Quantcast
Channel: NBC 7 San Diego - Top Stories
Viewing all 60603 articles
Browse latest View live

Petco Park to Transform Into 'Holiday Wonderland'

0
0

Nevermind the 70-degree temperatures -- in just a few weeks, Petco Park will transform into a winter wonderland.

For 12 nights beginning on Dec. 5, the “Holiday Wonderland” will provide visitors with a real winter experience, complete with falling snow, glistening lights and even some reindeer.

The Holiday Wonderland will be open for three consecutive weekends after Dec. 5, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays through Sundays (it will be have special hours leading up to Christmas Day).

As folks enter Petco Park’s main concourse, they will enter a series of interactive experiences, starting with a peek into Santa’s workshop at the North Pole with elves hard at work.

The next stop on the tour will be Candyland, where visitors can meet a candy princess amid color displays.

Lastly, visitors can tour the “Christmas Morning” display, where they’ll walk under a snowball fight to a home where they can meet Old Saint Nicholas himself.

After the tour of holiday displays, guests can check out the 40-foot Christmas tree, which will be adorned with nearly 16,000 lights and more than 250 ornaments. Kids can feed live reindeer, build a snowman or go sledding down a 15,000-square-foot hill of real snow.

If that doesn’t strike their fancy, they can hop a ride on the Polar Express, which travels around the bases.

And if you think this all sounds like it’s just for kids, adults can be merry at the cocktail lounge, which has a selection of holiday-themed drinks.

The Holiday Wonderland costs $15 for adults and $10 for children (kids under 3 are free). Parking at nearby lots will cost $10.

For more information or to purchase tickets online, go here.


2 Suspicious Fires May Be Tied to Arson Series

0
0

Two overnight fires may be connected to an arson series worrying residents in one San Diego community.

Investigators with San Diego Fire-Rescue Metro Arson Strike Team say they are interviewing arson registrants living in the Chollas Creek, City Heights area to learn more about 13 fires reported within one week. NBC 7 reported on six fires that broke out in the same night last week.

On Wednesday, one fire started around 1 a.m. at Menlo and Polk Avenues. A motorcycle cover caught fire burning through the cover and part of the bike. The fire was extinguished by the time firefighters got to the area. Officials estimate it caused $500 in damage.

Approximately a mile away a second fire sparked around 2:30 a.m. and spread to some brush at Shiloh Road and University Avenue. The fire didn’t get too involved before fire crews were able to get a handle on it.

In this incident, San Diego police reported a box spring on fire just outside of an apartment complex.

MAST investigators say the arson investigation spreads across several months and that it's unlikely one person setting all the fires.

There are three suspects in custody currently - one arrested last week in connection with some of the incidents. Another two people were arrested earlier this month, officials said.

Last week's fires included the following locations:

  • Winona Avenue at Oakcrest Drive
  • Winona Avenue near Orange Avenue
  • Blackton Drive east of 54th Street
  • 54th and University Avenue
  • Rex Avenue south of University Avenue
  • Landis Street at Ogden Street


Photo Credit: NBC 7

2 Dead, Cars Pinned Against Sign

0
0

A drowsy truck driver plowed his out-of-control tractor-trailer into nine vehicles, pinning some against a Dunkin' Donuts sign, in a "horrifying" crash that claimed the lives of two people and injured several others in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

"This accident today was caused by a tractor-trailer driver who dozed off and traveled into the opposing direction of traffic and caused the horrific accident you all saw today," said Berks County District Attorney John Adams.

"This tractor-trailer basically plowed through and caused this," said Adams.

Rescuers continued to work to free trapped passengers more than three hours after the crash along the 8000 block of Allentown Pike (U.S. Route 222) in Maidencreek Township, Pennsylvania, not far from Route 73, officials said.

The crash, which was caught on surveillance video, ended with big rig's cab pinning multiple vehicles, including a red sedan and a silver SUV, against a sign outside a Dunkin' Donuts coffee shop just after 6:30 a.m.

"In reviewing the video, this should not have happened," Adams said. "This tractor-trailer just never stopped, resulting in a horrific accident."

Adams identified the driver as Steven Bernier, a registered sex offender out on parole, who was driving a truck for Harrisburg-based Cougle's Recycling. Bernier began his shift at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday and admitted to falling asleep at the wheel, said Adams.

"When he woke up he laid on the brakes but needless to say the tractor-trailer careened across his lane of traffic, impacting two vehicles waiting to leave this scene at the Dunkin' Donuts," said Adams.

