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Suspect in Jewelry Store Hatchet Attack Arrested

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Police have arrested a man accused of attacking a jewelry store owner with hatchet after his credit card was declined during a transaction at the shop.

Travis Kelley, 24, was arrested Thursday in Ocean Beach in connection with the violent assault. He now faces several charges, including attempted homicide, armed robbery and elder abuse.

According to police, on Wednesday at around 3:30 p.m., Kelley allegedly attacked the owner of Hamlin’s Jewelry in El Cajon, striking him multiple times on the head with a hatchet.

Investigators said Kelley entered the business on Fletcher Parkway on a ruse to buy merchandise. Minutes later, things turned violent.

Store owner Carl Hamlin, 75, told police that a credit card transaction had been taking place between him and the suspect. When Kelley’s credit card was declined, Hamlin told police the man became angry and violent.

The victim said Kelley pulled out a hatchet that had a hammer head on one of the ends. He then allegedly struck the victim numerous times on the head with the hammer end of the hatchet.

After the blows, Hamlin fell behind the counter. Police said the victim then pulled out a small caliber handgun and pointed it at the suspect in self-defense. At that point, police said the pair began fighting again as Kelley tried to grab the victim’s gun.

Police said the suspect was able to wrestle the gun away from the store owner. The suspect then fled from the store on foot, with the victim’s gun, before officers could arrive.

He was last seen getting into a silver Toyota 4-Runner, driving west on Fletcher Parkway. Police said the car may have been driven by an accomplice. Nothing else was stolen in the incident.

The jewelry store owner suffered multiple head injuries in the assault. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment. On Thursday, police confirmed the victim’s injuries were “significant and more severe” than initially reported by authorities.

By Friday, Hamlin had been released from the hospital and was recovering at home.

NBC 7 spoke to Hamlin by phone Friday night. He said he was recovering from severe injuries and didn't want to go into detail about the attack at this time. He did say the hatchet-wielding suspect was a "complete stranger."

Hamlin also added that he's very grateful to police for catching the alleged suspect.

Following Wednesday's assault, police released detailed descriptions of both the suspect and the getaway car, including a partial license plate number.

Clear, close-up images of the suspect (see above) captured on surveillance tape at the jewelry store were also publicly released by police in an effort to track down the perpetrator.

El Cajon police said the San Diego Regional Fugitive Task Force assisted in locating Kelley in connection with the crime.

Police were also able to track down the alleged accomplice in the crime, Ali Armeen Toombs, 21.

Toombs was pulled over in the Toyota 4-Runner, arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit a felony and robbery, police said.

On Friday night, police confirmed there were no outstanding suspects in this case but said the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information should contact the El Cajon Police Department at (619) 579-3311.



Photo Credit: El Cajon Police Department

Balky Back Hinders Mickelson

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During Thursday's opening round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, Phil Mickelson's back started giving him problems. He stuck it out and still shot a 3-under 69 on the North course.

Before his round on the more challenging South course on Friday, Mickelson said his back felt better, but that did not last very long.

"I hit it on (the 5th hole) in the rough and (my back) jarred because I had to hit it hard to get it out," said Mickelson after his 1-over 73 left his 2-under for the tournament, eight shots off the lead. "I was just an inch in the rough but I had to hit a hard 6-iron and kind of locked up and I started protecting it a bit thereafter."

Mickelson was visibly uncomfortable throughout his round. His finely-tuned swing was not the same fluid, powerful move we're used to seeing.

"My game is pretty sharp getting ready to start the year," said Mickelson, "and I could tell I'm making terrible swings out there, relative to the way I've been swinging."

Of course, Mickelson's terrible swing is something the rest of us mortals would brag about having in an endless stream of YouTube videos. However, for a five-time Major champion, it's something that could lead to a lost season.

"I've got Majors coming up," said Mickelson. "I've got other tournaments coming up and I don't want to get in bad habits."

As for whether or not he'll tee it up on Saturday in his home town, Phil was not ready to commit just yet.

"I would like to get out and play tomorrow. I'm going to tee off early and see if I can get something hot, get a hot round going and try to make up some ground. But then I want to have the big picture in mind, so I'm not quite sure where I'm at yet."

