By Carlos Miller
After being assaulted on video by a mob of senior citizens, George Edwards thought there would be enough evidence to charge the pair of geezers who attacked him with battery.
But the Los Angeles County sheriff’s office who responded to the melee at the La Habra Heights Improvement Association meeting last month could not find enough evidence on the video to charge the two men who attacked him.
So they passed the video to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office who also could not make out whether Edwards was attacked or whether he attacked the two elderly men as they had claimed – both who happen to be two of the most politically connected men in this rural area of Los Angeles County.
Now the district attorney’s office is pursuing bogus criminal charges against Edwards for a completely unrelated incident that also happened to involve his camera and a Youtube video.
“They want to charge me with interfering with a firefighter because I asked the fire chief a question on camera,” he said in an interview with Photography is Not a Crime Sunday night.
“They just didn’t like the question I asked him.”
Edwards, a professional news videographer, asked the following question, which can be seen and heard in the above video:
“Chief, do you feel responsible for only having one fire engine staffed?
Any comment on why you only man one engine?”
La Habra Heights Fire Chief Randy Rohrer, who had just pulled up to a house fire that had just been extinguished by La Habra Height’s only fire engine, was stepping out of his car when Edwards stepped up to him with his camera and fired off his questions.
He planned to upload the video on his site where he covers community news, especially considering he had recently been reporting on how community officials have been lying about the adequate fire protection they’ve been promoting (more on that later).
The incident with the fire chief occurred on May 28, almost a month before the June 17th incident at the improvement association meeting in which Edwards was attacked.
But nobody complained about him interfering with a firefighter until he uploaded the video to Youtube on June 6.
Two days later, the city of La Habra Heights filed a complaint with the sheriff’s office against Edwards. And on June 12, he received a call from a sheriff’s detective inquiring about the video he uploaded to Youtube.
“The detective asked why I asked the chief that question,” he said. “I asked him if it was a crime to ask a question.
“Besides, if I was truly interfering, wouldn’t they have arrested me on the spot?”
And then five days later, he was assaulted by a mob of overly aggressive senior citizens as he attempted to videotape an improvement association meeting.
That incident was not only caught on his professional video camera, but on a point and shoot camera held by another journalist, which went unnoticed by the technological-inept seniors who probably imagined they were shutting down the only video camera in the building.
Edwards combined the two videos into a single video below. Here’s more background on that story from the Whittier Daily News, including a statement from one of the association members saying she now realizes that Edwards had every right to be at the meeting, even though he wasn’t a member.
After Edwards was thrown out of the meeting, he called the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Office to report the incident and to inform them that he is making a citizen’s arrest on John Pearce and Jeff Heintz, who in turn informed deputies that they were making a citizen’s arrest on Edwards.
Deputies took statements but made no arrests, even though they charged everybody involved with battery before handing the case over to the district attorney’s office.
After a month of not hearing anything from the district attorney’s office, Edwards called them to learn that because investigators did not see enough evidence of an assault on the video, they set it up for a review hearing on August 10. They also informed him that they would be reviewing the allegations against him involving the fire chief during the same hearing.
“He asked me to bring my press credentials to the meeting,” Edwards said.
“I have the credentials but it shouldn’t make a difference because the Constitution gives protection to anybody who considers themselves press. It’s not up to the local, state or federal government to determine who is press.”
Adding to the confusion, the district attorney’s office sent him a Notice of Office Hearing listing the charge he is facing as “illegal conduct at burning building,” which obviously stems from the first incident.
The letter, which makes no reference to the incident at the improvement association meeting, names Edwards, Heintz and Pearce as respondents.
However, Heintz and Pearce, the two men who attacked him in the meeting, were nowhere near the fire.
Edwards believes this could be a possible plot to threaten him with a criminal charge from the first incident unless he decides to drop charges against the two men from the La Habra Heights Improvement Association who attacked him.
“They’re the kind of people who could pull strings with the D.A.,” he said. “The improvement association controls the city government through backroom deals.
