At least eight vehicles crashed into each other on southbound State Route 163 Monday evening, causing traffic congestion along the freeway and prompting a Sig Alert.

The chain reaction of collisions started at about 6:35 p.m. near Friars Road when four cars were stopped in traffic and a fifth did not slow down in time, according to the California Highway Patrol.

"We were just totally stopped, sitting still and all of a sudden, the car just hit us," said Brian Butterworth, who was rear-ended.

Other vehicles were hit as car after car slammed into one another.

Three people were taken to the hospital, all with minor injuries.

A man who witnesses say leapt from his pickup truck, leaving it to continue driverless for about a mile, was struck by a car on Interstate 5 Monday evening, according to fire officials.

At about 8:30 p.m., several people told the California Highway Patrol that the man turned on his emergency flashers and jumped from his truck's driver's side on the north I-5 just north of the Leucadia exit.

He was hit by at least one car, according to CHP Sgt. Matt Boothe. Officials are not sure why the man leapt out, and they are trying to identify him.

The truck coasted another mile or so, avoided other vehicles, and then veered to an off-ramp near La Costa Avenue. The pickup hit an electrical pole, sending live wires falling down, and stopped in a ditch.

The CHP issued a Sig Alert for the area as traffic backed up past Encinitas.

A helicopter landed on the freeway to transport the man to Scripps La Jolla Hospital for major injuries.

By 9:30 p.m., all northbound lanes just south of Leucadia Boulevard were reopened.

The former executive director of Congregation Beth El, a synagogue in La Jolla, will have to pay $470,500 in restitution for stealing from his congregation to pay for vacations, furnishings and more.

Eric S. Levine, 37, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay the restitution after he pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud in federal court.

Court records say while serving as the director, Levine falsified the synagogue’s books and records to hide five years’ worth of thefts.

From 2007 to 2013, the embezzled money went to vacations in Hawaii, Mexico and Las Vegas, as well as expensive gym memberships, a personal trainer, costly furnishings and barbecue equipment, according to prosecutors.

Levine is also accused of using the synagogue’s nearly $2 million budget to pay his own bills or his personal credit card balance. Court documents allege he used names like "High Holidays" or "Purim Baskets" as line items to hide his thefts.

Although in his guilty plea he admitted to misappropriating $394,872.99, a restitution order, filed Oct. 27, told him to pay a total of $470,500 to Bel El, a bank and an insurance company.

Levine will pay $208,281.18 to the congregation, while $162,218.82 will go to Chase Bank, which is considered a victim because the ex-leader used funds that were not his to pay off his personal credit cards.

Philadelphia Insurance Companies, which insures the temple, will get another $100,000.

While he is in prison, Levine will pay 50 percent of his income, or $25 per quarter if that is greater, the order says. Under three years of supervised release, he will have to give his victims $300 per month.

Congregation Beth El will get its money back first, followed by Chase Bank and Philadelphia Insurance Companies.

Levine is expected to surrender himself to prison by Nov. 14.

At his sentencing in September, congregation members and rabbis expressed their anger toward Levine in letters filed with the court, saying he has taken away from the mission "of creating a lively Jewish community" and has forced the diminished staff to spend much more time on accounting.

Low water pressure could spell trouble for many fire hydrants in San Diego area communities, including Clairemont, Bay Park, Pacific Beach and La Jolla.

This isn't your ordinary water main break, for the leak, whose cause hasn't been determined, is somewhere in a canyon between Ute Drive and Shawnee Road. It started Monday afternoon.

A large water distribution pipeline has been shut down in Clairemont to allow crews to repair the leak.

While this fix potentially could be a significant inconvenience to those nearby, perhaps the greatest concern is its effect on neighborhood fire hydrants.

San Diego Public Utilities spokesperson Arian Collins says hydrants will experience low water flow, as will some area businesses and residential neighborhood.

People are most affected with low water pressure would be customers in higher elevations. The actual number of those affected is unknown at this time.

NBC 7 spoke with several businesses and homeowners who say so far they aren’t experiencing any problems,

The repairs are expected to be completed late Tuesday morning.

New allegations from a second former campaign staffer of congressional candidate Carl DeMaio have rekindled the controversy in the race for the 52nd District, just before Tuesday’s election.

