Man Arrested Over Harassing Neighbors

A 25-year-old Montrose man was arrested on suspicion of making numerous annoying phone calls to members of a La Canada Flintridge family and painting swastikas on their garage and automobile, Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies said.

Randy John Emerson, a former neighbor of the victims, was arrested Tuesday evening on suspicion of vandalism and of making more than 20 telephone calls to the residence of David Baisley, 53, since the beginning of the year.

Baisley reported the calls to deputies after he received four in one hour May 23. According to deputies, Baisley said the calls had “neo-Nazi overtones.” Baisley told authorities Monday morning that he had found swastikas painted on his garage door and car hood.

Deputy Gabe Ramirez said call-tracing equipment was placed on phones in the house in the 200 block of Baptiste Way, and a call was traced Tuesday to the home of Emerson’s parents, who are neighbors of the Baisleys.

Further investigation determined that Emerson made the calls while at his parents’ house and he was arrested, Ramirez said. The motivation was unknown, deputies said.

Emerson was being held in lieu of $10,000 bail.