An off-duty detective shopping at an Irvine mall spotted a man suspected of passing bogus currency last month in Laguna Beach, which led to his arrest Friday, Dec. 4.
At the direction of Detective Larry Bammer, Irvine police arrested Christopher James Grier, 22, of Mission Viejo, for suspicion of felony burglary and credit card fraud by, Laguna Beach police Sgt. Tim Kleiser said.
Bammer identified Grier as the possible suspect who fled the Montage resort after using a counterfeit $100 bill to buy small items on Nov. 19, Kleiser said. Several other Laguna merchants, including a farmer’s market vendor, also reported unknowingly accepting bogus bills about the same time. During a search of Grier’s vehicle in a department store parking lot, police found 11 counterfeit $100 bills, Kleiser said. He couldn’t say if the other instances in Laguna are connected to Grier.
DUI Enforcement Effort Planned
A police DUI enforcement team will be deploying this weekend in Laguna Beach to stop and arrest alcohol and drug-impaired drivers, said police in a statement.
DUI saturation patrols will deploy on Friday, Dec. 11 by 9 p.m. until 3 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, in areas with high frequencies of DUI collisions and or arrests, the statement says.
In the past three years, local police have investigated 169 DUI collisions, which have claimed 3 lives and resulted in another 55 injuries, said Sgt. Tim Kleiser in a statement.
A third of drivers in fatal crashes had one or more drugs in their systems, Kleiser said, citing recent statistics. A study of active drivers showed more tested positive for drugs than alcohol, 14 versus 7.3 percent, respectively. Of the drugs, marijuana was most prevalent, at 7.4 percent, slightly more than alcohol, he said.
Monday, Nov. 30
Fraud. 21600 block Ocean Vista Dr. A resident reported unauthorized activity on a credit card of an unspecified amount.
Tuesday, Dec. 1
Fraud. S. Encino. 12:50 p.m. Detectives are investigating two fraudulent withdrawals from a resident’s bank account amounting to $14,400.
Wednesday, Dec. 2
Welfare check. 800 block of Glenneyre St. 4:20 a.m. Brittany Alexis Gacevich, 26, of West Covina, was arrested for an outstanding drug warrant.
Petty theft. 1500 block of Via Capri. 9:31 a.m. A bike was stolen from a garage.
Thursday, Dec. 3
Petty theft. 2000 block of Laguna Canyon Rd. 9 a.m. A thief who took a wallet made $600 in fraudulent purchases.
Disturbance. 31100 block of Coast Hwy. 10 a.m. Mickael Dessino, 26, of Los Angeles, was arrested for suspicion of making criminal threats and assault with a deadly weapon. He was held for $50,000 bail. He allegedly sent a threatening text message to a woman and then attempted to cut her off with his car following a dispute over a canceled photo shoot.
Coyote. 1100 block of Morningside Dr. 4:52 p.m. A resident says she and her 6-year-old daughter ran into a residence after being chased by a coyote.
Traffic collision. 700 block of Summit Dr. 7:38 p.m. A 23-year-old Laguna Beach woman was cited for DUI after crashing into fence.
Friday, Dec. 4
Traffic stop. 300 block of Anita St. 1:59 a.m. A 56-year-old Laguna Beach man was cited for DUI.
Suspicious circs. Rancho Laguna Rd. 9:19 a.m. Several juveniles were cited for possession and returned to school.
Traffic hazard. Alta Vista and Kilo Way. 10 a.m. The driver of a semi truck, who became stuck after going over a curb and hitting a light, received a citation for driving where three-ton trucks are prohibited.
Petty theft. 300 block of Jasmine St. 1:12 p.m. An absentee owner who received a $351 Edison bill believes someone is tapping his utility line while he is not at home.
Suspicious person. 200 block of Grandview St. 2:19 p.m. Bradford Alexander Belida, 23, of Mission Viejo, was arrested for suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance and possessing drug paraphernalia. David Michael Phillips, 27, of Aliso Vieo, who also was allegedly under the influence of a controlled substance, was arrested for alleged sales and possession of heroin and paraphernalia.
Property. 1500 block of S. Coast Hwy. 3 p.m. Staff found 75 ounces of marijuana in a room.
Drunk driving. Coast Hwy. 4:48 p.m. Erratic driving led police to arrest Timothy Furlow Gatewood, 59, of Dana Point, for suspicion of DUI, his third offense. Bail was set at $15,000.
Saturday, Dec. 5
Domestic violence. 400 block of Nyes Place. 12:23 a.m. A 47-year-old Laguna Beach man was arrested for suspicion of felony domestic violence following an argument that resulted in visible marks on his spouse.
Traffic stop. 300 block of Myrtle St. 2:57 a.m. Rose Anesha Emond, 40, of Aliso Viejo, was arrested for DUI. Bail was set at $10,000 due to a prior offense.
Coyote event. 2100 block of Ronda Granada. 10:51 a.m. A dog grabbed by a coyote escaped unscathed after the owner struck the animal with a cane.
Monday, Dec. 7
Stolen vehicle. Laguna Canyon Rd. 12:05 a.m. Stacey Betzabe Zacarias, 23, of Costa Mesa, behind the wheel of a vehicle stolen two days earlier in his hometown, was arrested for suspicion of auto theft.
