A gas leak in Escondido closed a section of E Valley Parkway on Monday, according to police.
The leak was discovered around 10 a.m. at 1600 E Valley Parkway at a business. Police then closed the road between Rose Street and Midway Drive in both directions for drivers and pedestrians for nearly 2 hours.
Evacuations were also ordered at Palomar College Escondido Education Center, located at 1915 E. Valley Pkwy.
A road raged driver intentionally hit a motorcycle carrying two people on the Coronado Bridge, San Diego Police Department officials confirmed.
The incident happened just before 6 p.m. on Saturday in westbound traffic atop the Coronado Bay Bridge.
According to CHP officials, a motorcyclist exchanged words and hand gestures with the driver of a blue BMW. The driver of the vehicle then allegedly intentionally struck the motorcycle, and two people were thrown from the bike.
SDPD Lt. Paul Rorrison said the incident was an act of road rage.
“I was a deliberate act – it was not an accident. [The male driver] tried to crash into the motorcycle,” Lt. Rorrison told NBC 7.
Police say a woman and toddler were inside the BMW with the male driver when the collision occurred. The driver was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon.
Lt. Rorrison said an off-duty officer traveling on the bridge at the time of the incident saw the whole thing. The officer first noticed the BMW swerving in and out of traffic at a high rate of speed.
“He almost hit our sergeant’s car and he almost hit another vehicle that was right next to our sergeant’s car,” Lt. Rorrison explained.
Police say the off-duty officer saw the motorcycle come up from behind, then maneuver past the BMW.
Then, tempers flared.
“It appeared to our sergeant that there were some words exchanged between the motorcycle rider and his passenger and the driver of the BMW,” said Lt. Rorrison. “Our sergeant saw the driver of the BMW look at the motorcycle, make some sort of gesture and turn directly into it, striking it.”
Police say both occupants of the motorcycle were thrown off it in the crash. The driver then fled the scene, and the sergeant chased him, detaining him once he stopped in Coronado.
Lt. Rorrison said the road raged driver began following orders once the sergeant identified himself.
The driver was directed to stay in the car, but allegedly attempted to get out of the vehicle and flee at least twice, according to police.
The two motorcycle victims were taken to UCSD Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.
The incident is under investigation. The names of the driver and motorcycle occupants have not been released.
A man was shot seven times and rushed to a hospital. The woman who drove him there was detained on unrelated charges.
Multiple gunshots rang out in a National City neighborhood near 20th and F Streets around 11:45 p.m. Sunday.
Investigators said several people called 911 to report hearing shots fire and a woman screaming.
National City police said an unidentified man was dropped off at Paradise Valley Hospital with seven gunshot wounds. He was transported to a nearby trauma center and officials said he is expected to survive.
Blood evidence and bullet casings were located at the scene of the shooting officials said.
The woman who drove the victim to Paradise Valley was arrested on a public intoxication charge. Investigators performed a gunshot residue test on the woman as part of routine procedure.
No suspects have been identified or arrested in the shooting.
For the next week, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy plans to live on the equivalent of a food stamp budget to understand what it means to live on a food budget of $4.80 per day.
Murphy said he is taking the Food Stamp Challenge to better understand how the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program works on a personal level, according to a news release.
The challenge started on Monday.
“427,000 people in Connecticut rely on SNAP benefits to feed themselves and their families,” Murphy said in a statement. “Spending some time living on this budget gives policymakers a firsthand look at the realities of maintaining a balanced and nutritious diet on an extremely limited budget. It’s not easy, but it’s important for people in Washington to understand what our constituents who rely on SNAP face every day. Some lawmakers have proposed steep, damaging cuts to SNAP as part of the Farm Bill here in Congress, and we owe it our constituents to face up to the reality of those cuts.”
As of January of 2013, 12 percent of the state’s population participates in the program. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the Food Stamp Program, the average monthly benefit in Connecticut is $143.89 per family member, which is $4.80 per day or $1.60 per meal, according to Murphy’s office.
