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Husband and Wife SDPD Officers Arrested

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Husband and wife San Diego police officers have been arrested on multiple charges, including selling drugs, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.

On Thursday, deputies arrested Bryce Charpentier, 32, and Jennifer Charpentier, 41, in the East County and 4S Ranch as part of a narcotics investigation.

Bryce was booked into Central Jail on charges of selling, possessing and transporting drugs, possessing a loaded firearm while under the influence and conspiracy. He was released on bond.

His wife Jennifer was booked into Las Colinas on charges of selling, possessing and transporting drugs and conspiracy. 

In a statement, San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman said both officers have been placed on leave. She did not say whether the leave were paid or unpaid.

Jennifer, an 18-year veteran of the department, works for the Western Division. Bryce has been with the department for six years and works with the Mid-City Division, according to the statement.

Chief Zimmerman said SDPD is fully cooperating with the sheriff's investigation. 

Bryce is scheduled to appear in court June 9, and Jennifer is expected in court June 10.

The couple lives in 4S Ranch with their four children.

NBC 7 tried to reach the family for comment but was unsuccessful.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story had the officers' ages reversed. The error has been corrected.



Photo Credit: San Diego Police Dept. Yearbook

San Diego Makes Its Mark On MLB Draft

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In Major League Baseball history, only three players selected with the first overall pick have failed to make it to the Show (we are leaving the last few years out because those players are still developing): catcher Steve Chilcott (1966), pitcher Brien Taylor (1991), and infielder Matt Bush (2004).

The Astros made a pretty good move to avoid that kind of infamy when they drafted Cathedral Catholic High School LHP Brady Aiken number one on Thursday.

Aiken has a fastball in the mid-90's, and recently cranked it up to 98 MPH. He also has a swing-and-miss slider and a mature approach to attacking hitters. Houston brass said they had Aiken on their radar since he was 14 years old.

"A lot of our senior scouts agree this is the best left-handed high school pitcher they've ever scouted," said Astros Director of Amateur Scouting Mike Elias.

Aiken was just the first player who prepped in San Diego County to go off the board.

The Mariners used the 6th overall pick on Rancho Bernardo High School catcher Alex Jackson. Most scouts believe Jackson has the best power bat in this year's draft class. He hit .400 with 11 home runs, 31 RBI and 45 runs scored his senior season.

Jackson will likely move from behind the plate to the outfield as a professional. He has one of the strongest arms in the country, and with Mike Zunino (3rd overall pick in 2012) taking over as Seattle's every day catcher, the M's will want to get Jackson's bat to the Big Leagues as fast as possible.

With the 21st overall pick, the Indians grabbed USF star Bradley Zimmer, a graduate of La Jolla High School. Zimmer hit .368 this season, with 7 home runs and 31 RBI in 54 and 21 stolen  bases. Zimmer also played for the Team USA college national team, and won playoff MVP honors in the Cape Cod League.

Two years ago, Brad's brother Kyle was a first-round pick by the Royals.

With the 39th overall pick, Poway High School alum and University of San Diego 1st baseman Connor Joe was taken by the Pirates. Joe won the West Coast Conference Player of the Year Award, batting .367 with 21 doubles, two triples, nine home runs and a WCC-leading 51 RBI.

The MLB Draft continues on Friday.



Photo Credit: AP

Boy Falls From Third Floor Hotel Window

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A 7-year-old boy took a harrowing fall from a third-story window at a Del Mar hotel Thursday night.

The incident happened around 6:30 p.m. at the Clarion Inn in the 700 block of Camino Del Mar.

A man staying in the room below said a few Good Samaritan -- including a doctor and several medical students -- rushed to help the boy.

"I pulled up, like, as soon as it happened pretty much. There was only a couple people around, and there was a dude out here in the field who happened to be a doctor. He helped them a little bit, and then the ambulance came after that," witness Jacob White said.

Mercy Air flew the boy to Rady Children’s Hospital. There is no word on his condition.

The hotel had no comment Thursday night. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department is investigating.

Check back for updates on this developing story.
 



Photo Credit: Candice Nguyen/NBC 7

SoCal Vet Recalls D-Day Invasion on 70th Anniversary

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A California veteran will be in France to mark the 70th anniversary of D-Day, the invasion at Normandy in World War II.

