Second crash victim dies The 28-year-old man...

Second crash victim dies

The 28-year-old man who was rescued from his burning truck after a

head-on collision on El Toro Road early on Sept. 6 died Sept. 13 of

heart and lung failure at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana.

A hospital spokesperson told the Laguna Beach Police Department on

Sept. 9 that doctors had expected Micah McAdoo to survive his

injuries, Sgt. Jason Kravetz said Thursday.

McAdoo, a Laguna Niguel resident, according to DMV records, caught

pneumonia while fighting internal injuries in the hospital, which

caused his heart and lungs to fail, the county coroner’s office told

Kravetz. McAdoo died at 9:35 a.m.

“His death was a surprise to the police department because the

last word we heard from the hospital was that they expected [McAdoo]

to be fine,” Kravetz said.

-- Mike Swanson

Officers recognized by MADD

Representatives of Mothers Against Drunk Driving honored three

Laguna Beach police officers at Tuesday’s City Council meeting for

apprehending 25 or more impaired drivers from July 2002 to June 2003.

All three recipients, Sgt. Jenny Jones, Sgt. George Ramos and

motor officer Tony White, were repeat winners of the annual award.

Jones, who led the three with 32 arrests, was honored for the sixth

consecutive year. Ramos, with 26 arrests, received the award for the

second year in a row, and White, with 25 arrests, for the third

straight year.

“With all the hard work that goes on in Laguna arresting drunk

drivers, I’m surprised people are still doing this,” Mayor Toni

Iseman said.

-- Mike Swanson

Sgt. Bartz honored for service

When Sgt. Greg Bartz began working for the Laguna Beach Police

Department in January 1973, he made $4.98 per hour.

Now, more than 30 years and 93 letters of commendation later,

Bartz -- who’s been a sergeant with the department for 24 years --

makes a smidge more money and has mentored many of the department’s

supervisors.

Chief of Police Jim Spreine and Mayor Toni Iseman presented Bartz

with a plaque at Tuesday’s City Council meeting to thank him for his

30 years of service to the city, and Bartz thanked the residents in

return.

“I think the citizens of this community are some of the best in

the world,” Bartz said. “I love working here.”

Bartz hasn’t taken a day of sick leave since April 1982, Spreine

said, and has played an active role in several areas of growth in the

department over the last 30 years.

Councilman Wayne Baglin said Bartz’s attitude was one of his

finest qualities as a police officer.

“Greg is out there looking out for us, but as he’s driving around,

he’ll always give you a friendly smile when he sees you,” Baglin

said. “It’s something I’d like to see more of.”