A second accuser who spoke with spoke with KPBS has accused DeMaio, the Republican challenger for the seat held by Democrat U.S. Rep. Scott Peters, of inappropriate sexual conduct.

Justin Harper told KPBS DeMaio exposed himself in a campaign restroom on July 10. NBC 7 could not independently confirm the new allegations.

The DeMaio campaign called the accusation an "outrageous lie," but the candidate has not specifically responded to, or answered questions about, this or other recent allegations of inappropriate emails. His camp has said the accusations are all part of a smear campaign.

In a CNN report that first aired Oct. 10, former campaign staffer Todd Bosnich described an alleged incident where he said he was called into DeMaio's office and the candidate exposed himself.

The office of San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis decided there was not enough evidence to support Bosnich's claims, or DeMaio’s own counter-claims that Bosnich was involved in the break-in at his campaign headquarters in May.

DeMaio, who has denied the allegations, blamed the Peters campaign for perpetuating the controversy.

"Scott Peters continues to use false personal smears against me rather than focusing on the issues that San Diegans care about. That's why I'm not going to join him in the mud. I'm not going to worry about the false personal smears he's throwing against me," DeMaio said.

A new Survey USA poll conducted for UT San Diego/KGTV shows 45 percent of responders saying they will vote for DeMaio, while 44 percent say they will vote for Peters.

The winner will come down to the 11 percent of voters who remain undecided in one of the nastiest elections in the country.

On Sunday, protesters outside DeMaio's campaign headquarters demanded an apology for sexist emails they said he had sent.

Their claim stems from an email DeMaio purportedly sent in January featuring a demeaning image of a Peters campaign aide. DeMaio has denied sending the email and told the UT San Diego that Bosnich fabricated it.

Peters addressed the email scandal Sunday, saying it was time for DeMaio to "come clean" on it. 

"I wish that Mr. DeMaio would've taken the opportunity to say ‘I did it, was a weak moment’ or whatever he has to say — but come clean with people. Tell the truth apologize when it's necessary. I've never seen him apologize for anything," Peters said.

The tension in the race was evident in a failed handshake moment just before the taping of a recent "Politically Speaking" episode, when DeMaio walked right by Peters’ hand outstretched for a handshake.

In that program, DeMaio questioned Peters on how a “campaign playbook” ended up in the hands of Peters’ campaign staff.

Anonymous emails sent to Bosnich are the subject of FBI agent interviews with potential witnesses, sources have confirmed to NBC7 Investigates.

NBC 7 obtained emails that appear to show DeMaio bragging about his campaign writing a UT San Diego editorial critical of DeMaio's opponent, a claim UT management has strongly denied.

Then, in a news conference Wednesday, former city council member Donna Frye stepped into the fray when she said she believes there are other victims. When pressed, Frye did not elaborate.

A San Diego family is receiving the Medal of Honor for a relative who died more than 150 years ago.

Union Army 1st Lt. Alonzo Cushing fought in the historic Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 during the Civil War. According to historical documentation, Cushing was injured twice in the war and when told to move to the back of the battle line, he refused. That decision took his life, but his courage has lived on.

That's why historians and Cushing's family have been fighting the last 40 years for him to get the Medal of Honor.

“The Civil War was so important in defining what America is, contributions obviously on both sides. So many families lost loved ones in that war, but we became a better nation as a result," said Brooks Ensign of San Diego, a relative of Cushing’s.

In the Civil War days, the Medal of Honor wasn't commonly awarded to officers, and it was rarely given posthumously. Ensign and his family are overjoyed their ancestor is finally being recognized.

“Apparently he is the longest delayed Congressional Medal of Honor,” Ensign said.

Ensign's mother, Helen Loring Ensign, is traveling from San Diego to Washington, D.C. to accept the medal from President Obama on behalf of the family. The ceremony will take place Nov. 6 at the White House.

“We have talked in our family about this man over the years," Helen Loring Ensign said in a phone interview with NBC 7.

"We've all treasured memories of what a great person he was. So it's really our way of saluting his great valor under fire," she added.

Cushing's family continues to pass down the history by giving their children the middle name “Cushing.” His family plans to share the medal among the family, and then it will be rotating on display in museums.

Use the guide below to view your ballot for the 2014 November election. Mobile users, click here to access the ballot lookup feature.