Bill Galbraith, a member of 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, left home Monday to return to the site of the D-Day Invasion for what will be his sixth visit.

“It’s the last chance maybe, at 90,” he said standing in line at the airline ticket window.

President Barack Obama joined other world leaders in a ceremony Friday to honor the more than 150,000 American, British and other Allied troops who risked and gave their lives.

Using a wheelchair as he navigates security at San Diego International Airport, Galbraith doesn’t look like the fresh-faced 20-year-old paratrooper who risked his life to jump out of an airplane in the middle of the night in the face of enemy fire.

“You could walk down on their tracers,” he said of the early morning jump on June 6, 1944.

His company lost half its men when three planes were taken out by the German guns. They were among the last groups to go.

Galbraith, who was supposed to land at Drop Zone “D” instead landed almost three miles to the southwest. It took him three days to reunite with his company.

In all, 30 members of his company survived the jump. None of the non-commissioned officers survived and they had only two machine gunners, he said.

“That’s what put us in pretty sorry shape,” he said.

“We were considered a lost battalion.”

Seventy years later, Galbraith feels privileged to be able to return to Normandy.

“There’s so few of us left now that survived the war,” he said.

And the enormity of the mission they tackled continues to amaze him.

“Every time I’ve ever went back I can’t figure out how we ever took it,” he said.

Galbraith said his wife, Anna, passed away in March so he’ll be making the trip alone. His son is already in Europe and will meet up with him at the air field.

The couple lived in Murrietta and raised 10 children. He's also active with the 101st Airborne Division Association Southern California Chapter.

Galbraith also saw intense fighting at Carentan where he will receive a medal this summer.

“I figure if I really earned it, why the hell didn’t they give it to me earlier? Why wait until I’m 90,” he joked before turning serious. “It’s a real privilege. I’ll just tell them merci.”

“I wasn’t alone.” he added.



Photo Credit: 101st ADASCC/NBC 7

Coronado Roundabout Work to Cause Road Closure

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In Coronado, drivers should steer clear of Pomona Avenue from Glorietta Boulevard to Sixth Street, as crews will begin work on a roundabout in the area.

Construction of the roundabout at Pomona and Adella avenues and Seventh Street will begin Friday.

Pomona between Glorietta Boulevard and Sixth Street will be closed for during construction, which is expected to last between one and three months.

While drivers who routinely use Pomona to reach the San Diego-Coronado Bridge should take an alternate route, nearby residents will still have access to the area, officials said.

Those who live adjacent to the construction project will receive notices of the traffic disruption.

Construction will be limited to between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
 

"Person of Interest" Sought in San Carlos Death

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A San Carlos apartment complex was the scene of a homicide investigation after a woman's body was discovered Thursday by San Diego police.

Around 6 p.m., officers were asked to do a welfare check at the Villa De Flores Apartments in the 7700 block of Mission Gorge Road, according to homicide investigators.

Inside the apartment, officers discovered a dead woman in her 30s with trauma to her body. They did not give details into how she died.

Early Friday, the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office removed the woman's body from the apartment unit.

She has not been identified by officials pending notification of family.

Neighbors told NBC 7 that two women lived in the apartment and that they had been fighting.

Investigators said there is one person they are looking to question.

Check back for updates on this developing story.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Chicago Jewish Teen Bullied: Mom

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Three students accused of bullying a Jewish classmate are being barred from their eighth-grade graduation at their North Side school.

A 14-year-old Jewish student at Ogden International School says the bullying started earlier in the school year and involved an online game where the students called themselves the “Jew Incinerator.”

The boy's mother, Lisa Clemente, told the local school council Thursday that her complaints to school principal Joshua Vanderjagt had fallen on deaf ears for several months.

"You're all here because I did Mr. Vanderjagt's job," Clemente told the council.

"My son was bullied. There was anti-Semitism," Clemente later told reporters. "It's not brain surgery. You go, you call the parents, they get suspended, they don't walk in the graduation."

The vice president of the Chicago Board of Education, Jesse Ruiz, attended Thursday's meeting and announced the students' ban from graduation. The students were also suspended for a day and forced to write letters of apology.

"The district wants to send a clear message that these actions will not be tolerated at Ogden or any other school," Ruiz said at the school meeting. "We'll use this ugly incident -- and it was ugly -- for helpful dialogue."

