‘89 Arrives With Santa Ana Killing

A family argument left one man dead in Santa Ana, and a suspected drunk driver caused a fire truck crash in Anaheim on an otherwise quiet New Year’s Eve in Orange County, authorities said Sunday.

And, unlike past New Year’s Eves, there were no reports of bystanders shot by stray gunfire in the county as revelers shot into the sky at midnight. Rain-slick roads prompted many to celebrate the arrival of 1989 at home, helping to keep weekend casualties down, police said.

Santa Ana police on Sunday were seeking Tomas Bustos Valadez, 32, who they say shot and killed his brother, Joaquin, 28, during an argument. The brothers, who shared an apartment in the 1200 block of East McFadden Avenue, got into a brawl after returning from a party about 1:30 a.m., said Cpl. Charles Jarusek.

Died at the Scene

Tomas Valadez took a rifle from his bedroom and returned to the living room, where he shot his brother, police said. Joaquin Valadez died at the scene from a single gunshot wound, Jarusek said.

Tomas Valadez left the house on foot with the rifle, witnesses told police. He is described as a Latino, 5 feet, 9 inches tall, weighing 150 to 160 pounds, with short black hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a gray sweat shirt and green pants.

In Anaheim, four firefighters escaped with only minor injuries when a suspected drunk driver collided with a fire truck returning from a call shortly before 2 a.m., police said. The driver of the car, Bruce Russell, 29, of Anaheim, was in satisfactory condition Sunday night at UCI Medical Center in Orange.

The accident occurred when Russell turned in front of the truck at the intersection of East Broadway and South Wayside Place, police said. The fire truck was so badly damaged that it had to be towed from the scene.

Russell was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving, authorities said.

Sgt. Dave Severson said the fire truck had been on its way to the station and didn’t have its lights or siren on.

Quiet Holiday

Law enforcement officials throughout the rest of Orange County reported a quiet New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. A number of drunk driving arrests were made, but officials said there were no other major accidents.

Authorities in Santa Ana reported 27 drunk driving arrests between 6 p.m. Saturday and 3:30 a.m. Sunday. The California Highway Patrol recorded about 50 arrests during a 48-hour period ending at 6 a.m. Sunday. The tally for New Year’s Day was unavailable.

Several law enforcement agencies beefed up patrols over the holidays. The CHP added at least five officers to patrol freeways in Orange County to handle the rush of holiday revelers on slippery roads, a dispatcher said.

In Costa Mesa, seven two-officer teams were sent out to look for drunk drivers and make arrests, officials said. Other cities with beefed-up patrols included Newport Beach, Garden Grove, Buena Park and Fountain Valley.