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City Heights Arson Suspect Faces Accusers in Court

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One of the victims in a string of fires in City Heights testified on Friday that he and his wife were watching TV as their two children were asleep when, suddenly, flames erupted outside their window.

Through an interpreter, the man testified that he saw two mattresses engulfed in flames.

“I looked out the window and I could see the brightness of the fire,” he said, adding that he then ran outside to douse the flames.

The man’s testimony came during the preliminary hearing for 24-year-old Rolando Resendiz, accused of deliberately setting that fire and two others in March and April.

Those fires were among more than a dozen in City Heights neighborhoods over a span of a month.

The small fires were deliberately set in dumpsters, alleyways, trash cans, beds of pickup trucks and flatbed trailers in the Mid-City area.

Resendiz was arrested April 3 as he walked near a fire set to the porch of a home in the 5200 block of Ogden Street, police said.

He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of arson to an inhabited structure and three counts of arson to property.


Thousands of Red Crabs Wash Along Ocean Beach

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Thousands of tuna crabs have washed up on the shore of Ocean Beach, marveling onlookers with their vibrant red color.

“We came here and as soon as we walked to the beach, I was like, ‘Are these crabs?’” said Samantha Omalley, who is visiting from Bend, Ore.

Omalley said she’s visiting her aunt here and she was shocked to see the crabs.

Experts recently told The Los Angeles Times that these tiny red crabs normally spend their time in the water off Baja California and normally hide on sandy ocean bottoms.

They may wash ashore when the water becomes warm, experts say.



Photo Credit: Nina Thompson

DeMaio Accuser Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Justice

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In Federal Court Friday, Todd Bosnich pleaded guilty to obstructing justice.

Frank Vecchione, Bosnich’s attorney, said Bosnich admitted to the FBI that he sent a phony threatening email and is now in counseling for his problems.

Bosnich “made a serious and foolish mistake,” Vecchione said in court.

Last October, Bosnich accused former congressional candidate, Carl DeMaio, of sexual harassment. Bosnich was a former campaign staffer for DeMaio.

DeMaio flatly denied the allegations, calling them outrageous lies. The candidate in turn accused Bosnich of breaking in and vandalizing campaign headquarters last May. During that incident, DeMaio said confidential campaign documents were taken.

Prosecutor Phil Halpern, said in court Friday, this charge has nothing to do with the allegations made by Bosnich or the alleged break-in.

Bosnich is scheduled to be sentenced August 31. His bail has been set at $10,000.

The prosecutor for the case said Bosnich should get probation, not prison time for the crime.

Check back for more updates on this story.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Manhunt Murder Suspect "Wanted to Surrender": PD

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A man accused of fatally shooting his wife outside their Scripps Ranch marriage counselor’s office on June 6 surrendered to San Diego police early Friday after authorities tracked him down in Mexico.

“It’s been several days. We’ve had conversations back and forth with him to facilitate his surrender,” said San Diego Police Department Capt. David Nisleit at a news briefing Friday, discussing the arrest of manhunt and murder suspect Jeremy Green.

“He wanted to surrender. He just wanted to do it on his terms – and surrender to U.S. authorities. We were able to facilitate that early this morning and he’s currently in custody,” Capt. Nisleit added.

The San Diego Police Department said Green, 40, escaped in a 2007 silver Corvette after shooting his wife, Tressa Green, 37, to death in the parking lot of a business complex nearly one week ago. The fatal shooting sparked a statewide manhunt for Green, who law enforcement called armed and dangerous.

On Wednesday, investigators found Green's Corvette abandoned in a Jack-in-the-Box parking lot in San Ysidro near the U.S.-Mexico border. The parking lot was within a short walk to the pedestrian border crossing.

Surveillance video provided by the lot's employees shows a man in a blue shirt parking the Corvette on Saturday at 3 p.m. Green shot his wife at about 2:10 p.m. that day, according to police.

Upon the discovery of the suspect's car near the border, the police manhunt for Green turned international.

Authorities were able to track Green down in Cancun, Mexico. Capt. Nisleit said police had been in contact with the suspect for "multiple days" negotiating his surrender.

He said multiple agencies worked tirelessly on the exhaustive manhunt for Green, but he could not reveal details of the investigative techniques used to track the suspect down to Cancun.

