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Malibu surfside news | December 21, 2017 | 9
Stolen-car suspect faces vehicular
manslaughter charge and more
Lauren Coughlin, Editor
The alleged car thief behind
a car chase and crash
and pedestrian death Nov.
29 in Malibu was due in
court Thursday, Dec. 14, for
arraignment.
Kevin James Hicks, 22,
is facing four charges that
carry a possible maximum
sentence of 12 years and 10
months in state prison, according
to a Dec. 14 release
from the Los Angeles County
District Attorney’s Office.
Hicks has been charged
with one count of vehicular
manslaughter in the death of
landscaper Juan Castillo, 28,
who was reportedly walking
on the right shoulder near
the 27600 block of Pacific
Coast Highway when he was
struck by the stolen Mazda 6
reportedly driven by Hicks.
The crash occurred
around 7:50 a.m., according
to police, and Ed Winter, of
the Los Angeles County
coroner’s office, said Castillo
was pronounced dead
on the scene at 8:11 a.m.
Hicks also faces charges
for fleeing a pursuing peace
officer’s motor vehicle causing
death, driving or taking
a vehicle without consent
with a prior, and one misdemeanor
count of driving
when privilege suspended
or revoked.
According to the District
Attorney’s Office, Hicks
was also convicted of grand
theft auto in Kern County
earlier this year.
Hicks’ bail has been set at
$180,000, the release notes.
The Malibu/Lost Hills
Sheriff’s Station continues
to investigate the incident.
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other Breaking News, visit
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Police Reports
Handicap placard, more reportedly
taken in recent Malibu garage burglary
A handicap placard,
$20 in cash and a vehicle
owner’s manual reportedly
were stolen from a Malibu
residence on Coastline
Drive on Dec. 4.
The alleged victim said
suspect(s) opened and entered
his closed and secured
garage, and stole the items
from one of the vehicles inside.
He reportedly discovered
the alleged theft when
he noticed the garage door
open and the trunk and rear
passenger’s side door open
on one of the vehicles.
Dec. 5
• Two red watering cans, a
ceramic “Zen” statue and
10-20 assorted flowers in
ceramic pots reportedly
From Dec. 14
were stolen from Flower
Power on Topanga Canyon
Boulevard. An employee at
a neighboring business notified
the alleged victim that
she observed a white female,
50-60-years-old with long,
gray hair loading the items
into her black four-door
BMW. Another alleged suspect,
a white male wearing
prescription glasses, was reportedly
in the driver’s seat
of the vehicle. When the suspects
noticed the employee
watching, they quickly drove
away.
Dec. 2
• A red Tokidoki backpack,
a variety of toys, children’s
shoes and tennis rackets reportedly
were stolen from
a vehicle on Malibu Vista
Drive. The alleged victim
said she parked the vehicle
in front of her residence.
Upon returning the next
morning, she allegedly noticed
the trunk open, several
items scattered on the
floor of the rear of the vehicle
and the items missing.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Malibu
Surfside News police reports
are compiled from official
records on file at the Los
Angeles County Lost Hills/
Malibu Sheriff’s Department
headquarters. Anyone listed in
these reports is considered to
be innocent of all charges until
proven guilty in a court of law.
open
From Page 3
companied by firefighter
Raymond Ortiz, whom
he credited with the quick
response that stopped last
week’s potentially devastating
fire in Malibu Park
from spreading.
“It’s just our job,” Mullen
said.
Poison Free Malibu cofounder
Kian Schulman
disagreed.
“They’re heroes,” she
said. “Rick saved our
house during the 2007 Corral
Fire. He ended up in the
hospital for a week with
smoke inhalation. He’s a
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hero, my hero.”
Schulman thanked another
of her Malibu heroes
at the event, Councilmember
Lou La Monte.
“Lou has been with us
from the beginning in our
effort to eliminate deadly
rodenticides in Malibu,”
Schulman said. “He’s an
eco-hero.”
Surfside News caught up
with La Monte while he
was visiting with former
Malibu Mayor Ken Kearsley
and Kearsley’s wife,
Barbara.
“This is one event I
look forward to all year,”
La Monte said. “It brings
together the people who
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Sunday, January 28, 2018 -- Pt. Dume/Malibu 11 AM -- 2 PM
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work for the city and the
people who work with the
city.”
“It’s a wonderful event,”
Councilmember Laura
Rosenthal said. “The community
comes out to celebrate
with music and see
old friends.”
It’s not too late to participate
in the Spark of
Love Toy Drive. New,
unwrapped toys or sports
equipment can be dropped
off at Malibu City Hall or
at any of the community’s
fire stations through Dec.
24. Online donations may
be directed to www.cal
fund.org/abc7-firefightersspark-love-toy-drive-fund.
For addresses please RSVP at info@areteprep.org or 310.478.9900
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