Sheriff's officials are warning San Diegans to be on the lookout for a suspect who escaped from the Central Jail Tuesday.

Don Andrea Torrillo got out of the jail downtown just before 6 p.m., though it's unclear how he escaped. All other inmates have been accounted for, officials say.

Torrillo was arrested Sept. 5 when a search warrant was served to his Santee home on Singing Trails Drive. He was facing charges of possessing drugs and drug paraphernalia, possessing drugs for sale and being under the influence of drugs.

Officials say the suspect was last seen wearing a dark-colored sleeveless shirt with a star in the middle, khaki shorts and slippers. A tattoo sits on his left bicep/shoulder.

He is often seen around El Cajon, Santee and Rancho San Diego.

Investigators are still trying to determine who he was able to run away from the jail.

According to the sheriff's department spokesperson, Torrillo does not have a violent history.

If you see him, call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

As the Chargers lick their wounds from a gut-wrenching defeat in the season opener against the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night, they know they failed to achieve in certain areas. Let’s look at some of the things they need to improve on as they prepare for the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks this week.

Hold on to the ball: So many drops from the receivers, especially in key situations. There were a half-dozen in all, and each seemed to come at the worst time. The defense was just as bad, as safeties Eric Weddle and Marcus Gilchrist both dropped easy interceptions. Secure the rock, fellas.

Finish the job: The Chargers were twice in Arizona territory in the first half and came up empty handed. Another drive started inside the Cardinals 30 but resulted in just a field goal. But the biggest killer was late in the fourth quarter, the Chargers leading by 5 and driving, when a bad snap pulled them out of field-goal range and forced a punt that led to the game-winning score for the Cards.

Get stops: On that fateful go-ahead drive the Cardinals had four third-down plays and converted all of them. A big play on any one of those at least forces the issue and maybe gets the ball back for good. Overall, the Cards converted just 6-of-13 on third down, but made plays when it counted.

“It just comes down to at the end, like a majority of games in the NFL, you gotta play your best football at the end,” Chargers coach Mike McCoy said. “And it comes down to one missed play in one phase that maybe could win the game.”

Phase out the crowd: Yes, it was a rowdy bunch at Phoenix University Stadium – at least, the fans who were able to trudge through the rain. Still, the Chargers looked rattled at times, especially on the final drive when the Cards D upped the pressure. Quarterback Philip Rivers acknowledged as much.

“The environment was awesome and tough,” he said, adding, “We left too many plays out there.”

Get Nick Hardwick back: The impact of the starting center and offensive co-captain leaving early with an ankle injury wasn’t felt … until that fourth-quarter drive. Rich Ohrnberger’s bad snap pushed the Chargers back 15 yards and out of field goal range at a critical moment. Not to put the blame on him, but it’s still an area of concern if Hardwick misses any time.

Keep making plays: The defense and special teams both came up big. Gilchrist recovered a fumble that negated a big first-half pass from Carson Palmer to Michael Floyd just seconds before. Jeremiah Attaochu blocked a punt. The Chargers won the turnover battle, 2-1. If they keep doing that, good things will come.

Twitter says its security team, along with relevant law enforcement officials, is investigating the veracity of apparent death threats made against its employees by radical Islamists.

The threats reportedly showed up on a Twitter account with ties to the Islamic State rebel group that has beheaded reporters.

Twitter has 800 employees in San Francisco, but none were eager to talk to reporters on Tuesday. The social networking service has been taking down accounts the company believes are platforms for the terrorist group ISIS. It is believed that action is what prompted the threats posted on such an account, which has since been removed.

The original threatening posts were in Arabic and initially translated on the website Vocative. They reportedly said:

“The time has arrived to respond to Twitter’s management by directly attacking their employees and physically assassinating them.”

“Every Twitter employee in San Francisco in the United States should bear in mind and watch over himself because on his doorstep there might be a lone world assassin waiting.”

