Dodger pitcher gets fine, community service GLENDALE...
Dodger pitcher gets fine, community service
GLENDALE -- Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Guillermo Mota
reportedly pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor reckless driving
charge Thursday and agreed to make Spanish-language public service
announcements about the dangers of drinking and driving.
Glendale Superior Court Judge John Doyle ordered Mota, 30, to
serve three years probation and pay $1,500 in fines and penalty
assessments, according to reports.
Had he been convicted, Mota was facing up to six months in jail,
fines and suspension of his driver’s license, according to reports.
Mota was charged in May 2003 with one misdemeanor count of driving
under the influence of alcohol and driving with a blood-alcohol level
of .12. The legal level in California is .08.
Mota, then 29, was stopped about 2 a.m. April 21 by Altadena
California Highway Patrol officers for allegedly speeding west on the
Ventura (134) Freeway, driving about 85 mph. After exiting the
freeway at Pacific Avenue, Mota was arrested and taken to the
Glendale Police Station.
Gary Moskowitz
Police arrest alleged gang members at park
NORTHEAST GLENDALE -- Glendale Police officers recently arrested
two Burbank men and one Glendale man on suspicion of threatening
another man with a gun and a crowbar and flashing gang signs,
authorities said.
On Wednesday, police arrested Richard Aceves, 20, of Glendale,
Francisco Juarez, 18, of Burbank, and Jose Daniel Valasquez, 19, of
Burbank, on suspicion of using a handgun and a crowbar to threaten a
Burbank man who was driving next to them in traffic, police said.
Aceves had several warrants out for his arrest and Valasquez was
on probation, according to police reports.
They were arrested at Brand Park, 1601 W. Mountain St., Glendale.
Just before 3:30 p.m., the three suspects, along with three
females, were allegedly tailgating the victim as he drove north on
Western from Glenoaks Boulevard at about 25 mph, police said.
The man pulled over to the side of the road to let the other car
pass, but the driver instead pulled over behind the victim. The
driver got out of the car, pulled a tire iron out of the trunk and
returned to the driver’s seat.
The driver then moved up alongside the victim’s car, raised a
handgun and said, “What are you doing in my territory? Go home,”
according to police reports. The suspects then drove north on Western
to Brand Park, where police arrested them.
Gary Moskowitz
Suspect in chase
flees on foot
SOUTHWEST GLENDALE -- Police are searching for a man who led
officers on a high-speed car chase through Glendale and ran from the
car.
After seeing the driver of a 1999 BMW 530 run a red light at San
Fernando Road and Edenhurst Avenue on Monday night, a Glendale Police
officer tried to stop him. That led to a high-speed chase down San
Fernando Road, onto Los Feliz Boulevard and into Los Angeles.
By the time the chase was over several minutes later, the man had
abandoned the car and ran away, police said. Police did not give a
description of the driver.
The owner of the BMW told Burbank Police someone stole the car in
front of his business in Burbank.
Police fingerprinted the car and a cellphone that the driver
allegedly used to make several calls during the chase.
Gary Moskowitz
Splish Splash at
Hoover High Saturday
NORTHWEST GLENDALE -- The third annual Splish Splash Family Fun
Day will be Saturday at Hoover High School, 651 Glenwood Road.
Recreational swimming for the day will be free for people who
arrive in time for an hour-long water-safety presentation at 11:30
a.m. The course covers everything from dialing 911 to basic
cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques.
The day won’t be all about safety, though, as organizers also plan
to offer some fun and games.
For more information, call 548-3375.
Darleene Barrientos