Ruiz said the board will also revise the student code of conduct and launch a cultural awareness campaign as well as district-wide sensitivity education and training. It will also begin training the principal immediately, as well as institute other measures.

Clemente seemed satisfied with the district's response, but made it clear that the problem is still not solved. She believes what happened was actually a hate crime.

"I can't forgive until we acknowledge; then we move on. It has to be acknowledged, and he has to understand he didn't do the right things," Clemente said.

Fundraiser Set for Man Killed by Wrong-Way Driver

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Loved ones will gather Friday evening for a fundraiser in honor of a San Diego man tragically killed last week when a motorist intentionally drove the wrong way on State Route 67, slamming her vehicle head-on into the man’s truck.

Doug Menegos, 49 – a husband and father of two – died from injuries sustained in the May 30 crash. He was on his way home from work at the time of the fatal collision.

According to California Highway Patrol officials, motorist Trista Stier, 29, drove the wrong way on purpose up an SR-67 off-ramp in Lakeside just as Menegos was approaching in his Select Electric utility truck.

Stier killed herself in the crash, too, which CHP officials called an “intentional act turned homicide.”

The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Officer listed Stier’s cause of death as a suicide. Based on statements from Stier’s family, investigators believe she was suicidal at the time of the crash and intentionally caused the collision.

Menegos leaves behind his wife, Lisa, and two children, Jacob and Kara.

Loved ones have been collecting donations to help the family and will continue to do so with a fundraiser and benefit event Friday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Downtown Café at 182 E. Main St. in El Cajon. The event is open to the public.

Fundraiser organizers say the family is devastated by the sudden death of Menegos. Loved ones will remember him as a “provider for his family and devoted family man.”

The fundraiser event will help his surviving family members cover funeral expenses and anything extra will go towards a college fund for Menegos’ two children. There will be donation boxes set up at both the Downtown Café and The El Cajon Promenade.

Meanwhile, a Go Fund Me donation page has also been established for the family online. Over the past four days, more than $36,000 has been collected for the family. To donate, click here.

The family has also planned a memorial service for Menegos on Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Foothills Christian Church-Main Sanctuary on West Bradley Avenue in El Cajon. The family requests all attendees dress in “Doug Attire,” meaning T-shirts, shorts and flip-flops – just as Menegos would’ve wanted it.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Accused Cop Addresses Drug Charges

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A veteran San Diego police officer busted on drug charges alongside her police officer husband said she's "caught off guard" by the allegations and is confident everything will "be worked out" eventually.

“We’re both really caught off guard by this," accused San Diego Police Department officer Jennifer Charpentier, 41, told NBC 7 Friday, publicly addressing the allegations for the first time.

"I’m thankful that in our justice system you’re innocent until proven guilty and I have faith in our justice system, and I think that this will all be worked out,” she added.

Jennifer said she wanted to speak with NBC 7 on this matter in hopes of “quieting things down” for her neighbors, family and friends.

Jennifer, an 18-year veteran of the San Diego Police Department (SDPD), was charged with possession of a controlled substance, sales of drugs, transportation and conspiracy on Thursday.

Her husband, Bryce Charpentier, 32 – an SDPD officer, too – was also charged with the same counts, as well as being under the influence while in possession of a loaded firearm.

The couple lives in 4S Ranch with their four children. On Thursday, law enforcement officials arrested the couple in the East County and 4S Ranch as part of a narcotics investigation.

They both bailed out of jail Thursday night. Jennifer is expect in court Tuesday, while Bryce is scheduled to appear in court June 12.

“There’s just a lot going on right on with the police department, with the sheriff’s department – you know, competition between the two departments. I don’t know if that’s some of what has to do with this,” Jennifer told NBC 7.

“All I can say is we were really caught off guard and we both have our court dates and we’re innocent until proven guilty. It will go the way that it’s supposed to go in court. That’s what I’m hopeful for – for my friends, family and kids,” she continued.

In a statement, SDPD Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman said both officers have been placed on leave, but would not say whether it is paid or unpaid leave.

Zimmerman said she and the department are disheartened and disappointed. She says SDPD will launch an internal investigation into the case.

Jennifer works for the SDPD’s Western Division, while Bryce – a six-year veteran of the department – works with the Mid-City Division, according to SDPD.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is handling the investigation on the Charpentiers. Zimmerman said SDPD is fully cooperating with the investigation.

