Man kicks dog while it’s down, slugs a cop
By B y D a i l y P r e s s s t a f f By Daily Press staff
On Feb. 6 at 8:45 p.m., a police officer was driving through the 2600 block of Main Street when he saw a male subject kick a dog. The officer approached the man and made contact with the dog’s owner, who said that for some unknown reason the suspect kicked her dog in the stomach. As the suspect, identified as 55-year-old transient David McCray, was being placed under arrest, he punched the officer in the face with his fist. He was taken to the Santa Monica jail and booked for battery on a police officer and cruelty to animals. His bail was set at $15,000.
On Feb. 5 at 9:59 a.m., Santa Monica police responded to the 100 block of Second Street regarding the illegal use of a credit card at a hotel. A hotel employee said a suspect checked into the hotel in the evening of Feb. 4. The credit card he used was in someone else’s name. Police called the owner of the card and determined it was stolen. Officers went to the hotel room where the suspect was staying and arrested him for commercial burglary, the fraudulent use of a credit car and for violating his parole. The suspect was identified as Curt Edward Price, 37, a transient.
On Feb. 5 at 3:45 a.m., police were called to 22nd Street and Carlyle Avenue regarding a complaint that a man was exposing his penis to those walking by. There were two victims who said they saw the suspect walking with his penis hanging out of his pants. The suspect, 51-year-old Tommy Burton, was arrested and booked for indecent exposure and a parole violation. No bail was set.
At 1:45 a.m. on Feb. 6, Santa Monica police spotted a bicyclist riding with no headlights on the 2200 block of Lincoln Boulevard. An officer stopped the rider, Tito Gatewood, 47, a transient, and issued a citation for riding without a light. In the process, an officer conducted a search and found Gatewood to be in possession of two glass pipes with copper mesh. The pipes are commonly used to smoke narcotics, police said. Gatewood was placed under arrest and booked for possession of drug paraphernalia and a misdemeanor probation violation. Bail was set at $10,000.
On Feb. 6 at 8:35 p.m. police responded to a call at the 100 block of Wilshire Boulevard regarding a suspect who refused to leave a local hotel bar. When officers arrived they contacted a hotel employee who phoned police and said a suspect, identified as Mark G. Lubaszka, 28, was drunk and was challenging employees to a fight. He was placed under arrest and booked for public intoxication, a probation violation and an outstanding warrant.
At 6:26 p.m. on Feb. 7, police responded to Ocean and Colorado avenues regarding a sexual battery investigation. When officers arrived, they spoke to the victim who said she walking and a suspect, later identified as Darrell Rideaux, 26, approached her and grabbed her butt. The suspect was later stopped and after being identified by the victim, he was booked for assault.
On Feb. 8 at 12:20 a.m. officers responded to the 2800 block of Main Street regarding a suspect slumped over his steering wheel. Officers questioned the man and smelled a strong odor of alcohol. After investigating, they placed the suspect under arrest for driving under the influence. The suspect was taken to a local hospital for a blood-alcohol test and transported to the Santa Monica jail where he was booked for DUI. The man’s name is Gerald McDonald, 43. His bail was set at $5,000.
At 3:32 a.m. on Feb. 8, police responded to the 800 block of Wilshire Boulevard regarding a dispute over cab fare. Officers arrived on scene and spoke with the taxi cab driver who said the passenger, Connie Tran, 24, refused to pay a fare of $260. The cab driver said Tran asked him to drive from Santa Monica to Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and Hollywood in search of a hotel room. When they could not find one, they returned to Santa Monica. As officers investigated further they found that Tran was using a credit card that didn’t belong to her. She had allegedly used the card to purchase $2,900 in clothing from a variety of stores earlier in the day. The clothing was booked as evidence and Tran was jailed for using a stolen credit card. No bail was set.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 17, 2006. Read the original PDF.