An SUV ran off the road in North Park Monday and rolled down an embankment, crushing a vehicle driven by an FBI employee on the highway below.

The incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. along southbound Interstate 805 below Adams Avenue just before the off-ramp.

It appears a woman driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee crashed into a hydrant at Adams and Boundary Street and then drove 100 feet down an embankment.

Her vehicle struck the retaining wall, flipped over, crashed into another vehicle and then landed on its roof.

As it was tumbling down the embankment, it struck a car driven by an on-duty FBI agent that was exiting the highway at the time.

The agent was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries according to SDPD Lt. Darryl Hoover.

The woman had to be pulled from her vehicle. Hoover said she was also taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries.

Several FBI officials arrived soon after the crash and removed weapons and other equipment from the trunk of the crushed vehicle.

Hoover described the SUV's path onto the highway as "threading a needle." He said the driver missed several things in her path including trees and a retaining wall.

San Diego police detective Dan Wall said one of two things caused the accident - a medical incident or an unintentional act.

San Diego police were investigating the cause of the crash.

Officials said there was no evidence that texting or distracted driving caused the crash.

The off-ramp was blocked by the wreckage but traffic continued going southbound along I-805.

Check back for updates.

A motorcyclist was run over by a car and killed Monday afternoon near Naval Base San Diego.

According to San Diego police, the man lost control of his motorcycle driving north on Harbor Drive at 12:15 p.m. Police said he was thrown from the bike and into the path of an oncoming SUV.

The motorcycle landed about 100 yards away.

The victim was pronounced dead at the hospital. His name has not been released.

Police said there is no indication alcohol was a factor in the crash. The SUV driver is not expected to face charges.

“They tried to avoid hitting them, but there was nothing they could do. He was coming at them at a pretty good speed,” said Acting Sgt. Brandy Sorbie with the San Diego Police Department.

Harbor Drive between 28th Street and Schley Street was closed for several hours while police conducted their investigation.

Check back for updates.
 

Four baggage handlers at the San Diego International Airport are accused of smuggling cocaine and methamphetamine into airplanes by exploiting their ability to get through security screenings unchecked.

According to a federal grand jury indictment, Felix Samuel Garcia, Paulo Mendez Perez and Saul Bojorquez worked for Delta Global Services (DGS), which provides ground services for many airlines.

The indictment alleges that they flashed their badges and walked through checkpoints with drugs in their backpacks.

Another DGS employee, Brian Alberto Gonzalez, is accused of working as a courier.

The allegedly drug-toting baggage handlers would meet with the couriers in Terminal 2 bathrooms. The indictment said they would wait for adjoining stalls to become available, then hand off the cocaine or meth under the stalls’ divider.

The couriers would board flights to places like New York City, Nashville, Detroit, Hawaii and Baltimore, where they would pass the drugs off to a local trafficking organization.

U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy said the street price of meth in San Diego is about $5,000 a pound, but it jumps up to $25,000 a pound in Hawaii.

Another seven accused couriers, drug suppliers and middlemen are charged in the indictment. They are from San Diego, Chula Vista, Fresno and San Bernardino and range in age from 21 to 48.

All the defendants were arrested in a federal agent sweep last week, and all but one are still in custody.

A Drug Enforcement Agency complaint says agents seized 17 pounds of cocaine, 18 pounds of meth and $103,846 in cash over the year-long investigation.

Thirteen units from six different agencies joined forces to battle a house fire Monday afternoon near Jamul.

The fire started just before 3 p.m. at a two-story home in the 2600 block of Bratton Valley Road.

When firefighters arrived, the front of the house was engulfed in flames.

According to Cal Fire, the home’s remote location on a dirt road made fighting the fire a challenge.

“When you live in these rural areas, access is always a concern,” said Fire Capt. Kendal Bortisser with Cal Fire.

Bortisser said additional water tenders were requested because there are no fire hydrants in the area.

The fire spread to vegetation next to the house, starting a small brush fire and creating concern amid the drought. Luckily, firefighters were able to stop the brush fire from spreading.

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No one was injured in the fire. Bortisser was unsure if anyone was home at the time. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Crews from Cal Fire, the Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife, Lakeside Fire, San Diego Rural Fire and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department all responded.

