Amber Alerts for a San Diego man wanted for arson and murder and a teenager he allegedly kidnapped have been expanded to include Oregon and Washington.

However, San Diego County sheriff's homicide investigators say several recently reported sightings have not yet been confirmed.

James Lee DiMaggio, 40, of Boulevard and Hannah Anderson, 16, are the subjects of an Amber Alert issued by authorities in San Diego Monday.

DiMaggio is believed to be driving a blue Nissan Versa with California license 6WCU986.

A blue Nissan Versa was reported along Highway 395/299 traveling north from Alturas possibly toward Oregon or Nevada. There was another possible sighting of the car in southern Oregon, near Lakeview.

Then Thursday morning, a Washington radio station learned from the state troopers that a driver near Bremerton reported the car on Highway 101 with a man driving and a woman passenger.

DiMaggio is suspected of killing two people and torching his log-cabin style home in the remote community of Boulevard east of San Diego and just north of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Sheriff’s homicide Lt. Glenn Giannantonio said the bodies of Christina Anderson, 42, of Lakeside and an unidentified child were found on the property. Giannantonio said it could be several days before DNA test results will provide a positive identification of the second victim.

For now, Christina’s 8-year-old son Ethan is also the subject of the Amber Alert which was expanded Thursday to include California, Oregon and Washington.

Christina's father, Christopher Saincome, said Wednesday that his daughter visited DiMaggio's home last weekend to say goodbye before he moved to Texas.

"He must have had this planned," Saincome told the Associated Press.

Saincome said nothing seemed amiss when he called his daughter at work Friday to let her know she didn't call on his birthday. Anderson, a medical assistant, said she would call back that night but never did.

Christina’s longtime friend Angelina Amati said the Dimaggio's infatuation with the 16-year-old Hannah might just keep her alive.

“Jim is sick enough in the head that he has so much love for her that he won't hurt her,” Amati said.

The NBC station in Seattle spoke with Dimaggio's ex-wife who asked not to be identified but responded to some questions.

She says never saw anything weird about DiMaggio however their divorce was completely shocking and not the person she married.

She said she was shocked to learn the news since DiMaggio has been best friends with the family for such a long time.

Authorities don’t believe the relationship between Christina Anderson and DiMaggio was anything other than platonic, Giannantonio said
 

The driver who allegedly plowed his car onto the popular Venice Beach boardwalk failed a field sobriety test when he turned himself into authorities two hours after the crash, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

No other details were immediately available about Nathan Campbell’s state during the Aug. 3 crash. NBC4 Los Angeles was not able to confirm whether the 38-year-old was drinking before the incident, which killed a newlywed and injured 16 other people.

Days before the crash, Campbell was seen around the Malibu Community Labor Exchange on Pacific Coast Highway. He was described as a hard worker by the director of the center, Oscar Mondragon.

Boardwalk Tragedy: Timeline | Full Coverage

"He came to us, looking for us about a year ago, and like anybody else we helped him to find work," Mondragon said. "He was a very good worker; no complaints about him."

Campbell recently returned to the job center after being away for several months.

"All he said was, 'I'm back. I have a car, ready to work' – that kind of thing," Mondragon said. "He wasn't angry with anybody. He wasn't fighting with anybody."

But Shawn Baird, who knows Campbell, told a different story, which could give clues into what may have caused Campbell to allegedly drive his 2008 Dodge Avenger onto the popular Venice Beach boardwalk.

"He was drinking," Baird said of Campbell a few days before the crash. "He had a bottle of cheap vodka."

Baird also described an unusual request.

"He said, 'You gotta get your bags out of my trunk because there's a guy really bothering me and I'm going to hit him with a brick and put him in my trunk, '" Baird said.

The request concerned Baird, but he doesn't believe Campbell set out to target anyone on the boardwalk.

"I saw him on his birthday. I wish I saw him the next day because maybe I could have talked some sense into him," Baird said.

Campbell is being held on $1.48 million bail. He pleaded not guilty Tuesday to murder and 33 other felony charges. His next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 4.

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A woman and her father were sentenced to jail time Thursday for their involvement in an elaborate, $1.5 million insurance fraud scheme, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis announced.

