Driver Ricardo Berge, 18, of Huntington Beach, was treated for his injuries as well as arrested for suspicion of felony drunk driving after rolling his vehicle late Tuesday, Aug. 5, Laguna Beach police said.
His female passenger, also 18 and from Huntington, suffered a fractured pelvis in the accident in which the vehicle came to rest on its side, said Sgt. Louise Callus.
The collision occurred about 10:03 p.m. at Park Avenue and Hidden Valley Canyon Road, where the steep roadway turns sharply. Both occupants were outside the vehicle when authorities arrived and were transported to Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, Callus said.
Four Merchants Stung by Fake Checks
Wells Fargo Bank received four deposits from separate local merchants in the previous week involving fake American Express traveler’s checks, Sgt. Louise Callus said.
The suspect made purchases with phony bills and provided identification, all of which was fraudulent, she said. “I assume the account number was a fake and the suspect somehow made the checks,” she said.
Tuesday, July 30
Traffic stop. 31100 block of Coast hwy. 7:12 a.m. Heladio Martinez Martinez, 50, of Victorville, was arrested for multiple outstanding warrants.
Vandalism. 2700 block of Laguna Canyon Rd. 9:38 a.m. 13 windows were discovered shot out.
Fraud. 100 block of San Tropez. Noon. A former employee is posting sex ads on craigslist using the name of the former boss.
Petty theft. 400 block of S. Coast Hwy. 2:45 p.m. A male teen fled on foot after swiping $300 in women’s bathing suits.
DUI. Montage resort. 9:40 p.m. A 33-year-old Palm Desert woman was arrested for suspicion of DUI following a collision. Bail was set at $2500. Police could not obtain a statement due to the driver’s intoxication.
Vandalism. Wilson St. 10 p.m. Two juveniles on foot were spotted kicking the mirrors of vehicles. (Soccer season can’t start too soon.)
Wednesday, July 31
Trespassing. 400 block of Park Ave. 8:46 a.m. The discovery of two homeless men on the property resulted in the arrest of Michael Murray, 19, of New York, for suspicion of possessing a controlled substance. Bail was set at $20,000. Another man was cited for illegal lodging.
DUI. 2500 block of S. Coast hwy. 10:36 p.m. After a driver was spotted swerving in and out of lanes, police arrested Matthew Ross Danto, 26, of Dove Canyon, for suspicion of DUI. Bail was set at $10,000 due to a prior offense.
Thursday, Aug. 1
Attempt to locate. 500 block of Anita St. 5:50 p.m. Edward Joseph Karcher, 54, of Laguna Beach, was arrested for suspicion of felony domestic abuse and held for $50,000 bail after a driver in another vehicle reported observing a man hitting a female passenger multiple times. The driver followed the vehicle and extracted the woman before police arrived.
Brandishing weapon. Cleo St. 9:24 p.m. Police searched the area after receiving a report about a man brandishing a handgun in the direction of another man with two teen companions. Police questioned and released two men, who were unarmed, when the victim could not positively identify the culprit.
Traffic collision. 3200 block of Laguna Canyon Rd. 11:36 p.m. A pedestrian was uninjured but hit by the mirror of a vehicle, which did not stop.
Friday, Aug. 2
Traffic stop. 500 block of S. Coast hwy. 1:52 a.m. A 56-year-old Laguna Beach man was cited for DUI and held for $2500 bail.
Traffic collision. El Toro Rd. 11:05 a.m. A collision between a security vehicle and a truck resulted in complaints of neck and back pain by people involved.
Fraud. 1000 block of Didrickson Way. 1:37 p.m. Two separate unauthorized transactions totaling $4,000 were made to a credit card.
Vandalism. 400 block of Arroyo Chico. 2:22 p.m. A tenant claims his landlord removed his property from the premises and poured urine over everything in addition to giving away the tenant’s two road bikes.
Fraud. 1100 block of Laguna Canyon Rd. 3:27 p.m. The victim, who checked his account activity on-line, noticed 14 transactions made at Shell gas stations in Los Angeles. Twelve transactions totaling $1187.18 had already been approved.
Saturday, Aug. 3
DUI. Glenneyre St. 12:18 a.m. A cabbie who reported a car driving overly slow resulted in the arrest of Gresham Greg Taylor, 41, of Irvine for suspicion of drunk driving. Bail was set at $10,000 due to a prior offense.
Traffic collision. 21000 block of Laguna Canyon Rd. 4:51 a.m. A pedestrian who was walking in the roadway suffered minor scrapes after she was knocked to the ground after being hit by the mirror of a passing vehicle. The driver waited with the victim until police arrived.
Suspicious person. 700 block of Oak St. 5:49 a.m. A kid is wandering about the area trying all the door handles to houses. Police made contact with his parents.
Traffic collision. State highway. 8:41 a.m. A passenger in a convertible suffered a concussion and a hip fracture after a collision with an SUV. The driver of the convertible failed to stop for the red arrow at an intersection and made a left turn against the light, according to police.
Hit and run. Thalia St. 9:59 a.m. Police intend to investigate potential vandalism charges against the driver of a Chevy Blazer who fled after allegedly flattening a bicycle, whose rider jumped from the bike uninjured.
Traffic stop. 1700 block of Laguna Canyon Rd. 3:59 p.m. Jerold Jacob Estrada, 44, of Anaheim was arrested for an outstanding no bail burglary warrant.
Traffic stop. Glenneyre St. 7 p.m. Ryan Meyer, 25, was arrested for an outstanding San Bernardino warrant with a bail of $25,000.
Sunday, Aug. 4
Traffic stop. 1300 block of N. Coast hwy. 12:46 a.m. A 27-year-old woman was arrested for DUI and held for $2500 bail.
Suspicious vehicle. 1500 block of Glenneyre St. 5:12 a.m. The ignition of a vehicle was punched.
Suspicious. 100 block of Cress St. 8:37 a.m. Terry Jean Lashley Elliot, 33, of Visalia was arrested for suspicion of felony narcotic possession as well as three other misdemeanor drug charges. Bail was set at $20,000.
Traffic stop. West St. 1:39 p.m. Samuel Gonzales, 31, of Anaheim, was arrested for an outstanding warrants and held for $50,000 bail.
Vandalism. 300 block of N. Coast Hwy. 3:47 p.m. A motorcycle was vandalized while parked.
DUI. S. Coast Hwy. 8:21 p.m. A 38-year-old Fountain Valley man was arrested for suspicion of DUI after rear-ending another vehicle.