The families of three victims who died in a drunk driving crash last year that gained national attention over the teenage driver's "affluenza" defense have settled multiple lawsuits.

Hollie and Shelby Boyles' family, as well as the family of Breanna Mitchell, settled their civil lawsuits against Ethan Couch's parents for an undisclosed amount of money.

Couch, who was 16 years old at the time of the wreck, was sentenced in December to 10 years probation on four counts of intoxication manslaughter.

In June 2013, an intoxicated Couch lost control of a pick-up truck he was driving and plowed into a group of people helping a stranded driver along Burleson-Retta Road in Tarrant County.

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The case sparked outrage after the defense argued Couch suffered from a condition called "affluenza" after growing up in a wealthy family.

Defense attorneys claimed the teenager had no sense of responsibility due to lack of parenting, which affected his judgment.

The crash killed 43-year-old Burleson youth minister Brian Jennings, Breanna Mitchell, 24, Shelby Boyles, 21, and her 52-year-old mother, Hollie Boyles. Nine others were also injured.

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Couch's blood alcohol content was three times the legal limit at .24, according to the Tarrant County Sheriff's Department. It is illegal for anyone under 21 years of age to drive with any amount of alcohol in their system. There were also traces of Valium in his system.

A judge in early February ordered Couch to go to a rehabilitation facility paid for by his parents, for an undetermined amount of time. He was spared further jail time.

Couch still faces charges of intoxication assault related to other victims' cases. 

A bicyclist was injured in a hit and run car accident Monday night in the Midway District.

According to San Diego Police, a 44-year-old man was riding his bike on Midway Drive around 11:00 p.m., when he was rear-ended by a silver car in the same lane.

The driver fled the scene, and left the bicyclist with a head injury and a dislocated shoulder. Neither injuries were considered life-threatening.

The car was described as a four-door Lexus or a Mercedes with dark carbon fiber trim.

If you have any information, call the San Diego Police Department at the non-emergency number (619) 531-2000.
 

A bicyclist was injured Monday night after a hit-and-run in Escondido.

According to the Escondido Police Department, the 44-year-old man was hit by a white pick-up truck on East Washington Avenue and Ash Street at 9:09 p.m.

They say the bicyclist was not wearing a helmet but luckily, only had minor injuries.

Escondido Police hope surveillance images in the area might help them catch the driver.
 

For the first time since September, gas prices in San Diego have passed the $4 mark.

The average price for a gallon rose $.22 in the past month – a price that’s so high it's affecting San Diego families and businesses.

Businesses that depend on deliveries such as Flowers of Point Loma say they're feeling the pinch.

The cost to ship flowers has increased their prices 7 to 10 percent overall.

Delivery driver Patrick Scarry said it has changed how he does business.
"I had to limit how far we can go on some of the deliveries like as far as our range, you know, we will usually go as far as like Poway but since the gas has gone up, we've had to cut it down a little bit," Scarry said.

Soon, the business says it will have to choose between charging an extra delivery fee or eating the cost in profits.

Experts say gas prices typically go up in the summer because of high demand and the more expensive summer fuel blend.

They say the refineries are pumping up the price on big brand dealers and those dealers are passing it down to consumers.

Experts recommend checking prices at independent dealers instead of the big brand name stations. It could save you about 10 cents a gallon.

When is a good time to fill your tank? NBC 7 offers a “Gas Price Forecast” every Monday and Thursday on NBC 7 News at 4.

This week, expect prices to stay about the same or even drop slightly at the independent stations.
Wholesale prices are up at the name brand stations.

So if you shop around this week, you'll find stations still selling gas well below $4.
 

If you can’t build out, build up.  That’s the idea behind exploring bringing elevated pod cars to Mountain View.  On Tuesday night, the City Council is considering its next steps as to whether they should develop these "pod cars," to help solve traffic problems. 

SkyTran is the Mountain View-based company developing the technology.  The pod cars are not a train but sleek looking pods on an elevated track designed to move people above traffic, not through it.  They're looking to complete a proof of concept project.  The cost is estimated at $750,000.

The city manager may soon begin talks with the U.S. Transportation secretary and local businesses to create a grant for the fund, according to the Mercury News.

