Point Dume Elementary burglarized again
Robbers broke into the library of Point Dume Marine Science Elementary School between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. early Saturday morning and stole computer equipment, Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station Lt. Jim Royal confirmed. According to an email circulated to parents at the school, eight computers in all were taken. Nothing else on the campus was disturbed.
No arrests have been made in connection with the theft, and the school is still assessing the cost of the stolen items. It is the second time the school has been robbed in the last month. Five computers were taken from the school in late October in a crime that is still unsolved. Those with information regarding the thefts are encouraged to call the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station at 310.456.6652
Man rescues children after drag racing crash
A bystander helped pull a woman and two small children out of their overturned car Sunday after they collided head-on with a man who may have been drag racing. The accident occurred when a man driving a Dodge Viper collided head-on with a Nissan Pathfinder carrying a woman and her two young children Sunday at 12:25 p.m. on Pacific Coast Highway at Trancas Canyon Road, Lt. Jim Royal of the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station said. The Pathfinder rolled at least once and landed on the roof, while the Viper spun out of control and caught on fire, Royal said.
Grant Ibrahim, 53, of Hermosa Beach, helped the crash victims out of their vehicles.
The driver of the Viper was Russ Matusevich, a 30-year-old man from Northridge. Mariah O’Brien, 30, of Los Angeles was driving the Pathfinder.
O’Brien was airlifted to UCLA Medical Center with leg injuries and Matusevich was taken to UCLA by ambulance with chest pain and bruising on his head. The children were unharmed.
Traffic was blocked on Pacific Coast Highway in both directions for at least one hour. “The Viper appeared to be racing another similar silver or gray vehicle when he lost control of his vehicle and crossed over the center lines, crashing into the Pathfinder traveling the opposite direction,” Malibu/Lost Hills traffic Sgt. Phil Brooks said. Evidence has indicated that Matusevich was speeding, but he has not been charged with anything further, Brooks said. The other car Matusevich appeared to be racing has not been identified.
High-speed chase ends in crash near Geoffrey’s
A high-speed chase ended Tuesday night last week when a woman who refused to pull over for a routine traffic stop in West Los Angeles crashed her vehicle into a wall near Geoffrey’s Malibu. Jill Rosen, 28, was tackled by a law enforcement officer after crashing her Audi just north of Via Escondido Drive and fleeing on foot, Public Information Officer Miguel Luevano of the California Highway Patrol said. Rosen had led the officers on a nearly half-hour chase, reaching speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour.
The chase began at 7:57 p.m. Nov. 22 when Rosen failed to yield to authorities in West L.A. because the car’s registration was out of date, Luevano said. Rosen led pursuing patrol cars and an LAPD helicopter west on the Santa Monica Freeway before turning north on Pacific Coast Highway. Along the way, Rosen collided with at least one other vehicle and destroyed a light pole, although no one was injured. At 8:20 p.m., Rosen crashed into a wall near Via Escondido Drive, fleeing on foot. Officers still in the area pursued and apprehended Rosen, who was described by Luevano as “very combative” upon her arrest.
Rosen had three outstanding warrants with separate police agencies in West L.A., UCLA and Culver City. One was for failure to appear and two for driving without a license, which Luevano said could explain why Rosen fled.
Fire weather warning issued
The National Weather Service has issued a Fire Weather Watch for Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, in effect late Wednesday through late Friday afternoon. “The combination of very strong winds and low relative humidity, as well as sufficiently dry fuels should result in favorable conditions for rapid fire growth if fire ignition occurs,” the warning from the NWS states.
The winds should weaken by Friday evening, but occasional gusty winds may remain throughout the weekend.
Earthquake strikes near Malibu
A 3.3 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Malibu Monday night at 10:56 p.m., according to the United States Geological Survey.
The epicenter of the quake was 32 miles southwest of Malibu, 9.8 miles deep in the ocean, in the Channel Islands Region.
The quake’s center was 39 miles from Oxnard and 55 miles from the Los Angeles Civic Center.
Malibu given Sustainable City Award
State Senator Fran Pavley bestowed the City of Malibu with the Sustainable City Award Monday in recognition of its policies and practices pertaining to preserving the environment.
The city has recently implemented a number of projects and policies intended to improve water quality, increase energy efficiency and reduce pollution. Projects include Legacy Park, the adoption of higher Building Efficiency Standards than required by the California Building Codes and the installation of three new electric vehicle charging stations. Additionally, the newly renovated Malibu Public Library, which is scheduled to open in April 2012, and Malibu City Hall are both LEED certified.
Toy drives coming up in Malibu
Nonprofit organizations Toys for Tots and Safety Harbor Kids are both conducting gift donation drives for children and teens in need this holiday season.
The Malibu Navy League is hosting its annual Marine Foundation Toys for Tots potluck event Dec. 7, coinciding with Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Attendees are asked to bring new and unwrapped toys to donate to less fortunate children, along with their favorite potluck dish to share with other participants. The event takes place Wednesday at First Bank, 23755 W. Malibu Rd., suite 800, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, and to RSVP, contact Beverly Estill at 310.457.9763. Gifts for the Toys for Tots Foundation can also be dropped off at The Levin Group, 22611 Pacific Coast Highway, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., until Dec. 4. For more information, call 310.456.0220.
Additionally, donations can be mailed or made online by visiting www.toysfortots.org.
Safety Harbor Kids is currently conducting its gift drive for orphans, foster children and homeless children ages 13 to 17 in the Los Angeles area. New, unwrapped gifts can be dropped off at Duke’s Malibu, 21150 PCH until Dec. 10. Also on Dec. 10, Safety Harbor Kids is hosting its volunteer wrapping and decorating party, at Duke’s, with shifts from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, and to RSVP, contact Alexandra Williams at petrie@safetyharborkids.org.