July 08, 2024

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health cautions residents who are planning to visit the below Los Angeles County beaches to avoid swimming, surfing, and playing in ocean waters:

BEACH AREA WARNINGS:

· Las Flores Creek at Las Flores State Beach

The entire swim area.

· Topanga Canyon Beach in Malibu

100 yards up and down the coast from the lagoon.

· Mothers Beach in Marina Del Rey

The entire swim area.

· Malibu Lagoon at Surfrider Beach

100 yards up and down the coast from the public restrooms.

· Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica

100 yards up and down the coast from the pier.

· Trancas Creek at Zuma Beach

100 yards up and down the coast from the creek.

· Inner Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro

The entire swim area.

· Escondido Creek at Escondido State Beach

The entire swim area.

· Walnut Creek at Paradise Cove

The entire swim area.

· Solstice Creek at Dan Blocker County Beach

The entire swim area.

· Marie Canyon Storm Drain at Puerco Beach

100 yards up and down the coast from the public access steps.

· Sweetwater Canyon Storm Drain at Carbon Canyon Beach

The entire swim area.

· Castlerock Storm Drain at Topanga County Beach

The entire swim area.

· Ramirez Creek at Paradise Cove

100 yards up and down the coast from the Paradise Cove Pier

These warnings have been issued due to bacterial levels exceeding health standards when last tested.

BEACH AREAS NOW CLEARED:

Warnings have been lifted for the following beach areas where recent sample results identified water quality levels within State standards:

· Santa Monica Canyon Creek at Will Rogers State beach. Near Will Rogers Tower 18

· Malibu Pier in Malibu

Use the map below to obtain the current water quality status of your favorite beach location. Use your mouse wheel to zoom into a particular location. Click on the marker to identify the sampling location. This map is updated as conditions change.

The 4th of July Fireworks Show held on the 6th of July on the beach in Santa Monica.

Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriffs Station identified 32-year-old "social media influencer" Summer Wheaton as the driver of the car that drove head on into oncoming traffic on Pacific Coast Highway killing one person and injurying another.




On Thursday, July 4th, just after 10 p.m., Wheaton's Mercedes sedan was travelling eastbound on Pacific Coast Highway reportedly crossed into the path of a 2020 Cadillac Escalade. The two vehicles collided head on and the driver from the Cadillac suffered major injuries. Unfortunately, the motorist was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

It happened in the 22000 block of Pacific Coast Highway, west of Carbon Canyon.

A passenger in the Cadillac Escalade also had major injuries. Paramedics transported the passenger as well as Wheaton with serious injuries to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center for treatment.

The preliminary investigation indicates that speed and/or alcohol are possible causes of the accident. Reports say that Wheaton was a guest at the infamous Nobu "Red, White, & Bootsy" event sponored by wine, tequila, and Champagne bottlers. A table at the event cost range from $10,000 to $75,000 and include liquor.

Wheaton has an Instagram with 102K followers and claims to be a "wellness advocate" and "Luxury Realtor" who sells or rents real estate in Malibu and Beverly Hills. But following the crash, her Instagram has made turn to Private:




"Imagine not liking me and I'm just floating from one successful meeting to the next like this" was one of her last Instagram post captions.

The driver of the Escalade that was killed has been identified as 44-year-old Martin Okeke, a ride share driver.

For more news, updates and traffic conditions on PCH and other local beachside roads, Click Here.

This holiday weekend, SMPD is deploying the Mobile Command Post (MCP) near the beach to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone!

The Mobile Command Post will serve as a central hub for quick response and coordination, providing enhanced safety for beachgoers and visitors. Here are some additional benefits:

👮 Increased police presence to deter potential incidents.

🆘 Quick response to emergencies and medical situations.

📞 Direct communication with officers for any concerns or assistance.

🔍 Lost and found services to help reunite families and friends.

The Santa Monica Police Department has an official update about the huge fight on the beach where one person was stabbed.

On June 29, 2024, at 2:21 PM, Santa Monica police officers responded to a 911 call of multiple male subjects fighting north of the Pier near Tower 14. It was reported that one of the people involved in the fight was stabbed. The SMPD drone was first on-scene and confirmed an active fight. Additional responding officers arrived shortly after and intervened.