The cars, profiled by NBC Bay Area in June 2012, could help alleviate traffic at the downtown transit center, North Bayshore Area and Google’s future campus at Moffett Field. 

Estimates are that the cost could run $7 to $8 million dollars and more 5,000 people per hour.  Development may take 5 to 10 years.

VIDEO: Futuristic Pods Considered for Mountain View
(Original report from 2012)  

A man suspected of a homicide in Georgia is expected in bond court Tuesday afternoon on several charges stemming from a standoff with police on Chicago's Lake Shore Drive.

Joseph Andrew Felton, Jr., 44, was charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated fleeing police, and fugitive from justice on an out-of-state warrant, all felonies, according to a release from Chicago Police.

Felton, of the 700 block of Union Drive in University Park, is suspected in the murder of his wife, Sheray Felton, who was found dead Saturday in Georgia.

Henry County Police in Georgia said the extradition process would begin after Felton is presented with the charges in Chicago.

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An autopsy revealed Sheray Felton's death was blunt force trauma including lacerations with an edged weapon, according to a statement from Sgt. Joey Smith, public information officer for Henry County, Ga.

"At this time we are building a case for prosecution and to maintain integrity, we will not discuss specifics of the investigation," the statement read.

Felton's vehicle was spotted by authorities in south suburban Harvey just after noon on Sunday. An ensuing chase ended about 20 miles later with a crash on Lake Shore Drive but Felton kept police at bay for nearly nine hours.

He was removed from his vehicle and taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital with wounds that police said were self-inflicted.

Some San Diego-area gun owners are concerned about federal agents taking their personal information in a weekend raid on a gun parts store.

Ares Armor doesn't sell guns. It sells gun parts.

Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosives, or ATF, raided its store in National City over the weekend.

Video shared with NBC 7 shows agents rushing into the store and using a sledgehammer on a safe.

On Monday customers like U.S. Marine Arnold Yaptangco were concerned.

“I'm kind of fearful and I'm a law abiding citizen,” Yaptangco said.

According to the company's CEO, agents took Polymer 80% receivers and computers containing customer information.

The gun parts are part of the investigation, but Yaptangco doesn't understand why authorities need his information.

“I feel if they could do it to these guys 100% legit business. They could do it to anyone.They can just raid in and search for whatever reason,” Yaptangco told NBC 7.

NBC 7 contacted ATF and received this statement:

"Ares Armor is under investigation for federal firearms violation. We served a lawful federal search warrant at a number of their businesses."

When asked about customer information on the computers the bureau spokesperson replied with “no comment.”

"It seems like they overstepped boundaries as a federal organization,” customer Jerry Gomez said.

The company’s CEO met with attorneys Sunday to try to get the computers back. He plans to take further legal action to protect his customers.

Investigators have located the leak in a gas main near the two buildings that exploded in Manhattan last week, killing eight people and injuring more than 70 others. 

The NTSB, which investigates pipeline accidents, said in a written update Tuesday that the leak was found in the main adjacent to 1646 Park Ave., one of the collapsed buildings.

Officials had previously said that they suspected a gas leak was the cause, but had not found the source.

The buildings erupted about 15 minutes after someone from a neighboring building reported smelling gas, authorities said. Con Edison said it immediately sent workers to check out the report, but they got there too late.

The NTSB said Tuesday that investigators found the leak after the 8-inch cast iron and plastic main failed pressure tests.

The agency said it was taking two pieces of the service line to the two buildings, one 20 feet long and the other 3 feet long, into evidence for further study.

You may want to sift through your household clutter.

Robert Manning, of Springfield, Va., recently cleaned out his wallet and decided to check the stack of Powerball tickets he'd been carrying around. It turned out one of the tickets -- which he'd purchased March 5 -- was worth a cool million bucks.

"It feels crazy," he said as he presented his winning ticket to lottery officials, according to a news release.

Manning's win had made the news before he himself did. The morning after the drawing, officials announced that a million-dollar ticket was sold at a 7-Eleven at 6621 Rolling Road. It matched the first five numbers of the Powerball drawing (3, 7, 9, 26 and 54), missing only the Powerball number (19).

Manning, a federal employee, has one child in college and another planning to go next year -- so he said the win comes at a good time.

"It feels like there's nine million things going through my mind," he said.

