Riverside County Deputy, 15-Year Veteran Of The Department, Dies From COVID-19

A Riverside County deputy died early Thursday morning from COVID-19, the department announced. "We are saddened to announce the passing of one of our own RSO family members, Deputy Terrell Young," the department wrote in a post on Facebook. Young faithfully served the Riverside County Sheriff's Department for 15 years. He was the first member of the department to succumb to the coronavirus. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones during this difficult time," the department added. Young began his career with the department in December of 2005, according to the Riverside Sheriffs' Association. During his service to his community, he worked assignments at the Larry Smith Correctional Facility, Perris Station, Court Services, Southwest Station, and the Cois Byrd Detention Center. Deputy Young is survived by his wife and four children.

LAPD, LAFD Each Report 2 Additional Coronavirus Cases; 1 More Hospitalized

The Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Fire Department each reported two new cases of COVID-19 Thursday. As of April 2, there are 35 LAPD employees and 10 LAFD employees that have tested positive for the virus. “The Department has strict protocols for any employee who experiences symptoms of the virus,” LAPD said in a previous release. “They are instructed to go home and their workspaces are sanitized.” One LAPD employee has recovered and returned to full duty, two individuals are hospitalized, and all other individuals are self-isolating at home and recovering. Two LAFD employees have recovered and returned to duty. One employee is currently hospitalized and being treated. The remaining seven employees are recovering at home.

LAPD Officers Will Wear Masks Or Coverings As A Coronavirus Precaution

Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said Thursday that more police officers will be wearing protective masks or other face coverings as an added safety measure amid the coronavirus outbreak. The move came as the number of police officers confirmed with coronavirus rose to 35. “Effective today, you may see your local LAPD officers wearing either surgical masks or nonmedical face coverings while in public. This is for our safety, and for your safety. Coupled with safe social distancing, we will continue to protect and serve through this crisis,” Moore said on Twitter. A Riverside County sheriff’s deputy died Thursday morning from complications of the coronavirus, the latest sign of how law enforcement is being hit hard by the outbreak. The department tweeted that Deputy Terrell Young was its first member to succumb to the virus. Law enforcement personnel are among more than 200 people who have died of the coronavirus in the state.

Hearing Set For Man Accused Of Crashing Locomotive Near USNS Mercy

A detention hearing is set Friday for a Port of Los Angeles train engineer charged with running a locomotive at full speed off the end of rail tracks near the USNS Mercy hospital ship, claiming the vessel was docked at the port for nefarious purposes. Eduardo Moreno, 44, of San Pedro, was charged in a criminal complaint with one federal count of train wrecking, which carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Moreno, who is in federal custody, waived his right to be present at the hearing in which a magistrate judge will decide whether the defendant can be released on bond or whether he must remain behind bars pending trial. Moreno was arrested Tuesday afternoon and turned over to FBI agents early Wednesday morning. He is expected to be arraigned May 7.

FBI Looks For Ties To Extremist Groups In Train Derailment Near Hospital Ship Mercy

The FBI is examining whether a man accused of intentionally derailing a freight train near the Navy hospital ship Mercy, which is docked in San Pedro to help with the coronavirus crisis, had any ties to extremist groups, and agents are digging into his social media background. Eduardo Moreno, 44, of San Pedro was charged with deliberately wrecking a train during the incident Tuesday, which led to a derailment and fuel leak, according to the charges. “Moreno is the only person charged in the case. While the government has made no allegations linking Moreno to an extremist ideology, our investigation is continuing,” the FBI said in a statement to The Times. Prosecutors allege that Moreno derailed the train and deliberately crashed through barriers designed to stop engines before grinding to a halt 250 yards from the Mercy. Prosecutors said Moreno admitted during an interview that he had run the train beyond the track because he believed the Mercy was part of suspicious activities involving the coronavirus.

L.A. Moves To Prosecute Eight Businesses That Refuse To Close Amid Coronavirus

Mayor Eric Garcetti said eight businesses had been referred for criminal prosecution for failing to comply with the city’s strict Safer at Home order that prohibits nonessential work in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus. “We had a smoke shop that just refused to close,” Garcetti said. “And even when police officers were there, they said, ‘Forget you’ — probably not in as nice words — ‘we’re not going to do it.’” The city is moving to shut off the smoke shop’s power, he said. “We want to let people know that we are serious about this, that businesses that flagrantly violate this will be shut down short term and prosecuted in the medium term as well,” Garcetti said. But the mayor added the prosecution process will take time because courts are closed.

