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Teen Stops Stolen Car in Pursuit

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Josue Ocampo, 18, can't believe what happened to his pride and joy.

"That was my first car and now it's ruined."

He purchased the Mercury Mariner with his savings that included wages from a roofing job three years ago.

"I worked hard," he said. "I worked hard for it."

Ocampo says he was about to drive away from his home on Cereza Street when he saw a red Camaro suddenly stop behind him along with a line of police patrol cars.

"When I looked back, cops were already running with guns on them."

That's when the Camaro started moving forward again.
Ocampo saw his neighbor's child standing nearby and was afraid the child was going to get hurt.

"I was going to put my car, everything on the line so they can't go through," he said.

The Camaro moved too quickly, squeezing between the SUV and a Toyota Corolla. The force popped off Ocampo’s front bumper while scraping the side of the Corolla.

But the Camaro driver and passengers didn't get far because the collision caused the vehicle’s airbags to activate.

Four people inside took off running, but officers quickly grabbed the male driver and two female passengers.

Police used a helicopter and two K-9's to search for a male suspect who was seen running into a dry creekbed.

It turns out the Camaro was carjacked by gunpoint a day earlier in Murietta.

Ocampo was glad he helped police recover it even though his pride and joy looks like this.

"I don't care about cars or nothing, I just care about the kids, luckily nobody got hurt," Ocampo said.
 


2-Year-Old Girl Dies After Violent Pursuit Crash

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A 2-year-old girl died Thursday night hours after the car she was traveling in with her mother was involved in a violent crash that ended a high-speed, surface-street pursuit in Lancaster, according to sheriff's department officials.

"The child was in the rear passenger seat of the vehicle, properly restrained in the car seat, but the impact was so severe, it hit directly in passenger doors," said Deputy Michael Rust.

Three people were critically injured in the collision -- the pursued driver, a woman driving a separate vehicle and her young daughter. The driver and the child's mother remained in serious condition Thursday night, sheriff's officials said.

The driver, identified only as a 45-year-old resident of Palmdale, was arrested on suspicion of felony vehicular manslaughter, said sheriff's Deputy Peter Gomez.

The crash occurred at 4:58 p.m. at 10th Street West and West Avenue I (map), the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.

Authorities could not say where the pursuit began, but said a reckless driver was involved. The driver drove up to 100 mph, ran several red lights and drove on the wrong side of the street, sheriff's department officials said.

Gomez described the chase as "extremely brief," estimating that it may have been "about 10 seconds" from the time officers started pursuing the dark-colored Toyota to when the driver ran a red light and slammed into a blue Lexus.

It was not immediately known whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the deadly crash.

The names of the victim or the two drivers were not released, sheriff's officials said.

"We're just going to wrap our arms around this family and be there for them," a family friend told NBC4.

Initial reports from the scene suggested a fourth patient was in unknown condition, and a pedestrian was among those injured, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Two cars appeared to be up on the sidewalk at the intersection, aerial video showed. Debris from the accident was littered across the intersection, and responding patrol cars surrounded the scene.

The intersection remained cordoned off at 11 p.m. as investigators combed the area.


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Man Falls from Oakland Coliseum

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A man fell from the third level at o.Co Coliseum Thursday night, where the Oakland Raiders were hosting the Denver Broncos.

After the accidental fall, the man was transported to a local hospital where he is in serious condition, according to Oakland Police Department dispatch.

The Raiders released the following statement:

"While we do not yet have any information beyond that which has been publicly reported, our thoughts and prayers are with this gentleman and his family and friends."

 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Man in Custody After Breaking into Preschool

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A man was taken into custody after allegedly breaking into a preschool early Friday morning, authorities confirmed.  

Officers were called to the King Chavez Primary Academy Preschool in the 400 block of 31st Street around 12:30 a.m., according to police. 

They arrested the suspect on the scene and brought him to jail. 

Check back for updates on this developing story. 

New Chief-of-Staff For Faulconer

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San Diego Councilman Kevin Faulconer recently hired Stephen Puetz, the point man on former Councilman Carl DeMaio’s mayoral campaign, as his new chief of staff.

