The woman accused of escaping from a Michigan prison 36 years ago has decided to fight an extradition order against her.

An attorney for Jamie Lewis – the woman police believe is actually Judy Lynn Hayman – invoked her client's Fifth Amendment Rights during her extradition hearing Thursday morning, meaning she never confirmed or denied that she is actually Hayman.

Instead, Lewis' attorney said Lewis will contest efforts by prosecutors in Michigan and San Diego to send her back to Michigan.

“There may come a point when she will make an admission or a denial, but at this point in time, we are just setting the dates that are necessary for her to have all of her rights met here in California,” said her defense attorney Lisa Damiani.

The Michigan Department of Corrections has ordered Hayman to be returned to that state to face charges for escaping from the Huron Valley Correctional Facility in 1977 after serving 10 months of at least a 16-month sentence for attempted larceny.

Michigan officials recently found her living in the San Diego area, so San Diego police arrested her Wednesday at her Hillcrest apartment.

Because the 60-year-old suspected fugitive decided to fight extradition, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office had to file a fugitive complaint.

Lewis is expected to be arraigned and plead not guilty to that complaint Friday, and at that point, a judge will set the date within 10 days for her identity hearing.

The handcuffing a Chula Vista firefighter at an accident scene has prompted a strong reaction among other emergency personnel across the U.S., specifically one 18-year veteran firefighter.

A California Highway Patrol officer detained the firefighter at the crash scene along Interstate 805 near Telegraph Canyon  Road Tuesday night.

A car had rolled through construction, injuring two people. Chula Vista Fire Engineer Jacob Gregoire was detained after refusing to move Fire Engine 52 which was protecting medics working the scene.

The firefighter, who we'll call Allen, wished not to be identified to avoid retribution but was compelled to give his take on what happened to Gregoire.

“It is shocking that the safety of a citizen or those of us rendering aid would be put in jeopardy just to have a lane in the freeway open,” Allen said.

Over fire communications you here another firefighter reporting what was happening.

"This is ridiculous. CHP is arresting Engineer Gregoire for where he spotted the fire engine. We're in the middle of patient care with patients on the freeway and we're trying to protect our scene," one of the firefighters said on the scanner.

Allen said an arrest or detention is rare but friction between departments does occur because CHP has the added responsibility of getting the highway open as soon as possible. It can create a conflict of commitment.

“I would go to jail. I would definitely stand up and make a stand for the safety of my crew,” Allen said.

Despite going into burning buildings, Allen said working on the highway is the most dangerous job of firefighters.

Unfortunate as this incident was, he says better communication between jurisdictions is the likely outcome.

The CHP and Chula Vista Fire chiefs released a joint statement Wednesday afternoon, calling the incident unfortunate and saying it was isolated and not representative of how the two agencies usually work together.

The chiefs said this incident will be the topic of a future joint training session.

Gregoire, 36, is a 12-year veteran of the Chula Vista Fire Department.

A garbage truck collided with a pickup truck in Escondido early Thursday morning, killing one person, officials said.

The incident happened just before 6 a.m. where Centre City Parkway meets Ivy Dell Lane east of Interstate 15.

California Highway Patrol officials said an EDCO disposal truck could not avoid the pickup truck after the pickup's driver ran a stop sign.

The trash truck broadsided the F-150 on the driver’s side, killing the driver instantly, officers said.

The 56-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. His name has not been released.

The EDCO driver, described as a 43-year-old man from Valley Center, was not injured. The driver told CHP he was just beginning his route when the crash occurred.

NBC 7 spoke with the victim’s employer, who actually recognized his employee’s truck on the way to work. He said the man was a machinist at the Flying J and lived less than a mile from the accident site in Escondido.

The employer described the victim was “a stand-up guy” who “would do anything for anybody.”

The crash blocked southbound lanes of Centre City Parkway to traffic for several hours.

Two California girls, struck by an SUV, were led into traffic by their intoxicated godmother, officials said.

Two girls, ages 2 and 4, were rushed to the hospital after they were struck by the SUV on Jamacha Road near Lexington just before 11 p.m. Wednesday.

El Cajon police officers say the girls were in the care of their 22-year-old godmother at the time of the collision. Officials said the three were jaywalking.

El Cajon police interviewed the woman and discovered she was under the influence of alcohol.

