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Woman Hit and Killed in San Ysidro Identified

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A woman hit and killed while crossing the street in San Ysidro last week has been identified.

Cecilia Quenery Valdez, 69, died Wednesday night when a car going northbound on Dairy Mart Road, near W. San Ysidro Boulevard hit her.

Valdez was attempting to cross Dairy mart Road outside of the crosswalk when she was hit.

Witnesses told NBC 7, she was crossing the street in between cars when the vehicle struck her, throwing her about 30 feet into the air.

Valdez died on the scene.

The driver of that car did not leave, San Diego Police Department (SDPD) said.



Photo Credit: NBC10

San Marcos School District Employee Placed on Leave

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A long time night custodian with the San Marcos School District has been placed on administrative leave but district officials are not releasing the reason for the decision.

But one published report claims the employee was the subject of a restraining order that alleged threatening statements against one of the schools in the district as well as the administrators at that school.

The stunning accusations came to light after four co-workers filed a petition for a Workplace Violence Restraining Order. The restraining order, against David Eugene Goosen, 51, was granted on April 27th.

The protection order includes a principal and former supervisor.

“He has threatened a school shooting in the past, made a death threat against a school administrator and has followed a co-worker home on multiple occasions,” writes a lawyer for the school district in the document.

In describing the respondent’s conduct, the document describes a history of aggressive and hostile behavior toward students and staff.

“His conduct has recently escalated towards his co-workers causing them to fear for their safety,” writes the school district lawyer.

The document describes an incident on April 6, 2016 when Goosen allegedly became aggressive when he could not locate a mop handle. It also details aggressive behavior toward students on two occasions.

In May 2013, Goosen allegedly kicked a student at Alvin Dunn Elementary when that student did not sit appropriately in the cafeteria.

In May 2015, he allegedly screamed at a female student, who had asked if he needed a license to drive a golf cart. The document alleges Goosen approached the student in a “hostile and aggressive manner.”

NBC 7 spoke to some parents Monday who expressed their surprise.

“Oh my goodness. There’s not a lot that I’ve heard yet, so this is news to me,” said parent Tracy Bronson.

Bronson said the allegations make her nervous and she is interested to know more.

Another court document filed on April 27th, ordered Goosen not to possess any guns or firearms.

But a court document on May 12th shows Goosen requested for a hearing to lift the order. The document also shows he was released from a Mental Health Facility on May 6th.

NBC 7 spoke to Goosen at his home in Escondido Monday. He denied all the allegations and asked to be left alone.

District spokesperson Anna Roybal said the decision to place the employee on administrative leave was made after a thorough investigation.

“As safety and security is of paramount importance to our district, we reported our findings to law enforcement and implemented other precautionary measures we believed to be appropriate,” Roybal said Monday in a statement. “Although, we can't comment on the specifics of the investigation, we're closely monitoring this situation and cooperating with law enforcement."

Caltrans Closes Northbound I-805

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Crews will close down all northbound lanes of Interstate 805 from La Jolla Village Drive to Interstate 5 starting Monday evening at 9:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Caltrans said.

The same section of freeway will also be closed from Thursday at 9:30 p.m. to Friday at 5 a.m.

Caltrans is doing construction on the Interstate 805 North Express Lanes Project.

Drivers will be detoured to westbound SR-52 to I-5.

Nobel Drive and Governor Drive exits will remain open to local traffic.

Crews are constructing one carpool lane in each direction from just north of SR-52 to just north of Mira Mesa Boulevard.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Vector Control to Spray Against Mosquitoes Near Del Mar

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The County of San Diego’s Vector Control Program is scheduled to conduct pesticide spraying in north Torrey Pines and South Del Mar after finding increasing numbers of mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus in the area.

Vector Control plans to use a truck-mounted sprayer. The pesticide has been used safely in California for years.

Spraying is scheduled for Wednesday between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m., weather permitting. 

