Buddy again wins canine Surf-a-Thon at Del Mar, may retire

 
Surf Dog Buddy from Ventura was the top dog at Sunday's sixth annual Surf Dog Surf-A-Thon at (where else?) Dog Beach in Del Mar.

It was Buddy's fifth win and may be the last for the 14-year-old Jack Russell terrier. No matter, he became the first inductee Sunday into the Surf Dog Hall of Fame.

Buddy's owner/trainer Bruce Hooker said the champion may retire. "That last heat was probably the best of Buddy's life," Hooker said.

Organized by the pet-food company Eukanuba as a fundraiser for the Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Santa Fe, the event bills itself as the largest surf-dog contest in the country.

The event drew more than 4,000 spectators, 80 canine competitors and 70 vendors, and raised more than $100,000 for the animal center.

Beyond just bragging (barking?) rights, Buddy also got a year's worth of dog food for his Best in Surf win.

-- Tony Perry in San Diego

Photo: Buddy at the Sixth Annual Surf Dog-Surf-a-Thon. Credit: Helen Woodward Animal Center

Reader photos: Southern California Moments Day 268

 

Reflecting on MOCA: Ken Shelton captures the scene along South Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles on Sept. 21, as reflected from a Museum of Contemporary Art sign.

Every day of 2011, we're featuring reader-submitted photos of Southern California Moments. Follow us on Twitter and visit the Southern California Moments homepage for more on this series.

Suspect killed by police in Reseda allegedly shot two people

A suspect killed by police in Reseda on Saturday had shot and critically injured two people, LAPD officials said on Sunday. Authorities initially reported that the suspect was believed to have killed a person.

LAPD Officer Cleon Joseph said officers responded to a report of shots fired in the 6600 block of Etiwanda Avenue at about 4:40 p.m. and found two critically injured victims in a vehicle. The victims were taken to a local hospital.

Police set up a perimeter and found the gunman. The suspect was fatally shot during the confrontation. Joseph could not say whether the suspect fired on officers.

The name of the suspect has not been released.

-- Abby Sewell

Man killed in high-speed CHP chase identified

Officials released the name of a man who died after leading California Highway Patrol officers on a high-speed chase early Saturday.

The driver, who died after he struck another car turning into a parking lot at Cal State L.A., was identified as Michael Agustin Reza, 25, of Monterey Park, according to coroner's officials.

Reza climbed from his car after the accident but died minutes later on the street, according to a CHP report. The occupants of the other car were taken to USC-Los Angeles County Medical Center for treatment.

The incident began about 1 a.m. Saturday when a CHP officer tried to stop a Honda Accord for speeding westbound on the 10 Freeway near Del Mar Avenue, officials said. A chase ensued, with the Honda reaching speeds above 100 miles per hour, according to the CHP report.

-- Abby Sewell and Sam Quinones

Crime alerts for Mission Hills, Chesterfield Square and 10 other L.A. neighborhoods

Crime reports are up significantly for the latest week in 12 L.A. neighborhoods, according to an analysis of LAPD data by the Los Angeles Times’ Crime L.A. database.

Six neighborhoods reported a significant increase in violent crime. Mission Hills (A) was the most unusual, recording four reports compared with a weekly average of 0.9 over the last three months.

Chesterfield Square (G) topped the list of six neighborhoods with property crime alerts. It recorded 19 property crimes compared with its weekly average of 9.5 over the last three months.

Alerts are based on an analysis of crime reports for Sept. 16–Sept. 22, the most recent seven days for which data are available.

— Ben Welsh, Thomas Suh Lauder

Six children injured in Lancaster crash; driver charged with DUI [Updated]

Two children were airlifted to the hospital with major injuries after an apparent drunk-driving crash in Lancaster.

A woman was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after the rollover crash, in which she and six children were injured Sunday morning.

The woman was driving a 2002 Toyota Sequoia with six children, ranging in age from 10 months to 11 years old, eastbound on East Avenue I in Lancaster at about 6:15 a.m, when she lost control and the vehicle overturned onto the shoulder of the road, said California Highway Patrol Sgt. Denise Joslin.

Some of the children were partially ejected from the vehicle, Joslin said. Police are trying to determine whether the children were wearing seat belts or properly restrained in car seats.

A 1-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl were airlifted to Antelope Valley Hospital with major injuries, including head trauma. The driver and the four other children were taken to the same hospital by ambulance with minor to moderate injuries.

[Updated at 12:06 p.m. Sept. 25: The driver has been identified as Stanesha Nicole Allen, 31, of Lake Los Angeles. Authorities reported that the 1-year-old boy had to have a foot amputated.]

The woman remains at Antelope Valley Hospital in police custody. Police are trying to determine what her relationship to the children is.

ALSO:

AT&T says service restored to most wireless customers

Crews battle wildfire near Palm Springs; highway closed

Two police officers injured in crash during South L.A. pursuit

-- Abby Sewell

Earthquake hits Santa Clarita area with a 3.3 magnitude

A 3.3-magnitude earthquake centered about eight miles northeast of Santa Clarita struck Sunday morning at 11:23 a.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake's depth was recorded at 0.3 miles.

People in the Santa Clarita, Canyon Country, Newhall and Lake Hughes areas reported feeling weak shaking, according to the USGS. There were no reports of damage.

