A father whose arrest was caught on video and went viral online after he supposedly didn't pay a subway fare for his young daughter was actually taken into custody for not paying his fare in Philadelphia, SEPTA police said. But now the altercation between him and police is under scrutiny.

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority Police Chief Thomas Nestel said Ellis Smith skipped out on the $2.25 payment while entering the westbound tracks of SEPTA's Market-Frankford El at the Margaret-Orthodox station Thursday afternoon. A cashier notified police which dispatched an officer to investigate.

A video of the incident was posted to Facebook by the mother of another passenger claiming the 20-year-old father was being harassed for not paying the toddler's fare. Children under 4 ride for free.

The video showed a number of police grabbing Smith as he clutched his daughter, in her pink dress and with braids in her hair, near a subway platform wall. Outrage swiftly ensued as people demanded answers about the arrest.

The officer, a 16-year veteran whose name hasn't been released, spent more than five minutes asking Smith to provide ID and step off the train, surveillance video showed and Nestel said at a briefing Friday. At one point, the officer tried to physically pull the man from his seat, grabbed him by the neck and threw him into the train's wall while holding the girl, video showed.

"We don’t teach people to grab persons by the throat," Nestel said of the interaction.

Eventually, Smith was partially handcuffed and removed from the train. He apparently tried to swing at officers as they attempted to remove the girl from his arms, Nestel said. Another rider was handed the child and the man arrested.

"It was frustrating to watch," said Ahmad Najam, who recorded the video that went viral. He moved from the back of the train after hearing passengers complain about the scuffle.

"The guy was saying cite me right here. I’ve got things to do," Najam recalled. He said the father and officer were cursing back and forth at each other during the exchange. Some passengers offered to pay the fare for Smith to stop the argument, he said.

"That’s not acceptable. I think excessive force was used for a $2.25 fare," he said.

SEPTA police have led an aggressive campaign to crack down on fare evaders — issuing 5,100 citations last year. Nestel frequently tweets surveillance photos of evaders being issued citations. He credits the push with a 30 percent drop in violent crime on the transit system.

But Friday, Nestel said it appears top brass have been sending the rank-and-file too strong a message on the issue.

Asked why the he didn't walk away from the father seeing potential harm to the child, the officer told a supervisor he feared disciplinary action had he let Smith go.

"That’s a failure on my part," Nestel said.

A highly-visible and frank police leader, Nestel has made many changes since taking over the 270 officer force in 2012 including arresting panhandlers, piloting body cameras and starting a campaign asking parents not to teach their kids to be scared of police.

"I never want a child's safety jeopardized ... While a successful campaign to reduce crime worked for us, but it didn't work yesterday afternoon for a little child over a fare evasion," the chief said.

A handful of protesters lined up outside SEPTA headquarters along Market Street following the news conference. They demanded disciplinary action for the officers.

"It was no reason to put that child, that black baby, that precious black baby, in jeopardy at all, for a damn citation," Asa Khalif said. He called for the officer to be pulled from duty.

An internal affairs investigation is underway, as is standard procedure, Nestel said.

The child was returned to her mother as Smith was cited for the fare evasion as well as disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Once the dust settled, the officer and father did shake hands and the man said he acted inappropriately, according to Nestel.

Attempts to reach Smith have been unsuccessful and it's unclear if he's retained an attorney.

An $18.7 million water pipe replacement project will mean traffic delays along University Avenue starting next week.

The city of San Diego says 4.33 miles of water mains have reached the end of their service life under the street.

So beginning Monday, crews will close portions of University as they replace the old pipes, which run through University Avenue, North Park and Hillcrest. The construction should last through mid-July.

The city says Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., eastbound lanes of University Avenue, between Park Boulevard and Florida Street, will have intermittent lane closures.

On Alabama Street, traffic will merge down into a single lane.

Heading westbound on the same stretch, traffic control will start on Centre Street to get cars down to one lane, with intermittent lane closures.

Before major construction starts, the city will be inspecting and potholing University Avenue to verify the location of ground water and sewer mains.

City officials say you should drive carefully through the construction zone and follow detour and no parking signs. Allow for extra time if your commute goes through the area.

Click here for more on the project.

A truck fire sent heavy, dark smoke billowing into the sky in Ocean Beach Saturday morning.

The vehicle burst into flames just after 10:30 a.m. in the 2500 block of Bacon Street, near Sunset Cliffs in OB. The smoke was visible from Mission Beach, witnesses said.

Fire crews were able to knock it out quickly.

It is unclear, at this point, what caused the truck fire, or if there were any injuries. Check back for updates.
 

A San Diego Police Department officer was injured in a crash involving two other cars in Pacific Beach Friday night that ended with his squad car plowing into an electrical box.

The collision happened around 11:30 p.m. at Garnet Avenue and Mission Bay Boulevard. Authorities said the SDPD officer was driving through the busy intersection when his car was T-boned by a pick-up truck.

The officer’s car then slammed into an electrical box on the curb and the pick-up truck collided with another car.

When medics and other officers arrived on scene, the cop in the squad car was unconscious. He suffered a concussion and was taken to a local hospital, police said. He was treated overnight and was expected to be released Saturday.