Murphy will keep track of his meals and post observations throughout the week via Twitter and Facebook.
In 2011, U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney took the challenge. He and his wife are on $32 per week and he blogged about the experience. http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Congressman-Lives-on-Food-Stamp-Budget-for-a-Week-132787213.html
Two men convicted of abusing a 24-year-old man with severe autism will be released from prison.
Michael Garritson, 62, and Matthew McDuffie, 28, were sentenced Monday in Vista court. They were each sentenced to one year in prison. But both men already have credit for time served, so they will be released.
Garritson received an additional three years of probation.
The victim’s mother, Kim Oakley, says she's shocked and disappointed by the sentencing. She says she was also hoping for an apology.
“I’d like to go back to my son and say, ‘the people that hurt you say they’re sorry.’ I can’t even do that,” Oakley said.
Oakley’s son Jamie has severe autism and is unable to speak. She set up hidden cameras before leaving for vacation last summer. She says the cameras captured 2,000 instances of abuse, including the men twisting her son’s arms and gouging his eyes.
“What I saw on those videos will forever haunt me,” Oakley said.
Garritson and McDuffie were charged last September. Garritson, a registered nurse, was convicted on felony charges last month. McDuffie was found guilty of two misdemeanor counts in a separate trial.
Garritson addressed the court during Monday’s sentencing. He says he had never experienced a patient like Jamie during his 30 years as an R.N.
“I know my behavior looked bad on the video, but I never tried to harm anyone, especially Jamie,” Garritson said.
McDuffie agreed.
“My actions were in no way to cause Jamie bodily harm, physical injury or death,” McDuffie said after his court appearance.
Garritson still faces several fines. A restitution hearing is scheduled for August 28.
Metro-North service is expected to return to normal by Wednesday morning, Gov. Dannel Malloy said during a news conference Monday afternoon.
Work continues at the train crash site after Friday's rush hour derailment in Connecticut that injured 72 people.
"While this is definitely great news, residents still need to bear in mind that the commute Tuesday will remain a challenge," Malloy said.
Malloy conceded traffic on Connecticut's highways was not as congested as had been predicted, but urged people to carpool or work from home on Tuesday to avoid major problems.
"We are confident that the reconstruction work, inspection and testing will be completed in time for a normal rush out on Wednesday," said Howard Permut, president of Metro-North. "We are grateful for the tireless work of all departments and employees engaged in this huge task."
About 100 workers have been on the job around the clock since Saturday removing the damaged trains and repairing the track, Permut said. Crews are rebuilding about 2,000 feet of track, according to Permut.
The National Transportation Safety Board authorized the removal of rail cars from the crash site on Saturday night, allowing the investigation and clean-up process to proceed. All rail cars were removed by Sunday afternoon and taken to the Bridgeport railyard, according to the NTSB.
Investigators are looking into a broken part of the rail that underwent repairs last month, but have not determined whether it was a pre-existing fracture or if it occurred as a result of the accident, according to NTSB spokesperson Earl Weener, who spoke at a news conference on Saturday afternoon. The board said the FBI has ruled out foul play in the investigation.
The trains were traveling at approximately 70 mph at the time of the crash, which is the posted speed limit, according to the NTSB.
Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy and other officials spoke at a news conference on Saturday morning where they described a grisly scene after a Metro-North commuter train heading east from New York City derailed and was hit by an oncoming train heading west from New Haven.
"The damage is absolutely staggering," Sen. Blumenthal said. "Ribbons on the sides of cars are torn away like ribbons of clothes."
The NTSB's investigation could take seven to 10 days but that does not mean that service shutdown will take that long, board spokesman Earl Weener said..
The eastbound Metro-North train derailed just after 6 p.m. and was hit between the Bridgeport and Fairfield stations, officials said.
Metro-North has set up a toll-free number for customers on the trains involved in Friday’s crash to provide assistance. Call at 1-800-638-7646 for information on referral/support services, lost & found items and assistance with any paperwork.
