Latino teens in Ojai allegedly threatened by skinheads

Two men were arrested for allegedly taunting and threatening two Latino teenagers in Ojai.

The incident occurred June 30. Ventura County Sheriff's Department officials said the two suspects, Daniel Dockery and Shauna Criner, drove up to two Latino teens and identified themselves as "skinheads." They said they hated "Mexicans" and asked if the teens were in a local street gang, officials said.

Bank emails, bogus lotteries: Your weekly ScamWatch

Here is a roundup of alleged cons, frauds and schemes to watch out for.

Bank emails -- A Los Angeles man who helped operate a massive scam that used bogus bank emails to obtain customer account numbers and other personal information has been sentenced to 11 years in federal prison. Kenneth Joseph Lucas II, who pleaded guilty to 49 counts of bank and wire fraud for his role in the scheme, was sentenced June 27 at the federal courthouse in Los Angeles. Lucas worked with hackers in Egypt who sent emails that appeared to be from banks but instead led victims to websites where they were instructed to put in their account numbers and passwords.

Inept train robber had an unimpressive life but a celebrated afterlife

It wasn't the sort of gag the Nu-Pike amusement park had in mind when it opened its Laff inthe Dark attraction.

It was 1976, and a worker at the Long Beach entertainment center was moving a Day-Glo red figure when its arm fell off.

Marine Lt. Col. Benjamin J. Palmer, 43, Modesto; shot and killed in Afghanistan

Growing up in Modesto, Benjamin J. Palmer enjoyed playing soprano bugle. So he thought of joining the Marine Corps in hopes of becoming part of its elite drum and bugle corps.

Instead, he became a Marine Corps specialist in air command and control and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel.

SWAT team storms Hawaiian Gardens home in search of shooting suspects

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department SWAT Team came up empty-handed after storming a home in Hawaiian Gardens in search of suspects in a shooting.

KTLA reported that the SWAT team stormed the home on the 22100 block of Seine Avenue shortly before dawn Saturday after receiving a report of an armed man barricaded inside. Team members tossed flash-bang and tear gas grenades through the second-story window before storming the home, but found no one inside.

Shotgun attack sends Anaheim man to hospital

A man was in stable condition after being shot while standing in front of his apartment complex in Anaheim Saturday morning.

The victim was standing next to his vehicle, which was parked on the street in front of the apartments in the 2800 block of West Ball Road, at about 5:30 a.m. when he was shot in the left side of his body, Sgt. Bob Dunn of the Anaheim Police Department said.

Hollywood shooting critically injures two

A man and woman were critically wounded in a shooting in Hollywood on Saturday morning.

The victims were standing outside of a building in the 600 block of North Normandie Avenue, near the 101 Freeway, at about 4:05 a.m. when a man got out of a vehicle and shot them both, according to police.There was no full description available of the attacker or the vehicle.

Rash of counterfeit cash incidents may be tied to Orange County operation

Laguna Beach police said they discovered a counterfeit money operation this week after arresting four people for allegedly passing fake cash at a Mobil gas station.

Police said it appeared that the operation used a high-quality printer and paper that looked like worn newsprint. They attempted to use the currency at mom-and-pop shops and fast food restaurants, according to the Coastline Pilot.

Crime alerts for Reseda, Chesterfield Square and 14 other L.A. neighborhoods

Crime reports are up significantly in 16 L.A. neighborhoods, according to an analysis of the latest week of LAPD data by the Los Angeles Times’ Crime L.A. database.

Eight neighborhoods reported a significant increase in violent crime. Reseda (A) was the most unusual, recording 13 reports compared with a weekly average of 3.5 over the last three months.

Chesterfield Square (I) topped the list of eight neighborhoods with property crime alerts. It recorded 17 property crimes compared with its weekly average of 8.2 over the last three months.

Alerts are based on an analysis of crime reports for June 21–June 27, the most recent seven days for which data are available.

Judge who halted California executions gets post in Washington

The federal judge who five years ago halted executions in California is leaving the San Jose bench, the state — and most likely a contentious death penalty case — for a new job in Washington.

U.S. District Judge Jeremy Fogel on Friday was named to direct the Federal Judicial Center and will be moving to the nation's capital in October, long before any resolution in the protracted legal challenge to lethal injection can be expected.

Woman suspected of attempting to kill boyfriend's wife and child

A Los Angeles woman was arrested Friday on suspicion of trying to kill her boyfriend's wife and child in Lancaster, authorities said.

Dierdre Allen, 49, allegedly was dressed in white construction overalls and a face mask and carried a fake gun when she knocked on the victims' door in the 4300 block of Gadsden Avenue, said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department spokesman Mike Parker.

3 Marines accused of arranging sham marriages for financial gain

Three Marine corporals have been charged with being part of sham marriages to get additional housing allowances available only to married couples, Marine Corps officials said Friday.

The three, assigned to the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego, will face an Article 32, akin to a civilian preliminary hearing, on fraud charges. Their names were not released.