She was admitted to a nearby hospital for treatment, officers said.

The girls were taken by ambulance to Rady Children's Hospital. Officials said they suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

El Cajon Police Lt. Tim Henton said the outcome could have been much worse if the driver were going faster or not paying attention.

"Certainly walking out into the path of a car mid-block at night is a circumstance that would be a serious situation if a car was traveling faster," Henton said.

The case will be forwarded to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office for review. Officers are requesting felony child endangerment charges.

The driver stopped after the collision, and an accident report was taken. No arrest was made. The driver was not injured.

A slain San Diego police officer revered as a hero was immortalized Thursday when local leaders, law enforcement and his family dedicated a park in City Heights in his honor.

SDPD Officer Jeremy Henwood was fatally shot in the line of duty on Aug. 7, 2011, and died shortly thereafter.

Two-and-a-half years later, a park at the City Heights Urban Village square has been named the “Officer Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park.” The park faces the Mid-City substation where Henwood worked, and will serve as a permanent reminder of his dedication, courage and sacrifice.

San Diego Councilwoman Marti Emerald led Thursday’s emotional dedication ceremony, attended by SDPD officers, as well as Henwood’s parents and sister.

“Jeremy Henwood was universally respected by his colleagues and the people here in City Heights. He was well-loved,” said Emerald. “He cared deeply about his career in law enforcement and was dedicated to serving and protecting our neighborhoods. He held great promise of becoming a leader in San Diego law enforcement.”

SDPD Chief William Lansdowne said Henwood was a beloved and unforgettable police officer, as well as a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He said the park is a perfect reminder of Henwood’s heroism.

“This is a person who wanted to make a difference. This is a person that joined the Marine Corps and served his country and was deployed on several occasions. This is a person that joined the San Diego Police Department because he clearly understood that what he did made a difference,” said Chief Lansdowne.

A representative from the Marine Corps said he’s proud to call Henwood a veteran, and proud to see his legacy immortalized in the park.

“He epitomizes the word ‘character.’ I think that what this park does, for those that will pass it every day, will be to remember that word and what he stood for as a role model for all. It’s a great privilege that this memory will always be part of this city,” said the Marine.

The park dedication also included some words from Henwood’s loved ones. His father and sister both thanked the community for the outpouring of love and support over the years. Between tears, Henwood’s mother then also took a few moments to remember her son.

“I miss him terribly, as his mother. It’s just not supposed to go this way, when a child dies before the parents,” Mrs. Henwood said. “In Jeremy’s case, this whole two-and-a-half years has made us realize that we never really knew how committed, kind, generous and loyal, and such a wonderful human being, that he really was. He fought hard. He took care of his men in Afghanistan and was extremely proud of the fact that he did not lose one man on the frontlines. We miss him. I feel he has established a legacy.”

Henwood’s mother said her son always knew he wanted to serve and protect, in some capacity.

“He was a Marine forever. He knew what path he was on. I truly will always remember my son for knowing what he wanted to do, which was protect this community. He loved living here,” she added, through tears.

Henwood was shot while sitting in his patrol car in City Heights.

Suspect Dejon Marquee pulled up alongside Henwood’s vehicle and fatally shot the officer in an unprovoked attack. Marquee was later killed in a shootout with police officers outside his City Heights apartment.

Henwood died from injuries sustained in the attack.

San Diegans may remember Officer Henwood from a surveillance video captured just moments before his death at a McDonald’s restaurant on Fairmont Avenue. In the famous footage, the officer is seen buying food for a hungry child that he had never met.

The video has been described as a random act of kindness by a man that members of the San Diego community consider a hero.

In addition to his time as on the police force, Officer Henwood was also a Marine Reservist who served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“The killing of Officer Henwood took a piece out of all of us. He died doing his job. He made all of us feel safer,” said Emerald on Thursday. “His simple act of kindness touched all of our hearts. Officer Henwood was a good and generous man to the end. [This park is a] thank you for all that he was and all that he continues to be in the hearts and minds of all of us here in Mid-City.”

A statewide Flex Alert calling for power conservation was issued Thursday afternoon due to a natural gas shortage triggered by extreme cold weather in the United States and Canada, according to Cal ISO.