Two crashes occurred within minutes of each other Monday, slowing the commute for many drivers using southbound Interstate 5.
The first crash happened at 7:10 a.m. according to the California Highway Patrol.
Traffic slowed and a woman driving a white Honda Civic swerved to avoid a car in front of her, hitting the center divide.
Two motorcycles hit the Civic from behind. Both motorcyclists were transported to Scripps La Jolla, unknown injuries.
The second accident happened after two sedans collided trying to avoid first accident the CHP said.
No injuries.
An hour later, the gridlock had reached as far north as Palomar Airport Road in Carlsbad according to SigAlert.
NBC 7’s Whitney Southwick said commuters can find an alternate route south using Coast Highway or Camino Real to Manchester.
"I get it fans!!!! Won't happen again!" -- Keenan Allen, Chargers rookie, posted that to Twitter Saturday after the unfortunate choice of hats he made when shooting a Vine video.
The wide receiver just happened to be wearing an Oakland Raiders hat in the video.
You can just imagine how well that went over with Chargers fans.
On Monday, when members of the media had a chance to interview Allen about the controversy, he did talk about the incident and apologized.
He didn’t want to talk about it in depth and didn’t explain why he chose the hat.
He told the media that he made a mistake and talked with the team about it.
Defense captain Eric Weddle talked to him about it and Allen said that it won’t happen again.
Special Section: San Diego Chargers
The Raiders and Chargers have had a healthy animosity for one another since their days in the AFL.
The rivalry is so well-known in San Diego, a well-known bail bondsman once used Raiders fans in his popular television ads.
A man in his mid-30’s was injured while skydiving Sunday officials said.
An emergency call went out for help around 7:14 p.m. after a skydiving accident south of San Diego.
Chula Vista firefighters responded to Skydive San Diego on Otay Lakes Road.
The injured person was airlifted to Scripps Mercy Hospital with moderate injuries officials said.
Firefighters said the injury occurred during a dive but as of 11 p.m., could not say if the jump was connected to the school or independent of the school.
A deputy fire chief with Chula Vista Fire Department told NBC 7 San Diego the skydiver may have been injured in a mid-air collision however, the victim has said he has no recollection of what happened.
A massive 200 mph tornado ripped through the Oklahoma City area on Monday afternoon and left a 20-mile path of destruction in its wake. At least 51 people were killed, the Oklahoma City medical examiner said, and rescue crews are searching frantically as night falls to find survivors in the wreckage.
“The whole city looks like a debris field,” said Mayor Glenn Lewis of the city of Moore, which appeared to be hardest hit.
Check out the videos, images and tweets from the ground:
Teachers and principals in the Poway Unified School District are learning how to react during a school shooting.
Abraxas High School set the stage for a simulated shooting drill Monday. San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies and Poway firefighters demonstrated how they would handle an emergency on campus.
During the 3.5 hour exercise, deputies with mock firearms searched for the “shooter.” They secured classrooms and evacuated students. Firefighters treated volunteers, posing as wounded victims.
“For law enforcement, we train this all the time,” said Lt. Jeff Duckworth of the Poway Sheriff’s Station. “But for someone who’s never seen this, it can be traumatic.”
Although scary, school administrators say exercises like this are well worth it.
“It’s hard to say when the actual event occurs how you would respond at the moment,” said Dave MacLeod, assistant principal at Abraxas High School. “But it’s to give you that awareness that it will occur fast.”
"It takes your breath away," PUSD Superintendent John Collins said. "It enforces how serious this could be and how important it is we are ready and trained."
San Diego Mayor Bob Filner has injected himself into a federal criminal case against the operator of a medical marijuana dispensary, intensifying his standoff with federal prosecutors on cannabis enforcement issues.
