Patrol Division

Lieutenant Raymond Lara Concludes 40 Years of Police Service

Lieutenant Raymond Lara embraces Chief FloydSimpson at the conclusion of Lara’s 40 year career in Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi Police Lieutenant Raymond Lara attended his last roll call of his 40 years of service as a Corpus Christi Police Officer Thursday, July 26, 2012.

Raymond Lara began his career in the Corpus Christi Police Department July 18, 1972. Lieutenant Lara was promoted to Sergeant in 1979, then promoted to Lieutenant on August 19, 1991. Lieutenant Lara served on the Honor Guard, a supervisor of Special Services, and as a supervisor of the SWAT team. Lieutenant Lara concluded his career as a police patrol shift supervisor. The shift roll call was attended by the Uniform Division Commander Heidi Frese, Assistant Chief Jesse Garcia, Assistant Chief Mike Markle, and Chief of Police Floyd Simpson.

Chief Simpson explained that his decision to leave the Dallas Police Department after 25 years and 11 months of service was not easy and a life changing event. Chief Simpson said with that in mind, the entire department should celebrate the 40 years of service from Lieutenant Lara in a strongly meaningful manner.

Chief Simpson listed a few items of interest like the price of houses, and gasoline in 1972 to place in perspective the difference in time of 40 years. Chief Simpson concluded with the fact that Lieutenant Lara’s chief of police, Floyd Simpson, was just 9 years old in 1972.

Lieutenant Tim Brown will take over as shift supervisor for the vacancy caused by Lieutenant Lara’s retirement.

The Corpus Christi Police Department honors Lieutenant Lara’s 40 years of service and wish him well for the next chapter of his life.

Delta District, Narcotics/Vice Division

Three Jailed at Local Motel on Drug Charges

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Paulino De Los Santos
Norma Linda Moreno
Jacqueline Rojas

Occurred on 7/25/12, 8:23 pm    Search Warrant   4300 Leopard Street  1207250148/1207250155 

Senior Officer M. Thebeau who was going off duty exchanged information with Officers going on duty about a suspicious vehicle at La Siesta Motel during his shift.  Further investigation revealed there were drugs inside one of the rooms.  With the assistance of the Narcotics and Vice Division, a search and arrest warrant was served and seized were packaging material, a digital scale, a quantity of Marijuana and trace amounts of Crack Cocaine.  

Two people inside the room were arrested and booked at the City Detention Center.  Both Norma Linda Moreno (11/11/73) and Paulino De Los Santo Jr (04/30/85) were both charged with Manufacture Delivery of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Marijuana. 

A third person Jacqueline Rojas (04/12/95) approached the room while the warrant was being served.  Rojas was found to be possession of Marijuana cigarette and a pill.  She was also arrested and charged with Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Dangerous Drugs.

Charlie District

19-Year-Old Stabbed in Eye, 27-Year-Old Arrested

Brandon Lee Owens

Occurred on 7/25/12, 10:55 pm  Aggravated Assault   3200 S Staples Street   1207250174 

Officers were called to the Casa Linda Apartments by the victim’s mother who reported her 19-year-old son had been stabbed in the eye.  Upon their arrival, Officers were told by the victim than an ongoing quarrel with a neighbor escalated into a confrontation when the suspect intentionally bumped into him as he walked home from work. 

A fight ensued in which the victim was stabbed in the right eye with a screwdriver.  The victim also sustained two other stab wounds to the face.  He was taken to Spohn Memorial by CCFD Emergency Personnel for medical treatment.  Police at Spohn Memorial reported Doctors were able to save the victim’s eye.

The suspect went home and his mother called police to report her son Brandon Lee Owens (12/12/84) had been assaulted.  Officers contacted Owens and his Mother at 3245 S. Staples Street and arrested him.  Owens had a small cut to the inside of his mouth and refused medical treatment.   

