BRIEFLY IN PUBLIC SAFETY

Bank card used in African purchases, man says

A Laguna Beach man reported to police that someone in South Africa made three charges to his ATM card totaling $1,700, Police Sgt. Jason Kravetz said. The report was made at 8:27 a.m. Feb. 11.

The victim still has his card and has not been to South Africa, Kravetz said.

Man arrested on suspicion of DUI

An Aliso Viejo man was arrested on suspicion of DUI at 2:17 a.m. Feb. 12 after hitting a traffic signal pole at El Toro Road and Club Drive in his VW Golf, Kravetz said.

There were no injuries to the driver, Andrew Mark Hitt, 21, or a passenger.

Woman held in theft of surfboard, cap

A Monterey woman was arrested on suspicion of stealing a number of items “” including a surfboard “” from a pickup truck at 12:02 p.m. Feb. 12 at South Coast Highway and Upland Road, Kravetz said.

The victim told police he came out to his parked Toyota Tacoma pickup truck around noon and found the suspect standing near the tailgate area, Kravetz said. She allegedly had the suspect’s Dodgers baseball cap on her head and was holding his surfboard. The items had allegedly been removed from the unlocked vehicle. The truck owner chased her off and police detained her.

Nicole Leann Fernandez, 36, was taken into custody. After the arrest, police allegedly found loose change from the vehicle in her possession, as well as a key which had been inside the car.

Woman saved from possible suicide attempt

A woman who allegedly tried to drown herself by running into the ocean at Picnic Beach was taken to the hospital by police at 8:44 a.m. Feb. 13, Kravetz said.

Police responded to the area on a disturbance call and arrived to find a soaking wet man and woman. The couple, who are married, had gone to the beach for a discussion and the woman became distraught and allegedly tried to kill herself by running into the ocean and drowning. Her husband had pulled her from the ocean.

Bar employee alleges Internet billing fraud

An employee of a local bar reported that he had been billed fraudulently for $161 worth of items purchased over the Internet and sent to a Chicago address, Kravetz said. The report was made at 1:54 p.m. Feb. 13 in the 200 block of Ocean Ave.

Four held on drug suspicion at park

Four people, including a juvenile, were arrested on suspicion of drug possession and public intoxication at 9:01 p.m. Feb. 14 by an officer who was locking up the parking lot at Alta Laguna Park, Kravetz said.

The officer came across a pickup truck in the lot, with two men inside allegedly smoking marijuana. One of the men allegedly also had prescription pills but no prescription, and a small amount of heroin, Kravetz said. Police allegedly found more heroin under the seat of the other person. These two were arrested on suspicion of being under the influence and possessing a controlled substance. During the arrest, the vehicle owner and his female friend walked up. They were also arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of drugs.

The arrestees were: Matthew David Julson, 21, of Rancho Santa Margarita; Sinaed Noone, 19, of Mission Viejo; and Todd Michael Brunell, 18, of Ladera Ranch, and a 17-year-old male from Rancho Santa Margarita.

Guard attacked with knife, bottle at beach

Laguna Beach police are seeking two men who attacked a Montage Resort & Spa security officer for no apparent reason on the beach at 12:20 a.m. Sunday, Kravetz said.

The security officer was patrolling the hotel property when he came across broken bottles near a fire ring. He heard a group of people at the base of the stairs on the beach and went to investigate, encountering three men. He asked them if they were guests of the resort, and one of the men allegedly attacked the guard with a broken bottle, injuring the guard’s hands.

The guard fought back and got the suspect in a headlock, whereupon one of the other men took out a knife and attempted to stab the guard, but only cut his jacket. After a short scuffle, the three men ran off. The men are described as males in their mid-20s. They were last seen running southbound on the beach away from the Montage.

“It is possible that the knife-wielding attacker was stabbed in his leg by himself during the incident,” Kravetz said. “We found a blood trail indicating he might have been injured. This attack on the guard appears to be completely unprovoked and we are investigating the incident.”

Anyone who saw or heard anything is urged to call the Laguna Beach Police investigations division at (949) 497-0377.

Man accused of spitting at officer

A Laguna Beach man was arrested in the 1000 block of Laguna Canyon Road on suspicion of assaulting a police officer in addition to a warrant for suspected DUI, hit and run, and trespassing at 7:10 p.m. Sunday, Kravetz said.

Police had been called to the scene by a woman who said her son was trying to jump off the roof onto his head in an apparent suicide attempt, according to police records. When police arrived, they decided the suicide attempt was unfounded, but ended up arresting Christopher Lynn Lambert, 38, after he allegedly spit in an officer’s face, and also for the warrant, Kravetz said.