All posts by Senior Officer Julia Hernandez-Garcia

Criminal Intelligence Unit, Delta District

Man Charged with Murder after TV Confession

Arrested on 5/15/12, 11:04 pm  Murder Warrant 3200 Houston Street   1205130064 

CCPD Homicide Robbery Detectives were able to obtain an arrest warrant for Dennis Longbine (09/26/55) on May 15, 2012 after Longbine was implicated in the May 13, 2012 murder of his daughter’s 30-year-old boyfriend.  Longbine’s daughter Chasity Longbine had been arrested and charged with Murder shortly after the death of  her boyfriend.

Dennis Longbine was arrested May 15th, after he was pulled over in the 3200 block of Houston Street.  He was taken to the police department to be interviewed and then booked.  Longbine was charged with the outstanding Murder warrant, $250,000 Bond.

Bravo District, Criminal Investigations Division

Daycare Auto Burglar Sought

Occurred on 5/15/12, 7:43 am    Burglary of a Vehicle  1317 Flour Bluff Drive   1205150023
Occurred on 5/15/12,  8:03am    Burglary of a Vehicle  1354 Rodd Field Road   1205150030

Two Mothers morning trip to drop off their children at daycare found their purses stolen from their vehicles.  Both women told Officers they left their vehicles unlocked and their purses inside their vehicles along with their purses. 

The auto burglaries occurred within 20 minutes of one another, but it is unknown at this time whether they are related. The first auto burglary occurred at the Lord of Lutheran Church Day Care Center, 1317 Flour Bluff Drive.  Two purses were taken along with several credit cards and some money.  The second auto burglary occurred at the Kinder Care Day Care Center, 1354 Rodd Field Road.  One purse was taken in this burglary which had the victim’s personal documents and a couple of bracelets.  Anyone with any information on this crime is encouraged to call Crimes Stoppers at 888-TIPS or you can also submit a tip online, visit the www.TipSubmit.com website to submit a secure e-mail tip.  The information provided could earn the caller a cash reward. 

A vehicle is burglarized in Texas every 2 ½ minutes.  The Corpus Christ Auto Theft Task Force and the Texas Auto Burglary & Theft Prevention Authority feel the best way to keep thieves from stealing items from your car is to leave it in the same condition as when it rolled off the factory floor:  nothing inside except the parts that comprise it.  This includes laptops, GPS systems, satellite radios, gym bags, address books, and purses and wallets that contain credit cards, checkbooks, and money.   Following are a few of the more important prevention tips to keep in mind:

  • If you must leave belongings, hide them from sight.
  • Never park in unattended or poorly lit parking lots.
  • Do not keep your vehicle registration in your car.
  • Do not carry vehicle insurance documents or personal papers in your glove box.
  • Do not leave outgoing or incoming mail in your car, especially where visible.
  • Avoid leaving the garage door opener in your car.
  • Never leave your vehicle or house keys in your car.
  • Beware of suspicious persons, call police.
  • Never leave your vehicle unlocked.

Avoid becoming a victim by following these crime prevention tips, remember to Hide, Lock, and Take.  For more prevention tips and information, please contact PaulKay Olivarez, Auto Theft Task Force Public Awareness Coordinator at 361-886-2872.

Bravo District, Criminal Intelligence Unit

Macy’s Targeted by Shoplifter, Call 888-TIPS If You Know This Man

The Corpus Christi Police Department Property Crimes Unit is asking your assistance in identifying the suspect involved in the theft of a couple of thousand dollars worth of “Miss Me” Blue Jeans and “Miss Me” shorts. 

The suspect is described as 40 to 50 year-old man, possibly a Hispanic male, 5’10 to 6′ feet tall, and weighing 200 to 220 lbs.  He was last seen wearing a blue long sleeve-sleeved shirt, blue jeans, and white tennis shoes.

Anyone with any information on this crime is encouraged to call Crimes Stoppers at 888-TIPS or you can also submit a tip online, visit the www.TipSubmit.com website to submit a secure e-mail tip.  The information provided could earn the caller a cash reward.

Delta District

Pay Up or Get Booted

CCPD Increases Collection Efforts of Parking Citations

Today the Parking Control unit of the Corpus Christi Police Department will launch a parking citation round-up of unpaid parking citations.  Parking Enforcement Officers will begin ‘booting’ vehicles with outstanding parking citations that have accumulated 3 or more parking citations that remain unpaid.

The front wheel of the vehicle will be fitted with a mechanical clamping device known as a Denver Boot, which secures the wheel making the vehicle un-drivable until removed. The device will remain in place until the vehicles owner pays all outstanding unpaid parking citations to any vehicles registered to that owner and an applicable boot and/or tow fee.

