A father suspected of driving under the influence with his two young children in the back seat hit a car head-on, leaving the car's driver dead, authorities said. 

The crash happened at approximately 4:29 p.m. Monday at Vista Ramona Road and E Old Julian Highway, California Highway Patrol (CHP) officials said.

The father was driving his F-250 with a 4-year-old boy and 5-year-old girl in the backseat, according to CHP officers. 

While driving, he drifted off to the right shoulder and passed into the other lane, crashing head-on into a Nissan Altima, officers said. 

The driver, a Ramona resident, was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials had to use the Jaws of Life to extract her body from the fiery wreckage. 

CHP investigators said they suspect the father was driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. Following the crash, officers told NBC 7 the father was talking and coherent. 

The 4-year-old was airlifted to Rady Children's Hospital and the 5-year-old was taken to Palomar Hospital. 

As investigators work on scene, the surrounding road is shut down. 

No other information was immediately available.

Check back for updates on this breaking news story. 

A family wanting to take their 85-year-old father out sailing for his birthday says their reservation didn’t hold water when they questioned the condition of the vessel they were assigned. 

“We grew up sailing, he’s probably been sailing for 70 years,” Wendy Wilson said, speaking about her father. 

Over the years, Wendy and her family say they’ve gone to Mission Bay Sportscenter for classes and to rent Hobie Cats. 

They once again turned to Mission Bay Sportscenter when they wanted to reserve a 22-foot sailboat. 

“They [the family] said the boat was pretty beat up from the outside and my dad knows boats. He said there was a lot of water in the cockpit where you really shouldn’t see water,” Wendy said. 

Wendy says she talked to Mission Bay Sportcenter about getting her money back but says she was told she'd have to pay for the first hour. She says she didn't think that was fair, so she contacted them again. 

“We’ll have a manager call you back (they said) and that was the last we heard,” Wendy said. 

Wendy called NBC 7 Responds and within an hour after reaching out to the owner, Mission Bay Sportscenter told us they resolved the situation. 

“They [Mission Bay Sportscenter] were very apologetic,” Wendy said. “They said a manager should have got back to us and it was a communication breakdown but they refunded the entire amount.”

The driver of a stolen big rig was taken into custody after leading California Highway Patrol officers on hourslong pursuit on Riverside County freeways Tuesday.

The chase began about 10:30 a.m. in unincorporated Apple Valley, where a sheriff's deputy spotted the stolen truck and attempted to stop the driver.

With a line of CHP cruisers behind him, the driver made his way on the southbound 15 Freeway, eastbound 60 Freeway, eastbound 10 Freeway and eastbound Highway 62, into the high desert.

CHP Officer Brian Alvarez said spike strips would be an unlikely option to stop the truck due its size.

About 1:40 p.m., the driver parked the truck and surrendered. He was taken into custody without incident. He was identified as 48-year-old James Edgely of Victorville.

According to San Bernardino County Superior Court records, Edgely led deputies on another stolen big rig chase back in 2014.

Lee King, of Victorville, said Edgely was his former neighbor who used to live in his Garnet Cove neighborhood.

King said he's not suprised Edgely allegedly led the pursuit. He said Edgely would park the stolen big rigs on an empty street near his house and sell whatever cargo was in the trucks.

"He just was real with me and didn't lie," King said. "That's what he does for a living now."

A graphic on the side of the truck indicated the big rig belonged to Advanced Chemical Transport, a hazardous waste management firm.

The owner of firm, Walter Singer, said the truck had been stolen from a Barstow hotel parking lot sometime before 6 a.m. The thief disabled a GPS tracking device, but the company was able to find the truck's location through a second tracking device and notified authorities.

The truck was hauling non-hazardous materials, including medical waste, to Nevada, Singer said.

A federal trial pitting seven protesters against the government is set to begin Tuesday, months after brothers Ammon and Ryan Bundy and their fellow activists occupied a desolate Oregon bird sanctuary, NBC News reported.

The Bundys, part of a Nevada ranching family, and the five other defendants are charged with "conspiring to impede Interior Department employees from doing their jobs at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge through intimidation or threats."