The Flex Alert, usually associated with the heat of summer months, was issued amid cool conditions and rain across the region. But weather in other parts of North America caused the problem, according to the system operator.

• Cal ISO: Today's Outlook

"A shortage of natural gas triggered by extreme cold weather in much of the United States and Canada is impacting fuel supplies to Southern CA power plants and reducing electricity generation," the operator's statement said.

• Read: Sochi Viewers' Guide

Customers are asked to reduce energy use between 1 p.m. and midnight to avoid power disruptions. Cal ISO suggests turning off unnecessary lights and waiting until after 6 p.m. to use major appliances.

A 59-year-old music teacher was gunned down opening the door of her Alexandria home Thursday. 

According to police, an older man with gray hair and a beard knocked on the door of a home in the 2400 block of Ridge Road Drive just after 11:30 a.m. and opened fire when two women opened the door.

• Alexandria Double Shooting News Conference

Ruthanne Lodato, 59, was hospitalized in critical condition and later pronounced dead. She lived at the home, according to police. Another woman, around the same age, was shot in the arm and hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.

Police say she worked as a caretaker at the home for Lodato's elderly mother, who was also inside the home during the shooting but was not injured.  

According to her online resume, Lodato worked as a music teacher and organ player in Northern Virginia for decades.

The gunman remains on the loose. Police said they have not determined a motive for the shooting, and have added patrols in the neighborhood.

The shooting occurred in a low-crime neighborhood of Alexandria, though several months ago, 69-year-old Ronald Kirby was gunned down inside his home. No arrest has been made, and police have said there were no signs of forced entry. 

• Ronald Kirby's Widow Speaks Out After Murder

Kirby was the director of the department of transportation planning for the Council of Governments, an interstate association that helps counties around D.C. with development, growth and transportation planning. 

In 2003, real estate agent and wife of Sheriff Jim Dunning, Nancy Dunning was gunned down inside her Del Ray home. No arrests have been made in her death.

Stay with NBCWashington.com and News4 for the latest on this developing story.

In the latest battle over the separation of church and state, the ACLU of Southern California has filed a lawsuit challenging a decision by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to restore a cross to the county's official seal.

In the lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court, the ACLU claims adding the religious symbol violates the constitutional guarantee of the separation of church and state.

• Woman Arrested After LA Valley College Shooting Threat
  

Supervisors voted 3-2 last month to put a cross atop the seal's depiction of historic San Gabriel Mission.

“Supervisors Antonovich and Knabe have attempted to get around our constitutional guarantee of separation of church and state by claiming that the cross is a symbol of history, not religion,” said Mark Rosenbaum, chief counsel of the ACLU SoCal. “But Mr. Antonovich and Mr. Knabe are historians in the same way SNL’s Father Guido Sarducci is a priest. These supervisors have exacerbated the constitutional slap at all religions by reinserting a Christian cross on the seal by means of a Pinocchio-style fib.”

• Cal ISO Issues Statewide Flex Alert Due to Natural Gas Shortage
  

The original seal had a cross over the Hollywood Bowl, but it was removed when the seal was redesigned in 2004 after the ACLU threatened legal action.

The latest redesigned seal went into effect on Friday.

Knabe said in a statement that he was disappointed over what he called a “frivolous” lawsuit.

“Our motion to add the cross to the County seal was in the name of historical correctness, not political correctness,” Knabe said.

The Opening Ceremony in Sochi has yet to happen, and already the Russians have established themselves as an intimidating force on the ice.

Former Olympic champion Evgeny Plushenko and reigning European pairs champions Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov delivered passionate, near-flawless routines in the opening two events of the figure skating team competition on Thursday, thrusting the Russians into first place and offering a taste of what could be many medal-worthy performances from the country over the next few weeks.

Plushenko, who finished second with 91.39 in the men’s short program, and Volosozhar and Trankov, who won the pairs short program with 83.79, brought the home crowd at the Iceberg Skating Palace to its feet, taking adulatory laps around the rink following their routines. The crowd chanted their names and waved Russian flags, as if expecting gold.

"It felt great. I feel so happy," Plushenko said afterwards.

But it is still early in the team competition, one of 12 events added to the Winter Games this year, and there is plenty of time for Russia’s rivals to catch up. Competition continues on Saturday and concludes on Sunday.