The spraying area includes communities north of Los Peñasquitos Lagoon, the areas between Seapoint Townhomes and Pointe Del Mar bounded by Carmel Valley Road on the south, Interstate 5 on the east to the northern junction of Portofino Circle and Portofino Drive, and Highway 101 (North Torrey Pines) on the west.

Additional spraying may be done at the same hours Thursday and Friday.

The pesticide, Pyrenone 25-5, poses low risks to people and pets.



Photo Credit: LA Times via Getty Images

Mayoral Endorsement Across Party Lines

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A big power play has just stirred up the politics in a key City Council race. 

On Monday, San Diego's Republican mayor endorsed one of the Democrats running for the District 3 seat.

The other Dem calls the move a "conservative coup.” 

Democratic Party and labor leaders say the Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s backing of Anthony Bernal will matter less to District 3 voters than the fact that Bernal's termed-out boss, Councilman Todd Gloria, isn't endorsing Bernal. 

But they're concerned that Bernal could dilute the Dems' 5-4 voting bloc on the Council.

"I've worked with Anthony and I've seen first-hand the work that he does in the neighborhoods, the work he does here at City Hall,” Faulconer told a scrum of reporters on Civic Center Plaza. “I think he brings the right brand of experience, of compassion, and his ability to work with everybody." 

Bernal and Faulconer emphasized that they'll "agree to disagree" on issues if Bernal is elected. 

Their choice of "the color purple" in neckties was meant to send a message that common-ground values should outweigh red-versus-blue partisan politics. 

“I believe it's about progress,” Bernal said, “about making sure that we continue to build our neighborhoods, invest in our neighborhood infrastructure, rebuild our water, our stormwater system.”

In the aftermath of their announcement, Bernal's rival Chris Ward, chief of staff for state Senator Marty Block, met the media in Hillcrest, backed by a posse of big-name Democrats and union executives.

Their message is that Bernal's financial support is coming from conservative and special interests that are "out of the mainstream" of District 3 constituents.

“I am really proud of my endorsements by people like Christine Kehoe and Toni Atkins, of David Alvarez and Donna Frye, of the Sierra Club, and many of our hard-working men and women at the City of San Diego."

The LGBT community is troubled by an $1,100 contribution to Bernal's campaign by developer Douglas Manchester -- who donated $125,000 to the polarizing Prop. 8 campaign.

Bernal said he disagrees with Manchester on marriage equality.

But as a businessman with downtown properties in the district, Bernal explained, Manchester "has a voice in that."



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Va. Teacher Charged With Sex Crimes

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A Northern Virginia Community College math teacher is facing several charges after Prince William County, Virginia, police said he raped one of his students and sexually assaulted another. 

Youssef Taleb, 27, is charged with rape, object sexual penetration and sexual battery.

One of Taleb's students went to NVCC police May 5 and reported she had been sexually assaulted. She told police Taleb took her into a conference room on the school's Manassas campus May 3 to help her with some calculus problems. Once they were in the room, Taleb sexually assaulted her, according to a search warrant. The woman also accused Taleb of raping her in a classroom March 22. 

The second woman, who also reported the allegations to police May 5, according to the search warrant, told police she was sexually assaulted earlier in the semester. 

His two accusers were not in the same class and did know know one another, police said.

During a search of his Fairfax County home, Prince William County police took clothing, a cellphone, documents and photos. Detective hoped to find transfer evidence of a sex crime on Taleb's clothing.

Taleb's attorney has not returned a call from News4.

"It's very shocking because I actually just had him this spring and he was very professional and very supportive in class, so it was very shocking to find out he's involved in this," said NVCC student Jeannette Amya. "I would never guess to see it coming."

Alberto Pindeo, who rented a room to Taleb, said he couldn't believe it. The allegations left him speechless.

"He always seemed like a really great person," he said.

Taleb is being held in Prince William County. He has been relieved of his duties as an adjunct instructor.



Photo Credit: Prince William County Police Department

Donald Trump Hires Pollster After Dismissing Them

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Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will hire veteran pollster Tony Fabrizio, a source close to the Trump campaign confirmed to NBC News.

