Baseball Bat

Gretchen Hoffman Five people were in custody Monday after an argument about a woman resulted in a man being brutally beaten and stabbed with a wooden baseball bat in a city parking lot, police said. Montrose resident Orion Viertel's month-long relationship with Vanessa Mendoza came back to haunt him on Sunday, months after their liaison ended when she reunited with her ex-boyfriend, Glendale resident Ronald Phillips. Phillips allegedly began calling Viertel recently, asking him for details of their relationship and demanding that they meet.

Police are asking for the public's help in identifying a vandal who used a metal baseball bat Saturday to smash windows and scratch up seven vehicles parked on Graynold Avenue. The vehicles were parked about 11 p.m. in the neighborhood between the 800 and 1200 blocks of Graynold Avenue and sustained scratches, dents and shattered mirrors and windows, according to Glendale police reports. “It is unknown who this individual is, what the purpose is or what the reason,” police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.

The following incidents were taken from police reports. Agner Avenue and Honolulu Street: A 21-year-old Gresham, Ore. man was arrested Sunday on suspicion of possession of marijuana. 300 block of North Chevy Chase Drive: A woman told police someone broke into her home Sunday and stole $1,300 worth of electronic equipment and jewelry. 5000 block of San Fernando Road: A man told police someone broke into his truck and stole his briefcase, cell phone and calculator outside of Home Depot on Sunday.

The following incidents were taken from police reports: 5000 block of Lauderdale Avenue: Two men reported Thursday an unknown man shattered the rearview mirror of their car with a baseball bat. 700 block of Glenvia Street: An 18-year-old Los Angeles man was arrested Friday for threatening someone with a model handgun. Flower Street and Grandview Avenue: An 18-year-old Glendale man was arrested on suspicion of street racing. Adams Street and Palmer Avenue: A 28-year-old Glendale woman was arrested Saturday for allegedly hitting another woman's car intentionally.

Gretchen Hoffman Fourth of July festivities kept law enforcement officials busy with minor incidents, but the only fireworks in the city were of the explosive kind -- no major crimes or injuries were reported. Four people were robbed by a group of men as they walked back to their car after watching fireworks Thursday, but otherwise the city was relatively quiet on Independence Day. The victims were walking on a fire road at the end of Sleepy Hollow Drive when they were approached by a group of five men who were armed with a baseball bat and demanded their wallets and cell phones, police said.

The following items were taken from Glendale Police Department reports: ? ? 700 block of Highland Avenue: A Glendale man reported Thursday that the front door of his residence was forcibly opened, causing $400 in damage. No items were missing from his home. ? 600 block of Hazel Street: A Glendale man reported Wednesday that a catalytic converter, valued at $350, was stolen from his Toyota pick-up truck. ? East Broadway and South Verdugo Road: A 23-year-old Glendale man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of heroin possession.

Police are asking for the public's help in identifying a vandal who used a metal baseball bat Saturday to smash windows and scratch up seven vehicles parked on Graynold Avenue. The vehicles were parked about 11 p.m. in the neighborhood between the 800 and 1200 blocks of Graynold Avenue and sustained scratches, dents and shattered mirrors and windows, according to Glendale police reports. “It is unknown who this individual is, what the purpose is or what the reason,” police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.

ARCADIA - A potent offense registering 12 hits overcame costly errors late in the game for the St. Francis High baseball squad in the opening game of the Apache Invitational Saturday morning at Arcadia High. After giving up two game-tying runs in the fifth inning on two errors, the Golden Knights rebounded to re-take the lead in the sixth and opened the floodgates in the seventh en route to a 9-4 win over West Covina in pool play. “When we took a 2-0 lead early, we went into a lull,” Golden Knights interim Coach Aaron Milam said.

MONTROSE — The Crescenta Valley 10-11 baseball team did in the District 16 10-11 championship game what it had done all tournament, as it put up plenty of runs and just as many zeros when it was in the field. In Tuesday's finale against Burbank, Crescenta Valley's dominant effort on offense and defense resulted in a mercy-rule call and the squad punching a ticket to the Section 2 Tournament. "We have a potent offense, and we hit the ball better than anything else," said Crescenta Valley Coach David Mulcahey after the team's 15-1 title-clinching win at Montrose Park.

NORTHWEST GLENDALE — There were times on Friday afternoon when the Hoover High baseball team’s pitching or defense gave Oakwood a chance to get back in the teams’ game at Hoover. But the Tornadoes bats rarely faltered and never failed to keep them on top right up until the end of a 12-9 nonleague win. “The kids hit the ball great today,” Hoover first-year Coach Joe Cotti said. “You’ve got to use the entire field and not try to yank everything out of the ballpark.

NORTHEAST GLENDALE — Holding a two-run lead in the bottom of the third inning with the bases loaded and no outs, everything appeared headed in the right direction for the host Glendale Community College baseball team. Surprisingly enough, it was the beginning of a drastic change in momentum that led to visiting Citrus College defeating Glendale, 8-6, on a sunny Tuesday afternoon in a Western State Conference tilt at Stengel Field. “The momentum just switched sides,” said Glendale third baseman and Hoover High graduate Sako Chapjian, who went two for four with a home run and two runs scored.

The following items were taken from Glendale Police Department reports: ? ? 700 block of Highland Avenue: A Glendale man reported Thursday that the front door of his residence was forcibly opened, causing $400 in damage. No items were missing from his home. ? 600 block of Hazel Street: A Glendale man reported Wednesday that a catalytic converter, valued at $350, was stolen from his Toyota pick-up truck. ? East Broadway and South Verdugo Road: A 23-year-old Glendale man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of heroin possession.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The three men charged with beating a Glendale boy to death in 2004 sat side-by-side Thursday as their lawyers attempted to defend them against potentially damning videotaped confessions. Glendale residents Fredy Gudiel, Pedro Pena and William Torres were arrested about two weeks after they allegedly beat 17-year-old William Maldonado on June 26, 2004, with two baseball bats as he rode his bicycle down the 800 block of South Columbus Avenue. Maldonado died of his injuries two days later in the hospital.

Charles Rich A bat knocked out Burbank High baseball starting pitcher Matt Kukta. Glendale High couldn't knock out Kukta. Less than a week after being struck by an aluminum baseball bat while standing in the on-deck circle during a practice, Kukta came back to supply the knockout punch. Kukta scattered five hits and struck out four in a complete-game effort to lead Burbank to a 3-0 win against host Glendale in a San Fernando Valley Tournament game Monday.

The following information was taken from police reports: 1509 Wilson Terrace: A 27-year-old Glendale man was arrested Tuesday at Glendale Adventist Medical Center on suspicion of possessing a dangerous weapon when police found a mini baseball bat in his car. 300 block of West Garfield Avenue: A Glendale woman reported Monday that her 2003 Infiniti M45 was stolen. 1000 block of Linden Avenue: A Montebello man reported Monday that his 2001 GMC Yukon was stolen.