Predicted craziness fizzles as new millennium dawns

Greg Risling

For all the hype, all the preparation and all the speculation about

the world’s impending downward spiral, the dawn of a new millennium went

quietly as revelers partied into the morning hours Saturday.

There was nary a disturbance in fireworks-friendly Costa Mesa and

glamorous Newport Beach. Although each police department stepped up its

presence by putting additional officers on the street, neither saw any

major disturbances.

In fact, Costa Mesa police reported they didn’t have any arrests between

11 p.m. New Year’s Eve and 7 a.m. the next morning, a prime time for

problems. Sgt. Larry Hicks said only four arrests were made all evening,

one which stemmed from a shooting late Friday afternoon that sent a

21-year-old Anaheim man to the hospital for gunshot wounds. Albert

Summerville, 22, of Costa Mesa was arrested on attempted murder charges.

There were only two alcohol-related arrests, neither of which involved

drunk drivers.

The fear over fireworks sales in Costa Mesa possibly sparking a major

blaze was washed away by a sporadic storm that showered the county with

its first taste of rain in several months.

Though there were some reports of loud fireworks and gunfire, police said

the atmosphere was relatively calm for a predicted craziness.

“People didn’t go out and stir things up,” said Sgt. Larry Hicks. “It was

pretty quiet around these parts.”

Newport Beach police echoed the same sentiment as well. In a town known

to have its lavish parties, just 22 people were arrested during the New

Year’s celebrations. Six of those were arrested on suspicion of driving

under the influence, about the average for a Friday evening, police said.

The only real problem for Newport police was early Saturday morning when

a 36-year-old man was brandishing an assault rifle in the 7400 block of

Seashore Drive. The suspect’s 28-year-old girlfriend alleged Larry

Sepulveda had hit her. Police surrounded the house only to find three

hours later Sepulveda had passed out drunk on a couch. He was arrested on

suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.

While police were waiting for the ensuing rowdiness, Mark and Nirvana

Alonso were waiting for something else -- their baby girl. The Costa Mesa

couple had the first baby of the new year at Hoag Hospital. Nirvana gave

birth to Ansell Alonso, a seven pound, 10 ounce baby girl at 4:39 a.m. on

Saturday. The proud parents came up with the name from esteemed nature

photographer and artist Ansel Adams.

“We have a lot of his work at home,” Mark Alonso said. “His artwork

inspired us a little bit.”

The couple wasn’t expecting the baby on New Year’s Eve, but pregnancies

don’t always go as planned. Mark received a call from his wife, who was

working at, of all places, Millennium Advertising in Costa Mesa, when her

water broke. After nearly 12 hours of labor, doctors performed a

Caesarean section and the couple were blessed with their first child.

“The last place we thought we would spend New Year’s Eve was in the

hospital,” Mark said. “But to see my baby’s face it’s kind of

exhilarating. What an adrenaline rush.”