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Firefighters Save Elderly Couple Hanging from Seatbelts

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Firefighters cut the roof off of an elderly couple's car to get them out of their minivan after a hit-and-run near the Midway district in San Diego, officials said. 

A car hit the couple's vehicle near the intersection of Chatsworth Boulevard and Elliot Street Saturday night, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department said.

The minivan crashed on its side, though the driver took off, leaving the elderly couple hanging from their seatbelts, police said.

Firefighters said they were able to extract them by cutting the roof of the car and removing them. 

The driver had been recovering from a recent surgery and was in a lot of pain, police said. 

Both the man and woman are expected to be okay, according to police.



Photo Credit: Nida Wongsri

Padres Update: Scanlan Breaks Down Dodgers Series

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The Padres avoided getting swept at home by the Dodgers,but the fact remains: the only two series San Diego has lost this year have been to Los Angeles.

Padres radio color announcer Bob Scanlan, one of the brighest baseball minds in broadcasting today, joined NBC 7's Derek Togerson to talk about the series, the season so far, and where the Padres can go from here.



Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Softball-Sized Hail in Texas

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Softball-sized hail destroyed the windshield of a car driven by storm chasers in North Texas Sunday afternoon.

Lawrence McEwen and Spencer Basoco were chasing a supercell storm in Erath County southeast of Stephenville when they came upon the intense storm that spawned numerous twisters and several inches of rain.

Cameras were rolling inside as stone after stone slammed into the car, some estimated to be five inches in diameter, shattering the windshield.

One of the storm chasers, covered in shards of glass, put on goggles to protect his eyes as they tried to find shelter out of fear the windshield wouldn't hold.

NBC 5 Meteorologist Brian James referred to the softball-sized hail as ice bombs that explode when they slam into cars or glass.

As the chasers waited out the storm, huge hail stones could be seen bouncing off the ground outside.

The windshield took at least three direct hits and was destroyed by the time the storm subsided.

Neither of the chasers reported any serious injuries.

It is never recommended to be outside during a hailstorm and, even when inside, people are advised to stay clear of windows due to flying objects and debris.

The National Weather Service was checking on reports that as many as 18 tornadoes hit North Texas on Sunday.



Photo Credit: Lawrence McEwen, Spencer Basoco

Earned Sick Leave Approved for City Employees

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The San Diego City Council has approved the implementation of a state law that would give city employees earned sick leave.

State law AB 1522, written by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, would allow individuals working in the state of California for 30 days or longer to earn paid sick leave for one hour of every 30 worked. 

“City employees are committed to San Diego, and allowing them to earn sick leave will help ensure their continued ability to serve the public in a healthy and productive way,” said Councilmember Todd Gloria said in a statement. “When I learned that over 1,300 of our employees, many of whom worked closely with the public, didn’t have the ability to take sick days, I knew something had to be done. Providing workers with fair pay and benefits is always a good investment.”

Most city employees earn an annual leave for vacation or sick time. However over 1,300 city employees like lifeguards, recreation leaders, and library staff are not eligible for annual leave and would benefit from sick leave through the implementation of A.B. 1522 in San Diego.

City officials have met with its employee organizations in order to implement earned sick leave.

City council member Todd Gloria is advocating to provide the policy for employees who regularly interact with the public.

Pa. Teen Breaks Rubik's Cube World Record

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A teen from Montgomery County has been crowned the king of speed when it comes to solving a Rubik’s Cube.

Collin Burns set a world record at a World Cube Association competition held Saturday at a Bucks County high school.

Burns solved the challenging 3X3X3 puzzle in just 5.253 seconds at Central Bucks West High School in Doylestown. He beat the former world record of 5.55 seconds set by 18-year-old Mats Valk from Netherlands in 2013.

In a video posted on Burn's YouTube account, spectators surround the teen and burst into applause as he speedily solves the puzzle. (Watch the full video below.)

The competition, which helped raise awareness for the organization A Woman’s Place, drew a crowd of approximately 120 local students from the northeast, according to CB West teacher and event organizer Leanne Schrier. 

In addition to participating in the event, Burns helped organize the competition and fundraiser, Schrier said. 

The home-schooled teen, who broke the world record by 0.30 seconds, was named U.S. national champion last summer.

Burns is the first American to hold the world record since 2006, according to the WCA.

 



Photo Credit: Collin Burns YouTube

Mayor to Discuss Drought with Governor

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San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer will be one of several mayors traveling up to Sacramento Tuesday, talking to Gov. Jerry Brown about water-saving measures during the drought.