On the leaderboard, he's located eight shots behind 20-year-old Jordan Spieth. The reigning PGA Tour Rookie of the Year went bonkers on the North course, shooting a bogey-free 63. That's nine birdies and nine pars. Pretty impressive for a kid who made his professional debut at this same tournament in 2013 and missed the cut.

Spieth played the first two rounds with Tiger Woods, a guy who knows a thing or two about winning at Torrey Pines (he's done it eight times as a pro). Tiger could never get it going, shooting a 1-under 71 on the North course to barely make the cut. Tiger was impressed with what he saw from the youngster.

"The kid's got talent," said Woods after Friday's round. "He hits it a long way, he's a phenomenal putter. He putted with a lot of confidence."

Woods used to be the kind of massive name that shook other players' confidence. Now, that invincible aura has worn off. You almost got the feeling Woods has become one of the wise old veterans on Tour that new kids on the block don't fear, but revere.

"I wasn't intimidated by any means," said Spieth. "I can't speak for Saturday or Sunday when he's in contention, but (Woods is) very easy to play with. We were talking a lot for each round. When you can see some of the shots he pulls off, it's cool to play with him."

Unless Tiger makes a run that would be outrageous even by his lofty career standards, it would appear they won't be playing together again at Torrey Pines until at least 2015.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Blueberry Muffin Look-Alike

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Imagine reaching for a snack – a blueberry muffin – and quickly realizing it is way too cute to eat. That’s exactly what happened to one San Diego teen who came across a muffin that she says looks just like her Chihuahua.

On Monday, 14-year-old Kaelin Bell walked into her kitchen at her La Mesa home and grabbed the last blueberry muffin sitting on the counter. Suddenly, she noticed a sweet surprise.

“I said, ‘Hey, Dad, it has a face; it kind of looks like Chico,’” the teen told NBC 7 San Diego, referring to her beloved 6-month-old pup.

Like any typical high school student, Bell reached for her cell phone to snap a photo of the unique baked good.

Bell said she had her dad hold the muffin above Chico, with the pooch looking up, as she snapped a photo that would soon go viral.

Bell said she sent the photo to a few friends, who urged her to post the image to her Tumblr page online.

She posted the photo showing Chico and the muffin with the caption: "My blueberry muffin looks exactly like my dog. I’m gonna cry."

Soon enough, Chico – and, of course, the muffin – became an internet sensation.

“The next day, it had 100,000 notes [on Tumblr],” said Bell with a laugh.

There’s also been a “Huffington Post” article written about Chico and the muffin, as well as an article on “Buzzfeed.”

Chico is also, apparently, a social media darling.

On Thursday, NBC talk show host Ellen DeGeneres posted Bell’s photo of Chico and the muffin to her Twitter page.

Alongside the photo, DeGeneres tweeted this conundrum: “I can’t tell if this Chihuahua looks like a muffin, or if this muffin looks like a Chihuahua.”

Bell, who’s a fan of DeGeneres, said she was excited about DeGeneres’ tweet. She was hoping the TV host would see the photograph but didn’t think it would happen so quickly.

“It was really cool,” the teen said.

So now, after the viral fame, inquiring minds want to know: what happened to the muffin?

Well, it’s currently sitting – untouched – in the Bell family freezer.

The teen said her parents insisted on freezing the muffin, like a keepsake of sorts.

Plus, Bell said she wouldn’t have been able to eat something that looked just like dog anyway.

“People keep asking me if I ate the muffin, and I’m like, ‘No, that’s a little cruel. No!’ The muffin is still there,” she said.

And, despite those who may not see Chico’s sweet face in the muffin, Bell said she still sees it.

“Some people said the muffin looks more like a seal or a pug, but I still see Chico in it. The muffin and my dog have an uncanny resemblance – it’s kind of scary,” she said.

For his part, Chico appears unfazed by his sudden fame. On Friday, NBC 7 visited with the pooch as he ran around Bell’s yard chasing a ball and yipping with glee. For a moment, Chico stared at his
look-alike muffin, sniffed it, and walked away, seemingly unimpressed.