Two people were killed when a news helicopter for KOMO-TV crashed outside its station near the Seattle Space Needle, sending clouds of black smoke over the city during the morning rush hour.

WATCH: Helicopter Crashes Near Seattle Space Needle

A guilty plea was entered Tuesday by one of four current educators charged in a widespread corruption scandal involving school officials in San Diego.

NBC 7 has learned that Sweetwater trustee Pearl Quinones has agreed to plead guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to commit a crime and one misdemeanor related to filling out paperwork concerning gifts.

With tears in her eyes, Quinones told NBC 7 she can not continue to afford legal representation in the corruption case.

“I would have fought it to the very end if I had been able to afford to keep fighting it,” Quinones said.

More than a dozen school officials from the Sweetwater, San Ysidro and Southwestern College school districts face charges including bribery and perjury in the case that involves officials accepting gifts and other favors in exchange for votes on mult-million dollar construction contracts. .

Judge Ana Espana said Quinones won’t be serving any time. The felony will be reduced to a misdemeanor upon completion of three years of probation.

Per state law, she has to immediately resign from Sweetwater school board.

The current and former administrators, educators and contractors were indicted in a major "pay-to-play" public corruption case that now stretches across three school districts located in San Diego’s South Bay.

Quinones is one of four current educators accused including Sweetwater trustees Bertha Lopez and Jim Cartmill, San Ysidro trustee Yolanda Hernandez and Southwestern College administrator.Arlie Ricasa.

With two other trustees still facing charges, there is the possibility that the Sweetwater board could dwindle to one board member.

When contacted by NBC 7, district spokesperson Manuel Rubio said that there is a quorum of trustees. The district is working very closely with the county board of education to determine the process.

Defendants include former Southwestern College Superintendent Raj Chopra, former Southwestern College trustees Yolanda Salcido and Jorge Dominguez, former Southwestern College administrator John Wilson, former Sweetwater Superintendent Jesus Gandara, former San Ysidro Superintendent Manuel Paul, former Sweetwater trustee and Southwestern College administrator Greg Sandoval.

A former San Diego police detective, accused of helping funnel illegal funds into local political campaigns, has pleaded guilty.

Ernesto Encinas, 57, appeared before federal Magistrate Judge William Gallo Tuesday afternoon. Encinas pleaded guilty to two felony charges, conspiracy to commit offenses against the U.S. and filing a false tax return.

According to an FBI complaint, Encinas worked with Internet CEO Ravneet Singh to funnel more hundreds of thousands of dollars into San Diego political races, mostly in 2012 and 2013. Federal prosecutors said Encinas wanted to influence the election so the next mayor of San Diego would fire then-Police Chief William Lansdowne.

Encinas' attorney Jeremy Warren said his client admits he wanted to oust Lansdowne, but thought his goals were "noble."

“He did what he did in the best interest, of what he felt was in the best interest, of the police department, his fellow brethren within the police department and the citizens of San Diego,” Warren said.

“Obviously the ends don’t justify the means. That’s why he took responsibility for what he did,” Warren added.

Lansdowne stepped down from the department last month amid a sexual harassment scandal involving police officers. Mayor Kevin Faulconer appointed Chief Shelley Zimmerman as Lansdowne's replacement.

“The new mayor did exactly what Mr. Encinas wanted,” Warren said.

Encinas worked for the department for 30 years before retiring in 2009.

Mexican mulit-millionaire Jose Susumo Azano is accused of providing the money that was funneled. It is illegal for foreign nationals to donate to American political campaigns. Azano is currently on house arrest at his Coronado home.

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During his initial court appearance Jan. 23, Encinas did not enter a plea, but did acknowledge the charges. The judge allowed Encinas to be released after surrendering his passport and firearms.

Encinas is scheduled to be sentenced June 9. Warren said his client faces several years in prison, but hopes the judge grants him probation instead.

Authorities declared a crime scene at the San Diego Riverbed Tuesday evening after a body was found in the area in Grantville, officials confirmed.

Emergency crews made the grim discovery just before 6 p.m. in the 10000-block of Friars Road. San Diego Fire-Rescue crews were initially called to the scene for a rescue. However, when officials arrived, they discovered the body of a deceased person.