The man accused of killing three people in connection with a Mission Valley mall shooting on Christmas Eve will be hospitalized, a judge ruled Monday.

Carlo Mercado is accused of killing brothers Sal and Gianni Belvedere and Gianni's fiancee, Ilona Flint.

On Monday, Judge Joseph P. Brannigan found Mercado not competent to stand trial and ordered he be treated at Patton State Hospital for three years or until he is found competent to assist in his own defense.

Last week, reports submitted by two psychiatrists and one psychologist diagnosed Mercado as schizophrenic, psychotic and suffering from catatonic depression, according to Mercado's attorney.

Flint and Salvatore were found shot in a parking lot outside the Macy’s department store at Westfield Mission Valley Mall in San Diego’s Mission Valley area on Dec. 24, 2013.

Flint was pronounced dead at the scene of the Christmas Eve shooting. Salvatore died at the hospital a few days later.

On Jan. 17, Gianni's body was found in the trunk of a car in Riverside County.

Mercado has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder.

Search warrants obtained by NBC 7 reveal the exhaustive investigation into the triple homicide case, but still, no motive.
 

It’s the doggy-version of county lock-up.

Lt. Dan DeSousa, with Animal Services, said dogs kept there are serving a 10-day quarantine for biting.

It's not a punishment. It's a precaution to make sure the animal doesn't have rabies.

“A lot of the times, dogs are biting out of fear,” DeSousa said. “They’re put in an uncomfortable situation."

In recent years, California has seen the most deadly dog bites across the country. Last year, five people were killed, most of them right here in San Diego County, according to national data from the Center for Disease Control.

The San Diego County Department of Animal Services, which investigates more than 2,500 reports of dog bites every year, tracks where dangerous dogs live, but the agency doesn’t present that information to the public.

The agency also maintains the address of record for dogs that have caused serious bites to humans, which NBC7 Investigates obtained through the California Public Records Act and mapped out.

NBC7 Investigates examined data from 7,600 reports of bites between July 2011 and June 2014 in the jurisdiction of Animal Services, which includes the unincorporated portion of the county as well as the cities of San Diego, Carlsbad, Santee, Solana Beach, Del Mar and Encinitas.

We found the number of reports of serious injuries from dog bites increased 28 percent between 2012 and 2013.

Data from Animal Services shows over the past year, the zip codes including the City Heights and Encanto neighborhoods had the most dog bites in the area, with 94 each. Zip code 92102, which includes the Golden Hill neighborhood had the next most, with 86 bites reported. The zip code which includes the Fallbrook neighborhood had 85.

DeSousa said looking at the data, it’s not easy to tell why one area may have more reported dog bites than another.

“If you look at that most of those are very city locations and then you have Fallbrook, very rural,” he said. “So, it really is no rhyme or reason why they bite more.”

The dogs displayed in the map above are only those who have caused the most serious bites.

A serious bite is defined by Animal Services as “a substantial impairment of a person's physical condition which requires professional medical treatment, including loss of consciousness, concussion, bone fracture, protracted loss or impairment of function of a bodily member or organ, a muscle tear, a disfiguring laceration, a wound requiring multiple sutures or an injury that requires surgery to restore the person to the condition the person was in before the incident that resulted in the injury.”

NBC7 Investigates also examined the reports to see which breed of dogs were biting the most.

The Pitbull was the breed with the most bites reported, a total of 851 in a three year period. One hundred of those bites were listed as serious.

The German Shepherd had the second most bites reported with 349 bites, followed by the Chihuahua with 333.

“People think Pitbulls bite a lot,” DeSousa said. “Do we have a lot of reports of Pitbulls biting? Yes, we do. However, we cannot say that Pitbulls bite any more than German Shepherds bite, than Chihuahuas bite.”

The reported dog bites range in severity. Some are serious and deadly while others are mere nicks on fingers or hands.

“So, realistically, if you have a ball in your hand and the dog comes running up and wants the ball and he accidentally bites you and breaks the skin, by law, by definition, that is a bite,” DeSousa said.

Once a dog bites someone the animal has to be quarantined, usually in its home, but sometimes in the back wing of the Animal Service Building on Gaines Street.

If these dogs bite anyone again, anytime in the next four years, they'll be classified as a "dangerous dog."

