Bail posted for couple accused of installing illegal supergraphic

A husband and wife accused of installing unpermitted supergraphics on Hollywood Boulevard posted a combined $200,000 bail Thursday in the latest outdoor advertising case filed by Los Angeles City Atty. Carmen Trutanich.

Alexander Kouba, 36, and France Luanghy, 41, did not surrender to the court as their lawyer originally predicted. Attorney Steve Madison appeared on their behalf and an arraignment was scheduled for April 30.

Kouba and Luanghy face allegations that they allowed five unpermitted supergrahpics to go up on two buildings in Hollywood — one at 6800 Hollywood Blvd. and one at 6810-6820 Hollywood Blvd. The case was filed days after a Pacific Palisades man was jailed on $1-million bail on allegations that he installed an eight-story supergraphic at Hollywood and Highland.

Assistant  City Atty. Jose Egurbide said that in the newest case, supergraphic sign structures at the two Hollywood Boulevard locations were reviewed by a Fire Department captain and a building inspector and found to be dangerous and substandard.

Madison said the signs have been up for years and have been approved by the Fire Department and a structural engineer. He also said that the city already has a 3-year-old case pending on 6800 Hollywood and 6810-20 Hollywood.

Luanghy and Kouba were identified by prosecutors as part of the Community Redevelopment Assn., a sign company that has sued to challenge previous city sign laws. They and their company, which sometimes goes by the name Liberty Media, are among eight defendants in the case.

Four of the defendants are businesses and four are individuals.

Prosecutors also secured a $250,000 arrest warrant for Mazen Nazzal, whom they identified as the owner of 6800 and 6810-20 Hollywood Blvd. A $100,000 warrant was obtained for Thomas Curtin, who was described as a head of the Paramount-based company Hangtime Installers.

Each defendant faces 10 misdemeanor counts of violating the city’s misdemeanor code, including the installation of unpermitted supergraphics.

— David Zahniser at Los Angeles City Hall

Comments

[Robert NO longer in LA]

WHAt is the TRUE COST of persecuting vermin, who happen to be HABITUAL OFFENDERS? Assistant City Atty. Jose Egurbide, DO YOU HAVE ANY REAL ideas as to the TRUE costs?

[anonymous]

Small cost for a chance to stop things before they get worse. Those billboards in Hollywood sells for at least 40-100K/month, and higher during events. Multiple that by 12, multiply that by hundreds.

20% goes to the installers, 30% to owners, and the rest to the media companies. That is, if they aren't providing kick backs to the media buying agencies.

Please, when are we going to start taxing and regulating these media companies? Regulate so that supergraphics remain illegal, amount of billboards are decreased and registered so that they can all be properly monitored. And please please please, tax these companies so that the money can go to our education system and all these frigging potholes?

[Olden Awoody]

$250,000 arrest warrant? For an illegal sign?

And we just let 200 prisoners out of County for "no room".

[We Have a Right To EQUAL OPPORTUNITY!]

Really. Are they really hurting people? Signs. on HOLLYWOOD BLVD. Your all very stupid. Clear Channel and CBS stock has plummeted due to the competition of alternative (wall murals) outdoor. So, the billboard Pole structures are better then temporary wall murals? Trutanich works for Clear Channel and CBS. You are all so stupid to believe what you read. These Wall Mural companies have families, sons, daughters, college tuition to pay, mortgage payments, etc..
Hey "Anonymous", you are really stupid. You have no idea what you are talking about. By the time the contract is financed so that you can pay your Property Owner, Sign Installer (S), Insurance, Salesperson's commission, Lighting Company, your lucky if there is enough to take your wife to dinner and movie and still pay your rent. All we ask is EQUAL opportunity. The City has FAILED FOR 12 YEARS to create a SIGN PROGRAM that has equal protection, designated zones (not just for Clear Channel & CBS). Now that the City of Los Angeles has failed miserably at everything Trutanich comes gunning for regular blue collar family men and makes us out to be terrorists. WHERE IS AUDREY COLLINS???????!!~!!!!! THIS IS the dawn of a CBS and CLEAR CHANNEL SS SQUAD! They are wiping out the Local Legitimate, Tax Paying Businessman and Woman and your all too stupid and old to understand.

[Dan]

I love this.

[D.B. Barton]

Why is everybody so focused on the amount of bail and not on the potential public safety hazard posed by these signs? Anyone who thinks it's not important should check out the article about fire safety and other issues posted on the Ban Billboard Blight website.