BRIEFLY IN PUBLIC SAFETY

Motorcyclist jailed in license plate theft

A 54-year-old Laguna Woods man was arrested on suspicion of stealing a license plate and DMV sticker after Laguna Beach police stopped him at 8:53 a.m. April 3 in the 300 block of Broadway for passing stopped vehicles on the right, Sgt. Jason Kravetz said.

The arrestee, David John DiConstanzo, was riding with a 21-year-old woman passenger. Police determined that DiConstanzo had a suspended driver’s license; was not authorized to ride a motorcycle; the license plate on the motorcycle was allegedly stolen from another motorcycle in Laguna Woods; the 2009 DMV sticker on the license plate was stolen from another vehicle; and he had no insurance, Kravetz said.

DiConstanzo was arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property, displaying false registration, passing on the right, no insurance, being an unlicensed motorcyclist, and driving on a suspended license. His Kawasaki motorcycle was impounded, and he was taken to Orange County Jail, where he was held on $20,000 bail. The passenger was given a ride home.

Roommate accused of taking furnishings

Laguna Beach police are investigating a woman’s claim that her roommate moved out of her apartment in the 200 block of San Tropez Court while she was away and stole $570 worth of furnishings and other items, Kravetz said. The stolen items were a beach cruiser bicycle, a patio table, a VCR, a coffee table, a fish tank and stand, along with the fish. The report was made at 9:16 p.m. April 2.

Woman drives home, is arrested on DUI charge

A 51-year-old Laguna Beach woman was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and evading police after allegedly refusing to stop after being reported as a drunk driver at 10:45 p.m. April 2 in the vicinity of South Coast Highway and Agate Street, Kravetz said.

The driver, in a black Mercedes, was reportedly driving 10 mph and swerving. An officer located the car in the 100 block of Mountain Street, turned on his lights and siren, but the vehicle allegedly failed to stop, and eventually pulled into a driveway in the 2700 block of Victoria Drive. After an investigation, the driver, Maura McKillen, was arrested on suspicion of DUI and evading a police officer.

Pellet gunfire leads to alleged kidnapping

A 61-year-old Laguna Beach man was accused of felony kidnapping after allegedly marching a 12-year-old boy down the street after confronting him and his friends over firing a pellet gun at 4:43 p.m. Saturday in the 700 block of Griffith Way, Kravetz said.

The boys were in the area of Browncroft Street and firing a pellet gun when Peter David Smith appeared and confronted the boys, Kravetz said.

Smith allegedly took the pellet gun away from the boy who was firing it, and also took hold of the boy, forcibly walking him to Catalina Street and then to Park Avenue.

Smith also allegedly pushed the boy and pulled his hair, according to police records.

A citizen stopped to ask what was going on after seeing the boy crying, whereupon the boy ran to a nearby home, and police were called.

“The boy was physically moved around the area against his consent, which constitutes the kidnapping charge,” Kravetz said.

The boy was returned to his parents.

Smith was arrested and held on $100,000 bail, according to police records. Police are continuing to investigate the incident, Kravetz said

Bad mushroom trip leads to pair’s arrest

An 18-year-old La Crescenta woman and a 28-year-old Tustin man were arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance after being found by police at Alta Laguna Park in a disoriented state, Kravetz said.

“We were called out to Alta Laguna Park because a citizen was reporting that a man was screaming at a woman inside of a parked white pickup truck,” Kravetz said.

When officers arrived, the man, identified as Linh Van Le, had to be detained by several officers and eventually went limp, Kravetz said. Officers called for an ambulance, and he was taken to South Coast Medical Center.

Police learned that he and the woman, Patricia Nicole Engel “” described as unconscious in police records “” had consumed psilocybin mushrooms. Le had a bad reaction to the drug and needed treatment, and Engel was also treated for mushroom ingestion.

After the couple went to the hospital, police allegedly found a small amount of the mushrooms in the vehicle.

After treatment, the pair was brought to the Police Department, where Le was booked and taken to Orange County Jail, while Engel posted $20,000 bail.