Neighbors of the couple told NBC 7 they’re shocked by the drug allegations. They said the Charpentiers and their children were together often, playing tether ball and other games in the front yard of their 4S Ranch home.

This case is just one of several scandals that have plagued the San Diego Police Department in recent months. Zimmerman took over the top position of chief amid these cases, which included police officers accused of sexual misconduct on the job.

On Friday, despite this latest snag for SDPD, Zimmerman insisted she’s continuing to instill a culture of excellence in the department. She said the community of San Diego deserves this, and the department demands it.

Jennifer said she feels bad that these allegations have once again shined the spotlight on the police deparment, but insisted the case has nothing to do with SDPD, other than the fact that she and her husband are both officers.

 

“I very much apologize that anything was brought to light in reference to the police department, because there is no connection in this case, as there was in all the other cases. There’s no connection whatsoever," she said. "Nothing that I’m accused of doing or that my husband is accused of doing was ever done on duty or is in any way connected with the police department."

 



Photo Credit: San Diego Police Dept. Yearbook

Padres Offense Must Produce vs. Nats

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Leave it to the Padres to win a game while getting just one hit.

That’s what they did on Wednesday, staving off a sweep at the hands of the Pittsburgh Pirates with a lone bunt single that somehow turned into a 3-2 victory. But when you’re the most offensively challenged team in the league (last in baseball in batting average, on-base percentage, OPS and runs scored, among others) you take what you can get.

Help is on the way, as the Friars took hitters with their top two picks in this week’s MLB Draft. Not that it will do any good this year.

Watch: Padres celebrations this season

Enter this weekend’s opponent, the Washington Nationals, a team that shares the Friars’ propensity for pitching – their 3.10 ERA is fourth in the league, just ahead of San Diego’s 3.37. Fortunately for the Padres, we won’t see staff ace and local product Stephen Strasburg (who leads the league in strikeouts) or Doug Fister (who just won his fourth straight start this week) at Petco Park.

And if recent history serves as an indicator, we probably won’t see a lot of hits. Not that the Padres need too many to be victorious, but it wouldn’t hurt.

What’s at stake: The Nats are coming off a series sweep against Philadelphia, pushing their record above .500 and ruining the Padres’ string of playing 16 straight games against teams at or below that mark. They have now won five of six and are just a game behind Atlanta and Miami in the NL East.

Oh, to be in the playoff hunt. The Padres halted a three-game skid with their one-hit wonder but still trail San Francisco – sporting the best record in baseball – by 12 games. Recent slides by the Dodgers and Rockies have pulled the Friars closer to the pack in the West, but the Giants are still a danger of running away with this thing.

Let’s just focus on winning a weekend series – or at least getting more than one hit.

Matchups:
Friday, 7:10 p.m.:
Tyson Ross (R, 6-4, 2.85 ERA) vs. Tanner Roark (R, 3-4, 3.25)
Ross has been the team’s best pitcher – and one of the best in baseball – with quality starts in five of his last six outings. He also sports a 1.54 ERA at home. Roark dominated the Padres earlier this season, tossing a three-hit shutout.

Saturday, 7:10 p.m.: Andrew Cashner (R, 2-5, 2.35) vs. Blake Treinen (R, 0-2, 1.40)
Cashner makes his first start since going on the disabled list last month with arm soreness. He has been lights out, allowing more than two earned runs just once this season. Treinen makes his third major league start and is still looking for his first win in the bigs.

Sunday, 1:10 p.m.:  Eric Stults (L, 2-6, 5.03) vs. Jordan Zimmermann (R, 4-2, 3.59)
Stults has lost three straight, but has still just 13 walks allowed in 62 1/3 innings this year. Zimmermann has been similarly stingy, allowing just 14 in 67 2/3 IP.

Who to watch:
Padres:
Man, it sure is hard to find a hitter in this lineup who has done much of anything lately. Carlos Quentin? No hits in his last 12 ABs. Everth Cabrera? Two for 14. Yasmani Grandal’s single on Monday was his only hit all week. Jedd Gyorko hasn’t had a hit in his last 14 at-bats and got even worse news on Friday as he was placed on the DL with plantar fasciitis in his left foot.

Even Seth Smith has cooled down, hitting just .182 over the past 10 games. But he’s still 10th in the NL with a .306 average. He has gone more than two weeks without a multi-hit game, so he fits right in on this lineup.