ALSO:

Crews battle wildfire near Palm Springs; highway closed

Two police officers injured in crash during South L.A. pursuit

Six children injured in Lancaster crash; driver charged with DUI

-- Abby Sewell

Six children injured in Lancaster crash; driver charged with DUI

Two children were airlifted to the hospital with major injuries after an apparent drunk-driving crash in Lancaster.

A woman was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after the rollover crash, in which she and six children were injured Sunday morning.

The woman, [update 12:06 a.m.: identified as Stanesha Nicole Allen], 31, of Lake Los Angeles was driving a 2002 Toyota Sequoia with six children, ranging in age from 10 months to 11 years old, eastbound on East Avenue I in Lancaster at about 6:15 a.m, when she lost control and the vehicle overturned onto the shoulder of the road, said California Highway Patrol Sgt. Denise Joslin.

Some of the children were partially ejected from the vehicle, Joslin said. Police are trying to determine whether the children were wearing seat belts or properly restrained in car seats.

A 1-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl were airlifted to Antelope Valley Hospital with major injuries, including head trauma. [Update 12:06 a.m.: The boy's foot had to be amputated]. The driver and the four other children were taken to the same hospital by ambulance with minor to moderate injuries.

The woman remains at Antelope Valley Hospital in police custody. Police are trying to determine what her relationship to the children is.

ALSO:

AT&T says service restored to most wireless customers

Crews battle wildfire near Palm Springs; highway closed

Two police officers injured in crash during South L.A. pursuit

-- Abby Sewell

Two police officers injured in crash during South L.A. pursuit

Two Los Angeles police officers were recovering Sunday after their patrol car crashed into a wall during a pursuit of a domestic violence suspect.

The patrol car hit a retaining wall near Central Avenue and 96th Street at about 10:15 p.m. Saturday. Both officers were taken to a local hospital in stable condition, said Sgt. Matt Cundiff of the Southeast Station. The extent of their injuries was not released.

Police had responded to a call at a residence near Olive and 108th streets at about 10 p.m. and spotted a man escaping from a second story window, then entering a vehicle.

The vehicle pursuit lasted about 13 minutes and ended at Broadway and 91st Street when the suspect, whose name was not released, surrendered to other officers and was booked on suspicion of domestic violence and felony evading, Cundiff said.

ALSO:

L.A. tries to stop Encino marijuana dispensary

"Irvine 11": 10 students sentenced to probation, no jail

Freddy Krueger statue stolen in Chula Vista; head left behind

-- Carla Rivera

 

Crews battle wildfire near Palm Springs; highway closed

Firefighters are battling a wildfire near Palm Springs, closing a portion of California Highway 111.

The Windy Point fire began in mountains west of Palm Springs on Saturday evening and spread to 329 acres. It was 16% contained as of mid-morning Sunday, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Bob Poole said.

About 160 firefighters from the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, CalFire and the Palm Springs Fire Department were battling the blaze. There have been no injuries and the fire is not threatening any structures, Poole said. Highway 111 is closed from Overture Road to Tramway Road.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

-- Abby Sewell

 

 

FBI sneaked cellphone into L.A. jail in deputy misconduct probe

FBI agents sneaked a cellphone to an inmate inside the L.A. County jail as part of a probe into allegations of inmate beatings and other misconduct by deputies, a Times investigation has found.

The jails have been plagued with problems over the last decade, including inmate riots, killings, antiquated facilities, huge lawsuit settlements and even the formation by some deputies of a gang-like clique. Inmate accusations of beatings are common within the many facilities that make up the department's jail system, but most are unsubstantiated.

The new investigation caused a flap recently when Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department brass discovered that an inmate inside Men's Central Jail was an FBI informant equipped with a cellphone he was believed to be using to communicate with agents on the outside, according to the Times findings.

After sheriff's officials discovered the FBI cellphone, the sheriff's department placed one deputy, Gilbert Michel, on leave. He was being investigated by the department on suspicion of allowing a contraband cellphone behind bars, according to sources who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation. Shortly thereafter, Michel resigned, a source said. Michel, 38, could not be reached for comment.

ALSO:

L.A. tries to stop Encino marijuana dispensary

"Irvine 11": 10 sentenced to probation, no jail time

Freddy Krueger statue (minus head) stolen in Chula Vista

-- Robert Faturechi

Photo: Inmates as Men's Central Jail. Credit: Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times

Compton shooting leaves one man dead

Sheriff's deputies are investigating a shooting death this weekend in Compton.

Deputies responded to a report of a shooting of a man on the 800 block of West 137th Street at 9:13 p.m. Saturday. They transported a victim to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The name of the victim was not released, and sheriff's officials had no information on the suspect.

No further details were immediately available.

-- Abby Sewell 

L.A. Triathlon closes roads from Venice Beach to downtown

Motorists are encountering delays Sunday morning between Venice Beach and downtown L.A. because of road closures along the 2011 Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Triathlon route.

The triathlon was scheduled to begin at 7:15 a.m. with the swimming segment of the competition at Venice Beach. For the bicycle course that follows, the following streets are closed: Venice Boulevard from the beach to the 10 Freeway, Fairfax Boulevard from the 10 to Olympic Boulevard, and Olympic from Fairfax to Staples Center. There are no points for traffic to cross the closed roads.

Roads will be opened from west to east as the race progresses.

More information on traffic and parking is available on the triathlon's website.

-- Abby Sewell