SANTA MONICA—On July 2, the Santa Monica Police Department announced it will set up a DUI checkpoint on Friday, July 10, running from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.

The operation aims to enhance public and road safety in Santa Monica by focusing on individuals driving under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs, prescription medications, or marijuana. The goal is to reduce risks to pedestrians and other drivers.

The location of the checkpoint has not been revealed to the public by the SMPD. Any driver convicted of a first-time DUI will receive a penalty that includes a suspended license and $13,500 in fines.

This operation is funded by a grant that was provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to the California Office of Traffic Safety.

By Daniel Diquinzio

PACIFIC PALISADES—On July 2, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office announced charges against six unlicensed contractors accused of illegally operating in the Palisades Fire disaster zone following a joint operation with the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation and California’s Contractors State License Board (CSLB).

In December 2025, the District Attorney’s Office announced charges against five unlicensed contractors who were allegedly illegally operating in the Eaton Fire disaster zone following a previous joint operation with CSLB in Altadena.

“Protecting wildfire survivors from unlicensed contractors as they rebuild is our priority. We are grateful to our partners at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office who share in the mission to combat unlicensed contracting activity,” said Contractors State License Board Registrar David Fogt. “Anyone who needs to report unlicensed activity is encouraged to submit a complaint to CSLB.”

On June 26, the Office filed one felony count each of contracting without a license during a natural disaster against the following defendants:

-Luis Perez Silva, 45, case 26ARCF01263.
-Jecil Cruz-Herrera, 33, case 26ARCF01264.
-Luis Mateo Perez Lopez, 27, case 26ARCF01271.
-Antonio Herman Perez, 42, case 26ARCF01272.
-Santiago Ismael Mejia Urena, 42, case 26ARCF01273.
-Raymond Joshua Castorena, 33, case 26ARCF01274.

It is alleged that the offenses occurred after the Los Angeles County wildfires, that destroyed more than 16,000 homes and structures and displaced tens of thousands of residents. It is also alleged that the defendants’ conduct was directed at and aimed to harm victims made particularly vulnerable by the impact of the wildfires.

On April 15 to 16, 2026, investigators with CSLB’s Statewide Investigative Fraud Team reviewed online advertisements from contractors offering construction services without displaying a contractor license number. Investigators made individual appointments with the contractors at a Pacific Palisades residence to bid on building an accessory dwelling unit and demolition.

The defendants were allegedly not licensed under their name or business name, nor did they have an application with CSLB pending. The defendants collectively placed bids totaling up to $1.27 million.

Five of the defendants face up to three years in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000. Castorena faces up to 6 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000 because of a prior strike offense.

Perez Lopez, Mejia Urena and Castorena pleaded not guilty at arraignment on June 26. Their preliminary hearing setting is scheduled for August 5, 2026, in Department 31 of the Airport Courthouse. The defendants remain released on their own recognizance.

Arraignment for Cruz-Herrera, Silva and Perez is set for July 8 in Department 30 of the Airport Courthouse.

The cases are being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Eva Jabber Stodel of the Consumer Protection Division and remain under investigation by the Contractors State License Board and the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation. The charges filed in these cases are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Last year, the District Attorney’s Office launched an ongoing public awareness campaign to warn contractors that they will be prosecuted for unlicensed activity in the fire zones. In partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, signs were distributed in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Armenian to affected neighborhoods. The signs are available on LADA’s website for public use and contain information on how victims can report unlicensed contractors to CSLB. Community members and licensed contractors are encouraged to put up the signs in accordance with local laws.

Licensed contractors must provide their CSLB license number. Always verify a contractor’s license before hiring. Visit www.cslb.ca.gov to stay safe:

-Check a contractor’s license.
-Find a licensed contractor.
-Report unlicensed contractors.
-File a complaint.

Homeowners are asked to report unlicensed contractors even if construction work has already begun. Under the law, the homeowner is a victim in the criminal case, even if they knew or suspected the contractor wasn’t licensed.