The driver in the second car struck by the pick-up truck also sustained unspecified injuries and was transported to a local hospital.

The roads – including the southbound Interstate 5 off-ramp to Garnet Avenue – were blocked off to traffic for several hours while officials worked to collect evidence and clear the scene of the crash.

The collision is under investigation.
 

Two firefighters stabbed in a violent encounter Wednesday say despite the trauma, they are “damn proud” to work for San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) and look forward to returning to their jobs.

Benjamin Vernon, 37, was released from Scripps Mercy Hospital Friday after suffering two stab wounds and a collapsed lung. Standing beside him was his partner Alex Wallbrett, 32, who was also treated for stab wounds and released Thursday.

“While this was an extremely traumatic experience for the both of us, we’re both doing well and expect to make a full recovery,” Vernon said at a news conference.

“Thank you for your love and support,” he added. “I am damn proud to be a San Diego City firefighter.”

While the firefighters could not talk about specifics of the case, prosecutors say the men were attacked while answering a medical call in East Village Wednesday.

Suspect Ryan Allen Jones, 34, is accused of interfering with the scene and becoming enraged when officials pushed him away. Surveillance video allegedly shows Vernon backing away with his hands up as Jones pulls out a knife and stabs him. When Wallbrett rushed to his partner’s aid, he too was stabbed, according to prosecutors.

“The whole thing happened so quickly,” said Wallbrett. “When it was done, just disbelief. Still trying to put together some things that happened and make sure that it’s… I’m sorry, it’s hard to describe.”

After spending the night in the hospital, the firefighter said what he feels now is sore.

“It's incredible how many muscles you need to do the smallest things in your life and how much you take them for granted until you can’t move like you normally do,” Wallbrett said.

During the news conference, both expressed their deep gratitude to their fellow emergency responders, the hospital staff that healed them, and everyone who expressed their well wishes.

Vernon said he could not believe he was walking out of the hospital within 48 hours.

“The fire department is a big family,” he said, choking up. “You forget that sometimes until you get stabbed. Then everybody comes to your aid. I’ve had nonstop visitors for the last two days. People I haven’t seen in years have come to visit me, and that’s just an overwhelming response, and I think it helped me heal twice as fast.”

Now, Vernon and Wallbrett are looking toward the future – to the day they can again help others.

“I can't wait to get back to work,” said Vernon, “and I want to go back to Station 4 and I want to go back to helping the people of this city. I’m looking forward to that.”

Wallbrett echoed the sentiment, though it’s unclear how long it will take them to fully heal.

He explained that firefighters are trained to watch out for scene safety when they arrive and keep their guard up. If a situation seems dangerous, they call in police.

However, there was nothing in Wednesday’s call to indicate the danger awaiting them. It started as a normal incident, according to Wallbrett. When asked if the stabbing will change the way he approaches his job, he said not for him.

“We do this job because we love helping other people,” Wallbrett said. “We are always going to like helping other people, and regardless of a crazy incident like this, it's not going to stop us from going out and still helping people.”

SDFD Chief of Operations Steve Ricci reinforced that point, telling the crowd that this is not going to change what they do things.

He said with crews responding to nearly 120,000 calls a year – 85 percent of which are medical – he is “surprised this hasn’t happened before, with either guns or knives.It’s unfortunate it happened, but it’s important to know that these guys and gals are out there 24 hours a day on the street, doing this 120,000 times a year."

Scripps Mercy Dr. Seth Krosner said both firefighters should have no lasting physical effects from the violence.

But emotionally, the incident shook even his staff.

“In the field of trauma care, you work so closely with the medics bringing you patients that when one of them is injured, it is a little bit like a member of your own family or extended work circle being injured,” said Krosner.

Jones, the man accused of stabbing them, has pleaded not guilty to charges against him. He faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted.
 

Family members and friends marched Saturday night in support of a man who remains in a medically induced coma after being shot by Los Angeles Police Department officers in Los Feliz.

Relatives of Walter DeLeon handed out gray towels similar to the one they say the 48-year-old father often carried on his walks through the neighborhood.

Police say DeLeon's hands were covered with a cloth during a confrontation June 19, leading officers to believe he was pointing a gun at them. After the shooting, police learned that the DeLeon was unarmed.

The march Saturday night ended at Griffith Park, where they prayed for DeLeon, who remains in critical condition.

"Justice not just for us, but for whoever goes through this. It's not justifiable to what they've done to a family member," said DeLeon's niece, Zulema Pivarel.

The family disputes the LAPD's claim that DeLeon may have been trying to provoke officers to shoot him. LAPD officials said DeLeon approached officers in a squad car in an aggressive manner. When DeLeon allegedly refused to comply with their orders, officers shot him four times, officials said.

"It honestly angered me and my sister and my whole family because we know him and he wouldn't do such a thing," said the man's son, William DeLeon.

Victor Flores flew to Los Angeles from Texas when he heard what happened to his best friend.

"I know they're out there to protect and to serve, but when an officer does what he did, we don't feel safe anymore, we can't approach a police officer anymore," Flores said.