Officers were able to recover the screwdriver used in the assault at Owens’s apartment.  Owen was booked at the City Detention Center and charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

Charlie District

34-Year-Old Tasered and Shot by Burglars

Occurred on 7/26/12, 03:49 am  Burglary of Habitation Intending  Other Felony   4379 Eastwind Drive   1207260030 

Police were dispatched to 4379 Eastwind Drive for a shooting.  Officers arrived to the sounds of female screaming and found the victim in one of the bedrooms with a gunshot to his leg.  The victim told Officers he woke up to find a Hispanic male standing over him.  When he began to rise from the bed the male tased him.  A struggle ensued and the suspect ran out of the bedroom.  The victim chased the suspect, but once he reached the hallway he saw another man standing at the end of the hallway. 

The second suspect shot the victim striking him in the upper thigh.  Both the men fled and the victim returned to his bedroom where three family members of the homeowner applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.  The victim was taken to Spohn Memorial by CCFD Emergency Personnel. 

The victim told Police both suspects were male, he was unable to provide any further description on the shooter, but did say the suspect with the taser was a light-skinned Hispanic. 

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Corpus Christi Police Department Homicide/Robbery Bureau at 361-886-2841.  Callers wishing to remain anonymous can call the Crime Stoppers tip line at 888-TIPS or login online at www.888-TIPS.com.  Tipsters will earn a cash reward if the suspects are arrested.

Bravo District, Patrol Division

Police Arrest Trio Of “Push Out” Thieves

Occurred Wednesday, July 25, 2012, 11:30am, 6101 Saratoga Boulevard, Theft 1207250074

Three people were arrested Wednesday after they filled a shopping cart full of merchandise at the Wal-Mart on Saratoga and left without paying for the merchandise that was valued at over $1,000.

Wal-Mart employees told Corpus Christi Police two men and a woman filled the cart with merchandise, then loaded the merchandise in a truck and then left the store without having paid for the merchandise. The woman, 18-year-old Brittany Martin (4/1/1994), was left behind by the two men and pointed out to police by the Wal-Mart employees.

Police detained Martin and then noticed the blue 2002 Ford Ranger pickup described by employees as the vehicle used by the thieves had returned to the parking lot. Police officers stopped the truck and detained 41-year-old Robert Martin (12/31/1970) and 37-year-old Justin Toole (11/1/1974) to investigate the theft.

Officers were directed to the merchandise that was stashed behind the Luby’s restaurant and the merchandise was returned to the Wal-Mart. All three suspects were arrested for theft.

Community Outreach

Police Offer Solutions at CCAL Meeting

The Corpus Christi Police Property Crimes Investigator supervisor, Lieutenant James Garrett, offered a new process to file shoplifting cases from local stores the monthly Corpus Christi Against Loss meeting hosted by the The Corpus Christi Police Department at the La Palmera Mall Wednesday.

The Corpus Christi Against Loss monthly meetings are held every third Wednesday at 10:00am at the La Palmera Mall. The meetings are attended by the loss prevention representatives, district managers for local businesses, and by Corpus Christi Police supervisors. The purpose of the meetings is to disseminate and exchange information about property crime trends and identify criminals.

Lieutenant James Garrett provided envelopes to the loss prevention representatives that outline needed material and evidence in order to successfully prosecute shoplifting cases. Lieutenant Garrett said this effort to streamline information will provide speedy trials and successful prosecutions for those arrested for theft. The checklist of items required for prosecution is printed on the outside of the envelope so that the items are to be placed inside the envelope for the district attorneys presentation in court.

The items required in the envelope for prosecution include store video and receipts which the police officers are unable to access without assistance from store employees. This checklist on the envelope is a system to prevent mistake or incomplete packages of information that delays and reduces the prosecution of offenders.

District Attorney Skurka made an appearance this Wednesday to provide the district attorneys office perspective on the new process to file criminal cases against those that commit theft. All in attendance agreed that the goal is successful prosectutions of all offenders.

