Arrest made in suspected hit-and-run A man...

Arrest made in suspected hit-and-run

A man suspected of being involved in a hit-and-run accident was

arrested at 9:15 a.m. Sunday at a hotel in the 900 block of North

Coast Highway, on a warrant for drug possession, police said.

Police said they attempted to locate David Buckles, 32, of Laguna

Beach, for two days after he was a suspect in a hit-and-run accident

that took place Saturday in the 700 block of Summitt Avenue.

According to Sgt. Darin Lenyi of the Laguna Beach Police Department,

the suspect had a warrant for possession of narcotics and being under

the possession of narcotics.

While police were making the arrest Sunday, they noticed

methamphetamine in the hotel room, Lenyi said.

According to police, Michael Richetts, 36, of Laguna Beach, was

also in the hotel room and was arrested for being in a location with

a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and

violation of parole.

Police said they do not have information about the suspect’s

involvement with the hit-and-run accident.

Academy graduates its 11th class

The 11th Laguna Beach Police Department Citizen Academy graduated

14 new members Wednesday night in a ceremony held at the Tivoli

Terrace Restaurant.

Graduates and their families joined representatives from the

Laguna Beach Police Department to celebrate the completion of a

12-week course that taught them everything from law enforcement

history to crime scene investigation tactics.

“Students get to learn first hand what real police work is like,”

said Sgt. Darin Lenyi, coordinator of the Citizen Academy.

The group will meet from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesdays. The Citizen

Academy was created to build communication between the community and

the police department.

“We develop a trusting relationship with students because we get

to know them,” Lenyi said.

“It’s a very interesting program that always grasps the full

attention of the students,” Lenyi said.

Citizen Academy students even get the opportunity to go to the

police firing range and shoot at targets.

Lenyi said some graduates of the program end up coming back to the

department as volunteers.

The next Citizen Academy will begin classes on Jan. 12. Anyone who

lives or works in Laguna Beach is eligible to join and the deadline

to apply is Jan. 5. For information on joining the Citizen Academy,

call Sgt. Lenyi at (949) 497-0375.