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Heroic 17-Year-Old Boy Dies After Hit and Run

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Family and friends are mourning the loss of a teen who moved his friend out of harm’s way before being fatally struck by an oncoming pickup truck in  Hesperia, located in San Bernardino County, Calif.

Daniel Sanchez, 17, and his friend, Valeria Rodriguez, also 17, were each riding bicycles on their way to a restaurant on Main Street near Escondido Avenue (map) about 1:25 a.m. Monday when a white pickup truck approached them from behind.

Rodriguez said they were riding side by side on the edge of the paved road when they heard from a distance the truck coming down the lonely street. The girl was closest to the pavement, and as a precaution, Sanchez urged her to switch sides with him.

“He told me, ‘There’s a car coming, move more inside,’” she said. “As soon as his sentence finished, that’s when it happened.”

Sanchez was hit by the truck, whose driver failed to stop.

"He fell on top of me and I imagine he bounced back on the floor and that’s when he hit his head," Rodriguez said.

Sanchez sustained severe head injuries and was airlifted to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, where he soon slipped into a coma. His brain was swelling and skull was fractured in four different places when doctors performed surgery on him, his family said. He died while on life support at 8:45 a.m. Tuesday.

Investigators said they have no leads on the driver.

Rodriguez was bruised, but was fine, she said.

Family members described Sanchez as a jokester who was friendly and loving. His final act of kindness was switching sides with his close friend in a dangerous situation.

“He was thinking of someone else until his last moment,” said his aunt, Monica Sanchez Gonzalez. “He had the biggest heart.”

Sanchez graduated from Oak Hills High School in May and planned on follow in his grandfather’s footsteps in becoming an electrician, his mother said. He was the oldest of seven children.

“My 16-year-old, he lost his best friend,” said the single mother, Rocio Sanchez. “They’re taking it really hard. It’s nothing but tears and overwhelming breakdowns at the moment. He’d smother us and kiss us. They’re overwhelmed, it’s very hard. “

Sanchez’s mother is asking for her son’s killer to come forward.

“I want justice, I want prosecution. I don’t want revenge, but he needs to pay for what he did,” she said. “If he would have stayed and it was just a tragic accident, I would have understood. But he left and that’s something I can’t get over.”

Sanchez's family plans on posting fliers Thursday hoping to get more information on the pickup truck and driver.

Anyone with information on the case was asked to call the Hesperia Police Department at (760) 947-1500.

More Southern California Stories:


Man Whose Father Died Waiting for Ambulance Sues DC Fire Dept.

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A District man whose father died New Year's Eve 2012 while waiting 40 minutes for anambulance has filed a lawsuit against D.C. Fire and EMS.

Durand Ford Jr. told News4's Shomari Stone earlier this year that his father, Durand Ford Sr., went into cardiac arrest Jan. 1 and his family called 911 around 1 a.m. to request assistance.

That night, more than 50 firefighters called out sick, approxmately 1⁄4 of the force, according to the lawsuit. It's a number the firefighters' union called "unusual," though a spokesperson denied there was a coordinated sick-out that night.

Durand Ford Jr. and his family are suing for wrongful death, survival action and punitive damages, totaling $12 million.

"Durand Ford Sr.'s ultimate death was the direct and proximate result of the grossly negligent acts and/or omissions" of the fire department, the lawsuit states.

A spokesperson for D.C. fire told Stone that the department would not comment on the lawsuit.

According to records obtained by News4, at approximately 1:47 a.m. D.C. Fire asked Prince George's County Fire for assistance in responding to Ford's family's call. About a minute later, an ambulance was dispatched from Oxon Hill -- seven miles away from Ford's Southeast D.C. home. The ambulance arrived in ten minutes.

Ford's home is only a mile and a half from the nearest D.C. firehouse.

D.C. Fire has come under scrutiny recently when a report revealed the department is understaffed and over budget by the millions.

News4's I-Team investigated ambulance delays following the death of a 53-year-old man last December. An ambulance was deployed to his home 10 minutes after an initial call, but a paramedic to conduct "Advanced Life Support" was not on board. That crew arrived 20 minutes after the first 911 call, and the man died five days later.

Fire Chief Kenneth Ellerbe testified in March only 58 of the District's 111 ambulances were in service, and only 245 paramedics were employed, short of a target of 300.

Last month, an ambulance broke down along Interstate 295 while transporting a gunshot victim.