A police officer, who happened to be inside the Dunkin' Donuts coffee shop at the time, rushed outside to assist the victims. The nine injured victims suffered what Adams said appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries.

Police took Bernier, 50, into custody at the hospital after he submitted to a blood test.

"We do not have any reason to believe that he was under influence of alcohol but we will be testing his blood to determine," said Adams.

It appeared Bernier was driving too fast for the conditions at the time of the crash, said Adams.

The driver will be charged with two counts of homicide by vehicle, nine counts of aggravated assault, two counts of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, speeding and driving violations.

Bernier was convicted in 2006 for a 2004 sexual assault on a child under the age of 13, according to Pennsylvania's Megan's Law website.

His employer didn't return calls for comment.



Photo Credit: Pa. Megan's Law Website / NBC10 - Randy Gyllenhaal

High-Profile Attorney Accused Of Sexual Harassment

0
0

One of San Diego's most successful trial attorneys is the target of two lawsuits involving allegations of sexual harassment involving a former female employee and another woman who applied for a job at his law firm.

In two separate lawsuits, two women say San Diego attorney John Gomez should pay them because they endured his inappropriate and illegal behavior for months.

A Yale University Law School graduate, Gomez is the Founder and President of Gomez Trial Attorneys, an award winning personal injury and accident law firm.

The Gomez Law Firm boasts big courtroom victories for victims of accidents, defective products, and dangerous drugs. According to the firm’s website the firm has won more than 300 million dollars for clients since 2000.

The firm's website also highlights its expertise or “practice areas,” including aviation and bicycle accidents, dog bites, food poisoning and NFL concussion injuries.

Missing from the list of “practice areas” on the firm’s website is "sexual harassment.”

But one lawsuit, filed last month, by attorney’s Gary J. Aguirre and Dan Gilleon, alleges Gomez used to advertise his firm's experience in that area, but removed it from the “practice areas” section of his website, when Gomez himself faced allegations of sexual harassment, by a young female attorney, Alexa Zanolli.

Regina A. Petty, an attorney for Gomez said, it is common for businesses to update their websites and mentioning the update in a lawsuit is “an attempt to grab at straws.”

Zanolli, who had applied for a job at the Gomez firm, claims Gomez used his knowledge of the law, to protect himself against lawsuits. Zanolli was not hired for a position at the Gomez firm.

According to the lawsuit he "refined and honed his techniques in carrying out his 'quid-pro-quo' sexual proposals... without explicitly proposing an exchange of employment... for sex."

Text messages between Gomez and Zanolli are included in the lawsuit. They allegedly prove how Gomez tried to find out if the alleged victim would quote "be willing to satisfy his sexual desires in exchange for a job..." The lawsuit also claims Gomez sent a nude "selfie" to one of his alleged victims.

In a statement Petty said, “It is an injustice that John Gomez has been forced to defend himself against meritless claims…Both women have no facts behind their claims of sexual advances and are attempting to win the lottery.”

A second lawsuit, filed in September by attorney John Petze, alleges Gomez "flirted... made sexually suggestive comments...(and) touched a female employee ( in a "sexually suggestive way".

That woman, Elizabeth Castelli, worked as a para-legal, at the Gomez firm at the time. She no longer works for the firm.

Her lawsuit claims she endured the alleged harassment for more than a year because is a single mom, and needed the job.

Statement from Gomez’s attorney:

“It is an injustice that John Gomez has been forced to defend himself against meritless claims. Both claims are false. Anyone can allege anything in a lawsuit. Both women have no facts behind their claims of sexual advances and are attempting to win the lottery. Ms. Zanolli was interested in following one of John’s trials. Only once was a text conversation anything other than professional. Ms. Zanolli filed a lawsuit falsely claiming a quid quo pro sexual advance because John asked whether she was dating someone at his firm. Sadly, Ms. Castelli’s lawsuit seems to based upon a couple of bland complimentary emails and a fantasy apparently reflecting her unfilled hopes that John had a personal interest in her."
 

Cell Antennas for School's Roof Raise Radiation Concerns

0
0

A so-called “wireless communication facility” with more than a dozen antennas could soon be installed on top of a local school, right in the middle of a San Diego neighborhood.

Parents and administrators at the English-French elementary and preschool La Petite Ecole in Clairemont are protesting a proposal by Verizon Wireless to install 16 antennas and a microwave dish on the property.

