LBReport.com

News / Continuing Coverage

Re Los Cerritos Triple-Fatality (Awaida Family) Suspected DUI: LBPD Accident Investigator Continue Preparing Information/Materials For Presentation To District Attorney For Possible Filing Consideration; DA's Decision Will Likely Involve Consideration Of Both Factual And Legal Matters


If LBREPORT.com didn't tell you,
who would?
No one in LBREPORT.com's ownership, reporting or editorial decision-making has ties to development interests, advocacy groups or other special interests; or is seeking or receiving benefits of City development-related decisions; or holds a City Hall appointive position; or has contributed sums to political campaigns for Long Beach incumbents or challengers. LBREPORT.com isn't part of an out of town corporate cluster and no one its ownership, editorial or publishing decisionmaking has been part of the governing board of any City government body or other entity on whose policies we report.
LBREPORT.com is reader and advertiser supported. Support independent news in LB similar to the way people support NPR and PBS stations. We're not non-profit so it's not tax deductible but $49.95 (less than an annual dollar a week) helps keep us online.
(Nov. 6, 2019, 2:55 p.m.) -- LBREPORT.com has learned that as of midmorning Nov. 6, LBPD accident investigators are continuing to prepare materials to present to the L.A. County District Attorney's office regarding the triple fatality (Awaida family) suspected DUI/gross vehicular manslaughter for the DA office's possible filing consideration. LBPD Public Information Officer Jennifer DePrez says there's no firm date at the moment when LBPD will present the materials to the DA, but an anticipated timeline is possibly either later this week or next week.

A decision by the DA's office on what charge(s) to file involves complex factual and legal decisions. The District Attorney's office (and any DA's office) must have a reasonable belief that it can prove the charges alleged at trial beyond a reasonable doubt. In addition, all prosecutors have a separate duty not merely to convict but also to seek justice (a just result within legal limits.)

As previously reported by LBREPORT.com, on Oct. 31 LBPD arrested and booked Carlo Navarro, a 20-year old LB resident, on suspicion of DUI after the SUV he was driving struck (and ultimately killed) the Awaida family (father Joseph, mother Raihan and three-year old son Omar) as they walked in a Los Cerritos neighborhood.

Mr. Navarro was also separately arrested by LBPD a little over four months earlier on non-DUI commercial burglary charges. As of Nov. 6, Mr. Navarro is now back in jail, the result of a Nov. 5 motion by the LB City Prosecutor's office in which the Court increased his bail from $100,000 (posted by Mr. Navarro for his Nov. 1 release on the DUI arrest) to $500,000 now in connection with the separate June 2019 commercial burglary charges. In or about July 2019, the DA's office declined to file the commercial burglary charges as a felony and the City Prosecutor pursued the case as a misdemeanor.

[Scroll down for further.]








LBPD Public Information Officer Jennifer DePrez tells LBREPORT.com:

On June 30, 2019 at approximately 3:50 a.m., officers responded to a burglary call in the 4500 block of California Ave. Upon arrival, officers observed a burglary in progress at a business located in the 900 block of E. 45th St. Officers located an adult male suspect outside the business The suspect, later identified as 20-year-old Carlo Navarro of Long Beach, was taken into custody and booked for commercial burglary, vandalism and possession of burglary tools and was held in the Long Beach City Jail on $20,000 bail. The reported loss was miscellaneous store merchandise...Detectives presented the case to the Los Angeles Count District Attorney’s Office in July [which] was deferred to the [LB] City Prosecutor's Office, which filed charges for misdemeanor burglary, vandalism and possession of burglary tools against Navarro.

On October 31, 2019, LBPD arrested Mr. Navarro on suspicion of DUI after the vehicle he was driving struck the Awaida family while they were wallking in a Los Cerritos neighborhood. Mr. Awaida succumbed to his injuries at a hospital at some point on Oct. 31-Nov. 1. LASD records show LBPD arrested Mr. Navarro at 11:44 p.m. on Oct. 31, booked him at 4:15 a.m. on November 1, and LASD released him from custody at 9:42 p.m. on November 1 after he posted $100,000 bail. On November 2 and 3 respectively, the Awaida's three year old son Omar and mother Raihan succumbed to their injuries.