“And the City of La Habra Heights contracts with the sheriff’s office, so if they ask for an investigation, they’re going to get it.”
From what we’ve seen in the first video, the La Habra Heights Improvement Association is under the impression it can do whatever it wants, including one telling moment when Heintz – a retired cop – is chasing Edwards around the gymnasium as he tells him “we are not attacking you, you are attacking members of the improvement association.”
But at La Habra Heights, night is day and day is night.
The California Penal Code listed in the Notice of Office Hearing is 148.2, which states the following:
CA Penal Code:
148.2. Every person who willfully commits any of the following acts at the burning of a building or at any other time and place where any fireman or firemen or emergency rescue personnel are discharging
or attempting to discharge an official duty, is guilty of a misdemeanor:
1. Resists or interferes with the lawful efforts of any fireman or firemen or emergency rescue personnel in the discharge or attempt to discharge an official duty.
2. Disobeys the lawful orders of any fireman or public officer.
3. Engages in any disorderly conduct which delays or prevents a fire from being timely extinguished.
4. Forbids or prevents others from assisting in extinguishing a fire or exhorts another person, as to whom he has no legal right or obligation to protect or control, from assisting in extinguishing a fire.
Edwards claims he did none of the above. Furthermore, he provides Penal Code 409.5 (d), which specifically states members of the media are to be given access to fires.
409.5. (a) Whenever a menace to the public health or safety is created by a calamity including a flood, storm, fire, earthquake, explosion, accident, or other disaster, officers of the Department of the California Highway Patrol, police departments, marshal’s office or sheriff’s office, any officer or employee of the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection designated a peace officer by subdivision (g) of Section 830.2, any officer or employee of the Department of Parks and Recreation designated a peace officer by subdivision (f) of Section 830.2, any officer or employee of the Department of Fish and Game designated a peace officer under subdivision (e) of Section 830.2, and any publicly employed full-time lifeguard or publicly employed full-time marine safety officer while acting in a supervisory position in the performance of his or her official duties, may close the area where the menace exists for the
duration thereof by means of ropes, markers, or guards to any and all persons not authorized by the lifeguard or officer to enter or remain within the enclosed area. If the calamity creates an immediate menace to the public health, the local health officer may close the area where the menace exists pursuant to the conditions set forth in this section.
(b) Officers of the Department of the California Highway Patrol, police departments, marshal’s office or sheriff’s office, officers of the Department of Fish and Game designated as peace officers by subdivision (e) of Section 830.2, or officers of the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection designated as peace officers by subdivision (g) of Section 830.2 may close the immediate area surrounding any emergency field command post or any other command
post activated for the purpose of abating any calamity enumerated in this section or any riot or other civil disturbance to any and all unauthorized persons pursuant to the conditions set forth in this section whether or not the field command post or other command post is located near to the actual calamity or riot or other civil disturbance.
(c) Any unauthorized person who willfully and knowingly enters an area closed pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b) and who willfully remains within the area after receiving notice to evacuate or leave shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(d) Nothing in this section shall prevent a duly authorized representative of any news service, newspaper, or radio or television station or network from entering the areas closed pursuant to this section.
Bad Blood Begins
The bad blood between Edwards and certain members of the community goes back to 2002 when he moved to La Habra Heights with his wife and was told there were five fire stations in the community that falls in a very fire hazardous area bordering Los Angeles and Orange counties.
“This is a high-fire danger area,” he said. “We don’t have a fire season. The entire year is fire season.”
Nevertheless, community officials made him and his wife feel safe by leading them to believe there was adequate fire protection.
It turns out, it was all a lie.
“They had five stations at one point, but they closed three down and there were only two left when we moved in ,” he said.
And by 2005, there was only one station left.
So in 2006, Edwards took it upon himself to protect his home and the rest of the community by purchasing a fire engine for $7,200 from New York and drove it back.
“We wanted to donate it to the community but they didn’t want it,” he said.
“They thought they were adequately protected.”
Since he was stuck with the fire engine, he decided to enroll in fire fighting classes in Colorado and California.