Steve Weber, a terrorism expert at UC Berkeley, believes the tweets are intended to frighten, but are without substance. “Day-to-day employees there are probably in more danger walking across the street in San Francisco than the likelihood of being hit by a terrorist assassin inside the United States,” he said.

Marc Sandalow, associate director of the University of California’s Washington Center, said he believes ISIS is using the threats and the recent videotaped beheadings of journalists to raise its profile on the world stage, but since President Obama’s initial statements discounting ISIS, the group’s soldiers have taken control of a significant amount of territory in Iraq and Syria.

Weber says “that has moved the discourse in Washington from ‘Maybe this thing is just going to go away’ to ‘We need to make sure that this thing goes away.’”

The president laid out his strategy for going after ISIS to members of Congress on Tuesday. Wednesday night, he briefs the nation at 6 p.m. PT in an address that will air live on NBC.

The California drought is taking a toll on the serene surroundings of Lupin Lodge, the "clothing optional" retreat in the hills near Los Gatos, according to reports.

The San Jose Mercury News reports that Lupin Lodge has had to truck in weekly water shipments.

To cope with the low water levels, guests are taking "military style" showers and only flushing the toilet for No. 2.

This has led to guests wearing shoes on the dusty bocce ball court, and taking towels around with them -- to sit on, of course, not to wear.

There are as many as 60 residents at the resort, which usually relies on well water and a creek, the newspaper reported.

Water use at the resort has been cut, from 10,000 gallons a day to 6,000, but the resort is still very close to running out entirely.

The FBI is searching for a suspect they’ve called the “Mole Bandit” who’s committed three robberies in the San Diego area since August.

Officials are offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of the bandit.

Officials say the first robbery happened Aug. 8 at the U.S. Bank branch inside the Von’s grocery store at 620 Dennery Road. He also struck this location again on Sept. 9, but officials said it was an attempted robbery.

Officials same the same suspect then robbed the U.S. Bank branch inside a Von’s at 1745 Eastlake Parkway in Chula Vista on Aug. 22 and Sept. 2.

In all robberies, the suspect would approach the teller and display a note, demanding money.

The suspect is described as wearing a zippered maroon hoodie with orange lining with the hood pulled up over a California Republic baseball hat. He also wore gold-rimmed dark aviator-style sunglasses.

A San Diego man has been arrested in connection with a series of attacks on women in the North Park and City Heights areas.

David Angelo Drake, 23, of San Diego, was booked Tuesday on six counts of assault with a deadly weapon, six counts of assault with the intent to commit sexual assault, five counts of battery and two counts of sexual assault with a foreign object.

The charges are connected to a series of attacks on women that began in June 11 all in the residential area of San Diego west of Interstate 805 and south of El Cajon Boulevard.

San Diego police said the suspect was arrested Monday near 5th and Washington in Hillcrest and booked after 2:30 a.m. Tuesday into county jail.

In his jail booking information, Drake is described as 6-feet, 4-inches tall and 180 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

A search of court records shows Drake had three traffic citations in El Cajon and San Diego. A fourth citation for failure to yield to a pedestrian went unpaid. Documents show a warrant was issued for Drake in May.

Prosecutors have set bail at $855,000.  He will be formally arraigned on charges Thursday. Drake has declined NBC 7's request for an interview.

Information gained from a tip led sex crimes detectives to the arrest, Lt. Sandra Albrektsen said.

One of the suspect's relatives told NBC 7 his family is in shock. The relative said this is completely out of character for Drake.

In the assaults, one or two suspects jump a woman from behind. All but one victim suffered injuries to their faces. 

Lisa Scolori of North Park said she has been stressed about the attacks since they began in June.

"I’m really relieved because I know it’s something that has been going on and plus I have daughter who is young and knowing this has been going on has been stressful. I’m glad," Scolori said.

Residents gathered at community meetings and self-defense classes. Some adopted a buddy system to keep from walking alone at night.