Capt. Nisleit said Green met authorities in Tijuana and eventually agreed to turn himself in to San Diego police. He crossed the border and was taken into custody at about 1 a.m. Friday at the San Ysidro Point of Entry, according to police.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said that as Green returned to the U.S., agents at the border crossing confirmed his active felony warrant through the Integrated Automated Fingerprint System (IAFIS). CBP said agents then turned Green over to detectives with the SDPD at the Port of Entry.

The captain said said Green was cooperative with police during the arrest process. He was booked into San Diego Central Jail where he is currently being held without bail and is tentatively scheduled to make his first court appearance on Monday.

Police said Green has retained a lawyer.

Capt. Nisleit said the police department was thankful no one was injured during the manhunt and "no further malice was done."

“Mr. Green is now in custody. We had a very violent person on the loose, and he’s now in custody. That’s the key here,” he said.

Court documents revealed that the Greens had been dealing with financial troubles, including two bankruptcies, as the couple lived in Rancho Bernardo with their three children. Tressa filed for divorce in April.

When asked what type of evidence detectives discovered in Green's car abandoned near the border crossing earlier this week, Capt. Nisleit said he could not discuss those details, as the investigation is ongoing.


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Suspects in Oceanside Target Shooting Arrested

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A suspected shoplifter accused of firing a gun inside an Oceanside Target store, has been arrested, police said Friday.

Dennis Lam was captured in Orange County, as was his female companion, Ana Molina; police said they are still piecing together Molina's involvement in the case.

California Highway Patrol officers arrested the two just before 7 a.m. Friday morning on State Route 133 in Orange County after a pursuit and carjacking, Oceanside police said.

Further details on the alleged carjacking and pursuit were not immediately know.

The shooting occurred at about 1:15 p.m. Thursday at a Target in the Camino Town and Country Shopping Center, 2555 El Camino Real. No one was hurt.

One of the suspects was confronted by store security on suspicion of shoplifting, according to one witness. At that point, the suspect pulled a gun out of a bag and fired the weapon once into the ground before firing a second shot in the direction of an employee.

Witnesses said everyone in the store got on the ground as soon as the gunfire erupted. The suspects fled the scene, driving away from the store in a black BMW with dark windows.

Water Main Break Floods Downtown Streets

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A water main break caused major flooding in downtown San Diego Friday morning, sending high-pressure water bursting into the busy streets.

Water rushed into the intersection of F Street and First Avenue around 10:30 a.m., flowing for blocks past Market Street.

Passerby Nicholas Berlette was walking in the area when water erupted into the roads.

“I was walking down the street right here and I heard a pretty loud rupture and then rocks and mud came flying out, and then water got all over me,” Berlette told NBC 7. “It’s still flowing up.”

Though his shirt was soaked and he was covered in mud, Berlette added, “It coud’ve been worse.”

A construction crew was working in the area at the time of the water main break when something snapped, sending rocks and debris flying, followed by a geyser shooting water about five feet in the air.

Entrances to nearby businesses, including a Greek marketplace, a nail salon, a dry cleaners and a parking structure, were flooded. Employees quickly began placing sandbags in doorways and attempting to sweep away the water.

Dozens of passersby gathered on the roads to watch as crews worked to gain control of the messy situation.

About two to three inches of water covered the streets, rolling south toward G Street. Officials closed off the area to traffic while crews worked to shut off the water and repair the break.

A large hole was left behind in the street where the construction equipment had been operating.

By 11:05 a.m., it appeared the water had been shut off.

The flooding caused business owner Matthew Zaker to close his shop, Arya Cleaners, down for the day.

Since his shop is lower than the street level, water spilled inside.

“Suddenly I heard a big noise and then noticed a [construction] machine took a part of the pipe they were trying to replace. I saw the water going so high,” Zaker told NBC 7. “I tried to close the door to stop the water. But still, the water was coming in.”

Zaker said he rushed to save customers’ garments hanging in his shop from the thick, muddy water gushing in.

Arian Collins, of the City of San Diego Public Utilities Department, said a private contractor was working on a private project in the area when trouble began.

“While they were working, a plug in water main did not hold and high pressure water came bursting out,” Collins told NBC 7.

He said the pipe was 16 inches in diameter.

“It’s a very large pipe, so it was a lot of water, a lot of pressure,” he explained. “There’s just so much pressure, it starts tearing out the soil underneath the street – the rocks, debris.”

Water service was shut down along one block.

Collins said crews were examining the condition of the pipe and working to repair it before nightfall.

No injuries were reported in the flooding incident.



