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Rural/Metro Misses City Mandated Response Times in October

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Rural/Metro ambulances have failed to meet mandated emergency response times again in the City of San Diego, according to a new report released to NBC 7 Investigates. 

This latest report shows the ambulance company, now owned by American Medical Response or AMR, missed the city mandated response times in six of the eight medical response zones in San Diego for the month of October. 

To see the full report, click here.

Last month, Rural/Metro paid the City a fine of $291,000 for failing to meet the same mandated response times in a three-month period. 

According to the company’s contract with the city, it is required to meet a response time of 12 minutes or less, 90% of the time. 

In an email, Gina La Mantia, Deputy Chief of Emergency Medical Services for the City of San Diego said, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department is "disappointed" Rural/Metro ambulances have not met response time goals but the company has "demonstrated marked improvement in November."

A former Rural/Metro emergency medical technician, EMT, told NBC 7 Investigates he witnessed situations where no ambulances were available to respond to calls. 

“We’re not having enough ambulances in service on our city streets,” Joseph Ross said. 

Ross worked for Rural/Metro as an EMT for a year until he left the company in August. Prior to moving to San Diego, Ross was a firefighter and EMT for the Air Force. 

On September 28, Ross spoke to the city’s Public Safety Committee about the problems he said he witnessed. 

“It’s shocking how close or how often the ambulance level gets to ‘Level Zero’ or close to ‘Level Zero.’ What this means is there is no ambulances left in the city,” Ross told the committee. 

Watch the full portion of the September 28th Committee Hearing below.

In a ‘Level Zero’ situation, a page is sent out to all emergency crews alerting paramedics on calls to finish as soon as possible so they can be placed back into the rotation. 

Ross said he witnessed ‘Level Zero’ alerts sent to emergency personnel on a weekly basis. 

NBC 7 Investigates reached out to AMR, the company that owns Rural/Metro, for comment regarding not meeting mandated response times and ‘Level Zero’ situations. The company declined an on-camera interview and provided a statement to NBC 7 Investigates.

In the statement, Jason Sorrick, Director of Communications and Government Relations, said, "As we have previously communicated, due to a regional and nationwide paramedic shortage, response times in select zones for the first two-quarters of the year were negatively impacted. Moreover, we have had 33 paramedics hired away by local fire departments this year and an increase in the number of employees who have called in sick during this same period." 

Sorrick said AMR has launched an "aggressive recruitment and retention program" to address the "identified labor shortage."

NBC 7 Investigates reached out to the National Association of State EMS Officials, the group which oversees EMS agencies across the country. The Executive Director for the organization says they have no evidence of a nationwide paramedic shortage. 

Sorrick said the National Association of State EMS Officials doesn't track paramedic openings and added, "the State of California and the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics both indicate a higher than average demand for both paramedics and EMTs in the current labor force."

Click here to read AMR's full statement. 

When asked how often ‘Level Zero’ situations happen in San Diego, La Matia said the Fire-Rescue department does not track the instances and "at this time, there is no plan to request level zero data from AMR."

“The city really doesn’t understand the full grasp of the issue that they have because all they see are response times,” Ross told NBC 7 Investigates. 

Rural/Metro also did not provide NBC 7 Investigates data detailing how often 'Level Zero' situations occur.

Sorrick admits there have been instances where Rural/Metro's ambulance system has 'reached peak capacity' but, he said, "...those events often last only a few minutes before units held over at local hospitals are freed up and inserted back into the system."

While Rural/Metro ambulances are not always meeting targets, La Mantia said "more times than not Fire-Rescue Department first-responder engine and truck company firefighter/paramedics are providing advanced life support treatment and patient care in advance of the ambulances arrival to the emergency."

NBC 7 Investigates checked with three other cities, comparable in size to San Diego, to see whether or not they keep track of 'Level Zero' instances. 

Representatives from Phoenix and Dallas told NBC 7 Investigates they do not keep track of instances where ambulances are not available due to it occurring so rarely. A representative with the City of Seattle, which also has a contract with Rural/Metro, told NBC 7 Investigates they also do not keep track of these situations. 