Councilwoman Mary Cheh is calling for Ellerbe's resignation. The D.C. fire department also said it would not comment on Cheh's request.

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Vodka Worth More Than $1 Million Taken in Heist

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Thieves with very expensive taste in liquor were caught on camera lifting $1.1 million worth of Spirits of the Tsars Golden Vodka.

The heist happened the night of June 22 when a group of men showed up at a customs warehouse in northwest Miami-Dade in a new white Mercedes-Benz. Surveillance video shows that, during a period of about five hours, a car, van and box truck all pulled up to the warehouse.

When they left, 752 cases of the pricey vodka were gone. The liquor was valued at $1.1 million, according to the company.

Video Shows Scuffle Between iPod Thief, Victim: BSO

Spirits of the Tsars Golden Vodka President Mark Owens said the crooks "successfully broke a hole right where the vodka is stored and didn’t set off any alarms."

The owner of the vodka is surprised that out of all the other valuable things in storage waiting to clear customs, the brazen bandits went straight for his merchandise.

"They appeared to know where to put the hole, right in the middle of the aisle next to the vodka," Owens said.

Man Charged After Taking Briefcase Full of Cash and Marijuana to Jail: Deputies

The pricey vodka, made in the Ukraine, comes in a bottle adorned with a 24-carat gold veneer logo and sells for anywhere between $250 and $300 at select liquor stores and $1,200 at nightclubs. Though it was insured, the merchandise is irreplaceable because only a limited quantity is made every year.

Authorities are now offering a $5,000 cash reward for information that will lead to the arrest of those responsible. Anyone with information is asked to call 786-629-2022.

More Local Stories:

 



Photo Credit: NBC 6 South Florida

Attempted Kidnapping Suspect Pleads Not Guilty

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A North County man accused of trying to kidnap a 14-year-old girl pleaded not guilty in court Wednesday.

Javier Mendez, 48, was arrested Saturday in Vista after he allegedly tried to lure a teenage girl into his truck as she was walking home from a grocery store in the 1500 block of West Vista Way.

Officials say Mendez first asked the teen to get into his truck, and then demanded that she get in. She refused and escaped.

The teenage victim then ran home and told her father what had happened.

The teen’s father and a friend immediately tracked down Mendez, who was still circling the area, and cornered him while waiting for deputies to arrive.

Mendez jumped out of the passenger door of his truck and ran down the street, but officials say the girl’s father ran after him and detained him until law enforcement arrived on scene.

Deputies then arrested Mendez for attempted kidnapping.

The teen had been walking home from Primo Foods Market at the time of the incident. Surveillance footage captured by the market’s camera may have recorded Mendez stalking the girl before he allegedly tried to kidnap her.

The surveillance video, obtained by NBC 7 on Sunday, shows a man matching Mendez’s description walking around the store for nearly 10 minutes without buying anything. The man leaves the store right at the same time as a young woman, and can then be seen driving down the street very slowly.

On Wednesday, Mendez was ordered to appear in court in person so a judge could issue a protective order for the teen demanding he stay away from her.

Mendez pleaded not guilty to one misdemeanor count of annoying or molesting a child under the age of 18 and one count of driving without a license.

Prosecutors say Mendez could face up to one year and two months in jail plus a $5,000 fine if convicted of both offenses.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

City Leader Wins $143K From Poker

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Three days in Las Vegas can be costly for all too many serious gamblers

But defying long odds, a poker-playing former city councilman who heads San Diego's largest municipal labor union came back Tuesday night with a check well into six figures.

At 43, Michael Zucchet was among the oldest of 2,882 players in a "World Series of Poker" tournament at the Rio Hotel & Casino.

His thousand-dollar buy-in, chump-change to many of his competitors, paid off a grander return on investment than those of only three of them.

And along with his winnings, he came home with the after-glow of high-pressure risks and psychic rewards.

In an interview Wednesday with NBC 7, Zucchet couldn’t wipe a grin off his face – but  spoke modestly about collecting $143,642 for a fourth-place finish in a no-limit Texas Hold 'Em tournament, where the first place winner left with more than $450,000.

"Nobody ever did to me what I did to other people on a few occasions,” he said, by way of explanation. “So over the course of thirty-plus hours of play and three thousand people, you need luck -- and I had it."
           
He also had skills honed over 15 years of playing in card clubs, minor buy-in competitions and a few World Series events.

But this time around, kiting higher and higher in the tournament echelons: "I was ready to pass out, and barf and cry all at the same time. But when you're at the table and the lights are on, it's so stimulating you don't do anything of those things. You just, you get back to poker."

