BRIEFLY IN PUBLIC SAFETY

Woman allegedly strikes hotel tree

A 29-year-old Mission Viejo woman was arrested on suspicion of DUI at the Montage Resort & Spa at 12:17 a.m. Thursday after backing her Volkswagen into a tree, Laguna Beach Police Sgt. Bob Rahaeuser said.

Police were summoned by security guards as Rebecca Ann Peek fled the hotel parking lot, and officers followed her on Coast Highway with chunks of tree bark attached to the car, which had sustained heavy damage in the rear, Rahaeuser said.

When arrested, Peek allegedly had nearly three times the legal amount of alcohol in her bloodstream, Rahaeuser said. She was taken to the city jail and then transported to the Orange County Jail after she sobered up, he said. Peek posted a $10,000 bail and was released.

Citizen nabs woman on battery accusation

A 50-year-old woman who was accused of throwing another woman into a store shelf at 6:17 p.m. Thursday was arrested by a man who chased the suspect out of Ralph’s supermarket, Rahaeuser said.

Amy Pembroke Walker, of Mt. Shasta, was held on suspicion of battery against the other woman.

The victim said she was in the yogurt aisle alongside Walker when the suspect allegedly grabbed her and threw her against the shelves.

A man in another aisle responded to the victim’s screams for help, and followed the suspect down the street, where he held her for police.

Walker denied the battery accusation.

Man held on suspicion of having ‘throwing star’

Laguna Beach police arrested a Moreno Valley man on a weapons violation after allegedly finding a shirukan, or throwing star “” a deadly weapon used in martial arts “” in his vehicle at 7:58 p.m. Friday at Wesley and Marilyn Drives, Rahaeuser said.

Christopher Neil Richardson, 26, was stopped by police for allegedly lacking a front license on his vehicle.

During the stop, an officer allegedly saw the weapon sticking out from the front seat.

Richardson told the officer he had purchased it in Mexico as a novelty, Rahaeuser said. Richardson posted a $20,000 bond and was released.

Traffic stop leads to drug allegations

A Laguna Beach man was arrested on suspicion having drugs for sale after he was stopped for allegedly running a red light at Broadway and North Coast Highway at 11:41 p.m. Saturday, Rahaeuser said.

After stopping Michael Lomonaco, 26, an officer claimed he smelled marijuana smoke and searched the vehicle, allegedly finding 69 prescription pills, including Xanax, Vicodin and Soma, in addition to more than 28 ounces of marijuana, Rahaeuser said.

Lomonaco posted a $25,000 bond.

Two men arrested after fist-fight

A Los Angeles man was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon after a reported fist-fight at Cleo Street and South Coast Highway at 1:41 a.m. Sunday, Rahaeuser said.

James Andrew Petty, 20, was accused of punching the victim while two other men held the victim down.

He faces a possible charge of assault with a deadly weapon “” his fists.

A second man, Kristofer Lerum, 17, of Laguna Niguel, was arrested on suspicion of battery in the incident.

Gang involvement is not suspected, Rahaeuser said.

Motorcyclist accused in road rage incident

A woman told police that, after a “road rage” encounter on the road with a motorcyclist, the motorcyclist followed her to a parking lot and allegedly punched out the driver’s window of her car, and scratched it, causing $600 in damages.

The incident was reported at 1:59 p.m. Sunday in the 800 block of North Coast Highway, according to police records.

Woman held in bad check-writing spree

Laguna Beach police have arrested a Costa Mesa woman on suspicion of writing numerous checks to local businesses on a closed bank account from April 16 to 20, Rahaeuser said.

The suspect, Tonja Marie Thompson, 46, was on probation from a prior conviction for financial fraud, he said.

Thompson was apprehended after a clerk at an antique jewelry store in the 1200 block of North Coast Highway reported the fraud to police at 3:06 p.m. Monday after determining that a $464 purchase by the suspect earlier that day was made with a bad check, Rahaeuser said.

The officer who took the report recognized the suspect from earlier alleged incidents of fraud, and alerted police to watch for the suspect, who was staying at a hotel in Laguna.

Thompson was picked up at a bus stop in North Laguna that day. In her checkbook, police allegedly found checks written on the closed account to 13 other businesses, including retail stores, supermarkets and drug stores.

A search of the suspect’s hotel room also allegedly turned up a small amount of drugs, Rahaeuser said.

Thompson was held on $20,000 bail. Some of the property was recovered.