The occupation began Jan. 2 to protest the jailing of two Oregon ranchers who were convicted of setting fires. The group, which called itself Citizens for Constitutional Freedom, then pivoted to demanding the government hand public lands over to locals.

Ammon Bundy gave daily press conferences with reporters and said the group was fighting unconstitutional federal land management policies. The defendants say they exercised their First Amendment rights by engaging in peaceful protests.

Authorities are searching for a man who stole a woman's purse from her car and swiped her credit cards at local stores. 

The incident happened on Sunday, Sept. 4, when the victim realized someone had stolen her purse from her unlocked car, parked on the 2400 block of Oxford Avenue in Encinitas, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSO). 

Inside the purse was the victim's wallet, which included identification cards, credit cards, a checkbook and other items. 

The victim's credit card company called her shorty after, alerting her that someone had tried to buy $383 worth of items at WalMart in San Marcos. The purchase was declined. 

The suspect used one of the stolen cards at a Shell gas station and spent $85. 

The suspect is described as 5 feet 10 inches and weighs approximately 170 pounds. He has short dark hair and was last seen wearing a baseball cap, black t-shirt and tan shorts. His car is described as a dark colored station wagon with a roof rack. 

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the North Coastal Sheriff’s Station at (760) 966-3500 or Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888) 580‐8477.

No other information was immediately available.

A student walking in between cars near Zamorano Elementary School in San Diego's Bay Terraces neighborhood was struck by a car, authorities said. 

The incident happened at approximately 2:08 p.m. Tuesday on the 2600 block of Casey Street, north of State Route 54, San Diego Fire-Rescue officials said. 

The young girl was walking in between cars when, somehow, one struck her, said San Diego Unified School District Spokesperson Jennifer Cornelius Rodriguez. It is unclear how the incident happened. 

The child was taken to Rady Children's Hospital with unknown injuries. 

No other information was immediately available.

A child was struck by a vehicle Tuesday near a San Diego-area elementary school.

San Diego Fire-Rescue crews responded to the location of the incident on Casey Street near Zamorano Elementary School.

The child was injured just after 2 p.m. It was unclear if the child moved out in front of the car or if the driver would be held responsible for the collision.

No other information was immediately available.

Check back for updates on this breaking news story. 

A driver was taken to the hospital after he struck a utility polce and several parked cars in San Diego's Serra Mesa neighborhood. 

The crash happened at approximately 1:45 p.m. Tuesay on the 3100 block of Admiral Avenue when officers responded to a traffic collision. 

It is unclear how the crash happened, police said. 

One patient was taken to Sharp Memorial Hospital. 

The crash is under investigation. 

No other information was immediately available.

The NCAA is only the latest organization to announce it’s pulling scheduled events out of North Carolina over House Bill 2. But in a state where college athletics are particularly revered, some wonder if losing this year's NCAA championship events will convince state officials to reconsider the controversial state law, NBC News reports. 

HB2 mandates that people in government buildings only use restrooms that correspond to the sex on their birth certificates. The state's Republican legislators and Gov. Pat McCrory fought hard for the law, but it's been criticized as discriminatory toward the LGBT community.

In the last 65 years, North Carolina has hosted more men's basketball tournament games than any other, and the NCAA's move could put more pressure on state lawmakers to repeal HB2 than ever before.

"I think [the NCAA's decision] is going to get a lot of people speaking about HB2 and realizing that nationwide revulsion against this law is not going away anytime soon," said University of Richmond professor Thad Williamson, who wrote "More Than a Game: Why North Carolina Basketball Means So Much to So Many."

San Diego County Sheriff’s Deputies have launched an investigation into the death of a male juvenile at a Poway home.

Poway Fire Department crews were called to the home on Orchard Gate Road at approximately 8 p.m. on Friday, September 9.

They call was to help an unresponsive juevnile who was having difficulty breathing, according to deputies. Deputies did not release an age of the victim.

Emergency personnel began CPR. However, the juvenile was pronounced dead, deputies said.