He went out on the last table with an all-in, semi-bluff play to the winner, Dana Castaneda.

“She was hilarious,” Zucchet said. “Her whole family was there. Half a million dollars is completely transformative to anybody, but to her and her family it was really unbelievable. So I was really happy for her, and the guy who finished second was a really nice guy.”

Zucchet says he felt the letdown of defeat for about a minute, then: “You get over it quickly – especially when you go to the payout cage and get an obscene check.”
           
These days, he also appears to have gotten over the turmoil of  being caught up in the Cheetah's strip club scandal a decade ago, losing his City Council office and enduring years of trial and successful appeals.

As general manager of the Municipal Employees Association, whose staff he joined in 2009, Zucchet confines his 'poker face' to bargaining labor issues.

"I ain't quittin' my day job,” he declared with a laugh. “And I'm not delusional -- I'm not doing anything with the money other than putting it in the college accounts. Actually, starting college accounts (for his preteen son and daughter).  We didn't have any to begin with.  And so, you know, it's just awesome."

Zucchet figures Uncle Sam and the state's Franchise Tax Board will wind up sharing nearly 40 percent of his winnings.

He has no plans to ramp up his competitive schedule going forward, preferring just to concentrate on annual World Series getaways to Las Vegas, and a few minor events here and there.

As for his competitors at World Series tournaments, Zucchet stands in awe of their card-playing.

“It doesn’t mean I can’t beat them on a single day,” he says, “but to do this over a longer term?  They’re on a completely different level of aggression and bankroll and ability and experience. I don’t have any illusions about that. And I couldn’t wait to get home.”



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Ex-CBP Inspector Sentenced to Bribery, Drug Charges

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A former Customs and Border Protection officer has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to allow drugs to be smuggled through his inspection lane in exchange for money.

The office of U.S. Attorney Laura E. Duffy confirmed Wednesday that Oscar Osbaldo Ortiz-Martinez, 33, was sentenced to 144 months in prison, five years of supervised release and a $22,000 fine.

Ortiz-Martinez was arrested on September 23, 2010, on allegations that he accepted monetary bribes in exchange for letting loads of cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States.

Prosecutors say Ortiz-Martinez – who had been working for the CBP for two years – was assigned to the Calexico Ports of Entry.

Court documents say he and an accomplice, Victor Manuel Silva Jr., believed they were working with people with ties to a drug trafficking organization and began making a deal to allow the smuggling of drugs across Ortiz-Martinez’s inspection lane in exchange for approximately $50,000.

In reality, the men were unwittingly doing business with undercover agents and federal law enforcement officials posing as drug traffickers.

Ortiz-Martinez and Silva were recorded discussing the smuggling of drugs with an informant.

In two conversations, Ortiz-Martinez made plans to allow the informant to cross five to 12 kilograms of cocaine through his lane in exchange for a bribe of $20,000, and 15 kilograms of methamphetamine for $30,000.

Court documents show that Ortiz-Martinez even established code words for the informant to use if the checkpoint computer randomly required him to send the informant to secondary inspection.

They agreed the code words would prompt the informant to abandon his vehicle and run back to Mexico. At one point, Ortiz-Martinez suggested the informant use motorcycles to smuggle drugs, because then they could then cross narcotics via his lanes “every day.”

Ortiz-Martinez wound up accepting $22,000 in bribes. In one exchange, he was recorded on video leaving the informant’s truck with a bag of money in hand.

He was taken into custody on September 23, 2010, when he showed up to collect another $30,000 from the informant. Silva was arrested on the same day.

Silva pleaded guilty in February 2011 to conspiracy to import at least five kilograms of cocaine. He testified against Ortiz-Martinez, and said they wanted to make as much money as possible in their drug smuggling and bribery scheme.

Ortiz-Martinez was convicted by a federal jury in September 2012 of conspiracy to import controlled substances and bribery. After Wednesday’s sentencing, he’ll be placed into prison.

Pete Flores, Director of Field Operations for U.S. CBP in San Diego, had this to say about the sentencing of Ortiz-Martinez:

“Corrupt acts are a disgrace and the exact opposite of the values that form the basis of who we are. CBP is a world-class law enforcement agency and enjoys a special position of national trust as the sole border enforcement agency. The vast majority of our officers are highly skilled, hard-working professionals dedicated to our mission to protect the American public,” he said.

