Man charged in suspected Tustin drunken driving crash that killed Laguna Hills woman

• June 29, 2023

A 25-year-old Santa Ana man was charged Wednesday with driving drunk and causing a crash that killed a woman in Tustin.

Gerardo Joaquin Garcia Lopez was charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury and driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol 0.08% or more causing injury. He also faces sentencing enhancements of inflicting great bodily injury on two victims.

Lopez is accused of killing 67-year-old Rezvan Hekmat of Laguna Hills and injuring his passenger, Miguel Xum, according to court records.

Tustin police were called about the crash about 5 p.m. June 4 at Barranca Parkway and Tustin Ranch Road, according to Tustin police Lt. Ryan Coe.

Lopez had Xum and another woman in his vehicle. The other woman avoided injury, Coe said.

Lopez allegedly ran a red light while going west on Barranca and slammed into the vehicle Hekmat was driving, causing both vehicles to bounce off other vehicles in the intersection, Coe said.

Hekmat was taken to a hospital where she was later pronounced dead, Coe said.

Lopez was hospitalized following the crash and was arrested when he was released, Coe said.

The criminal complaint alleges Lopez had a blood-alcohol level of 0.41, more than five times the legal limit, and was driving faster than 65 mph.

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Angels’ Jaime Barria gives up 3 homers in loss to White Sox

• June 29, 2023

ANAHEIM — The Angels’ recent run of quality starting pitching came to an end on Wednesday night.

Jaime Barria, the Angels’ No. 6 starter, gave up five runs on three homers in three innings, sending the Angels on their way to an 11-5 loss to the Chicago White Sox.

Angels starters had allowed three runs or fewer in their previous 13 games. They had a 1.94 ERA in that span.

The Angels moved Barria into the No. 6 spot in the rotation last month because of how well he had pitched in relief, and because he’d shown an ability to bounce between the rotation and the bullpen.

His previous start was on June 13, in Texas. The Angels then didn’t need him for a couple of weeks, so he pitched out of the bullpen on June 18, working three scoreless innings.

With 10 days between outings, he was not sharp on Wednesday night.

“It’s tough when you don’t pitch that much,” Manager Phil Nevin said. “You can get all the work in in the bullpen you want, but you’re not facing hitters. The adrenaline is not flowing. It’s a tough role to have. He’s been great at it.”

Barria said he had worked enough in the bullpen between starts so that wasn’t an excuse.

“I don’t think that affected me at all,” Barria said through an interpreter. “I threw enough bullpens. I just missed my pitches.”

Barria walked the first hitter of the game, and two batters later he hung a slider to Luis Robert Jr., who crushed it 444 feet for a two-run homer.

The Angels got those two runs back in the bottom of the inning, on back-to-back triples by Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout and a Brandon Drury RBI single.

But Barria gave up solo homers to Seby Zavala and Eloy Jimenez in the next two innings. He allowed a fifth run on an Andrew Vaughn double and a two-out single from Zach Remillard.

That was all for Barria, who threw just 59 pitches.

“I left all my sliders up,” Barria said. “They made adjustments. They hit my fastballs. That’s what happened tonight.”

The good news is that Barria shouldn’t have to wait so long for his next outing. The Angels play seven more games before their next off day, so Barria is expected to start again sometime during that stretch.

Even after he was done, they still might have been able to climb back into the game if the Angels’ bullpen could have held down the White Sox, but Andrew Wantz allowed the game to get out of hand.

Wantz gave up four more runs in the fourth and fifth, three on Vaughn’s bases-loaded double. At that point, the Angels trailed 9-2, the first time they were down by more than four runs at any point in a game since June 3. They had not lost a game by more than four runs since May 7.

Drury and Hunter Renfroe hit homers in the seventh. It was Renfroe’s first home run since June 13, and his third in a span of 38 games.

Drury drove in another run in the eighth, giving him three RBIs for the seventh time this season. The Angels briefly pulled within 9-5 before Tucker Davidson gave up two more runs in the top of the ninth.