Faulconer spoke with members of the media ahead of his meeting with Gov. Brown at the State Capitol.

He toured the city’s water recycling project, which takes treated water from our toilet and purifies it for drinking water.

The project is a demonstration project at North City Water Reclamation Plant at the moment, but it is something Faulconer said could provide a third of the city’s water supply by 2035.

“Well, it’s not going to be inexpensive, but I think as all of us know, as we’re in the fourth year of the drought, we have to make these infrastructure investments just as we’ve done before to plan for our future,” Faulconer said.

The plant, however, still needs state permits and funding to become an actual full-scale plant.

Funding will be one issue Faulconer will discuss with Gov. Brown Tuesday. He plans to ask for state water bond money and other funding to go toward the project.

“We have to move forward to build this water recycling because we cannot be at the whims of whether the Metropolitan Water District in Los Angeles or others,” Faulconer said. “We have to control our local water supply.”

Faulconer will join other mayors across the state Tuesday to discuss drought measures. He plans to ask Brown for help to kick-start San Diego's water recycling program. He will also ask the state water board to set a fair water conservation mandate that would protect the economy. 

Man With Kidney Stones Rescued by Coast Guard

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A 47-year-old man on board a tanker vessel 150 miles south of San Diego was rescued on Monday by the U.S. Coast Guard after suffering possible kidney stones.

The man had to be evacuated from the liquefied petroleum gas tanker, Touraine, at about 2 a.m. The vessel was on its way to Panama.

A helicopter crew from Coast Guard Sector San Diego responded and one of the crew members rappelled down to the vessel and hoisted the man up into the helicopter.

He was taken back to San Diego, where he went to UCSD Medical Center; later Monday, he was in stable condition.



Photo Credit: Coast Guard

Stage Collapse Prompts Safety Probe

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The Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Monday launched a formal safety investigation into the stage collapse at a suburban Indianapolis high school that injured more than a dozen students. 

The department initially said it lacked jurisdiction to investigate because no employees were involved. But it reversed that stance Monday based on new information that employees helped erect the stage.

This investigation will help to verify whether IOSHA has jurisdiction over the matter and if any OSHA regulations were violated," said agency spokeswoman Amanda Stanley. 

The stage at Westfield High School collapsed Thursday night as clapping and singing students performed Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" in the finale of a concert called "American Pie". 

Westfield Washington Schools Superintendent Mark Keen said he wasn't sure who, if anyone, handles inspections of the district's school stages. He said school officials are delving into records and would provide information to investigators.

Keen said the school often rents its auditorium to outside groups and the facility gets heavy use. He said the orchestra pit cover, which is used during some productions to get the performers closer to the audience, was replaced a few years ago after the original 1997 cover was damaged.

He said officials were checking records to determine whether it had ever been inspected.

The uncertainty surrounding the regulation of the collapse is reminiscent of questions that arose in 2011, when heavy winds toppled stage rigging onto fans awaiting a performance by country duo Sugarland at the Indiana State Fair.



Photo Credit: Sara Camden

Woman Finds Two-Way Mirror in Bar

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A bar owner in suburban Chicago is defending the years-long use of a two-way mirror in the women's restroom with full view of the toilet.

"This is a giant funhouse, ladies and gentlemen," Ronnie Lotz told reporters Monday evening. "I put a lot of heart and soul into this business, and I am sorry to tell you this, but there is no hanky panky going on in that bathroom."

The controversy surfaced when a comedian by the stage name of Tamale Rocks was performing a set at a bar in Chicago’s west suburbs when she visited the women’s restroom and noticed something strange – a full-length mirror directly across from the toilet.

Rocks opened the door behind the mirror and inside found a utility closet large enough to stand in. From the other side she noticed you were able to see through the mirror and into the stall at Berwyn’s Cigars and Stripes.

Shocked, Rocks recorded her findings and posted the video on YouTube. In less than 24 hours the video had garnered more than 70,000 views.

"Why, when I go into a public bathroom, when there's an expectation of privacy, am I having to do that due diligence? It's a bathroom!" Rocks told NBC Chicago.

Many women questioned by NBC Chicago were uncomfortable with the idea of the mirror, and some reported that they were not aware of the two-way mirror at all.

The owner of Cigars & Stripes, located at 6715 Ogden Ave., Ronnie Lotz, first told Gawker’s Jezebel that they have a two-way mirror in their restroom, and it’s been there for nearly 15 years, since since 2001.

