BRIEFLY IN PUBLIC SAFETY

Woman accused of vandalism at hotel

Linda Kate Moriarty, a 46-year-old from Santa Rosa, was arrested on suspicion of felony vandalism at 7:13 p.m. April 23 , Laguna Beach Police Sgt. Jason Kravetz said.

Moriarty went to the lobby of the Art Hotel at 1404 N. Coast Hwy. and allegedly caused a disturbance by screaming and throwing things, Kravetz said.

After she was escorted off the premises, she allegedly caused $772 worth of damage to the front sign, breaking off lights and causing other damage.

Police officers took her into custody and eventually to Orange County Jail.

Suspected hit-run driver arrested April 24

A San Juan Capistrano man was arrested at 3:48 p.m. April 24 on suspicion of driving without a license or insurance, and hit and run, after a witness followed the suspect into Dana Point after witnessing a collision at South Coast Highway and Sunset Terrace, Kravetz said.

The collision involved a Honda Civic rear-ending a black Scion XA, which was stopped for a school bus letting students off, authorities said.

After the collision, the Honda driver allegedly drove around the bus and took off southbound, followed by the witness, who immediately called police.

A deputy sheriff stopped the suspect near Camino Del Avion and Rogers Road, and Laguna Beach police arrested him.

The suspect was identified as Nephtali Salas-Solorio, 33.

Woman left at hospital with possible overdose

Laguna Beach police are seeking a man who left a woman at South Coast Medical Center suffering from an apparent drug overdose, after driving to the hospital on the wrong side of Coast Highway, Kravetz said.

Alarmed citizens called police at 2:13 p.m. Saturday, reporting that a Jeep was traveling southbound on Coast Highway on the wrong side of the road, Kravetz said.

Police tried to stop the vehicle near Fifth Avenue, but the driver refused to stop, saying he had a medical emergency.

He drove to the hospital emergency room, where police saw a woman in the passenger seat who had apparently overdosed and needed medical attention.

Officers went into the emergency room with the man to discuss the incident, Kravetz said.

The officers then checked the vehicle and saw allegedly stolen registration tags on the car.

They also learned the man had given police a fake name, and he had two outstanding traffic warrants for his arrest.

By the time the officers went back inside the hospital to talk with the man, he had fled, leaving the woman and the Jeep behind, Kravetz said.

Bar fight at brewery leads to man’s arrest

A Corona man was arrested on suspicion of public intoxication after police were called to the Ocean Avenue Brewery at 12:31 a.m. Sunday on a report of a fight that involved seven men fighting one man, Kravetz said.

By the time police arrived, most of the men had fled the area, but one was detained by the bar’s bouncers.

Cameron Vincent, 21, was taken into custody on suspicion of public intoxication, and then to a local hospital after complaining of pain from the fight.

Bronze sculpture stolen from gallery

A bronze bust valued at $21,000 was reported stolen from a gallery in the 300 block of Glenneyre Street on Sunday, Kravetz said.

The theft, from a display inside the gallery, was believed to have occurred about March 25.

Police called on boys allegedly with air guns

Three juvenile boys were reported to be firing air guns and one allegedly pointed a gun at a vehicle at 3:50 p.m. Sunday in the 700 block of Wendt Terrace, Kravetz said.

One boy was detained by police and released to his father.