"People were nervous," said Kristina Clifford who lives in North Park. "People were skeptical to walk around by themselves."

Now, residents like Megan Malone who walks her dog three to four times a day say they will feel more secure.

"It makes me feel more comfortable to walk around my neighborhood. It’s such a good community as is so this is exciting," Malone said.

The assaults also sparked community activism in North Park. Many community groups – the North Park Lions Club, the National Association of Social Workers, even a band of super heroes – addressed the issue of safety in the neighborhood.

“I think some of the lessons we learned is that when we began to hear that there were problems. There were problems with lighting, there were problems with safety, there were problems with people feeling safe about their personal space,” said Bryan Tarr with the Lions Club.

The North Park Community Association still plans to launch the Light the Night campaign, encouraging neighbors to leave their porch lights on late at night.

San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman credited police, investigators and community groups with helping in the arrest but pointed out that it was a tip that may have solved this case.

"No matter how insignificant you think that piece of information is, say something," Zimmerman said. "It is a piece of information that helped us take this person into custody last night."

While investigators believe Drake is the one responsible for the series of attacks, officers are exploring the possibility that there could be more than one suspect.

For now, North Park residents are advised to remain careful and smart of their surroundings, Lt. Kevin Mayer, SDPD spokesperson said.

Community activists don’t want residents to let their guard down, either.

“Sometimes, as you've seen in violent situations, it is either another individual or somebody thinks it's o.k. to copycat that person. So that is our larger concern,” Tarr said. “We hope the police will catch and arrest this individual, and we want to gather the community, the network necessary to make sure this doesn't happen again."

On Wednesday, June 11, a woman told police she was thrown to the ground by one attacker on 33rd Street. The following Tuesday, June 17, a woman walking on Meade Avenue near 33rd Place around 11:30 p.m. told police she fought off two men.

On Saturday, June 21, a woman was walking along Lincoln Avenue at 9:20 p.m. when she said two men attempted to attack her.

The next Tuesday, June 24, a woman was walking along Lincoln Avenue near Oregon Street and was knocked unconscious in an attack from behind, police said.

Four weeks later, on July 20, a woman was knocked out while walking near the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Kansas Street around 1:20 a.m.

The most recent attack happened on Aug. 28 near Lincoln Avenue and Idaho Street. The victim was attacked from behind, punched in the face and knocked out. She screamed for help and the suspect ran away, avoiding capture.

One lawmaker in favor of reforming the signature gathering process in California claims a thousand voters have filed forms to take back their signatures in the battle over San Diego’s minimum wage increase.

“In California they are not required to tell the truth,” said former Assemblywoman Lori Saldaña of the people working to gather signatures to put the recent minimum wage increase on the ballot.

She appeared alongside three people who wanted to share what happened to them when they were approached while shopping around San Diego County.

The San Diego City Council approved San Diego’s Earned Sick Leave-Minimum Wage Ordinance with a 6-2 vote. The ordinance will take effect as scheduled on January 1, 2015.

Opponents of the increase have launched the effort to gather 34,000 signatures to take the matter to the voters through a referendum.

Marilisa Navarro of Normal Heights said was approached by a signature gatherer while shopping inside a Target store about two weeks ago and believes he wasn’t telling the entire truth.

“He wasn’t honest about the fact that the minimum wage was already going to increase,” Navarro said of the man collecting signatures.

Anita Simons of San Diego told a similar story, saying she provided her signature after reading a document that supported the City Council’s vote.

“[The signature gatherer] never showed me the actual petition that he had,” Simons said. “He showed me, I guess, the actual ordinance.”

Simons and Navarro have filed forms to take back their signatures.

Saldaña presented a stack of forms that she said represented a thousand voters who are asking for their signatures to be removed from the petition drive.

People earn $6 to $8 per signature and that leads to irresponsible tactics, she said.