Right now, 44 local dogs within Animal Services’ jurisdiction have earned that title.

Executive Producer Lynn Walsh contributed to this story.

The home day care owner charged in the 2012 death of a Clairemont infant pleaded not guilty in court Monday.

Last week, James Nemeth, 38, was arrested on a residential street in Clairemont, just a mile away from where 11-month-old Lou Oliver died in his care.

He is being held on $2 million bail in connection with charges of first-degree murder and assault on a child resulting in death.

In court, the victim's mother, Cristina Oliver, was upset and crying after she saw Nemeth in person for the first time in over two years.

Baby Lou was alert and healthy when he was dropped off at the San Diego Daycare, also known as the James Nemeth Family Childcare, on May 23, 2012, according to his mother.

Just a few hours later, Lou’s mother, got an alarming text message from Nemeth telling her to "come quickly, Lou did not wake up from his afternoon nap," Oliver told NBC 7 in February.

Lou was rushed to Rady Children's Hospital by ambulance, but at 1:30 a.m. the next morning, he was declared dead.

Three months later, after an autopsy had been performed and analyzed, the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office ruled Lou's death a homicide, stating he suffered head and spine trauma.

The report states injuries were consistent with "shaken baby syndrome."

Nemeth’s bail amount will be reviewed next week, and a preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 17. 

If convicted, Nemeth faces 25 years to life in prison.

Signs point to an electorate that is decidedly disinterested in the 2014 midterm elections, but Tuesday's ballots offer no shortage of contests that will have an impact on policy and politics for years to come.

Here's a look at some of the races, issues and trends to watch this Election Day:

Fate of the U.S. Senate Decided (or Not): Much of Tuesday's drama and suspense is centered on a handful of states where the outcome of close races will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate. Republicans need to pick up six seats to win back a majority. With 10 or more considered in play, including New Hampshire and Virginia, most analysts think they have a good shot.  But there's a chance voters waking up Wednesday won't yet know which way the party pendulum has swung. Competitive races in Georgia and Louisiana could go to a runoff if the winner takes less than 50 percent of the vote. A win by an independent in Kansas or South Dakota or a lag in getting votes counted from parts of Alaska could also delay the outcome if control comes down to just one seat. Still, by 10 p.m. ET we may have a sense of how the night is headed, according to NBC News.

Statehouse Shake-Ups: A near record number of incumbent governors could be looking for work come Wednesday. Eleven sitting governors are facing touch re-election races this year, with polls showing contests in several states, including Connecticut and Florida, in a dead heat heading into Election Day. One governor, Hawaii Democrat Neil Abercrombie, was already ousted in the state's primary and polls are pointing to a landslide defeat for Pennsylvania's Tom Corbett, a Republican. A spate of losses could make 2014 the worst cycle for sitting top state electeds in at least 20 years. The last time five or more incumbents lost was in 1994, according to NBC News, with a record 11 incumbents getting the boot back in 1964.

Pot Politics — and an End to Prohibition? Two states will decide whether to follow the leads of Colorado and Washington in legalizing marijuana for recreational use Tuesday, while voters in other areas will consider relaxing pot laws. Measures on the ballot in Alaska and Oregon seek to allow and tax marijuana for anyone over 21. A number of other state and local measures, including one on the ballot in Washington D.C., would effectively legalize possession of small amounts of pot. Marijuana backers in Florida, meanwhile, are hoping to secure the 60 percent support needed to OK the drug for medical use. Voters in Arkansas are tackling a different sort of prohibition. A ballot initiative aims to end a booze ban still in effect across half of the state’s counties. Supporters face an uphill fight, according to a recent poll.

Another Bush, Carter in Office? A Bush is on the ballot again in Texas and a Carter in Georgia. George P. Bush, son of former Florida governor and possible presidential contender Jeb, is the favorite in Tuesday's race for Texas land commissioner. Leading the somewhat obscure agency, which manages land and mineral rights in the Lone Star State, is widely seen as a political steppingstone for the younger Bush and a chance for the family to extend and rebrand its political dynasty. The rising GOP star's Hispanic heritage — his mother is of Mexican descent — could also help GOP efforts to win over highly coveted Latino voters in 2016 and beyond. Meanwhile, Jason Carter is making bid for Georgia governor, a seat once held by his grandfather, former President Jimmy Carter. Jason Carter, a 39-year-old state senator, was locked in a close fight against Republican incumbent Gov. Nathan Deal. Jimmy Carter, out on the stump for his grandson at age 90, told voters recently, “He was 2 years old when I was president. He wasn’t born when I was governor.”