Trump's hiring of Fabrizio is a significant departure from the candidate's past statements decrying pollsters and dismissing the need for polling to guide his campaign.

“I don't want to waste money on pollsters,” Trump told NBC News’ Chuck Todd in August. “We have enough of that in Washington with pollsters telling everybody what to say and everybody being controlled by the special interests, and the lobbyists, et cetera, and the donors."

Fabrizio most recently worked on Sen. Rand Paul's presidential campaign and Florida Gov. Rick Scott's campaign.



Photo Credit: AP

LAUSD Pays $88M in Sex Abuse Suits

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The Los Angeles Unified School District has reached an $88-million settlement in a sex abuse case involving 30 students at Telfair Avenue Elementary School in Pacoima and George De La Torre Jr. Elementary School in Wilmington, victims' attorneys announced Monday.

The attorneys said 18 cases at De La Torre were settled for $58 million and 12 Telfair cases were settled for $30 million. The cases involved allegations against two teachers, one at each school.

"These historic settlements occurred because of overwhelming evidence that the District ignored warnings, employee reports and parent complaints that both of these horrible men were molesting dozens of children in the classroom," victims' attorney John C. Manly said in a statement released Monday night. "These reports made their way to the highest levels of District leadership where they were either ignored entirely or actively suppressed and the predators allowed to remain in the classroom. The question that the District needs to answer is how could this have happened? The LAUSD Board has not held a single public hearing on this issue nor does it plan to. The public deserves answers."

LAUSD Superintendent Michelle King said in a statement the district has made changes since the scandals.

"There is nothing more important than the safety of the students we serve. The resolution of these cases allows us to spare our L.A. Unified families the anguish of multiple protracted trials while being mindful of the financial consequences of these settlements," King said in a written statement Monday night.

"Well before the resolution of these cases, the School District made changes in our policies and practices to strengthen the protections for our students. While we are proud of the steps we have taken, we will continue to work diligently with our parents and the community to provide the safest possible environment for our students to learn and succeed," King said. 

The settlements come on the heels of verdicts in November 2015 on behalf of two young victims of sexual abuse at Telfair by teacher Paul Chapel III.

The jury in those cases awarded each of the victims $3 million. Chapel is serving a 25-year prison term after pleading no contest in 2012 to molesting 13 boys over a four-and-a-half year period.

The abuse at De La Torre Elementary School involved teacher Robert Pimental, who is also serving a state prison term after pleading no contest to charges of lewd acts on a child.

LAUSD was rocked a few years ago by abuse allegations involving teacher Mark Burndt at Miramonte Elementary School downtown. The district paid more than $175 million in that case, and Burndt is serving a 25-year sentence for lewd acts on children.

City News Service contributed to this report.


2 Injured in Coronado Motorcycle Accident

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A man and woman were hospitalized and part of a busy road was shut down in Coronado after a motorcycle accident Monday night, Coronado Police confirmed.

The crash happened around 6:53 p.m. on the 7400 block of Silver Strand Boulevard. 

Police say it was a single motorcycle accident with two passengers. The woman suffered serious injuries but was conscious.

Both were taken to the hospital.

It's unclear who was driving at the time of the crash.

Police say it is unknown if drugs or alcohol played a factor in the crash. But they believe the driver was going too fast and may have lost control.

No other information was immediately available.



Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Ex-Sports Star Eyed in Wife's Death

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A former star wrestler at Wheaton College is suspected of killing his pregnant wife at their suburban Minneapolis home.

Yeveginy Savenok, 30, turned himself in over the weekend, ending a large-scale police search following the stabbing death of his wife. 

Police responded to a report of a domestic disturbance around 10:30 a.m. Saturday in the 17100 block of Park Circle in Eden Prairie, an upscale suburb about 12 miles southwest of downtown Minneapolis. Officers arrived to find a 23-year-old woman with multiple stab wounds.