Trout was pulled after he batted in the sixth inning, with the Angels trailing by seven runs. Nevin said it was just a way to keep him healthy, avoiding the chance of an injury in a blowout.

“I’m going to be extra cautious with him,” Nevin said. “He’s played a lot of games. I know I gave him yesterday off but he’s fine. He’s completely fine.”

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Clippers waive Eric Gordon in cost-saving move ahead of free agency

• June 29, 2023

The Clippers waived Eric Gordon on Wednesday, electing not to guarantee his $21 million contract, and allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent.

The move is seen as a cost-saving measure, cutting the Clippers’ projected luxury tax bill from $169 million to $59 million, according to ESPN. The team is $18 million over the $165 million tax threshold. Cutting ties with Gordon also enables the Clippers to be more flexible with their payroll.

With his ability to space the floor and bury 3-point shots (42.3% last season), the veteran guard is expected to attract plenty of interest. He has averaged 16 points per game on 37% 3-point shooting over his 15-year career.

Gordon averaged 11 points and 2.1 assists in 22 appearances in his second stint with the Clippers after being acquired from Houston in a three-team trade in February. The Clippers had drafted him with the No. 7 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.

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Dodgers swap leads with Rockies, wind up on losing end

• June 29, 2023

DENVER — In the age of eight-man bullpens, it’s still possible to be caught short-handed – especially at Coors Field.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged before Wednesday night’s game that “a few guys” in the bullpen would not be available based on recent usage. Brusdar Graterol and Evan Phillips were clearly in that group, so Roberts tried to husband his high-leverage resources (Yency Almonte and Caleb Ferguson).

But leverage arrives at unexpected times at altitude. Roberts turned to Victor Gonzalez and Nick Robertson to shepherd a two-run lead through the sixth inning. They couldn’t do it, allowing five runs as the Colorado Rockies came from behind to beat the Dodgers, 9-8.

“Offensively, we were fantastic all night long and scored enough to win,” Roberts said. “It was just that sixth inning got away from us. You’re short-handed with some guys, some leverage guys, but you still have to go out there with the guys you have and make pitches and tonight we just couldn’t do that.”

Michael Grove got the start, the Dodgers hoping to avoid a full-out bullpen game by getting bulk innings from the rookie right-hander. He gave them five, though they were littered with baserunners.

Three singles in the second inning produced a run for the Rockies – but it could have been more. C.J. Cron led off with a single and was thrown out at third, appearing to be running at less than full throttle, when Nolan Jones sliced a hit down the third base line against a shifted Dodgers defense.

An inning later, Grove gave up three runs on four more hits and a walk. The runs scored on soft singles by Elias Diaz and Randal Grichuk, which left the bat at 68 and 65.6 mph, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers didn’t have a hit until the fourth inning against Rockies starter Kyle Freeland – though they drew four walks before Miguel Rojas’ one-out single in the fourth. A bases-loaded walk of Jonny De Luca forced in one run and a broken-bat single by Yonny Hernandez drove in two more.

Freeland’s next pitch was clobbered by Mookie Betts for a three-run home run. His 20th homer of the season capped a six-run inning that put the Dodgers on top, 6-4.

“Looking for a strike,” Betts said. “I don’t have very much success off him so getting deep into counts with him is not good for me. I was just looking for a strike to hit and be ready to hit.”

It all came apart in the bottom of the sixth.

Gonzalez struck out left-handed Nolan Jones, the high point of his outing. Grichuk singled again and went to third on a pinch-hit double by Jorge Alfaro. Ahead in the count 1-and-2, Gonzalez hit the No. 9 hitter, Brenton Doyle, with a pitch to load the bases.

Roberts called in the rookie Robertson, turning the switch-hitting Jurickson Profar around to bat left-handed. It didn’t matter. He walked, forcing in a run.

“You go with the matchups and who you feel is fresh,” Roberts said. “That’s just kind of where we’re at.”

Robertson gave up a long fly ball to center field by Ezequiel Tovar. James Outman got a bad jump on the drive, which carried over his head for a three-run double. Two batters later, Diaz made it a five-run inning and a three-run lead with an RBI single.