Defendant Yolandi Kohrumel, 35 (pictured below), was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading guilty to insurance fraud, grand theft and perjury in connection with a scheme that lasted nine years. Her father, Anton Buitendag, 65, was sentenced to 180 days in jail in connection with the case.

According to prosecutors, Kohrumel broke her toe while working as a manager at Staples in 2002, claiming a heavy box fell on her foot.

Following the incident – which happened three months into her job at the office supply store – she had surgery on her toe and was ultimately given a wheelchair.

For nearly a decade, Kohrumel claimed to be wheelchair-bound due to complications from the toe injury sustained at work. She claimed to be suffering from hypersensitivity of the feet, depression and anxiety. Doctors prescribed about 25 medications for her symptoms.

Over the past nine years, prosecutors say Kohrumel was paid $1.5 million in disability payments. She never returned to work between the date of her surgery and today.

Since 2004, Kohrumel had represented herself as needing around-the-clock care, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Her husband cared for her until his death in 2011, at which point her father, Buitendag, took over.

Prosecutors say Kohrumel and her father recently began demanding that he be reimbursed for the care she allegedly needed. Buitendag sought $324,000 in compensation for allegedly caring for his daughter from September 2011 through June 2013.

The insurance company, ESIS/AIG, disputed the amount of care Kohrumel needed, and said they could not pay Buitendag.

On top of the benefits Kohrumel received over the years, she also told the insurance company she needed a larger home because her two-bedroom apartment was not big enough for her wheelchair.

The insurance company hired movers to help Kohrumel, and during the move, they discovered the truth about her condition.

Movers noticed Kohrumel would get out of her wheelchair for long periods of time and move and lift heavy boxes. They recorded her on video continuously standing, walking, lifting, moving and looking through boxes in her garage.

On Jul. 13, officials executed a search warrant on Kohrumel’s garage and discovered more than 20 boxes of unused prescription medication.

Kohrumel and Buitendag were both arrested and later entered guilty pleas.

Prosecutors say that all along Kohrumel’s many doctors believed she was completely disabled, entitling her to disability benefits, possibly for the rest of her life.

This could've amounted to millions of dollars over her lifetime.

“The defendants shamelessly worked their illegal scam for nearly a decade, defrauding the insurance company and repeatedly lying to state officials,” said Dumanis in a statement released Thursday. “Our Insurance Fraud Division did a great job prosecuting this case that ended with guilty pleas instead of a costly jury trial.”

On top of jail time, Kohrumel and Buitendag were ordered to pay $1,558,653 in restitution to the insurance company, ESIS, during Thursday's sentencing.
 

The Newtown Action Alliance is calling on gun rights groups from holding a "Starbucks Appreciation Day" in Newtown, Conn., on Friday.

There is a nationwide effort for gun rights supporters to spend money at Starbucks stores Friday because the coffee chain keeps an open policy on carrying weapons inside their establishments.

A Facebook page for the event has been created, urging people across the country to visit their local Starbucks.

"We will thank starbucks (sic) for standing up for our right to bear arms by going there on Friday, August 9th," a statement on the page said.

The page urges all participants who plan on carrying weapons to follow all local, state and federal laws.

Matt Botalli, of Ridgefield, posted on his own Facebook page that he will be visiting the Starbucks in Newtown to show support. He commented on the CT Open Carry Facebook page that he and a group of people from the Connecticut Citizens Defense League will be at the coffee shop from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday.

"Come down, meet me and my friends. I guarantee there will not be a safer public place in all of CT," he wrote on his page.

The Newtown Action Alliance, which was formed following the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, issued a statement Thursday discouraging gun rights groups from holding the "Starbucks Appreciation Day" in Newtown.

"Our community is still healing and we find it reprehensible that they are picking Newtown to rally," said David Ackert, a spokesperson for Newtown Action Alliance. "It is disturbing to think that tomorrow night you and your children may be sitting in Starbucks when people carrying guns walk through the door."

In a statement Thursday, a spokesperson for Starbucks said the company does not endorse the appreciation events, but that their long-standing policies have not changed.

