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Monday, July 10

Cherry Avenue and Willow Street. At 11:46 a.m. a 36-year-old male Canadian national from Vancouver was arrested during a traffic stop. What makes it notable was the accompanying seizure of nearly 90 pounds of cocaine with  the assistance of a drug-sniffing K9. A total of 88 pounds of cocaine were found in two large duffle bags that contained 35 “bricks” of cocaine, with each brick weighing two and a half pounds. Whether someone had tipped off the authorities is unknown, but he’s being held on $1 million bail at Long Beach Jail. Welcome to America.

Wednesday, July 12

5400 block of E. Conant Street. At 3:30 a.m., a vehicle was slowly cruising the alley just north of Conant. Dogs began barking non-stop at 1:30 a.m. until 4:30 a.m. Multiple neighbors’ motion detectors continued to turn off and on toward the east end of the alley. This was not a test. Had this been a test, the result would have been all sensors were in working order. No more insight to the slow cruiser’s motives was available.

Friday, July 14

Harco Street and Studebaker. According to a posting on NextDoor, “Sad to say that my coworker told me that on her way to work today she found the bottom half of an orange tabby cat in her yard. It was at 6 a.m. She has no idea who the kitty belongs to.” Coyote involvement is suspected.

Junipero Ave. north of 7th St. At 10 p.m., an LAPD pursuit of a suspected stolen Honda Accord wended its way from Carson into Long Beach via Wardlow Rd. After a series of clever driving maneuvers by the pursuee on his tour of various main and side streets, at 10:15 p.m., the car took Junipero Avenue to where an oncoming car driver opened the driver’s door to block the pursuee’s egress and the suspect unexpectedly gave up the ghost instead of smashing through the car door. The driver promptly exited the vehicle with his hands in the air before being taken into custody. The blocking driver also ran from his car with his hands up.

Monday, July 17

Atlantic Avenue and Anaheim Street. At 2:15 p.m., a truck rear-ended a city bus, causing injuries to three males. One had cuts on his upper body and the two others complained of pain, but it wasn’t clear whether they were truckers, were being bussed or a combination of the two.

Tuesday, July 18

Redondo Ave. at Second St. As proved on a short clip shown on local news, at noon, an Edison wire exploded into shades of yellow and white. Blame it on a Mylar balloon, a trade name. Wonder if the company is prepared to face litigation on the part of those whose microwave was destroyed or electric company with tremendous repair expenses, not to mention their customers. Mylar or my electrical power needs.

Wednesday, July 19

Linden Avenue and 10th Street. Police were bringing a burglary suspect to the hospital when he escaped near St. Mary Medical Center. His freedom lasted from 5:50 p.m., when he ran into the neighborhood, which was cordoned off, to 7:45 p.m. when they found and rearrested him with even more charges for him to deal with, the price of freedom.

Friday, July 21

Studebaker Road and Driscoll Street. At 4:37 a.m. police found a deceased man inside a 2016 Honda Civic that had collided with the wooden utility pole while driving north on Studebaker Road. It is believed the victim, 48-year-old Jeff Lee possibly died from a medical condition. There were no witnesses,. police said.

Saturday, July 22

Maine Avenue and Fourth Street. At 2:30 a.m., reports of gunshots were heard so the police were called. “When officers arrived they located a male adult laying in the street with a gunshot wound to his upper torso,” said a police statement. The man turned out to be 28-year-old Alberto Ruiz, of Long Beach, who in fact did die of gunshot wounds

He was pronounced dead at the scene. The shooting was possibly gang-related, police said.

2100 block of W. Spring Street. At at 8:21 p.m., police approached a group of 20 to 30 people when 27-year-old Ronald Clark of Bellflower ran off and attempted to enter a parked vehicle. Officers couldn’t stop him with a Taser. Police contended they told him to “put his hands in the air and stop reaching toward his waistband, however, the suspect continued to ignore the orders.” That’s when an officer involved shooting occurred and Clark was wounded. Drugs were recovered at the scene. Parolee Clark had a felony warrant for his arrest for being armed and dangerous. Officers were not wearing body-worn cameras during the incident because of “technical issues” with the nine-month-old pilot program.

steve@beachcomber.news