Polar Bears Plunge Canceled

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Apparently, it can be too cold even for people who, for some reason, enjoy running into icy water, over and over again.

The 18th annual Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge at Sandy Point State Park in Maryland was canceled Saturday morning due to bitter cold and winds that whipped drifts of snow and ice onto the shoreline.

Saturday's plunge was expected to have as many as 7,000 participants. It also features so-called Super Plungers, who dip into the water repeatedly over 24 hours. All the Super Plungers had raised at least $10,000 for charity.

One set of Super Plungers hit the water at 10 a.m. Friday. About 500 law enforcement officers -- including some from Prince George's County -- took a dip at noon to raise money for the Special Olympics.

But even those devoted souls said the conditions were challenging. There was ice in the water, which complicated the start of the plunge.

"There's no running today, because there's ice in the water and the ice will cut your legs," one participant said.

"Last year was cold, but it was nowhere near as cold as this," said another, as he sat in a hot tub to recover from his plunge. Organizers tried to help participants compensate for the bitterly cold temperatures by providing hot tubs and warming tents.

As he sat in the tub, he touched the top of his head: His wet hair had frozen.

Organizers finally gave in to the weather at about 7:40 a.m. Saturday. In a statement, the organizers said, "A combination of high winds gusting up to 25 mph has created three-foot waves. Combined with freezing temperatures, this has created a large build up of snow and ice on the shore resulting in unsafe conditions for Plungers."

The statement said this year's plunge was on track to raise $1.8 million for Special Olympics Maryland, short of its $2.5 million goal.

As you might expect from people who willingly run into the Chesapeake Bay when temperatures are in the single digits, reaction to the news was mixed. "Weak," scoffed one Twitter user.

However, another Polar Bear Plunge is going forward -- so far -- today. At National Harbor, the "Keep Winter Cold" plunge organized to raise awareness of climate change, is still expected to take place.

But ice is an issue there as well; before the planned 11 a.m. plunge, organizers were seen breaking the ice along the shore with pickaxes and sledgehammers.

The D.C. area, like much of the country, has been in the grip of historic cold, with temperatures well under historic averages for a week.

Organs of Beating Victim Save Five

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The donated organs of Kim Pham, the 23-year-old woman who was beaten outside of a Santa Ana, Calif., nightclub last Saturday, have saved five lives, officials said.

Pham was declared dead on Sunday, but remained connected to a ventilator until Tuesday to make sure her organs would be available for transplantation, according to a statement issued by OneLegacy, the non-profit handling the donation.

READ: Head Wounds Led to Death in Club Beating: Coroner

Her heart, lungs, kidneys, pancreas, and liver were donated. Pham also donated tissues that could help heal more people.

"We are so blessed to have had Kim in our family because she was truly a one-of-a-kind soul. She always put others' needs before herself and never thought badly of anyone," Pham’s family said in a statement.

WATCH: Vigil Held for Woman Who Died After Beating Outside Nightclub

Pham was punched, kicked and knocked to the ground while she waited to get into the Crosby Restaurant and Nightclub in a beating that some bystanders captured on cellphone cameras, police said.

WATCH: After Deadly Nightclub Beating, Video Analyzed "Frame by Frame"

Police have arrested two women in connection with the beating and have announced they are looking for a third.

WATCH: Police Arrest Second Club Fight Suspect, Seek Third

Pham died of complications from blunt force trauma to the head. A vigil was held to remember Pham on Friday.

Snow Plow Stops Wrong-Way Driver

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A snow plow driver stopped an alleged drunk driver who was going the wrong way on the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago early Saturday.

Illinois State Police said reports of a van driving outbound in the inbound Kennedy express lanes near Ohio Street came in just before 3 a.m. Saturday.

A snow plow driver with the Illinois Department of Transportation was in the reversible express lanes when he was notified of the wrong-way driver, officials said.

The snow plow driver got in front of the van, slowed down and made contact with the vehicle, bringing it to a stop, police said.

Police said the driver took out six gates before entering the express lanes and was charged with driving under the influence Saturday morning.

No one was injured in the accident, but the front of the van was damaged.
 

