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# Transient must’ve been strapped for cash
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/transient-mustve-been-strapped-for-cash/
- Published: 2006-02-24T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T23:22:08.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Pico, #archive-import

*By*

At 12:35 a.m. on Feb. 14, Santa Monica Police officers responded to the 1900 block of Lincoln Boulevard after receiving a call that a man was drunk and had struck another person with a leather belt. Edgar Cuzzie Vasquez, 41, a transient, was taken into custody and booked for public intoxication. While in jail, he spat on an officer, adding an additional charge of assault. His bail was set at $20,000.

At 10:25 p.m. on Feb. 12, Santa Monica Police officers responded to the Santa Monica Pier after receiving a report of an assault. A man who was walking with a group of friends, laughing and talking, said another man, identified by police as Brandon Michael Furhman, 18, of Los Angeles, approached him and asked if they were laughing at him. After walking away, the man said he was followed by Furhman, who began yelling. For an unknown reason, Furhman allegedly struck the man in the head, creating a one-inch laceration on his forehead. Officers apprehended Furhman and recovered a box cutter. He was booked for assault with a deadly weapon. His bail was set at $30,000.

At 3:50 p.m. on Feb. 13, Santa Monica Police officers responded to 17th Street and Pico Boulevard regarding an assault in a liquor store. The alleged victim said she was slapped in the face for no reason by the suspect, who was identified as Michael Gerome Foster, 48, of Santa Monica. He was arrested, booked for assault and battery and was placed on a parole hold. No bail was set.

At 3:10 p.m. on Feb. 17, Santa Monica Police officers responded to the 300 block of Pico Boulevard to a report of trespassing at the AM/PM gas station. An employee there told police that a transient was panhandling and refused to leave after repeated requests. The transient, later identified as Patrick Steven Murphy, 22, left once police were notified. However, the employee insisted on pressing charges. Murphy was arrested and booked for trespassing. Bail was set at $5,000.

At 3:29 p.m. on Feb. 13, Santa Monica Police police officers responded to the 2600 block of Lincoln Boulevard in regards to a report of theft at an Albertson’s grocery store. A store employee said he saw Juan Alvarez, 36, of Venice, stash several bottles of liquor into a shopping cart, failing to pay for the items when he left the store. Employees struggled with Alvarez and detained him until police arrived. Alvarez was arrested and booked for robbery. No bail was set.

At 8:40 p.m. on Feb. 12, witnesses standing by the SMPD headquarters near City Hall said they saw a man jump on top of a jeep, walk on the hood and roof, causing damage. The man, later identified as Jose Jimenez, 20, of Mar Vista, jumped off the car and hopped into an awaiting vehicle. Officers pulled Jimenez over a short distance later where he was positively identified and arrested for vandalism. Bail was set at $31,000, with a $26,000 traffic warrant included.

At noon on Feb. 16, a Santa Monica Police officer on bike patrol in the area of Second Street and Santa Monica Boulevard could hear loud music emanating from a vehicle one block away. When the vehicle was stopped, the officer found the driver didn’t have a license. Juan Jose Torres, 24, of Los Angeles, was arrested for driving on a suspended license and for possession of an illegal weapon after a small baton was found in the car. His bail was set at $20,000.

At 10:56 a.m. on Feb. 18, Santa Monica Police responded to Fourth Street and Broadway to reports of threats being made. Officers arrived and spoke to an alleged victim who said the suspect had made several threats to kill him. It was believed that the suspect had a history of mental illness. Officer contacted the suspect, identified as Carl John Graziano, 37, a transient, who was placed under arrest and booked for making criminal threats.

At 6:25 p.m. on Feb. 18, Santa Monica Police officers responded to Benihana’s restaurant in the 1400 block of Fourth Street after an employee there reported that a customer had paid her check with a counterfeit $20 bill. The employee showed officers the fake $20 bill and a receipt. Officers made contact with the customer, identified as Terra Terenice Thomas, 28, of Los Angeles, who was arrested and taken to jail on possession of counterfeit money. While at the jail, additional $20 bills were recovered from Thomas’ purse which all had the same serial numbers. The Secret Service was contacted and confirmed that there had been counterfeit bills with the same serial numbers being circulated in the LA and San Fernando Valley areas.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 24, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/022406.pdf?ref=smdp.com)