And then one day he came upon a car fire in his area of the community, so a police officer asked him to use his truck to put the fire out.
Eventually, the La Habra Heights volunteer fire fighters arrived and took over the job.
But then the city attorney threatened him with criminal charges because he tried to put the fire out.
In case you believe this is all too absurd to be true, check out the news clips from that era, including the one from where he tried to donate the fire engine to the community and the one where he was being threatened with criminal charges for attempting to put out a fire.
This is one backwards community.
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29 responses so far ↓
1 Hazza // Jul 27, 2010 at 5:24 AM
As his “press credentials” he should bring along his US passport or Social Security ID.
2 bgwillia // Jul 27, 2010 at 6:05 AM
… Also an attorney as this sounds like a non-judicial trial.
3 artemis // Jul 27, 2010 at 7:56 AM
More modern than backwards. It’s a new thing that a citizen trying to help in a crisis is made into a criminal. It’s a product of a government that thinks only it can solve problems and resents more than anything a citizen who demonstrates otherwise.
4 Roger // Jul 27, 2010 at 10:11 AM
Artemis: The answer is money and power, they do not want any one getting the idea that they can handle there own affairs . After all you might get the idea that you do not need them and they would be out of a job
5 Hazy // Jul 27, 2010 at 10:43 AM
Wow! I remember this story. I didn’t know this guy was so keen on fire safety to the point he’d buy his own fire truck.
6 Miami Condo Shop // Jul 27, 2010 at 11:20 AM
This is just amazing. The story has more twists to it than a low-budget Hollywood flick! I believe it all boils down to the fact that both Heintz and Pearce happen to be two of the most politically connected men in the area. I empathize with Mr. Edwards and I hope he emerges from this ordeal unscathed…
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7 renegademag // Jul 27, 2010 at 11:24 AM
What jerks. Pissed off people who’s authority is being challenged. I don’t think it’s about money, I think all this dick behavior comes from a personal threat to their idea of being ‘in charge’ and if someone else helps it is seen to them as “we suck”.
The “authorities” are suppose to never need help and are the ones who give it. So when someone tries to help them, it’s like, “we’re not good”. How dare someone even imply we’re not good? It just seems like a bunch of “King Shit’s of Fuck Mountain” don’t like the idea of being anyone’s equal.
But a very telling sign is the fact that the Sheriff’s office is a customer of La Habra. That’s a total conflict of interest and they can’t be impartial in any situation involving them. This would be the type of case that I’d talk to someone federally to see about how to deal with this objectively and fairly. To think these people have the police in their pocket sucks, but seems to show that they put the “Old” in the Good O’l Boys network.
8 Rance // Jul 27, 2010 at 1:31 PM
Wow LHH is seriously fucked up! Criminal charges for attepting to put out a fire when asked to do so by a police officer? What the hell is wrong with these people?
9 Iroc // Jul 27, 2010 at 2:13 PM
Sounds like its time to bring on the federal marshels there is some funny things happening here. *cough* Rico *cough*
10 Brian Schneider // Jul 27, 2010 at 2:48 PM
“Wow LHH is seriously fucked up! Criminal charges for attepting to put out a fire when asked to do so by a police officer? What the hell is wrong with these people?”
What if he had refused to put out the fire? Damned if you do & damned if you don’t?
11 John Howard // Jul 27, 2010 at 2:56 PM
What better time to ambush the Fire Chief with accusatory statements than as he’s just arrived at an incident?
I cannot for the life of me figure out why the Chief didn’t stop performing his duties and go have a cup of java with the doofus with a camera.
I realize there’s no Constitutional provision for having some common sense, but jeeze louise!
12 Rail Car Fan // Jul 27, 2010 at 3:02 PM
The article said in part:
“Adding to the confusion, the district attorney’s office sent him a Notice of Office Hearing listing the charge he is facing as “illegal conduct at burning building,” which obviously stems from the first incident.”
Sounds like “illegal conduct at burning building” is somewhat the same as “disturbing the peace”.
