STORIES FROM THE PAST

50 years ago

The man charged with killing one California Highway Patrol officer and wounding another last Wednesday has been identified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as Luis Soto Juarez, 35, a transient.

He had earlier been tentatively identified as Roberto Martinez of El Paso. That was the name on an identity card he was carrying.

Lt. Richard Ramirez of the Sheriff’s Office explained this morning that the man’s fingerprints were sent to the FBI who identified him as Juarez. Ramirez added that Juarez has a past record, but that he could not make it public for the time being.

40 years ago

CALEXICO — U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service officials declined Tuesday to comment on a recent remark by Mayor Alexander Campillo calling the local Port of Entry (POE) as “the worst Border Patrol crossing in the world.”

However, officials privately confirmed that INS personnel had been upset reading about the remarks made by Campillo at a recent border cities conference in Las Cruces, N.M.

Campillo, who apparently was discussing the lack of courtesy on the part of U.S. border inspectors at the port, reportedly said: “The worst Border Patrol crossing in the world is in Calexico. Those cats are mean. They don’t know what the word ‘courtesy’ means.

“We’re surrounded by martial law where we live,” he added.

Asked about the remarks, Campillo said he had been quoted out of context. He said other border mayors had made similar remarks and upon reaching the podium, Campillo intended the comments as a casual throw-away line to get a few laughs.

30 years ago

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. (AP) — A former El Centro man has been identified as one of the two pilots killed when two F-16 fighter jets crashed in a remote area during a training mission over Nellis Air Force Base’s remote gunnery range.

The cause of the crashes Friday was unknown, and an Air Force board was scheduled to investigate.

One of the dead was identified as Maj. Michael J. Lotti, 42, of Fresno, an instructor pilot at Nellis. Lotti grew up in El Centro and graduated from Imperial Valley College.

His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Cicero Lotti, a brother, Dennis, and his sister, Claire Keys, still reside in El Centro. Mr. and Mrs. Lotti were enroute to Las Vegas this morning.

His survivors also include his wife, Linda, and a son, Brian, 15, all of Las Vegas.