“We will actively ferret out and work to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law any employees who commit unethical or unlawful acts that violate that special trust. This case will send a strong message to the community at large that we will not tolerate corruption in our workforce.”
 



Photo Credit: Getty Images/Tetra images RF

San Diego Fugitive Arrested, Returned to Calif.

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A San Diego fugitive was who was captured in Alabama has returned to California.

Tammy Cherie Rief, 45, was wanted on a warrant from San Diego and charged with child abduction. She was arrested in April at a business in Ider, Ala.

Rief had previously been arrested in North Carolina as a fugitive, but posted bail and was released. She never made it to her court date and instead left the state, according to Alabama officials.

When Rief was arrested in April, California authorities were contacted to issue a governor’s warrant, which would bring her back to the state.

Two San Diego County investigators brought Rief back to the county on Tuesday. She was booked into Las Colinas Detention Facility and is being held on $125,000 bail.

Fundraiser Set for SDPD Detective Who Lost Leg in Crash

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A fundraiser will be held Saturday for a San Diego Police Department detective who lost part of his leg in a motorcycle accident in Alpine last month.

CrossFit RSD will host the “Chappie Challenge” at Skyline Church located at 11330 Campo Rd. in La Mesa to benefit Detective James “Chappie” Hunter, a 19-year veteran of the SDPD who works on the Human Trafficking Task Force.

On Jun. 16, Hunter’s motorcycle collided with a white sedan in the 2100 block of Alpine Boulevard while he was off duty.

The detective was transported to a local hospital via helicopter, and had to have his left leg amputated below the knee. Officials said Hunter was also treated for a broken arm and internal injuries.

He was released from the hospital on Jun. 20, and has been recovering ever since.

In an interview last month just after Hunter’s accident, SDPD Sex Crimes Unit Lt. Chuck Kaye described Hunter as a “big CrossFit guy” who is in excellent shape.

Now, Hunter’s CrossFit friends are hosting a fundraiser in support of the injured detective.

"Chappie is an avid CrossFitter, and had recently obtained his CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Certification. He is passionate about fitness. He has a remarkably positive attitude and says he will train and compete again. We are going to support him in making that happen," said Mike Spears, owner of CrossFit RSD.

In order to continue being active and practicing CrossFit, Hunter will need a specialized prosthetic leg. All proceeds raised at Saturday’s fundraiser will go toward purchasing the necessary prosthetic for Hunter.

The “Chappie Challenge” runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Organizers expect more than 500 participants and spectators.

Registration costs $30 per person, or $100 for a team of four. To register, click here.

Meanwhile, the San Diego Police Officer’s Association (SDPOA) has established a fund to help Hunter, his wife and young son. Checks should be made payable to SDPOA with “Detective Chappie Hunter” in the memo line.

They can be sent to:

San Diego Police Officers Association
Widows and Orphans Fund
8388 Vickers Street
San Diego, CA 92111

Donations may also be made by contacting the SDPOA office at (858) 573-1199.

The SDPOA’s Widows and Orphans Fund will also host “Bowling for Chappie,” a bowling fundraiser at Viejas Bowl on Willows Road Monday, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., to benefit Hunter.

Hunter is expected to partake in the bowling fundraiser, as well as active and retired SDPD officers. Proceeds will go to aid Hunter’s recovery.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Sex Offender Arrested After Lewd Act in Library

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Escondido police have arrested a registered sex offender accused of inappropriately touching himself in front of children at a public library.

According to police, Kenneth Robert Dunford II, 52, visited the Escondido Public Library around 11:30 a.m. on June 22 and allegedly began following a mother and her two young children.

The mother told police Dunford appeared to be following her and her kids up and down the aisles. When she tried to move away, he continued to follow the family.

He then allegedly moved in closer, just a few feet away, and began touching himself inappropriately over his clothing while winking at the young children, police said.

The mother grabbed her kids and moved away again, and the man then fled the library.

The mother was at first reluctant to report the incident to police, but eventually did so on Saturday.

The Escondido Police Department began investigating and through the use of video surveillance footage and prior arrest records, police identified the suspect as Dunford, a repeat offender.

Dunford, of Escondido, is a registered sex offender with numerous prior convictions for annoying a child and indecent exposure.

Police say he’s currently on active parole for these prior convictions and is under GPS surveillance.

Furthermore, GPS records confirmed that Dunford was inside the Escondido Public Library at the time of the June 22 incident.