The city of San Diego says eight of those antennas and the dish would be above the school, while eight other antennas would be above a different part of the building, which also holds a church and synagogue.

But parents like Jessica Diaz worry the installation could expose kids as young as 2 years old to radiation.

“We have another school right down at the end of the street here, so there are two schools super close. That’s radiation kids don’t need,” said Diaz.

She and her two young children live near the school, and her son attends another one that she says would also be exposed.

La Petite Ecole Director Thierry Pasquet said to support the facility, an emergency generator would have to be installed right above were the students eat lunch. The possibility has him concerned about leaks and fumes.

“We don’t want to end up with the same case as asbestos for instance,” said Pasquet. “Thirty years later, they discover that, OK, oh really, it’s a health issue.”

Sprint and T-Mobile already have a total of nine antennas on the property.

According to the city of San Diego, it regulations encourage carriers to consider industrial and commercial areas first, so it’s harder to get permits for residential zones.

The panel antennas and microwave dish will be concealed behind radio-frequency transparent screening, which is designed to integrate the facility into the rest of the building, the city says.

Verizon Wireless responded to NBC 7’s request for comment with the following statement:

“As you may be aware, there are already two wireless carriers on this particular site, which we understand have been there for well over a decade.

“We continue our work to provide San Diegans the coverage and capacity they deserve and expect. As part of that work, we undertake a lengthy and rigorous approval process with the City of San Diego which includes, among other things, a public hearing. We are committed to complying with all building and safety requirements of the City of San Diego, the State of California and federal law.”

The company did not comment on the concerns over radiation.

Bette Blankenship, a medical physicist at Sharp HealthCare, said in 2009, the Federal Communciations Commission ruled that local governments cannot regulate placement of cellphone towers, but the FCC allowable radiation exposure rate is a lot higher than in other countries.

"People are concerned with the most sensitive group: children," said Blankenship. "Data isn't back. Not enough conclusive data on long-term exposure, but I know there's a lot of worried scientists."

A radiation expert told NBC 7 there is not enough conclusive data on long-term radiation exposure from facilities like this to determine if they are harmful to health, but the expert acknowledges the idea worries scientists.

La Petite Ecole administrators, in the meantime, have placed notices on neighbors’ doors, urging people to take a stand against the cell antennas at a community meeting scheduled for Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. The meeting will be at 3219 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard.

Man Stabbed With Screwdriver When Answering Door

0
0

A man opened his door to a visitor Tuesday evening only to be stabbed with a screwdriver in Grant Hill, San Diego police say.

The victim was in his basement unit of a two-story home when the suspect knocked on the door.

When the man answered, the suspect lunged at him with the screwdriver, stabbing him at least once.

The suspect then took off on foot in the 3200 block of J Street.

Police have not released the extent of the victim's injuries or a description of the suspect.



Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Car Plows into Women Waiting for Food Bank

0
0

A line of more than 230 people waiting for food bank distributions was sent into chaos Tuesday evening when a car drove through them in El Cajon.

The 42-year-old female driver was leaving the Seventh Day Adventist Church parking lot on Madison Street when she backed her Volkswagen Jetta into a parked car, El Cajon police say. 

She then rapidly accelerated forward and into the waiting crowd.

A 74-year-old woman and a 33-year-old woman were smashed into the wall behind them.

"It's crazy, I just hear the scream of the car, then the scream of people," said one witness, who did not wish to be identified.

The two women were taken to the hospital for serious injuries to their lower bodies. The driver and passenger of the Jetta were transported to the hospital for minor injuries.

A 60-year-old woman was treated at the scene.

Volunteer Elizabeth Barnette said it was an average Tuesday for the church food bank before the crash.

"I rushed over here just to make sure my family was OK because they are all volunteers here," she said.

The driver has not been cited for the accident, but that could change, police say. The road was blocked off for a time while investigators tried to piece together how a program with such good intentions could have an outcome so bad.

According to the San Diego 211 website, a food distribution is held there at the El Cajon Seventh-day Adventist Church every third Tuesday of the month starting at 4 p.m. People can pick up fresh fruit, vegetables, bread and other items.

Volunteers say they had someone in the parking lot directing traffic as they usually do, but now, plans are in the works to change how that is done for next Tuesday.

Despite the chaos and severity of the crash, everyone in line for food did get served.