“It wasn’t a great read,” Outman said of his break on Tovar’s drive. “I saw the ball down and didn’t think it was a pitch he could really drive. But he got the barrel on it.”

The Dodgers got two of those back in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Hernandez (his third RBI of the night) and an RBI single by Freddie Freeman. J.D. Martinez came up with the bases loaded in a one-run game.

“That’s the situation we want,” Betts said. “Unfortunately it didn’t happen. But if you draw it up, that’s kind of how you draw it up and then you just let the chips fall where they may.”

They fell the Rockies’ way. Martinez struck out and the Dodgers went down in order in the ninth.

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Ex-Angels player Gary Matthews Jr. lists Corona del Mar home for $22M

• June 29, 2023

A blufftop Corona del Mar home owned by retired Major League Baseball outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. is on the market for $21.995 million.

Perched on a third-acre lot in the sought-after Irvine Terrace neighborhood, the 6,232-square-foot contemporary-style house has four en-suite bedrooms and six bathrooms.

When the house briefly hit the market in 2015 for $15.5 million, the Register reported that Matthews bought the then-vacant lot in 2010 for $3 million.to build on. Architect Carlton Graham designed the house and Steve Davidson Construction and Tom Waters built it, according to the listing.

Completed in 2014, the custom home has a gated entry courtyard.

A pivoting glass door opens to reveal an interior with white oak ceilings, limestone floor, wall accents and fold-away glass walls that frame the front-row views of Newport Harbor, Balboa Island and the Pacific Ocean.

There’s a great room with a fireplace, a dining area and a kitchen with an island and top-of-the-line appliances.

Also on the entry-level is the primary suite, which features all the bells and whistles expected in a luxury home, plus a heated view deck. It runs the width of the home.

Downstairs is a media room with a full wet bar, an office with glass doors and a wine cellar with a full-size beverage refrigerator.

The house backs up to a terrace with an infinity-edge pool, raised spa and an outdoor kitchen.

Tim Smith and Casey Lesher of Coldwell Banker Realty are the listing agents.

Matthews, 48, recently appeared on Smith’s RUHM Podcast, The former Major League Baseball outfielder and 2006 All-Star played professionally from 1999 to 2010. He launched his career with the San Diego Padres and went on to play for the Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, Texas Ranges and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

In 2010, the Angels traded him to the Mets for relief pitcher Brian Stokes.

A second-generation baseball player, Matthews is the son of former Major Leaguer turned broadcaster Gary Matthews Sr. The younger Matthews invests in real estate these days.

See the Corona del Mar home that ex-Angels player Gary Matthews Jr. is selling for $15.5 million

Angels confirm Matthews traded to Mets

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NHL draft: Connor Bedard, as expected, taken first by Blackhawks

• June 29, 2023

By JOHN WAWROW AP Hockey Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Chicago Blackhawks selected Connor Bedard with the first pick in the NHL draft on Wednesday night, kick-starting a hopeful new era with a highly skilled offensive forward who has drawn comparisons to Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby.

Bedard became the second No. 1 pick in Blackhawks history, joining Patrick Kane, who went first overall in 2007 and helped form the core of a team that won three Stanley Cups from 2010 to 2015.

Though Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson declined to reveal who he would take first since winning the draft lottery in May, Bedard was considered Chicago’s target all along among a prospect class filled with talented forwards.

“It’s incredible. I couldn’t be happier,” Bedard said.

His debut could very well be against Crosby on the NHL’s opening night on Oct. 10, when Chicago is scheduled to play at Pittsburgh.

“I got to make it first, but that would be unreal. He’s a big idol of mine,” Bedard said.

The less predictable portion of the draft began with the Ducks selecting Swedish forward Leo Carlsson, who was regarded as the top European skater. With the third pick, the Columbus Blue Jackets took Michigan forward Adam Fantilli, who became the third freshman to win college hockey’s top award, the Hobey Baker Trophy.