Soda Wars Head West: The California Bay Area cities of San Francisco and Berkeley have become the latest high-profile battlegrounds in the fight over taxes on soda and other sugary drinks. The beverage industry has spent big to defeat measures seeking to hike taxes on the drinks in the neighboring liberal enclaves, pouring more than $10 million into the campaigns. A win could be a needed boost for backers of what they see as a public health measure following losses at the state and local level and the courts, which rejected former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's attempt to ban supersize sodas there. "If it can’t pass in Berkeley, where is it going to pass? Honest to God, if they can stop us here, they can stop us anywhere. And they know that," Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates told The New York Times.

Residents of the nation's largest homeless camp are protesting tight port-a-potty time limits at the San Jose camp, saying the crackdowns have caused a "sanitation crisis" and demanding city leaders prioritize homelessness.

"I feel like they're punishing us,” said Grace, who lives at the encampment. “I feel that in my heart that's what they're doing to us."

Some of the roughly 350 people who live in “the Jungle,” across the street from Happy Hollow Zoo, accused the city of "inhumane treatment" at their pre-election protest and news conference Monday. 

Residents and homeless advocates said they’ve been left in a very unsanitary limbo: They want the city to drop its time restrictions on portable toilets installed on the premises. Right now, they can only be used from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

As a result of the toilets’ early-closing time, “we have a real sanitation crisis,” Pastor Scott Wagers said.

Residents on Monday also called for an end to police sweeps.

"We want the city to stop their sweeps of encampments until sanctuaries are identified on city, county or church properties,” resident Robert Aguirre said.

San Jose officials point out its program has already found housing for about 125 former Jungle residents and will continue to do more.

"Encampments represent an unsafe, unsanitary and dangerous place for people to be,” said Ray Bramson, San Jose’s project manager in charge of the encampment issue. “We want to make sure that this type of concentration and this type of trouble people are facing there on those sites doesn't continue to occur."

The city plans to close the Jungle in mid-December.

Gourmet food, premiere wines and feasting foodies can only mean one thing: the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival is coming to town.

This November, the week-long festival will celebrate its 11th year, highlighting San Diego’s thriving food scene and local culinary talents, paired with luxury wines and spirits.

From Nov. 16-23, the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival will host more than 20 events around San Diego including tasting panels, special dinners and more.

With so many events to wine and dine, we thought we’d round-up a scrumptious sample list of just a few of those drool-worthy events happening at this year’s fest. Cheers!

Comer Conmigo: Dinner. Tequila. Wine. (Nov. 17)
Kick off your gourmet foodie journey with an upscale six-course dinner at Comun Kitchen & Tavern from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. This event, sponsored by Casamigos Tequila, features chefs Chad White and Nate Appleman showcasing their finest, south-of-the-border comfort food paired perfectly with tequila and wines. Tickets are $175 per person.

The Fish Taco TKO & San Diego Craft Beers (Nov. 18)
Few things are more classic San Diego culture than craft beers and a fish taco. This casual event held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens in Liberty Station will celebrate that match made in heaven with an epic competition that will pit the top local fish taco makers against one another in a mouthwatering battle. Attendees can sample unique craft beers on tap while weighing in on the chefs’ fish taco creations. Tickets are $45 per person.

100 Years of Inspiration & Innovation: Trailblazing Cuisine Throughout The Century (Nov. 19)
It’s safe to say this event is for the ultimate foodie. Featuring 10 courses, chefs RJ Cooper and Katsuya Fukushima will pay homage to 100 years of culinary trailblazers, putting their own stamp on beloved dishes throughout the ages. Each course, of course, will be expertly paired with craft cocktails and wine, too. This chic, exclusive event will be held in the rarely-seen boardroom at the famous U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego. Only 24 guests will be able to partake in this elegant affair, priced at $250 per person.