The team competition begins with 10 countries, who put forth representatives in men’s singles, women’s singles, pairs and ice dance. The short skate rounds come first, after which the top five countries move on for a round of free skates.

Each individual score counts toward the team’s total, with the highest total winning gold.

Closest to the Russians are the Canadians, no slouches themselves. Three-time world champion Patrick Chan finished third in the mens’ short program, followed by a solid second-place in the pairs short program from Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford. They trail the Russians by just two total points, 19 to 17.

In third are the Chinese, with 15 total team points.

The Americans are in seventh, largely due to a shaky routine from national champion Jeremy Abbot, who tumbled in his short skate.

Abbott, trying to rebound from a ninth-place performance in Vancouver four years ago, started his routine flashing a competitive snarl. But within seconds, he’d lost his composure, falling on his first jump, and sliding into the boards. When he finished, he skated off the ice with his hands locked behind his head. After the judges delivered the verdict — a score of 65.65 — he hung his head.

"There are times when you say you wish you could do it again, I feel that way now,” Abbott told reporters.

In the pairs event, Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir performed respectably, stumbling on a side-by-side jumps and nailing a throw triple. They scored 64.24, their best of the season.

The men's short skate also showcased a rising talent from Japan. Nineteen-year-old Yuzuru Hanyu, skating to a blues rock song, nailed all his jumps and complex footwork with the coolness of someone who thrives under pressure. He finished ahead of Plushenko, in first place with a 97.98, bowing to his coach and teammates.

In the end, however, the focus, deservedly, was on the Russians, who are out to show that their skating program, which has faltered in recent years, is back.

Nowhere was that more apparent than in the showing by Volosozhar and Trankov. They nailed a huge triple twist that sent her sailing and spinning above his arms. Then they landed a near-perfect side-by-side triple toe, followed by a huge throw triple loop.

They received a roaring standing ovation, first place, at least for the day, assured.

In his final week as San Diego’s interim mayor, Todd Gloria set out on one of his last goals: ending homelessness downtown by the end of 2016.

Roughly 5,733 homeless people were counted during the 2013 Point in Time census, and Gloria said more than 3,100 of those were unsheltered.

During a briefing Thursday, Gloria outlined a seven-step plan to better use the $1.9 million allocated from the city’s general fund for solutions to end homelessness.

This year, that allocation extended winter shelter programs, but starting in Fiscal Year 2015, Gloria hopes to direct the funds to outcomes-focused services and program enhancements to fight the problem, not just the symptoms.

He said homelessness doesn't just affect people living without shelter; it affects the quality of life for all San Diegans.

The first component of Gloria’s plan is an $800,000 investment in the single adult winter shelter and the veterans winter shelter. The money would improve the assessment and case management services and foster chances for homeless San Diegans to find more permanent housing.

Gloria wants to put a one-time chuck of change -- $400,000 – toward the Regional Continuum of Care’s coordinated intake and assessment system. It’s an unfunded mandate that would let agencies share data, allowing more coordinated service deliveries.

The third proposal is an expansion of the Serial Inebriate Program (SIP), which had a 34 percent budget cut in 2007. Gloria said an allocation of $120,000 would nearly triple the number of chronic homeless alcoholics that the program could serve, adding 20 more units or beds to SIP.

For enhancements to the Neil Good Day Center Service, Gloria proposed allocating $80,000 to give homeless people better access to showers, mail, computers, medical care and case management.

The San Diego Police Department’s Homeless Outreach Team would get $40,000 to link their efforts with local housing and service providers under Gloria’s plan.

For his sixth suggestion, Gloria outlined a plan to give $150,000 a year to the homeless transitional storage facility that gives 350 homeless families and individuals a place to store their belongings.

Finally, $300,000 would go to Connections Housing Downtown, which is part of the city’s homeless services.

On top of his seven-step plan, Gloria called on the business community to contribute to the proposed solutions.

"It's no secret that homelessness is a difficult challenge. By more creatively using our limited resources, we can make a far greater difference in the lives of our neediest neighbors,” said Gloria. “Furthermore, helping these individuals toward self-sufficiency and ending the cycle of homelessness makes economic sense."

But some people living without a home are less optimistic that Gloria’s plan will work.

Pamela Cooks is a cancer patient who has been living at a shelter for about a year, and she said with all her social security income going toward medical bills, little is left over for housing.

