Police say that a 57-year-old homeless man was found dead of a suspected drug overdose in the parking lot of the Laguna Beach homeless shelter about 7 a.m. Friday, Sept. 4.
There were no signs of foul play and witnesses who were with the man the night before he bedded down outside the shelter told police he possibly had used drugs earlier, said Captain Jason Kravetz, who said an autopsy will be conducted. The coroner’s office estimated the time of death at 2 a.m.
The victim was known to police and had been in the area for several years, said Kravetz.
A friend identified the man as Joel Murphy and claims he’s been without a permanent address for 30 years, including several years when he road freight trains with a dog named Kona. The friend, who has since gotten off the streets, declined to be identified to avoid embarrassing relatives.
Earlier in the week, police arrested Murphy for suspicion of felony sales of a controlled substance, Sgt. Tim Kleiser said.
Monday, Aug. 31
Vandalism. 1200 block of Ocean Front. 9 a.m. Electrical wire had been cut from three floors of a home under construction, a loss of $5,000.
Hit and run, DUI. 10:56 p.m. Molly Forsum, 24, of Laguna Beach, was arrested for suspicion of felony DUI, hit and run and auto theft after she allegedly stole her parents Porsche Cayenne and near Aliso Beach collided with a motorist, who suffered head lacerations. Forsum also allegedly fled after a collision in Dana Point.
Pedestrian stop. 200 block of Ocean Ave. 10:59 p.m. Sean Murgesh Hutson, 41, of Laguna Beach, was arrested for $30,000 in outstanding warrants.
Tuesday, Sept. 1
Suspicious person. 700 block of Laguna Canyon Rd. 10 a.m. Joseph Robert Kirkpatrick, 50, of San Clemente, who was spotted without clothes on a hillside, was arrested for outstanding warrants.
Wednesday, Sept. 2
Traffic stop. Myrtle. Midnight. A 27-year-old from Aguanga was cited for DUI.
Indecent exposure. Alta vista Way. 3:13 a.m. A 20-year-old Laguna Beach man was arrested for public drunkenness when police found him lying naked in the street.
Vehicle burglary. 1200 block of Hillcrest Dr. 5:29 a.m. A large bag was taken overnight from a car where thieves smashed a rear window,
Vandalism. 20600 block o f Laguna Canyon Rd. 10:33 a.m. A 28-year-old Laguna Beach man, who allegedly was throwing rocks at passing cars, was arrested for vandalism.
Theft. 200 block of Ruby St. 12 noon. Valuables worth $1,200 were taken from an unlocked vehicle.
Traffic stop. 30900 block of Coast Hwy. 8:30 p.m. A 37-year-old Laguna Beach resident was cited for DUI.
Thursday, Sept. 3
Traffic stop. 1400 block of N. Coast Hwy. 2:29 a.m. A 42-year-old Newport Beach woman was cited for DUI.
Suicide. 2500 block of Iris Way. 12:58 a.m. A helicopter searching Arch Beach Heights helped police find a 28-year-old woman, who left her residence after taking an overdose of pills.
Theft. 2600 block of Solana Way. 8:58 a.m. Twenty bottles of wine worth $1,000 was taken from an unlocked garage.
Friday, Sept. 4
Stolen vehicle. Carmel Ct. 7:37 a.m. A 2015 Mustang stolen overnight was recovered a day later undamaged in Buena Park with a plate missing.
Rape. 31800 block of Coast Hwy. 10:31 a.m. A hospital patient alleged another patient had touched her inappropriately.
Citizen hail. 100 block of Coast Hwy. 11:42 a.m. Colby Outlaw, 36, without a permanent address, was arrested for suspicion of robbery and held for $100,000 bail. He allegedly stole $80 in cash from the briefcase of a man on Main Beach, who was kicked and pushed when he allegedly confronted the thief.
Fraud report. 1000 block of Katella St. 3:22 p.m. Credit card accounts were fraudulently opened using the victim’s name.
Saturday, Sept. 5
Stolen vehicle. Ledroit St. 12:14 a.m. Heather Brown, 37, of Rancho Palos Verdes, was arrested for suspicion of felony heroin possession and Nicholas Christopher Marsh, 35, of Huntington Beach was arrested for suspicion of car theft. They were in a vehicle stolen three days earlier in Costa Mesa.
Fraud. 1500 block of Caribbean Way. 12 p.m. Someone attempted to access personal accounts.
Traffic collision. Coast Highway at Cardinal Drive. 4:52 p.m. Four vehicles were involved in a rear-end collision.
Medical. La Senda Dr. 4:56 p.m. An adult male who suffered a possible spine injury while body surfing was airlifted out for medical treatment.
Sunday, Sept. 6
Pedestrian stop. 200 block of Thalia St. 2:41 p.m. A 33-year-old Costa Mesa man was cited for DUI.
Medical. 31500 block of Bluff St. 2:44 p.m. Lifeguards pulled an unconscious man from the water, who still had a pulse. He was airlifted for medical treatment to Mission Viejo.
Pedestrian stop. Camel Point Dr. 6:30 p.m. Yvette Solis Cruz, 25, of Anaheim, was arrested for felony resisting arrest after she allegedly struck an officer who had restrained her from walking into traffic.
DUI. 200 block of Ocean Ave. 8:17 p.m. Courtney Leigh Bringgold, 49, of Corona del Mar was cited for suspicion of DUI and held for $10,000 bail due to a previous offense. Her silver Rolls Royce was secured on the street.
Traffic collision. S. Coast Hwy. 9 p.m. Traevon Michael Miller, 21, of Laguna Niguel, was arrested for suspicion of DUI after allegedly colliding with several parked cars.
Traffic stop. Jasmine St. 11 p.m. A 47-year-old San Juan Capistrano man was cited for DUI.
Monday, Sept. 7
Drug activity. 100 block of S. Coast Hwy. 12:39 p.m. Jayson McGee, 54, of Laguna Beach, was arrested for misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia after police observed a transaction.
Traffic stop. Cliff Drive. 3:48 p.m. Aaron Michael Osorio, 25, of Trabuco Canyon, was arrested for outstanding warrants.
Traffic stop. Thalia St. 7:12 p.m. Jennifer Marie Lonchar, 36, of Florida, was arrested for outstanding warrants.
Welfare check. N. La Senda Dr. 11 p.m. A helicopter circled Three Arch Bay for 40 minutes without result, searching for a resident’s son who had fired a shot in the area of Monarch Bay Drive and was missing.