The woman, identified by family members as Lyuba Savenok, was transported to the Hennepin County Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead, authorities said.

Lyuba Savenok was the mother of a 4-year-old boy, Matthew, and a 3-year-old daughter, Vivienne. Her brother, Aleksandr Katane, said Lyuba Savenok was 26 weeks pregnant with her third child — a boy she planned to name Ellis.

Her assailant fled, prompting a massive police search across the metro area.

At about 1 p.m., the suspect, identified by police as the woman’s husband, Yeveginy Savenok, turned himself in to the St. Paul Police Department. He was held in custody and could face two counts of murder, according to records at the Hennepin County Jail. Charges had not been filed as of Monday afternoon.

Law enforcement officials told NBC affiliate station KARE 11 they’ve been called to the home before for "domestic assault cases." Yeveginy Savenok was arrested previously and charged with domestic assault. He was reportedly scheduled for a jury trial in the case.

Yeveginy Savenok graduated from Wheaton College in 2009, according to school records. An article on the school’s website reported in 2007 he was named to the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Scholar All-American Team.

"Wheaton College is grieved to learn of this tragic situation," the school said in a statement.

Lyuba Savenok's family has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for funeral expenses and costs associated with raising her two children.

"We believe that justice will be served and so right now her family, loved ones and friends are focusing on celebrating her life and taking great care of her two beautiful children," Katane said in a statement. "Lyuba was a force of joy and passion. She really flourished when she became a mom and so we honor her by trying to set her kids up for success."

It was not immediately clear if Yeveginy Savenok had an attorney.

Police urge anyone involved in a domestic violence situation to seek help. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety has resources available on its website, as does the Illinois Department of Human Services.



Photo Credit: Savenok Family Photo

Marco Rubio Mocks Media With Gym Jokes in Late Night Twitter Tirade

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Former Republican hopeful Marco Rubio unleashed a late-night Twitter tirade that included sarcastic tweets about his gym routine.

The rant followed a story in the Washington Post that suggested he was unsure of his political future, citing "people close to him."

 A "longtime friend" says Rubio is "betwixt" about whether to work out his "chest or legs tomorrow at gym," Rubio tweeted, mocking the article.

"According to source who knows his cousins, wife's dentist, Rubio could do cardio instead," he added.

Rubio suspended his campaign on March 15 after failing to win his home state of Florida.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Hiker, 64, Found Tied to Tree in NC

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Police are hunting a "scruffy" and "unwashed" suspect in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Parkway after a 64-year-old hiker was found tied to a tree and in need of hospital treatment.

Rescuers located the woman after her friend called 911 on Thursday afternoon from an area of the park popular with families and hikers.

She was found tied to a tree off a trail near the Craggy Gardens picnic site in what park authorities said was a possible assault, without releasing additional information.

The Reems Creek Fire Department said the hiker was found in need of urgent attention from paramedics and was transported to the Mission Hospital in Asheville for treatment. No further information was released on her condition.



Photo Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

4 Hurt When Plane Hits Turbulence

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A Southwest Airlines flight bound for Chicago was forced to double back to Boston's Logan Airport on Monday night after hitting turbulence so severe passengers vomited and passed out and four people were injured.

Flight 147 had only been in the air about 10 minutes when the plane hit bad turbulence around 9:20 p.m. ET, flight officials said.

Some of the 133 passengers on board said they felt as if the plane had been falling before it "suddenly stopped." Witnesses told NBC Chicago the impact was so severe, some people on board started throwing up and others fainted, prompting the pilot to ask for help from passengers with medical training.

"I helped one of the flight attendants [then] went back to the seat," said Dr. Nathaniel George, a podiatrist from Chicago. "I think somebody yelled out. Another passenger got nauseous. ... Then they said they had to turn the plane around."

Chicago nurse Sherry Sanchez was among those who jumped in to help.

"There was another girl passed out, there was about four to five people throwing up," Sanchez recalled in an interview with NBC Chicago. "The other flight attendant fell into the side of a chair, hurt his arm, but he didn't break it. ... It was pretty scary for everybody on the plane."