Dunford was taken into custody and booked into the Vista Detention Facility Wednesday on several charges, including a lewd act in public, child annoying with priors and violation of parole.

He’s being held without bail and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.

Police say the mother in this case did the right thing by reporting the incident to authorities, despite her initial hesitation. Police encourage parents to always report suspicious activity.

Abandoned 'Patriot Puppies' Up for Adoption

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Six puppies being hailed as survivors are now up for adoption at the Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Santa Fe.

The 4-week-old, shepherd/terrier mix dogs – dubbed the “Patriot Puppies” – were rescued on Friday in amid the heat wave that struck Southern California.

They were abandoned without food or water in a shopping cart outside a mall in California City, Calif., as the temperature skyrocketed to 107-degrees.

When a concerned passerby found them, the puppies were listless and hanging onto life.

The dogs were rescued and given medical attention, and brought to the Helen Woodward Animal Center on Tuesday.

In honor of their survival so close to the 4th of July, the Patriot Puppies have been named Glory, Justice, Freedom, Stars, Stripes and Valor.

They are currently staying with a foster family, and will be ready for adoption by the end of the month, ready for a new chance at life, liberty and happiness, center officials said.

For more information on adopting the Patriot Puppies, visit this website, or call the Helen Woodward Animal Center at (858) 756-4117.

Animal care experts at the center want to remind people of the dangers pets can face during the hot dog days of summer. Water and shade are essential to keeping pets happy and healthy.
 



Photo Credit: Helen Woodward Animal Center

Death, Injuries After Tree Falls at Camp Near Yosemite

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A counselor from Santa Cruz died Wednesday when a tree spontaneously fell on her at a popular Jewish summer camp near Yosemite National Park.

In a letter sent to parents, the camp director identified Annais Rittenberg as the young woman who had been killed. He called her a "beloved member of the Camp Tawonga staff."

Four other female camp counselors, who NBC Bay Area is not naming, were injured. Two of the women, ages 20 and 21 were taken to Sonora Regional Medical Center with minor injuries, hospital spokeswoman Gail Witzelsteiner said. Witzlsteiner says two other patients were transported to hospitals in Modesto.

Camp Executive Director Ken Kramarz, in his letter, emphasized that no children were injured. He added that all the families of the injured victims have been contacted.

The large tree fell onto the campfire circle outside of the dining hall just before 8:30 a.m., according to the Tuolomne County Sheriff.

Why the tree fell is unclear.

Rittenberg attended the University of California at Santa Cruz where she was poised to be a senior this year, according to the campus spokesperson. On her Facebook page, Rittenberg listed that she was studying environmental science, working at KZSC radio and was originally from New York.

Kramarz said the campers were having breakfast in the dining hall, and as soon as the accident happened, camp leaders took the children away from the scene to play. He said the campers were doing well and that grief counselors were on hand.

Despite that, parents of campers back in the Bay Area were extremely concerned.

"I'm kind of shaken up and scared," said Caroline Hastings of Oakland, whose daughter attends the camp.

In addition, part of the falling tree struck a PG&E power line, temporarily interrupting some of the camp's electrical service.

There are about 250 campers — many who come from the Bay Area — and 150 staff at the facility on Mather Road in Groveland.

Tawonga runs programs and camps throughout the year, including for Jewish adults, singles and gay and lesbian families. In the summer, Camp Tawonga holds several sessions for students in 2nd grade through 10th grade. Currently, campers are in their second session, which ends on Friday.
 
The camp is located in a remote area of Tuolumne County on 160 acres outside of  Yosemite National Park. Its neighbor is San Jose Family Camp.

Campers have been flocking to Tawonga since 1925. The camp is known for its Jewish-themed outdoor fun, social action and community-minded spirit.



Photo Credit: NBC Bay Area

Son Named Potential Suspect in Woman's Death

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San Diego police have named a Tierrasanta woman’s son as a potential suspect in her murder.

According to investigators, Dale Edward Robinson, 55, has been identified as a potential suspect in the death of Joan Claire Robinson, 78.

Family members had gone to check on Robinson Tuesday after they had not heard from her in a while.

Officers found her dead inside her home on Tinasa Way Tuesday around 10:30 p.m. Police immediately deemed her death suspicious, as she was found on the kitchen floor with what appeared to be trauma to her body.

On Wednesday afternoon, SDPD officials said homicide investigators had discovered evidence that indicates Robinson’s death was a murder.

Officials say Dale – who lives at the Tierrasanta home with Robinson – is a potential suspect.