Part-timer Will Venable is the only player hitting above .275 over the past week with five hits in his last 10 at-bats. Get this guy in the lineup!

Nationals: Shortstop Ian Desmond leads the team with 11 homers and 33 RBI, but is hitting just .225 on the season. The team got third baseman Ryan Zimmerman back this week from the DL after nearly two months. He picked up right where he left off with four hits against the Phillies. Zimmerman is hitting .364 on the season, albeit in just 44 at-bats. His absence allowed infielder Anthony Rendon to get regular time in the lineup, and he has impressed with three homers and a .341 average over his last 10 games. Slugger Bryce Harper will be out until at least the end of the month as he recovers from thumb surgery.

Why go: It’s a festive weekend at Petco. Friday is the team’s Summer BeerFest. Kegs are tapped at 5 p.m. sharp. Saturday is the team’s beach blanket giveaway and Sunday is the usual military salute and Kids Fest.

Coming up: The team hits the road after this weekend, heading to Philadelphia, New York and Seattle. They return June 18 for a pair against the Mariners before the Dodgers come down for a weekend set starting the 20th.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Caught on Cam: Campus Assistant Sleeping on the Job

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Some parents of students at a South Bay area high school were surprised by evidence of a school employee sleeping on the job.

“There have been times when he's sleeping but no one says anything because he’s an adult I guess,” said student Tatiana Patterson.

Patterson attends class at Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, south of downtown San Diego.

She spoke to NBC 7 with her parent’s permission about an image showing a security guard seemingly asleep while sitting in a golf cart on campus.

We wanted to know, how often does this occur?

“Several occasions. More than one,” she said. “A lot actually.”

The image of a campus assistant whose duties include security was captured on campus and sent to NBC 7 and signed by a concerned parent who wanted to remain anonymous.

Other parents appeared to be surprised at the incident.

“Well I would hope not he's getting paid to do his job and he's sleeping that's probably not a good thing,” parent Mike Erickson said.

“I haven't heard about it but I definitely would not be happy about it because you're expecting them to keep an eye on the kids,” Michelle Glamen said

While a spokesperson for the Sweetwater Union High School District would say only that it’s a personnel issue that has been dealt with, Patterson told NBC 7 it happens with more than just one campus assistant.

“Whether it is a student or a teacher passing by we don't say anything,” she said. “They're doing their thing we just leave them alone.”

Parent Russell Michaud, whose children attended years ago, said he recalls something similar happening then.

“I remember it happening when my kids were here and that was about 8 to ten years ago,” Michaud said. “I don't like it, don’t think it’s safe.”

Glamen agrees.

“It's a shame especially since they are supposed to be taking care of the kids and I can only imagine if somebody comes in with a weapon and he was not there protecting them,” she said.

NBC 7 tried to contact the campus assistant shown in the photo but we were unable to find him.
 

Imperial Valley Crash Pilot: "Did I Hit Homes?"

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"Did I hit any homes?"

Those were the first words a military jet pilot spoke when he came to after his plane's fiery crash into homes in the Imperial Valley, a witness told NBC 7.

Retired U.S. Marine Benjamin Aguilar rushed to the crash site after he saw the pilot parachuting through the sky. When he saw the pilot land hard near Clark and Aten, he first wanted to make sure the pilot wasn't hurt.

“I asked him how he felt and if anything hurt,” Aguilar said. “First thing out of his mouth was ‘Did I hit any homes, or was anyone hurt?’"

The pilot's Harrier AV-8B was traveling from Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma to El Centro when it went down.

A witness captured video of people rushing to the aid of the pilot. He had ejected safely out of the jet before it burst into flames, damaging three homes.

Aguilar said he was one of the three people who raced to the pilot’s rescue. The downed pilot was tangled in his parachute in scorching 100-plus degree heat.

“He was just kind of out of it for a bit when he hit,” Aguilar remembers.

"My main concern was getting him off the road and off the hot pavement and hoping he's okay," he said.

Five minutes later, Aguilar says, the pilot stood up on his own — then called command.

"He didn't mention anything about the plane, what went wrong with the plane,” he said. “Imperial police asked if he had any ordinance and he had none."

He was said to be "doing well" and suffered only scrapes and bruises.

Lt. Col. John Ferguson, executive officer of Marine Aircraft Group 13, has interviewed those families who suffered losses because of the crash and he said it was remarkable that the number one concern for many victims is about the pilot’s wellbeing.