Photo Credit: Bridget Naso

Family of 6 Takes in Family of 13

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A Virginia family of six took in a family of 13 after a fire made their home uninhabitable last week.

The Muhanyis’ Fairfax, Virginia, home was damaged by fire and smoke.

“I screamed a lot, ‘It’s a fire, fire, fire … get out, get out!’” said Alphonsine Bitorw.

Her quick actions woke her husband and their 11 kids. The electrical fire left their belongings charred but spared their lives. The family was renting the home and did not have renter’s insurance.

“I thank God everybody got out of the house and everybody’s safe,” said the couple’s eldest son, 19-year-old Raymond Muhanyi.

But it’s a struggle for their father, Pastory Muhanyi, to stay hopeful.

“I try to be positive, but I’m going through a very difficult time right now,” he said.

But that difficult time is being filled with the generosity of others.

“In the middle of their tragedy, there is joy …,” Mitzi Carlin said.

A Marine Corps family living in Annandale, Virginia, Mitzi and her husband, Curtis, are proud of their dedication to God and country.

The Carlins have four kids. Their youngest, Nick, goes to the same school as some of the Muhanyi kids, but that’s about all they knew of each other. St. Ambrose Catholic School principal Barbara Dalmut told the community about the Muhanyis’ struggles.

"Our real goal is for them to have a vehicle that the whole family can get together and be transported,” Dalmut said.

The Carlins offered more than that.

“I didn’t really talk to my wife at that point … and I just said, ‘We got room! Why don’t you come over and look? And if you feel comfortable, we’d love to have you in our house,’” Curtis Carlin said.

That means a bigger carpool and a much fuller house.

“I guess I wasn’t thinking with my head,” Mitzi said. “I was thinking with my heart.”

Pastory Muhanyi said he’s “really thankful, really thankful.”

Ad for Curtis life at home is not all that different from his many deployments with the Marines.

“The one thing that I do know is that we never leave anybody behind on the battlefield,” he said. “Marines take care of their own. What I’ve learned in those 22 years isn’t different when I’m here and in my community and in my church. We take care of our own.”

If you want to help the family out, friends have set up an online fund.



Photo Credit: NBCWashington

Man Builds "Baddest Bikes" for Kids

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A West Oakland man, who worked as a bus and truck driver for more than 20 years, now spends his days building double-decker bikes from donated parts, some of them for neighborhood kids who have earned top marks in school.

Paul Brown, 59, who goes by the name Tall Paul, beamed as he throttled a tall orange bike — its pedals, rims and even chain pimped-out in gold.

“Man that’s my favorite color… gold,” Brown said. “I love gold, I don’t know why. I used to have some gold teeth.”

Brown’s voice boomed as he recalled his first bike. His mother had saved for a year to buy bikes for Brown and his three brothers for Christmas. Christmas morning, Brown hauled his down to the basement and took it clean apart. He got a whooping.

Six decades later, Brown is still taking bikes apart —  fashioning strange and funky new models from their parts.

“I just love bikes, Brown said. “Just working on them — being creative with them.”

There was a time in his life when Brown did the regular old job thing. He drove a Greyhound bus and then big rigs over two decades. Finally one day on his way home from New York, he decided he’d had enough. His bikes were calling. Now he lives in an archaic RV, eeks out his living by recycling — and builds his bicycles. People donate items for him to recycle, which he hauls to nearby salvage yards. The theme of his current existence harkens back to a dream he harbored as a kid growing-up, not far from where his RV is now parked.

“I always said to myself I want to have the baddest bike in the world,” Brown laughed.

Brown built bikes for his own satisfaction. A chopper bike with forks extended like the tusks of a walrus was for trick-riding. He started building the double-stack bikes after spotting a guy riding through the neighborhood on one. He’s even built a bike for the president, although he has yet to claim it.

“I made that bike for President Obama,” Brown said pointing to a double stack blue bike. “I want to see the president ride that bike.”

But Brown is just as excited to see neighborhood kids ride his bikes, or at least bikes he’s tweaked with his personal pimped-out style. Recently he gave a pair of his bikes away to a couple neighborhood kids who displayed report cards boasting three A’s apiece. It set off a gold-colored spark in Brown’s head. He decided to launch his own one-man program to try and inspire other kids

“Any little kid — boy or girl, black, white, Spanish, Chinese,” Brown said, “If the kid got more than three A’s on their report card I’ll pimp their bike for free.”