Investigators believe Robinson was killed on Sunday.

Police say Dale was involved in a traffic accident on Interstate 15 on Sunday, shortly after the murder occurred. He is currently hospitalized with serious injuries, and detectives are in the process of arranging an interview with him.

An autopsy has been scheduled to determine Robinson’s cause of death.
 

Neighbor Donna Warlick told NBC 7 she’s known Robinson for years.

Warlick described Robinson as a kind, loving, giving artist who has lived in the neighborhood for more than 30 years.

“I don’t know anyone else who has given as much of her life up for their families,” she said. “Residents in the community celebrate events together and even travel together.”

According to Warlick, Robinson used plaster to create murals of 3-D flowers and has had her work shown in Little Italy in the past.

Warlick said she and others had called police in the past after Dale became violent.

The murder is under investigation. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the SDPD Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

Check back for updates on this developing story.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 News

Fireworks Expert Preps for 'Big Bay Boom' Success

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With a phone to his ear, dozens of workers at his command, and unknown pressure mounting towards a July 4th deadline – Auggie Santore is as cool as they come.

You wouldn’t know his name, or his face, but his shoulders are newsworthy – they’re the ones taking the blame for the busted Big Bay Boom Fireworks Display of 2012.

“Freak glitch, yeah freak glitch,” said Santore who’s 123-year-old family company is footing the $125,000 bill for this year’s show because it is “the right thing to do” given last year’s computer glitch and epic fail.

“There were no demands and no contentious nature. Just a sheer pledge on our part unrequested. We stand by what we do. We’re very good at what we do,” said Santore who is overseeing the final preparations of four barges filled with thousands of fireworks.

They are all scheduled to be fired off in millisecond increments from San Diego Bay during the county’s largest Independence Day display in what’s being called the most anticipated pyrotechnic sequel ever in San Diego.

Given the circumstances you might think there is some pressure building.

“We take every precaution in every instance and certainly we understand there is extra scrutiny here, but I can’t put people under that type of pressure, because anytime you work under pressure, if you’re so nervous, then you start to make mistakes,” said Santore.

Mistakes are something he and Garden State Fireworks cannot afford.

The busted display of 2012 was followed by bad publicity and vicious online attacks, one person even writing through Facebook they wished his plane would crash.

Santore says no one wants this year’s show to succeed more than him.

“I know the type of preparation, when it was 2 a.m. in May and when everyone was sleeping, I was up working on millisecond increments of this display last year, so if anyone was to be disappointed that would be me considering the amount I invested from my life in the process,” he added.

It’s a process with more hype than ever.

Santore is just looking forward to watching San Diegans point fingers again – this time, at the sky.


 



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Child Crushed While Riding Horse

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A San Diego boy died after the horse he was riding fell on top of him officials said.

San Diego County Sheriff’s Lt. Glenn Giannantonio said the 10-year-old boy was riding the horse around noon Tuesday at Sweetwater Regional Park in Bonita.

Giannantonio said the boy’s horse got caught in utility wires and lost its footing.

When the animal fell, the boy was crushed beneath the weight of the horse.

He was rushed to Radys Children’s Hospital where medical staff pronounced him dead.

Horses and riders are a common sight and there are several stables and trails in the area.

One of the boy's former teachers stopped by a memorial at Proctor Valley and San Miguel and identified the victim as David Ochoa.

Tony Perez was not only the boy's teacher but also his soccer coach. He saw David just moments before the incident.

"He was on a horse and I waved to him and he waved back, and I just went on my merry way," Tony Perez said.

Perez shared a photo of David on a horse (pictured right). It's not known if this was the horse David was riding at the time of the incident.

"He's such a bubbly young man and just full of life and that's the tragic part," Perez continued. "It's a student who just embodied everything you'd like to see and someone that you knew was going to be successful in life and now here it is..."

Perez said David even once shared his love for horses with his friends at school.

"As a matter of fact earlier this year he brought horses to school to share with his classmates to teach them about the responsibilities and the love that he had for horses," Perez said.

Adrian Ledesma, 9, was friends with David and stopped by the memorial with his mother.

David Ochoa was a student at Sunnyside Elementary where an event is planned for 6 p.m. Wednesday to celebrate his life.

Perez said the boy was the middle child with four siblings.

His parents were mourning privately and told Perez they were glad their son died doing something that he loved.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 News

Cops Called to San Diego School for Suspicious Document Dump

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Someone was burning documents on the grounds of an embroiled San Diego-area school district whose former superintendent is a subject in two criminal investigations.