“There has to be more affordable housing; there has to be more transitional housing; there has to be medical for people,” said Cooks.
 

The Opening Ceremony for the Winter Games in Sochi is just around the corner and NBC 7 along with the Midway Museum and the Olympic Training Center are hosting a free event to celebrate.

San Diego to Sochi: Olympic Hopefuls

You are invited to attend an Opening Ceremony viewing party aboard the Midway and enjoy some fun winter-themed activities for the whole family.

The event is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 7 and will include ice skating, curling and Russian themed-cocktails.

In Sochi spirit there will be snow on the flight deck and huge television screens to watch all the action, along with giveaways and special guests.

Join NBC 7’s Mark Mullen, Catherine Garcia, Monica Dean, Dagmar Midcap and Jim Laslavic along with athletes from the Olympic Training Center.

The event begins at 6:30 p.m. Get directions and parking information here.

There will be limited indoor seating. Participants are encouraged to bundle up and bring lightweight lawn chairs and blankets.

Special Section: Sochi 2014

NBC 7's Steven Luke traveled to Sochi and will report on the Olympic hopefuls who trained in San Diego live from Sochi beginning Feb. 6.

We could probably write a book about the ins and outs of the Olympics — it's a unique event, especially the winter version. Instead, however, check out the answers to 11 burning questions as the Olympics get underway.

What is the super-G?
This race, along with the downhill, is classified as a speed event in Alpine skiing. It’s essentially a longer and faster version of the giant slalom. Designed to combine the speed of the downhill with the giant slalom’s technical aspects, the super-G made its Olympic debut in 1988.

What does Nordic combined combine?
Nordic combined consists of two events: Cross-country skiing and ski jumping. Within the discipline there are the normal hill, large hill and team events. The first two include one ski jump and a 10km cross-country race, while the team event has four skiers jump and then participate in a 4x5km cross-country relay.

Why do curlers yell?
Curling certainly has its quirks, from the funny pants (read: the Norwegians) to the brooms. But what’s with the yelling? After the skip (the team captain) releases each stone, he communicates to his sweepers on when to brush the ice. Sweeping makes the stone go faster and can even alter its course.

Where did biathlon come from?
Biathlon, which combines cross-country skiing and rifle-shooting, has its roots in Scandinavia. For centuries, hunters in the snow-covered corners of the Earth had to strap on a pair of skis, sling a rifle over their shoulders and head out to provide their family with food. In more recent history, military forces would deploy on skis in Sweden and Norway. Biathlon became an official Olympic sport in 1960.

Do figure skaters ever get dizzy with all those spins?
Newer skaters experience dizziness, which is why their coaches limit them to one or two revolutions when they spin. But elite and more experienced skaters are able to keep their balance and ward off dizzy spells by focusing on a fixed point when a spin ends. Since that’s not a foolproof solution, though, they often add a dance move of some sort — a jump, for example — after the spin to bridge them over to relative stillness. Like anything else, it’s all about practice.

Why do skiers wear tight outfits?
Alpine skiing is not a fashion contest, although gear designers come out with some pretty stylish stuff these days. These athletes, like swimmers, speed skaters, swimmers and cyclists, must be as aerodynamic as possible when they hit the slopes. The suits worn by top skiers these days are slippery, in that they create hardly any wind drag. They’re also seamless, which helps the skiers cruise down the mountain at speeds of 80 MPH and above.

How high off the ground do ski jumpers get?
Believe it or not, ski jumpers are never more than about 20 feet above the ground once they leave the ramp. The curve of the slope is similar to the in-run, so that as the jumpers are flying down the hill, the ground is never too far away.

How do bobsledders train in the summer?
Bobsled athletes must have strong legs and fast-twitching muscles to push their sled at the start of their run. When there’s no snow, they train on a push track. On a push track, a bobsled with wheels fits into a metal track, and the athletes work on pushing the sled as fast as possible.

What are clap skates?
Clap skates are what long-track speed skaters wear. The blades are longer than those on typical skates, and only the front of the blade is attached to the boot. That construction lets the blade stay on the ice longer, letting the skater get the maximum forward momentum out of each stride. As for the name? Once the rear portion of the hinged blade snaps back into place, it makes a “clap” sound.