Beginning January 1 of this year any new parking citations became civil violations versus criminal violations. In just 3 ½ months 31 vehicles already surpassed the 3 citation mark, with some having up to 10 unpaid citations. Under the criminal parking citations’ falling under Municipal Court the ‘boot-list’ has 475 vehicles with over $2.6 million owed to the city since 2004. Even though all of those on the list had received notification of the intent to boot very few responded. 

The Office of Administrative Hearings which now adjudicates civil parking citations was launched in January with a real-time automated software system by Duncan Solutions that updates daily. The OOAH has seen the percentage of paid citations triple over the last 4 months with the multiple payment options and the ease of paying. However the same vehicle owners who ignored the citations under Municipal Court have continued to ignore citations under the civil system. Four of the first 31 vehicle owners on the new boot list cleared their citations after notification. 24 of the 27 remaining vehicle owners have citations under both systems with one person having over 88 tickets for almost $3000 in outstanding citations and several vehicle owners owing between $500 and $1000.  Seeing vehicles on the list with 20, 40 or 60 citations is not uncommon. 

Parking Control reports most of the unpaid tickets belong to individuals who own vehicles valued at $30,000 or more and have failed to pay their citations. Most vehicle owners have been issued at least three and upto eighty-eight citations.  According to Marc Denson, “less than 2% of the population owes $3 millions and that’s unfair to the other 98% who either abide by the parking regulations or pahy their citations.”

Prior to January of this year the city would send notices to those placed on the boot-list. Under the new system the city sends a notice for every unpaid citation on the 15th day and both a certified and first class notice when qualified to boot. Some of the names on the new list have received 12 letters in 4 months and still ignored them. CCPD and Municipal Court are working together moves to more effective collection practices that can’t be ignored and have proven effective in other cities.

Those with outstanding unpaid parking citations prior to January of this year are encouraged to contact Municipal Court and those with outstanding unpaid parking citations since January to contact the Office of Administrative Hearings to make arrangements to clear up those citations before they are booted or towed.   Booting adds $75 to the fines and towing if the vehicle is not redeemed by paying all outstanding citations by 4:00 pm the day the vehicle is booted adds another $153.

Delta District

Man Sleeping In His Car Stabbed

Occurred on 5/15/12, 4:40 a.m.  Aggravated Assault   2402 Segrest Street   1205150017 

Officers responding to an early morning call for service found a 50-year-old man bleeding on the front porch of his residence.  The man told Officers he was sleeping in his car when the suspect tried to burglarize his vehicle and stabbed him.  The victim was taken to Spohn Memorial with a stab wound to the chest. The victim’s girlfriend told Officers, he normally sleeps in the car which is inoperable when he drinks.  

The suspect is described as a thin Hispanic male, 25 to 35 years of age, with a shaved head.  Anyone with any information on this crime is encouraged to call Crimes Stoppers at 888-TIPS or you can also submit a tip online, visit the www.TipSubmit.com website to submit a secure e-mail tip.  The information provided could earn the caller a cash reward.

Criminal Investigations Division, Delta District

Help Needed to ID Male Who Exposed Himself to Student

 

Occurred on 5/7/12, 2:38 pm Indecent Exposure 101 Baldwin Boulevard 12005080018

Corpus Christi Police Department Detectives are asking the public’s assistance in identifying a male who exposed himself to a Del Mar College student checking her grades at the Garcia Science Building.  The student told Officers she observed a male standing by the doorway who followed her up the stairs to the second floor, remaining by the stairwell.

The victim told Officers she checked her grades and as she returned to the stairwell to exit the building she observed the male still standing in the stairway looking at her through the door’s window. As she entered the stairwell she observed the male exposing himself.  The victim walked by the male, ignoring him, but the suspect followed her as she walked to her vehicle. The victim was able to safely enter her car and observed the suspect leave in a small green two-door vehicle.

The suspect is described as a Black male, 25 to 35 years of age, 5’8” feet tall and weighing 180 lbs. He was last seen wearing a short sleeve shirt and long dark shorts.  Anyone with any information on this crime is encouraged to call Crimes Stoppers at 888-TIPS or you can also submit a tip online, visit the www.TipSubmit.com website to submit a secure e-mail tip.  The information provided could earn the caller a cash reward.

The Police Department recommends that you always be aware of your surroundings, partner up with a friend or family member, always take the elevator, and keep your cell phone with you at all times.   Keep yourself safe by trusting your “sixth sense or your intuition,” if a situation feels unsafe, avoid it.  For further information on Personal Safety Tips or to schedule Personal Safety presentation, please contact Crime Prevention Advisor Brenda Moreno at 361-886-2568.