An investigation into the cause of death is underway.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Poway Station at (858) 513-2800/after hours at (858) 565-5200 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-TIPS(8477).

A woman found dead in an Imperial Beach home Sunday was killed in a murder-suicide, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSO). 

The incident happened at approximately 5:13 p.m. on Sunday when deputies responded to a 911 call for gunshots heard coming from an upstairs bedroom in the apartment complex on the 300 block of Imperial Beach Boulevard.

Deputies from the Imperial Beach Substation found two bodies lying on the bedroom floor with fatal trauma to their upper bodies.

The woman, identified as Suzanne Kirkwood King, 64, was pronounced dead when deputies arrived. Her cause of death was a single gunshot to the head and her manner of death was a homicide, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner's office (ME). 

The suspect, identified as Ren J. Verasco, 69, was alive when deputies arrived, but died a short time after he was taken to a local hospital, as a result of his wounds. The ME's office ruled his cause of death a single gunshot wound to the head and his manner of death was rule a suicide. 

The relationship between the suspect and the victim is unclear. 

Deputies said there are no outstanding suspects in the case. 

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Homicide Detail at (858) 974-2321, or their after hours at (858) 565-5200. If you would like to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

No other information was immediately available.

The ex-wife of retired NBC News Correspondent George Lewis has been identified as the woman who died in a crash near Camp Pendleton Monday evening. 

The crash happened at approximately 3:50 p.m. on the Interstate 5 at the Santa Margarita River.

The driver, identified as 74-year-old Jane Cook Lewis, of San Diego, was driving her 2004 Chrysler Pacifica at a high rate of speed in the southbound lanes of I-5, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner's office.

The network's Los Angeles Bureau confirmed she was Lewis' ex-wife Tuesday evening. 

Lewis' vehicle overturned several times and then became completely submerged in about six to eight feet of water after the crash, officers said. 

CHP officers said Camp Pendleton Swift Water Rescue and the Camp Pendleton Fire Department extricated Lewis, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

The crash is under investigation. 

No other information was immediately available.

It's time for some sun, ocean breeze and drinks... In Margaritaville, of course!

The world premiere of 'Escape to Margaritaville', a musical based off the music of Jimmy Buffet, will kick off La Jolla Playhouse's 2017-2018 season in May. 

The new musical follows the part-time bartender, part-time singer Tully, who thinks he has his life figured out.

But a beautiful, career-minded tourist comes to town and steals his heart, making him question all his decisions and plans. 

The story will be told with a unique blend of original, new songs in addition to Jimmy Buffet classics. 

Tickets will go on sale at a later date; returning subscribers will receive first access to tickets. 

California Gov. Jerry Brown is approving legislation requiring SeaWorld to follow through on its plan to end killer whale breeding and entertainment shows.

The Democratic governor said Tuesday he's signed a budget bill codifying SeaWorld's plans in state law.

A provision if SB839 makes it a crime for an individual or corporation to breed orcas in captivity, punishable by a fine of up to $100,000.

SeaWorld announced in March that it was no longer breeding orcas and would stop making whales do tricks at its amusement parks. The company plans to focus instead on the educational opportunities with its existing whales.

The new orca displays will begin next year at SeaWorld's San Diego park, before expanding to its other two parks by 2019.

The office of New York state's top prosecutor has made inquiries into Donald Trump's nonprofit foundation after questions about impropriety, NBC News reported.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman revealed the inquiry on Tuesday, telling CNN that "we have been concerned that the Trump Foundation may have engaged in some impropriety," although he did not go into detail.

"We've inquired into it and we've had correspondence with them," Schneiderman said. "I didn't make a big deal out of it or hold a press conference. We have been looking into the Trump Foundation to make sure it's complying with the laws governing charities in New York."

In response to the news, Trump campaign spokesman Jason Miller released a statement calling Schneiderman "a partisan hack who has turned a blind eye to the Clinton Foundation for years and has endorsed Hillary Clinton for President."

The San Diego County Department of Environmental Health is planning an aerial larvicide drop over regional waterways Wednesday night.