The first American player off the board went fourth, when the San Jose Sharks selected USA Hockey Development Program forward Will Smith, who is from Boston and has committed to playing at Boston College next season.

Defenseman David Reinbacher, from Austria, went to Montreal at No. 5, but he had to wait a few extra seconds to hear his name called. Announcing the pick, Canadiens goalie Carey Price stopped after saying “David,” apparently forgetting the player’s last name. GM Kent Hughes came to the rescue and said: “We planned it that way. It’s David Reinbacher.”

The Arizona Coyotes went with what was considered an off-the-board pick by selecting Russian defenseman Dmitriy Simashev a year after drafting five defensemen. They passed over forward Matvei Michkov, who has captivated draft watchers because the offensively skilled player is under contract to play in his native Russia through the 2025-26 season.

The Philadelphia Flyers ended Michkov’s wait with the seventh pick.

A large contingent of Blackhawks fans were in attendance, with an exceptionally loud cheer going up during the pre-draft roll call of teams when it came Chicago’s turn. They cheered even louder, followed by chants of “Let’s go Hawks!” when Bedard took the stage and pulled on a No. 98 jersey, which he’s worn for much of his career.

“We’ll see. We’ll let him figure that out,” Davidson said, when asked about his expectations for Bedard. “He’s a pretty special player, a very special person. We’ll let him determine how special that first season is.”

Weeks shy of his 18th birthday, Bedard has spent much of the past two years projected as this year’s top draft prospect. From North Vancouver, British Columbia, Bedard has done nothing to give pause to the high projections after posting 100-point seasons in back-to-back years with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League.

His 71 goals in 57 games last season were the most by a WHL player in 24 years, and his 143 points were the most since 1995-96. At just under 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds, Bedard is considered a generational prospect, much like McDavid, who was selected first in 2015 and this week was named the league’s MVP for the third time.

The Blackhawks have already begun refitting their roster to help Bedard’s development by acquiring veterans Taylor Hall (the first pick in the 2010 draft) and Nick Foligno in a trade with Boston this week.

Davidson spent much of the past year tearing his roster down, dating to last year’s draft when the Blackhawks stockpiled picks by trading Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach on consecutive days. The overhaul continued when Chicago traded Kane to the New York Rangers in February and closed the year by parting ways with longtime captain Jonathan Toews.

More to come on this story.

​ Orange County Register 

Long Beach man accused of killing ex-girlfriend in Aliso Viejo spa bombing once again on trial

• June 29, 2023

A Long Beach man accused of building a homemade bomb that killed his ex-girlfriend, injured two other women and obliterated an Aliso Viejo day spa is once again on trial, less than a year after a different jury was unable to decide whether he was guilty of using a weapon of mass destruction resulting in death.

As Stephen Beal’s second trial got underway on Wednesday morning at the federal courthouse in downtown Los Angeles, the opposing attorneys once again painted contrasting portraits of Beal as either a jilted lover turned deadly bomber or an innocent man whose hobby quickly made him the target of investigators who were under pressure to solve the high-profile killing of 48-year-old Ildiko Krajnyak.

A Hungarian-native who came to the United States in the 90s, Krajnyak spent years working in the beauty industry before saving up enough money to open her own day spa. On May 15, 2018, Krajnyak was opening a small cardboard box while chatting with a mother and daughter who had just gotten facials at the salon for an upcoming family wedding when the package suddenly exploded. The daughter would later recall a deafening “boom,” a flash of “hot light” and a “massive wave of heat and pressure” that knocked her off her feet, followed by the darkness of a room enveloped with black smoke.

The daughter was able to find her mother in the debris, but Krajnyak was immediately killed in the blast. The force of the explosion “vaporized” the portions of Krajnyak’s body closest to the package, while tearing apart half the structure that housed the spa, collapsing the ceiling and leaving body parts and rubble around the surrounding area.

“A bomb went off,” Assistant United States Attorney Annamartine Salick told jurors in her opening statement. “Ildiko’s spa was destroyed, the business Ildiko poured her heart and soul into, gone in an instant… Ildiko was found in pieces.”