According to Ross, this information should be made publicly available by Rural/Metro. 

“If you have anyone you love, anyone that has ever needed to call 911 or if you ever need to call 911, you should care because it directly affects you and your loved ones,” he said. 

Since leaving Rural/Metro, Ross is working on developing a website to keep track of problems EMS systems face across the country. 

“We need more support, we need the public’s awareness and we need the public’s voice,” he said. “We can’t do this alone.” 

The website, called “EMS in Distress,” is expected to be live online before the end of the year.

No Response

After the City fined Rural/Metro for failing to meet mandated response times, NBC 7 Investigates submitted a California Public Records Act request for 911 call records where Rural/Metro ambulances never arrived or where patients had to be transported by a fire engine. 

A summary of those calls and emergencies are below. 

On September 11, 2015 at 4:26pm, 911 dispatchers received a call came from San Ysidro where neighbors said they found a man in his 60’s who had collapsed on the sidewalk and was suffering from what appeared to be a stroke.

To see that call record, click here:

The person calling 911 acted as a translator between the dispatcher while the caller’s mother assisted the man on the ground. 

According to the call, San Diego Fire Engine 29 arrived in less than seven minutes with a paramedic on-board. After 20 minutes, emergency personnel contacted 911 dispatch (at 4:54 pm) telling them they would transport the patient because the Rural/Metro ambulance was stuck in traffic on the 15-freeway. 

On November 9, 2015 at 5:35pm, a nurse from Sharp Rees Stealy, located in downtown San Diego, called 911 after a 75-year-old man was suffering chest pain.

To see that call record, click here.  

San Diego Fire Engine 1 responded to the hospital in less than three minutes with two paramedics on-board. Fourteen minutes after arriving, the engine called back to dispatch saying they would transport the patient because the Rural/Metro ambulance was stuck in traffic on the 163 freeway, according to the call. 

San Diego Fire officials have told NBC 7 Investigates traffic is not an acceptable excuse for late responses. Rural/Metro is required to have plans in place to ensure ambulances still meet the 12 minute or less response requirement and should be prepared to deal with possible traffic. 

On September 22 a man called 911 around 6:47am after experiencing diabetic-related problems near Horton Plaza on 4th Ave. and Broadway.

To see that call record, click here

Six minutes after the 911 call was placed, San Diego Fire Engine 201 arrived to the man’s location with two paramedics on-board. The emergency responders reported back to dispatch that the man was vomiting and having troubles breathing. 

The responding unit waited 26 minutes for the Rural/Metro ambulance to arrive before they decided to transport the victim themselves, according to the call. No explanation or reason was given for why the ambulance was delayed. 

On October 1 around 4:56pm a woman called 911 after a person reportedly overdosed on medication and fell backward, hitting their head on a boulder in the City Heights area. 

To see the call record, click here

During the call, a dispatcher had to walk the caller through performing CPR on the patient until first-responders arrived. 

San Diego Fire Engine 14 arrived four minutes after the call was placed with two paramedics on-board. Five minutes after the engine arrived on scene, the Rural/Metro ambulance assigned to the call told dispatch they expected to be on scene within two minutes but didn’t arrive for another 22 minutes, according to the call. 

The patient was transported to the hospital more than an hour after the 911 call was placed.


Person Seen Taking Photo Struck by Train in Del Mar

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A person trespassing near the railroad tracks in Del Mar was taking a photo when he was struck by a train, San Diego County Sheriff's officials (SDSO) said. 

The collision occurred near the Bluffs at 13th Street and Ocean Avenue just after 1:30 p.m. The location is south of Seagrove Park.

At the time of the collision, the train engineer saw three pedestrian trespassers standing near the railroad tracks, deputies said. The train was traveling 35 to 40 miles per hour.

The train used its horn to urge the pedestrian to move, but the man near the tracks did not move, deputies said. 

One of the men was using the camera on his phone near the tracks to take a picture when he was struck by the train, deputies said. 

