Man allegedly tries to kill ex-girlfriend Police...

Man allegedly tries to kill ex-girlfriend

Police arrested a man hours after he allegedly tried to kill his

ex-girlfriend and checked himself into a hospital for a mental health

evaluation on Saturday.

Police said Brian Paul Denney, 24, of Chino Hills was baby sitting

for his ex-girlfriend, whose name was not disclosed, at her Club

Laguna apartment before the alleged attack. Denney and the

23-year-old woman dated in the past and had a son together. The woman

had another child at the apartment, and both were sleeping in another

room during the incident.

When she returned to her residence with another man, a 21-year-old

Diamond Bar resident at about 1 a.m. on Saturday, Denney put on latex

gloves and pulled a knife out of his pants pocket, Sgt. Darin Lenyi

said.

Denney then allegedly grabbed his ex-girlfriend, cut her face, and

threatened to kill her.

“He held the knife in his right hand and told her, ‘I’m going to

kill you,’” Lenyi said.

The woman’s companion jumped Denney, and during the struggle he

and the woman managed to take control of the knife, police said.

Denney broke away from the fight and went into the kitchen where he

banged his head against the wall, creating a large hole. He then ran

away from the apartment.

Police checked nearby hospitals to see if Denney had checked

himself in for treatment. He was found at Mission Hospital, where he

was arrested at about 5 a.m. Saturday. He was booked on suspicion of

attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and domestic violence

charges.

Man arrested after alleged threatening

A man who reportedly harassed an off-duty police officer at the

Laguna Beach Historical Society on Sunday was arrested on suspicion

of a felony count of resisting an officer after he allegedly

threatened a police sergeant’s family.

The sergeant went to the Historical Society at about 2 p.m. Sunday

after being informed that Joel Anthony Murphy, 46, was causing a

disturbance in the area, police said.

The sergeant found Murphy outside the building with a leashed dog

yelling at a man inside the building. The man was the off-duty

officer.

The sergeant told Murphy it was unwise to try and start a fight

with a police officer, and Murphy walked away toward Main Beach,

police said. He then reportedly left his dog near the beach and

walked back toward the Historical Society on Ocean Avenue. There, he

was cited for allegedly violating leash laws. Afterward, he

reportedly crossed South Coast Highway against a flashing red

pedestrian light and was issued a second citation.

At this point, Murphy became confrontational, Sgt. Darin Lenyi

said. He asked the sergeant if he had any children and glared at him.

Murphy reportedly told the sergeant, “I’ll see you at your house,”

and also repeatedly said “Rock, paper, scissors,” and profanities.

Murphy was arrested at 2:48 p.m. because the sergeant interpreted

the remarks as a threat.