It would take weeks of painstaking work by specialized federal law enforcement teams aided by technicians at the FBI crime lab in Quantico, Virgina to fully process the remnants of the spa. But Beal — who had both personal and business ties to Krajnyak — quickly emerged as the prime suspect in the bombing.

The two had a “tumultuous” dating relationship after meeting online in 2016, and were co-owners of the spa. Beal also had more than 130 pounds of what law enforcement officials would describe as “explosives precursors” at his home, which he said was for his model-rocket hobby.

Prosecutors have described Beal, now 64, as the only person with the means, motive and opportunity to kill Krajnyak. He had learned that Krajnyak was with another man during a recent trip to Hungary, prosecutors said, had used his chemical and electronics experience to craft the bomb and his keys to the spa and knowledge of when Krajnyak was out of the country in order to plant the explosive package at the business.

“The defendant became an expert in mixing highly-volatile explosive chemicals and building electric circuits and fusing systems,” Salick said. “The defendant knew how to make things explode. And he used those skills — over decades of making rockets and pyrotechnics — to build the bomb that exploded on May 15.”

Investigators would later find receipts and surveillance footage they say show Beal purchasing a battery that appears to match the one believed to have served as a power source for the bomb, as well as a box that one of the women who survived the explosion identified as looking like the package that held the explosives.

Beal’s attorney, Meghan Blanco, denied that Beal had any involvement in the bomb or Krajnyak’s death. The defense attorney said it was Beal himself who contacted investigators the day of the explosion, and who allowed them to search his Long Beach home where the chemicals cited by authorities were discovered. Beal’s attorneys noted the containers holding the chemicals were covered in dust, since Beal had stopped pursing his model-rocket hobby when his children grew up and left his home.

“They turned immediately to Stephen Beal, who made himself a suspect in the case,” Blanco said “Now, Mr. Beal didn’t make himself a suspect because he had done anything wrong or because he had done anything guilty or illegal. Mr. Beal made himself a suspect because he reached out to law enforcement. He called them. He invited them over to his house”

The defense attorney argued that investigators ignored other potential suspects. She told jurors that an electrician who was working as a maintenance man at the building where the spa was located had sent unwanted and “uncomfortable” texts to Krajnyak, that the owner of the building — who has since died — had taken out an insurance policy months earlier that covered the building in the event of a bombing and that a married former lover of Krajnyak’s had military experience and a wife who had repeatedly confronted Krajnyak over her affair with the husband.

Last August, Beal’s first trial ended with the jury split 9 to 3 in favor of his guilt, leading U.S. District Judge Josephine L. Staton to declare a mistrial. Speaking to attorneys outside the courtroom, one of the jurors said she voted not guilty after agreeing with the defense that investigators had shown “tunnel vision” by focusing on Beal.

Beal’s current trial is expected to last six weeks, slightly shorter than his two-month-long initial trial.

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Angels GM Perry Minasian says David Fletcher was recalled because he ‘looked like Fletch’

• June 29, 2023

ANAHEIM — After Perry Minasian recalled David Fletcher from his 75-day exile to Triple-A, the Angels’ general manager said he had seen what he wanted to see from the infielder.

“He looked like Fletch,” Minasian said this week. “The way he was moving around. The way he was swinging the bat, using the entire field. He made some adjustments. I thought he looked more and more like the old Fletch.”

All of that came as a surprise to Fletcher, who shrugged off questions about why he went down and what he had to do to return.

“I didn’t change anything,” Fletcher said on Wednesday.

Fletcher, who was recalled on Saturday, said he tried to keep a good attitude during his stay with Salt Lake.

“Honestly, I was just focusing on where I was,” Fletcher said. “I had a lot of good teammates there and a good environment. I honestly can say I was focused on where I was, and whatever happened I’d deal with it when it happened. I’m pretty good at just being in the present.”

Fletcher, 29, was sent to Triple-A and outrighted off the 40-man roster in April, despite his five-year, $26 million contract.