She cited Oregon’s practice of background checks and registry of signature gatherers and Colorado’s practice of requiring signature gatherers wear “paid” or “volunteer” and said she’d like to see California gain some oversight in the signature gathering process.

But Ann Kinner, a proponent of the referendum, told NBC 7 she does not think paying signature gatherers is a problem because they have been used widely in past elections.

"I don't think it's an issue one way or another," she said.

Kinner owns the small business Seabreeze Books and Charts in Point Loma and gathers signatures herself there.

"I'm not lying to anybody. I've got a sign here that says, 'Let the voters of San Diego decide the minimum wage issue,'" Kinner said.

She told NBC 7 people against the increase have been seeking her out, coming to her store to sign the petition. If they're being misled, Kinner said, they're spending a lot of gas money to find a petition.

But Del Mar Heights resident Eric Thies said he had a different experience. While he didn’t sign the petition, he said he was upset that the person who approached him was asking for his support by selling it as the exact opposite.

“We have a reasonable expectation that when someone approaches you to gather your signature, that they’re more or less telling you what they’re trying to do,” Thies said.

All three people agree it’s the voter’s responsibility to read the petition before signing it. However, they say they felt the issue was misrepresented.

According to Kinner, the Small Business Coalition worked to inform its petition gatherers about what they are asking from voters -- namely their support in getting the issue on the ballot.

A heavily armored vehicle is now a part of the San Diego Unified School District Police Department’s arsenal, though administrators say it will only be used for rescues.

The hand-me-down Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle was granted to the department through a federal government program. The district did not have to pay for the $733,000, taxpayer-funded piece of equipment, similar to those used in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to protect troops against IEDs. However, this one does not have any weapons.

The allocation came as some politicians on Capitol Hill questioned the use of military equipment by police departments Tuesday. They said the militarization program was created with good intentions, but needs to be reviewed after the riots in Ferguson, Missouri.

“We recognize the public concern over perceived ‘militarization of law enforcement,’ but nothing could be further from the truth for School Police,” said SDUSD Police Capt. Joseph Florentino in a release.

He said the vehicle will be converted into the county’s only “Victim Rescue Vehicle.” The MRAP will be deployed in active shooter situations or large scale disasters.

According to Florentino, local fire and EMS personnel will train with the equipment to find ways to get paramedics into “warm/hot zones” during an emergency.

Officials developed the rescue tactics after the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Colorado, when 13 people were murdered and 21 injured by two seniors on a suicide mission.

Florentino said officers waited outside for tactical teams while people were dying inside.

The MRAP plan is designed to prevent that. The vehicle should be able to pull down walls, ram through buildings and get to trapped victims.

"It'll be designed for us to get into any hostile situation and pull kids out," said Florentino. "We can fit about a full elementary class into the back of vehicle."

The armored vehicle will also be available to assist any local law enforcement or fire agency with nearby emergencies.

Officials plan to equip it with thousands of dollars’ worth of medical supplies so they can treat several hundred wounded if an emergency arises. They hope to have the MRAP up and running by next month.

When the revamp is complete, the MRAP will be marked with “rescue” and "police" signs along the side with large red crosses – a universal sign of medical aid.

"I think it makes sense," said parent Jericho Lopez. "You obviously want your kids safe and if the county is making the decision that this will keep them safe and not add additional dollars out of our pocket or take from education or resources in the school, then I have no problem with it."

Local agencies across the country are eligible to get surplus military equipment through the Defense Department's 1033 program -- also known as the Excess Property program. The SDUSD Police Department was one of 623 agencies to receive an MRAP.

Last month, President Barack Obama ordered a review of the federal program to determine if giving military armor, guns and vehicles to municipal law enforcement is appropriate, NBC News reports.

Look down an urban alley, and most eyes see blight.

Advocates of transforming alleys into green space see the potential for urban gardens, community pride, and not incidentally in this time of drought, a way to capture rainfall runoff.