In further comment to the publication, the bar's owner reportedly said the bar used to hang a witch's head in the closet as a Halloween gag so that women would look into the closet after using the restroom and "be all weirded out."

He invited people to “come see my mirror; eat my chicken wings,” adding that he enjoyed the attention from those outraged by the mirror because, afterall, he's "selling chicken wings.”

The bar has since shared Jezebel's article on their Facebook page. The owner told NBC Chicago that he has no plans to remove the mirror.

While many are outraged, others don't see the issue. "Ronnie is a great guy and he's not doing anything wrong," said Steven Cusek, a bar patron who said he goes once a week for the last 2 years.

"I'm kinda mad there's not one in the men's restroom," Cusek joked.

However, Rocks and others aren't laughing. While the bar owner maintains that no recordings were made, Rocks isn't convinced that a two-way mirror with a full view of the toilet is a good idea.

"I didn't see anyone, thankfully, at that point, there wasn't anyone," Rocks told NBC Chicago, "but there's nothing to say that there hadn't been in the past."

The Berwyn Police Department is investigating.



Photo Credit: Courtesy Tamale Sepp

QUIZ: Who Can Save Us From the Drought Now?

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You've stopped taking long showers. You're only watering your lawn twice a week. Your car is covered in grime because you think car washes are for water-wasting chumps.

But do you really know it all about California's extreme drought? Test your knoweldge here, and let's hope it's deeper than the state's water supply...

Previous Quizzes:
QUIZ: What Do You Know About Drought Cutbacks?

Do You Really Understand California's New Mandatory Water Restrictions?
Your Neighbors Probably Think You Should Be Saving More Water
How Water Smart Are You?
So You Think You Know About California's Drought?

CLICK HERE: Complete coverage of California's drought



Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/GSFC, Illustration by Heather Navarro
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San Diego Wounded Warrior on Mount Everest

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One climber just beginning his trek up Mount Everest at the time of the avalanche is a Marine veteran who lost his right leg in the war in Afghanistan.

Staff Sgt. Charlie Linville and Heroes Project Founder Tim Medvetz were photographed at base camp the day before an avalanche swept down the south side of the mountain, killing 17 climbers and Sherpas.

Linville had his right leg amputated after being hit by an explosive device in Afghanistan. The Marine veteran who was once based on Camp Pendleton recuperated with the help of the staff at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego.

For a time after Saturday’s deadly earthquake, Charlie's friend and fellow veteran, Military Ambassador for The Heroes Project Mark Zambon, waited for word the San Diego team was uninjured.

Hours later, the organization posted a message on Facebook to report the two climbers were ok and that their hearts go out to the people of Nepal and their loved ones.

“They were not impacted by this that they were on the north side of Everest as they had planned,” Zambon said.

The group has not decided whether to continue or postpone this climb once again because of the tragedy.

This 2015 Everest trip is Linville’s second attempt to make the summit. In April 2014, an avalanche killed 13 people and prompted a widespread walkout by the Sherpas.

Linville has been training for three years, Zambon told NBC 7.

The Heroes Project helps wounded military members overcome life changing injuries by climbing major mountains.

Most attempts to reach Everest's summit are made in mid-May, when a brief window normally offers better weather.
 

Baltimore PD Sends Gang Alert to Other Agencies

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LAPD officers will be riding in pairs for safety out of "an abundance of caution" after news out of Baltimore that street gangs may be targeting police.

Baltimore police announced they had received a “credible threat” that three violent gangs, the Black Guerrilla Family, the Bloods and the Crips, were teaming up to “take out” law enforcement officers.

The Baltimore Police Department has advised other law enforcement agencies to take precautions to secure the safety of their officers, in a written statement.

The order comes amid protests and violence surrounding the in-custody death of Freddie Gray April 19.

Baltimore police and protesters clashed Monday, with at least seven officers injured.

Los Angeles Police Department officials said the so-called “blue alert” will remain in effect citywide until they can get more information on the source and scope of the threat.

It is not clear how many, if any, other metropolitan police agencies had issued similar orders across the country.

In San Diego, agencies aren't changing their operations with a "blue alert," as there haven't been any specific threats here.

A spokesperson for the San Diego Police Department did say the department offers its condolences and thoughts to the Baltimore Police Department.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Teen Pulls Couple from Wreckage

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A San Diego teenager was one of the first to jump in and help a couple trapped and in shock following in a hit-and-run crash in Loma Portal Saturday.

