Police Blotter: Water Balloons Break Windshield, and Television Held Hostage

A man told deputies that a group of about seven juveniles threw water balloons at his 2003 XTerra on Friday night in Rancho Santa Margarita, shattering the vehicle’s windshield. He saw the boys flee down Melinda Road to El Pandero.

A passerby saw the youths run toward nearby Melinda Heights Elementary School, but deputies could not locate them. The man was unable to give a physical description of the juveniles.

The call came in around 9 p.m. on Friday, from Los Alisos Boulevard and Altisima.

Television held hostage by TV repairman

A Trabuco Canyon man contacted the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for assistance on Saturday afternoon, saying a TV repairman was holding his television hostage. The caller said it was because he would not pay the repairman in cash. Deputies arrived to settle the argument and free the TV set from captivity.

The call came in around 3:40 p.m. on Saturday, from Moccasin Trail.

Five youths brawl in a BMW, injuries occur

A caller noticed five juveniles fighting early Saturday morning in RSM. The juveniles then got into a BMW sedan that was parked about two car lengths behind a police car. It appeared that one of the youths had a tooth knocked out. Deputies detained all of them and called the Orange County Fire Authority to help one who had suffered a broken finger and lacerations. All five juveniles were released to their parents.

The call came in around 2 a.m. on Saturday, from the 200 block of Montana del Lago Drive.

Men fire BB guns at vehicles in Coto de Caza Driveway

A woman reported seeing two young men in a black sedan shooting BB guns at vehicles in her driveway. She said they fired about 50 shots at the vehicles, starting at about 10:45 p.m.

The call came in around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, from Brumby Avenue.

The following is a summary report of calls from Rancho Santa Margarita, Coto de Caza, Trabuco Canyon and Las Flores to the Orange County Sheriff's Department from Feb. 10 to Feb. 13.

Disturbance 11:47 p.m. Sunday, on Reata. A man said that his daughter and his son-in-law had an argument with him and that his son-in-law kicked his vehicle.

Suspicious Person/Circumstances 7:29 p.m. Sunday, on Desert Thorn. A woman reported that the son of the original owners of a nearby home that is in foreclosure is still living at the residence. Deputies arrived and did not see anyone in the residence but noted that some of the residents’ property was still in the home.

Welfare Check 12:24 p.m. Sunday, on Meadow Ridge Drive and Moccasin Trail. A caller wanted deputies to check on several young male teens who were tobogganing down a nearby hill. The caller was afraid that the youths would hurt themselves.

Disturbance—Music or Party 8:10 p.m. Saturday, on Windcroft Drive. A caller reported that there was a loud party on the street.

Suspicious Person/Circumstances 7:42 p.m. Saturday, on Orchid. A caller reported seeing several juveniles walking around the neighborhood with open alcohol containers.

Suspicious Person/Circumstances 7:24 p.m. Saturday, 30600 block of Santa Margarita Parkway. A caller said water was shooting into the air behind the Ross department store. Deputies and the OCFA determined that it was coming from a fire hydrant.

Suspicious Person/Circumstances 5:10 p.m. Saturday, Robinson Ranch Road and Lindsay Drive. A caller said juveniles were sitting in a Chevrolet Astrovan, possibly smoking marijuana.

Disturbance—Music or Party 4:14 p.m. Saturday, 21200 block of Meander Lane. A caller reported that a band was practicing loudly in a nearby residence.

Suspicious Person/Circumstances 3:37 p.m. Saturday, Calle del Norte and Via Verde. A caller said children were illegally playing in the street, and that signs advising that kids were playing were illegally placed in the street.

Traffic Hazard 7:39 a.m. Saturday, Plano Trabuco Road and Robinson Ranch Road. A caller reported that there was a large amount of broken glass on Plano Trabuco Road.

Disturbance 1:31 a.m. Saturday, Plano Trabuco Road and Alas de Paz. A caller saw three intoxicated-looking men fighting in the street’s median. One man was pinned to the ground by another one. Deputies arrived and briefly detained the three men.

Disturbance 10:59 p.m. Friday, 22700 block of El Prado. A caller heard screaming from the pool area of the Avila apartment complex. The caller said it did not sound like the screams of someone having fun.

Suspicious Person/Circumstances 7:27 p.m. Friday, on San Vicente and San Carlos. A caller reported seeing an unfamiliar man sitting on the curb, counting money. Deputies arrived and arrested two people: a 33-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman. Both individuals had outstanding arrest warrants.

Suspicious Person/Circumstances 4:51 p.m. Friday, on Santa Margarita Parkway and Avenida de las Fundadores. A caller said three boys ran into traffic.

Fraud Report 3:57 p.m. Friday, 29900 block of Santa Margarita Parkway. A controller of RSM Honda said a man had written a bad check to pay for a used car. Deputies referred the controller to the district attorney’s office.

Burglary in Progress 9 a.m. Friday, on Calle Vaqueta. A caller reported seeing a man break into his neighbor’s home. The caller contacted his neighbor, who came home. The man was upstairs in the resident’s bedroom.  The neighbor grabbed a baseball bat but was unable to catch the man, who went outside through a window and hopped the backyard fence.

Drunken Driving 8:45 p.m. Thursday, Antonio Parkway and Santa Margarita Parkway. A caller said a woman driving a white Honda Accord hit a concrete island more than once while trying to back out of a parking spot. The caller said the passenger looked drunk but was unable to tell if the driver was intoxicated.

Disturbance 7:53 p.m. Thursday, 100 block of Calle de los Ninos. A man reported that his wife was throwing and breaking things in their residence.

Vandalism Report 4:03 p.m. Thursday, on Via Compania. A caller reported that someone had used a purple grease pen to tag “VFF” on the stucco wall at the bottom of the staircase of the caller’s residence. The caller filed a police report.

Traffic Accident—Unknown Injuries 4:03 p.m. Thursday, on Melinda Road and Ametrine Way.  A green Ford Explorer struck a 10-year-old who was riding a bicycle. The child suffered minor abrasions, and deputies helped the Orange County Fire Authority remove the bicycle that was stuck under the Ford Explorer.

Disturbance 4:37 a.m. Thursday, on Via Amistosa. A caller said his roommate attacked him and threw his iPhone off of their second-floor balcony. He then confessed to slapping her in the face afterward. Neither party wanted to press charges. Deputies urged them to seek alternative living arrangements and to consider restraining orders if necessary.

You can read about more incidents on the Orange County Sheriff's Department blotter.