"We comply with local laws and statutes in the communities we serve, abiding by laws that permit open carry," Zack Hutson, a company spokesperson said. "Where these laws don't exist, openly carrying weapons in our stores is prohibited.

After three weeks of pounding on their own team mates, the Chargers are sick and tired of seeing the same guys every day. Just ask them.

"Players are sick of playing against the same guy every day," said head coach Mike McCoy.

"At this part of camp it gets difficult because you get tired of going against the same guys every day," said TE Antonio Gates.

See?

The Bolts are happy as can be to see the Seattle Seahawks come to Qualcomm Stadium, even if the game doesn't count in the standings.

"It's a great opportunity to go against another team," said McCoy, who'll be on the sidelines for his first game as a head coach at any level. McCoy has been orchestrating every detail of his team's preparation since July 24, the night the Bolts reported to training camp.

"As a coach, you sit back in training camp and you script things a certain way, and you practice a certain way in pads, and you do it a certain way," said McCoy.

But when the game starts? Just throw all that out the window.

"Nothing's scripted," said McCoy. "It'll be good for the coaches for the first time, more on offense than defense, obviously, being a new staff here, of understanding, this is the way we're going to work together. Then, just call the game and let it go. Let the players fly around."

Most coaches have an idea of how long they'd like their starters to be on the field in a preseason game. For McCoy, it truly is just an idea. Nothing is set in stone.

"I'm not a big believer in saying, hey, it's only going to be this many plays, because it could change," said McCoy. "It's just a matter of going out and executing the system the way it's supposed to be done. When they're ready to come out, when they go out and do their job the right way, they'll come out and we'll put the (second team) in."

McCoy has a system that is very difficult to define because it's so fluid. Basically, he's going to get with this staff and look at each individual opponent, identify places the Chargers can have success, and do whatever the thing is that attacks those areas.

It's not like Chip Kelly in Philly, who has a system and dares you to stop it. Mike McCoy is going to keep us all guessing.

Although the latest Powerball jackpot winners hail from New Jersey and Minnesota, two lucky tickets from Wednesday’s drawing worth more than $289,000 were also sold in San Diego County.

According to California Lottery officials, the two tickets – worth exactly $289,341 – were sold at a Ralph’s grocery store located at 5680 Mission Center Road in the Mission Valley area, and at a 7-Eleven located at 2425 Sweetwater Road in National City.

The Powerball tickets matched five out of six numbers from the drawing – 58, 5, 25, 59 and 30 – missing only the Powerball number 32.

California Lottery officials say the two lucky tickets sold in San Diego are among nine Powerball tickets worth $289,341 sold across the state of California.

The other seven tickets, which also matched five numbers, missing only the Powerball number, were sold in El Dorado County, Sacramento County, Santa Clara County, Orange County, Los Angeles County and San Bernardino County.

Lottery officials say winners have 180 days from the date of the draw to claim their prizes. All past and current Lottery draw results can be obtained for free by calling 1-800-LOTTERY or visiting this website.

As for the newest Powerball jackpot winners, Minnesota engineer Paul White, 45, came forward Thursday to claim his share of the $448.4 million jackpot. White was presented with a hefty check for $149.4 million, and said he had been waiting to win the lotto his entire life.

Another winning jackpot ticket was sold at a supermarket in a New Jersey coastal community hit by Superstorm Sandy, while the third winning ticket was sold in central New Jersey. Those winners have not yet come forward.
 

President Barack Obama named local astronaut Sally Ride one of 16 recipients of the 2013 Presidential Medal of Freedom on Thursday.

According to an announcement released by the White House Office of the Press Secretary, Ride will receive the posthumous honor later this year at a special awards ceremony at the White House.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor. It is presented each year by the president to individuals who have made important contributions to the national interests of the U.S., world peace or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.

This year, the medal is particularly special because 2013 marks the award’s 50th anniversary. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed the executive order to establish the Presidential Medal of Freedom and also held the first ceremony bestowing the honor on an inaugural class of 31 recipients.

Since then, more than 500 people have been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and now it is Ride’s turn.

Ride, 61, died in July 2012 after a 17-month-long battle with pancreatic cancer. She passed away peacefully in her home in La Jolla, surrounded by family and friends.