Six San Diego police patrol cars and an unmarked vehicle were parked outside San Ysidro School District headquarters at 4350 Otay Mesa Road Wednesday afternoon.

FBI investigators were also on scene interviewing people after witnesses reported seeing burned and shredded documents with San Ysidro letterhead. 

Crime scene tape cordoned off a dumpster filled with trash bags containing shredded paper. In another area, a charred trash can could be seen behind police tape.

In an interview with investigators, a custodial supervisor said district officials started burning documents Sunday.

Araleci Felix, who works for Purchasing Document, said she smelled smoke Tuesday around noon.

Felix, 30, has worked for the district for 8 years. She said there seemed to be a lot of smoke but did not call police or fire.

Others reported smelling smoke later in the night.

San Ysidro Board Trustee Jean Romero said the former superintendent Manuel Paul came to the district's offices Tuesday to clear out his personal items from the office.

Paul resigned from his position in April after his indictment in an alleged "pay-to-play" criminal investigation. The district agreed to pay him through the end of the school year, June 30.

Romero said the superintendent waited until school was out to be respectful of students and staff.

She also said she was waiting to hear more from district counsel on the situation.

"The board is committed to having a new beginning once school starts again and bringing a positive environment to our students and staff. We hope we can get back on track," Romero said.

All district administrators are out of the office Wednesday. Assistant Superintendent Gloria Madera is on vacation until Monday, July 8.

Gil Abed, an outside attorney for the district, was made aware of the police activity by NBC 7 News and does not yet have a comment on the police activity.

San Ysidro District is among three school South County districts involved in a lengthy investigation into an alleged pay-to-play scheme with contractors and school construction projects.

Fifteen former and current educators and school officials have been charged with 232 felony and misdemeanor criminal charges in the case.

Prosecutors say the school officials traded their votes on multi-million dollar construction contracts for gifts and other favors.

Paul has pleaded not guilty to to perjury charges, and for accepting a gift from a single source over the legal limit.

Paul is listed in court documents accepting meals from contractors and dining with Sweetwater Superintendent Gandara.

In April, a San Diego Superior Court judge shot down a motion by on behalf of the district requesting a protective order on materials and documents from a deposition in an $18 million lawsuit.

The lawsuit stems from the district's cancellation of a services contract with Eco Business Alliance to install solar power systems at district campuses. Because no solar panels were ever installed, no district funds were ever spent on the endeavor.

Paul admitted in a June deposition to accepting thousands in cash from a contractor in a Chula Vista restaurant parking lot. He said, at the time, the money was for Trustee Yolanda Hernandez's re-election campaign.


Melons Blown Up to Show Fireworks Danger

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Nathan Bullard of Mr. Big's Fireworks in Lucas says some dangerous commercial grade fireworks are being mislabeled and sold to regular consumers. He showed NBC 5's Randy McIlwain how dangerous those fireworks can be.

How to Avoid Body Shop Scams

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NBC 7 reporter Consumer Bob warns people about unlicensed mechanics using sneaky tactics to fix broken cars.

Personal Fireworks "Not Patriotic; Idiotic"

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“No smoking! No fires! No fireworks!”

Those words come from Joe Edmiston, of the Santa Monica Mountain Conservancy, who was one of many officials laying out a plan to prevent hillside fires this Fourth of July.

The main message conveyed Wednesday revolved around illegal fireworks.

"They're unsafe for you and unsafe for your neighbors and we will prosecute you if you do them," LA City Attorney Mike Feurer warned.

“Setting off fireworks on July 4 is not patriotic, it's idiotic," added L.A. City Councilman Paul Koretz.

With fuel moisture levels at record lows after a brutal heat wave, officials are trying to get the word out to revelers who plan to visit the Santa Monica Mountains this weekend.

They’re reminding the public of a zero-tolerance policy for fireworks, and urging residents in the vulnerable hillside and mountain areas of Los Angeles to report suspicious activity.

“We are lucky to be living here and we must protect it,” Hollywood Hills resident Mel Rumba said.

With the deadly Yarnell Fire burning in Arizona, the threat here in Southern California is seen as all too real, particularly for fires started by anything other than Mother Nature.

“Fireworks are illegal in the city of Los Angeles,” said Jaime Moore, with Los Angeles City Fire Department.

“People will be held accountable and the last thing we want to do is combat fires that were unnecessarily set due to someone's curiosity with fireworks.”