Clap skates are used only in long-track events, however. They aren't used in short track events because of safety reasons, since athletes race closer together and in large groups.

How tall is a halfpipe?
At its highest point, the halfpipe used for snowboarding and freestyle skiing is 22 feet tall. In case you were wondering, in Sochi, the top of the pipe stands at about 3,600 feet above seal level, giving them a pretty great view, even if they are upside down.

How did the Olympics end up in Sochi?
The bidding process for hosting the 2014 Winter Games officially started in 2005, when the potential cities had to submit their applications to the International Olympic Committee.

Of the three cities in the final bidding process — Pyeongchang, South Korea; Salzburg, Austria; and Sochi — Sochi received 34 votes in the first round of voting and then 51 in the second to win the Games on July 4, 2007. Salzburg was eliminated after the first round of voting, and then Sochi edged Pyeongchang, 51 to 47, in the decisive vote.

Chula Vista police are investigating the case of an 11-year-old student who brought a gun to school.

The incident happened last Friday at Feaster Charter Elementary School at 670 Flower St., according to police.

Police said the fifth grader showed the .44 revolver to other students, but kept it inside a bag.

Chula Vista Police Captain Lon Turner said police learned about the incident on Monday after a parent called authorities.

Police do not believe the boy made any threats of violence. Instead, he apparently told the other kids that the gun looked like something from the "Call of Duty" video game.

Turner said the revolver belonged to the boy’s mother’s boyfriend. There is no word if that man could face charges.

On Thursday, Feaster Charter Elementary sent a note home to parents which read, in part:

Recently, we had a student who brought an unloaded weapon to campus to show schoolmates. At no point was anyone threatened or harmed.

Read the note sent to parents.

This was the second time a student brought a gun to school last month. On Jan. 29, a police officer stopped a 15-year-old Serra High School student with an unloaded handgun in his backpack. The teen told the officer he was planning to confront a bully.

Although the student didn't make it to Serra High with the gun, he stopped at De Portola Middle School on the way to campus.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

Police officers found two bodies inside a condominium in San Diego’s Oceanside community Thursday, officials confirmed.

The Oceanside Police Department said the grim discovery was made around 10:40 a.m. at a ground-floor condo located at 432 Edgehill Lane.

Police had been called to the home to check the welfare of the resident.

When officers arrived, they found the condo locked and secure. Officials said one of the officers looked through a bedroom window and saw a person on the floor. This person was unresponsive to the officer’s requests for entry.

The officer and his partner forced entry into the home. Inside, they found a dead man and woman.

The names of the man and woman have not yet been released, but police say they appear to be in their late 40s or early 50s and are likely the residents of the home.

Their deaths are under investigation. At this time, the Oceanside Police Department says it appears to be a murder-suicide case. The San Diego County Medical Examiner's office will determine the manner of the deaths and release that information at a later time.

NBC 7 spoke to friends and neighbors at the scene who said the man and woman were a married couple going through a painful divorce. They were still living together in the rented unit at the Arbor Hill condo complex in Oceanside, but neighbors said the husband was set to move out soon.

"They were going through a bad divorce," said upstairs neighbor Katie Colladay. "Even though they were civil, she was moving on and happy. He was miserable and unhappy because he was losing his best friend."

The woman was a commercial propety manager, while the husband was described as a computer scientist. Neighbors told NBC 7 they had not seen the couple since Saturday.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

DNA evidence found on a victim who was sexually assaulted while walking along a trail at San Diego’s Balboa Park is what led investigators to the woman’s alleged attacker, a prosecutor confirmed Thursday.

“He’s a danger to this community,” said Deputy District Attorney Renee Palermo, referring to assault suspect Ameen Ali Bryant, 21.

“It’s a brazen attack, in broad daylight, in Balboa Park, which is something that we all should be able to enjoy every day,” Palermo added.

Ali has been charged with assault with intent to commit rape in connection with an attack that happened Jan. 14, at around 1:15 p.m., at Balboa Park.

According to San Diego police, Bryant allegedly assaulted a woman as she walked along the Bridle Trail on the western side of the park, south of the Cabrillo Bridge. The victim told police the suspect ran up to her from behind, grabbed her, forced her to the ground and then jumped on top of her.