Just before 2 p.m., Pacific Surfliner posted to its Twitter account reporting that Train 572 would be delayed for up to 90 minutes.

San Diego County Sheriff's Deputies and firefighters responded to the scene. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital.

On November 29, a train struck a pedestrian near 15th Street and Coast Boulevard, less than a quarter mile away from Thursday's incident.

A man in his 60s or 70s stepped toward the railroad tracks at the designated pedestrian crossing right before the collision, deputies said.  The train turned on its emergency breaking, but struck the man right as he stepped onto the tracks, deputies said. He was pronounced dead on scene.

Anyone with information about this case can call the Sheriff's Department's non-emergency line at (858) 565-5200.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

SDE: Future San Marcos Water Shortage Just a Figment

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On paper, there’s enough water for San Diegans for years to come. The exception is in San Marcos.

Every five years, urban water agencies across California must prepare reports showing they won’t run out of water.

Almost every San Diego water agency projects they will have enough water for the years to come. But The Vallecitos Water District, which provides water to 97,000 people in and around San Marcos, has projected a huge shortage.

Its projected water shortage is 3.7 billion gallons a year by 2020. Vallecitos is the only district in the state that projects such a shortfall.

State regulators and the district itself says it just did its report wrong and the supply is fine, but the problem on paper is still causing real-world problems.

On this week's San Diego explained, NBC 7 San Diego's Monica Dean and Voice of San Diego's Ry Rivard talk about how the protected water shortage in San Marcos is threatening new development.

Homeowners, Renters with State Farm Could Get Money Back

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Roughly 1.7 million homeowners and renters with State Farm Insurance could receive millions of dollars in reimbursements.

The company is accused of illegally increasing its insurance rates and overcharging its customers millions of dollars over the last year and a half.

California’s Insurance Commissioner, Dave Jones, ordered the company to reimburse its customers and roll back a recent increase of nearly seven percent. That increase in question went into effect on July 2015.

“The amount of money [customers] should expect within a year’s time is about $70 million in rate reduction, plus refunds in excess of $100 million dollars for past excessive rates,” says Michael Levy, who represents the Legal Division of California’s Dept. of Insurance.

The Commissioner says the insurance company increased its rates, without approval from the state.

In California, insurance companies are required to justify any hike in its rates. It’s part of proposition 103, which was approved by voters nearly 30 years ago.

State Farm is pushing back by challenging the mandate.

It filed a lawsuit in San Diego's Superior Court, claiming the order is unjust and unlawful.

In company statement, State Farm’s spokesperson Sevag Sarkissian writes:

“State Farm is disappointed with the Commissioner’s decision…We do not believe the Commissioner’s decision is lawful, and are therefore taking the necessary legal steps to challenge the rate reduction, rate refund and public release of our confidential trade secret documents.”

Watchdog groups argue State Farm is only trying to avoid accountability.

“State Farm is trying to hide the ball, hide the money and pretend it's broke,” says Harvey Rosenthal, a consumer advocate who helped write Proposition 103.

“State Farm is saying the rules are unconstitutional. The rules infringe [its]constitutional rights to a fair profit- which is an outrage.”

The next hearing is scheduled in San Diego on December 16.

‘They Gave Me Life’: Trauma Patients Reunite With Doctors

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California resident Penelope “Penny” Gallegos is full of life. But, eight years ago, she was barely hanging on after being stabbed and hospitalized with wounds that many thought were not survivable.

“I flat-lined, they revived me,” Gallegos said, referring to her trauma doctors at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla. “I was in a coma for two months. Many times, they came out and said I wouldn’t make it. The stress on my family was horrible.”

Gallegos, who once lived in Oceanside but now lives with her daughter in Glendale, California, was airlifted to Scripps Memorial on May 10, 2008, after being badly beaten and stabbed.

That day marked the beginning of a seven-month stay at the hospital – a time of constant struggle, medical setbacks and, eventually, recovery.

Gallegos said she had five heart attacks during her hospitalization. She remembers being hooked up to endless tubes that made her look “like a spider.”