The Raw Exposure: Oysters & Sauvignon Blanc at Ironside (Nov. 20)
The perfect outing for the oyster and wine-lover, hosted by Master Sommeliers Sur Lucero, Thomas Price and Executive Chef and owner of Ironside Fish & Oyster Jason McLeod. From 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Ironside, the trio will guide attendees through a sea-meets-land tasting pairing different oysters – with very different flavor profiles – with great white wines. Tickets to this casual event cost $45 per person.

Wine Spectator Celebrity Chef Dinner & Big Bottle Live Auction Presented By Kia K900 (Nov. 20)
Nationally-acclaimed celebrity chefs and 15 wineries will pair up for this dining experience at the U.S. Grant Hotel from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Guests will sample delicious bites and cocktails while enjoying a live auction boasting 25 coveted wine lots. The auction benefits culinary and enology scholarships awarded by the American Institute of Wine & Food and the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. After the bidding, guests will make their way to the main dining area where they will indulge in a coursed dinner prepared by a celebrity chef and expertly paired with flagship varietals from one the participating, prestigious wineries. Tickets cost $250 per person, or grab a table with friends at $3,000 for a VIP table for 10.

Stump the Masters Blind Tasting (Nov. 21)
Calling all winos: world-renowned Master Sommeliers and San Diego’s top sommeliers will put their blind tasting skills to the test in this head-to-head challenge-meets-tasting event. The masters will guide attendees through six wines as attendees tries to determine each wine’s varietal, region and vintage utilizing classic techniques involving sight, smell and taste. Winos will learn what the professionals look for when it comes to identifying wines. For this gathering, the wine will flow from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. Tickets cost $85.

Grand Tasting Event (Nov. 22)
If you’re attending only one San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival event this year, make this it. The Grand Tasting will take over Embarcadero Marina Park North, right behind Seaport Village, on Saturday, Nov. 22, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The shindig marks the grand finale of the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival and will boast 150 wine and spirit purveyors pouring more than 700 different wines from a range of domestic and international wineries. In addition, more than 60 of San Diego’s top chefs will take the spotlight at the Grand Tasting, whipping up their finest fare. A “Chef of the Fest” competition will ultimately determine the best of the best, with the winning chef walking away with up to $50,000 in cash and prizes, plus serious bragging rights. Samples from gourmet food companies, cookbook signing by celebrity chefs and live entertainment will round out the event. Tickets range from $75 to $225 per person, depending on the extras you’d like to add to your party package.

One World Beef’s Celebrate The Chef Featuring Gale Gand’s Birthday-Q (Nov. 23)
Celebrity chefs will gather at the Del Mar Race Track from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for this afternoon at the races featuring wine, spirits and beef-inspired cuisine. Attendees can take in the culinary treats from a privately hosted pagoda while watching the horse races. Tickets run between $75 and $125.

There you have it – just a little nibble of what’s ahead at the 2014 San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival. By the way, foodies who want to attend more than one of these many events may want to check out these special packages, which include tickets to multiple activities and other swag.

For all of the details on San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, visit the event website.
 

A senior at Radnor High School was arrested Monday after police say she wrote a detailed plan to murder her classmates and a teacher.

Investigators say the 17-year-old girl wrote in her notebook that she wanted to be the first female mass murderer, and specifically described how she would kill several students and one of her teachers at the Philadelphia-area school.

She also allegedly wrote about how much she admired Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the students behind the 1999 Columbine High School massacre.

"But imagine the power," the girl allegedly wrote. "The bullets leaving the gun with a loud bang, piercing kids around me, the way they collapse, their blood splattering the floor... the screams."

Administrators at Radnor High found the girl’s notebook and reported it to police around 11:30 a.m. Monday.

“There are always warning signs,” said Radnor Township Police Superintendent Bill Colarulo during a press conference Monday afternoon. “If you want to go back and reference the Columbine incident, there were numerous warning signs that went ignored, that went unnoticed and nobody took the proper action and made the report.”

The girl was arrested and will be charged as a juvenile for making terroristic threats. According to investigators, the girl has a history of mental illness. Her parents are cooperating with police. No weapons were found at Radnor High or the teen’s home.

“As soon as it was recognized that these writings were bizarre and dangerous the appropriate steps were taken,” Colarulo said. “That’s what we hope people will do from now on.”