Palermo said the victim was taking a walk at the park during her lunch hour when she noticed Bryant following her. Moments later, Bryant tackled the woman to the ground and violently forced himself on top of her, according to Palermo.

“At one point, he picked up a handful of dirt and put his hand over her mouth,” the prosecutor explained.

Palermo and sex crimes detectives said the woman struggled and was able to fight off Bryant.

During the tussle, two people coincidentally walked onto the trail, which police believe scared off the attacker. Upon seeing the passersby, the suspect fled the scene. He was last seen running north toward the Cabrillo Bridge.

Detectives released a detailed description and composite sketch of the suspect on Jan. 21. The next day, Bryant was arrested as the suspect in the sexual assault case.

According to Palermo, DNA evidence found on the assault victim helped lead police to Bryant. The
witnesses that walked onto the trail also identified him as the suspect, she said.

The prosecutor said Bryant is a documented gang member with a prior strike for robbery in 2012. He’s currently on parole for that offense. If convicted of the Balboa Park sex crime, Palermo said Bryant faces a maximum of 12 years in state prison.

On Thursday, a judge ordered Bryant be held in jail on $500,000 bail. He’s scheduled to appear in court again Feb. 19 and Feb. 21.

At the time of the attack in Balboa Park, SDPD Sex Crimes Lt. Chuck Kaye told NBC 7 that the last such assault in Balboa Park was also on the Bridle Trail in 2008. He said crimes of this type are rare.

A San Diego Police officer is accused of sexual misconduct involving at least four women, according to SDPD Chief William Lansdowne.

A separate law enforcement source said the officer is Chris Hays. 

SDPD Chief William Lansdowne said the officer -- whose identity he would not confirm -- is being investigated for improper "pat downs" of four detained females and for getting "sexual gratification" while doing them.

"In the course of the detention, officers search people, and in this case we believe the searches were done improperly, but it didn't go underneath inside the clothing -- it didn't go there," said Lansdowne.

At least one of the alleged victims had been drinking. The incidents happened in the downtown and central San Diego areas.

Hays is on paid leave and has been relieved of police responsibilities. 

The allegations first came to light in December, when one of the alleged victims called SDPD to complain about the officer's improper behavior during a pat down.

The police's internal investigation led to three other possible victims, Lansdowne said.

The San Diego County District Attorney’s office has had the case since the middle of January, but the DA's spokesperson says they have no time frame for making a decision on charges against the officer.

They could possibly bring felony charges against him if there is enough evidence that he got -- or tried to get -- sexual gratification from those pat downs.

These parallel investigations could lead to Hays' termination.

After asking for comment on the incident from the city of San Diego, Interim Mayor Todd Gloria released the following statement: 

I have spoken with Chief Lansdowne about this case and appreciate the Police Department responded to the initial complaint quickly with an internal investigation. The vast majority of our police officers are upstanding citizens who are committed to following the laws they are entrusted to enforce. I ask all San Diegans to continue to trust our officers and to report any concerning activity they witness or experience so we can maintain a high quality public safety force.

According to Lansdowne, the allegations are not as serious as those against Anthony Arevalos, who was convicted of sexual battery, assault and asking for bribes, because they do not involve allegations of "skin-to-skin" contact by an officer, no request from women that they be freed if they comply with the officer's demands and no alleged offer by the officer to let them go only if they let him touch them.

Convicted former SDPD officer Arevalos will be back in court Friday on an unrelated case.

Check back for updates on this developing story.
 

It's selfie time for Olympic athletes across the world as excitement builds for the Winter Games' Opening Ceremony, which gets underway in Sochi on Friday.

From #teamturtleneck to the #Wolfpack, U.S. athletes across all sports have joined in the fun on social media as they get ready for a special night in Russia. Check out the reactions compiled by Today.com below.
 

A child that captured the hearts of San Diegans after being hit by a drunk driver is back in the hospital.

Izaiah Wallis, known as Baby Izaiah, is currently in the intensive care unit at Rady Children’s Hospital. On Wednesday night, he had emergency surgery for an intestinal blockage, according to the non-profit organization Passion for K.I.D.S.

In October 2010, Izaiah was being pushed by his grandfather in a stroller when an SUV plowed into them on a sidewalk in Oceanside. The 17-year-old driver was drunk, and the accident left Izaiah blind and paralyzed.