Among her many accomplishments, Ride was a renowned professor, scientist and innovator at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD. Ride was also the first woman and youngest person in space, and later served as director of NASA’s Office of Exploration.

She advocated passionately for science education and is considered a role model to generations of young women.

In a statement released by President Obama on Thursday, he said this about the recipients of this honor:

“The Presidential Medal of Freedom goes to men and women who have dedicated their own lives to enriching ours. This year's honorees have been blessed with extraordinary talent, but what sets them apart is their gift for sharing that talent with the world. It will be my honor to present them with a token of our nation's gratitude."

The 15 other recipients of the 2013 Presidential Medal of Freedom include:

• Ernie Banks
• Ben Bradlee
• Bill Clinton
• Daniel Inouye
• Daniel Kahneman
• Richard Lugar
• Loretta Lynn
• Mario Molina
• Bayard Rustin
• Arturo Sandoval
• Dean Smith
• Gloria Steinem
• Cordy Tindell “C.T.” Vivian
• Patricia Wald
• Oprah Winfrey

Recipient Dr. Mario Molina also has ties to San Diego. He is a chemist, environmental scientist and professor at the University of California, San Diego. He also earned the Nobel Prize for discovering how chlorofluorocarbons deplete the ozone layer.

Statewide standardized test scores released Thursday revealed that San Diego Unified School District students performed better than other large California school districts.

The scores overall remained flat from last year, but the Standardized Testing and Reporting scores show that SDUSD students did particularly well in English, language arts and science when compared to other parts of California.

SDUSD students also increased math scores by two percentage points. Plus roughly 54 percent of students scored at the proficient and advanced levels.

Across state, scores slipped by a fraction of a percentage point this year as schools dealt with ongoing budget reductions, stated California Department of Education State Superintendent Tom Torlakson. 

"Our scores this year reflect the leveling off that has been seen around the state," said Board of Education president Dr. John Lee Evans. "Despite draconian budget cuts over the last six years, our teachers and students have remained focused on teaching and learning. Now it appears those billions of dollars in budget cuts are starting to catch up with us."

When comparing to other large school districts, SDUSD had the top English language arts and science scores. San Francisco and Garden Grove counties also tested well in those areas. Last year local students made major improvements, and were able to maintain those gains this year.

New SDUSD superintendent Cindy Marten said that the scores reflect hard work done by local teachers.

"You can't judge us alone by our test scores, but comparing us to other, similar large districts certainly shows the hard work done by everyone at San Diego Unified," Marten stated. "These scores will help us focus our work on creating quality schools in every neighborhood; I call on all San Diegans to do what they can to help us build a great district."

A toddler died after he was run over by a San Diego city utility truck in Logan Heights Thursday afternoon, officials said.

The 1-year-old boy was hit on the 3100-block of National Avenue just before 3 p.m.

Officers say the toddler was sitting on the curb with his 4-year-old brother when he suddenly ran out into the street between two parked cars. The children were being watched by their grandmother, who had run into a nearby 99-Cent store where she works at the time of the accident, police said.

The little boy was transported to Rady Children’s Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries about a half-hour later.

The truck that hit the child was driven by a crew with the San Diego Water Department. There were four employees in the vehicle at the time of the incident. The female driver was escorted from the scene by a crisis manager.

"We want to get the facts here at the scene, interview all the witnesses," said SDPD Sgt. Pete Townsend. "Whether it's a city employee or a private citizen, that doesn't influence the investigation either way."

Officials couldn't confirm anything at the scene regarding possible charges, saying this appeared to be nothing more than a tragic accident.

Witnesses at the scene said they tried to comfort the boy's 4-year-old brother after the incident. One witness said he saw the 1-year-old boy lying in the street after he was hit.

Officials closed off that section of National Avenue for a few hours to investigate the incident.

The boy's name has not yet been released.

Watch NBC 7 News at 11 p.m. for the latest updates on this developing story.

A 17-pound, 6-ounce northern snakehead snagged by a Virginia man has been certified a world record catch of the invasive species some call "Frankenfish."

The monster was hauled in by Caleb Newton in Aquia Creek on June 1.

The International Game Fish Association confirmed the record catch, The Free Lance-Star reported Wednesday. It beat a 17-pound, 4-ounce snakehead caught in Japan in 2004.