Driver Charged In Deadly DUI Crash In Long Beach

A Bellflower resident is facing murder and other counts stemming from an alleged DUI crash in Long Beach that killed a 64-year-old man, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced Thursday. David Michael Garrison, 38, is an alleged repeated DUI offender and could face up to 15 years to life in state prison if convicted, according to prosecutors. He's set to be arraigned April 16 at the Long Beach courthouse on one count each of murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury within 10 years of another DUI offense, driving with a 0.08 percent blood-alcohol content causing injury within 10 years of another DUI offense, and driving under the influence of a drug causing injury with an allegation of causing great bodily injury. The criminal complaint, filed Wednesday, alleges that he has a prior DUI conviction from 2011 in Minnesota.

State Supreme Court Upholds Man’s Conviction For Masterminding Wife’s Murder

The California Supreme Court Thursday upheld the conviction and death sentence of the co-owner of a gold trading company for masterminding his estranged wife’s murder in a Century City parking garage amid an acrimonious divorce battle nearly 12 years ago. The state’s highest court rejected the defense’s contention that there were numerous errors in James Michael Fayed’s trial, including the admission of the defendant’s surreptitiously recorded jailhouse statement in which he made incriminating statements to a cellmate while in federal custody for an alleged money licensing violation. Fayed was convicted in May 2011 of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the July 28, 2008, slaying of Pamela Fayed. Jurors also found true the special circumstance allegations of murder for financial gain and murder while lying in wait.

Unique California Gun Program Clears Fewer Cases In 2019

State authorities cleared 8.6% fewer cases last year regarding people who no longer are allowed to own firearms, down from a record high in 2018, through a unique California program. Records show officials last year also finally closed the program’s pre-July 2013 backlog of nearly 21,000 cases — completing the final 538 cases in March 2019. The state Legislature in 2013 had appropriated $24 million to close the gap within three years. Still, fully 7,747 cases dating after July 2013 remain active, according to a California Department of Justice report released Wednesday. The only-in-California Armed and Prohibited Persons System, known as APPS, cross-matches databases to find people who legally purchased weapons but are now banned from ownership because they have been convicted of felonies or have a history of domestic violence or mental illness. State and local authorities then can move to seize the weapons under the program, which began in 2006. The system included 22,424 people as of Jan. 1.

3 New Drive-Up COVID-19 Testing Sites Opening In L.A. County Starting Friday

In a continuing effort to increase COVID-19 testing capacity in Los Angeles County, officials are opening three new drive-up testing sites on Friday, and are developing more countywide. The sites are: Pomona Fairplex, Gate 17, West McKinley Avenue and Fairplex Drive, Pomona, South Bay Galleria, 1815 Hawthorne Blvd., Redondo Beach, and Antelope Valley Mall, 1233 Rancho Vista Blvd., Palmdale. Testing is available by appointment only and limited to residents who are the most vulnerable, including those who are: 65 and older and/or, have underlying conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, moderate to severe asthma, or those who are immunocompromised as a result of cancer treatment, have been subject to a 14-day quarantine because they have been exposed to a person who has tested positive for coronavirus. Those interested in being tested can first register at coronavirus.lacity.org/testing and see if they are eligible.

L.A. County Death Toll Nears 80 As Number Of Coronavirus Cases Skyrockets Past 4,000

Los Angeles County health officials Thursday confirmed 13 new coronavirus-related deaths, bringing the toll to 78. Twelve of the victims were over the age of 65 and of those, 11 had underlying health conditions, according to Barbara Ferrer, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. The other person who died was between ages 41 and 65 and also had underlying health conditions, Ferrer said. Los Angeles County officials also announced 534 new COVID-19 cases. Long Beach, which has its own health department, announced 14 new cases, bringing the city’s total to 153. There were 49 confirmed cases in Pasadena, which also has its own health department. There were more than 4,000 confirmed cases overall in L.A. County as of Thursday afternoon. The daily count has increased by more than 1,000 in the last 48 hours. “We are all in this together, so it makes sense that we work together to get through this,” Ferrer said. “Please don’t lose hope, and please don’t stop following all of the directives that you are following right now to slow the spread of COVID-19.”

Coronavirus: Much Has Changed As California Marks Grim 10,000 Case Milestone

California marched past a grim milestone in the coronavirus pandemic Thursday with more than 10,000 confirmed infections — one in four of them in the Bay Area — and the outbreak looks almost unrecognizable from where it stood just a month ago. At the beginning of March, the Bay Area — and Santa Clara County in particular — had become the biggest hot zone in a state that was leading the country in cases. Yet even then, the outbreak seemed manageable. Santa Clara County reported its ninth case March 2, and the state that has now reported 200 deaths had yet to record a COVID-19 fatality. On Thursday, Santa Clara County reported 1,019 cases and 36 deaths, but as high as those numbers are, the story in Silicon Valley and the surrounding region could be far worse. Southern California has now overtaken the Bay Area in cases. And New York and New Jersey have surpassed California in reported infections and deaths.