MALIBU/TOPANGA CANYON—On Sunday, July 12, officials with the Malibu Search and Rescue Team had to assist two missing hikers in Topanga Creek.

After the call came out, they received a call for a vehicle over the side on Stunt Road and Mulholland. As rescuers were responding to the two calls, the fire dept was able to reach the patient of the car over, so our responders continued to the hiker search. The first couple rescuers arrived on scene with LHS deputies and contacted one of the hikers who was able to make his way up to Topanga Canyon.

His female counterpart was unable to scale the cliff side. After the initial interview and details discovered, the call was escalated to a cliff rescue. Fire resources were requested.

Two Malibu SAR operators were able to make their way down to the hiker, harness her up and raise her to the topside using our rescue truck winch system. She was evaluated by medics and released. No additional details about the incident has been disclosed.

By Danny Jones

MALIBU—On Monday, July 13, the National Weather Service issued an Extreme Heat Watch starting Tuesday, July 14 through Thursday, July 16. While Malibu on the coast will remain cooler, in the 80s, the Santa Monica Mountains and hiking areas in the Malibu area will be much hotter.

Temperatures are expected to reach 90 – 110F in inland areas of Los Angeles County, and heat impacts will be amplified by high humidity levels (monsoonal moisture).

There is a high risk for dangerous heat illness for anyone, especially for the very young, the very old, those without air conditioning, and those engaged in outdoor activities.

Safety Tips:
• NEVER leave kids or pets unattended in vehicles – it can be deadly!
• Don’t go hiking, except in the early morning or early evening, and don’t take your
dog with you. Bring plenty of water and sun protection, and be sure to let someone know where you will be.
• Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated
• Stay in air-conditioned spaces
• Avoid strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day
• Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing
• See weather updates: https://www.weather.gov/lox/

For additional heat safety tips and local cooling center locations visit: https://ready.lacounty.gov/heat.

By Danny Jones

BEL AIR—On September 13, 2024, Miguel Angel Aguilar, 43, and his wife, Priscilla Valles, became the victims of a deadly shoot-out outside their Bel Air home, located on the 11400 block of North Thurston Circle, after they were targeted and followed home by four men in a grey Acura.

Aguilar and Valles were coming home from lunch at the Sunset Boulevard restaurant, Bossa Nova, where camera footage showed a grey Acura with tinted windows following the unknowing couple back to their Bel Air home.

The Los Angeles Police Department reported that Aguilar and his wife were confronted in their driveway by Jason Melara, his brother Mario Melara, Daymonee Johnson, and Malik Taylor, in an attempt to rob the couple of their watches. During the robbery, Aguilar was shot by the later identified assailant, Malik Taylor, with the shot resulting in Aguilar sustaining a serious head wound.

Gunshots were unleashed during the incident from Taylor and Aguilar, who has a concealed carry weapon permit (CCW) that led to Melara being shot in the back.

After the attempted robbery, the Melara brothers, Johnson, and Taylor fled the scene, and were later caught running a red light in Culver City as surveillance footage captured the men on their way to Southern California Hospital (SCH), where Mario later succumbed to his injuries. Aguilar survived his injuries for three months until he died on December 21, 2024.

Jason Melara, Malik Taylor and Daymonee Johnson, were arrested in Oakland, California, and transported to Berkeley City Jail, where they all pleaded not to the felony charges made against them. Aguilar was a popular fitness influencer and the founder and CEO of Self-Made Training Facility.

Felony charges for Melara, Malik, Taylor, and Johnson include: murder, attempted murder, attempted robbery, and Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

During a preliminary hearing on July 7, Judge Curtis Rappé of the Los Angeles County Superior Courts rejected the defense’s arguments and ruled that there is sufficient evidence to charge Mahki Taylor, Daymonee Johnson and Jason Melara for the deaths of Miguel Aguilar and Mario Melara’s deaths.

By Megan Hanson

SHERMAN OAKS—A string of burglaries took place at a Sherman Oaks apartment on Moorpark Street near Fullerton Avenue, resulting in 16 out of the 21 units becoming victims of robbery. According to ABC7, Eyewitness News, the break-ins occurred during a three-day fumigation process intended to rid the building of termites.

During this time, the residents were asked to vacate the property and were informed to leave their windows open for ventilation. The residents paid for 24-hour security, but 16 units had been broken into and burglarized at 5 a.m. on the final day of fumigation.

CBS Los Angeles reported surveillance videos recorded three unidentified suspects, flashing flashlights into units and climbing through the opened windows. The three suspects remained in the building for three hours, burglarizing the units.

The units that had been broken into had filed reports with the Los Angeles Police Department of their stolen items, which included jewelry, identification documents, such as, passports, social security card and ID cards, and electronics, resulting in thousands of dollars in losses.

This string of robberies is still under active police investigation, and anyone with information is asked to contact the LAPD at 1-877-527-3247.

By Megan Hanson

WOODLAND HILLS—On Sunday, July 12, at 11:45 p.m., the Los Angeles Police Department was seen responding to a break-in at a Woodland Hills residence on the 5800 block of Penfield Avenue near Hatteras Street.

The residents were reportedly not home at the time of the break-in, but surveillance video caught three suspects, all in black, cutting the flood lighting to the back part of the home where a smashed window was later identified, as reported by NBC4 News.

According to KTLA5, the three unidentified suspects were caught fleeing in a black, four-door SUV 10 minutes before LAPD arrived on the scene.

During the police investigation, the LAPD had officers search the home while a police helicopter circled over the area in search of the missing suspects and the SUV.