National City Repeals Sex Offender Ordinance

0
0

National City’s lawmakers voted unanimously Tuesday night to remove an ordinance restricting predatory sex offenders from parks and other places where children gather.

The 2005 rule said convicted sex offenders must stay 300 feet away from schools and parks. So why did the city council make such an unpopular move?

The short answer is a 2014 court ruling gave the city council no choice. Earlier this year, a state appeals court ruled California has jurisdiction to regulate sex offenders, not individual cities.

“In a way it doesn’t make sense, but under the democracy we have, people are allowed to do that,” said Manuel Rodriguez, National City chief of police.

National City leaders say they’ll now fight to help change California law.

“There may be opportunities for the legislature to enact ordinances that provide some of the restrictions like some of the ordinances, like in National City, have done,” said Rodriguez.

The ordinance also came under fire in April when registered sex offender Frank Lindsay of Grover Beach, California, sued the city, claiming the measure “diminished” his ability to live.

He said the rule affected a vacation to National City because it limited where he could travel.

“That's not allowing me to enjoy my wholeness. I couldn't do anything but sit in their house," Lindsay told KSBY-TV at the time.

Lindsay was convicted of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 in 1979. He says it was an error he made and has lived 35 years as an upstanding citizen, working for a nonprofit called Reform Sex Offender Laws.

The group was part lawsuits against 71 California cities to change municipal ordinances limiting convicted sex offenders’ movements.

City officials say Lindsay's case had nothing to do with the ordinance's repeal; it was in the works before the lawsuit was filed.

After the appeals court ruling came down, Mayor Ron Morrison told NBC 7 police would no longer enforce the ordinance.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Man Arrested at WH With Gun in Car

0
0

A man who approached Secret Service outside the White House was arrested after officers found a rifle, 6-inch blade and ammunition in his car Wednesday afternoon.

R.J. Kapheim, 41, approached a Secret Service officer just before 1 p.m. and said "someone in Iowa told me to drive to the White House."

Officers found a .30-30 rifle, a 6-inch fixed blade and ammunition in Kapheim's parked car at 16th Street and Constitution Avenue NW.

Kapheim was arrested for having an unregistered firearm, and additional charges are pending. 

San Diego Named One of America's "Most Attractive" Cities

0
0

America's Finest City has a new meaning according to a recent survey.

Every year, readers of Travel + Leisure rank cities in categories like parks, luxury shops or craft beers.

Here in San Diego, it's our good-looking locals that got us noticed.

In fact, it's the second year in a row that we've come in.... second.

Who could possibly be considered better-looking than those surfing the waves in Carlsbad, running along the Oceanside coast or strolling the Mission Beach boardwalk?

If you believe Travel+Leisure, it's the people of South Beach.

 

Yes. Miami was ranked first in "most attractive" residents.

This has us stumped.

We've both got sun, sand, palm trees - what gives?

Perhaps it's the fact that Miami also ranked first in nightclubs. Beer goggles, anyone?

At least we ranked above Los Angeles (4). We've got that going for us.

See the full ranking here.


This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story on our mobile site.

Chula Vista Meth Lab Bust Uncovers Smuggling First

0
0

The discovery of a meth lab in a San Diego-area condo complex last week was an unusual find for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and highlights a growing trend of drug smugglers.

DEA agents discovered the first large-scale liquid meth conversion lab in the San Diego area on Nov. 13.

While conducting a drug bust at 754 Broadway in Chula Vista, agents seized more than 100 pounds of methamphetamine and found what they believe is the first meth lab of its kind in the county.

“The conversion laboratory was right near the border in Chula Vista. That is unusual. We don’t usually see that. They’re usually further up inland in the LA County area and not near the border, “ said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) Karen Flowers.

A DEA chemist who did not want her identity revealed told NBC 7 smugglers are simply dissolving the drug in various solvents – water, alcohol and even gasoline to name a few.

“When it’s dissolved in alcohol, it’s then repackaged in the alcohol bottle and resealed at the top,” the chemist said. “We’ve seen it smuggled in gasoline tanks. So you’d see the gasoline in the bottom layer and the liquid meth in the top layer.”

Flowers said liquid meth is more difficult to detect than when it’s in its crystal form. The reason is because it can be hidden in something as common as a water bottle.

Once the substance in its dissolved form crosses the border, it’s then dried out at a conversion lab and converted to the crystal form most drug users are used to seeing.

Huge, icicle-like crystals make the product appear more valuable to drug users, even though in reality that may not be the case.