Officials: Man Murders New Roommate

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A 21-year-old man is accused of strangling his new roommate in their suburban Chicago apartment after the two met through a Craigslist ad this week, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors allege Grant Muren killed 55-year-old Charles Clarke after the two got into an argument following a sexual encounter just eight hours after Muren moved into Clark’s townhouse in Naperville’s Estes Park neighborhood.

During the argument, Muren struck Clarke on the head with a small table and strangled him, authorities said.

The men met after Clarke, a self-employed computer specialist, posted an ad on Craigslist seeking a roommate and Muren moved in, prosecutors said.

Police responded to a call at Clarke's home Wednesday, where responding officers smelled natural gas and found a deceased body in the bedroom area, officials said.

Following the murder, prosecutors allege Muren removed his personal belongings from the home, attempted to burn a lease agreement the two had drafted, turned on the gas to the stove and left the oven door open.

Clarke was discovered in the home with contusions to his face and head and the tips of one of his fingers appeared to have been bitten off, prosecutors said.

“Several days ago, Charles Clarke’s life came to an abrupt and violent end, allegedly at the hands of his new roommate,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Clarke’s family and friends as they try to cope with this senseless tragedy."

Muren was arrested Thursday and charged with first-degree murder and concealing a homicide. His bond was set at $2 million Saturday morning, according to the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office.

A neighbor said Clarke, who was in his 50s, lived alone and was a “nice man.” He said Clarke had a girlfriend, who visited occasionally and that Clarke asked him before if he knew someone looking for a place to rent.

The neighbor said he warned Clarke not to put out the ad.
 

New Suspect Info in Mall Shooting

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Investigators released a new suspect description in a triple homicide case connected to a shooting outside a San Diego mall on Christmas Eve.

Gianni Belvedere, 24 of Tierrasanta, was found dead on Jan. 17, weeks after the shooting deaths of his fiancée and brother, Ilona Flint, 22, and Salvatore Belvedere.

Flint and Salvatore Belvedere were shot outside the Macy’s department store at Westfield Mission Valley Mall on Dec. 24. The stores were open for extended hours to accommodate holiday shoppers.

Flint made a 911 call around 1:15 a.m. despite a gunshot wound to the head. She was pronounced dead at the scene, while Salvatore Belvedere died three days later from gunshot wounds to the head and torso.

Read: Deadly Shooting in Mission Valley Mall Parking Lot

Homicide investigators confirmed Gianni Belvedere was found inside the trunk of a car parked in Riverside. The cause of death has not been released but investigators have described Gianni as a victim of homicide.

On Friday, faced with mounting questions about the investigation, San Diego police held a media briefing in which a new suspect description was released.

Lt. Mike Hastings said the suspect is a man wearing a black hoodie with white bands in the biceps area of the sweatshirt, tan pants and white tennis shoes. He is described as an unknown race, standing 5-foot-10 to 6-foot, police said.

It's believed that the suspect was at the Mission Valley mall at 11:15 p.m. the night before the shooting and returned to the mall at 12:15 a.m. on Dec. 24.

Hastings went on to say that San Diego police have spent hundreds of hours on this case.

“If this case can be solved, this case will be solved,” Hastings said.

Friends told NBC 7 that Flint moved to San Diego a few years ago after Gianni, her longtime boyfriend, moved here from Utah.

The couple had been dating for about eight years and planned to get married, friends said.

A neighbor in Tierrasanta told NBC 7 the Belvedere brothers lived together in a home on a quiet street and were always friendly.

The neighbor said Flint also lived with the brothers.

Anyone with information can call the San Diego Police Department’s Homicide Unit at 619-531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.


High Surf Shuts Down OB Pier

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Officials closed the Ocean Beach Pier on Friday night after high waves caused numerous rescues, including a swimmer who was found unconscious and a surfer to need help from lifeguards earlier in the day.

Lifeguards will re-evaluate whether or not to open the pier in the morning.

The swimmer was pulled from the water face-down and unconscious but breathing at the beach near Bacon Street and Santa Cruz Avenue and medics were requested.

