Briefly In Public Safety

Vista Aliso senior claims harassment

An outspoken Laguna Beach senior claims she has been harassed by young people since she spoke about limiting skateboarding in Laguna Beach.

Vista Aliso resident Margaret Butt, who has voiced her concerns about skateboarders at City Council meetings, said she is now concerned about her personal safety and the sanctity of her home.

“They have sprayed my clothes and entered my place,” Butt told the City Council at its Oct. 18 meeting.

She displayed items of clothing that appeared to have bleach spots on them.

“I don’t know what to do,” Butt said.

She said that recently, she came home after attending church and found her screen door open.

“It is an invasion of privacy,” Butt said. “I call these people diabolical thugs.”

Butt said she asked skateboarders at Lang Park to stop jumping on the railing. Two stopped and one didn’t, so she reported their car’s license plate number to the police.

On another occasion, a skateboarder, whom she described as a 4-year old, bumped into her leg.

“I could have toppled over and if I did, I would get a concussion,” she said.

Mayor Toni Iseman urged Butt to contact police when any incident occurs.

—Barbara Diamond

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Nonprofit to hold walk for pedestrian safety

Safer Passages, a nonprofit that aims to save lives of pedestrians, is holding a walk to raise awareness about street safety Nov. 11.

Founded by Pamela Burrus, Safer Passages wants to make the streets safer and let pedestrians cross without worrying about being hit by vehicles.

Statistics show that 11 pedestrians are killed every day just by walking across the street, according to a news release.

The walk, which is dedicated to Burrus’ late husband, Dr. David R. Burrus, will take place at 11 a.m. at 505 Forest Ave. Participants will walk from the Fire Department to Main Beach and back.

For more information, visit https://www.saferpassages.org.

—Kelly Parker

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Death penalty sought for serial killer

The Orange County district attorney’s office said Tuesday that it would seek the death penalty for a serial killer — already convicted of slaying three women in Illinois — who is charged with murdering five women in Southern California, including one from Laguna Beach.

Andrew Urdiales, 47, is charged with killing women in Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties from 1986 to 1995. He is charged with having sex with some of the victims before stabbing them multiple times or shooting them, the district attorney’s office said.

On Jan. 18, 1986, Robbin Brandley, 23, of Laguna Beach was walking to her car at Saddleback College after a jazz concert when Urdiales allegedly followed her and stabbed her 41 times in her hands, back, chest and neck, and then fled the scene.

Urdiales was convicted of the Illinois murders in 2002 and 2004 and was sentenced to death, authorities said, but his sentence was commuted to life without parole.

He was in the Marines from 1984 to 1991 and stationed at bases in Southern California.

During that time, he allegedly killed four women — Brandley, two in Riverside County and one in San Diego County. Those cases were consolidated in Orange County.

After his discharge, Urdiales moved back to Illinois but allegedly returned to California in 1995 and killed a fifth woman while on vacation in Palm Springs, according to prosecutors.

Urdiales is scheduled for an arraignment Dec. 1 at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.

—Latimes.com