“I’ve been in law enforcement for 23 years and this is the first time I’ve seen a finished product in that state,” Flowers said. “To see it that pristine. I think the end user will see that and pay a high premium for that.”

Flowers said two cups of dissolved meth can make about one cup of meth, which could then sell for between $3,500 to $9,000 on the streets.

Flowers says the agency is using a multi-layered agency approach to combat the problem. The DEA specifically is looking to dismantle drug organizations that manufacture and smuggle illegal substances, meth in particular.

According to the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), a record number of at-risk adults in San Diego County are using illicit drugs – mostly notably marijuana and methamphetamine.

Methamphetamine use among male arrestees has been climbing steadily. In 2013, 41 % of them tested positive for meth, representing a considerable jump from 2012 (31%).

To report meth abuse or activity in your area, visit the DEA website where you can e-mail an anonymous tip or contact the San Diego DEA division directly.

Citizens can also call the San Diego County Methamphetamine Hotline at 877-NO2-METH or 877-662-6384.


 

Teen Girl Accused of Starting Cocos Fire to Stand Trial

0
0

The 13-year-old girl accused of starting the Cocos Fire, which destroyed nearly 40 San Marcos homes last May, will stand trial.

The trial is scheduled to begin March 10 and will take place downtown, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office confirmed to NBC 7.

The teen faces four felony charges, including two counts of arson of an inhabited structure or property in which multiple structures were burned and two counts of arson of a structure or forest land in a reckless manner. She also faces a misdemeanor of unlawfully allowing a fire to escape from one’s control.

The suspect will be tried in juvenile court, which is designed for rehabilitation as opposed to punishment. She is currently living at home with her parents and undergoing counseling.

The Cocos Fire sparked May 14 near Village Drive and Twin Oaks Road. Strong winds and dry heat fueled the flames, ultimately scorching 2,000 acres and costing the city of San Marcos more than $10 million. It was one of nine wildfires that swept San Diego County last May, burning 9,000 acres in a single day.

The girl's next hearing is set for Feb. 19 in juvenile court.

Wrong Dog Impounded for Mauling Kid

0
0

A 6-year-old dog named Dexter thought to have mauled a toddler in Southern California was returned to his owners on Wednesday after an investigation revealed Dexter was not responsible for the attack, according to the Riverside County Department of Animal Services.

Kaidyn Sutton, a 1-year-old boy, suffered a large gash over his eyes when a dog bit him while he was playing at a park Nov. 14 in the Inland Empire's French Valley, near Murrieta.

The dog that attacked Kaidyn was initially described as a large dog, possibly a Rottweiler. But an investigator spoke with the boy's family and a friend, who identified a Labrador mix as the dog that attacked Kaidyn, officials said in a statement.

The boy's grandfather led authorities to the Labrador owner's home, where they found Dexter.

But after a second interview with a witness, the investigator said the woman "could not say with certainty that Dexter was, indeed, the dog."

Based on that interview and an "assessment of Dexter's behavior," Dexter was released to his owners Wednesday.

Now, county animal officials are asking for the public's help to find the correct dog.

"A large dog caused severe injuries to this little boy and someone might have valuable information to share," Animal Services Director Robert Miller said in a statement. "It’s important that we receive that information as soon as possible. We do not want anyone else to be injured if this dog is still in that community."

The boy's mother, Michaela Sutton, said her son may have long-term damage due to the attack. She said the child was at home playing while recovering days later.

"He did great, he looks great. There may be some nerve damage in his forehead and they fixed one tendon that works one eyebrow but couldn't exactly pinpoint the other but (because) he's so little they hope it will grow back," Sutton said in a Facebook update.

"Monster" Dad Beat, Killed Baby: PD

0
0

An 11-month-old Kenosha, Wisconsin, girl suffered fatal injuries Tuesday evening at the hands of her father, police said, in what the town's police chief described as "the most violent child death that I have ever seen."

"This is Serenity Rose who was killed by her father," Chief John Morrissey said during a media briefing, holding a photo of the girl.

An autopsy performed Wednesday revealed the child died from multiple blunt force injuries including several skull fractures. Charges against the father, identified as 34-year-old Russell Lamar Rose, are pending.

"The words that I would like to say about this individual are probably not fit for the media," Morrissey said, "so I'm simply going to refer to him as a monster."