The pilot turned the plane around and landed in Boston just after midnight. According to MassPort, four people suffered minor injuries. Two were taken to a local hospital. The other two refused medical treatment.

"Thankfully, there were a lot of people able to help," said passenger Angela Gordon, a teacher in Chicago. "Everyone came together and supported one another, but we're all exhausted."

Southwest brought in a new flight crew and the plane departed once again for Chicago, according the airline. It landed at Midway Airport around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, about four and a half hours behind schedule.



Photo Credit: AP

Fireball Streaks Through New England Night Sky

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A huge flash lit up the sky across New England around 1 a.m. Tuesday. Hundreds of people across the region reported seeing the flash, which was likely a fireball - a bright meteor or object that enters Earth's atmosphere.

The sight was captured on police dashcam video in Portland, Maine, and also spotted by necn viewers from Killington, Vermont, to Haverhill, Massachusetts. It illuminated the night sky for just a few seconds before fading away.

"The meteor (or alien spaceship) was caught on camera at approximately 0050 hours," the Portland Police Department wrote on Facebook. "Let's hope the visitors are friendly. They could just be some of Stephen King's friends on there way to visit him. Whomever they are I'm sure we could win them over with a whoopie pie."

Several other Maine police departments also posted about the fireball on their social media accounts. Atop the Mount Washington Observatory, fog prevented observers from noticing much of anything.



Photo Credit: Michael McCormack/Portsmouthwebcam.com
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Many Sunscreens Don’t Meet SPF Claims: Consumer Reports

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Consumer Reports tested 65 water-resistant sunscreens with SPF numbers of 30 or higher and found that nearly half did not meet their SPF claims. Nearly three-quarters of "natural" sunscreens also fell short.

Consumer Reports recommends 17 sunscreens that performed well on the tests, including La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60 Melt-In Sunscreen Milk lotion, Pure Sun Defense SPF 50 lotion, No-Ad Sport SPF 50 lotion, Banana Boat SunComfort Continuous Spray SPF 50+, and Equate Sport Continuous Spray SPF 50.

If you're not using one of the top-rated products, Consumer Reports suggests using a chemical sunscreen with an SPF of at least 40 to get the minimum protection needed. 



Photo Credit: Getty Images
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'No Trump Anytime' Signs

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The political season is hitting the streets in a very literal way in Washington, D.C. and other cities around the country.

News4 reporter Tom Sherwood spotted an unusual traffic sign outside the Howard Theater on Monday. In addition to the usual "No Parking" and "Tow Away" signs, there was another at the bottom of the stack: "No Trump Anytime."

The sign prohibiting presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump from parking in the area is not an official D.C. Department of Transportation or Metropolitan Police Department sign, Sherwood said.

He said a sticker on the back bears the name of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.

"No Trump Anytime" signs have been spotted in other cities, including Los Angeles, London, Miami, New York and Chicago. They are the work of Plastic Jesus, a self-proclaimed urban creative strategist based in LA.

The artist, whose first name is Nick, told NBC Washington he made and personally installed the signs in Los Angeles and London. He said "collaborators" posted signs in other cities on his behalf in prominent locations, "preferably in front of Trump buildings."

The former photojournalist, who is known for his guerrilla-style street art, did not give a reason for the sign but said he did the same for the Kardashians. 

In April 2015, the artist installed "No Kardashian Parking" signs around Hollywood.



Photo Credit: NBC4
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Jamul Horse Owner Convicted of Neglect

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The owner of a mare and her colt horses seized from a Jamul property was convicted of neglect and faced sentencing Monday.

A total of 16 horses were removed from a home on Bratton Valley Road in September 2015, according to San Diego County Animal Services. 

Officers seized a mare and her colt who were in a "life-threatening" situation, they said. The mare weighed 727 pounds and the colt weighed 154 pounds when they were taken from their owner.

They were housed at the county’s Bonita animal care facility and gradually put on weight.

