Transient found dead in park
A 41-year-old homeless man was found dead Tuesday morning at the park near Fourth Street and Adams Avenue.
There is no evidence that supports physical trauma to the person, said El Centro police Cmdr. Mike Crankshaw, who noted an autopsy and toxicology report are pending.
El Centro police received the call around 6:25 a.m. regarding a possible assault, according to a press release. Upon arrival officers located the man, later identified as Eddie De la Rosa, dead. Based on the information gathered, police said De la Rosa was homeless and slept in the park with his brother, who was detained for questioning but later released.
The case is under investigation, Crankshaw said.
Armed robbery reported at Del Taco
A man described as a medium-built, clean-shaven white adult with partially grey hair robbed the Del Taco restaurant on Ocotillo Drive at gunpoint Monday night, taking an undisclosed amount of cash.
The incident happened around 11:20 p.m. when the man entered the store with a gun and ordered employees to the ground, according to a press statement. The suspect gained access to the store’s cash register and obtained an undisclosed amount of cash. Crankshaw said the amount robbed is being kept quiet for investigation purposes.
The suspect fled the location shortly after, and it’s unknown if the man was on foot or had a vehicle. A search of the area was done with the assistance of El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents, canine units and a helicopter. However, the suspect wasn’t found.
The suspect is described as being 5 feet, 8 inches tall and was wearing a black fleece jacket, black pants, black gloves, a watch cap and a small black waist pack.
The suspect is considered armed and dangerous; anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to call the El Centro Police Investigation Division at 760-337-4525.
$5,000 in meth and heroin seized
A 46-year-old man was arrested for various narcotics offenses Sunday after being found in possession of methamphetamine and evading police.
At about 2 p.m., police officers patrolling the northwest portion of El Centro saw a vehicle being driven by Frank Contreras, according to a press release.
Officers were familiar with Contreras and aware he had a suspended driver’s license.
Officers attempted a stop on the vehicle but Contreras refused to stop and pulled into the parking lot of the Food 4 Less supermarket near North Cottonwood Drive.
Officers activated their lights and siren, but Contreras continued to drive through the aisles of the parking lot until he was blocked in by another police unit, the release notes.
Contreras was taken into custody for driving on a suspended license and evading police. He was also searched by police officers who discovered methamphetamines on him.
Based on Contreras’ previous police contacts and arrests for sales of narcotics, a search warrant was obtained for Contreras’ home, the release notes.
Later that day, a search warrant was executed on Contreras’ residence near the 500 block of Wall Road in Imperial. There, a total of 13 grams of methamphetamine, 2 ounces of heroin and multiple items of narcotic paraphernalia were recovered.
Contreras was booked into the Imperial County jail on suspicion of sales and transportation of narcotics and evading police, the release notes. His bail was set at $50,000. The estimated street value of the drugs was $5,000.
— Alejandro Davila, adavila@ivpressonline.com
PALO VERDE: Agent, canine involved in collision
Jennifer Conner, a U.S. Border Patrol agent, was taken to Desert Regional Hospital in Desert Hot Springs after the unmarked Border Patrol canine unit she was driving collided with a van Tuesday on Highway 78 south of Palo Verde, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Conner was attempting to pass a tractor-trailer when she struck the left front of a Ford delivery van being driving west on Highway 78 by Henry Espinoza, a Highway Patrol report states.
Espinoza was uninjured in the collision, while Conner sustained what appeared to be minor injuries. Conner was traveling with a canine that was in the rear passenger area of the truck. The canine did not appear to have sustained any injuries.
— Karina Lopez, klopez@ivpressonline.com
To comment on this story click here to be directed to Facebook.
