LAPD OFFICER DAVID WOON CHONG ARRESTED! IS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY FINALLY HOLDING THESE CRIMINALS ACCOUNTABLE? LET'S HOPE SO

A Los Angeles police officer was expected to surrender to authorities today on charges that he pulled a gun and threatened patrons during an off-duty tirade at a restaurant, the district attorney's office said.

David Woon Chong, 38, allegedly got into a verbal confrontation and then pulled a knife on two other customers at an eatery on the Redondo Beach pier in March.

When an onlooker intervened, Chong is said to have walked away but then returned a short time later. According to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office, Chong kicked food out of a man's hands, then brandished a semiautomatic handgun and pointed it at the man's head. The onlooker once again stepped in and escorted Chong, a 10-year LAPD veteran, out of the restaurant, officials said.

Redondo Beach police stopped Chong in his car and arrested him. He allegedly had a 0.11 blood-alcohol level at the time of his arrest, over the legal limit.

Chong is expected to be arraigned this afternoon at Los Angeles County Superior Court.

If convicted of the expected charges, he faces up to 19 years in state prison.

Tony Rackauckas, District Attorney
401 Civic Center Drive West
Santa Ana, CA 92701

CHP OFFICER ARRESTED FOR
BREAKING INTO EVIDENCE ROOM

SANTA ANA -- The Orange County District Attorney (OCDA) and Santa Ana Police Department, in cooperation with the California Highway Patrol (CHP), arrested a CHP officer and recovered several kilograms of cocaine that had been stolen from CHP headquarters in Santa Ana. Joshua Blackburn, 32, of Murrieta, a 6-year veteran of CHP, is being held on $4 million bail at the Orange County Jail. The CHP has been cooperating fully in the investigation. The OCDA will be filing charges and the defendant will be arraigned on Wednesday, December 26, 2007, at the Central Justice Center at a time and courtroom to be determined.

On December 21, 2007 at about 4 a.m., officials at the CHP office in Santa Ana discovered a break in their evidence locker room. There were signs of forced entry. CHP immediately notified Santa Ana Police who asked OCDA to head the investigation. The stolen cocaine was evidence involving another incident in which two suspects were arrested. The original case involving the cocaine is still pending.

During the early morning hours of December 21, 2007, Blackburn is accused of breaking into the evidence room, taking the cocaine, and hiding it. OCDA investigators have recovered all of the stolen cocaine, which had a wholesale value of $1 million.

The OCDA is continuing to investigate the case. Assistant District Attorney Walt Schwarm of the Major Narcotics Unit is prosecuting the case.