On November 5, the following took place described in a statement provided to LBREPORT.com by City Prosecutor Haubert's office:

Working with the Long Beach Police Department, we went to court Tuesday morning (Nov. 5) to request a $500,000 warrant for our misdemeanor case. Later the same day Navarro was located and arrested by LBPD. Our case charges Navarro with 3 misdemeanor counts: burglary, vandalism, and possession of burglary tools. Navarro faces a maximum of two and a half years in county jail if convicted on all counts.

We have also been in close contact with the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, as we typically do on significant cases. We are coordinating and communicating with them to make sure nothing is missed. If Navarro does not bail out on his misdemeanor case he is expected to be arraigned on the burglary case on Thursday, November 7, 2019.

Sponsor

Sponsor

City Prosecutor Haubert adds to LBREPORT.com:

My office is prosecuting Navarro for burglary and vandalism, arising from an incident on June 30, 2019. On that date he was caught by LBPD after he [allegedly] apparently broke a glass window at a vape shop in North Long Beach [and was allegedly] found with a mask, bolt cutters, and over $600 worth of stolen merchandise in a backpack.

That case has nothing to do with the driving incident on October 31, 2019. However, the timing was such that my office had the opportunity to seek a high bail amount because we made the bail request subsequent to the October 31st incident. A judge has discretion and can consider factors beyond the charges in our case when deciding the bail amount.

We believe that published reports about Navarro possibly being charged with murder could motivate him to flee. We feel that $500,000 bail, although that is a high amount for a misdemeanor case, is justified and completely appropriate due to the atypical facts in this situation.

Further to follow. Continuing coverage on LBREPORT.com

Additional text added for clarity at 11:05 a.m. Nov. 6

Previous LBREPORT.com coverage:

  • Nov. 6: LBPD Arrested Los Cerritos DUI Suspect Navarro On NON-DUI Charges A Little Over Four Months Ago; Here's What Happened Then And Is Happening Now; He's Back In Jail, on City Prosecutor Motion In Comm'l Burglary Case Court Increased His Bail To $500k

  • Nov. 4: They're All Gone: Mother Dies, Joining Toddler Son And Her Husband, Killed While Walking In Los Cerritos Neighborhood, Struck By Suspected/Arrested DUI Driver; Funerals For Father And Son Scheduled Monday 1 p.m.@ Garden Grove Islamic Center

  • Nov. 1, updated Nov. 2: Outpouring Of Grief And Prayers, GoFundMe Page Raises $134,000+ After Father And (Update) His Infant Son Perish, Mother In Critical Condition, After Vehicle Strikes Them While Walking On Halloween Night In Los Cerritos Neighborhood; LBPD Arrests Driver On Suspicion Of DUI

    Sponsor

    Sponsor

    Sponsor


    Sponsor

    Sponsor


    Help keep our independent news going and growing in Long Beach. No one in LBREPORT.com's ownership, reporting or editorial decision-making has ties to development interests or other special interests seeking or receiving benefits of City Council development-related decisions; or holds a City Hall appointive position; or has contributed sums to political campaigns for Long Beach incumbents or challengers. No one in our ownership, reporting or editorial decision-making has been part of the governing board of any City government body or other entity on whose policies we report. LBREPORT.com is reader and advertiser supported. You can help keep really independent news in LB similar to the way people support NPR and PBS stations. We're not non-profit so it's not tax deductible but $49.95 (less than an annual dollar a week) helps keep us online.


    blog comments powered by Disqus

    Recommend LBREPORT.com to your Facebook friends:


    Follow LBReport.com with:

    Twitter

    Facebook

    RSS

    Return To Front Page

    Contact us: mail@LBReport.com



  • Adoptable pet of the week:



    Carter Wood Floors
    Hardwood Floor Specialists
    Call (562) 422-2800 or (714) 836-7050


    Copyright © 2019 LBReport.com, LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of Use/Legal policy, click here. Privacy Policy, click here