A green light to proceed with greening an alley in South Los Angeles -- making 100 feet of it off-limits to vehicles -- was approved Tuesday by the City Council.

"The goal here is to show what is possible when we think outside the box about open space," said Laura Ballock, project manager for the Trust for Public Land, which proposed the project.

The first project will tackle an alley west of Avalon Boulevard between 51st and 52nd streets, along with a second stretch of alley east of Main and below 52nd streets.

The design features permeable paving to allow runoff to percolate to the soil below, where the water will be captured in undergrounddry wells and released to replenish groundwater. 

"The greenest part of the project is underground," Ballock said.

The Trust has been working with neighborhood residents and advocates who have coalesced into a "Green Team" -- "Equipo Verde" --  among the many Spanish speakers in this part of South LA near Maya Angelou High and Main Street Elementary schools.

They appreciate the water conservation benefits.  But for them, the biggest attraction is the chance to reclaim what at night often becomes a no man's land populated by trash dumpers and others involved in illegal activity.

Many Green Team members are parents who said the project will benefit their children.

"They're going to feel safer and have a green environment," said Sonia Rodriguez, a mother of two.

It has been seven years since the project was first proposed.  First year City Councilman Curren Price shepherded it to the vote Tuesday that enables it finally to go forward.

"I'm so happy to have this key hurdle behind us," Price said.  "Green alleys are a perfect way to reinvent blighted and underutilized space into safe and green pathways for residents, promoting a healthier lifestyle and buildibg a sense of community."

Funding will come from a variety of sources at local and state levels, including an allocation from the California Water Resources Control Board, Proposition 84 urban greening money, and water quality money from Proposition O,  which Los Angeles voters approved in 2004.  The Trust's community outreach, Ballock said, was funded by private donations.

The LA City Sanitation Bureau will oversee construction, planned for the first two alleyways to begin next year, and Ballock expects they will be transformed by the end of 2015.

"This is a demonstation," Ballock said, noting the city of Los Angeles alone has more than 900 miles of alleyways.  "Hopefully we will go on from here."

All employees in California who work at least 30 days in a year will be entitled to paid sick time beginning next summer.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act Wednesday morning, expanding the benefit to about 6.5 million workers.

Currently, about 40 percent of the state’s approximately 18 million workers are not entitled to paid sick days.

“Whether you’re a dishwasher in San Diego or a store clerk in Oakland, this bill frees you of having to choose between your family’s health and your job,” Brown said in a written statement. “Make no mistake, California is putting its workers first.”

The law, written by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, requires employers to provide one hour of sick time for each 30 hours worked, once an employee has worked for the company for 30 days. Employees will receive a minimum of three sick days a year.

“As a single, working mom, I know first-hand the challenge of having to juggle a sick child who needs to see a doctor and your responsibilities at work,” Gonzalez said in a statement after AB 1522 was signed by the governor. “But no parent should have to experience the heartache of having to choose between making the rent and taking care of their child.”

Some workers fear the costs to employers will end up harming them in the long run.

“Usually stuff trickles down so anything that’s enforced on employers kind of makes it harder for the employees,” said barber Johnny Marte, who works at Bolt Barbers in downtown Los Angeles.

Business groups fought the bill, which is only the second of its kind in the country. Connecticut has a similar bill, but has exclusions for small businesses unlike the California law.

The regulations go into effect July 1, 2015.

This article has been updated to correct the requirements to accrue sick time.

Hetty Chang contributed to this report.

A 1-year-old girl was found sleeping in the backseat of a vehicle that was abandoned in the shade under a tree after it was stolen Wednesday from in front of a San Bernardino home.

The purple Chrysler PT Cruiser was stolen in the 1500 block of West 7th Street when the child's grandmother went back inside her house, leaving the girl in the backseat. The woman said she left the vehicle for "just a minute" to grab milk from inside the house.

"I looked outside, the car was gone," she said.