Puetz worked on Faulconer’s 2006 campaign and in his City Council office in 2009.

Faulconer’s current chief of staff, Katie Hansen, decided to return to work in the private sector, according to a statement released by his office on Thursday.

“She’s had a distinguished career in the public sector and she’s returning to her very successful role in the private sector in governmental affairs,” said Communications Director Matt Awbrey, who is being promoted to Deputy Chief of Staff.

Hansen could not be reached for comment.

Last week, outgoing City Council President Tony Young, a Democrat, threw his support behind Councilman Todd Gloria, also a Democrat, ahead of Republican Faulconer to replace him in the top spot on the panel.

Young is leaving to become the CEO of the American Red Cross San Diego and Imperial Counties Chapter. A special election to fill his seat will be held at the beginning of next year.

Faulconer will remain the president pro-tem, the number two position on the council.

“I look forward to continuing to lead the effort to make San Diego a model for fiscal responsibility, transparency and government accountability,” he said in an emailed statement. “We’ll continue to have a strong team moving forward to carry on with my mission of guarding taxpayer dollars, protecting beaches and bays, and collaboratively solving problems and delivering results for all San Diegans.”

Puetz is currently the vice-president of Revolvis Consulting, a political firm, according to his LinkedIn account and Twitter profile.

"It's an honor to serve as Council President Pro-Tem Kevin Faulconer's chief-of-staff," Puetz said. "He has been a leader in the reform movement in San Diego and I look forward to helping him continue to move the ball forward on fiscal reform in San Diego." 



Photo Credit: NBCSanDiego

19-Year-Old Crashes Car, Knocks Over Cement Pillar

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A car driven by a 19-year-old man in San Marcos crashed into a center divide before rolling to a stop early Friday morning.

At about 2:40 a.m., sheriff's deputies said the man was driving his SUV westward down Barham Drive, just west of Campus Way, when he struck a raised center median, then a cement pillar.

The impact of the collision knocked the cement pillar off its base, according to a statement from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. 

The car then rolled at least one time to a stop in the westbound lane of Barham Drive. The drive was conscious but had to be transported to the hospital.

Medics determined his injuries were non-life threatening.

It is not known at this time if drugs or alcohol were involved. 

Traffic deputies are investigating the crash. 

Hit-and-Run Driver Slams into Parked Cars

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Police are searching for the driver of a hit and run accident in Logan Heights.

A gray Chevy appears to have spun around after crashing into three parked cars in the 2900-block of Logan Avenue around midnight Friday.

The impact was so great one of the parked cars, a minivan, landed on top of another vehicle.

Three suspects, described by police as in their mid-20's, were in the Chevy at the time of the crash.

No one was injured during the incident.

No arrests have been made.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

La Jolla Millionaire's Billboard Damaged

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A wealthy La Jolla man looking for love on a Barrio Logan billboard may be out of luck. His email address was peeled off the billboard just one day after it was plastered on.

La Jolla millionaire Marc Paskin, 62, purchased a billboard on the I-5 and 28th Street in Barrio Logan that states, “All I Want for Christmas is a Latina Girlfriend.”

Paskin, a real estate investor, was featured on an episode of “Secret Millionaire” last year when he spent a week living on less than $50 a day.

There’s a picture of Paskin’s face next to a photo of a wishlist, accompanied by his email address.

But the bottom half with Paskin's AOL email address of the billboard was ripped off Friday morning.

The workers at Union Electric who work below billboard say they got in this morning and saw half was missing. They think it could have been a kid wanting to vandalize.

Paskin has not returned NBC 7's requests for comment.

According to “Secret Millionaire”, Paskin has a heart of gold as he donated $125,000 to Detroit families in need in last year's episode.

He’s also given more than $1 million to the UC San Diego Shiley Eye Center, which helps patients regain their sight. Paskin lost his wife to diabetes and since then has felt compelled to help others in need, according to UCSD.

 


Notorious B.I.G. Autopsy Report Released

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The rapper Notorious B.I.G. died from a fatal bullet wound to the abdomen and chest while sitting in the passenger seat of his cousin’s Chevy Suburban after a party at a popular Los Angeles car museum, according to a newly released autopsy report more than 15 years after the unsolved slaying.