The larvicide targets mosquito larvae and kills them before they grow into adult mosquitoes.

The county says that the deployment is not related to recent Zika-related ground sprayings in the Grant Hill, Normal Heights, Mount Hope and South Park neighborhoods. It is part of the county's ongoing West Nile virus prevention measures.

The larvicide dropping targets 48 local waterways including ponds, rivers and wetlands. It is solid and cereal-sized and contains a bacterium that is harmless to humans and pets. Larvicide is dropped nearly once a month during mosquito season.

According to the county, five residents have tested positive for West Nile this year. Forty five residents tested positive for the virus last year, but 44 of them were confirmed after mid-September.

To better protect yourself from the threat of mosquito-borne illnesses, clean common mosquito nesting grounds around your home like plant saucers, rain gutters, garbage cans, old tires and wheelbarrows.

Mosquito fish are also available for free from the county, and can be used to control mosquito population in water sources around your home such as swimming pools, ponds and fountains.

Insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535 are most effective, according to the county.

More information on West Nile virus can be found at the county’s Fight the Bite website.

Voting opened on Tuesday to select a San Diego Padres’ fan for the new MLB Fans of the Year award.

Four local fans have been nominated for the award, which is being presented by Esurance. Fellow fans can vote for their favorite nominee from Sept. 13 to 19.

The nominees are:

• Luke Renner, 9, is most recognized for his appearance on the Petco Park video board. He usually entertains the crowd in the stadium with his dance moves.
• Amelia Haarer, another nominee, usually cheers on the Padres from home or in the stands with her dance moves to the song “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepson.
• Nominee Elizabeth Loree was engaged on the field at a Padres Spring Training game in Peoria earlier this year.
• Fan Barbara Crooke has been supporting the team since the early 1980s.

You can cast your vote on the MLB website and on Twitter by including the desired nominee’s hashtag. Votes can be cast multiple times throughout the course of the voting period. The nominee with the most hashtag uses will be declared the Fan of the Year for the respective fan club.

You can cast your vote here. 

An 88-year-old San Jose woman is undergoing intensive care at a hospital after being viciously beaten during a home invasion robbery Monday night, officials said.

Santa Clara County Sheriff's deputies were called out to a residence on the 200 block of North Cragmont Avenue in East San Jose around 8 p.m. The elderly woman, identified as Flo Douglas, lives in the house alone, but is popular in the community, neighbors said.

Friends told NBC Bay Area on Tuesday that Douglas' condition is deteriorating.

Deputies said that the suspect or suspects snatched jewelry from Douglas, ransacked her home and stole her car from the garage. The victim was taken to an area hospital with severe facial and head trauma, they said.

"Oh, it was horrible, really horrible," neighbor Rita King said. "She didn't deserve this. She's a sweet person."

Deputies believe the suspects entered the house and attacked Douglas, and then left. They robbed the residence upon their return a few hours later, they said.

"She remembers being assaulted and there being a time when they were gone," Sheriff's spokesman Richard Glennon said. "They came back to ransack her house. They also stole jewelry from her person."

Douglas told investigators that she was beaten by two men, who broke into her house through a side door.

"I definitely think she was targeted," neighbor Chris Dilley said.

Investigators say the assailants also stole Douglas car, crashing through the gate and fence in front of the residence. They ditched the vehicle down the street, where a neighbor noticed the windows and sunroof were open. 

"My daughter went over and kind of checked around it, and saw it was ransacked, and her medical ID card was on the floor," said neighbor Phyllis Silva. 

The woman went to Douglas' house and found her beaten and nearly unconscious. The family called 911 and has been checking on Douglas ever since. 

Upon returning from the hospital on Tuesday, Silva said, "It's not looking good right now. It's not looking good. Just say prayers."

Investigators, who entered Douglas' house wearing breathing masks, were searching for answers and collecting evidence all of Tuesday. They are also reviewing surveillance footage from other houses in the neighborhood.

People with information have been asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 408-808-4431.

NBC Bay Area's Rhea Mahbubani contributed to this report.