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Highland Park commissioners hear police update on hit-and-run that injured two pedestrians; fire chief reports suspicious structure fires and new equipment
Summary
At a regular meeting, Highland Park commissioners received a police report on an April 20 hit-and-run that struck two pedestrians, and a fire department update on recent suspicious fires, equipment additions and an upcoming public cooking event. Commissioners approved the prior meeting minutes and adjourned.
Highland Park commissioners on an unspecified date heard updates from police and fire officials about a hit-and-run that injured two pedestrians and a series of recent fires, and approved routine minutes before adjourning.
The most urgent report came from Chief Fain, who said a vehicle struck two pedestrians about 2 a.m. on Easter, April 20, on 6 Mile in Hamilton. Neither pedestrian was fatal; both suffered significant injuries and are recovering, Chief Fain said. Investigators used license-plate reader data and camera systems to identify a suspect, and that person was charged with 11 felonies, the chief said. “The driver did not have a valid driver’s license,” Chief Fain added.
The police chief told commissioners the department is coordinating with other law-enforcement partners and that the investigation has uncovered other incidents possibly involving the same suspect. He said the department will provide updates as the case proceeds through the courts.
The fire department distributed a packet of March and April statistics and described a mix of fires in occupied and vacant buildings. The department reported incidents that appeared suspicious: a mostly commercial fire in March in Glendale and a city-owned light home on Pasadena that burned in April. The fire chief said the department responded to seven incidents in April and characterized most of the fires as minimal or minor. Fire crews also encountered evidence of squatting in some vacant structures after extinguishing flames.
The fire chief said the department took delivery of a new utility pickup truck and re-marked a previously unmarked vehicle that had been used by a former chief. Those vehicle updates were presented as additions to the department’s active fleet.
Chief Fain reported no new citizen complaints and said the department had completed an internal investigation of one personnel matter; supervisors have concluded that review, he said. In response to a question about long-open complaints, Chief Fain said, “I don't think we have any citizen complaints that have not been resolved greater than 90 days,” and added that a 60-day limit on complaint resolution is set by the union agreement governing the department.
Director Lackey told commissioners about an upcoming cooking event being advertised to the public that will accept donations; the director said promotional material, including a QR code, has been or will be posted through the city’s announcements.
Procedural business: commissioners moved to accept the minutes from the previous meeting; a motion and second were made, and the vote was recorded as in favor. With no further substantive business, commissioners moved to adjourn and the motion passed.
The meeting ended after the adjournment vote.