By Danny Jones

BEL AIR/WOODLAND HILLS—On July 1, the Los Angeles Fire Department battled 2 fires, one in Bel Air and one in Woodland Hills. The Bel Air fire was reported at 5:36 p.m. at 2624 N. Roscomare Rd.

First arriving companies report a 2-story large single-family dwelling with smoke showing from the rear of the structure.

Additional size up of an outside deck on fire exposing some grass and brush next to the outside deck. E109, E99 and LF88 handle the blaze. All other responding units were cancelled. There were no reports of any injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

At 7:30 p.m., officials arrived at a one-story single-family dwelling on 22700 W. Mulholland Drive in Woodland Hills. Firefighters found a fire out inside the kitchen and reported 1 patient that was medically evaluated and transported to a local area hospital.

There was no firefighter injuries reported, and arson was requested by the Incident Commander. No additional details on the Woodland Hills blaze have been disclosed to the public.

By Danny Jones

MALIBU—On July 2, the city of Malibu posted on its website advising beachgoers that the Zuma Creek underpass will remain closed due to sediment buildup and flooding through the Fourth of July weekend.

Beachgoers heading to Zuma Beach, Westward Beach, or other Western Malibu beaches can achieve beach access through the Northbound and Southbound Pacific Coast Highway entrances, as the main entrance leading to Zuma Beach at Busch Drive will be closed until further notice.

According to the Los Angeles County Beaches & Harbors website, the process of reopening the Zuma Creek underpass relies on the safe removal and cleanup of sedimented areas and standing water, without disturbing or impacting the sensitive ecological habitat.

As the city works with the state and federal regulating agencies to reopen the underpass, safeguards have been put in place for Zuma Creek and its habitat, wildlife, and water to ensure the reopening is conducted safely for both vehicles and wildlife.

As the Zuma Creek underpass remains closed, Zuma Beach remains open for beachgoers and for those who wish to spend the Fourth of July Holiday on the water. Zuma Beach will host a food truck, Big Dix Hot Dogs, on Zuma beach Saturday, July 4, through Sunday, July 5, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., as seen on the LA County Beaches & Harbors website.

For information on the Zuma Creek underpass closure, visit https://www.malibucity.org/m/newsflash/home/detail/2107

By Megan Hanson

WEST HOLLYWOOD—The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department West Hollywood Station is investing heavily in a drone pilot program that will have drones acting as first responders. The drones will gather information in real time, alerting authorities when suspects are on the move, if they changed clothes, or other details that can benefit their investigation.

The Drone as a First Responder program, or DFR, is a pilot program that will allow deputies to test the efficacy of drones aiding law enforcement in the real world. The pilot will be conducted over one year and will cost $750,000.

The decision was made during a West Hollywood City Council meeting on June 29. The program is anticipated to be up and running by late July.

West Hollywood will be the first sheriff’s station in Los Angeles County to implement such a program. West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station Captain Fanny Lapkin informed reporters the drone will act as law enforcement’s “eyes in the sky.”

The drones will give deputies an aerial view of events as they unfold, similar to a police helicopter. Officials say the drones will be cheaper, quicker, and easier to deploy than a helicopter. The drones will not be allowed to use facial recognition, carry weapons, or randomly surveil citizens, as outlined in the department’s policy.

By Milan Manesh

BEVERLY HILLS—On July 2, the Beverly Hills Police Department and the Rotary Club of Beverly Hills, announced that Officer Lowell Rose and Senior Forensic Specialist Segalit Oz received the Rotary Club’s annual service awards, which recognize exemplary service to the community.

Senior Forensic Specialist Oz was honored as BHPD Civilian of the Year, and Officer Rose was honored as BHPD Officer of the Year.  The ceremony was held at the Beverly Hills Hotel on June 22. Former Beverly Hills Police Chief Mark G. Stainbrook presented the awards to during his final week before retiring.

Oz joined the department in 1999.  She is part of the Identification Bureau.  Her duties include documenting crime scenes by collecting, photographing, and processing physical evidence.  She analyzes and develops latent fingerprints after collecting them and testifies in court as an expert witness regarding the results and the process used to examine crime-scene evidence.