Morrissey said officers responded to a domestic violence call just before 7 p.m. Tuesday from a 27-year-old woman screaming that someone killed her baby. Witnesses told police they heard screams for help and a baby crying outside a triplex in the 5000 block of 21st Avenue.

Morrissey said the witnesses told police they saw Rose hold Serenity over his head and drop her to the ground.

Rose then ran into the apartment, Morrissey said, and officers who surrounded the apartment saw the man setting fire to the curtains. Rose, who police said has an extensive criminal record, later was arrested without incident.

The child was found lifeless, badly bruised and bloody, Morrissey said. Her face was partially disfigured. Serenity's mother, who was not named by police, suffered a swollen face and lacerations.

Serenity and her mother were transported to Kenosha Hospital and Medical Center where the mother was treated for her injuries and the child was pronounced dead.

Morrissey said the incident began because Rose wanted the mother to move out of their home.

"The death of any child is traumatic," Morrissey said, "but for a child to be killed in such a violent nature is unthinkable."

On Wednesday the Kenosha Police Department changed its Facebook cover photo to "reflect on the tragic incident" involving the "death of an 11-month-old baby as a result of Child Abuse."

"The toll this has taken on our officers who were on scene, along with the Fire Department personnel, hospital personnel, etc has been gut wrenching and extremely sad," the department wrote on Facebook, adding, "In memory of the 11 month old victim, this will be our last FB posting for today."



Photo Credit: NBCChicago.com

Local Military Family Has Wish Come True on Meredith Show

0
0

Counselor Kathi Bradshaw walked into a wish booth in San Diego and wished for financial help for a local military family.

On Wednesday that wish was granted on the Meredith Vieira Show. The talk show host introduced the counselor -- who works with Support the Enlisted Project, which provides financial and transitional assistance to military members – to the family who received the financial gift.

Billy and Gina Boulton, who were once in debt, were given $20,000 from company Ball Park Franks as well as a year’s supply of Ball Park products.

In addition, another company, Box.com, gave the San Diego family $10,000.

“We don’t do things small around here with our military families,” Meredith said.

Billy Boulton had to retire from the Marines after suffering a traumatic brain injury in Afghanistan. He also suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.

“I’m sure you shed a lot of tears for the men that you fought next to and I’m glad to see you shedding tears of joy,” Meredith said, also fighting back tears. “It means the world to me.”

Bradshaw made the wish for the Boulton family at the TV show’s Wish Booth, which was at Belmont Park last week.

Here's the full clip from the show:


Blind Woman Says Uber Stranded Her

0
0

A blind Connecticut woman says an Uber taxi driver refused to pick her up because of her seeing-eye dog, leaving her stranded. 

Amy Dixon said she called up an Uber car on her app in Darien Tuesday night, and a driver confirmed the pickup. 

"I can see a little bit out of my right eye, I've got 1 percent left of my vision. So I'm standing there with my guide dog on the curb and a car pulls up, and it's him," she said. 

As she put her hand on the door, the driver suddenly revved the engine and took off, stranding her, she said. 

"I couldn't believe it. I was flabbergasted," said Dixon. "He took off, and I'm screaming at him, waving at him, waving my arms like crazy thinking maybe he made a mistake, because I was hoping it wasn't what I thought it was."

It wasn't a mistake, it turned out, because within about 10 seconds, Dixon said she received a message on her phone from the driver saying the driver had canceled the pickup. 

Dixon was able to get another Uber car to take her home, but she believes the first driver wouldn't pick her up because of her service dog Elvis. 

Since Dixon lost her vision seven years ago, she's relied on two things to get around: her service dog Elvis and taxis, including recently, Uber cars. 

"My dog is how I get from point A to point B, and a car is what enables us to get where we need to go," she said. 

Uber said in a statement it had fired the driver, adding, "The Uber app is built to expand access to transportation options for all, including users with visual impairments and other disabilities. It is Uber's policy that any driver partner that refuses to transport a service animal will be deactivated from the Uber platform, which has been done in this case." 

Dixon said she's glad Uber took her complaint seriously, but she thinks the company needs to do more to educate drivers about service dogs. 

"It breaks my heart that people aren't educated on the ADA law," she said.

"As soon as they sign a contract to be an Uber driver, they have to obey the law, plain and simple," she said.

Uber said its drivers are informed of ADA regulations, and added that drivers who cannot accommodate animals due to issues like allergies, safety or religious beliefs are advised to wait with the rider until another Uber arrives. 