Brown said he’s hoping to deliver some of his bikes to nearby schools — possibly even making an inspirational pitch to the kids during an assembly. He said he’s trying to build the perfect bike for the occasion, where the school could raffle it off to dutiful students.

“The excitement on the kids’ face when I pimp their bikes out… wow,” Brown said, his voice choking up.

Neighbors and workers around the industrial West Oakland neighborhood all know Tall Paul’s bikes. They drop off loads of steel to recycle. Sometimes they bring him food. People often stop to photograph the bikes or to ask Paul how he gets off and on the tall bikes without breaking his neck. He shows his secret feature — a golden peg which he uses to climb on and off. They’ve witnessed the irony of a man with little, building things for others.

“Some families might not have the money to buy a new bike,” said neighbor Paul Victor. “But who needs a new bike when Paul can pimp-out a bike and make it better than a new bike. It’s custom, one of a kind.”

Although Brown scrapes by, he doesn’t lament his situation in the life. He’s doing what he’s always dreamed of — the bar he set for himself decades back — building the baddest bikes in the world.

“You would think I don’t have too much,” Brown said, leaning on his tall bike. “But man, I got everything I need. I got happiness. I got that.”

More information is available on Tall Paul's Facebook page.



Photo Credit: Joe Rosato Jr.

DeMaio Accuser Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Justice

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A former aide to Congressional candidate Carl DeMaio admitted in federal court Friday he used a phony email account, making it appear DeMaio or one of his associates threatened him.

Todd Bosnich, the former campaign staffer, also admitted he lied to the FBI when questioned about that email. He pleaded guilty in federal court to a single count of obstruction of justice.

According to documents released Friday by the U.S. Attorney’s office, Bosnich set up a “dummy” Yahoo email account, using a false gender and date of birth. He then used that account, elimanagment@yahoo.com, one time “to send a particularly ugly and threatening message.”

Prosecutors said that email “suggested that the ‘anonymous’ author of the email would ensure” Bosnich would never work in politics again if he continued to make allegations against DeMaio.

At the time, that threatening email was believed to have been sent by an anonymous user. It became one element of controversy after Bosnich was fired from DeMaio’s campaign.

Last October, Bosnich accused DeMaio of sexual harassment. DeMaio flatly denied the allegations, calling them outrageous lies.

By pleading guilty, Bosnich could face a maximum 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release. He is currently out of custody after posting a $10,000 personal appearance bond. His sentencing is scheduled for August 31.

Friday, the prosecutor for the case said Bosnich should get probation, not prison time for the crime.

Click here to read the full plea agreement.

According to federal prosecutors, Bosnich’s sent the “anonymous” email to himself “to bolster his claims that DeMaio was threatening him to remain silent about the alleged sexual harassment. In this fashion, Defendant's claims about DeMaio's sexual harassment appeared not only to be legitimate, but to take on a new and, perhaps, more sinister context.”

The Grand Jury issued subpoenas to attempt to identify who sent the threatening emails, according to prosecutors.

Click here to read more about the charges.

After becoming aware of the “anonymous” email and the “serious nature of the allegations” contained in it, the San Diego Police Department notified the FBI.

In October, NBC 7 Investigates first reported that anonymous emails sent to Bosnich were the subject of FBI agent interviews with potential witnesses.

According to court documents, the FBI spoke with Bosnich last June. During that meeting Bosnich was told he was being interviewed as a victim as part of an investigation “into whether DeMaio had sent or caused the sending of the threatening emails, which he had discussed with the SDPD and the media.”

According to prosecutors, during that meeting with the FBI, Bosnich “speculated” whether it was DeMaio or someone else with the politician's campaign that sent the email.

Bosnich also said, “DeMaio was fond of sending emails (and communicating via Twitter) using alias accounts,” and “that DeMaio used this tactic quite often.”

In a statement Friday, DeMaio said, “Todd Bosnich’s lies were incredibly painful, smeared my reputation and derailed our Congressional campaign.”

According to court documents, the FBI met with Bosnich again last October. At that meeting, Bosnich “repeated his claim that he and his mother received a total of three threatening emails. When questioned specifically about the authorship of these emails, Defendant falsely asserted several times that he 'did not know' who sent him the Threatening Email. Defendant also stated that he suspected that the author might have been DeMaio or one of his close associates.”

Bosnich “made a serious and foolish mistake,” Frank Vecchione, Bosnich’s attorney, said in court Friday. Vecchione said Bosnich is now in counseling for his problems.