Bravo District

Officer’s Intuition Helps Him Catch Burglar

Occurred on 5/9/12, 3:29 am   Burglary of Habitation   3310 Samoa Dr.   1205090014                                                      

The 42-year-old victim told Officers he was in his bedroom watching television when someone opened the door and walked in.  The suspect was using the cell phone keypad light to navigate inside the home.  The victim shouted at the suspect who fled.  Officers checked the home and found the suspect had helped to himself to some ice cream and Kiwi fruit. 

A search for the suspect proved unfruitful, until Officer C. Alejandro who was at the Stripes Convenience Store, 3053 Waldron Road, observed three males walking towards the store.  One of the males entered the store, but the other two males turned around and walked away when they saw him.  Officer Alejandro “sensing something was wrong” went in search of the two males and found Chris Bright (04/16/994) hiding behind some trash cans.  

Bright lied to the Officer about his name, but provided his real date of birth which allowed dispatchers to find out his real name.  A short struggle ensued as Bright refused to follow the Officer’s request, pulling away as he attempted to check him for weapons.  Bright was taken into custody.  

Further investigation revealed Bright had a firearm in his backpack along with a Xbox Kinect, several games, cell phones, and a GPS system.  The property was found to be stolen and returned to the victim at 3310 Samoa.  The GPS system was found to be stolen from 3409 Tahiti and returned to the victim.  Officers were unable to find the owner of the firearm, an MP3 player, or several cell phones found in the suspect’s possession.   Bright was charged with Burglary of a Habitation, Failure to Identify, Resisting Arrest, Search, or Transport.

Delta District

Laundry Employee Uninjured During Robbery

Occurred on 5/9/12, 11:41 pm  Aggravated Robbery   1722 Prescott Drive    1205090084 

A Jiffy Express Wash Coin Laundry employee reported she was working at her desk when a Hispanic male armed with a steak knife walked in and demanded money.  The employee complied with his demand and the suspect fled on foot with an undetermined amount of money.

Officers searched the area for the suspect, but were unable to locate him.  He is described as a Hispanic male, 19 to 21 years of age , 5’8” feet tall, and weighing 140 lbs.  He was last seen wearing a black shirt black shorts, and a baseball cap.

Anyone with any information on this robbery is encouraged to call Crimes Stoppers at 888-TIPS or you can also submit a tip online, visit the www.TipSubmit.com website to submit a secure e-mail tip.  The information provided could earn the caller a cash reward.

Adam District

18-Wheeler Accident Shuts Down IH 37

Occurred on 5/9/12, 10:32 am   Major Accident   13200 IH 37    C1203539  

Officers reported an 18-wheeler traveling on 77 NB turning onto IH 37 NB when the semi-tractor trailer lost its load, an empty 10,000 gallon fuel tank.  The truck veered off and struck the center barrier blocking all lanes.  Officers discovered the fuel tank was not secured correctly and rolled onto the grassy median of the access road. 

Traffic was diverted from IH 37 onto Redbird Lane until the vehicle was removed from the Interstate and a fuel spill from the tractor-trailer was cleaned up.  The Texas Department of Transportation  responded to inspect the damaged Jersey Barrier, whilst the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to check the status of the fuel spill. 

The 30-year-old driver received minor injuries in the accident.  He was cited for a load securement violation.

Bravo District

Woman Charged with Intoxication Assault After Colliding with man on Scooter

Laura Jane Palanza

Occurred on 5/9/12, 8:43 pm   Intoxication Assault w/a Vehicle  2000 Waldron Road   1205090151/C1203558

Laura Jane Palanza (04/16/68) who was driving a silver 2006 Mazda Tribute after she collided with a motorist on a red Qianjiang motor scooter. Officers found wreckage from the scooter strewn across six city blocks.   The 27-year-old male was taken to Spohn Memorial with serious injuries.

A witness told Officers she observed Palanza driving on Waldron Road dragging motorcycle parts.  The witness followed Palanza getting her to stop and get out of her car.  Several witnesses to the accident also arrived and helped keep Palanza from leaving.

Palanza who appeared to be intoxicated was taken to Spohn Shoreline for a mandatory Blood Draw.  She was medically cleared and booked at the City Detention Center.  Palanza was charged with Intoxication Assault with a Vehicle which is 3rd Degree Felony and punishable up to  10 years in prison along with a $10,000 fine.  She was additionally charged with Accident Involving Injury/Death.