“They’re all asking how the pilot’s doing and I’m more concerned about how they’re doing, their families,” Ferguson said.

Officials have not identified the pilot or discussed his actions but have said that he followed protocol.

Military investigators say it could be months to determine what caused the crash.
 

 



Photo Credit: Cpl Maxwell Pennington, MCAS Miramar

Neighbors Stunned by Arrest of Husband, Wife Cops

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Two San Diego police officers are in custody facing multiple charges and now, neighbors of the husband and wife say they're stunned over the arrest.

Jennifer Charpentier, an 18-year veteran who works out of Western Division, was booked on at Las Colinas on charges of possession of a controlled substance, sales, transportation and conspiracy.

Her husband, Bryce Charpentier, a six-year veteran who works out of Mid-City was booked at Central Jail on the same charges and being under the influence while in possession of a loaded firearm.

Those who live on Ambrose Lane say the Charpentiers seemed like the typical 4-S Ranch Family.

Jennifer and Bryce lived at the home with their four children for about a year.

"I'm at a loss for words. I don't even know what to say, just because they have kids that young," said neighbor Molly Campbell.

"I would have never guessed drugs were involved.”

Campbell came home around 1:30 p.m. Thursday and saw about 30 FBI agents and deputies with bulletproof vests.

She said they were looking through bags in the trunk of one car.

Then, she saw Jennifer with her head down taken away in handcuffs.

Neighbor Mary Jane Hayes said the family was often out front of the home, playing tether ball and other games.

"It is shocking," Hayes said.

“They always have their garage open, playing and I thought wow, this is a great dad always playing with his kids,” said Hayes.

In a statement Thursday, San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman said both officers have been placed on leave. She did not say whether the leave were paid or unpaid.

Investigators have not said what type of drugs they found.

NBC 7 tried to reach the family for comment but was unsuccessful.

Bryce is scheduled to appear in court June 12, and Jennifer is expected in court June 10.



Photo Credit: Facebook

Family of Fallen Marine to Adopt Military Dog

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The father of a U.S. Marine killed in action in Afghanistan will finally take home his son’s partner – his military working dog.

Staff Sergeant Christopher Diaz, 27, of El Paso, Texas, was killed in action in September 2011 while supporting troops in Helmand Province.

The experienced dog handler was memorialized at a ceremony at Camp Leatherneck attended by hundreds of people and his K-9 Dino.

The LA Times covered the service and noted that it appeared Dino did not want to look at his owner’s photo near the front of the chapel.

Immediately after his son’s death, Salvador Diaz asked to adopt Dino.

Now, almost three years later, he will get his wish.

Last month, The Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus authorized the adoption and in a special ceremony planned Saturday, Dino will be handed over to the family of his fallen dog handler.

Also on Saturday, a statue dedicated to Military Working Dogs will also be unveiled.

Diaz was buried with full military honors at Fort Bliss National Cemetery.
 



Photo Credit: U.S. Marines / Navy Petty Officer 2nd-class Jonathan Chandler

Suspect Sought in Military Grave Robberies

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Your help is needed to identify a man accused of stealing brass markers from the graves of veterans in San Diego County.

Investigators have been able to arrest two of the three suspects believed to have stolen seven brass plaques from the Alpine Cemetery.

Now, San Diego County Sheriff's Deputies have released a photo of the third suspect in the case.

The grave markers were stolen from the cemetery on Victoria Drive sometime during April 4- 5, 2013 according to San Diego County Crimestoppers.

The agency is now offering $1,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest in the case.

Anyone with information on this case can call the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888) 580‐8477.
 


'American Sniper' Author Talks New Book

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NBC 7’s Derek Togerson speaks with Scott McEwen, a San Diego-based trial lawyer and best-selling author of “American Sniper,” the story of U.S. Special Forces legend Chris Kyle. The book is currently being made into a movie directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle. Now, McEwen has a new book out – “Target America” – but this time it’s a work of fiction.

Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Snakes Displaced by San Diego Firestorm

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San Diego’s May Firestorm didn’t only impact people – it affected local wildlife. The fires charred more than 30,000 acres of wildlife habitat, leaving animals and reptiles, including snakes, desperate to find food, water and shelter. NBC 7’s Dagmar Midcap reports. If you see a snake near your home or neighborhood and need it removed safely, call the County of San Diego’s Animal Services 24-hour hotline at (619) 236-2341.

Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

‘Dream Act’ Students Mobilize; Critics See Downside

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This summer is shaping up as a trying time for many students living in the U.S. illegally.

They're hoping to keep from being deported.

Applying for work permits and college scholarships.

The way many are able to do it goes by the acronym DACA: "Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals".

It’s a set of immigration guidelines under a 2012 Executive Order that gives qualified students – starting with having been brought here by undocumented parents before age 16 as of two years ago -- a head start on making a difference in society.

Here's what they say to critics of that approach.

"The idea is that the contributions should really be looked at, and not so much about what all the legalities are,” says Viviana Gonzalez, a graphics design major at San Diego State University who’s lived in the U.S. since she was 11 months old.

Even DACA-ineligible youth continue to contribute in a lot of ways,” Gonzalez told NBC 7 in an interview. "As a college student, I'm given so much more privilege and access to things that I never would have gotten. I know a lot of my friends who aren't able to qualify, for very minor things -- it is very much an exclusive process."

Gonzalez was among a delegation of so-called "Dream Act" college students from throughout the county who gathered Friday morning at San Diego City College to brief journalists on plans for events to help guide students eligible under DACA through the process.

Also on hand: Nestor Venegas, a Palomar College student who’s bound for UC San Diego as projected pre-med major.

Venegas works in a Vista community clinic, and spent time one summer laboring alongside his father in North County agricultural fields.

As he recalls: "I went back to the classroom feeling very grateful for the fact that I got to sit in an A/C classroom listening to professors talk and knowing that I am going to have a better future."

Now Venegas hopes others looking for a pathway to success will benefit from his insights and assistance.

"We see this in all the applicants,” he noted. “They're all very ambitious, and their goals and where they want to be are very high."

Other criteria under the Executive Order guidelines are that students must have lived here for at least five years, and not committed any serious crimes.

Once an applicant's DACA status is granted, it has to be renewed every two years.

More than 7,000 Dream Act students qualified for state scholarships last year, accounting for just over 4 percent of the aid awarded by the CalGrant program.

But immigration hard-liners say DACA sends a message that encourages more illegality, and point to a recent surge in undocumented minors crossing the border alone.

"It's just astounding -- the mockery that has become of our immigration policy,” says Peter Nunez, a former U.S. Attorney in San Diego and founding director of the Federation for American Immigration Reform.

"The Republican Party, the Democratic Party -- for different reasons, representing different special interests, different constituencies -- are all in this together,” Nunez said in an interview Friday. “They have mucked this up beyond recognition."

Nunez lamented that he and like-minded critics are relegated to “playing defense” against what they see as an avalanche of ill-considered “immigration reform” proposals now in play.

"The slope has gotten much slipperier and steeper, and I think Americans have to ask themselves whether it's reversible at this point,” he said. “ I mean, what President in the future is going to have the moxie -- however you want to describe it -- and say, 'Enough is enough'?"
 

Girl, 12, Stabbed "Wanted to Live"

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A 12-year-old Wisconsin girl headed home from the hospital Friday, almost a week after she was brutally stabbed in the woods and managed to crawl to safety, fueled by a powerful will to survive.

Police say two friends, also 12, lured the girl into the woods Saturday, where one held her down while the other stabbed her 19 times, apparently inspired by the fictional internet character Slender Man. The victim managed to crawl to a road where a bicyclist found her.

The victim's family said in a statement Friday, just after the girl was released from Waukesha Memorial Hospital, that she was excited to return to her family and pets and to begin her recovery.

"While we have kept discussions about the events of May 31, 2014 with her short, we did ask how she found the strength to crawl out of the woods," it added. "Her response was simple: 'I wanted to live.'"

Both suspects in the stabbing face adult charges of attempted first-degree intentional homicide, as a party to a crime. If convicted, they could each serve 65 years in prison.

A criminal complaint charging the girls says they were trying to pay tribute to the fictional character Slender Man when they committed the crime. The complaint says the girls believed the character was real.

Padres Fans Party at Summer BeerFest

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Padres fans enjoyed some beers before their baseball during Friday's Summer BeerFest at Petco Park. The Padres play the Washington Nationals this weekend.

Photo Credit: Matt Wood
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