By writing the email and telling the SDPD, the FBI and the media he did not know who sent the email Bosnich, according to prosecutors, attempted to influence the DeMaio investigation. “He acted corruptly as he recognized that what he was telling the government was inaccurate and did, in fact, influence a pending official proceeding.”

Read the full statement from DeMaio below:

“Todd Bosnich’s lies were incredibly painful, smeared my reputation and derailed our Congressional campaign. While the criminal prosecution today may hold Bosnich accountable on some level, Congressman Scott Peters shares responsibility for promoting Bosnich’s smears and lies for political gain.

"I want to thank the FBI and US Attorney for pursuing the truth and seeking justice in this matter. I also want to thank the thousands of supporters who stood by me and saw this disgusting smear for what it was. Your faith and support sustained me through this nightmare.”



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego
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How to Watch Saturday's Stanley Cup Final Online

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Watch live as the Chicago Blackhawks and Tampa Bay Lightning face off in pivotal Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals Saturday.

NBC will stream the 5 p.m. PT game at Tampa's Amalie Arena live online.

The stream is open to everyone, even if you don’t have a satellite or cable TV provider.

With the series tied 2-2, the dueling conference champs are vying to pull ahead in what's been a nail-bitingly close championship series. The teams have been separated by no more than a goal throughout the first four games.  

To watch the game, click here or download the NBC 7 app and click "Watch Live TV Now." 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Dallas Police Headquarters a Crime Scene After Attack

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The bullet-riddled Dallas Police Headquarters on South Lamar Street is now a crime scene after police said a lone gunman went on a rampage early Saturday morning. The suspect was later killed in a standoff with police in Hutchins.

No officers were injured, but Dallas Police Chief David O. Brown says the department is fortunate.

"We believe this suspect meant to kill officers. And took time to discharge that weapon multiple times to accomplish their wanting to harm our officers," said Brown.

Dallas police tweeted photos of squad cars, that officers were sitting in, riddled with bullet holes.

Bullet holes can be seen in the lobby, second floor and information desk.

Some bullet holes were near where Dallas police staff were sitting.

"One staff member had just walked away to get Coke, if they had stayed there during the ordeal, they would have been shot, we believe, and killed, based on the trajectory of bullets," said Brown.

"Listening to our officers who responded to the gunshots at headquarters and gunshots at Hutchins, some officers say we're very lucky, I believe we're blessed that our officers survived this ordeal."

No officers were injured, police chased the suspect to Hutchins where a standoff was underway for several hours.



Photo Credit: Dallas Police Department
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Woman Who Survived on Rainwater Recovering

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A California woman who survived for two weeks on rainwater and pies after she and husband got lost on Mother’s Day has been released from the hospital, her attorney confirmed Friday.

High-profile attorney Gloria Allred released an update on the condition of her client, Dianna Bedwell, 67, saying she had been released from a rehabilitation facility and was finally able to go home.

“Dianna still has a long road ahead of her because of her grief about the loss of her husband of 27 years and because she is still in recovery,” Allred said in a prepared statement. “Her family is overjoyed that she is now home and she will continue to have their love and support.”

The attorney said memorial services for Bedwell’s late husband, Cecil “Paul” Knutson, 79, will be held on July 10 at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, Calif. His ceremony will include military honors for his service as a U.S. Marine, Allred said.

“Dianna thanks the community for their continuing support of her during this difficult time,” the attorney added.

Bedwell had been undergoing rehab for injuries she sustained when the car she was riding in with her husband went off the road last month near Warner Springs, northeast of San Diego. She was hospitalized in an intensive care unit before she was transferred to the rehab facility.

Bedwell and Knutson, of Fullerton, Calif., were reported missing on May 10 when they disappeared after a Mother’s Day trip to Valley View Casino in north San Diego. A surveillance camera caught the couple as they left the casino around 2 p.m. that day in their white 2014 Hyundai Sonata.

The couple was expected to arrive for a family dinner at their son’s home in La Quinta, Calif.. When they failed to show up, family members called local law enforcement.

For several days, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and Riverside County Sheriff’s Department
along with volunteers and family members scoured the roads and desert area between Valley Center and La Quinta in search of the missing couple.

On May 24 – two weeks later – the couple’s car was found by a man four-wheeling in a remote and rocky area near Warner Springs along State Route 79, approximately 47 miles from the casino.

Bedwell was alive, but her husband had not been able to survive. His body was found near the disabled vehicle.

