A driver hit and killed a woman as she walked near a Vista elementary school Friday evening, San Diego County Sheriff's officials say.

The woman, 34, was struck in the 200 block of West Bobier Drive at about 8 p.m. by a pickup truck pulling a trailer. She was pronounced dead at the scene, which was right by Bobier Elementary School.

The driver stayed at the site of the crash to answer officials' questions.

Sheriff's investigators are working to determine what happened, but say there was no indication alcohol was involving. 

Space is big, but it's never been quite this big. This composite image taken by astronomers at Germany's Ruhr-Universität Bochum is, they claim, the largest image of space to date, NBC News reported. It shows a long swathe of the Milky Way, photographed piece by piece over a period of five years from the university's observatory in the Chilean desert.

The final image is 46 billion pixels, or 46 gigapixels: 855,000 pixels wide by 54,000 tall. It weighs in at 194 gigabytes, which makes it a bit difficult to download — you have to navigate it in a special viewer like it's an online map. And in a way, it is: The stars are cataloged and you can put the name of one, like Eta Carinae or M8, into the search box and you'll be sent to its location.

South Florida's Jewish community is keeping a close eye on all the latest developments in Israel. In the heart of one of the most heavily populated Jewish neighborhoods, there's an unlikely show of support from one business.

You could say the Muslim family from Turkey running the tailor shop in Surfside is threading the needle. Threading it between cultures, religions and nations.

They've hung an Israeli flag in their store window to make a statement.

"Actually, the Muslim people want peace and unfortunately, the only country in the Middle East that wants peace is Israel and that's why I want to support them," Duran Agba said.

Agba, along with his brother and sister, said Turkey has felt a lot of pain from terrorism so they sympathize with the victims of the violence currently sweeping through parts of Israel.

Their shop is also in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood, so to hang an Israeli flag is befitting. But Agba said that has nothing to do with it.

"Let's say the Palestinians wanted to have peace in their homeland and the Israelis were attacking them the whole time, I would hang the Palestinian flag," Agba stated.

They got the flag from a local Australian Jewish clothing designer who's passing them out by the thousand in order to show solidarity with victims of terror in Israel.

"They're the only store in the entire 33154 area code that has an Israeli flag and they're not Jewish. It's heart-warming to say the least," said Joseph Waks, Israeli flag distributor.

It shows that there's hope that people can get together despite religious differences or cultural differences.

"Whenever I come to the tailor store, I bring hummus, because that's what we eat, and falafel, and we're eating that together," Waks said.

Renowned street artist Banksy is pricking the world's conscience by taking the remnants of a sell-out exhibition to a vast, squalid camp for refugees and migrants in northern France.

His Disneyland spoof dubbed "Dismaland" — and associated merchandise — are not in the hands of wealthy collectors but have instead been relocated to the so-called "Jungle" in the French port city of Calais. More than 6,000 shivering people live there in the hope of reaching Britain.

Timber and other materials from Banksy's "bemusement park" have been cut up and used to make shelters, while sweatshirts from the exhibition's gift store have been handed out to grateful — if somewhat puzzled — inhabitants. 

Two crew members of a Union Pacific train were rescued early Saturday after the train overturned when the tracks were washed away by high water in Navarro County, the office of emergency management says.

A high-water rescue team pulled the uninjured men from the water, according to the Navarro County Office of Emergency Management.

Union Pacific spokesman Jeff DeGraff said the derailment happened at about 3:30 a.m. in an area four miles north of Corsicana, about 60 miles south of Dallas. DeGraff said Chambers Creek was overflowing and washed out the tracks.

He said one locomotive and several rail cars, hauling loose gravel, went into the water and were partly submerged. DeGraff said both crewmembers on board "swam to high ground" and were rescued by emergency responders. Nobody was hurt.

DeGraff said the 64-car train was traveling south from Midlothian to Houston. He had no immediate details on how many cars went off the tracks since the flooded area was not accessible to cleanup crews.

The train is not expected to be righted and returned to the tracks until the water recedes and heavy equipment can be brought to the area. A timetable for when that may happen has not been determined.

Both directions of Interstate 45 were closed Friday night near Corsicana due to high water. The southbound lanes reopened Friday at about 10 p.m. and the northbound lanes reopened Saturday morning.

The National Weather Service said Saturday morning that 18.07 inches of rain had been recorded in Corsicana since Thursday evening.

Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday that Israel and Jordan have agreed on steps aimed at reducing tensions at a holy site in Jerusalem that have fanned Israeli-Palestinian violence, NBC News reported.

Kerry said the steps include round-the-clock video monitoring and Israel's reaffirming of Jordan's special and historic role as custodian of the site, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif.