While the latter is used as “contempt of cop”, the former sounds like it’s being used as “contempt of fireman”.
I guess that’s what happens when you’re given a very limited slice of authority.. and you let it go to your head!
Rail Car Fan
13 capn_amurka // Jul 27, 2010 at 3:43 PM
“As his ‘press credentials’ he should bring along his US passport or Social Security ID.”
Funk That.
Draw a smiley face on a piece of paper with a crayon and call that “press credentials”. It’s every bit as legitimate.
14 George Edwardz // Jul 27, 2010 at 4:24 PM
Here in La Habra Heights we pay a special tax for fire service. The amount paid by the average parcel owner is about $450 dollars and is considered to be the number one revenue generator for the City. Unfortunately we found that all those monies do not go towards fire prevention, protection or firefighter pay.
The “Fire Fund” has been used to boaster the city’s general fund, financial reserves and an attempt to build a new City Hall Complex, all at the expense of fire protection for an extremely fire prone community.
Today monies are siphoned off to pay bloated salaries of non fire related city employees and other unknown city needs.
In regards to the concern about the number of fire stations in La Habra Heights. Here is a link to a Google video that was recorded a few years ago. In it our former city manager is asked if we could get that East Side Fire Station reopened. Oddly the fire response captured on tape is in the exact same location of the fire I helped put out a year earlier. The issue is response times. His response is deafening!
At the least the DA did not come after me for this video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6584138727582789201#
yet!
15 Jody // Jul 27, 2010 at 4:33 PM
Just another example of why and how government does not work. Who was it that said giving government any kind of power is like giving a teenage boy the keys to the car and a bottle of whiskey?
16 delve into // Jul 27, 2010 at 4:41 PM
Investigation uncovers City of La Habra Heights used ‘Enron Accounting” to bankrupt fire fund.
May 11, 2010 | Topix
Excerpts reprinted with permission http://www.LaHabraHeights.net © 2010
… The fire tax also funds a surprising number of non-Fire Dept. employees, including: 10% of the City Manager’s salary, 20% of two Finance staff, 20% of the Deputy City Clerk, retirement benefits and undetermined other costs. In 2009, the City changed its accounting method placing all but the fire tax revenue in the General Fund and calling it a “General Fund Subsidy” when those funds are transferred back to the Fire Department. Using this methodology, the City Council and Staff reworked the numbers for the past five years turning surpluses and minor shortfalls into steep deficits. Additionally, in a 3-year period beginning in 2005, over $440,000 had been transferred out of the Fire Department Fund to the Building Fund for proposed new City Facilities at Hacienda and West Road.
The new “Enron Accounting” shows a $528,000 deficit, including a new $394,000 Fire Engine, when the actual lease/purchase expense is $57,000 annually for seven years. Traditional accounting of Fire Department revenue had included the fire tax, paramedic collections, fees paid for oil well inspections, sprinkler plan checks, strike team revenue and other such fees helping to balance out the fire departments budget. The new creative accounting shows the Fire Tax is inadequate, that the Fire Fund is “bankrupt”…
17 Tom Joad // Jul 27, 2010 at 7:16 PM
Sounds like this might end up being as much of an embarrassment to the LHH as the $800,000 city manager salary at the city of Bell. It might also be similar to the City of Maywood going bankrupt because of the police department.
I read where Attorney General Jerry Brown is sending subpoenas to the city of Bell. It sound like he needs to do the same with LHH.
18 genewitch // Jul 28, 2010 at 1:00 AM
i have to mention, La Habra Heights isn’t really rural, it’s just tucked in a big hill between whittier and the city of industry. I don’t want people from outside of california to get the idea that this is some tiny trailer park. the people that live there are RICH. it is moderately secluded, but within 5 minutes of every shopping need you could have. It literally butts up against whittier, la habra, and puente hills.
