Arcadia 16-year-old Roger A. Lewis, who was struck by a car while bicycling, has died. The accident occurred over the weekend at Santa Anita Avenue and Duarte Road. The driver who struck Lewis was driving a 2008 Chrysler Sebring. Lewis was a former student at Arcadia High School.
A high speed police chase that began in Pasadena, then went through Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte and several other San Gabriel Valley cities, ended in the driving crashing into another car. The suspect was Edgar Angarita, 45, of Hollywood and the 21-year-old woman from Baldwin Park that he crashed into, are both being treated at the hospital. Police say Angarita was intoxicated. The chase occurred Monday, January 24. He is being held on suspicion of felony evading a police officer, but additional charges may be coming.
DUI (driving under the influence) is suspected in fatal freeway crash. An allegedly drunk Tatsukiho Sakamoto, 37 of Arcadia, ignored signs and cones indicating the 10 Freeway was closed, and drove his Toyota RAV4 through the closure, fatally striking 21-year-old road worker Connor McDermott Penhall. Penhall is son of hall of fame motorcycle racer and actor Bruce Penhall.
Tatsuhiko Sakamoto, 37 of Arcadia, was charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, felony drunken driving and driving with a blood-alcohol level above .08. He allegedly drove onto a closed freeway in Baldwin Park while drunk and killed a 21-year-old road worker named Connor McDermott Penhall. Penhall is son of hall of fame motorcycle racer and actor Bruce Penhall.
The 49th Annual Pasadena Showcase House of Design "Empty House Party" draws a crowd of nearly 500 design enthusiasts and architecture aficionados in Arcadia, at the showcase home designed by architect Roland E. Coate, Sr. The house was built in 1941 for furniture executive C. Lawrence Barker, of the former furniture company Barker Brothers.
A group of friends that grew up together in or near Arcadia, who joined a Camp Fire Girls troop together seven decades ago, reunited 6 years ago and now meet monthly. They are (pictured): Donna Tyler, 81, of Hemet, Sharon Lasken, 80, of Arcadia; Judy Ramaker, 70 of Pasadena, and Marian Walski, 83, of Duarte. They meet at the house of their leader, 97 year old Hazel Williams. Other troop members not shown include Betty Quinn, 81, of La Mirada and Betty Emick, 80 of Claremont.
H. B. London, Jr., of Focus on the Family, a conservative Christian group that opposes gay marriage, spoke at the 2011 Mayor's Community Breakfast, about the importance of compassion and unconditional love in the family. Outside there were some 90 protestors that support the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
Arcadia Mayor Peter Amundson defends his speaker of choice at next month's Mayor's Community Breakfast. He has invited H. B. London, of Focus on the Family, a conservative Christian group that opposes same-sex marriage. Residents and activists upset about this choice are organizing two counterevents of their own. Activists are planning a "peaceful" demonstration March 4 outside Arcadia Community Center and a bar-b-que at Pasadena's Unitarian Church for all families. Focus on the Family was founded in Arcadia by Dr. James C. Dobson and believes marriage is meant to be between a man and a woman. Amundson said the event is not about sexuality but about the Arcadia family.
A federal investigation of a San Gabriel Valley-based Asian crime syndicate led to the arrests of 18 suspected Red Door gang members in several San Gabriel Valley cities, including Arcadia. The effort was dubbed "Operation Paint it Black." Authorities seized seven guns, 12,500 ecstasy pills, 2,230 marijuana plants and a Lamborghini. The 18 were indicted on drug trafficking and international marriage fraud charges.