“It hurt my heart because they were helpless and didn’t know what to do," said 18-year-old Nida Wongsri.

Wongsri told NBC 7 she first spotted the couple's minivan near the intersection of Chatsworth Boulevard and Elliot Street Saturday night, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department said.

The minivan crashed on its side and the couple inside - described by police as elderly - were hanging from their seatbelts.

Wongsri ran to the vehicle and, with another passerby, broke through the glass and popped the airbag.

Firefighters arrived and were able to extract the couple by cutting the roof of the minivan. The driver had been recovering from a recent surgery and was in a lot of pain, police said. 

Both the man and woman are expected to be okay, according to police.

The second driver in the crash fled the scene according to officials.

Wongsri was disheartened by the crime.

"I don't understand how people could be so, what if there is a child in there," she said. "No matter what your situation you're going through do the right thing. Stop. Do the right thing. You're making it worse by leaving."



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Port Truck Drivers on Strike

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Some truck drivers who haul goods from the nation's busiest port complex in Los Angeles and Long Beach went on strike Monday in the latest action as part of a long-running labor dispute at the West Coast's shipping gateway.

The strike targeting four companies doing business at the Los Angeles-Long Beach and San Diego complexes comes after a weekend vote from Teamsters. Drivers from the four companies are striking, but it wasn't immediately clear how many of the 16,000 truckers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach would walk off the job.

About 200 of the estimated 500 drivers associated with the four companies were on the picket lines Monday, and the job action will expand to cargo terminals later in the day, a Teamsters union representative said during a morning conference call announcing the strike. Some secondary  picketing will target specific trucks as they arrive at other locations.

The strike involving drayage firms, which specialize in short-haul transport, is not expected to shut down all port business. All port terminals remained opened Monday morning.

The Los Angeles-Long Beach ports are the primary West Coast gateway for hundreds of billions of dollars of annual trade with Asia. Drivers also walked picket lines Monday morning at an Otay Mesa freight drayage company in San Diego.

About 16,000 drivers work at the ports, most of them independent contractors for trucking companies. The truckers say they face shrinking wages and want to become employees of the trucking companies, which they say would mean better wages and workplace protections.

The drivers have been subjected to "persistent wage theft," said Teamsters spokeswoman Barb Maynard. Striking truckers argue they are improperly classified as independent contractors.

It was too soon to say what, if any, effect a work stoppage would have on business, said ports representatives. Earlier this year, tough contract negotiations with dockworkers nearly closed 29 seaports from San Diego to Seattle, causing major delays in the delivery of billions of dollars of imports and exports.

Trucking companies have argued that driver pay is good and picketing at the ports did not represent the majority of drivers. They object especially to the timing of the unrest as the port is still recovering from a dockworkers strike.

"I believe now is a horrible time to introduce any slow-downs to the supply chain," Weston LaBar, executive director of the Harbor Trucking Association, said in a statement late last week. "If they want to be a part of the real solution perhaps they should suspend these efforts until we get closer to a normal flow of cargo in the San Pedro Bay. We don't want to put any more jobs in our region in jeopardy."



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Activists March in SD for California Prisoners

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Proponents marched from Ocean Beach to downtown San Diego on Monday with one goal: to push for the exoneration of 11 California prisoners they say were wrongfully convicted.

Monday’s march, organized by the California Innocence Project, marks the two-year anniversary of when the group walked more than 600 miles from San Diego to Sacramento.

The purpose: to ask the governor to grant clemency to 12 people at that time sitting in prison. Today, one of them has been freed and the message remains the same.

Among those who turned out for the march were Nick Yarris, who spent 20 years in prison before his exoneration, as well as Tim Atkins, also exonerated after a 23-year sentence.

Glenn Boyd was released from prison three weeks ago.

“I did 27 and a half years for a crime that I did not commit,” he said. “I’ve been home since April 2. This is a lot to take in today.”

Just last week, a Southern California man was exonerated after spending 36 years behind bars.

Another march attendee, Darleen Long, said she’s still waiting for vindication. Her daughter, Michelle, is still serving a life sentence after being convicted of murder her boyfriend, though Innocence Project lawyers said they have evidence that could prove otherwise.

“Mistakes are being made and they need to be corrected,” Long said. “You cannot leave innocent Americans in prison in their own country.”

While it has a number of branches throughout the United States, the California Innocence Project launched in San Diego at Cal Western School of Law in 1999.