Debbie Singer, a parent of a junior at Radnor High, told NBC10 her daughter and other students knew the suspect had a fascination with the Columbine massacre. The girl allegedly wrote a letter to the parents of one of the Columbine shooters and included detailed notes on how should would execute her own plan.

"It's very said and it's sad for the girl," Singer said. "The rumor was this was going to happen at the pep rally." 

The student is currently undergoing psychiatric evaluation but will remain in custody.
 

An archaeologist hired by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection will investigate a possible shipwreck found buried in the sand of Normandy Beach in Brick Township recently, officials say. 

Some of the wreckage was dug up by a construction crew building a steel wall to protect Brick and Mantoloking from future hurricanes. As they were trying to drive a steel sheet into the sand, an obstruction some 20 feet down broke the pile driver.

Many ships have been lost off the Jersey coast in the past, but Dan Lieb, the curator at the New Jersey Maritime Museum in Wall, told NBC 4 New York it could be the wreck of the Ayershire.

On Jan. 12, 1850, the ship carrying immigrants and a crew totally 202 people foundered off Squan Beach. But lifesavers, using a new device called a "Frances life car" -- an enclosed capsule hung on a rope from shore to ship -- were able to safely rescue all but one of the people on board.

Lieb said the rescues using the new device were "very, very successful," and the life car went on to extensive use in saving people from groundings near shore.

The state says ground-penetrating radar will be used to determine what else may be buried under the sand.

After determining the mystery object's historical value and whether it needs to be dug up, DEP spokesman Bob Considine said the steel wall protection project will be finished, essentially on time and before winter weather sets in.

A 10-year-old Delaware girl with Down syndrome can no longer use her treehouse after a neighbor hired a contractor to take a chainsaw to a supporting tree trunk, her parents say, amid an escalating neighborhood spat over the treehouse. 

"He stood there and said, ‘Cut it, cut it!’" Robert Cole said of his neighbor. He said it is now too dangerous for his daughter Grace to play in the treehouse.

But the neighbor defended his decision, saying he and others community members worried they could be liable if someone got hurt.

The neighbor stands by his decision to have the treehouse removed permanently, telling NBC10 he is concerned the girl could get hurt on his property and he does not want to be liable for any injuries.

But Grace's family questioned the legality of the neighbor’s actions. “I believe the place where he made the cut is actually on our property," Robert Cole said.

The Cole family is considering legal action, but a survey to determine the exact property lines is needed.

Philadelphia police released two new videos as well as new photos Tuesday of a person of interest in the violent abduction of a young woman off a Philadelphia street.

One video shows a new angle of the person of interest abducting Carlesha Freeland-Gaither Sunday night in the Germantown section of the city. In the surveillance footage, a man walks up to the 22-year-old nurse's aid and appears to reach out to shake her hand. When she tries to get around him, he lunges at her, grabs her and the two disappear from the camera's view.

The first video of the abduction, released Monday, shows the man force Freeland-Gaither into a gray metallic Ford Taurus.

She tried to fight off the 5-foot-10-inch tall man with a medium-heavyset build, but was unable. Once inside the car, she kicked or punched out the car's rear windows in an attempt to escape, witnesses told NBC10.

"We ask the public if anyone saw a vehicle matching this description in the area to contact Northwest Detectives," Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Dennis Wilson said.

None of the witnesses were able to get a license plate number for the kidnapper's car.

Another surveillance video released Tuesday shows a person of interest inside a Shell gas station convenience store in Aberdeen, Maryland, located right off Interstate 95, around 70 miles south from the scene.

In the video, a man in a black hooded sweatshirt walks to the back of the store and takes a bottled drink from a refrigerated case. He then walks to the front of the store, pays for the item and calmly walks out the same door he came in. The footage shows he was inside the store from 6:02 a.m. to 6:04 a.m. Monday. Federal investigators searched the store and dusted for fingerprints Tuesday night.

The convenience store is located only steps away from a PNC Bank, where investigators said the person of interest used Freeland-Gaither's ATM card. Photos of the man, also dressed in a black hooded sweatshirt, were released earlier Tuesday. According to investigators, he used Freeland-Gaither's ATM card around 6:01 a.m. Monday, less than 8 hours after the abduction.

