Suspect in Internet sex offense arrested Police...

Suspect in Internet sex offense arrested

Police and FBI agents arrested David Jack Gritchen, 31, of Anaheim

at a Surf City shopping center Monday for allegedly soliciting sex

with a child on the Internet.

Gritchen is charged with soliciting sex with a child and attempted

sexual offense with a child.

At 3:45 p.m. Monday, special agents of the FBI’s Santa Ana office

and Huntington Beach Police detectives arrested Gritchen at a

shopping center near Warner Avenue and Bolsa Chica Street.

Several months ago, an FBI agent from the Santa Ana Sexual Assault

Felony Enforcement team was on the Internet posing as a 13-year-old

girl. Police say Gritchen made contact with the agent in a chat room

and then communicated through instant messaging, telling her he

wanted to have sex with her. Gritchen eventually gave the agent his

telephone number to arrange a time to meet with what he thought was a

13-year-old to have sex.

An undercover female police officer, posing as the 13-year-old,

made two telephone calls to the Gritchen to arrange a meeting. The

undercover officer was used as a decoy at the meeting site, where he

identified himself to her. He was taken into custody without

incident.

Gritchen was booked at the Huntington Beach City Jail. He was

arraigned in Federal Court in Santa Ana Tuesday. This investigation

is ongoing to determine if there are any other victims.

Woman killed in crash at red light

A Huntington Beach woman was killed last week when a jeep struck

her BMW from behind while she was slowing for a red light.

The accident took place at 5 p.m. July 3 on Magnolia Street, south

of Indianapolis Avenue.

Cheryl McDonell, 50, was ejected from the passenger side window of

her 1992 BMW when the Jeep Cherokee crashed into her. She died at the

Western Medical Center in Santa Ana.

Huntington Beach resident Kevin Jimenez, 18, who was driving the

jeep, suffered internal injuries.

Police are still investigating.

Two retire from Police Department

Huntington Beach Capt. Jon Arnold and Lt. Preston Linker retired

last week.

Arnold, who was hired as a cadet while still attending college,

retired after 32 years of service. He was promoted to a full-time

officer in 1973. He retired as Investigation Division commander.

Linker, who joined the Huntington Beach Police in 1975, after two

years with the Claremont Police, retired as special investigation

bureau commander.