Her recovery was painful, to say the least. She had to learn to walk again. She had to regain muscle.

And, in the process of rebuilding herself, Gallegos also built lasting relationships with the doctors, nurses and therapists who cared for her daily.

“The fantastic people I had around me were absolutely the best ever in the world,” Gallegos told NBC 7.

She said her physical therapist would pick her up out of her hospital bed every day for her exercises. Gallegos would often resist, crying and screaming because getting up hurt so badly.

But, little by little, with the support of her therapist and doctors, she began moving.

“That was the first step to me getting up – and staying up,” she recalled. “They saved my life. I was gone.”

Gallegos’ doctors dubbed her “The Miracle Lady.”

Today – with the spunk and determination of a fighter – The Miracle Lady makes her way back to the hospital year after year to thank the people who gave her a second chance at life.

On Wednesday night, she did just that.

Gallegos was one of many former trauma patients who attended a 32nd annual holiday event at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla where former patients get to reunite with their trauma doctors and nurses and celebrate life.

Gallegos gave long, warm hugs to those who had cared for her and said they’re always in her thoughts. In addition to attending this event every year, Gallegos said she also sometimes drops by the hospital just to say hello to her heroes.

“I think of these people every day of my life. You can’t thank them enough,” she explained. “My doctors are my life. They gave me life. It’s like being reborn. A higher spirit up there gave the doctors [the ability to give me] what they gave me.”

Scripps Nurse Practitioner Peter Schultz was happy to see Gallegos, as well as some of his other former trauma patients. He said the feeling of seeing patients up and running again is unlike anything else.

“You work so long and so hard taking care of them through the hospital and when they leave, they’re gone. You have almost no concept of how well they’re doing out in the community,” said Schultz. “And to get them to come back gives you this comfort that they’ve gone out and become citizens again, gone back into society, and that all the work, all the effort you put into [their recovery] was worth it.”

Schultz said that while many patients consider their doctors and nurses a blessing, he sees it the other way.

“We are given the gift of the ability to take care of people. It’s an honor for us to be included in their lives,” he added.

Schultz said that in Gallegos’ case, she was “literally dying” in the hospital. He and the ICU team worked together to bring her back to life. He said she did all of the hard work – and his team was there to hold her up.

Scripps Memorial Trauma Medical Director Imad S. Dandan, MD, also helped care for Gallegos. He said he remembers her feisty personality and her fight.

For Dandan, reuniting with Gallegos and other former patients at the hospital’s annual holiday event is the best gift.

“This is one of my most favorite days of the year,” said Dandan. “You get to see people who were flat on their back – now most of them are unrecognizable. Sometimes they have to reintroduce themselves to me just for me to recognize them.”

Wednesday night’s reunion was an emotional one for Ruben Banuelos Jr., 32.

On May 29, 2016, Banuelos was hit by a DUI suspect on State Route 76 near a Home Depot in Oceanside. He suffered a head injury and severe internal injuries. Firefighters had to use the Jaws of Life to pull him out of his mangled car.

“I was gone,” he said. “I don’t even remember the day she hit me.”

Banuelos spent seven hours undergoing emergency surgery in Scripps Memorial’s operating room. He slept for 12 straight days.

When he came to, he was in a hospital with tubes connected to his stomach. When his family told him what he had been through, he couldn’t believe he was alive.

“God saved me. I was in life and death in that situation,” he told NBC 7.

Scripps Memorial’s holiday event was the first time Banuelos has been able to visit with the doctors who saved him. He choked back tears thanking them.

“Thank God that they saved me. I just appreciate all of their hard work,” he said. “God touched every single one of them to fix me – to patch me back up.”

Dandan said taking care of patients is the first part of the job of doctors and nurses. Watching patients make their recoveries is “the reward.”

“It’s an all-year-round gift; I’ll take it any day,” he added.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego
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6.5M Earthquake Off California

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An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 struck Thursday morning about 100 miles of the coast of Ferndale, in Humboldt County, California.