Waves were estimated as high as 14 feet in some areas and were visible crashing onto the Ocean Beach Pier this afternoon. High tide was right around 4 p.m.

Around 4:30 p.m., a surfer had to be pulled out after running into trouble just up the coast.

"I was paddling out toward the bigger waves and a rip current got me and pulled me closer and closer to the pier," said surfer John Wainwright. Thankfully i was able to avoid the pylons there and the lifeguards came immediately to help me out. The ocean's not to be underestimated, that's for sure."

Others knew better and stayed out of the water, instead enjoying the views.

“We heard about the big waves, so we wanted to see if any of the spray would hit us, and it did, which was awesome,” said La Mesa resident Richard Lattin, who was in OB. “And everybody was friendly. It was just unbelievably nice.”

Most swimmers and all but the most expert of surfers stayed out of the water. But one novice couldn’t resist.

“I figure I'm in San Diego, you gotta surf,” said Luke Killough, of Tempe, Ariz. “At least try to. I'm not very good, but it's good times, good day for waves apparently.”



Photo Credit: NBC7 San Diego

iPhones Stolen from Oceanside Verizon Store

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A man armed with a handgun made off with stolen iPhones during a robbery at a Verizon Wireless store in Oceanside Friday afternoon.

The heist happened at around 3:30 p.m. at a store in the 4200-block of Oceanside Boulevard.

According to police, a man wearing a hooded sweatshirt some sort of covering over his face entered the cell phone store and stole an unknown number of Apple iPhones.

The man was armed with a gun.

Police said witnesses described him as being in his 20s, approximately 5-foot-9, with a skinny build.

He fled the scene before officers arrived. No one was injured in the robbery.

This is the third cell phone store robbery of its kind reported in San Diego’s North County this month. So far, a robbery like this has happened once a week in the area.

On Jan. 14, an armed man robbed a Verizon store in the 3700-block of Plaza Drive in Oceanside. In that incident, the suspect got away with 15 Apple iPhones and some cash. No one was injured.

On Jan. 7, an armed man stole $17,000 worth of iPhones from a Sprint store in Poway. That robbery was caught on surveillance tape. The frightening footage shows the suspect pointing at gun at two employees while forcing them to stuff a bag with 30 to 40 iPhones.

There is no confirmation from police that these three robberies are in any way related.
 


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Dramatic Images: Md. Mall Shooting

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Take a look at images of the shooting aftermath at Columbia Mall in Howard County, Md., in which three people were killed.

Photo Credit: AFP/Getty Images

New Dad, Retiree Win Big in Lotto

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It’s only three weeks into the New Year and extremely good fortune has already visited two California Lottery players.

Daniel Miguel Galeon, 26, recently learned he and his wife are expecting their first child. And then learned he won a whopping $3,167,202 playing Powerball.

His first reaction was to assume the machine was broken and asked the cashier to double check by scanning a non-winning ticket through the machine, the California Lotto said in an announcement Friday.

Man Picks Up Prescription And $1 Million Lottery Ticket

Galeon said he was in shock as he drove home, but when reality finally hit him, he couldn’t stop yelling for joy.

One of the two Quick Pick tickets that Galeon bought at a 7-Eleven located at 1699 W. Carson St. in Torrance matched five of the six numbers in the Jan. 18 draw.

The newly minted millionaire plans to pay off some bills, buy a car and a house, and spoil his growing family. He also plans to donate a portion of his winnings to Shriners Hospital for Children in Los Angeles.

The convenience store that sold Galeon the winning ticket will receive $15,836.01.

Photos: Biggest Lottery Winners

And Galeon wasn’t the only SoCal lotto player to win big bucks in the New Year.

A former grocery store clerk can now add $1 million to her retirement fund, California lotto officials announced Friday.

Patricia Witt purchased a winning lottery ticket at a Thousand Oaks drug store with money she received for pet sitting a friend’s cats – a favor she did, even though she’s allergic to felines.

“I could not believe it at all, it just feels like a Cinderella story,” Witt told the California Lottery.

Witt’s generosity for her friend “who didn’t have anything to help” watch her pets paid off when she bought the $10 California Gold Scratchers ticket at a CVS Pharmacy located at 1382 North Moorpark Road in Thousand Oaks.