The report prompted a search for the PT Cruiser that involved officers from throughout the city. A school police officer found the vehicle 15 minutes later just a few blocks away -- parked under the shade of a tree with the toddler sleeping in the backseat.

"Everybody dropped everything. Units came from all over the city," said Lt. Rich Lawhead, of the San Bernardino Police Department. "She did not wake up until fire personnel actually removed her from the vehicle. She probably doesn't even know anything happened, except she got hugged by a fireman."

It's likely the thief intended to draw attention to the vehicle after noticing the child in the backseat, Lawhead said.

"Usually, you don't leave a car unattended facing the wrong way in traffic in a shady spot with the wipers on if you don't want to draw attention to it," said Lawhead.

The thief also might have left the vehicle's air conditioning on during a day when temperatures climbed into the 90s, Lawhead said.

The child appeared in "good condition" after she was examined by medical personnel, according to police. Fire-rescue personnel provided the girl with something to drink and held her until the grandmother arrived.

"I'm happy," the child's grandmother said after she was reunited with the girl. "I didn't think anyone could do something like that."

The person who stole the vehicle has not been located. He was described by police as a "heavy set" shirtless man with a backpack and black pants.
 

Local moviegoers now have a newly-renovated place to catch a flick: the AMC Chula Vista 10 theater, which has undergone a massive makeover.

The theater, located at 555 Broadway in Chula Vista, had been under construction since May. Over the past few months the space has been fully transformed into a cushy theater with lots of new amenities, including plush recliner seats and its own in-house, soon-to-open MacGuffin’s Bar & Lounge serving beer, wine and cocktails.

The Chula Vista movie theater reopened to the public last week.

Ryan Noonan, AMC director of corporate communications, said the upgrades aim to give guests more comfort and convenience.

In addition to recliner seating and reserved seating options, Noonan said guests will enjoy enhanced concession stand menu options that expand beyond popcorn to include hot foods such as chicken tenders, pizza and mozzarella sticks.

Coca-Cola Freestyle soda machines will also give moviegoers more than 120 different drink combinations to choose from.

And, for the main course – at least for movie buffs – Noonan said the theater includes all new state-of-the-art speakers and sound systems, along with new movie screens and 100 percent digital projectors.

“Guests at AMC Chula Vista 10 can expect an amazing movie-going experience that will have them excited about coming out to the movies again and again,” Noonan told NBC 7.

He said the renovations at the AMC Chula Vista 10 are much like those that were completed at AMC La Jolla 12 in 2013. Guests liked the renovations in La Jolla so much, that location’s overall satisfaction scores have increased by 40 percent since it reopened last summer, Noonan said.

AMC is hoping to recreate that same success in Chula Vista.

The standard ticket price for the movie theater is $10 per person and $6 for films before noon. An $8.25 matinee movie is offered daily from noon to 4 p.m.

Drivers heading to Mira Mesa Boulevard from Interstate 805 this weekend should be aware: The off-ramp will be closed Friday evening through Monday morning.

The closure starts at 9 p.m. Friday and lasts until 5 a.m. Monday.

Two detours will be available during the closure of the northbound I-805 ramp: Exit at Miramar Road and go west, turn north on Camino Santa Fe and then onto Mira Mesa Boulevard.

Another option is to exit at Sorrento Valley Road and continue straight on Mira Sorrento Place, turn south on Scranton Road and then turn onto Mira Mesa Boulevard.

The closure is due to paving operations as part of the North Express Lanes Project, which will bring a carpool lane to the freeway in both directions from State Route 52 to Mira Mesa Boulevard, among other developments.

When it comes to post-op recovery for a cheetah cub in San Diego, the doctor ordered lots of playtime with his puppy friend.

As Ruuxa, the new cheetah cub at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, stepped outside for a little R&R after a recent surgery, his puppy playmate was right by his side.