Police from the Los Coyotes Reservation said it appeared the couple survived on rainwater and pies during 14 days they were stranded off the road.

After Bedwell was found safe, the family hired Allred because, as the attorney told KMIR-TV, "There's quite a bit that needs to be investigated. One day the facts will be known.”

Knutson survived for part of the time the couple was in the remote desert area but Allred wouldn’t go into specifics last month.

“The truth is something she’ll share when it’s time for her, when she’s ready to speak,” Allred said referring to Bedwell. “I’m hoping one day everyone will know what a hero she is.”



Photo Credit: Family photo

Oceanside Youths Vow to Make Community Better

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In 2013, four teenagers were shot at Libby Lake Park in Oceanside and two of them did not survive. In a story of triumph over tragedy, friends of the victims have vowed to make their community a better place and rise above the violence. Over the past two years, the young men and women have made a far bigger impact than they ever expected. NBC 7’s Danya Bacchus reports.

Vets Use Kayaks to Rehabilitate, Relax

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National organization “Heroes on the Water” held an event in Coronado on June 13, 2015, inviting U.S. military veterans, active duty service members and police, firefighters and EMS workers out to the water to kayak. The kayaking event was aimed to help vets relax and rehabilitate while taking in breathtaking San Diego views.

Photo Credit: Diana Guevara

Dallas Attack Suspect's Past

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The suspect in the attack on Dallas Police headquarters was mentally ill and "heard voices," his mother said.

James Boulware, suspected of attacking the headquarters of the Dallas Police Department Saturday, was arrested in 2013 for choking his mother "to the point of unconsciousness," police told NBC 5.

"We apologize to the police for his behavior," Jeannine Hammond said of her son, James Boulware, in a statement after Saturday's attack.

"We loved him and will remember him as the man he was before all of this took place. We are so grateful that no other families are having to bury anyone because of his actions."

Hammond called police in Paris, Texas, in April 2013 to report that Boulware choked her and strangled his uncle, according to court records. Boulware was jailed but the charges were later dropped, his father said.

Dallas Police Chief David Brown said police were aware of ongoing issues related to a custody dispute involving Boulware's son.

"There were 3 family violence cases against this suspect and there apparently was some kind of custody issue, as a result of these family violence issues," Brown said Saturday morning. "We had no other indication of this suspect threatening police officers or threatening police facilities."

Brown also mentioned that Boulware had made threats against judges and on social media, and responded during the press conference Saturday morning that  they "have taken steps to ensuring safety of judges who suspect threatened before."

"We've been dealing with this for a long time," said Boulware's mother. "I'm glad nobody else was hurt."

At the time of Boulware's arrest in 2013, police issued a public alert that he was armed with guns, a large amount of ammunition, and also had body armor, and might go on a shooting spree.

"He was going to just kill all the adult members of the family and then that’s when he made the comment he may shoot up some churches and schools," said Paris police chief Bob Hundley, according to a 2013 news report on NBC station KTEN.

A deputy spotted him in Paris and Boulware was arrested without incident.

According to an arrest report, the incident began when Boulware attacked two family members and went on a rant.

His mother "had gone into the kitchen to make her something to eat when the suspect began making comments about North and South Korea, and began talking rudely about religion, Jews and Christians," a police affidavit said. "The suspect suddenly grabbed (his mother’s) throat with both of his hands and began squeezing."

"He then punched his uncle and choked him “to the point of unconsciousness,” the affidavit said.

A neighbor told KTEN that Boulware had been a mechanic and worked out of a "mobile van."

Boulware's father Jim said his son was angry not getting custody of his son.

"He looked at the police as taking his son," the elder Boulware said.

Jim Boulware said his son mowed his lawn on Friday and left about 9:30 p.m., saying he was heading to West Texas to visit a friend.

"And I told him, my last words were, 'Have a nice trip,'" Jim Boulware said.

Boulware also was arrested for possession of marijuana in 2013, according to public records.

NBC 5's Scott Gordon contributed to this report.



Photo Credit: Dallas Police via Twitter/Dallas County Jail
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Dumpster Fire Sparks in City Heights

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Residents voluntarily evacuated their homes early Saturday morning after a fire sparked inside a dumpster in City Heights, officials said.

The blaze broke out around 1 a.m. in the 5200 block of Wightman Street, causing about $1,000 in damage, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department said.

As the fire in the dumpster gave rise to heavy smoke, concerned residents evacuated their homes while crews worked to extinguish the fire. It was knocked out a short time later.