"His record has been approved and we'll be sending the certificate later this week, or early next week," said Jack Vitek, world-record coordinator for the Florida-based IGFA.

Newton, 27, was fishing with a friend in a tournament when he hooked the monster. "It took me about a minute to get it in the boat," the Spotsylvania County plumber said after the catch.

The 3-foot-long fish barely fit in his cooler.

The snakehead is native to China, Korea and Russia. It can breathe air, survive on land and adapt and thrive in foreign environments.

It was first discovered in a Maryland pond in 2002 and since then has spread into several Chesapeake Bay tributaries.

Some have dubbed it "Frankenfish" for its fearsome appearance and adaptability.
 

An elderly man saving thousands of dollars to help his disabled wife was the victim of a cruel scam in Bethesda, Md., earlier this week.

He was approached by two men in a Bank of America parking lot at 12099 Rockville Pike Aug. 6.

One  man, who spoke in a Jamaican accent, showed the 77-year-old victim what appeared to be a large amount of cash and stated that he did not trust U.S. banks, according to police.

During the conversation, both suspects were able to convince the victim to drive them to a SunTrust Bank in Bethesda and withdraw $10,000. The victim said he did that to show the men they could trust U.S. banks. He let one of the men hold the cash.

"He had all this money, and I believed him," the victim said. "I believed his story."

After they got the cash, the two men then told him they were going to go get food but never returned.

"It really hurts," the victim told News4's Darcy Spencer. "Just makes you feel like you don't want to trust anybody anymore. I can't believe I was that gullible to go along with this."

The first suspect is described as a black male, about 5'9 tall, around 40 to 45-years-old with a Jamaican accent. He was wearing a brown jacket and hat. The second suspect is described as a black male, 6 feet tall, with short hair and wearing a white shirt.

"I should have known better but I didn't," the victim said. "I want to make sure they get prosecuted properly for taking advantage of a senior citizen."

Just last month, a 68-year-old woman fell victim to a similar scam. She was approached by a male and female in the parking lot of a Giant grocery story located at 12051 Rockville Pike July 26. The two suspects told the woman that if she gave them $1,700, they could invest the money and get a return of $400,000. The victim withdrew the money from her bank account and gave it to the suspects who walked away. She never saw them again.

The male suspect is described as black, standing 6'0" tall and aged between 30 to 35 years old. He was wearing a white, buttoned-down shirt and brown pants. The female suspect is described as black with a short stature and wearing capri style pants.

Investigators say the type of fraud demonstrated in these cases is often referred to as a confidence game or confidence scheme. The suspects gain the victim's trust in order to defraud the victim of money.

Police recommend potential victims question possible scammers when they feel as though they may be taken advantage of.

"As soon as you begin asking questions, these suspects will probably leave," Montgomery County Police Officer Janelle Smith said.

If someone believes that they have been a victim or has information regarding these suspects, you are asked to call the Financial Crimes Section at 240-773-6330. Those who have information about the suspects can remain anonymous by calling Crime Solvers of Montgomery County at 1-866-411-8477.

A patient said a Southern California doctor diagnosed him with "Homosexual behavior" during his first visit to the office for a check-up.

Earlier this year, Matthew Moore started seeing a new doctor who suggested he undergo a complete physical. The tests revealed he was B-12 deficient, and had high blood pressure and high cholesterol -- conditions that he called "normal for me."

When Moore, who is openly gay, went back to the Manhattan Beach office to discuss the findings, the nurse gave him the results of his physical.

Among other diagnoses, the doctor listed "Homosexual behavior (302.0)," according to medical records obtained by NBC4. "Homosexual behavior" was also listed as a chronic condition on Moore's patient plan.

"When I look up code 302.0 and its sexual deviancy or mental illness, and that code has been removed or suggested heavily not to be used since 1973," Moore said.

"My jaw was on the floor. At first, I kind of laughed, I thought, 'Here's another way that gay people are lessened and made to feel less-than,' and then as I thought about it and as I dealt with it, it angered me," Moore said.

He later returned to the office, at the suggestion of an attorney and friends, to let the doctor explain her decision. He said when asked, the doctor defended her position.