Raina, a brown Rhodesian ridgeback puppy, was paired with Ruuxa just weeks after his birth.

Handlers kept the two close as Ruuxa underwent surgery on Sept. 3 to repair growth abnormalities in his front limbs. She sat nearby through the whole procedure, zoo staffers said. 

Ruuxa is recovering as expected and showed a lot of strength and energy as he wreslted with Raina and pounced on his toys Tuesday.

Officials believe the puppy’s presence has made the whole process less stressful for the cheetah.

The two are paired together through the Safari Park’s animal ambassador program. Ruuxa was rejected by his mother – which is often the case when a single cub is born – so a dog us used to help the cub navigate the outside world.

The goal is to develop a kinship between the two animals so the dog can keep the cheetah calm in public settings.

While he recovers, Ruuxa is on limited activity. Even so, the public may see the pair if they pay an additional fee to sign up for a Behind-the-Scenes Cheetah & Friends Tour when they visit the park.

The San Diego Chargers will have to play the remainder of the season without one of their top performers: Center Nick Hardwick, who has just been placed on Reserve-Injured.

The Bolts announced Wednesday that Hardwick is out with a neck injury.

Chargers General Manager Tom Telesco said Hardwick will certainly be missed, as he’s a consistent part of the team. He’s also one of the offensive co-captains.

“Nick is one of the best, if not the best, at his position to ever play for the Chargers,” said Telesco in a team press release. “In my 20 years in the NFL, he’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever been around. We’ll miss him in the lineup, but we have complete confidence in Rich [Ohrnberger] and the other players to step up and do the job.”

Ohrnberger will likely take over for Hardwick while he’s gone.

Head Coach Mike McCoy called Hardwick a “warrior” and “a true pro’s pro.”

“We’ve been spoiled by his excellence over the years. Players with his physical skills, leadership ability and intangibles don’t come around every year. He is a special player to coach and a great guy for the organization,” McCoy added.

Hardwick has been with the Chargers for 10 years. He first came to the team as a third-round draft choice in 2004 and has been a starter ever since.

The Chargers say Hardwick has started in all 136 games he has played in the NFL and in the last 67 in a row, including Monday’s season opener against Arizona.

“We made the tough decision to put Nick on the IR,” said McCoy at an afternoon press conference. “A passionate player who’s been a leader for a long time and means so much to his football team. It was a tough decision for us moving forward.”

McCoy confirmed Ohrnberger will step into Hardwick's role.

"We're fortunate that we have Rich Ohrnberger. He did a nice job in the game the other day of stepping in and doing  great job of directing the traffic, and we didn't skip a beat," he said.

"We have a next man up mentality here and the players have worked extremely hard and they all understand their role on the football team," McCoy continued. "You never want to lose one of your leaders but it's the unfortunate part of the game, and it's going to happen."

Ohrnberger said he's happy to step up, but will miss Hardwick's guidance on the field.

“While I’m excited for the opportunity, I’d love to have him out there and be playing with him," said Ohrnberger at a press conference. “I’ll be using him as a source of advice this year for sure.”

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is already feeling the loss of his co-captain, given how closely they've worked together for so many years. Rivers said he not only deeply respects Hardwick as a teammate, but also as a friend and man.

“He and I have been through so much. We were looking forward to having a heck of a year,” said Rivers, admitting he was trying to keep it together. “Our team will miss having him. It’s very clear what he means to this team.”
 

One person was arrested and another rushed to the hospital in critical condition following a shooting and standoff in Spring Valley overnight.

San Diego County Sheriff’s Deputies surrounded one of the units in the Lakeview Village Apartments just before 11 p.m. Tuesday.

The apartment complex is located along Sweetwater Springs Boulevard near Loma Elementary School and across the street from Monte Vista High School.

Deputies had received multiple calls of shots fired, including one from a woman inside who says it started with some kind of argument.

One neighbor said she was awakened by gunfire, called 911 and then sheltered in place.