Officer Rose is part of the Mental Health Evaluation Team, which assists individuals facing mental health challenges and connects them to appropriate care.  He attended the ceremony with his partner to reflect the unit’s collaborative culture in the field.

By Daniel Diquinzio

SANTA MONICA—Courtney Perrone, 41, the Los Angeles Police Department reported that Perrone’s family noted she has been missing for more than two months. She was last seen around 10:30 p.m. on May 17, near Exposition Park. Her white BMW was later found abandoned and stripped near Avenue T and 150th Street East in the Antelope Valley.

The Los Angeles Police Department believes Perrone might be in need of medical attention and that the circumstances surrounding her disappearance put her at risk.

Perrone was previously arrested and charged in 2024 by the Santa Monica Police Department with one count of attempted kidnapping, one count of false imprisonment by violence, and one count of assault with a deadly weapon. Investigators say she approached an 8-year-old girl in an alley south of Maple Street on August 21, 2024, posed as a Russian police officer, and attempted to grab the child. The girl fled the scene unharmed, and Perrone was identified and arrested nearby.

At the time of the arrest, the SMPD said Perrone was homeless and living in her car. They indicated she had prior arrests for assault and battery out of state.

In 2025, the court placed Perrone on diversion, meaning her criminal prosecution was paused so she could complete rehabilitative programs rather than face traditional jail or conviction. She is due back in court for a status conference ahead of a preliminary hearing on February 19, 2027.

Perrone is described as 5 feet and 4 inches tall, weighs 105 pounds, with black hair and hazel eyes. She has a scorpion tattoo on her left forearm and a cross on her calf. Anyone with details on Perrone’s whereabouts should contact the LAPD’s Missing Persons Unit at 213-996-1800.

By Milan Manesh

MALIBU—The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff Station deputies at 2 p.m. on July 1 responded to a report they received about a historical military ordinance discovered inside a residence in Westlake Village.

After arriving at the scene, deputies contacted the Arson and Explosives unit, which dispatched officers to examine the items. The items were removed from the scene, and the scene was deemed safe.

The Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff Station warns residents not to pick up or touch any objects that may be explosives.  They should contact law enforcement, who will send experts to evaluate the item(s).

By Daniel Diquinzio

MALIBU—Summer Wheaton, 35, a social media influencer with over 100,000 Instagram followers, pleaded not guilty Wednesday, July 1 to vehicular manslaughter and two counts of DUI during her arraignment in Van Nuys. She is due back in court for a pretrial hearing on August 7, 2026.

On the Fourth of July in 2024, around 10:30 p.m., Wheaton was involved in a crash on Pacific Coast Highway after leaving a party at Nobu. She allegedly crossed the median into oncoming traffic, where her 2019 white Mercedes-Benz collided head-on with a 2020 Cadillac SUV traveling westbound.

The driver of the Cadillac, 44-year-old rideshare driver Martin Okeke, was killed in the crash. After the conclusion of the month’s long investigation into the fatal collision, an arrest warrant was obtained for Summer Wheaton by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. On February 24, 2025, Wheaton surrendered herself to the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station.

Wheaton was booked on gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, DUI causing bodily injury, and driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or higher causing bodily injury.

In a separate civil filing, Wheaton has denied responsibility for Okeke’s death and claims the crash was his fault.

By Milan Manesh

SANTA MONICA—On Wednesday, July 1, the Santa Monica Police Department posted on their Instagram account at 11:42 a.m., footage of a double-decker bus that caught fire along Main Street.

In the video, the SMPD is seen safely directing traffic away from the scene to ensure that the Santa Monica Fire Department had room to operate. Footage of the incident shows that the bus had been pulled off to the side of Main Street and firefighters were actively taming the flames with an attack hose.

The SMPD reported that the incident had been secured and that there was minimal impact to Main Street and the surrounding area.

The SMFD and SMPD websites have yet to comment on the cause of the fire and whether any injuries occurred. To view the footage of the bus fire, visit the @santamonicapd Instagram account.

By Megan Hanson