"I was dumbfounded," Moore said.

Asked how one could treat homosexuality, the doctor said that "is still up to debate" and that the sexual orientation is "still being thought of as a disease," Moore said.

Moore said he does not take issue with his sexual orientation noted on his medical chart, but he does have a problem with it listed under chronic conditions.

"Government tells us, oftentimes, that we're not equal," Moore said. "Many churches tell us that we're sinners, and now here's a medical professional telling us that we are sick. And it's gotta stop."

Unsatisfied with his doctor's response, Moore wrote a letter to the Torrance Memorial Physician Network and received an apologetic note in return, pictured at right with personal information redacted.

Moore asked for – and received – his $30 copay back.

"We fully appreciate your frustration and anger related to your experience and are committed to ensuring that such events are not repeated," Heidi Assigal, senior director of Torrance Health Association, Inc., wrote, in part.

"We would like to unequivocally state that the Torrance Memorial Physician Network does not view homosexuality as a disease or a chronic condition and we do not endorse or approve of the use of Code 302.0 as a diagnosis for homosexuality."

Moore said he does not plan to file a lawsuit against the doctor, who he asked remain anonymous to protect her reputation. He said he was inspired to tell his story to let others know that if something like this happens, "you have to speak up."

"If I was a 14-year-old in a small town in Indiana, where I'm from, and I had a doctor tell me or my parents that I was sick because they thought I was gay, it would've been very damaging," he said.

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If you've ever wanted to wish upon a star, this weekend would be the time to do it.

The annual Perseid meteor shower will light up the night sky this weekend, peaking Sunday night into Monday morning when skywatchers can expect at least 70 meteors an hour up above. The meteors will travel at speeds of up to 134,000 mph and will streak across the third of the sky, NASA said.

The meteors come via the Comet Swift-Tuttle, a grouping of dust grains that circle the sun every 133 years and get their name from the ancient Greek hero who slayed Medusa.

"The Perseids are the good ones," meteorite expert Bill Cooke of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. told USA TODAY.

If you're feeling extra meteor-ific this weekend, you can even count the number of space rocks that dash through the sky for NASA. The space agency's Meteor Counter app will record time, latitude, longitude and other meteor-tracking info to send directly to NASA researchers for analysis.

Optimal viewing time for the Perseids is midnight to dawn, so you'll have to party like a rockstar to see them.

It'll also be easier to see them away from the city, NASA said.

Asiana Airlines and Boeing are accused of inadequate pilot training and poor aircraft design in a complaint filed Thursday at the U.S. District Court in San Francisco.

"People have become complacent in the airline industry," said Frank Pitre, an attorney representing nine people who were on the deadly Asiana Airlines Flight 214 that crash landed at San Francisco International Airport last month.

Pitre added in regards to the complacency that there has been a lack of focus, and when accidents such as the Asiana Flight 214 crash landing happen it raises awareness.

The deadly crash goes beyond a plane that was being flown too low and too slow, according to Pitre.

"One of the pilots assumed the auto throttle was engaged. It was not," he said, adding that he is looking to see what can be done to tell pilots that their automated system is not working.

Pitre and his clients also believe there was a serious shortcoming in the plane's warning system, which could have done a better job notifying the pilots when the air speed was below the targeted range.

"Both those things in combination with inattention combined to create what I call the turmoil for this crash, what I call the perfect storm," he said.

The nine Asiana plane-crash survivors Pitre represents are looking to see major changes made to the Boeing 777.

Pitre said recommendations were made to improve the safety features of the aircraft, following other plane crashes. But those recommendations were never implemented, which Pitre said needs to change, along with the way pilots communicate.

"This kind of accident was preventable," Pitre said. "It was foreseeable as it happened in the past and it should never happen again."

Brian Banks' dream of playing in an NFL game came true Thursday night when walked into the huddle with his Atlanta Falcons teammates in the fourth quarter of a pre-season game -- the high-point of Banks' football career after it was derailed by a false rape accusation.