At this time, there have been no reports of anything being taken from the home, and no additional details about the suspects.

By Megan Hanson

BEVERLY HILLS—A coyote was spotted on Sunday, July 12 in a Beverly Hills neighborhood KTLA first reported. The animal was reported at night near Gregory Way and South Camden Drive around 11 p.m.

Tips to Reduce Coyote Interaction

-Remove water sources such as pet water bowls, bird baths, and watering cans
-Remove food sources such as pet food bowls, fallen fruit, dirty grills, and uncovered compost bins
-Never leave food out for any wildlife including squirrels or cats
-Keep vegetation well maintained; thin out or remove dense bushes and hedges
-Keep cats and small dogs indoors or in a fully enclosed and covered run
-Turn on lights to check for wildlife before going outside at night
-Keep pets on a short leash held by a capable person

What to Do if You See a Coyote

-Remain calm, do not run
-Pick up small pets and children

If the coyote is at a comfortable distance:

-Slowly and calmly move away from the coyote or wait for the coyote to move on

The city of Beverly Hills announces on its website that coyotes are a natural part of the urban ecosystem. They are not limited to hillsides or “wild’ areas. It is normal to see coyotes in your neighborhood, but there are steps one can take to reduce the likelihood of a coyote interaction and to appropriately react when they spot or see a coyote.

Coyote sightings can be reported online at: https://acwm.lacounty.gov/coyote-sighting-report/.

By Danny Jones

WEST HOLLYWOOD/HOLLYWOOD HILLS—CicLAvia—Meet the Hollywoods Presented by Metro will take place on Sunday, July 19. West Hollywood, and the neighborhoods of Hollywood and East Hollywood in the city of Los Angeles will be transformed into car-free open streets for the day.

From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from the Hollywood Walk of Fame to West Hollywood’s inclusive pride crosswalks, everyone is invited to come along for the ride and walk, bike, roll, and stroll through the area’s most iconic streets. The event will close Santa Monica Boulevard from N. La Brea Avenue to N. San Vicente Boulevard to vehicle traffic and thousands of cyclists will fill the streets.

CicLAvia is a nonprofit organization that catalyzes vibrant public spaces, active transportation, and good health through car-free streets. CicLAvia engages with people to transform our relationship with our communities and with each other.

Free for all, CicLAvia connects communities to each other across an expansive city, creating a safe place to bike, walk, skate, roll, and dance through Los Angeles County. More than 1.8 million people experienced CicLAvia; it is the biggest open streets event in the United States.

For additional information about CicLAvia—Meet the Hollywoods visit www.ciclavia.org/ciclavia_meet_the_hollywoods26. For general information about CicLAvia, please visit www.ciclavia.org.

For more information contact West Hollywood’s Event Services Division at eventsinfo@weho.org. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing dial 711 or 1-800-735-2929 (TTY) or 1-800-735-2922 (voice) for California Relay Service (CRS) assistance.

By Danny Jones

MALIBU—On July 9, the city of Malibu announced on Facebook that the Malibu Volunteers on Patrol (VOP) program has expanded its fleet with the delivery of a new patrol vehicle, funded by the city of Malibu.

The new vehicle enhances the team’s ability to support the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and serve the Malibu community through non-emergency patrols, parking enforcement, traffic and event support, and reporting accidents, fires and suspicious activity, which allows sworn deputies to focus on higher-priority law enforcement.

The Malibu VOP program is fully funded by the city of Malibu and is staffed by dedicated trained civilian volunteers who donate thousands of hours each year to help keep the community safe.

By the numbers (2025):
-24 Malibu VOP team members
-5 patrol vehicles
-More than 6,500 volunteer patrol hours
-1,800 volunteer hours supporting the Palisades and Franklin Fire responses
-8,600 parking citations issued
-Approximately $570,000 in parking citation fines issued
-Responded to 143 traffic collisions
-Supported 16 community special events

The VOPs always need more volunteers to join. Anyone interested in volunteering with the VOPs, visit the webpage for more information and to apply: https://www.malibucity.org/248/Volunteers-On-Patrol-VOP.

By Danny Jones

STUDIO CITY—On Friday, July 10, the LAFD battled a house fire in Studio City. The blaze was reported at 4:55 p.m. on 4400 N. Carpenter Avenue.

First arriving companies report a one-story single family vacant dwelling well involved with fire, with the majority of the fire in the attic. At 5:34 p.m., the LAFD reported that the fire was extinguished.

Approximately 43 firefighters extinguished the fire within 39 minutes of the 911 call. No injuries reported and no patients reported at this time. Department of Transportation for traffic control requested. Department of Building and Safety was requested, as well as the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The LAFD also battled a fire in Pacific Palisades on July 10. That fire was reported at 3:55 p.m. at 15917 W. Northfield St.

First arriving companies report a two-story single-family dwelling under construction with heavy fire. Exposures on the B, C, and D sides of the building.

Firefighters operated in the offensive mode. The Department of Transportation was requested and notified. There were no injuries reported. The cause of the fire is undetermined.

By Danny Jones

SHERMAN OAKS—On Saturday, July 11, the Los Angeles Fire Department had to rescue an individual from a trapped car. The fire was reported at 9:56 a.m. on the northbound 405 freeway.

Firefighters responded to a report of a person trapped inside a vehicle from a traffic accident. First arriving companies on scene reported a vehicle over the side of the freeway on the other side of the guardrail.

One person was trapped and extricated from the vehicle and was transported to the hospital by paramedics. No additional details about the incident have been disclosed to the public.

By Danny Jones