Motorcyclist accused in road rage incident
A woman told police that, after a “road rage” encounter on the road with a motorcyclist, the motorcyclist followed her to a parking lot and allegedly punched out the driver’s window of her car, and scratched it, causing $600 in damages.
The incident was reported at 1:59 p.m. Sunday in the 800 block of North Coast Highway, according to police records.
Woman held in bad check-writing spree
Laguna Beach police have arrested a Costa Mesa woman on suspicion of writing numerous checks to local businesses on a closed bank account from April 16 to 20, Rahaeuser said.
The suspect, Tonja Marie Thompson, 46, was on probation from a prior conviction for financial fraud, he said.
Thompson was apprehended after a clerk at an antique jewelry store in the 1200 block of North Coast Highway reported the fraud to police at 3:06 p.m. Monday after determining that a $464 purchase by the suspect earlier that day was made with a bad check, Rahaeuser said.
The officer who took the report recognized the suspect from earlier alleged incidents of fraud, and alerted police to watch for the suspect, who was staying at a hotel in Laguna.
Thompson was picked up at a bus stop in North Laguna that day. In her checkbook, police allegedly found checks written on the closed account to 13 other businesses, including retail stores, supermarkets and drug stores.
A search of the suspect’s hotel room also allegedly turned up a small amount of drugs, Rahaeuser said.
Thompson was held on $20,000 bail. Some of the property was recovered.