4 in Critical From CO Poisoning

0
0

Four people were in critical condition Wednesdsay night after they were exposed to what officials say was a "lethal level" of carbon monoxide.

Fire officials responded to the scene in the 300 block of West 107th Street on Chicago’s South Side where they say carbon monoxide levels were at readings of 1,000 parts per million.

"The furnace was malfunctioning and they had all burner of the stove on for heat," said Battalion Chief Tom Sutkus.

Fire Media Affairs said the home was a single family home.

Officials said three people were visiting the elderly homeowner who had just returned from the hospital.

Sutkus said the victims were in "various stages of consciousness."

The victims were taken to an area hospital in critical condition.

"[The homeowner] just came home today and then the next thing you know they was laying on the ground and they was all passed out," said neighbor Greg Collins.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is known as a silent killer: an odorless, colorless gas that can be generated by any appliance that burns fossil fuel, including any appliance in your house that burns coal, wood, charcoal, gasoline, or propane, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure include headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, and dizziness.

At sustained CO concentrations above 150 to 200 parts per million, disorientation, unconsciousness, and death are possible.

Police Surround Home After Shots Fired

0
0

Shots fired sent police officers rushing to a crime scene in Talmadge Wednesday evening.

The shooting happened at about 6:42 p.m. in the area of Collwood Boulevard and Collwood Lane. San Diego Police say officers followed a trail of blood to a man who had been shot in the arm.

After the gunshots rang out, the shooter ran into a nearby home.

Officers surrounded the building, and the suspect eventually surrendered, according to police.

Police say the victim was uncooperative with officers, but he was taken to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries.



Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Girl Reported Missing in National City Found Safe

0
0

A child reported missing late Wednesday was found safe, National City police confirmed Thursday.

National City Police searched for the 12-year-old girl who did not come home after school.

She was last seen leaving Ira Harbison Elementary School at about 2:35 p.m. Wednesday. Police say the girl left a note at school, saying she was running away.



Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Mom Rescues 2 From Fiery Crash

0
0

A Wallingford, Connecticut, mom sprang into action after watching a fiery crash play out in front of her on Route 68 in Durham, pulling the two drivers from their cars before one burst into flames.

Police said Louise Gasparini, 43, of Middletown, was driving eastbound on Route 68 near the intersection of Route 157 when she collided with a car turning left in front of her Wednesday afternoon.

Wallingford mother and business owner Christine Mansfield said she watched the whole thing unfold.

"I was driving down the street and heard a crash and saw two cars going out of control," she explained. "When I stopped the car, there was smoke coming out, one was resting against a light pole and the other against each other."

Mansfield said she threw her car into park and instinctively ran to the scene.

"My heart was pounding. I could see smoke coming out from both cars, so immediately, I was frightened," she recalled. "I was surprised to see the women were not getting out of their cars quickly."

She said one driver "started half-stumbling out of her car" and the other one was motionless in shock, the engine still running.

"I asked one woman, 'Are you OK?' And she said she was in shock, crying and clearly out of her element," Mansfield said. "I sad, 'Can you walk?' and she said yes."

After helping the first driver to safety, Mansfield turned her attention to the other woman, who Mansfield said was dazed and screaming in pain.

"Oil was dripping and the oil was catching fire, dripping out of that car. Again, heart pounding, I started screaming, 'We have to move these people! We have to get them out! The cars are going to blow up!'" she said.

Heart pounding and adrenaline pumping, Mansfield said she pulled out the second driver and led her away from the sedan, which was beginning to ignite.

"I don't think she understood what was going on. I said, 'The cars are on fire; you have to move,'" Mansfield explained.

Gasparini's car, which was totaled, burst into flames.

"To smell fire that close, the acrid smell, I've never been so close to something like that," Mansfield said.

Although both drivers were hospitalized, without Mansfield's help, the outcome could have been much worse.

"I would like to say thank you to that woman," said Gasparini's husband, Marc. "There are a lot of people who figure it's not their problem, but I really appreciate what she did and if she's out there, thank you very much."

Gasparini was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital for treatment of neck, back and shoulder pain, police said. The other driver, Maryann Booss, 69, of Bethany, was also hospitalized for treatment of neck and back pain, according to police.

Gasparini was cited for driving too fast, and Booss was cited for failure to grant the right of way.



Photo Credit: Christine Mansfield
This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story on our mobile site.
Viewing all 60603 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images