Kerry made the announcement after meeting in Jordan's capital King Abdullah II and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

Apple is facing a $5 million lawsuit alleging the iPhone's "Wi-Fi Assist" feature caused cellular data overage fees for numerous users, NBC News reported.

Apple Insider was the first to report the lawsuit, which was filed Friday in U.S. District Court in San Jose, California, on behalf of a Florida couple, William Scott Phillips and Suzanne Schmidt Phillips.

Wi-Fi Assist automatically switches the phone's connection to cellular if the user is on slow or patchy WiFi, ideally ensuring quick and seamless Internet access. The feature can be toggled on or off in the Cellular section of the phone's Settings menu. But because it's on by default, it may silently have eaten up data allowances on phones when the owner thought they were on a WiFi connection, and therefore free to use high-bandwidth apps like Netflix.

The lawsuit seeks class-action status to include anyone who owned a device running iOS 9, whether it was on the phone when they got it or installed as an update. It's not clear just how many people were affected by the issue or how much money iPhone users actually paid in cellphone data overages, but according to the lawsuit, "the overall amount in controversy exceeds $5,000,000."

In an effort to reclaim her stolen purse, a 64-year-old woman chased the thief and clung to his car, dragging behind it.

On Oct. 19, the woman walked into a business in the 7400 block of Clairemont Mesa Boulevard and put her purse down on the front counter, San Diego Police say.

Seeing an opportunity, a suspect ran in, grabbed the woman’s purse, and escaped out the door. As he ran to a Dodge Caliber outside, the victim chased him out.

She struggled with the man as he got into the car, and she grasped onto the door when he began to drive away.

After she was dragged a short distance, suffering minor cuts and abrasions, she released the car, and the suspect got away before police arrived.

But on Oct. 22, this robbery merged with a missing person case. San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the 13400 of Community Road to do a welfare check on Sierra Noriega, 21, who had been reported missing.

There, they contacted Noriega, as well as a man with her: 23-year-old Cody Doyle. Deputies found stolen items in the couple’s possession, including things taken from the victim on Oct. 19.

Police say Doyle also had a stolen Dodge Caliber, which was used in the robbery.

SDPD detectives soon arrested both suspects. Doyle was booked into jail on charges of first-degree robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of stolen property and conspiracy.

Noriega was booked into jail on burglary, possession of stolen property, identity theft and conspiracy charges.
 

County health officials are trying to determine if anyone touched a rabid bat on their trip to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park earlier this month.

A park patron discovered the bat, which was still alive, on Oct. 9 at about 5:30 p.m. It was in a public area by the Mombasa Pavilion.

Park security removed the animal without touching it, and Friday, test results confirmed the bat had rabies.

No human or animal contact with the bat has been reported.

Still, the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency wants to make sure. If you or someone in your group touched the bat, call the agency at 619-692-8499 as soon as possible.

“Human rabies is usually fatal unless the individual has prompt post-exposure vaccine and treatment,” said Sayone Thihalolipavan, M.D., M.P.H., County deputy public health officer, in a statement. “In this incident, there has been no human or animal contact reported, but we want to be absolutely certain that no one had contact with it.”

Rabies can be transmitted if a bat bites you or if its saliva comes in contact with a cut, abrasion or mucous membrane like your eyes, nose or mouth.

Anytime you find a bat –dead or alive – you should not touch it, health officials say. If you do come in contact with one, wash the affected area with soap and water and seek medical advice.
 

A former elementary school teacher accused of child molestation no longer faces criminal charges, a judge ruled Friday.

Robert Noel Anderson, who at one time faced the possibility of a life in prison, was surprised and relieved to learn of the decision.

“A nightmare hopefully now is over,” said Anderson.

A full year behind bars took a toll on Anderson. Facing 12 counts of child molestation, the former teacher at Dehesa Elementary School teacher spent his 59th birthday in jail. He lost 20 pounds.

But on Friday, he walked out of the County Courthouse in El Cajon a free man.

In a move that surprised even his defense attorney, the district attorney decided to dismiss the case after a jury could not reach a verdict in the case on Sept. 16.

The alleged incidents happened between 2003 and 2013. Nine former students took the stand during the trial, alleging Anderson had touched them inappropriately.

But defense attorney Kerry Armstrong argued the details in the alleged victim’s stories had changed over the years.

“I do not think Mr. Anderson touched any of those girls in an inappropriate way. And I’ll go to my grave feeling that,” said Armstrong. “I’m glad they realized they would have never been able to convict Mr. Anderson.”

According to the prosecutor, the jury acquitted Anderson on one of the 12 counts. In nine other counts, the jury deadlocked 8-4 in favor of Anderson’s innocence. The vote was 9-3 for two other counts.

“We certainly take child molest cases very seriously, but we also can only go forward on cases we feel we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt,” said Deputy District Attorney Chantal De Mauregne.