Delta District

Thieves Interrupt “Wacky Weed” Smoking Session

Occurred on 7/25/12, 11:30 pm  Burglary of a Habitation/Possession of Marijuana  1625 15th         1207250004/1207250005

Officers responded to 1625 15th Street for a “home invasion” in which the suspects might still be inside the home.  Upon their arrival, Officers found the homeowner sitting on the front steps of a neighbor’s house looking visibly shaken up.  He told Officers he along with two friends were smoking Marijuana when two men entered his home through the back door demanding money.  One of the men was armed with a gun.  All three friends ran out the front door leaving the robbers inside.

The victim did not know if the suspects were inside his home and allowed Officers to check the home.  Once inside, Police could still smell a strong odor of Marijuana and they determined the suspects had fled.   In the process, Officers observed a baggie of Marijuana, a grinder along with pills on the kitchen table and the floor.  The drugs and grinder were seized. 

The three men told Officers they did not know the suspects.  The first suspect is described as a tall Black male, 5’10” to 6’ feet tall and 180 to 200 lbs.  He was last seen wearing a gray hoodie.  The second suspect is described as a light-skinned Black male, 5’6” to 5’7” and weighing 140 to 160 lbs.  He was last seen wearing a wool cap and armed with a handgun. 

Anyone with any information on this crime is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS login in online at www.888TIPS.com.  Tipsters will earn a cash reward if the suspects are arrested.

The investigation will continue into the burglary and seized drugs by both the Property Crimes Unit and the Narcotics and Vice Division.

Adam District

14-Year-Old Darts Into Street and Collides with Truck

Occurred on 7/24/12, 4:27     Major Accident with Pedestrian  2800 McKinzie     C1205578 

Officers were dispatched to an accident involving a pedestrian in the 2800 block of McKinzie.  Upon their arrival, Officers were told by the 26-year-old driver of a black 2007 Chevrolet Silverado that he was traveling southbound on McKinzie when the 14-year-old juvenile ran across the street.  Witness accounts confirmed the driver’s account.

The teenager struck the truck and fell back onto the sidewalk.  The combative teen was taken to Driscoll Children’s Hospital by CCFD Emergency Personnel.  His injuries wer non-life threatening. 

Neither the driver, nor the pedestrian has been cited, but the accident is still under investigation by the Traffic Division.

Delta District

Parking Complaint Leads to Wanted Subject

Juan Luna Jr.

Occurred on 7/24/12, 7:21 pm  Wanted Subject   2330 Baldwin Ct.  1207240166    

Officers called to 2320 Baldwin Court for a vehicle parked in the handicap zone found a vehicle blocking the fire lane instead.

The driver Juan Luna Jr. (05/21/79) was found to have an outstanding warrant and arrested.  He was charged with an outstanding Nueces County warrant #CR1102903G issued on 07/17/2012 for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

Delta District

Friendly Neighborhood Baseball Game Turns Violent

Occurred on 7/24/12, 7:03 pm  Aggravated Assault  1403 N. Alameda     1207240160

Officers R. Montejano and E. Cano responded to a fight at 1403 N Alameda involving the parents of a group of children playing baseball.  Upon their arrival the 38-year-old victim told Officers he was watching his wife play baseball with their kids when a man confronted him and accused him of trying to hit his son with a bat. 

The victim’s 33-year-old wife, who was at bat, walked over and intervened, stepping in between the two males, but the 25-year-old suspect still managed to punch the victim in the head.  The victim who was trying to enter his apartment to call police was knocked to the floor as the suspect continued to assault him.  The suspect then threatened to stab him with a utility knife. 

The suspect’s 29-year-old wife became involved and attacked the victim’s wife punching her in face and throwing a cup at her.  The victim’s wife told Officers “Joe’s” wife is pregnant and refused to defend herself.   “Joe’s” wife was uncooperative with police and denied her husband’s involvement telling them he was incarcerated. 

The victim’s sustained minor injuries in the assault.  The investigation is ongoing and will be investigated by the Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Bureau.

Corpus Christi Police Daily Blotter