L CAJON, Calif. -- The caretaker of a 93-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor found disoriented and living in filth in his San Diego County home pleaded not guilty to elder abuse and other felonies Thursday.
Milagros Angeles, 62, is charged with false imprisonment of an elder, theft by a caretaker and altering checks to steal thousands of dollars from her employer.
She was ordered held on $1 million bail.
Deputy District Attorney Danielle Hickman told the judge that Angeles had been working for widower Arnold Bauer since 2009.
The war veteran's bank became concerned when employees noticed he hadn't been in since October and notified Adult Protective Services, Hickman said.
When deputies arrived at the home in unincorporated El Cajon on Tuesday, they found Bauer clutching a photograph of his ship, the USS Vestal, said Sgt. Mark Varnau of the Sheriff Department's Elder Abuse Unit.
The Vestal was moored next to the USS Arizona during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Bauer was dehydrated and disoriented, suffering either from dementia or Alzheimer's disease, and did not want to let the deputies in his home, Varnau said.
"He's frail, but he did not appear to have been physically beaten or abused," he said.
Bauer's wife died in 2007, according to an obituary in The San Diego Union-Tribune. His two children live in Santa Barbara and San Pedro but they ?were unaware of their father's living conditions and hadn't visited for a significant period of time, Varnau said.
"We see this all the time," he said. "We see ourselves in this guy. No one deserves to live like this."
Varnau said Angeles is a legal resident from the Philippines but doesn't have permanent residency status.
Over three months last year, she is suspected of stealing $28,000, Varnau said.
The Pearl Harbor Survivors Association confirmed that Bauer was on the Vestal.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Caller tells cops man broke windshield, leaves out that he tried to run him over
Maryland Heights man who is deaf had an interpreter report to police earlier this month that a man broke the windshield of his car.
What Andrew H. Stcyr, 24, failed to have the caller mention, according to police, is that he was trying to run over the man at the time. And he tried to run him over not once, but twice.
Stcyr, of Maryland Heights, faces felony charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action.
Stcyr was contacted by the Journal through an interpreter with the video relay service. During that phone call an interpreter was in video contact with Stcyr and therefore able to use sign language.
Stcyr referred questions to his attorney, Michael Kielty.
“I think it is just a misunderstanding,” Kielty said. “I haven’t seen the police report yet so I can’t comment further.”
Lt. Craig McGuire, of the St. Charles County Sheriff’s Department, said the incident appeared to be a case of road rage.
It began near the traffic signal at Jungs Station Road and Upper Bottom Road shortly after 1 p.m. Jan. 14 when James A. Richardson, 52, of St. Louis, said he noticed a Lincoln Town Car following closely behind his Ford Taurus.
Richardson told officers he stopped at the signal and Stcyr began blowing his horn.
McGuire said Stcyr followed Richardson onto Arrow Rock Drive where he forced him to pull over. Stcyr was not only blowing his horn, but yelling at Richardson as well, McGuire said.
Richardson exited his car and approached the Lincoln. Stcyr drove into Richardson, throwing him onto the hood and breaking the windshield, McGuire said. Richardson rolled off the hood and, according to McGuire, Stcyr drove into him again.
Stcyr reportedly left the scene, and Richardson was taken to SSM St. Joseph Health Center for treatment. He has since been released.
Maryland Heights police later were contacted by an interpreter calling on behalf of Stcyr, who reported that a man had smashed his windshield, McGuire said.
Stcyr was released from the St. Charles County jail Jan. 19 after posting a $20,000 bond.
Stcyr was ordered to stay away from Richardson as part of his release.
“Mr. Stcyr is hostile towards the victim for an unknown reason,” according to a deputy’s statement in the court file.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Geezer Bandit strikes again, robbing his 13th bank in California, FBI says
The Geezer Bandit has apparently struck again, this time in Santa Barbara County, for his 13th bank robbery in California, the FBI announced Saturday.
Given his nickname due to his apparently advanced age, the robber hit a Bank of America branch in Goleta in Santa Barbara County on Friday afternoon, threatening tellers with a revolver.
His appearance -- 60 to 70 years old, about 6 feet tall, dressed in a blazer, dark pants and a baseball cap -- and demeanor matched the other robberies.
The same person is suspected of 10 bank robberies in San Diego County, one in Kern County and one in Riverside County, starting in August 2009.
In recent robberies, authorities have suggested that the robber may be wearing an "old-man" theatrical mask.
The FBI and several banks are offering a reward of $20,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
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