There were no immediate reports of damage. The US Geological Survey originally reported the 6:50 a.m. PT quake as having a magnitude of 6.8. About 90 minutes later, the USGS reported a quake with a magnitude of 5.0 in the nearby area.

An area police dispatcher told NBC Bay Area that she barely felt it on land, and a USGS "did you feel it" map shows light shaking was felt in Eureka and the nearby California coast.

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According to USGS responses, the quake was felt in Arcata, Fortuna and Fort Bragg with some responses as far away as San Francisco and Santa Cruz.

A tsunami is not expected for California, Oregon, Washington state and Alaska, the National Weather Service tweeted.

There are roughly 56 earthquakes in that range of the Richter scale each year, according to the USGS.

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Photo Credit: USGS
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Sister Cheetah Cubs Nursing at San Diego Zoo Safari Park

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After the mother of two 3-week-old cheetah cubs refused to care for them, staff at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park has stepped in to fill the void.

An eight-person team at the park’s Animal Care Center nursery monitors the cheetah sisters’ health daily and bottle feeds them specially designed formula for baby cheetahs. The staff even goes as far as grooming the cubs to simulate the grooming they would receive from their mom.

Soon Yellow and Purple, temporary names given to the cubs based on their ID markings, will get to enjoy solid food. Come their 2 month birthday, they will be weaned from the formula. Yellow and Purple were born on November 19.

Guests visiting the Safari Park can visit the sisters in their nursery at the Nairobi Station between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Don’t expect too much cheetah frolicking at this point, though. According to park staff, the cubs sleep close to 22 hours per day and the lights in the nursery are usually dim to simulate a dark cheetah den.

The Safari Park is one of nine breeding facilities involved in the cheetah Breeding Center Coalition which aims to preserve the cat’s population which the park says has been reduced from 100,000 to 10,000 over the last 116 years.

San Diego Zoo Global has bred more than 150 cheetah cubs during its 40-year breeding program.



Photo Credit: San Diego Zoo Safari Park
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80-Year Old Man Dies in Rancho Penasquitos Crash

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An 80-year old man died after he was struck by a vehicle at an intersection in Rancho Pensaquitos Thursday night.

The collision happened just before 7 p.m., according to SDPD.

The man had been walking across Rancho Pensaquitos Boulevard at Calle De Las Rosas when the driver, a 60-year old woman, struck him.

Police say the woman had a green traffic signal at the intersection.

The man was taken to Scripps La Jolla Hospital and later died from his injuries.

According to SDPD, drugs and alcohol were not a factor in the crash. The driver of the vehicle did remain on scene.

The street was shut down while investigators were on scene. It was expected to reopen to traffic at approximately 11 p.m., police said.

No further details are available at this time.

Check back for more details on this story.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

San Diego Padres Rule 5 Draft Picks

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It was a successful Thursday morning for general manager A.J. Preller and the San Diego Padres, during the Rule 5 Draft, the team, walked away with short stop Allen Cordoba from the Johnson City Cardinals, as well as right hander Miguel Diaz, who was selected earlier Thursday morning by the Minnesota Twins from the Milwaukee Brewers. The Friar’s manager Preller, making a trade with the Reds for catcher Luis Torrens who was originally picked up by Cincinnati from the Yankees.

In addition the Padres selected the Valhalla High School graduate and right handed pitcher Trevor Frank who was selected for the Triple-A Phase of the Rule 5 draft from the Indians.

The Padres look to be bringing in the young guns with Cordoba, Diaz, and Torrens all under the age of 22, and all three ranked among MLB.com’s top 30 prospects.  

The 25-year old El Cajon native, Frank, not much older  finished the 2016 season with a 2.47 ERA allowing 43 strike outs in 43 and 2/3 innings pitched.

The 20-year old Torren missed the 2015 season with a torn labrunm in his shoulder; However when healthy the catcher is a force to be reckoned with. During his time with the Charleston Riverdogs and Staten Island Yankees he had a combined total of 15 runs scored in 52 games with 10 doubles and two home runs.