Timeline: Medicial Marijuana in San Diego
Filner's urging jurors who'll be chosen for the trial to reject federal law in favor of state statutes under a centuries-old legal concept known as “jury nullification"-- whereby jurors can refuse to convict people under laws they believe should not be applied.
It's a bold, brash move that's potentially controversial and politically risky for a mayor.
But that's not atypical of the former "Freedom Rider" who served two months of jail time in Mississippi during the early years of the Civil Rights Era.
"This is way overdoing it when local laws, state laws allow compassionate use of medical marijuana,” Filner told reporters at the downtown U.S. District Court complex Monday. “Someone should not be going through this stage of prosecution for trying to help people to have access to medical marijuana."
Filner spoke after attending a pretrial hearing for Ronnie Chang, a San Marcos man busted along with more than a dozen marijuana collective and dispensary operators countywide in late 2009.
The case has is now heading to a trial, expected to begin this fall.
Chang has been in custody since his bond was revoked last year.
On Monday’s docket were prosecutors’ arguments that Chang's attorney, Michael McCabe, violated a judicial order against discussing the case in public by giving a videotaped interview to medical marijuana activists that was posted YouTube. It has since attracted a little more than 500 views.
McCabe told Judge Michael Anello that he'd request that San Diego Americans for Safe Access, the video’s producer and YouTube account holder, take down the video.
That seemed to satisfy the judge and Asst. U.S. Attorney Paul Starita, at least for the moment.
Meantime, federal and county authorities continue to raid pot shops in San Diego, after Filner's "stand-down" order to police while the City Council works on a medical marijuana dispensary ordinance.
The mayor is calling on Chang’s eventual jurors to send a message.
"It's time, like with Prohibition, to step back and say this was a stupid thing to do,” Filner said outside the courthouse. “Let's step back, and juries ought to take the lead and say that to the federal government…and if the federal government isn't listening to the mayor, maybe they'll listen to the jury."
Representatives of the U.S. Attorney's office listened in on Filner's remarks to the media.
They told NBC 7 that prosecutors would have no comment.
Two San Diego contractors were sentenced for their role in a Navy bribery scheme Monday.
Robert Ehnow, 46, owner of L&N Industrial Tool and Supply, was sentenced to three years in federal prison. He will also have to pay $759,937 in restitution to the Navy.
Joanne Loehr, 52, owner of Centerline Industrial, Inc., will also spend three years in prison and pay $300,000, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Ehnow and Loehr were convicted bribery and conspiracy in March. They were convicted of bribing officials at Naval Air Station North Island with lavish gifts, including cash, gift cards, massage chairs and flat screen TVs.
In exchange, L&N, Centerline and a third company, X&D Supply, Inc., received more than $6 million in defense contracts.
Federal officials started investigating the case in 2009 after receiving an anonymous tip. Four other contractors and five former Navy officials have already been convicted in the bribery ring, according to officials.
Local music fans can now put San Diego's music scene in their pocket with the new SoundDiego iPhone app.
If you’re already an avid follower of SoundDiego, you have an idea of what to expect from our shiny new app: It’s a one-stop destination for San Diego’s premier music coverage. Sure, you can expect frequently updated blog content, high quality video and exclusive concert galleries.
Go HERE to Download the SoundDiego iPhone App
With the app, though, you can now instantly get show listings from 100 of San Diego's top music venues. Want to know who’s at the Casbah tonight? It’s there. Who’s at Humphreys next week? There. Who’s playing in the neighborhood you’re in right now? It’s there
Fans can also send in concert pics for posting online and featuring on SoundDiego TV, and easily get on the guest list for our free parties, and stay connected to all our online content as well.
It’s never been easier to tune in to SoundDiego. It’s all in the palm of your hand. This is just another step of bringing San Diego’s music scene to local fans who can't make it to every show. Just as SoundDiego TV infiltrated the airwaves and SoundDiego LIVE brought free shows to venues near you, the SoundDiego app brings us into the mobile world.
Head to your the iTunes store to get your hands on San Diego’s newest mobile music companion.