She said the jury vote count played a big part in the decision to dismiss the case.

“We don’t feel another jury would be able to make a unanimous decision,” said de Mauregne, citing many factors including the timing between the alleged incident and the date charges were brought.

During the brief status hearing, Anderson had about 12 supporters made up of family and former co-workers. Once outside of the courtroom, they gave a loud round of applause.

“It’s been tough because I left a career I love, and people I loved. So it’s been very difficult. The last year in jail was no fun at all,” said Anderson.
 

Five students at a San Diego-area high school fell ill Friday after they reportedly ate marijuana-laced brownies, the San Diego Unified School District told NBC 7.

Students say they saw a girl vomit during lunch and another appeared to be hallucinating at Crawford Senior High School in the El Cerrito neighborhood.

The principal called 911, and five students were taken to the hospital. They were all released Friday evening.

While there were no serious injuries, the school's principal is using the opportunity to share a serious message.

He wrote a letter home to parents that encouraged them to talk to their kids about not sharing food.

"Unfortunately, drugs come in different forms and formats, and there is also the concern about allergens," the letter said in part.

One student told NBC 7 he already had a similiar conversation with his mother. 

"Well she tells me never take stuff from people that you don't know or you don't trust period," he said, "because it can have, like, medical marijuana in it or just marijuana period, and it can damage your body."

SDUSD police are investigating to confirm of the brownies, indeed, contained marijuana and where they came from.

The principal said "proper actions will be taken" and administrators take the health and safety of their students very seriously.

 The driver of a car died in after the car flipped and pinned him under it, San Diego Police said.

At approximately 3:15 a.m., a 21-year-old man and 19-year-old woman were driving a 2010 Honda Accord in the parking lot of Alvarodo Medical Center on the 6500 block of Alvarado Road in San Diego’s College East neighborhood.

When the driver made a U-turn, police said, he hit a steel pole in the parking lot and lost control of the car.

The car flipped over and pinned the driver under the car. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The passenger sustained non-life threatening injuries. She was taken to the hospital.

San Diego Police’s Traffic Division is investigating. Anyone with information about this crash is asked to call San Diego Police or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

 A pedestrian has died after being hit by a car in the South Bay, police said. 

The collision happened just before 3 a.m. Saturday on the 400 block of Telegraph Canyon Road east of Interstate 805 in Chula Vista, police say. 

A man, in his 50s, was crossing the street sometime overnight when several people called 911 to report seeing his body in the bike lane. He was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Police said a 26-year-old woman exited I-805 and made a right onto Telegraph Road and realized she hit something. She told police she didn't know exactly what she hit and continued driving to her parent's house and parked the car in the garage. 

She then came back to the scene two hours later, police said. Police have not made any arrests, though they did take the driver's car with a broken windwhield.  

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to call the police. 

At least three people were killed and 22 others injured when a driver plowed into a crowd of spectators at the Oklahoma State University homecoming parade, officials said.

The 25-year-old driver of the car, Adacia Chambers, was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence, Stillwater police said at an afternoon news conference.

A Stillwater Hospital spokeswoman told NBC News that at least 20 patients had been brought in with injuries ranging from minor to serious. More patients were being flown to Oklahoma City and Tulsa, she said. Of the 22 injured in the crash, at least eight were critically hurt and seven seriously, police said.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin sent her condolences to those who were "affected by the tragic events" in a tweet.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Flights are canceled and buses are busy trying to get people away from the path of Hurricane Patricia as it makes landfall in Mexico.

But as many Americans race to get home, one group of San Diegans is heading the opposite direction.

“We’re not afraid to go to ground zero where the greatest needs are,” said Chris Bessenecker, the vice president of strategic initiatives at San Diego-based nonprofit Project Concern International (PCI).

Bessenecker is keeping close watch on what experts are calling one of the most powerful hurricanes in history — a Category 5 storm that made landfall on Mexico’s southwestern Pacific Coast Friday.

His passport is ready, his bag is packed. He will join a team headed into the area Sunday to provide help to those in need.

“We'll connect with a ministry of health partners and understand what their needs are," Bessenecker said.

He has responded to multiple hurricane relief efforts over the years during his time with PCI. Pictures show him helping Haitians after the devastating 2010 earthquake.

According to Bessenecker, Mexico may have similar needs after Patricia, such as medical care, education and community redesign.

San Diegan Jonathan Lock is already on the ground in Mexico, waiting to see what happens. He was on the East Coast in 2012 when Hurricane Sandy hit.

“I’m not worried about the storm,” Lock said. “I’m worried more about the aftereffects, whether infrastructure, water, power, food. That’s what I'm more worried about.”

Bessenecker said the faster you can help get those resources back online, the faster people get back on their feet.