They’re not really at a high risk for fire there, though, it’s not extremely windy, nor dry (i haven’t been there in 3 years, so i could be mistaken now)
What the people up there act like, and the cops who patrol it, is as if it is a gated complex that just happens to surround thousands of acres of land with hundreds of large homes. If you park your car on the side of the road to go take pictures around the fields and hills, guaranteed there will be a squad car parked behind it when you get back. At least the LA Sheriffs department deputies used to be calm, level-headed, and not menacing, but that may have changed.
It’s so weird that a remote blog is talking about what was essentially my backyard for 23 years.
19 Carlos Miller // Jul 28, 2010 at 1:05 AM
Dude, this is not some “remote blog.”
20 genewitch // Jul 28, 2010 at 1:12 AM
On the topic of the fire chief, i’ve always found firemen in LA county to be very obliging. This case sounds like the chief knew exactly who he was and wanted heads to roll.
I’ve photographed huge fires in california, and also handed out washclothes, hand towels, and bottled water to residents and other onlookers within quarantine zones. I’ve never been so much as spoken to by a firefighter in these instances.
The officials at a fire are in a unique state of mind, it is an unbelievable amount of stress. However, none of that defends what the fire chief in la habra heights did. If they were to arrest/harass/detain someone at every fire we had in california, there’d be no one left… california is freaking ALWAYS on fire, it’s obnoxious.
21 genewitch // Jul 28, 2010 at 1:15 AM
@john howard, #11:
The fire chief doesn’t actually fight the fire. he’s more like a supervisor, and the public relations officer. His job is specifically to answer questions, help his team out with supplies and quick decisions, and keep the peace. They are very highly paid for these jobs, well over $100,000 a year.
22 Johnathan Doe // Jul 28, 2010 at 5:13 AM
What do folks expect when they move to socialist cesspools like California. Both Republicans and Democrats in Calif. are liberal, pro-growing government, pro-government power….so why is this surprising?
If folks want freedom, they need to move to more freedom leaning states and communities. Any state that severely restricts gun ownership should be avoided. If the powers that be want your guns, I promise you they will want your freedom of speech as well.
One has to look at the overall picture. Don’t move to some Christer state, as those folks might let you own guns, but will want total control over what you read, write, and do sexually. A state which controls guns will want to also control what you read and write, but will give you a little longer leash, so long as your “reporting” or “documenting” don’t clash with their beliefs on how government should run.
I can tell you that a person like George Edwards/z would be welcome in Wyoming. I guess all the ranchers out there are firefighters, and they are all community members. A former co-worker went out to Wyoming to work as a police officer. He started off as a seasonal park ranger, then got hired by a city or county department. From what I heard, out there, the cops actually get to know the ranch land owners. The land owners have police/fire scanners with them and if there is a fire call, the citizens come together to help fight the fire. Not only that, if an LEO makes a traffic stop, some ranchers will strap on their gun and go and back-up the cop due to how rural the state can be in some areas. The ranchers don’t intervene unless needed, but it is comforting that at least in one state in the country, citizens and LE can work together.
23 Rob // Jul 28, 2010 at 3:01 PM
An excerpt from the Whittier Daily News post that Carlos referenced (http://www.whittierdailynews.com/ci_15351995) says, “An argument ensued and Pearce told deputies that Edwards pushed him backward with his camera, causing pain to his lower back.”
As we can see that DID NOT happen on the video, maybe there can be some sort of “false statement” charge brought up on Mr. Pearce.
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24 George Edwardz // Jul 28, 2010 at 5:28 PM
Here is my orgianl story publised on Topix.
http://www.TheAvocadoExpress.com | NewsStar
Explosion and fire destroys home injures one in La Habra Heights.
May 28, 2010 – Updated June 6 with link to video!
La Habra Heights, CA — At approximately 9:35PM firefighters here responded to reports of an explosion in the 540 Block of East Road across from the Hacienda Golf Club on the City’s eastside. Reports that the home was fully overwhelmed by fire were confirmed upon arrival of the first due engine company. Heavy smoke and flame was immediately visible throughout the community alarming those unaware of the extent of the fire. Nearby residents used garden hoses to prevent the spread of the fire as firefighter struggled to gain access to water. Los Angeles County Fire Department provided additional resources from Rowland Heights with Santa Fe Springs Fire providing an engine. A man described as the occupant of the home sustained minor burns and smoke inhalation. He received treatment from paramedics before being transported to St. Jude Hospital, where his condition remains unknown but was alert at time of transport.