Video: Brian Banks Plays in First NFL Game | Watch: Accuser's Hidden-Camera Confession

Banks, a highly recruited star at Long Beach Poly High School more than a decade ago before a classmate accused of him rape, entered the game against Cincinnati at linebacker with about eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Georgia Dome crowd and other players cheered as Banks entered the game. He finished with two tackles in the Falcons' 34-10 loss.

"It was definitely a good feeling. It was one of those things where, coming from where you’re coming from, just to have people support you chasing a dream," Banks said. "These guys have been working on this all their life. From Pop Warner to high school to college, this is what they’ve been doing. For them to accept me, and let me be a part of it, and just get out here and play and show what I can do is more than I can ask for."

A post on Banks' twitter account before the game read, "Game Day. Never thought this day would come. And if it all ended here tonight... Mom, I did it."

"It was awesome," said Falcons safety Thomas DeCoud. "I'm really happy for him. He gets to come out and live his dream. He plays with a lot of energy.

"Going through that and being able to live your dream -- you're going to have all the energy in the world."

Banks had verbally committed to play for coach Pete Carroll at USC in 2002, but ended up spending five years in prison for a rape and kidnapping he did not commit. Banks also spent five years on probation and had to register as a sex offender because of the accusations, which the classmate later recanted.

By the time Banks was exonerated in 2012, he was 26 and Carroll had become the head coach of the NFL's Seattle Seahawks. He offered Banks the opportunity to participate in the team's mini-camp, but Banks eventually landed with the Las Vegas Locomotives of the now-defunct UFL.

He signed with the Falcons, last year's NFC South champions, during the 2013 off-season. The Falcons have three more pre-season games before the team must cut its roster down to 53 players.

Banks maintained his innocence after he was accused of sexually assaulting a classmate in a school stairwell when he was 16 years old, but accepted a plea deal on the advice of his lawyer. Banks said the attorney told him he would face 41 years to life in prison if he did not accept the deal.

Banks' journey to Thursday's NFL debut was made possible by a hidden-camera confession from his accuser, who sent Banks a Facebook friend request after his release from prison. The accuser told Banks she wanted to "let bygones be bygones."

Banks called a private investigator, who elicited the confession from the accuser. Banks was cleared of the charge in May 2012.

As for the accuser, she was ordered to pay a $2.6 million judgement in the case for making a false claim and court-related costs. The judgement recoups a settlement paid to the accuser by the Long Beach Unified School District after she filed a lawsuit.

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Mike McCoy’s debut as Chargers head coach could have gone better.

Special Section: San Diego Chargers

The Seahawks won the preseason opener for both teams with a score of 31-10.

Although it should be pointed out, the first unit played well.

Quarterback Philip Rivers hit 5 of 6 passes for 45 yards and moved the team in position for a 28-yard Nick Novak field goal to open the scoring.

Then he and most of the regulars took a seat and the Seahawks took over the game.

Seattle quarterbacks hit 16 of 26 passes for 210 yards and three scores.

They took advantage of great field position off poor Chargers' punt coverage. Seahawks had four punt returns for 94 yards. The Chargers were 1 for 8.

The Seahawks also outdid the Chargers on the ground, rushing for 129 yards to the Chargers' 74.

The Chargers had 12 different players catch a pass, led by first-year receiver Dan DePalma with five receptions for 43 yards.

Fifteen different players had a tackle. None of whom was named Manti Te’o. The rookie linebacker started at middle linebacker and played most of the first quarter.

Bottom line, Seattle looks like a team that will challenge for a title on paper and on the field. The Chargers look like a work in progress.

Brian Banks' dream of playing in an NFL game came true Thursday night when walked into the huddle with his Atlanta Falcons teammates in the fourth quarter of a pre-season game -- the high-point of Banks' football career after it was derailed by a false rape accusation.

Video: Brian Banks Plays in First NFL Game

San Diego-based California Innocence Project and the California Western School of Law in San Diego helped challenge the rape conviction of Banks last year.

Banks was a highly recruited star at Long Beach Poly High School more than a decade ago before a classmate accused of him rape. He spent five years in prison for a crime he did not commit.

On Thursday, he entered the game against Cincinnati at linebacker with about eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

A post on Banks' twitter account before the game read, "Game Day. Never thought this day would come. And if it all ended here tonight... Mom, I did it."