As for the 21- year old, Cordoba, he has not played above the rookie level yet. However his numbers prove that may not be the case for long.  Cordoba had 71 hits, 18 RBI’s and 11 steals during his 2016 season.

The 22-year old Diaz has some impressive numbers as well; he has a mid-90’s fastball and finished the 2016 season for Class-A Wisconsin with 3.17 ERA, and 91 strikeouts in 94 2/3 innings. In addition during the 2016 season he had 83 hits, 49 runs and 7 homeruns.

Could these four players be the difference between a winning 2017 season or another 94 losing season for the Padres? Only time will tell but the future looks bright for the new young prospects.

Border Patrol Agents Rescue 17-Year Old From Desert

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A 17-year old was rescued from the desert by El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents Wednesday after reports that he was lost.

The call was made at approximately 5 p.m.

Agents were given the GPS coordinates and the teenager’s phone number by the California High Patrol (CHP). He was found around 45 minutes later in the desert east of Ocotillo.

According to Border Patrol, the teenager was unaccompanied and had crossed the border illegally earlier on Wednesday. He claimed to have crossed alone and did not require medical attention.

"The desert can be an unforgiving place. Thanks to the quick response of our dedicated agents, this child did not have to suffer the consequences that can arise from being lost in the desert,” said Rodney S. Scott, Chief Patrol Agent of the El Centro Sector.

The teenager was identified to be a Guatemalan national.

He was taken to the El Center Station to be processed and returned to his country.

SDSU Receives Federal Funding for Transportation Research

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San Diego State University (SDSU) will receive part of a $2.8 million grant to help fund transportation research and innovation, Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) announced Thursday. 

SDSU will share the federal funding as a part of a consortium with Virginia Tech and Texas A&M. The money will help the university create the first-ever University Transportation Center (UTC). 

“This grant funding demonstrates the leadership role San Diego State plays when it comes to research and innovation,” wrote Rep. Davis in a letter to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “The San Diego region is no stranger to the transportation challenges facing the country. The research done at SDSU will help us meet those challenges and develop the leaders in transportation to take us into the future.”

The UTC the school is creating will be called "Safety Through Disruption (SafeD): Goal Zero". 

Man Arrested After Standoff at East Village Trolley Station

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A man was taken into custody after a brief standoff with officers in the East Village area of San Diego Thursday night, the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) confirmed.

The incident began at approximately 8:40 p.m. on the 1200 block of Imperial Avenue. 

SDPD says they received reports of a possibly armed man on the trolley tracks but they have not seen any weapons so far.

A conductor was inside the trolley when the incident started but he was able to safely get out. There were no passengers inside the trolley at the time.

Police say the man had been threatening to harm himself. When he did not comply with officers or remove his hands from his pockets, they deployed pepper balls.

The man was arrested just over an hour later.

There were no weapons found, police said.

He did suffer minor injuries from a K-9 that was used to subdue him.

Trolley service and traffic in the area was expected to be impacted.

No other information was immediately available.

Check back for updates on this breaking news story. 



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Nevada Teen's Family Says Cop Didn't Need to Shoot

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The family of the 14-year-old boy whom police shot and critically wounded at a Nevada high school said Thursday that the officer should have found a better way to resolve things, NBC News reported. 

A school district police officer shot the boy Wednesday during a confrontation witnessed by more than 40 classmates at Hug High School in Reno, authorities said. They said the boy got into an altercation with a classmate and began threatening other students with a knife. 

The boy remained in critical condition Thursday at Renown Medical Center, police told NBC News, which isn't naming him because he's a juvenile. 

"There are many questions to be answered as to what happened and what could have been done to avoid the use of lethal force," the boy's family said in a statement Thursday.



Photo Credit: AP Photo/Scott Sonner

Man With Autism is Victim in Escondido Hit and Run

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A driver crashed into a young man with autism in Escondido and then drove off, according to the Escondido Police Department.

The crash happened at approximately 8:14 a.m. Thursday on S Juniper Street and E 10th Avenue.