Christopher Wallace Autopsy Report

Notorious B.I.G., a.k.a. Christopher Wallace, was a passenger in the front seat of his a Chevy Suburban leaving the Petersen Automotive Museum after midnight on March 9, 1997 when someone in a black Chevrolet Impala SS drove up at a stoplight and fired multiple rounds.

Wallace was hit multiple times and died at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. He was 24 years old.

Four bullets pierced his body, including to the abdomen, chest, left arm, back and thigh. It was the bullet wound to the chest and abdomen that killed him, according to the autopsy report.

Wallace, who weighed nearly 400 pounds, also suffered from morbid obesity and had a history with pulmonary and cerebral edema, gallstones and other ailments, the autopsy report said.

No alcohol or drugs were detected in his system, according to a toxicology report.

The news comes more than 15 years after the highly publicized death. The LAPD released its security hold on the autopsy report this week, according to Chief Coroner’s Investigator Craig Harvey.

"Basically it was just a strategy to draw interest in the case, get more tips," said Officer Cleon Joseph. "It's ongoing."

According to her lawyer, Wallace's mother was shocked by the report's release. In a phone call late Friday, Perry Sanders Jr. called it "inappropriate" and unlikely to generate clues.

The death sparked numerous theories about who was responsible and the motivations behind the shooting.

The book "LAbyrinth" theorized that Marion "Suge" Knight, co-founder of Death Row Records and an alleged Bloods affiliate, conspired with LAPD officer David Mack and an alleged Death Row security employee to kill Wallace and Tupac Shakur as part of a fictitious bi-coastal rap rivalry.

In March 2005, the relatives of Wallace filed a wrongful death claim against the city of Los Angeles that was dismissed. 

The case was largely based on the evidence championed by former LAPD Detective Russell Poole who claimed the LAPD had sufficient evidence to arrest the assailant but failed to use it. Wallace was a was a central figure in the East Coast hip hop scene.

His double-disc set "Life After Death" hit #1 on the U.S. album charts 15 days after his death. MTV ranked him #3 on its list of the greatest rappers of all time. He has certified sales of 17 million units in the United States.



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AutoZone Employee Fired After Halting Robbery Attempt With Own Firearm

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An AutoZone employee was fired two days after he used his own personal firearm to thwart an armed robbery in the store he worked in, WTKR.com reported.

The suspect, known in the area as "the Fake Beard Bandit," according to reports, had allegedly robbed over 30 locations in the York, Va. area, WTKR reported. He was about to do it again before he ran into Autozone employee Devin Mclean.

“I was in fear of my life as soon as he walked through the door and I see the gun. Your heart just starts pounding,” Mclean said.

Once the robber made his way to the front of the store, Mclean said he ran out through the back of the AutoZone and obtained his own weapon from his truck in the parking lot. Mclean confronted the robber, who put his hands in the air before he ran out of the store, according to Mclean.

While the local community and even his own manager said they were happy for his actions, he was fired two days later. AutoZone has a zero tolerance policy against employees who bring their own weapons into the store.

“If I can save somebody’s life, I put that way above a store policy,” Mclean told WTKR.com.
 



Photo Credit: AP

High Speed Chase Halts in San Diego

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A high speed chase ended in San Diego Friday afternoon after a man and women stole a car in Orange County, according to officials.

California Highway Patrol said the suspects were chased from Orange County into San Diego for 40 minutes.

The driver is was heading southbound and traveled between 80-120 mph before police used spikes to stop the car. Shortly after, the couple surrendered.

A female suspect arrested at the scene told officers she didn't intend to do it. The man was also arrested. Both people appeared to be in their 30s.

Traffic backed up on southbound I-805 while police search the vehicle.

No one was injured during the chase, though a civilian driver blew out a tire when the spike strip was used.

3 Hospitalized for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

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Three Ramona residents were transported to the hospital Thursday morning with carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the County News Center. 

Starting at about 9:30 a.m. Thursday, medics were sent to a home on Highway 78 for a person who was possibly "cardiac in nature," the county's statement read. 