After closer examination, firefighters determined the area was a “crime scene” and called investigators from the San Diego Police Department for backup.

In an effort to preserve the scene for police investigators, firefighters did not immediately remove the body.

The San Diego Police Department said homicide investigators were sent to the scene.

According to police, the body was found in a waterway, underneath Friars Road, near Armstrong Garden & Nursery. At this point, police said they have no reason to believe this is a suicide.

A witness told NBC 7 San Diego that a woman approached him and asked to use his phone. She then called police to report that her boyfriend was dead in the river.

The witness said the man appeared to be floating in the river on his back, face up, and didn’t appear to have any injuries to his body.

The witness also said he recognized the woman, as she lives in a tent near the river. The woman was contacted by investigators at the scene.

The investigation into the death is ongoing.

The deceased person has not yet been identified. That information, as well as the cause of death, will come later from the San Diego County Medical Examiner.

Nina Boyett loves dogs, and when the Fort Worth 7-year-old and her aunt discovered a pregnant dog under an old barn, they began trying to figure out how to get her out.

That dog had her litter of 10 puppies, but only one survived.

First her aunt and local rescue group volunteer got the dog out, and then Nina jumped in to help rescue the puppy.

She crawled under the barn and through a crawl space just a little bigger than the length of an iPhone.

• Unbelievable Animal Stories

In cell phone video from the rescue, Nina stops halfway out and asks, "Can we keep it?"

The second grader at Bruce Shulkey Elementary says she would probably do it again.

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"I think she was excited to see me and save her," she said.

The puppy, an Australian shepherd mix, was named Princess Nina.

On Tuesday, six men accused of in an elaborate drug smuggling scheme at the San Diego International Airport appeared in federal court.

All six defendants pleaded not guilty. Four of them work at Lindbergh Field.

Federal prosecutors focused on one of the suspects, 22-year-old Sergio Mejia-Gambo. Prosecutors say he was the main drug supplier and worked with the Knights Templar drug cartel in Mexico.

According to prosecutors, Mejia-Gambo worked with baggage carriers who used their badges to walk through security wearing backpacks filled with drugs. They allegedly handed those backpacks to couriers, ticketed passengers who had already gone through security. The handoffs reportedly took place underneath the walls of bathroom stalls.

The couriers would then board flights to cities across the country.

The prosecution says Mejia-Gambo traveled to Mexico six times in the last year to get cocaine and methamphetamine.

The defense says Mejia-Gambo was born and raised in the U.S. and was planning to open a yogurt shop. He faces 10 years in prison if convicted.

The other defendants are David Camacho, Jesus Morales, Israel Acosta, Brian Alberto Gonzalez and Felix Samuel Garcia. They will have detention hearings within the next few weeks.

Garcia’s lawyer told NBC 7 that his client is innocent.

“My understanding is that about a year ago or so, somebody was arrested at the airport with a lot of drugs and money. And that person was cooperating and other baggage handlers got involved and he got caught up in this big net,” Attorney Michael Littman said.

Court records show Garcia was accused of having sex with a 14-year-old girl and lying to a peace officer in 2003. He pleaded guilty to one felony count and was sentenced to three years of probation.

The new drug allegations beg the question, how could something like this happen at an airport?

“This case is very significant. It shows a problem we have at the airport that were now addressing,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Wheat.

“These people have background checks that they go through. Despite their background checks and lack of criminal record, they were able to use their positions and abuse their positions to breach their security,” Wheat said.

Four of the men are employed by Delta Global Services, which is owned by Delta Air Lines. The company declined to comment on how it screens potential employees and if it will change those procedures in light of these arrests.

Delta told NBC 7 only that "Delta is cooperating with local law enforcement in the investigation.”

The winning numbers for tonight's drawing are: 51-24-11-33-19 / Megaplier Number 7.

A cool $400 million is at stake in Tuesday Mega Millions jackpot drawing.

Nobody matched all six numbers in Friday's drawing for what was then a $353 million jackpot. In the days since, the jackpot has ballooned nearly another $50 million.

Tuesday's drawing was held at 11 p.m. ET. It's the third-highest prize in Mega Millions history, according to the lottery's website.

The largest ever came in 2012, when three winning tickets shared the $656 million prize. In December, winning tickets in California and Georgia split the $648 million prize.