Officials said in just more than two weeks, the mare had gained almost 100 pounds and the colt put on 26 pounds.

The agency impounded 16 horses in all, including four stallions, two geldings and eight mares. All were underweight, according to Animal Services Deputy Director Dan DeSousa.

On May 1, the owner was convicted of two misdemeanor counts of neglect. He faces sentencing on Monday, May 16.

In an earlier interview, DeSousa said that horses sometimes become victims of neglect when people cannot afford the high cost of hay or as high a quality of feed as their animals require. Another big expense is veterinarians, who often must make house calls to care for livestock.



Photo Credit: County Dept. of Animal Services

Surprise! PB Resident Finds Opossum in Toilet

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A woman made a startling discovery earlier this month when she found a baby opossum in her toilet in San Diego.

The Pacific Beach resident had no idea how the little critter got there but alerted San Diego County Animal Services, and an animal control officer responded to “rescue” the animal, authorities said.

Animal control officers said in a Facebook post that they don’t believe the opossum came into the toilet through the plumbing before being found May 1.

After the homeowner found a second opossum in her home, she discovered a broken window, which is likely how the furry creature got inside.

The opossum is doing well after his toilet swim and recovering at Project Wildlife, officers said. The baby opossum will be released back into the wild once he’s old enough to survive on his own.

Finding rodents in the toilet isn't quite as rare in Southern California as you might think — a boa constrictor was found slithering in a toilet last year at a downtown San Diego PR firm.

And just last week, a python was found in a shower in South Park.



Photo Credit: San Diego County Animal Services
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Bullets in Bar Fight Strike Home of New Mom, Baby

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A bullet fired Monday during a fight outside a City Heights bar struck a nearby home where a woman was with her child, San Diego Police said.

A fight began around midnight involving a group of people at the Vallarta Bar and Grill off of El Cajon Boulevard, east of State Route 15.

Soon after, shots were fired into the street from inside a Ford Expedition traveling southbound on Marlborough Avenue. The SUV was described as gold with 20 to 22-inch rims, police said.

Bullets shattered the windows of a parked Toyota Tundra and struck the home behind the truck, police said.

No one was injured.

No other information was immediately available.

Student: Crash at Elementary School Was 'Really Scary'

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Students returned to Del Mar Heights Elementary School Monday following a parking lot crash that injured nine children during afternoon pickup on Friday.

A 70-year-old woman was behind the wheel of a Honda Civic in the school parking lot when she reversed and struck a parked car. She reacted by driving forward, up onto a sidewalk and into a group of children.

Among the nine children injured, police say an 11-month-old child in a stroller was pinned beneath the car, San Diego Police Department (SDPD) confirmed.

Del Mar Union School District Superintendent Holly McClurg told NBC 7 that all students who were injured have been released from the hospital.

Declan Danahy saw the car back into a parked car and then change directions to go forward.

“Instead of moving forward a little bit she just went all the way,” Danahy said.

He said he managed to move out of the way and avoid injury.

“It was really scary,” he said.

McClurg met with parents Monday morning to address any concerns. Some parents said they felt the crash was an accident and not caused by a safety issue at school.

For children like Danahy , there will be counselors available on campus.

"They met early today to prepare for any students who might need to talk about the accident." McClurg said.

One parent told NBC 7 that she was impressed the fence was fixed over the weekend.

“When the kids come back everything will be back to normal as much as it could be,” said Lorie Van Tilburg.

The incident is under investigation. No decision has been made on whether to charge the driver.

“It was a rear bumper to rear bumper accident. She hit one vehicle and it appears she panicked and moved forward at a high rate of speed,” Lt. Scott Bender said.

Police say nine children, ages 11 months to nine years old, were hurt in the crash. Six of them taken to area hospitals, some with injuries initially described by authorities as "traumatic."

A five-year-old with a broken femur suffered the worst injury, police said.

The K-6 elementary school is part of the Del Mar Union School District.



Photo Credit: NBC 7
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