The man in the surveillance video and photos from Maryland has a similar description to the person in the first surveillance video abducting Freeland-Gaither in Philadelphia on Sunday night, but officials can't be sure they're the same person, Wilson said.

At a news conference asking for the public's help, Philadelphia Police erroneously said the ATM card was used Tuesday morning. They amended their statement later in the day.

Investigators are scouring the neighborhood for additional surveillance video in the direction the car came from and may have fled. Wilson said that based on the audio and video, there's no indication that the woman knew her attacker.

Philadelphia detectives are now working with Maryland State Police and the FBI to investigate leads.

Christian Zajac, Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia office, said the agency is trying to enhance the surveillance video to garner additional leads.

“We’re leveraging all available resources,” he said.

The agency also helped sweeten the pot for those who may have information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of Freeland-Gaither’s abductor. The FBI is offering a $25,000 reward. The Citizens Crime Commission threw $2,000 into the pile and the Philadelphia Federal Credit Union added $5,00, bringing the total reward to $47,000.

Freeland-Gaither lived in California, Maryland for several years, with her grandmother, and attended high school there before returning to Philadelphia two years ago. Two months ago, she moved out of her grandfather's house. She now works with cancer patients at Penn Presbyterian Hospital in University City, her grandmother told NBC10.

Police have interviewed a number of witnesses, as well as Freeland-Gaither's current boyfriend. No one has been named a suspect. The woman's grandmother, Ana Mulero, has raised suspicions about a man who she said romantically pursued her granddaughter. Police have not commented on these claims.

Wilson said detectives are not sure whether Freeland-Gaither is still in Philadelphia or in another state.

As police search for Freeland-Gaither, the woman’s family made a public plea for the kidnapper to return her safely.

“Please give me back my child. Please give me my baby,” the woman’s mother, Keisha Gaither, struggled to say as tears poured from her eyes.

“I want her to know, ‘I love you,’” she said, speaking to the missing woman. “All you got to do is just get out. Just come home.”

Asked whether they believe their daughter is still safe, her mother defiantly responded “I know she is.”

Philadelphia Police are asking anyone with information to call their tip line at 215.686.TIPS.

Contact Vince Lattanzio at 610.668.5532, vince.lattanzio@nbcuni.com or follow @VinceLattanzio on Twitter.

Voters reported a spate of problems around the Chicago area — from closed polling locations to inoperable voting machines to missing ballot pages — soon after voting kicked off at 6 a.m.

"No election officials. No keys to supplies," voter Mark Nunez wrote to NBC Chicago. "I had to catch a plane, so I will not be able to vote. Very frustrated."

At a polling location on East Wacker Drive, voters Nunez and Ben Kaplan said election workers were not ready for voters. 

“We ran into a number of issues,” Chicago Board of Elections spokesman Jim Allen said, adding that there were staffing issues at some locations because only one or a few judges were present.

One location had to be forced open because it was still closed at 6 a.m.

At Yates School, at 1826 N. Francisco Ave., in Chicago's 1st Ward, voter Kim Lewis said the polling place didn't open until 8 a.m.

"We all had to vote provisional," she said.

Election staffers had to force open a polling location inside Leona's Restaurant, at 6935 N. Sheridan Road, because the restaurant's owner wasn't there. Election officials said that location would remain open for an extra hour, until 8 p.m., because of the delay.

Problems with electronic voting machines were reported at several other locations, including at the Patrick Sullivan Building, at 1633 W. Madison Street, at Robert Black North School, at 7133 S. Coles Ave., and at Francis W. Parker School, at 330 W. Webster Ave.

"Election central not answering and we can't vote right now. People leaving saying their vote will be missed," Matt Haydock told NBC Chicago via Twitter.

Haydock later said voters were able to use "old school paper forms."

In Chicago's 47th Ward, voter Patrick Farrell said he was not given the portion of his ballot that included the non-binding questions. The same thing happened to Melanie Baker, who tried to vote at Jesse Owens Community Academy, at 12302 S. State St.

Allen said he wasn't aware of any instance where full ballots weren't given.

In the 43rd Ward, Twitter user Theresa reported that voters were being turned away from the Commonwealth Apartments, at 2757 N. Pine Grove Ave., "due to untrained volunteers."

Voters who wish to file a complaint or report any voting irregularities should call 312-269-7870.