EGN NEWS DESK
Irvine police arrested Rhean Fontanoza, 46, after surrounding his silver pickup truck in Orange for round two hours on Thursday afternoon, May 16, ultimately firing tear fuel inside and sending in a Okay-9 to assist power him out.
Sgt. Kim Davies, an Irvine police spokeswoman, mentioned on Friday that detectives had not but interviewed Fontanoza. But police had been capable of decide that he knew the sufferer, 50-year-old Expedito Cuesta De Leon, who was shot round 3 p.m. Thursday in an industrial space close to Chrysler and Fleming.
“They are acquaintances,” Davies mentioned. “We simply don’t know the extent to which they knew one another.”
On Friday, mourners left a small memorial of flowers and candles on the grass outdoors of an workplace constructing close to the place De Leon was killed. Next to a bouquet sat a UPS hat. A collared UPS shirt was laid out on the grass above the flowers.
Trucks for UPS and FedEx had been a continuing presence driving on Chrysler, a avenue lined with neat landscaping that bisects the realm’s workplace parks and warehouses.
Fun-loving and pleasant, De Leon was a fixture among the many individuals who work within the cluster of workplace buildings and sprawling company tons that make up the realm across the taking pictures scene.
The neighborhood was De Leon’s common route, mentioned a number of individuals who bought to know him over time who got here out to speak with each other or to go away flowers on the memorial.
To them, De Leon was an enormous, colourful character lighting up what in any other case could be simply one other day surrounded by drab workplace buildings.
“He’d make noises,” mentioned Jonathan Lagman, who noticed De Leon on a regular basis. “Like hen calls, simply to announce his presence.”
Lagman mentioned he additionally lives in Aliso Viejo, and he would often see De Leon out on mountaineering trails.
One day, De Leon noticed him mountaineering, and known as out to him, inviting him to go seize a beer and watch a soccer sport on the spot.
“I don’t even actually know this man,” Lagman mentioned. “He was simply that pleasant. I can’t even think about having one other UPS man.”
John Llanes, 40, was in a mountain biking group with De Leon. He works close to the taking pictures scene and stopped there Friday after studying his pal was the particular person killed.
The day earlier than, Llanes was at work and heard police helicopters circling the realm. “I didn’t know what was occurring over right here. I didn’t comprehend it concerned any individual I knew,” he mentioned.
Llanes mentioned De Leon was a household man — he was married with two kids. De Leon had only in the near past posted on social media a couple of household journey they took to Europe.
Llanes mentioned De Leon was anticipating a grandchild on the best way quickly. De Leon had additionally posted lately about having labored for UPS for 27 years.
“He’s a great man,” Llanes mentioned. “I can’t think about why this is able to occur to him.”
Jacqueline Brown, 54, labored with De Leon at UPS for many years earlier than she retired a number of years in the past. Both drivers; they parked their vehicles subsequent to one another on daily basis on the Aliso Viejo UPS hub the place they labored.
Brown mentioned she and De Leon would rely down the times till they may retire. She mentioned De Leon would discuss on a regular basis about shifting to the Philippines the place he might construct an enormous home and dwell “like a king” off his pension.
“He would inform me, ‘You ought to come, too!’” Brown mentioned. “I’d inform him, ‘I don’t communicate the language, you must assist me.’”
Brown regarded ahead to her interactions with De Leon, a pick-me-up in a workday the place she’d in any other case hardly ever see her coworkers.
“I’m shocked, I’m simply so shocked,” Brown mentioned. “This is simply mindless.”
As she spoke, a person in a pickup truck pulled up alongside her.
“You guys knew him actual properly, proper?” he requested.
“I labored over there,” he mentioned, pointing. “I knew him, too. Really good man.”
Fontanoza was taken to a hospital after he was apprehended, Davies mentioned. He was not being handled due to the tear fuel, however was admitted “for medical points that don’t have anything to do with the arrest,” she mentioned.
A pair of Irvine SWAT automobiles pinned the silver pickup on Santiago Canyon Road in Orange simply after 4 p.m. Thursday, whereas officers on foot surrounded the truck from a hillside above.
The authorities discovered the suspect with the assistance of witness statements and surveillance footage from a minimum of one enterprise.
Around 6:15 p.m., police shot tear fuel into the cabin and used a Okay-9 to assist detain the suspect.
Police mentioned Fontanoza is married, apparently with out kids. Property data indicated he has lived in Aliso Viejo since round 2007.
Staff author Nelson Espinal contributed to this report.