Fire officials said the blaze caused no damage to a nearby apartment complex. As of Saturday morning, officials said they do not believe it was arson, but the cause of the fire is under investigation.

City Heights – including Wightman Street itself – appeared to be the target of arsonist deliberately setting fires throughout the community earlier this year.

Between March and April more than a dozen fires were set in the Mid-City area’s neighborhoods in dumpsters, alleyways, trash cans, beds of pickup trucks and flatbed trailers.

Suspect Rolando Resendiz, 24, was arrested in connection with at least three of the arson cases, including one in the 5200 block of Wightman Street in which Resendiz allegedly took off running to an apartment complex after setting a fire.

On Friday, after hearing witness and police testimony, a judge decided Resendiz will stand trial for the arson cases. He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of arson to an inhabited structure and three counts of arson to property.

His mother maintains her son was in the wrong place at the wrong time and had nothing to do with the fires.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Incredible Photos from Dallas Police Headquarters Attack

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Photos from Dallas police and NBC 5 capture the Dallas police headquarters attack on Saturday morning and standoff that led to the suspect's death.

Photo Credit: Dallas Police Department via Twitter

Dozens Evacuated in Wake of Dallas Police HQ Attack

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It was a rude awakening for some, and a long night for others, after an early-morning attack that left parts of the Dallas Police headquarters parts of police headquarters riddled with bullets and eventually ended with the suspect being shot.

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Anita Grendahl was asleep in her seventh-floor apartment across from police headquarters when she heard gunshots loud enough to wake her up over a white noise machine in her room.

"We just woke up to a few pops and thought somebody was on my balcony, and then looked outside and saw the van crash into the car," she said.

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The threat of explosions forced dozens of people from their homes, bars and hotel rooms early Saturday morning.

People who live across the street from Dallas Police Headquarters work up in the middle of the night to gunshots.

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"And then gunshots started going again and that's when I ducked," said Kevin Johnson.

Many watched the scene unfold from the top of the South Side on Lamar apartment complex.

By 4 a.m., apartment residents were told they had to evacuate and get as far away as possible from the bomb threat.

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Two pipe bombs exploded within an hour and a half of those evacuations.

Some chose to leave the area. "I was just worried about the children, so I just wanted to get out of harms way," said Nicholas Laird.

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Others waited for the 'all clear.' Edward Vasquez went to work at 3 p.m. on Friday and wasn't allowed to go home until Saturday morning.

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"You wouldn't think anything like this would happen here since it is the headquarters and there are police everywhere," he said.

NBC 5 viewer Rick Birt shared video of Dallas police K9 units sweeping the South Side on Lamar building before he was allowed to return to his fifth floor apartment.

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At around 10 a.m. police allowed people to return home, public transportation also resumed in the area.

Jet Fuel Driver Pleads Guilty to DUI on the Job

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A jet fuel driver, seen drunkenly stumbling and falling on the job in surveillance video, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor DUI charge Friday after an officer found two empty beer cans in the tanker he was driving, according to Harbor Police.

James Stewart, 56, admitted to driving a 10,000 gallon jet fuel tanker while intoxicated on April 16 at the San Diego International Airport. He was arrested with a blood alcohol content of 0.24, three times the legal limit to drive.

Airport Authority surveillance video, obtained by NBC 7 Investigates through the state’s public record law, shows Stewart next to a tanker, parked by a Delta plane. According to Harbor Police, Stewart intended to pull the vehicle up to the plane to fuel it, but he was so drunk, he tried to refuel the jet with an empty tanker.

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In the video, Stewart is seen walking from the truck, stumbling and then falling to the ground with his legs flying in the air. When he gets back on his feet, he tries to climb into the tanker, but an officer, who was alerted by a co-worker, guides him away.

After taking him into custody, a Harbor Police officer found two empty, 24-ounce cans of Steel Reserve beer on the floor board of the tanker.

The jet fuel company that hired Stewart, ASIG, said he is no longer employed there.

Stewart decided to change his plea during a readiness hearing, prosecuted by the City Attorney's Office.

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Stadium Consultant's Deal With County Remains Secret

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San Diego County officials will not release any details about the hiring of a legal expert who is helping the city and county negotiate a stadium deal for the San Diego Chargers.

Attorney Michael Zischke is an expert in environmental law. He co-wrote a two-volume legal handbook on California’s Environmental Quality Act and according to his biography, has represented clients in land-use and environmental cases at all levels of California courts. Zischke is a partner in the Cox Castle Nicholson law firm in San Francisco.