Besides this latest medical hurdle, the family’s wheelchair van has broken down and needs to be replaced. Passion for K.I.D.S. is raising money to buy them a new van.

In June 2012, the family moved into a Vista home with custom features for Izaiah renovated by volunteers.

 

After pulling the plug on the stadium lights at a San Diego high school, a judge now says the lights can go back on.

The decision comes after a year and a half long legal battle between upset residents in Talmadge and Hoover High School.

This week, the school passed two legal hurdles to get the lights turned back on.

But the judge’s ruling impacts more than just Friday night football games and that's a major concern for some residents.

Hoover High School has one of the nicer high school stadium facilities in San Diego thanks to a major renovation several years ago.

The lights were turned on for night football games in 2012.

That lasted all of one season and three games before a local group pulled the plug last September.

“It was disappointing because we had done a lot of things on our end in terms of trying to limit any impact it had on the neighborhood,” said Hoover High Athletic Director Ron Lardizabal.

The group Taxpayers for Accountable School Bond Spending argued in part that the money to build the lights came from Prop S.

They argued the 2008 voter-approved bond money was supposed to be used to upgrade classrooms and school infrastructure, not to build stadium lights

This week, a judge decided the lights could go back on as long as the school stopped using Prop S money for the lights.

“Being able to hold events at night, whether it's football or whether it's soccer, it gives our parents an opportunity to come out and support the kids,” Lardizabal said.

For Talmadge residents like Brian MacLaggan, the concern is what could come next.

“We believe they're not going to use it just for school functions, so there'll be people using the football facility at all hours of the night until 11 or 12 at night creating issues for our neighborhood,” MacLaggan said.

But other residents don't mind the occasional bright lights.

“A part of a community is to support the kids and let them have some late games and also, that’s what my granddaughter looks forward to is being able to go to a night game,” said resident Carol Parks.

The lights could go back on at the end of this month, if Hoover High ends up hosting a soccer playoff
game.

Meanwhile, attorneys for the resident group will be back in court next month to demand that the San Diego Unified School District to pay back the Prop S money used to put the lights up in the first place.
 

A Ramona teenager is competing on the world’s stage in Sochi, Russia but flying under the radar of the American media because he is competing for the country of Ireland.

Special Section: Sochi 2014

At 16, Seamus O’Connor is one of snowboarding’s youngest Olympic competitors.

O'Connor started at age 4 and quickly became a prodigy in the sport.

O’Connor's parents, Elena and Kevin O’Connor, spoke with NBC 7 at their Point Loma home just hours before their flight to Russia.

"Within a week he could do the double blacks," said father Kevin O’Connor. “And I was scared to death.”

The family is a cultural melting pot - Seamus's mom is Russian with Sochi roots.

"My parents and my parents’ parents all came from Krasnidar and Kranea area which is very close to Sochi," she explained.

Kevin O'Connor is Irish - which is why Seamus, their youngest of three children was invited to represent the country in the 2014 Winter Olympics.

"I’ve always said he's won by just being able to qualify and get there, he's won. Anything he does now is an absolute bonus," Kevin O’Connor said.

Seamus is a rarity at these games - one of just a handful of snowboarders to compete in both slopestyle and half pipe.

Read: Olympian Aims to Compete in 3 Snowboarding Events

Mike Jankowski, Head Coach of USA Snow Board, said it’s a difficult task.

"To be able to compete in both sports, Shawn White is the only guy on the U.S. team that’s able to do that, for him to switch gears and compete at both the elite level in both the pipe and slope style events it's a great thing for him and he has a lot of more great things to come," Jankowski said.

"If he comes home at the end of the week in one piece, I'm happy,” said Kevin O’Connor. “It's an exceedingly dangerous sport. But I also hope he will not embarrass himself and do his level best, it's tough to be sixteen and compete at this level."

Read: Snowboarders Are Enjoying Olympic Experience

For the O'Connors, who own a brain injury rehab center in Ramona, Seamus's success has meant traveling to Park City where he trains and around the world.

"Our life would be completely different. It changed our life. Everything is about Seamus,” Elena O’Connor said.

“It changed our life, it changed our life," her husband agreed.

Like most parents - his dreams are their dreams - and the Olympics rings are beyond the wildest any of them ever expected.