Concerned residents turned to radio scanners for information and progress reports about the firefight. Additionally the La Habra Heights Fire Watch kept residents informed via their website providing real-time audio of the fire and rescue efforts for those that did not have access to radio scanners.
La Habra Heights Fire Chief Randolph Rohrer, called for Los Angeles County arson investigators but an investigation is pending until daybreak, extensive damage to the residence and challenging terrain was cited. Eyewitnesses report the home to be a total loss.
View published photos:
East Rd house fire photo 1: http://twitpic.com/29jgng
East Rd house fire photo 2: http://twitpic.com/29jgic
East Rd house fire photo 3: http://twitpic.com/29jgc0/full
EOM
25 George Edwardz // Jul 28, 2010 at 5:32 PM
Opps! corrected version (spelling) please disregard previous post.
Here is my original story published on Topix.
http://www.TheAvocadoExpress.com | NewsStar
Explosion and fire destroys home injures one in La Habra Heights.
May 28, 2010 – Updated June 6 with link to video!
La Habra Heights, CA — At approximately 9:35PM firefighters here responded to reports of an explosion in the 540 Block of East Road across from the Hacienda Golf Club on the City’s eastside. Reports that the home was fully overwhelmed by fire were confirmed upon arrival of the first due engine company. Heavy smoke and flame was immediately visible throughout the community alarming those unaware of the extent of the fire. Nearby residents used garden hoses to prevent the spread of the fire as firefighter struggled to gain access to water. Los Angeles County Fire Department provided additional resources from Rowland Heights with Santa Fe Springs Fire providing an engine. A man described as the occupant of the home sustained minor burns and smoke inhalation. He received treatment from paramedics before being transported to St. Jude Hospital, where his condition remains unknown but was alert at time of transport.
Concerned residents turned to radio scanners for information and progress reports about the firefight. Additionally the La Habra Heights Fire Watch kept residents informed via their website providing real-time audio of the fire and rescue efforts for those that did not have access to radio scanners.
La Habra Heights Fire Chief Randolph Rohrer, called for Los Angeles County arson investigators but an investigation is pending until daybreak, extensive damage to the residence and challenging terrain was cited. Eyewitnesses report the home to be a total loss.
View published photos:
East Rd house fire photo 1: http://twitpic.com/29jgng
East Rd house fire photo 2: http://twitpic.com/29jgic
East Rd house fire photo 3: http://twitpic.com/29jgc0/full
EOM
26 genewitch // Jul 28, 2010 at 6:04 PM
Carlos: It’s as remote in that you’re very far away from me. You may be a global blog, but you’re still in Florida
It’s more impressive that you’re covering this than stuff in the big cities out here like san francisco, in my opinion. It affects more than podunk little midwest/bible belt towns, and it affects more than the huge metropolis centers as well. Talking about something happening in a REALLY small area near where i grew up brings it home that this really can be an issue everywhere, filming, talking to police, false charges, all that stuff.
27 EH // Jul 31, 2010 at 1:25 AM
The fire was already out.
28 Poppycock // Aug 12, 2010 at 9:18 PM
Carlos, aka George Llamas, Edwards, Edwardz is the town idiot who has nothing better to do with his time than cry victim. He is obnoxious and immature. He goes to every meeting in town and gets up and makes false allegations and shows his aggressive angry wild personality. He looks like a complete idiot and more and more people are watching his blogs only to discover for themselves that he is crazy and some even say becoming dangerous
29 Michaelk42 // Aug 12, 2010 at 9:21 PM
I sense the presence of… AN ENRAGED SENIOR.
Someone get the thorazine.
(Seriously, what’s with the random drive-by mini trolls in older threads, anyway?)
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