The group handles more than 1,500 cases per year, all of which are pro bono.


How to Donate Safely to Relief Efforts in Nepal

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Dramatic images of victims from Nepal filling the TV screen may make many viewers want to donate to the victims. 

But don’t let your heart cloud your better judgment. When it comes to donations, you also need to use your head.

Rachel Newman with the San Diego Better Business Bureau says this is a big opportunity for scam artists to take advantage of people who want to give to the victims.

“There are fake charities that sound a lot like charities that we are familiar with,” said Newman. "Those phony charities could be stealing personal information or simply taking advantage of the kindness of givers and stealing the money. Some of those charities will reach out over the phone or through email."

The F.B.I. warns consumers not to respond to any unsolicited email that is asking for money.

Be cautious of individuals claiming to represent victims, and if a person representing a charity tries to pressure you into giving or says they will pick up the money personally, do not give. Avoid cash donations and instead use a credit card or pay with a check. But make sure the check is made out to the charity and not to any individual person.

The American Red Cross says they will let you choose where your money goes.

“We do honor intent,” said Courtney Pendleton with the San Diego chapter of the American Red Cross. “So if somebody does want to help specifically the victims and survivors of the Nepal earthquake, they can say Nepal Earthquake.”

As for checking out a specific charity, the Better Business Bureau suggests going to www.give.org to research the organization.

“Find out as much as you can about the people who are collecting your money and find out where your money is going to,” said Newman.

Experts also warn about crowd funding websites like Kickstarter and GoFundMe where there is little oversight as how the money will be spent.



Photo Credit: EFE

SD Congressional Members Sound Off on Threats, Gridlock

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NBC 7's Political Reporter Gene Cubbison has this analysis on the dealings of San Diego politicians in Washington, D.C.

San Diego County's Congressional members increasingly find themselves focusing on issues far beyond the timeless mission of "bringing home the bacon" to their constituents.

In an ever-more dangerous world, they’re thinking globally as well as locally – from the prospects of trouble that could rock the world, to the depths of California’s drought crisis.

The dangers to national security posed by rogue states and terrorists both foreign and domestic can take a toll on Beltway sleep patterns.

"In the face of all these new threats and expanding threats, we have to be really competent,” said U.S. Rep. Scott Peters (D-52nd District). “We're fighting new wars. We have to train cyber-warriors. We have to give attention to space that we didn't have to give before."

Peters and three of his four colleagues from the county's Congressional delegation -- representing the world's largest military-industrial complex -- spelled out some of the big challenges to a Monday luncheon audience of nearly 600, hosted by the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce members.

Much of the international affairs conversation involved how to deal shrewdly with both friend and foe – and when to say 'no.'

"We do have to rethink foreign policy,” said Rep. Darrell Issa (R-49th). “We have to stop being in a position in which everyone figures we're going to come in and fight their wars, train them, equip them -- and then they will take these guard posts so long as no one's shooting at them."

Cautioned Rep. Susan Davis (D-53rd): "When we ask people what do they need, and I think this goes for other countries that we're involved in, is finding the level of sharing intelligence that is appropriate. We're not going to share all the intelligence, and in fact they're not bringing all they know to us. But there are ways that we can better do it."

Referring to delicate diplomacy in the explosive Middle East, Rep. Juan Vargas (D-51st District) offered this observation: "ISIS, ISIL, Da'ish -- whatever you want to call them -- that's an issue, but they're not the existential threat to Israel and they're not the threat to us, ultimately. They are, somewhat, but they're not like nuclear Iran. And that's what I say we have to focus on and do a better job. Because I'm not convinced that we got the best deal we could've gotten."

Meantime, with sparks already flying in the 2016 presidential campaign, is Congress really going to get anything substantial done in the 18 months until the election?

The race for 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue figures to be a huge distraction in the halls of Congress – whose approval ratings are bottoming in single-digit trends, as episodes of partisan legislative gridlock abound.

But San Diego’s Capitol Hill delegation say there are still plenty of members with eyes on the prize of bipartisan measure that could be signed into law by the president.

"At this point, if we can get thing to his desk, it's our job to get them there,” Issa told NBC 7 in an interview Monday. “If he's unwilling to negotiate before they get there, if he insists on vetoing something because it's not perfect, that will be his decision."

Said Peters: "I don't go to Washington for the weather. I wouldn't get on the plane every week if I didn't think we could get something done. I think there's a lot of academic agreement about what we should do. It's just, politics is more difficult that the academics."