The pharmacy will receive $5,000 for selling the winning ticket, lottery officials said.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Feds Explain Finance Scandal Motive

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A Mexican businessman accused of using political operatives to illegally donate at least $500,000 to San Diego political campaigns wanted to transform San Diego into “Miami West”, a federal prosecutor revealed on Friday.

Jose Susumo Azano, who owns a surveillance software company in Mexico and maintains a villa in Coronado, hoped that local politicians, including former Mayor Bob Filner, would help him in his quest to build up the San Diego bayfront, at the foot of Broadway.

“He wanted to develop there, and he sought political clout,” through illegal campaign donations, mostly to independent campaign committees for those candidates, the prosecutor said.

Those revelations were made during a detention hearing for a San Diego political consultant, Marco Polo Cortes, also charged in this case.

Read the full transcript of Cortes' Jan. 24 detention hearing here

This new information is significant, because until now the U.S. Attorney’s office has not discussed Susumo Azano’s alleged motive for channeling at least $500,000 to support candidates identified as Filner, District Attorney and former mayoral candidate Bonnie Dumanis, two-time mayoral candidate Nathan Fletcher and Congressman Juan Vargas.

According to the prosecutor, Filner, identified in court papers as “Candidate 3”, told the Mexican businessman that he didn’t have jurisdiction over the bayfront, but he would try to delay development of the Navy Broadway Complex so the businessman could take over the lease on that property.

Earlier this week, FBI agents served search warrants on Coronado properties associated with Susumo Azano.

At the Friday morning court hearing, the prosecutor said the alleged conspirators “attacked the electoral process… the most important thing in our democracy.”

The Mexican businessman has not been charged with any crime, but three men who allegedly helped him are accused of felony Conspiracy to Commit Offenses Against the United States.

Those defendants are retired San Diego police detective Ernesto Encinas, Washington, D.C.-based campaign services executive Ravneet Singh, and local government lobbyist Marco Polo Cortes.

Read: Key Players in Campaign Finance Scandal

Cortes was arrested Tuesday and is being held without bail because he allegedly refused to open his door when FBI agents served him with an arrest warrant.

The prosecutor said the agents had to call in a SWAT Team to make Cortes comply with the court-ordered warrant.

But at today’s hearing, the prosecutor said he has since learned that Cortes was on the phone with his lawyer when he refused to answer the door.

For that reason, the prosecutor said he no longer opposes Cortes’s request to be freed on bond pending trial.

U.S. Magistrate Judge William Gallo said he will consider the terms of that bond at another hearing, scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7 News/susumoazano.net

Miller Primed for Sochi

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For the most decorated skier in U.S. history, 36-year-old Bode Miller, five is a big number at the upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

It’ll be Miller’s fifth straight Olympics and he’ll be competing in all five Alpine ski events. And, of course, he’ll be going into the games looking to add to hi five Olympic medals.

The athlete says he feels ready for the challenge.

“I’m probably most prepared and qualified for the super combined, the downhill, and the Super G. Those are the three I medaled in in Vancouver,” Miller explained. “I know what I need to do, I know the preparation – I know how to peak at the right time.”

Miller may be a global personality thanks to dozens of World Cup victories but he is also a former San Diegan.

He used to live on his yacht in San Diego Bay.

His celebrity status coupled with his willingness to speak his mind makes him a desirable interview, and an Olympian many will undoubtedly be watching closely.

Though the chatter about Miller might be overwhelming from one’s perspective, it doesn’t seem to shake his focus – especially when it’s time to compete for the gold.

“I respect people’s free choice to decide whether they like me or they don’t, whether they want to support me or not,” said Miller. “It really, not to take away anything from all the people who’ve supported me, but it just doesn’t make a huge difference to me.”
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Group Thwarts Attempted Home Invasion

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A suspect attempting a home invasion robbery in Clairemont Mesa East was outnumbered by the residents inside the home, who acted quickly and didn’t let him get away with the crime.

San Diego police say a man in his 30s allegedly broke into a bedroom window of a home in the 3600-block of Auburndale Street at around 11:20 p.m. Friday.

