By By Daily Press Staff
Crime Watch is a weekly snapshot of the Santa Monica Police Department, culled from their own reports. The following are arrests only. All parties are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
THURSDAY, FEB. 14, AT 2:30 P.M., A Traffic Services Officer in the 1900 block of Arizona Avenue was in the process of writing a ticket because a car was parked in a red zone when the driver of that car came out of a residence nearby and began to argue with the officer. Police said the driver was acting irate because he was being issued a ticket after having only parked in the red for a manner of minutes. When the traffic officer refused to stop writing the citation, the driver allegedly grabbed his rear license plate and bent it so the numbers were not visible. He then took a pen and tried to scratch out the VIN number. After that, he allegedly jumped into his car and put the vehicle in reverse, forcing the officer to jump out of harm’s way. The car struck the officer’s scooter, causing some damage. He then drove off. Detectives investigating the incident made contact with the owner of the home the driver was visiting. She allegedly gave false information and was arrested for being an accessory after the fact. The homeowner was identified as Shabnam Abedi, 21, of Santa Monica. Her bail was set $20,000. It was unclear at presstime if the driver had been arrested.
MONDAY, FEB. 11, AT 8:50 P.M., Santa Monica police officers on routine patrol in the 2100 block of Delaware Avenue stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation. During their investigation the officers detected the strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. The driver allegedly told the officers that the smell was coming from a roach — the end of a smoked marijuana cigarette — he had left in his ashtray. Officers searched the suspect and discovered a small amount of cocaine as well as a glass pipe. Officers placed the driver under arrest for possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. The suspect was identified as Isiaah Thompson, 55, a transient. No bail was set because the suspect was on parole, police said.
TUESDAY, FEB. 12, AT 10 A.M., Officers responded to the 1300 block of Second Street regarding an assault with a deadly weapon. When officers arrived they made contact with the alleged victim who said that he and a friend were visiting Step Up on Second when a man walked in carrying a box cutter. The victim and his friend notified staff at the mental health services provider about the box cutter and it was confiscated. Awhile later, the victim and his friend left Step Up and crossed the street, where they were confronted by the man with the box cutter, which was returned to him when he left Step Up. The man was angry that the victim and his friend told on him and tried to slash the victim, but missed. Police are notified and arrest the suspect for assault with a deadly weapon. The victim was not harmed. The suspect was identified as Myrtis Hart, 53, a transient. His bail was set at $31,072. He had other warrants for his arrest.
FRIDAY, FEB. 1, AT 10 P.M., Officers responded to the 700 block of Bay Street regarding a strong arm robbery investigation. When officers arrived they made contact with two women who said they were loading things into the trunk of their car when they were assaulted by two suspects, who ran off with their purses. The suspects jumped into a car parked up the block and sped off, but not before the alleged victims could identify the license plate. During a follow up investigation, detectives located the suspects and placed them under arrest. The two purses were valued at over $500, and contained items worth more than $1,000. Suspect one was identified as Ronald Corey Smith, 29, from Los Angeles, He was charged with strong arm robbery. No bail was set. Suspect two was identified as Tyquilla Heiresse Myers, 26, of Los Angeles. She was booked for robbery, receiving stolen property and grand theft. Her bail was set at $100,000, police said.
FRIDAY, FEB. 15, AT 6:20 A.M., Officers responded to the 2600 block of 31st Street regarding a possible burglary in progress. When officers arrived, they arrested a suspect hanging out in an apartment complex. The officers then made contact with the alleged victims who said they heard a loud banging noise coming from outside their front door. They then saw what looked like someone trying to gain entry into their apartment by jiggling the door knob and taking a stick to break a window. After several failed attempts, the suspect fled. That’s when officers arrived. The suspect they arrested was the only person in the complex immediately following the attempted break-in. The suspect was identified as Raphael Richard Specht, 41, a transient. His bail was set at $50,000.
FRIDAY, FEB. 15, AT 2:30 P.M., Officers responded to the 1900 block of Wilshire Boulevard — Walgreens — regarding a possible prescription forgery suspect in custody. When the officers arrived, they made contact with the pharmacist who said the suspect walked into the drug store and tried to fill a prescription for a pain medication. Suspicious, the pharmacist contacted the doctor whose name was on the prescription. The doctor said he did not issue the prescription so the pharmacist called police. The suspect was placed under arrest for prescription forgery. She was identified as Sarah Craig, 25, of Spring, Texas. Her bail was set at $20,000.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 22, 2008. Read the original PDF.