Briefly In Public Safety

Allegedly abducted girl was at hotel

An Orange County Sheriff’s Department helicopter was hovering above the Surf and Sand Hotel in Laguna Beach Wednesday after a report that a 16-year-old Kansas girl and her stepfather, who had allegedly abducted her, were at the hotel, Laguna Beach Police Lt. Jason Kravetz said.

Authorities issued an Amber Alert on local freeways after the girl was reported missing in Kansas and believed to be staying in Orange County, according to news reports.

“We had been alerted that an abducted 16-year-old girl was possibly staying at the hotel,” Kravetz said. “Several investigators from our department responded to the scene in order to find the missing child. It turns out the information was good, but not current. They had checked out on Sunday after staying one night.”

The girl was found in San Diego Wednesday afternoon and her stepfather was arrested.

Two cited in underaged alcohol sales

Two employees of two restaurants were issued citations June 4 for selling liquor to a minor during a police undercover Alcoholic Beverage Control minor decoy operation, Kravetz said.

The operation included the use of four minors under the age of 21, who entered businesses and attempted to purchase alcoholic beverages. Twenty businesses were entered, and at all but two, the ID of the decoys was checked.

Employees at Tabu Grill and Mosun failed to check the ID of the decoys, Kravetz alleged.

“This was the fourth Minor Decoy Operation the department has conducted in the past nine months and was certainly the most successful in terms of business employees checking the identification and ages of individuals who are severed alcoholic beverages,” Kravetz said.

Personnel costs associated with the minor decoy operation are completely refundable by a grant the Laguna Beach Police Department has received from the Alcoholic Beverage Control.

Man arrested on suspicion of making threats

A 47-year-old Anaheim man was arrested on suspicion of making terrorist threats against a Coast Hardware employee at 1:38 p.m. June 2, Kravetz said.

Donn Alan Johnson was caught allegedly urinating on the building, and an employee told him to go elsewhere.

In response, Johnson removed his shirt and allegedly threatened physical harm to the employee, telling him he would smash a wooden pallet over his head. Police officers were called and found Johnson on Main Beach. He was held on $50,000 bail, according to police records.

Man accused of using foot as deadly weapon

Laguna Beach police have arrested a suspect in a beating that occurred March 15 at Victoria Street beach, Kravetz said.

The victim was beaten so severely by three men that he had a broken orbital socket and a crushed skull.

Stephen Lee Ricketts, 21, of Laguna Niguel, is believed to be the person who kicked the victim in the head, causing the injuries, Kravetz alleged.

Ricketts was arrested at 9:04 a.m. June 4 at his home on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon — his foot.

Ricketts and two other men were at the beach and allegedly made disparaging remarks about a woman on the beach with her male friend. When the male friend defended her, he was beaten up by the three men, Kravetz said.

Police are attempting to identify the other two suspects.

Pair arrested in thefts at local bars

Two Laguna Beach men were arrested on suspicion of stealing from purses at two Laguna Beach bars at 12:55 a.m. Saturday, Kravetz said.

Christopher Mychal Ramirez, 24, and Robert David Bacsik, 26, were arrested on suspicion of grand theft.

Officers were initially summoned to the Blue Laguna Bar on the report of a theft. The female victim told officers that her wallet and cell phone were stolen from her purse while she was in the restroom. The purse had been left on a chair.

Forty-five minutes later, the officers responded to the Ocean Avenue Brewery on a report of a similar theft. This time witnesses identified two suspects. In the second theft, a wallet and cell phone were stolen from a woman’s purse.

The suspects allegedly had the stolen property in their possession when the officers searched them. Nearly $1,000 worth of items were stolen in the thefts from the two locations.

Fight with bouncers ends in man’s arrest

An Arizona man was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly fighting with bouncers attempting to eject him from the Sandpiper at 1:35 a.m. Saturday, Kravetz said.

The suspect, Tyler John Lazz, was allegedly causing a disturbance inside the bar and the bouncers began to remove him from the establishment. Lazz allegedly picked up a glass from the bar and smashed it on the side of the head of one of the bouncers. The 29-year-old victim suffered multiple cuts and lacerations to the side of his face. Lazz was held on $25,000 bail.

‘Gorilla’ noises lead to man’s arrest

A 43-year-old Laguna Beach man was arrested on suspicion of possessing mushrooms and LSD after police were called to the landing at Brooks Street beach on a report of a man with an umbrella handle hitting the fence and making gorilla noises, Kravetz said.

The suspect, David Charles Beauchamp, was also allegedly throwing items onto the beach below at 9:13 a.m. Sunday. Officers searched Beauchamp and allegedly found mushrooms and LSD in his possession. He was held on $20,000 bail, according to police records.

Church statue beheaded

A 20-foot statue of a friar in the parking lot at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church was found vandalized at 8:31 a.m. June 2, Lt. Jason Kravetz said.

An employee arrived to work and found the head of the statue missing; the statue itself was found in nearby bushes.

The damage is estimated at $100, and there are no suspects.