Banks had verbally committed to play for coach Pete Carroll at USC in 2002 before his conviction. He also spent five years on probation and had to register as a sex offender because of the accusations, which the classmate later recanted.

By the time Banks was exonerated in 2012, he was 26 and Carroll had become the head coach of the NFL's Seattle Seahawks. He offered Banks the opportunity to participate in the team's mini-camp.

Banks also met with the San Diego Chargers but eventually landed with the Las Vegas Locomotives of the now-defunct UFL.

He signed with the Falcons, last year's NFC South champions, during the 2013 off-season. The Falcons have three more pre-season games before the team must cut its roster down to 53 players.

Banks maintained his innocence after he was accused of sexually assaulting a classmate in a school stairwell when he was 16 years old, but accepted a plea deal on the advice of his lawyer. Banks said the attorney told him he would face 41 years to life in prison if he did not accept the deal.

Banks' journey to Thursday's NFL debut was made possible by a hidden-camera confession from his accuser, who sent Banks a Facebook friend request after his release from prison. The accuser told Banks she wanted to "let bygones be bygones."

Banks called a private investigator, who elicited the confession from the accuser who was later ordered to pay $2.6 million in restitution for a settlement she had received in connection with Banks' conviction.

Big Papi's latest on-field contribution had nothing to do with home runs or RBIs.

Boston Red sox star David "Big Papi" Ortiz shared a tender moment with a small child during the National Anthem Thursday before the Sox took on the Kansas City Royals at Kaufman Stadium.

It all started innocently enough as the hulking, 6'4", 230-pound slugger was asked to pose for a photo with the child before the game started. As soon as Ortiz took ahold of the infant though, the National Anthem began to play, forcing Ortiz to hold on to the kid for the entirety of the song.

Despite the youngster's unfamiliarity with Ortiz, the baby snuggled up closer as The Star-Spangled Banner hit its crescendo.

The too-cute encounter couldn't have come at a better time to shine up Big Papi's image. Just weeks ago, Ortiz was fined $5,000 for destroying a dugout phone with a baseball bat. That incident created another great viral moment.

Check them both out below: 

Papi's softer side:

The Papi you want to avoid:

Connecticut state police arrested a heavily-armed man on charges he impersonated an officer in Old Lyme on Thursday, and police in Wolcott said the suspect is the brother of former U.S. Senator Scott Brown.

Old Lyme police and state police troopers responded to the Point O' Woods Beach community just before 6:30 p.m. after a caller reported a man was walking on Sea View Drive wearing military-type clothes and carrying a gun. The caller told police the man had been seen earlier in the day driving a "police-type vehicle."

Officers located the vehicle at 32 Sea View Drive. According to police, the 2004 blue Ford Crown Victoria was equipped with antennae on the trunk and "hide-away" lights.

After speaking with several people at the home, police determined the car belonged to Bruce Browne, 47, of Wolcott. They said Browne admitted to walking on Sea View Drive wearing a black, nylon gun belt with a loaded 9-millimeter pistol in a holster.

The chief of police in Wolcott said on Friday morning that Bruce Browne is the brother of the former U.S. Senator from Massachusetts.

State police said Browne's identifying documents spelled his last name with an "e."

Troopers searched Browne's car and found three 9-millimeter handguns, a nylon duty belt with two sets of handcuffs and 12 magazines fully loaded with more than 200 bullets, according to police. A black tactical bullet-proof vest with the word "POLICE" embroidered on the front and back was also found. A silver TSA badge was attached to the vest, police said. Browne was also in possession of an expired Coast Guard ID card from when he was a member of the Coast Guard Reserve, police said.

During their investigation, authorities learned Browne had commandeered a boat earlier in the day by identifying himself as a police/Coast Guard official, according to state police. He is accused of stopping three boats off the coast of Point O' Woods and asking the operators for their registrations and boater safety certificates.

Investigators contacted both TSA and the Coast Guard and determined Browne was not affiliated with either agency.

He was arrested and charged with impersonating a police officer, breach of peace, interfering with a police officer and possession of a dangerous weapon in a motor vehicle. He was released on a $50,000 bond and is scheduled to be in court on Aug. 22.