Latest news with #ColtonPoliceDepartment
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Southern California nursing student killed by suspected DUI driver
Loved ones are devastated after a 19-year-old nursing student was killed by a suspected DUI driver in San Bernardino County. Larenz Fondren was pursuing his passion and was two months away from graduating and becoming a licensed vocational nurse. Larenz's family said working in healthcare was his dream, inspired by his own lifelong battle with sickle cell disease. On May 2, he was on his way to work at a clinical rotation when he crossed the road near Washington Street and Center Drive in Colton shortly before 7 a.m. Surveillance video captured the moment Larenz, who was dressed in scrubs, crossed the street and was suddenly struck by a speeding driver. 'My son flew 20 feet in the air,' Wayne Fondren, Larenz's father, told KTLA's Shelby Nelson. 'When I went out there, it was him. I just cried, I couldn't do anything. Just imagine that's your son or someone else's. The pain, what I'm feeling. He took my son's life.' Police said Larenz was later struck by multiple cars after the initial impact. The driver, Antonio Medrano, 30, of Colton, was arrested at the scene for gross vehicular manslaughter while driving under the influence and for driving without a license. He was booked on $100,000 bail. Two days later, Medrano paid the bail and was released. After learning the suspect was out on the streets again, the victim's family said they were beyond outraged. 'My question is, how do you kill somebody on Friday and get out Sunday morning?' Wayne said. 'With a DUI and your license having been suspended numerous times and now you've killed my son.' A spokesperson with the Colton Police Department said the crash remained under investigation as they awaited toxicology results. But nearly a month later, family members said they have yet to receive an update. 'They did say that [the suspect] openly admitted to smoking marijuana,' said Felisha Fondren, the victim's sister. Video on social media showed the suspect's car, which appeared to be a custom-painted blue and white Dodge Challenger, allegedly speeding in the bike lane moments before striking Larenz. According to court records, Medrano has a reckless driving history, which includes previous infractions for speeding. The 19-year-old's family said they hope the suspect is convicted and removed from the streets before another person is hurt or killed. 'We want justice for Larenz Fondren, that's all we want, is justice,' Wayne said. 'There was no bad part about him,' said Felisha Fondren, the victim's mother. 'Not just saying that because he's our son. If you talk to anybody [about him,] you would know that.' The Fondren family will be holding a public event at Cal Skate in Grand Terrace on June 7 to celebrate what would have been Lorenz's 20th birthday. The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office said they are aware of the case and is awaiting final reports to review before deciding whether to file charges. Anyone with information on the case can contact Detective Isabel Jaramillo at 909-370-5142 or or email ijaramillo@ Anonymous tips can be provided to We-Tip at 1-800-782-7463 or online at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Yahoo
Girl knocked unconscious during fight in Inland Empire middle school classroom
Public outrage is growing after a fight in a middle school classroom in Colton left a girl unconscious, an incident captured on video that has sparked accusations of racial bias. According to the Colton Police Department, the fight occurred Monday morning at Jehue Middle School, 1500 N. Eucalyptus Ave. In the video, a much larger Latino boy is grappling with a smaller Black girl when she grabs a laptop off a desk and slings it at his head. The boy then slams the girl's head into the desk, knocking her unconscious and drawing gasps from the other students. Police said both students are 14 years old, and they were issued citations and released to their parents. Many, however, say that's not enough. The California Legislative Black Caucus issued a statement describing the incident as a 'brutal assault of a young Black student' and demanding a 'full investigation' and 'accountability.' The unedited video included several audible racial slurs. 'All students, especially our young Black girls, deserve to be safe, valued, and protected while they are on our school campuses,' the statement said. While some, including activist Najee Ali, believe the boy should be expelled and the girl cleared of any wrongdoing, police reportedly believe the girl instigated the incident. 'The Colton Police Department stated that the girl was cited for assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly hitting the boy multiple times in the head with a metal hydro flask before the recorded video began,' news radio station KFI reports. 'The boy, on the other hand, was cited for battery, not for the incident in the video, but for earlier horseplay with a water pistol.' Colton Police Sgt. Mike Sandoval told the San Bernardino Sun that the girl faces a felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon, and the boy was charged with misdemeanor battery. Both also were suspended from school and face possible expulsion. As for the motivation behind the fight, Sandoval said it does not appear to be racial in nature. 'There's no indication of that at all,' Sandoval told the Sun. It's unclear what actions, if any, were taken by adults during the leadup to and immediately after the incident. School officials say a substitute teacher was in charge of that classroom, and a call was made to school safety officers. Investigations into the incident are ongoing, the Rialto Unified School District said in a statement. 'The District does not condone the violent actions of the students and does not tolerate hate speech on any of its campuses,' the statement said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
14-02-2025
- CBS News
Police shoot woman outside Colton gas station
Police shot a woman outside of a gas station in Colton after she allegedly set a car on fire while still inside and then ran towards them while armed with a knife. They were dispatched to the Arco gas station, located in the 1200 block of E. Washington Street, at around 12:20 a.m. after learning of a woman who was armed in the area and trying to get into cars, according to a statement from the Colton Police Department. Officers arrived and found one of the people who called 911, who told them that the suspect had gotten into his car and was refusing to exit. They found the woman inside of the person's Toyota Sequioa, which was parked next to some gas pumps at the station. "Officers gave the suspect multiple commands to exit the vehicle. While inside the vehicle, the suspect lit the interior of the vehicle on fire," the Colton police statement said. "The suspect exited the vehicle toward officers while armed with the knife. At this point an officer-involved shooting occurred." The suspect, who has since been identified as 46-year-old Riverside woman Leandra Michelle Guerrero, was struck by gunfire and taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition. They say that knife was recovered at the scene and that Colton Fire Department firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the flames before they could spread from the car. Both the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office and the Sheriff's Department will be investigating the matter.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Yahoo
Southern California officers shoot woman who allegedly lit car on fire, charged officers with knife
Police officers in the Inland Empire shot a woman early Wednesday morning after she lit a car on fire at a gas station and charged them with a knife, authorities said. According to the Colton Police Department, the incident was reported at the ARCO gas station on 1240 E. Washington St. at about 12:20 a.m. Wednesday. Officers were called to the scene on reports that a woman, armed with a knife, was attempting to open car doors. Arriving officers spoke to one of the reporting parties, who told the officers that the woman was inside his vehicle and refused to exit. Officers located the woman, who was sitting in the driver's seat of a Toyota Sequoia parked near a gas pump. California-based farm donating hundreds of thousands of eggs in wake of L.A. wildfires The officers approached the vehicle and ordered the woman to exit. She refused, police said, and lit the interior of the vehicle on fire. She then exited the car and, armed with a knife, approached the officers. That's when officers opened fire on the woman. Officers shot her an unknown number of times. The woman, who remains unidentified, was transported to a local hospital. She remains in critical condition as of Thursday morning, authorities said. No other people were injured during the incident. The fire was quickly extinguished, and the knife was recovered at the scene. Both the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department and District Attorney's Office will investigate the incident. No additional details were immediately made available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