Vargas’ take: "It's in all of our interests to get things done. So I'm going to be hopeful. I don't think the presidential race will suck all of the oxygen out of the room. Now it could. But I hope it doesn't."

Schedule conflicts prevented Rep. Duncan D. Hunter (R-50th) from attending the Chamber luncheon --but if there's a consensus about the three Democrats and two Republicans representing San Diego, it's about the effective way they work 'across the aisle' to further mutual interests.

Davis and Issa are in their eighth term, Hunter’s in his fourth, and Peters and Vargas in their second.

Cynicism and squabbling among themselves seems at a bare minimum.

The last Congress was only marginally more productive than its predecessor -- which was the worst in history, in terms of “Do Nothing.”

As for the current, 114th Congress?

It hasn't given a real indication that it’ll produce anywhere near the 900-plus laws that the 80th Congress (1947-49) got signed by then-President Truman – the original “Do Nothing Congress” – whose output tripled that of the 114th.

Police Pursue Suspects Across 3 Counties

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Police were pursuing a vehicle in the San Bernardino area Monday night.

The chase led them down to San Diego County at about 9:15 p.m.

Driving down De Luz Road in Fallbrook, the suspects made a sharp turn into a creek bed and bailed out of the car.

The man and woman inside took off on foot, but deputies quickly closed in with the help of K9 units.

One of the dogs bit a suspect, San Diego County Sheriff's officials say.

Law enforcement took both into custody and detained them on a long list of charges.

The chase began on the 10 Freeway in San Bernardino County before the driver led police to the 15 Freeway headed toward Murrieta before exiting and beginning a pursuit on windy mountain roads.

New Details in Hodad's Owner's Death

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A coroner’s report obtained by NBC 7 Investigates Monday reveals new details about the sudden death of Hodad’s burger joint owner Mike “Bossman” Hardin.

The beloved Ocean Beach resident died from a heart attack at a central California hotel on Feb. 5, brought on by an enlarged heart and severe coronary artery disease, according to a report from the Madera County Coroner’s Office.

The forensic pathologist who examined Hardin found one of his arteries was filled at least 75 percent with plaque. He also discovered evidence of a previous heart attack, as well as lung and liver problems.

According to a Madera County Sheriff’s Office report, the front desk clerk at the Chowchilla Holiday Inn told investigators Hardin was supposed to check out at 11 a.m. on Feb. 5, but by 1:30 p.m., no one had heard from him.

Thinking Hardin had left without checking out, the woman sent maintenance employees to the room, which they found locked with the metal latch. The front desk worker used a special tool to unhook it, and she saw Hardin sitting on the couch, unmoving.

She quickly called 911. During their investigation, deputies found marijuana, pot paraphernalia, a half-full jar of “moonshine” alcohol and over-the-counter medication in Hardin’s hotel room. None of these substances contributed to the 54-year-old’s death, according to the coroner’s report.

Hardin, known for his kindness and generosity, became most famous for his burgers, thanks in part to appearances on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-ins and Dive.”

He lived in San Diego since 1960 and took over Hodad’s in the 80s from his parents. Under his leadership, the restaurant expanded to new locations in downtown San Diego and Petco Park.

Dubbed the “unofficial mayor of Ocean Beach,” Hardin’s death was mourned by hundreds in San Diego, who crowded into Petco Park in March to celebrate his life.
 



Photo Credit: Matthew Wood/NBC7 San Diego

Smuggling Gone Wrong: Man Gets Wedged Under Seat

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For one man trying to sneak into the U.S., freedom didn’t just mean making it over the border. It soon meant just escaping from a truck’s backseat.

At about 3 a.m. Sunday, Customs and Border Protection officers pulled over a 48-year-old woman in a 1998 Dodge pickup truck at the Otay Mesa port of entry.

While she handed over her passport, officers gave her truck a brief inspection. One of them found a man hiding underneath the rear seat of the pickup, according to CPB officials.

When they asked him to come out, they realized he had become wedged into the specially-built smuggling compartment and couldn’t get out on his own.

Officers eventually pulled a lever under the seat and freed the suspect.

He was taken into custody, and using his fingerprints, CPB officials discovered he is a 36-year-old Mexican with no legal ability to enter the U.S., they say.

Both he and the driver, a U.S. citizen, will face federal charges. The duo were taken to the Metropolitan Correctional Center.
 



Photo Credit: CBP
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