Environmental issues – and possible legal challenges to any stadium proposal based on those issues – have become a huge factor in both the negotiations and the approval and construction of a stadium, if the Chargers, the city and the county do eventually strike a deal.

But Zischke’s involvement in those negotiations as part of the city and county’s team was not disclosed until Monday.

Until now, local government officials have repeatedly said only two outside consultants will be paid for their expertise: the Nixon Peabody law firm, for legal advice, and Citigroup Global Markets, for development of a financial plan for stadium construction.

In April, the city and county agreed to split up to $500,000 in taxpayer funds for those outside advisors. Those officials acknowledged payments to the two consultants may well exceed $500,000 if negotiations continue.

On Thursday, a San Diego County spokesman confirmed Zischke has been added to the negotiating team.

In response to a California Public Records Act request from NBC 7 Investigates, the county refused to provide any information about the terms of Zischke’s contract, including how and why he was picked for the job, how much he’s being paid for his legal advice and whether he’ll be reimbursed for travel, hotel and other expenses.

County attorneys cited state legal codes that classify written fee agreements as “confidential communication.” The county lawyers also refused to release any details about its contract with the Nixon Peabody law firm or Citigroup Global Markets.

When contacted by NBC 7 Investigates, Zischke declined to provide any information about his financial arrangement with the county.

But the city of San Diego had a much difference response to the same public records act request. The city clerk’s office gave NBC 7 Investigates detailed information about how San Diego taxpayers are paying those consultants.

The city’s 47-page agreement with Nixon Peabody reveals taxpayers will initially pay the firm up to $150,000 for legal advice and out-of-pocket expenses.

The firm’s partners and managing director will be paid $500 an hour for their legal advice, according to the agreement. Associate attorneys are paid $400 per hour, and paralegals get $195 an hour.

That agreement specifies the law firm will be reimbursed for “actual, necessary and reasonable out-of-pocket expense” including air travel at economy or coach class fare and hotel accommodations in San Diego “not to exceed the rate established by the U.S. Government General Services Administration for San Diego.”

The lawyers will not be paid for meals or drinks while working in San Diego, and Nixon Peabody cannot charge taxpayers for computer-assisted legal research, clerical or secretarial salaries, word processing fees or office supplies.

Other public documents supplied by the city to NBC 7 Investigates confirm the city “does not expect to advance (taxpayer funds) to pay for Citigroup’s services,” and that Citigroup will make its money only if it helps issue bonds and other financial instruments needed to build a new stadium.

Citigroup’s consulting agreement commits taxpayers to paying only for “reasonable out of pocket expenses” incurred by Citigroup executive Bill Corrado during the negotiations.

Two local attorneys told NBC 7 Investigates the city’s decision to share details about those consulting contracts will increase taxpayer confidence in the negotiations and help make the process transparent.

“The public should have access to how much taxpayer funds are being spent and who that money is being paid to,” said civil law attorney Gil Cabrera. “There are so many parties, each with their own agenda, in a project like this, so you need transparency.”

Cabrera said the county would be wise to release general information about Zischke’s contract, to maintain public confidence in the negotiations and the cost to taxpayers of pursuing a deal for a new stadium. He said outside lawyers and consultants who work for government agencies “have to assume that the terms of (their) agreement are public, and they should be public.”

Chief Deputy City Attorney Mara Elliot, who has a strong background in government law, said the city “did the right thing in releasing that information to the public.” Elliot said she has “no problem in releasing general information about rates and expenses” for outside attorneys and consultants.

Late Friday, a county spokesman provided limited information about Zischke’s work on the stadium project. The spokesman said Zischke has consulted for the county on other non-stadium legal issues, and that the county counsel’s office “engaged his services to assist with (the stadium) effort.” The spokesman confirmed that neither Board of Supervisors nor the city specifically approved using Zischke for the stadium negotiations, and no other environmental law experts were considered for the job. According to the county spokesman, Zischke’s consulting fees and expenses will be paid by both the city and the county, in keeping with the agreement between those two governments that splits the cost of outside experts on the stadium negotiations.

Also on Friday, the city released more information in response to the NBC 7 Investigates Public Records Act request. These documents show that at least six law firms submitted proposals to act as outside legal counsel for the stadium negotiations. Nixon Peabody, which has offices around the world, was the city’s choice.


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