Photo Credit: NBC 5 News

Snowden Gets Surprise Marriage Proposal From Ex-Russian Spy

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Someone has the hots for fugitive National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden.

Former Russian secret agent Anna Chapman, a celebrity in her homeland since being outed as a spy posing as a New York real estate agent in 2010, tweeted her apparent desires on Wednesday.

“Snowden, will you marry me?!,” Chapman wrote.

She later tweeted “@nsa will you look after our children?” to an account that does not represent the federal agency.

Chapman was later contacted by The Wall Street Journal and asked if she was serious about the proposal.

For full world news coverage, visit NBCNews.com

“You are welcome to use your imagination,” she responded, according to the newspaper.

The 31-year-old former spy was deported back to Russia with nine others in a prisoner swap after she was outed in 2010. She has gone on to become a national celebrity and model in Russia and has hosted her own national television show, “Secrets of the World.”

Snowden, 30, has been trapped in transit at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport since arriving there from Hong Kong on June 23.

U.S. authorities have revoked the ex-CIA contractor's passport and demanded his return to the U.S. to face espionage charges for the leaks that revealed how the NSA secretly gathers “metadata” on Americans’ phone calls and snoops on emails of foreigners.

Snowden has sought asylum from 21 countries, according to the WikiLeaks secret-spilling organization. Several countries have said he does not meet their requirements because he is not on their soil or on their border, while India and Brazil have rejected his request outright, NBC News reported.

Owner of Dog Killed by Police: "Just Calm Down"

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The owner of a dog shot and killed by police in Southern California called Wednesday for threats against the officers involved in the shooting to stop. Local authorities, meanwhile, released a new video that they say shows the officer was justified in opening fire.

Read: Witness Describes Dog Shooting

Leon Rosby and his family conducted a news conference to address the shooting and fallout, which included threats against members of the Hawthorne Police Department and other individuals. Rosby's dog, Max, was shot and killed Sunday in Hawthorne, about 15 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles. An officer fired after the Rottweiler jumped from an open car window and lunged toward him during a SWAT stand-off with armed robbers.

"Just calm down," said Rosby. "Stop threatening them and their families. All police officers are not bad."

Police also issued a statement Wednesday regarding the shooting, captured on video: "This Department truly feels in the loss of the Rottweiler dog 'Max' and for those impacted by such. We, as a department, as animal owners ourselves, and the officer directly involved himself, all relate and empathize in this."

The statement, posted on the Hawthorne Police Department's Facebook page, addressed the threats, issued primarily through social media, and the department's investigation into the shooting. The statement had more than 1,300 comments Thursday morning.

"Unfortunately, in the midst of this social media response, fallacies are being perpetuated and outright criminal threats are being made," the statement continued. "In the public forum of various websites, department employees have been mis-identified as the officer who shot. This has led to criminal threats of harm directed not only at city employees, but also at similarly-named public citizens who just happen to live and work in our surrounding region."

The police department re-assigned the officers Wednesday to other patrol areas and placed their families under protection.

"These aren't just threats off ill-will," said Hawthorne Police Chief Robert Fager. "These are absolutely threats to life."

The shooting Sunday at 137th Street and Jefferson Avenue in Hawthorne was captured on at least two cameras -- one video was posted on YouTube, a second released Wednesday by the Hawthorne Police Department was delivered to police headquarters by a resident, according to police.

In the YouTube video (Warning: Disturbing Content), Rosby can be seen with the dog on a leash when he was recording the nearly two-hour police stand-off. After the subjects of the stand-off were arrested, Rosby placed the dog in a car near the street corner and officers began taking him into custody on suspicion of interfering with police activity.

Police said he was playing "loud, distracting" music in his vehicle and walking in close proximity to the officers involved in the stand-off.

"These acts, in totality, created an increasingly dangerous situation," according to a police statement.

As officers handcuffed Rosby, the dog jumped from the open car window and ran toward the officers. One officer opened fire, shooting and killing the animal in the street.

The video released Wednesday shows the confrontation from another angle. The officer can be seen pointing a gun at the dog before it lunges toward the officer. The video -- the department obscured officers' faces -- shows "there wasn't anything else that could have been done," police said.

Rosby can be heard yelling, "Don't shoot my dog, man. Don't shoot him."

The department does not provide training specific to aggressive dogs, Fager told NBC4.

A court date in the obstruction case against Rosby is scheduled for next month.

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