Upon entering the home, the intruder confronted several people inside, demanding they give him their money.

Instead of complying, the people inside the house held the suspect down and called police.

The man was taken into custody on charges of attempted home invasion robbery. The incident is under investigation. The suspect’s name was not released.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

11 Arrested at DUI Checkpoint

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A DUI checkpoint in Downtown San Diego on Friday evening netted 11 arrests, according to San Diego police and California Highway Patrol officials.

From about 11 p.m. to 3 a.m., SDPD and CHP officials conducted the checkpoint in the 1500 block of Fifth Avenue in Downtown.

In total, 939 vehicles passed through the checkpoint and 652 of them were screened by officers.

Officers detained 16 motorists for further evaluation and reported that they arrested 11 people suspected of a DUI in or near the checkpoint.

Along with the arrests, 12 vehicles were impounded and one motorist was cited for driving with a suspended license.

The checkpoint was made possible by a California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) “DUI Mini Grant,” which has funded other checkpoints in the past.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Fire Sparks at Normal Heights Apartment

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A fire sparked at an apartment in Normal Heights Saturday, officials said.

The fire began just before 3 p.m. at a residence in the 4200-block of 36th Street. Neighbors called the fire department after they noticed smoke coming from the roof of the home.

Fire crews were able to knock out the blaze quickly.

There were two residents and a dog inside the home at the time of the fire, but not injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.
 



Photo Credit: Elena Gomez

Shop Offers Pizza With a Side of Hookah

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A La Mesa pizza shop is giving a whole new meaning to the "one with everything" order, offering customers the option of having a hookah smoking pipe delivered to them along with their pie.

As first reported by the "San Diego Reader," GiGi Pizza -- located at 8733 Broadway -- is offering this unique pairing.

GiGi Pizza owner San Aqrawi said he's hoping to one-up the competition by offering his customers not only his first love, pizza, but his second -- hookah.

“It started as a joke then it turns out to be a real thing and now I do it,” Aqrawi told NBC 7 on Friday night.

Here's how the hookah-pizza combo works: GiGi Pizza offers a 24-hour hookah rental to patrons for $14.99. This includes tobacco for two -- enough to last more than three hours. Plus, the business will deliver the hookah package right to your front door along with your food order.

Aqrawi says delivering the water pipes with pizza is cheaper than opening a hookah lounge. As it stands, there are already a high number of hookah lounges within the pizza place's 5-mile delivery radius.

“To get into the hookah business we would need remodeling, which we can’t afford right now,”Aqrawi explained.

He says combining a pizza shop with hookah makes sense siince he already has a delivery system and sanitation  requirements in place for the food.

However, not everyone agrees with the new tobacco takeout option.

American Lung Association spokesperson Debra Kelley says inhaling hookah delivers more tar and nicotine than cigarettes and there have been several reported cases of carbon monoxide poisoning stemming from the recreational activity.

Kelley also says people have transferred disease by sharing a mouth piece.

2 DUI Suspects Arrested in Bus Crash

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Two people were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in Oceanside Friday night after three vehicles struck a North County transit bus.

The collision happened just before 10 p.m. at State Route 76 and Airport Road. At least four people were injured in the crash. Three were transported by ambulance to local hospitals while another was airlifted from the scene, authorities said.

According to Oceanside police, the incident was a chain reaction-type crash.

One vehicle struck the transit bus first. Then, two more cars crashed into that first vehicle. At one point, police said a man got out of one of the vehicles and was struck by a passing car.

Police said there were no passengers on the bus, only the driver, as the transit bus was out of service at the time of the collision.

Police believe alcohol played a factor in the incident.

The driver who initially struck the bus was arrested on suspicion of DUI. Another driver involved in the subsequent chain reaction was also arrested on suspicion of driving drunk.

Police said it does not appear the DUI suspects knew each other or were in any way connected.

The victim airlifted from the scene sustained serious injuries but was expected to survive, police said. It is unclear which vehicle that victim was in at the time of the incident.

The others in the crash all suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

The crash remains under investigation and no further details have been released.

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