The victim, Bobby Walker, was taken to Palomar Medical Center where he had to undergo surgery.

Walker's mother said she is heartbroken. She says her son survived the accident but has a long road to recovery.

Patty Pommerening told NBC 7 that despite his autism, Walker navigates the city bus service independently but that proved more dangerous Thursday morning. 

“The car hit him on the left side. It broke his arm in two places,” Pommerening said.

Pommerening says her son also has scrapes and bruises all over his body and a gash above his eye that required stitches.

“It is really hard not to be emotional. He is such a sweet kid. Just the sweetest person you would ever meet,” Pommerening said.

Walker was struck crossing S Juniper Street as he made his way to the bus stop.

Escondido Police describe the car that hit him as a silver or dark gray early 2000 model Nissan sedan with clear taillight covers.

“Anybody who would leave somebody just in the street like that is not a good person. They have no soul,” Pommerening.

The car continued northbound even though Walker's injuries indicate he likely hit the windshield and rolled over the top of the car.

“I'm worried about how it will affect him emotionally as well as just the physical scars and healing,” Pommerening said.

She told NBC 7 that he is out of surgery but won't be released from the hospital until Saturday.

Darrell Issa Responds to Passing of WIIN Act

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Encinitas and Solana Beach will be getting more than $91 million to address safety and environmental issues related to bluff and beach erosion.

The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN Act) was passed by the House of Representatives on Thursday.

The bill will affect issues related to water resources, dams, harbors and other projects in the country, including increasing the water deliveries to farmers in the San Joaquin Valley.

Darrell Issa, of the 49th Congressional District praised the project, saying he was excited to get started.

He released the following statement:

"I am proud to deliver on a top priority for the communities of Encinitas and Solana Beach. Erosion of the beaches and bluffs in our area have presented significant safety concerns we can correct through the careful work of the Army Corps of Engineers and our local and federal leaders. Just this week, I had the pleasure of meeting with Mayor Zito of Solana Beach where he stressed what an incredible difference this project will make for the future safety and economy in our area. Today I am excited to move this project forward. In addition, the WIIN Act makes crucial investments in our nation's water infrastructure and prioritizes drought relief for California. We still have much work to do on California's water problems, but this bill presents good solutions that will help ensure the longevity of our water infrastructure and help fix erosion issues that have plagued our coastal communities."



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Pedestrian Struck by Vehicle on I-8 in Mission Valley

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A pedestrian suffered major injuries after being hit by a vehicle on the Interstate 8 in Mission Valley, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) confirmed.

The incident happened at approximately 10:17 p.m. on the eastbound Interstate 8, just east of the Interstate 805.

CHP says the extent of injuries is unknown. 

No other information was immediately available.

Check back for updates on this breaking news story. 

Driver Arrested After Pursuit in Mission Bay

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Officers arrested a driver suspected of a possible DUI in Mission Bay Thursday night after a pursuit.

According to the San Diego Police Department (SDPD), speeds reached up to 80 miles per hour at one point.

The pursuit began at approximately 10:25 p.m. and ended at W. Mission Bay and Seaworld drives, police said.

Officers used spike strips to stop the vehicle.

No other information was immediately available.

Check back for updates on this breaking news story. 



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Trump Spent $3M on Family Business as Expenses in Campaign

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President-elect Donald Trump spent $3 million on the family business as campaign expenses in the final weeks of the race, according to the last Federal Election Committee filing of the 2016 campaign, NBC New reported.

But even while spending millions on Trump-owned entities, he still spent less overall than Democratic rival Hillary Clinton during the closing stretch of the campaign and beyond.

Trump spent $94.5 million from Oct. 20 to Nov. 28, while Clinton spent $131.8 million over the same period, according to the new filings. The numbers indicate Clinton dramatically increased her spending during the last weeks of the campaign, whereas Trump's remained steady. They spent nearly the same amount, Clinton $50 million and Trump $49 million, during the first 19 days of the month.