“Tried to get away from any windows semi barricaded my door just in case because I didn’t know where this guy was going or what was happening,” the woman told NBC 7.

Around midnight, approximately a dozen neighbors were ordered to get out of the area.

Nearly three hours into the standoff, deputies forced their way into the unit to search for the suspect and any other possible victims.

One woman walked out of the unit followed by a man. Deputies took the man into custody.

They also found a gunshot victim outside the apartment who was critically injured. He was rushed to a nearby hospital.

Deputies were on scene for nearly eight hours. The area around the apartment is still blocked off by caution tape.

Check back for updates on this developing story.
 

An Escondido man pleaded guilty Wednesday and was sentenced to a year in jail for setting up a bogus fundraising campaign for the family of a slain officer.

Sami Ahmed Saeed, 25, pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property and identity theft. In addition to 365 days in custody, he will be on probation for three years.

Saeed set up the fake GoFundMe.com website in July following the death of Escondido police Officer Laura Perez.

She was found dead after a house fire July 23 and her husband is charged with her murder.

Police said Saeed’s fundraiser purported to raise money for Perez’s family, specifically her 4-year-old daughter.

No one had donated to the account before Saeed was arrested and the GoFundMe website was removed. He also was a suspect in several fake fundraisers for a young cancer victim.

Escondido Police say Saeed apparently worked for the U.S. military, and his friend from Ohio confirmed that Saeed was an Arabic translator for U.S. troops during the Iraq War.

San Diego deputies are searching for a woman accused of using stolen credit card information to book hotel rooms, go shopping and order pizza – with her final splurge caught on tape as she ate the pie in a parking lot.

Investigators from the Rancho San Diego Sheriff’s Station say the credit card fraud began on July 27, when the unknown woman allegedly began using stolen credit card information to make several purchases online. The victim of the fraud was not missing the actual credit card, but the number was used without authorization, officials said.

Investigators said the suspect – described as a woman in her 50s with dirty blonde hair – used the credit card number to book hotel rooms on Hotels.com and buy items on Sears.com.

She also treated herself to a pizza.

In all, approximately $900 was charged to the credit card, officials said.

Detectives tracked down hotel surveillance video that shows the fraud suspect with two other unidentified people eating pizza in a parking lot. In the footage, the trio is sitting in a car enjoying the pie that was charged to the credit card.

The suspect is wearing a black and white striped tank top, accompanied by a younger man and woman. Investigators said the suspect’s vehicle is an older model, green, four-door car with a sunroof, possible a Toyota Corolla or something similar. The partial plate number is 5FWA or 5EWA.

Officials first released information on this case Wednesday. The suspect, at this point, remains at large. Investigators say the two people eating pizza with her in the parking lot are not considered suspects, but detectives would like to speak to them to learn more about the fraud suspect.

Anyone with information on this case should call the Rancho San Diego Sheriff’s Station at (619) 660-7090 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. Tipsters can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
 

Dozens of curious spectators showed up to watch a bear and her cub resting in a Monrovia neighborhood on Wednesday.

"They’re just strolling around the yard like they own the place," said a boy who looked on with a crowd that grew to about 75 people over the course of the day.

The duo was seen roaming a yard in the area of Ivy and Olive avenues (map) about 10 a.m. They snacked on avocados in a resident's yard before climbing up a tree when neighbors and Fish and Wildlife officials showed up.

"They’re pretty high up, but I’ve seen them come down," said Fish and Wildlife Warden J.C. Healy. "They ate a little, they drank a little and then they worked their way back up the tree."

The cub, which officials said appeared to be about a week old, and its mother eventually climbed down. Fish and Wildlife officials gave them their space so they could make their way 2 miles north back to the mountains under the cover of darkness.

Healy said they had no plans of tranquilizing the bears because the mother may still be nursing.

Police said it was unusual for bears to roam so far south from the mountains during the day.