Shortly after, a person in the same home became sick, called 911 and then became unresponsive to dispatchers.

When authorities arrived, they found two people outside the house with an altered level of consciousness. A third person was found collapsed inside the home.

The three patients were taken to the hospital and are expected to be okay. 

County officials who tested the home's air found high levels of carbon monoxide. The residents did have a carbon monoxide detector, but it was out of batteries.

The officials believe the poisoning may have been the result of the home's heating and air conditioning exhaust vents, which was clogged with acorns and debris. 

"As we get into the winter months, it’s more critical than ever to make sure your heater is in good working order," said Capt. Brent Stephens of Intermountain Fire/County Fire Authority in the statement. “Also, make sure your home has a carbon monoxide detector and check the batteries.”

Click here for tips on how to safely heat your house in the winter. 



Photo Credit: County News Service

Gay Marriage: How the High Court Might Rule

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The U.S. Supreme Court made a historic decision when it chose Friday to address same-sex marriage, but the potential outcomes aren't as simple as deciding whether such unions are legal.

The high court could use California's Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act to issue broad decisions that would make it unconstitutional to block same-sex marriages or deny federal benefits to gay spouses. The court could also do the opposite and say such bans are not unlawful, and deal a considerable blow to the gay rights movement.

But legal scholars say the more likely scenario is a set of narrow rulings that support gay marriage but stop short of the kind of grand rulings of the past that settled matters of racial and gender discrimination.

"I think they will likely take the approach that would bite off the least ground," said Geoffrey Stone, a University of Chicago law professor and Supreme Court expert.

The options in each case vary widely.

On Proposition 8, the court could either uphold or reject California voters' 2008 ban on same-sex marriages -- passed in response to a state Supreme Court ruling that legalized gay marriage. But the court actually has four options, legal scholars say:

  • It could issue a far-reaching decision that declares that the Constitution protects same-sex marriages, thus invalidating similar bans in dozens of states around the country and allowing gay marriages to take place anywhere, said David Cruz, a University of Southern California law professor who specializes in civil rights and equality issues. This would uphold the decision by a federal judge who struck down Prop. 8 under the Constitution's equal protection clause.
     
  • The high court could rule that same-sex couples don't enjoy the same constitutional protections to marriage that opposite-sex couples do. That would keep Proposition 8 on the books, and essentially protect similar measures from being challenged elsewhere, Cruz said.
     
  • The justices could also rule that it was wrong for California to strip rights that had already existed, strike it down on those grounds, and leave it at that -- mirroring the narrow decision of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
     
  • It could also rule that the sponsors of Prop. 8 did not have proper legal standing to make its case. This would likely send the case backwards through the court system to the original trial court, Cruz said. The overturning of Prop. 8 would probably stand, but the decision wouldn't have any legal influence on cases outside of California.

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Then there's the DOMA case, one of several challenges to the 1996 federal law that defined marriage as between a man and a woman. The legislation prohibits same-sex couples in states that have legalized gay marriage from an array of federal benefits, including tax deductions, Social Security survivor benefits and federal employee health insurance.

Several married gay people have challenged DOMA on grounds they were denied assistance they would have otherwise had access to if they were in a heterosexual union. Several of those cases reached the Supreme Court's doorstep this year, but the justices agreed on Friday to take just one, and put off announcements on the others.

Under President Obama, the Justice Department has stopped defending DOMA in court, and the Republican-led House of Representatives has taken up the fight.

The case before the high court involves 83-year-old Edith Windsor, a New York woman who married her longtime partner, Thea Spyer, in 2007 in Canada. Spyer died two years later, and left Windsor her entire estate. Because of DOMA, Windsor could not seek tax exemptions for the inheritance, leaving her with a $363,000 tax bill.

Again, the Supreme Court has a range of options. It could uphold DOMA as constitutional, which many legal scholars see as unlikely. Or the the justices could rule against DOMA and choose to apply one of several tiers of legal scrutiny, depending on how unfair it deems the ban on same-sex marriage. Which level of scrutiny they choose would influence the breadth of the ruling's impact, Cruz said.