The fight started when a vendor (identified as Efigenio Tacuba) approached a group of beachgoers and sexually battered several females. Others in the group confronted Tacuba who then requested assistance from fellow vendors. Several vendors armed themselves with umbrella poles, belts, and at least one knife. Officers located a victim suffering from a non-life-threatening stab wound. An additional victim suffered a possible broken ankle during the altercation. Both victims were transported to local hospitals for treatment.

Four subjects taken into custody were charged by the LA County District Attorney with felony assault and one with multiple counts of sexual battery:



**Tacuba, Efigenio.** DOB: January 1, 1994. 243.4(a) PC (three counts); 245(a)(1) PC (two counts)



**Cruz Murcia, Jorge Luis.** DOB: March 2, 1995. 245(a)(1) PC (two counts)



**Manzanarez Hernandez, Samuel.** DOB: July 19, 1984. 245(a)(1) PC (two counts)



**Hernandez, Oscar Samuel.** DOB: July 2, 1977. 245(a)(1) PC (two counts)

Additional arrests are likely to follow. Anyone with information related to this incident or this individual, particularly cell phone video footage of the incident, is encouraged to contact Detective Holloway at Jacob.Holloway@santamonica.gov or the Watch Commander 24 hours at 310-458-8427.

Pacific Coast Highway was closed for sewveral hours in both directions at Carbon Canyon Road in Malibu on Friday morning due to a fatal car crash.

One person died and two others were injured in a Fourth of July car accident on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu.

Two vehicles were involved in the head-on collision just after 11 p.m. on Thursday, July 4th, according to the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station and MyNewsLA.

It happened in the 22000 block of Pacific Coast Highway, west of Carbon Canyon, police said.

A driver in a 2019 Mercedes Benz sedan travelling eastbound on Pacific Coast Highway reportedly crossed into the path of a 2020 Cadillac Escalade. The two vehicles collided head on and the driver from the Cadillac suffered major injuries. Unfortunately, the motorist was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Meanwhile, the passenger in the Cadillac Escalade also had major injuries. Paramedics transported the passenger as well as the driver of the Mercedes Benz with serious injuries to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center for treatment.

Authorities closed down all traffic lanes on Pacific Coast Highway in the area due to the crash and investigation.

The roadway did not fully reopen until the next morning at 8:30 a.m. on Friday.

The cause of the fatal Malibu car accident over the Fourth of July remains under investigation.

For more news, updates and traffic conditions on PCH and other local beachside roads, Click Here.

Santa Monica Close Up talks to John "All Good", Daisy's current Prince and business partner about her arrest:

"John All Good shared a compelling account of the events that unfolded on July 3rd and 4th, when he and Venice Healer Daisy, were arrested following a protest outside the courthouse over Daisy's child custody case. The protest, which aimed to address issues of family conflict resolution and promote messages of love and unity, took a dramatic turn when police confronted the couple.

John detailed how the situation escalated quickly when police mistakenly believed he was carrying a weapon due to a locked container attached to his motorcycle. Despite explaining that it contained no ammunition and he didn’t possess the key, the encounter led to their arrest. He described the police's response as overly aggressive, highlighting that they were equipped with high-precision non-lethal weapons.

While in custody, John expressed admiration for the professionalism of the officers' tactical skills but criticized the misinformation and communication failures that led to the use of force. He recounted how, after being hit with a non-lethal round and taken to the hospital against his will, he was eventually released with minor charges. Daisy, however, faced more severe legal consequences and remains in custody facing significant charges.

Click Here for more Stories about Venice Healer Daisy

Santa Monica Close Up is a photo blog by Santa Monica based Photojournalist/Press photographer Fabian Lewkowicz. Fabian is the former staff photographer for the Santa Monica Daily Observer Press, Santa Monica Mirror, Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Corsair.

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From Erika Aklufi, SMPD Lieutenant:

In 2023, the SMPD arrested more than 2500 individuals for misdemeanor and felony violations. Hundreds more were issued citations in the field for misdemeanor offenses per the LA County zero bail policy of Cite and Release (CR). The following numbers reflect those individuals taken into police custody and booked before being released with a citation (BR):

Theft: 366 arrestees. This includes 171 shoplifting arrests, 58 petty thefts, 49 grand thefts, 16 frauds, 14 grand thefts from a person, and 14 organized retail theft arrests, among other crimes.

Public Intoxication/Under the Influence of drugs: 330 arrestees

Trespassing: 105 arrestees

Indecent Exposure: 17 arrestees

These arrests combined represent 30% of all arrests made by the SMPD in 2023.