BRIEFLY IN PUBLIC SAFETY

Two apartment units destroyed in fire

Two units in a five-unit apartment building on Glenneyre Street were destroyed in a late-night conflagration April 4, Laguna Beach Fire Capt. Patrick Brennan said.

The fire was reported about 11 p.m., with heavy smoke. Firefighters evacuated occupants of the three other units, but no one was in either of the burning units at the time of the blaze, Brennan said. Both units were occupied.

Laguna Beach called in Newport Beach and Orange County Fire Authority personnel to help fight the fire at 2101 Glenneyre Street. A total of 26 firefighters worked to quell the blaze, which was extinguished in about 25 minutes, Brennan said.

The total damages have not been determined, and fire investigators are working to determine the cause of the blaze, which is believed to have started in a downstairs unit.

No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.

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Body found in park may be homeless man

A man was found dead in Heisler Park around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday by city work crews making their rounds, Sgt. Jason Kravetz said.

The workers discovered two people in the bushes, apparently sleeping. When they tried to move them along, one didn’t respond.

The dead man has been tentatively identified, but his next of kin has not been notified yet so police cannot release the name. He is believed to be a 39-year-old white male from the Orange County area. Police are awaiting an autopsy and toxicology results to determine the cause of death. Alcohol was found at the scene and near the body, Kravetz said, adding that foul play is not suspected at this time.

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Two men arrested after altercation

A 23-year-old Laguna Beach man was arrested early April 4 after allegedly refusing police orders to put down a knife and a wrench following a dispute with another Laguna Beach man, Sgt. Jason Kravetz said.

Earlier in the evening, Aydin Ozan accused Eric Downery of hurling a skateboard at his BMW while it was in Ozan’s driveway. Ozan confronted Downery with the knife and wrench, but Downery fled, Kravetz said.

Later, Ozan saw Downery in the area and allegedly chased him with the weapons, while also calling police.

Ozan was told by the dispatcher to drop the weapons and wait for police to arrive, but when police arrived, at 2:47 a.m., Ozan allegedly still had the weapons in either hand, Kravetz said.

He put the weapons down after police pointed a Taser at him, Kravetz said.

Downery was arrested on suspicion of being drunk in public and of misdemeanor vandalism of Ozan’s vehicle, Kravetz said.