Riverside officials: acting “aggressively” to replace Police Chief

After Chief Leach stepped down from his post as Police Chief and took medical retirement, an agressive hunt  has now begun for his replacement.  In the meantime, Assistant Chief John De La Rosa has been named acting chief.  Riverside should begin the process within the next 30 days and will be looking at candidates both within and outside of the department.  Representatives of such groups as The Group, which focuses on issues in the city’s black community and the Latino community hope to provide input into the selection.

The traffic stop is under review by Riverside and the CHP and will no doubt linger over the department from some time to come.

Check out PE.com’s special coverage on the investigation.

CHP Probes Riverside Police Chief Wreck

Riverside’s police chief  Russ Leach is being investigated after possibly being involved in a hit and run around 3:00 am Monday morning.  The accident happened the morning after Superbowl Sunday, near Central and Hillside, in his city issued Chrysler 300.  He was stopped by his own patrol officers a few miles away from the scene.  His car had two blown tires and heavy fender damage.  The CHP received the case two days later and is probing separate allegations that Leach was D.W.I. and also that responding Riverside P.O.’s omitted that suspicion from their initial report.

91 Freeway: ****ed!!

A big rig crash on the eastbound 91 at McKinley has our traffic really ugly right now.  The crash, which resulted in an explosion and fire, was reported around noon but the mess continues even now at 7:30 pm.  I just drove through there and consulted my BlackBerry Google map to see what was going on.  Looks like a long ride home tonight for some.  Thankfully not for me.

Of course, ahead of the accident, there was no traffic.  Or even any cars.

Coroner’s Report On Christopher Laurie: No DUI

According to the Riverside County Coroner’s Office, Christopher Laurie was not under the influence at the time of his accident.  On July 24th, Christopher was killed when his car hit the back of a Caltrans truck on the 91 Freeway.  He is the son of Harvest’s pastor Greg Laurie. He is survived by his wife and daughter, brother and parents.  He was an avid surfer, artist and new father.

A Positive Post on the Loss of Greg Laurie’s Son

I received a comment with a link I wanted to share to another Word Press blog: I Still Believe.  A lot of the searches recorded in my blog stats are queries for Christopher Laurie’s driving record and asking was he drinking, and other negative type things.  I haven’t posted anything like that here because you can read all about that elsewhere.  My focus on the situation is more closer to home – a parent losing a child, a family losing their father, a wife losing her husband, friends losing their companions.  When my brother passed away, it didn’t matter what happened or why it happened, it only mattered that he was gone and my parents and my sisters and brother and his children and everyone that loved him had to watch him be buried and know somewhere in their heart that they would see him again.  When it happened with my dad’s passing, it was the same.  It’s not that it doesn’t matter why or how someone dies, but really nothing can change that it did.  What matters eventually is that your love for that person and your memories carry on.  And if you believe in the afterlife, like I do, that assurance that you will see that person again.

Funeral services for Christopher Laurie will be held this Friday, August 1st at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside.   It will also be broadcasted on harvest.org and KWVE 107.9.

CHP Team to Investigate Christopher Laurie’s Death

Because this accident involved a State vehicle, a special CHP investigations unit has been assigned to investigate the death of Christopher Laurie.  The unit is called MAIT – Multidisciplinary Accident Investigations Team and investigates all CalTrans related severe injury or fatality accidents. Christopher Laurie was traveling alone in a carpool lane “at a high rate of speed” when he struck the back of a CalTrans vehicle.

Sad News: Greg Laurie’s Son Killed on 91 Freeway in Corona

Christopher Laurie, son of local pastor Greg Laurie, was killed Thursday after hitting a CalTrans truck in the carpool lane of the 91 freeway near Serfas Club Drive.

Traffic, already heavy in that area at most times, was reportedly backed up for 14 miles.  Riverside resident Luetta P., passed through the area after the accident and reported seeing a crashed vehicle, with extensive damage to the driver’s side.  She did not know at the time that it was the son of Greg Laurie, long time pastor and inspiration of her son and granddaughter.  When she realized who it was this morning, she was devastated. “This is tragic, especially with a young child and another baby on the way.  My prayers go out to the family…”  Luetta is the prayer leader of a local church and without a doubt, Mr. Laurie’s family will be in everyone’s prayers tonight.

Riverside News: Mostly Bad :(

The wrong-way accident on the 91 keeps getting worse, as if it could be any more terrible. One of the people killed was 5 months pregnant. God, be careful when you drive. We take so much for granted. I drive the 91 every day to work and home, between downtown and the mall, and so many things could happen in that stretch of highway. In fact, my friend CC just got hit by a drunk driver last weekend, I think near the Tyler exit. Hope you’re feeling better, Carol!

Riverside Unified is cutting 319 full time positions next school year and just rejected a deal that would have given teachers a 6 percent raise. This is due to the state funding cuts that seem to be affecting a lot of people, including where I work. The Fontana Unified School District, and probably a lot more, are expecting the same cuts.

McCain is rolling into the I.E. (actually its the desert but still Riverside County) next month for a fundraiser. It’s only $2,300 to get into the reception, but if you raise $25K or $50K you get the star treatment and take pictures with the Senator. Last year, McCain was at our own Cafe Sevilla, with tickets a mere $500. When’s Obama or Clinton coming to town? There’s a Downtown Riverside for Obama group so maybe he’ll pay a visit. Someone’s got to visit the Mission Inn.

Some ass stole 119 ballots at a Thermal polling place, which was just confirmed today. I wonder who they were for and if they would have made any kind of big difference. Their population is 25,917, of which 4,000 live in Duroville, a “legally dubious trailer park”. What’s a legally dubious trailer park? It sounds awful.

And last but not least, of the bad news for today, the damn ongoing meatpacking scandal. Banning Unified has joined everyone else and disposed their Westland Hallmark meat. Bleh.

Were you exposed to this bad beef? I’m almost scared to look at the list of Inland area places it was sent to. In fact, I’m going to ignore it and the Greater LA list and wish for the best. Congressional hearings began today on the scandal and a loophole that allows hurt or sick cows to be used for food. Absent? The president of the Hallmark meat packing plant in Chino. Boo!

Okay, I just had to look at the list for a second. Awww g’damn it, not Brandon’s and Zorbas!

Avoid the EB 91 and Hallmark Beef: Update

I was enjoying chicken, pizza, salad and beer with a friend when we saw on Fox 11 that the 91 EB at Madison was all fu**Ked up. From what we understood, a Lincoln Towncar was driving west bound on the east bound 91 and collided with five cars, causing two fatalities. According to the CHP site, it turned out to be three fatalities. As of 11:30 pm, there is still a sig alert and all east bound lanes are closed and the west bound carpool lane as well, while the accident is being investigated. Be careful out there!

Meanwhile, back at the farm, the Chino Beef Furor continues on. The beef in question was recalled and San Bernardino City Unified School district sent theirs to the landfill immediately. The sad thing is that this has been going on for a decade or more, with numerous substantiated violations and inhumane treatment. So sad.

Update: The names of those involved in the accident on the 91 were listed in the paper.  So tragic.