Los Angeles, Ca
Family devastated after motorcyclist killed by DUI driver in Orange County
The family of a motorcyclist remains devastated after he was killed by a drunk driver who was speeding at over 100 miles per hour in Orange County.
The victim was identified as Alexander Marce, 28, an Anaheim resident.
On June 12, Alexander was stopped at a red light on Orangethorpe Avenue in Fullerton when a driver in a BMW struck him and ejected him off his bike.
The suspect continued driving away while dragging Alexander’s motorcycle, which was still wedged underneath the car, for a “significant distance,” said the Fullerton Police Department.
Witnesses followed the suspect and were able to detain him until police arrived at the scene. The suspect was identified as Francisco Garcia-Vargas, 44.
At the time of the crash, Garcia-Vargas had a blood alcohol level of almost three times the legal limit and was driving at more than 100 mph toward a red light without slowing down, prosecutors said.
The victim’s family remains heartbroken and devastated over Alexander’s death.
“Alexander was magnetic,” said Erika Diaz, the victim’s aunt. “He was incredibly determined. He brought so much light.”
“My two sisters came into the house crying and my mom and I woke up, we were extremely scared,” recalled Carlos Marce, the victim’s brother. “We had no idea what was going on.”
Alexander was an aspiring musician who had put his dreams on hold to help earn money to support his family while his mother was battling cancer.
“He didn’t deserve to be murdered this way,” Carlos said. “In such a horrendous and tragic way.”
Video recorded following the crash showed the suspect stumbling during a field sobriety test. Police said he did not try to stop or pull over to help Alexander after hitting him.
“It hurts me and affects the whole family that a man in this state could just run over somebody and continue revving the vehicle,” Carlos said.
Garcia-Vargas was arrested and charged with three felonies including gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury, and driving with a blood alcohol content of .08% or higher.
If convicted on all counts, he faces up to 10 years in state prison.
Alexander’s family hopes that sharing this story will serve as a stark reminder to others that driving under the influence is never worth it.
“It’s not just risking your life, but other people’s lives, innocent lives,” Carlos said. “It’s not worth it.”
Alexander’s aunt said the family is also lobbying for stricter laws when it comes to DUI drivers.
“A vehicle is a killing machine,” said Diaz. “There’s got to be some type of severe consequences for individuals when they get involved in accidents like this. We are hoping we can set up a meeting with a state senator to discuss some type of bill [addressing these issues.]”
A GoFundMe page to help Alexander’s family with funeral expenses can be found here.
While investigating the crash, a police cruiser that was blocking traffic on Orangethorpe Avenue was struck by a motorist in a Tesla that was in self-drive mode.
The crash caused the police car to spin around, leaving the front end heavily damaged. An officer was standing near the vehicle, but jumped out of the way just in time and was not injured.
Los Angeles, Ca
Loved ones search for missing 34-year-old Southern California woman
Loved ones are searching for a 34-year-old Southern California woman who has been missing for over a week.
Amy Lynn Edmonds, 34, was reported missing on June 28, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.
Edmonds, who is considered at-risk, was last seen walking away from Coast Plaza Hospital in Norwalk.
She is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown hair. She was last seen wearing a blue jacket and was carrying a black backpack.
It’s unclear where she may have been heading when she disappeared.
Authorities said Edmonds has mental health and medical issues that require medication. Neither hospital staff nor loved ones have heard from her since and they are concerned for her well-being.
Anyone who may know Edmond’s whereabouts or has information on the case can call LASD’s Missing Persons Detail at 323-890-5500.
Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
Los Angeles, Ca
Waymo video could determine charges after teens’ bizarre California ride
Police are still waiting for video from Waymo before deciding whether two teenagers accused of drinking alcohol and firing an Orbeez gun from inside one of the company’s self-driving vehicles could face additional charges, a San Mateo police spokesperson told KTLA.
The incident unfolded around 2:10 p.m. Monday when a Waymo representative contacted the San Mateo Police Department to report suspicious behavior inside one of the company’s autonomous vehicles.
“The Waymo rep who contacted us told us they saw what they described as a firearm in the vehicle, described it black in color, and at some point believed that the passengers were firing it outside of the vehicle,” Community Relations Officer Janine Luna said. “Even at one point saying they believed they saw a recoil.”
The representative also reported that the passengers appeared to be intoxicated and had an open bottle of alcohol inside the vehicle, Luna said.
Believing they were responding to reports of a firearm being fired from a moving vehicle, officers coordinated with Waymo to conduct what police described as a high-risk traffic stop.
Luna said Waymo remotely disabled the vehicle in a location where officers could safely respond. The company then informed the passengers that the vehicle was experiencing mechanical problems while officers made their way to the scene.
Although the vehicle was disabled, its doors remained unlocked and the passengers could have exited if they wanted to, Luna said. Instead, they stayed inside until officers arrived, cleared the vehicle and detained the occupants.
Investigators later determined the suspected firearm was an Orbeez gun, a motorized toy that fires water-filled gel pellets.
While Orbeez guns are legal to possess, Luna said the one recovered by officers had been partially painted black, making it appear more like a real firearm.
“We’ve been seeing that a lot, where people are taking BB guns, water guns, toy guns, completely painting them over, and then in a lot of cases they actually do really look like real guns,” she said.
Police said no injuries or property damage have been reported, and no victims have come forward.
The two passengers, both 15 years old, were released to their parents and were not arrested, Luna said.
Authorities have already forwarded the underage drinking allegation to the juvenile district attorney for review. However, investigators are still waiting to receive Waymo video before deciding whether to recommend any additional charges.
“We’re still waiting to receive that video to determine what, if anything, they’ll be charged with,” Luna said. “Obviously it’s a water gun or toy gun. It’s not illegal to carry, but depending on shooting from a moving vehicle, there’s some of that that can come into play.”
Luna said this was the first time the San Mateo Police Department had handled an incident in which Waymo contacted officers in real time to report suspicious activity inside one of its vehicles.
The incident comes just weeks after another high-profile Waymo incident in Southern California. In late June, several teens were seen hanging out of the windows of a self-driving Waymo as it traveled through Santa Monica traffic. Waymo later told KTLA those riders’ accounts had been suspended for violating the company’s user agreement.
Luna also urged parents to keep an eye on their children during summer break and reminded the public not to alter the appearance of toy guns to make them resemble real firearms.
“We want to give our kids freedom to have fun and enjoy their time off from school,” Luna said. “But because they’re not in school, just keep an eye on them. Make sure you know where they’re at. Make sure you know who they’re hanging out with.”
Iman Palm and Aaron Tolentino contributed to this report.
Los Angeles, Ca
Bicyclist killed by hit-and-run driver in Long Beach
An investigation is underway after a bicyclist was killed by a hit-and-run driver in Long Beach.
On July 6, Long Beach police responded to a crash near Cowles Street and Santa Fe Avenue just after 2:30 a.m.
Officers found the victim, a man in his 50s, lying unresponsive on the roadway. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver who struck him fled the area before officers arrived.
A preliminary investigation indicated the bicyclist was riding westbound on Cowles Street when he was struck by an unknown vehicle that turned onto Cowles from Santa Fe Avenue.
The victim’s name is being withheld pending positive identification by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
No further details, including a suspect or vehicle description, were released.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information on the incident is urged to call the Long Beach Police Department’s Collision Investigation Detail at 562-570-7355.
Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
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