The Angels were looking for more offense and better defense when they called up Zach Neto from Double-A. Fletcher had been at his best from 2018-20, when he hit .292 with a .732 OPS. In 2021, he was hitting .309 with a .726 OPS through Aug. 7, but then he finished the season hitting .161 over the final 51 games. Last season was a wash because of injuries, including surgery to repair a sports hernia. Then he only got 16 at-bats in eight games before the Angels pulled the plug this season.

Fletcher hit .303 with a .909 OPS in 43 games at Triple-A. He might have been recalled when Neto injured his oblique on June 14, but that was just two days after Fletcher’s 60-year-old father died. He had not been sick, so the loss was unexpected.

“He had a personal thing that happened or he would have been up earlier,” Minasian said.

Fletcher missed a week on the bereavement list, then he played for a few days at Salt Lake before finally getting the call.

The Angels won three of the first four games he played. He contributed a homer and four hits to their 25-1 rout of the Colorado Rockies on Saturday in Denver, and he made a key defensive play in Tuesday’s win against the Chicago White Sox. Playing shortstop, Fletcher dove to his right and threw to third to get a force.

“He’s somebody that we need,” Minasian said. “We need him to be a good player and help us win games.”

OHTANI UPDATE

Shohei Ohtani, who came out of Tuesday’s start with a broken fingernail on his middle finger, is still scheduled to make his next start on Monday in San Diego, which would be his normal schedule.

Manager Phil Nevin said the Angels could push him back a day or two “just to make sure. That’s not even on our radar yet. I think he’s going to be OK for that start.”

Whenever Ohtani starts in San Diego, that would be his final start before the All-Star break. If he then starts the first game after the break, he would have 10 days rest between starts.

NOTES

Third baseman Anthony Rendon (bruised wrist) continues to make progress toward a return. Nevin said the Angels began discussing on Wednesday whether Rendon will have a rehab assignment or just face minor league pitchers at Angel Stadium. “We think it’s close,” Nevin said. …

Neto (strained oblique) said he hoped to begin baseball activity on Friday, but Nevin said that might have been too optimistic. “He might have gotten a little bit ahead of himself,” Nevin said. “I know he’s excited to get out there and he feels good, but with this injury you got to be sure because a setback with this injury is usually another month.” …

Right-hander Ben Joyce (ulnar neuritis) has thrown three days in a row. Nevin said the Angels have to “dial him back a little bit before he ramps,” but he added that “the ramp-up will be pretty quick now that he’s feeling better.” …

Outfielder Mickey Moniak was not in the lineup, even though the Angels were facing a right-hander on Wednesday. Nevin said Moniak’s hip was still “a little sore and I wanted to give him a day.” Moniak was hurt on Saturday. He played through the injury on Monday and Tuesday. “He can play through it, but it’s better to get out in front of it,” Nevin said. …

Nevin said he’s not planning on a strict platoon with left-handed hitting first baseman Mike Moustakas. “He’s always hit lefties his whole career,” Nevin said. “I could see him starting against a lefty here and there.” Moustakas had an .805 OPS against lefties and a .796 OPS against lefties going into Wednesday’s game. …

Right-handers Chris Devenski and Sam Bachman went to Children’s Hospital of Orange County on Tuesday, and then both players shaved their heads as a show of support for kids undergoing cancer treatments. “Just to show them that we’re thinking of them,” Devenski said. Devenski also had the kids sign his arm, and he pitched on Tuesday night with the names written on his arm. “We were signing stuff for them, and I wanted to do something for them to make them feel special, because they are special as well,” Devenski said. …

The Angels had a celebration for infielder Eduardo Escobar after Tuesday’s game. Escobar had passed his test to earn his United States citizenship earlier on Tuesday. “It was a special moment for him,” Nevin said. “It was fun. A welcome not just to our country, but to our team.”

UP NEXT

White Sox (RHP Lance Lynn, 4-8, 6.51 ERA) at Angels (LHP Patrick Sandoval, 4-6, 4.16 ERA), Thursday, 1:07 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM

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