An upstate New York man strangled his mother in a motel room, where he and his wife lived with the body for seven weeks before dumping it in a wooded area in South Carolina, state police said Saturday.

State troopers went to the Pleasant Valley Motel on Oct. 6 to check on 76-year-old Betty Cole after family members expressed concern about her well-being. Cole had been living at the motel, but wasn't there when troopers arrived, according to police.

A subsequent investigation revealed that Cole's son, Charles, 48, and his wife, Ronalda, 40, had been sharing the motel room with her.

Betty Cole's body was found in a secluded wooded area near Interstate 95 in the town of Lodge, South Carolina, on Oct. 17, police said. Investigators determined that Charles Cole had strangled his mother and, weeks later, drove the body to South Carolina.

“I find it hard to imagine circumstances that could lead to a son strangling his mother, but to also live with her body in a motel room for seven weeks, and to then travel several states away to dump her body like trash makes this a particularly disturbing and unusual case,” said state police Capt. John J. Ryan.

Investigators found Charles Cole at a homeless service provider in Poughkeepsie on Friday and charged him with second-degree murder. He was being held in Dutchess County Jail without bail.

Ronalda Cole was arrested Oct. 18 and charged with a felony count of tampering with physical evidence for allegedly helping her husband dump the body. She was jailed in lieu of $10,000 cash bail.

There was no information as to whether the Coles had obtained lawyers who could comment on the charges.

A man who answered the phone at the Pleasant Valley Motel on Saturday denied there was a body there for seven weeks, saying guests would have complained about the smell. He said police made the story up.

The motel, where rooms start at $65 per night, is located on a rural thoroughfare 7 miles from the center of Poughkeepsie.

New video purports to show Thursday's raid in Iraq, which freed dozens of ISIS hostages and resulted in the death of an American commando, NBC News reports.

NBC News obtained the video exclusively from Arab24, a news outlet based in Jordan that said Kurdish military officials provided the footage.

The video appears to have been taken on helmet cameras at a prison near the town of Hawija, which U.S. and Kurdish commandos stormed early Thursday after receving a tip hostages would soon be executed, NBC News reports.

Delta Force commando Master Sgt. Joshua Wheeler, an Oklahoma native, was killed in the ensuing gun battle. He became the first American to die in combat against ISIS.

Named by Hauntedhouses.com this year as the second best Halloween haunted house in the country, the Gaslamp’s Haunted Hotel spares no expense making sure your stay is uncomfortable, unpleasant, and quintessentially sinister – and don’t worry the torture is complimentary.

Located in a nondescript building at the corner of Fourth and Market in downtown, the Haunted Hotel is San Diego’s longest running haunted house and has even been featured on the Travel Channel. On weekend nights the Hotel regularly has a line that snakes to the other side of the street.

When guests first enter the Hotel they are beckoned into the Hellevator, which quickly lives up to its name. Once off the elevator things just get worse.

“Even walking through with the lights on is a frightful experience,” said Lauren Metza, a first year scare actor at the Hotel. “The rooms don't just stick to the 'hotel' theme but take the guest on a journey from nightmare to nightmare.”

Metza explained the Hotel contains everything from demented Cabbage Patches on ‘Doll Island’ to killer clowns and an autopsy room. “The movie-grade props and sets surpassed my expectations tremendously.”

Guests feeling brave can visit the Hotel on Wednesday for ‘Lights Out’ where they must feel their way through the attraction in complete darkness with nothing more than a glow necklace.

From fear of the dark to falling to claustrophobia and what is lurking underneath the bed, the Hotel taps into people’s deepest fears.

Finishing her first season, Metza said the actors in the Hotel feel like a family; It’s hard to imagine Thanksgiving.

The Haunted Hotel will be open every night through Halloween. Tickets can be bought online or at the box office.
 

In a male dominated sport, a 7-year-old girl in Southern California is shining on her undefeated youth football team.

Amazyn East, who plays for the Carson Colts, is the only girl on her team.

She is the only girl on any of the 13 teams she plays against in the Orange County All American Football Conference, her father, Eric East, said.

The league is for 5 and 6 year olds, but Amazyn, having just turned seven, is still able to play this year.

Amazyn's brothers played football and she has been watching football from the field since she was born, her dad said.

Eric East said his daughter asked to try out for the team this year, and after seeing how talented she was, he agreed to let her play. Since the season started in August, Amazyn has scored in every game.

Eric East admits there are challenges for Amazyn being the only girl on the team.

"It's very challenging, but they've welcomed her with open arms," Eric East said. "They love her."

The young athlete isn't limited to football. According to her dad, Amazyn also plays basketball and runs track for youth teams in Carson.

If Amazyn continues football next year, she will move up into a tackle football league, and while her dad says Amazyn wants to keep playing, he isn't so sure. For now, Eric East says, they will face that challenge next year.