Photo Credit: AP

More Signs Point to a Chargers Move to LA

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The chatter continues around the Chargers' possible move to Los Angeles. As Bolts fans wait for a confirmation or even an indicator on where the team will be in 2017, those with sources in Los Angeles are sharing their insight.

A plan to move the Bolts to Los Angeles is almost a done deal, multiple sources tell our Los Angeles-sister station NBC 4's Fred Roggin.

NBC7 spoke directly to Chargers owner/chairman Dean Spanos last month just days before San Diegans voted against Measure C and the downtown stadium initiative.

At the time, Spanos said he was entirely focused on the results of the election. Since then Spanos released a statement through the team’s PR department saying a final decision on the team’s future would not be announced until after the 2016 season.

According to NBC4, many of the building blocks are in place.

The Chargers would train in Orange County and there are no plans to rebrand, sources say.

The agreement with the Chargers to lease the as-yet-to-be-built Inglewood stadium has been executed and sources say, soon to be signed. The Rams signed an agreement with the NFL before moving to Los Angeles agreeing to lease space to another team.

The Chargers drive for a new stadium to replace their aging residence fell short in the Nov. 8 election, re-energizing talk of a move to Los Angeles. The ballot initiative's failure left everything in play, including a future move to join the Rams in their new Inglewood stadium, opening in 2019, and the possibility of a more aggressive timeline that would likely mean playing at the LA Memorial Coliseum with the Rams until a new stadium is built in Inglewood.

L.A. Coliseum Commission president Mark Ridley-Thomas confirmed earlier this week that the Chargers have spoken with the commission.

"In light of the vote of the people of San Diego, it's back on the table in earnest," Ridley-Thomas told USA Today. "So the appropriate amount of due diligence continues to be done, and we will see if in fact we can strike a deal."

Also this week, Spanos and San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer met to discuss the team's future in San Diego.

NBC 7’s Derek Togerson recently spoke to Save Our Bolts, the fan group that works closely with the team in all stadium matters. According to Save Our Bolts leaders the team is assembling a backup plan to try and stay in San Diego. You can read the full break down here.

A move to the Coliseum would likely require a change to the stadium's lease terms, which currently allow for only one NFL team -- the Rams.

This all might sound somewhat familiar to football fans in Los Angeles, San Diego and Oakland. In January 2016, the Rams, Chargers and Raiders all appeared to be candidates for a move to LA.

NFL owners later approved the Rams' move at a meeting in Houston. A proposal to build a new stadium in Inglewood, opening in 2019, beat out a competing stadium plan in Carson, where the Chargers and Raiders planned to built a 72,000-seat stadium. The Chargers applied to relocate to LA, but that plan was rejected by league owners.

The Chargers, who have played in San Diego since 1961, were given the option of joining the Rams in the Inglewood stadium. They have until Jan. 15 to make a decision.

NFL team relocations require three-fourths approval of the member teams.

The Chargers still have four more regular season games this year. The final game of the 2016 season is on Jan. 1 at Qualcomm Stadium against the Kansas City Chiefs. Much like last year, fans are left to wonder if that will be final game for the Chargers in San Diego.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Rocket Carrying John Glenn in Orbit Around Earth Built in SD

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A rocket that took former NASA astronaut and United States senator John Glenn into space to orbit Earth in 1962 was built in San Diego.

Glenn died on Thursday at the age of 95 in a hospital in Ohio.

He made history in 1962, becoming the first American to orbit the Earth in the Mercury-Atlas 6, a rocket built at a local company during the Cold War.

Ken Kramer, a former NBC 7 employee highlighted the news coverage on the rocket in a video. 

NBC 7 spoke with Francis French on Thursday, a space historian at the San Diego Air and Space Museum in Balboa Park who worked with Glenn.

"Up until this day we've always had one of the original Mercury 7 around. The numbers have dwindled over the years and it's a really sad day. We've now lost that final ability to remember what it was like to be the very first American to be chosen into space. We've closed a door on history today which is very very sad," French said.

Although the company has long been demolished, the legacy of San Diego's part in the historical event still lives on.



Photo Credit: EFE
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