The following is an update on criminal court cases, most of them felonies, from Los Alamitos.
The cases are presented in the order of their next scheduled court date.
Los Alamitos road rage
Robert Barnhart of Bellflower has been accused of following another driver in his car and striking that car with his following a collision.
The incident reportedly occurred in November 2011.
The Orange County DA’s Office has charged him with 11 felony counts, including nine counts of assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of making criminal threats.
There is no evidence that Barnhart was under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time.
The latest: Jury trial is scheduled to continue June 13, 2013.
Los Al homicide and arson
Joseph Elija Ettima has been accused of killing his grandmother and setting her Los Alamitos apartment on fire with two children inside on Jan. 19, 2009. The children were Ettima’s then 8-year-old brother and his 3-year-old niece.
The 8-year-old boy got the 3-year-old girl out of the burning building. Authorities found 69-year-old Emma Louise Hardwick-Street’s body inside.
On April 15, 2009, U.S. Marshals found Ettima in Mexico. Ettima could face 25 years to life imprisonment if he is convicted of the murder charge. Ettima’s jury trial began on Oct. 18, 2010. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office did not consider his case for the death penalty.
Ettima is currently charged with arson and murder. Charges of child endangerment were originally among the counts filed against Ettima, but those have apparently been dropped.
The latest: Jury trial scheduled to continue on June 17, 2013.
Los Alamitos JFTB killing
A Costa Mesa man was killed at the theater at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos on Friday, May 21, 2010. Some of his remains were found on the base and some of his remains were found in El Dorado Park in Long Beach.
His killer apparently then went to the victim’s Costa Mesa home and lured a woman the dead man knew to the apartment. There, he killed the woman and staged the crime to look like a sexual assault.
For a brief time, Costa Mesa Police considered the first victim a suspect in the second killing. It wasn’t until the following week that they learned their murder suspect was in fact a murder victim.
The DA’s Office has charged Daniel Patrick Wozniak with the crime. The charges include “special circumstances” that make the accused eligible for the death penalty or life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
The latest: Trial is scheduled to start Oct. 24, 2013.
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Crime Log Compiled by Charles M. Kelly
IN SEAL?BEACH
Monday, May 20
Grand Theft Report—9:35 a.m.—College Park Drive—The caller reported the theft of copper wire from a distribution panel.
The log did not say how much copper wiring was taken or assign a value to the stolen property.
However, grand theft is defined as stealing cash, property or labor worth more than $950.
Grand Theft Report—10:28 a.m.—Fuchsia Circle—Loss: jewelry missing from a hall closet valued at $10,000. The crime apparently occurred during the previous week. Report taken.
Tuesday, May 21
Bike Theft—2:22 p.m.—Pacific Coast Highway—The caller’s gray and black Schwinn and rear child carrier were stolen between 1 and 2 p.m. The bike was valued at $200-300, making the crime a petty theft.
Fraud Report—4:27 p.m.—Stanford Lane—Someone used the caller’s credit card number to make purchases in Bakersfield. Loss: more than $400. Report taken.
Wednesday, May 22
Traffic Hazard—12:41 p.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard and 405 Freeway—A disabled sedan was in the center emergency lane on the Seal Beach Boulevard Bridge. According to the log, the car was moved. The center lane is supposed to be for emergency vehicles only while the bridge is being expanded.
Extra Patrol Checks Requested—10:04 p.m.—1st Street—The caller requested extra patrol checks because someone was leaving notes on random vehicles in the parking lot during the night. The notes told drivers not to park in the center parking lot. The caller was concerned about possible vehicle burglaries or vandalism and asked for police patrol checks.
IN ROSSMOOR
Monday, May 20
Fraud Report—4:34 p.m.—Channing Way—The log did not provide any details.
Tuesday, May 21
Shots Heard—3:46 a.m.— Montecito Road—The caller heard what sounded like one shot coming from the area around Bradbury.
No suspect information.
Petty Theft Report—1:15 p.m.—Salmon Drive.
Suspicious Person or Circumstances—9:13 p.m.—Copa De Oro Drive.
Keep the Peace—9:35 p.m.—Rowena Drive.
Wednesday, May 22
Suspicious Person in Vehicle—8:44 a.m.— Foster Road—The caller saw a 20-year-old man get out of a van and walk up to several houses.
The van was driving slowly and using hazard lights.
A deputy found workers for a blinds company giving estimates.
Disturbance—3:32 p.m.—Hillrose Drive—A citizen said there was a crane present with no permit. The same citizen called back and said the crane had left.
Suspicious Person in Vehicle—10:27 p.m.—Blume Drive—The caller said there was a car parked south of the caller’s driveway.
The caller said the driver just sat in the vehicle for a long time, then came and went a couple of times that day.
Thursday, May 23
Suspicious Person or Circumstances—4:17 p.m.—Rossmoor Way—The caller said a man came to the door and tried to get the caller to open the door.
The caller saw him go up to a car and shake his head no to the driver.
The caller thought she was being tested for a home invasion robbery.
Keep the Peace—8:08 p.m.—Montecito Road—The caller said a neighbor was throwing water at the caller’s house.
Saturday, May 25
Suspicious Person or Circumstances—12:21 p.m.—Wallingsford Road.
Traffic Stop—1:30 p.m.— Oak Knoll Drive and Martha Ann Drive—An arrest was made as a result of this call.
Suspicious Person or Circumstances—7:30 p.m.—Cortese Drive and Weatherby Road.
Sunday, May 26
Unknown Trouble—6:45 p.m.—Davenport Road.