The DOMA and Prop. 8 cases are expected to be argued in March and decided in June. As for the other DOMA challenges, they probably won't be denied, just delayed until after the court rules on these two cases, Cruz said.

American public opinion has shifted gradually toward a more lenient view of same-sex marriage in the years since DOMA, and since Proposition 8. On Election Day this year, voters in Maine, Maryland and Washington endorsed gay marriages, bringing to nine the number of states where they are legal (the District of Columbia also allows them).

In May, President Barack Obama said his feelings on the issue had evolved to the point that he was comfortable with same-sex marriage.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Manhunt Under Way Near Viejas Reservation

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Authorities on the Viejas Reservation in San Diego's East County were searching for a "dangerous" human smuggler Friday morning, according to officials with the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. 

The search began at around 5 a.m. near the reservation authorities attempted to pull over a man known to be involved in a smuggling event, a spokesperson with the agency said.

Authorities said the suspect's name is Martel Valencia-Cortez and he is a Mexican national without the proper documentation to be living in the U.S.

Valencia-Cortez allegedly failed to stop at the Pine Valley checkpoint early Friday morning. He fled from Border Patrol officials, abandoning the car he was driving and fleeing on foot, the spokesperson said. 

The spokesperson added that the suspect has been arrested before and has an extensive criminal history.

Court records describe Valencia-Cortez as a "known foot guide, load vehicle driver and alien smuggling facilitator." He has over 35 prior apprehensions by Border Patrol and was convicted of human smuggling in Mexico. 

There is currently a warrant out for his arrest, and he is considered dangerous, the spokesperson said. 

He is apparently known to drive erratically.

“Do not approach him because he is dangerous,” said Jacopo Bruni, a Border Patrol spokesperson who urged people who may know where Valencia-Cortez is to call 619-498-9900.

Witness Anthony Tesam said he was leaving the reservation at 8:45 a.m. to go to work when he was stopped by authorities looking for a fugitive.

The authorities told Tesam that they were searching for an armed and dangerous man who ran a border checkpoint at Pine Valley. They showed Tesam the picture above of the suspect. 

Tesam reported seeing dozens of law enforcement officials and Border Patrol agents near Willows Road near the reservation.

MLK Jr. Mural Vandalized

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A Martin Luther King Jr. mural on SR-94 was vandalized, authorities said Friday.

The memorial on the side of the freeway was discovered with graffiti spray painted across it Friday morning, according to officials with CalTrans.

The highway that stretches across the Southeast area of San Diego County is named after the civil rights leader. 

CalTrans believes the vandalization occurred Thursday night. 

Anyone with information on a suspect is urged to contact CHP. 

 

 


Trash Fire Burns in El Cajon

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Fire crews responded to a blaze that sparked at a commercial trash facility in El Cajon Friday night.

Authorities said the fire began just before 6 p.m. inside a Waste Management transfer station in the
900 block of O’Conner Street and North Johnson Avenue in El Cajon.

By the time crews arrived, the little blaze had turned into a fairly large fire – and a stubborn and stinky one at that.

Firefighters requested back-up to help tackle the blaze.

The transfer station -- which is in an industrial part of El Cajon, away from homes -- contains more than 500 tons of trash and recyclables. Firefighters worked as quickly as possible to douse the burning trash and stop the fire from spreading.

Due to the possibility of smoke filled with toxins from the burning trash, a Hazmat crew was also called to the scene.

"They're going to determine if there are any hazardous materials in the trash pile itself and also with the run off that were going to have with all the water being put on the trash pile as well," said Sonny Saghera of Heartland Fire & Rescue.

Firefighters worked tirelessly throughout the night putting trash from the facility into garbage trucks so it could be taken to another location.

"It's going to be very labor intensive and crews are going to be here for a while," said Saghera.

Since the fire was in an industrial area, there wasn’t much concern about the smoke wafting into neighborhoods. Still, people who live downwind were advised to keep their windows closed for several hours.

Despite the smoke and stench, firefighters had the situation under control. Crews from Heartland Fire & Rescue, the Santee and Lakeside Departments, San Miguel Fire Pro tection District and San Diego Fire & Rescue all assisted in containing and cleaning up the trash fire.

Workers at the waste facility were thankful for their hard work.

"We're just very appreciative of the fire department that came out quickly responded and are still working to put this fire out," said Eloisa Orozco, area communications manager for Waste Management.

No injuries were reported.

It is still unclear what exactly sparked the fire and the investigation is ongoing.

Man Stabbed in Street in Oceanside

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An 18-year-old man was stabbed several times in Oceanside Friday night, officials confirmed.

According to police, the stabbing happened around 8 p.m. near Mission Avenue and Bali Way.

Oceanside officers responded to reports of a person down and when they arrived at the scene they discovered a male patient suffering from several stab wounds.

Several cars had stopped to help the injured man.

“There were numerous citizens around assisting and helping him – four to five different subjects in the middle of the roadway. [The victim] was unconscious and not talking at the time,” said Oceanside police Sgt. Sean Sullivan.

Police believe the stabbing assault started on the sidewalk and ended in the middle of the street.
Medics transported the victim to Scripps La Jolla hospital with serious injuries.

At this point, police have very limited suspect descriptions. Officers said the suspects are only described as three black males who fled the scene in a large white vehicle.

Police said no one has reported witnessing the crime.

Mission Avenue was temporarily shut down at Frazee Road and Avenida Calafia as officials investigated the scene.

The victim’s current condition is unknown. Check back for updates.



Photo Credit: Nicole Gonzales

Bail Held for Driver Accused in Fatal Alpine Crash

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A judge held bail at $350,000 on Friday for a woman charged with DUI and gross vehicular manslaughter.

Prosecutors say Sunny Hall, 30, is responsible for killing two people on Interstate 8 in Alpine on June 12.

On that day at around 3 a.m., UCSD student Angela August, 25, of Alpine, and teacher Jimmy Arrevalo, 59, of Calexico, were killed near Tavern Road.

For unknown reasons, August’s car had rolled over on the freeway and Arrevalo stopped his truck and got out to help her.

Soon after, Hall – suspected of driving under the influence -- approached the site of the rollover in the eastbound lanes of the highway. Her vehicle crashed into the two victims, killing them, CHP investigators said.

August was just days away from graduating from UCSD when she died. Arrevalo was a beloved and well-respected veteran teacher.

Hall pleaded not guilty to the charges. If convicted, she faces up to 14 years in prison.

On Friday night, August’s mother, Dawn, spoke to NBC 7 for the first time since charges were filed against Hall.

Though time has passed, the pain of losing her daughter has not.

“It's still hard. It's still hard to look at the person who has done so much destruction to two families,” said Dawn. ”There has to be consequences for her actions and I think a prison term would be in order.”

Hall is scheduled to appear in court again on December 14 for a readiness hearing.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Suspected Arson Fire Damages Lake Murray Home

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Firefighters suspect arson is the cause of a fire that sparked in an empty Lake Murray home.

The blaze began around 5 a.m. in the 7000-block of Barker Way.

San Diego fire crews had to kick in a door that was fully engulfed in flames in at the residence to check for anyone caught inside. They found the home was empty, but also discovered evidence that someone may have started the fire.

The home was filled with thick, black smoke, but only the door and door jam caught fire, according to a fire dispatcher.

Fire investigators, San Diego police, and the fire department's Metro Arson Strike Team (MAST) responded to the scene.

The fire caused an estimated $5,000 in damages. No one was injured.

 

2 Injured After SUV Rolls Over, Slams Into Trees

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One person was seriously injured when a speeding SUV spiraled out of control and collided into several trees along Mar Vista Drive just before midnight Friday.

The driver and passenger were both taken to the hospital, but the passenger was more seriously injured, officials with the Sheriff's Department said. 

According to a news release, a Toyota RAV4 was driving at a high speed on Thibodo Road. The vehicle rolled and crashed into trees along Mar Vista Drive around 11:54 p.m. Friday.

Alcohol did play a suspected role in the accident, officials said. A Sheriff's Department watch commander said there has not yet been any arrests or DUI charges as a result of the crash.

The names of the driver and passenger have not been released.

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