The officer who shot DeLeon was identified by the LAPD as nine-year law enforcement veteran Cairo Palacios.

LAPD officials say witnesses have corroborated the officers' account that DeLeon was acting aggressively.

The shooting remains under investigation.

San Diego Comic-Con International 2015 is happening in less than two weeks and organizers have just released the programming schedule for the final day of the pop culture spectacular.

Per usual, Comic-Con Sunday – landing on July 12 this year – is filled with a long list of events to wrap up the event at the San Diego Convention Center. 

NBC’s highly anticipated reboot of “Heroes Reborn” will host an exclusive extended trailer screening and Q&A at 1:45 p.m. in Hall H. Show writer Tim King and cast members such as Zachary Levi Robbie Kay, Kiki Sukezane, Ryan Guzman and Gatlin Green, in addition to others, will join the panel to discuss the upcoming season of the show.

The infamous Hall H will be packed throughout the day with back-to-back programming to wrap up Comic-Con. For those looking to marathon the day in Hall H, start your morning with “The Vampire Diaries: Special Video Presentation and Q&A” at 10 a.m. The cast and creative team behind the show will pack the hall and answer fans’ questions.

Fans of Supernatural will love Hall H’s 11:15 a.m. presentation, “Supernatural Special Video presentation and Q&A.” Stars Jared Padalecki ("Friday the 13th"), Jensen Ackles (“My Bloody Valentine 3D"), Misha Collins ("Ringer") and Mark A. Sheppard ("Battlestar Galactica") will join executive producer Jeremy Carver to discuss the upcoming season.

The stars of Ryan Murphy’s “American Horror Story” and “Scream Queens” will come together at 12:30 p.m. in Hall H for “American Horror Story and Scream Queens.” Stars Emma Roberts, Lea Michele ("Glee"), Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett and more will join Entertainment Weekly’s Tim Stack to reveal set secrets and scares.

The “FX TV Block Featuring Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll, The Strain, and a Sneak Peak of The Bastard Executioner” will host a panel at 3 p.m. with the shows’ executive producers and stars, including Kevin Durand and Elizabeth Gillies.

Indulge in a unique blend of comics and cake at “Fangirl Foods” at 10 a.m. with Food Network Chef Duff Goldman in Room 14A.

Go behind the scenes of the modern-day superheroes taking over pop culture today with the people behind the character. James Dashner (Maze Runner), Marie Lu (The Young Elites), Robert Venditti (Miles Taylor and the Golden Cape 1: Attack of the Alien Horde) and more talks about the complexities behind creating a superhero narrative.

Celebrate the 65th anniversary of Peanuts with graphic designer Chip Kidd and Paige Braddock and catch a glimpse of never-before-seen highlights from the archives.

Pay tribute to the King of the Comics with the annual Jack Kirby Tribute Panel at 10 a.m. in Room 5AB.

Join the discussion about women in comics at “Marvel: Women of Marvel” forum in Room 5AB at 11:15 a.m. with development director Sana Amanat and producer Judy Stephens in addition to other Mighty Marvel guests.

Attend Marvel’s “Spider-man & His Amazing Friends” panel at 12:30 p.m. in Room 6DE to learn about the present and future Spider-Man titles.

At 1:00 p.m., watch the World premiere of “Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem” and stick around for a Q&A panel with the creator and stars of the movie.

Come back for another year of the “Starship Smackdown,” a scholarly debate about all things “Battlestar Galactica” and “Starship Enterprise,” answering questions like, what would happen if Neil De Grasse Tyson’s Starship of the Imagination came face-to-face with Carl Sagan’ Starship of the Imagination? Join in on the fun and watch a panel of stars, including Jose Molina ("Firefly"), Ashley E. Miller ("X-Men: First Class", ''Thor") and Kay Reindl ("Scream") battle it out at 2:15 p.m. in Room 6A. 

Close the festivities with the 20th anniversary pro/fan trivia showdown event at 4 p.m. in Room 4, where Len Wein (creator of "Wolverine"), Mark Waid (''Daredevil''), Anthony Tollin (Sanctum Bookspublisher), and the Black Ink Irregulars as they answer tricky questions.

Of course, these are just some highlights from Sunday's programming schedule. For the full list, click here.

Since Sunday is the final day of the 4-day convention, it is important to get there early and plan accordingly.

For details on what to expect at Comic-Con on Wednesday through Friday, click here. For details on what to expect Saturday, click here.

Multiple people are dead after a plane crashed into a house Sunday in Plainville, Massachusetts.

The Beechcraft BE36, which took off from Lancaster Airport in Pennsylvania, went down on Bridle Path around 5:45 p.m.

Somehow, the family of four inside the house was able to escape safely.

Investigators say everyone on board the plane was killed. Massachusetts State Police say two adults and a child were killed. However, the office of Massachusetts Fire Marshal Stephen Coan was not ready to confirm that number. Fire officials believe at least three people died in the crash.

Firefighters could be seen pulling out a pet cat from the burning home, later turning it over to the homeowner.

The roof of the house was gone, with part of the plane remaining near the driveway Sunday night.

"I have to say that while we suffered great tragedy here today, with the death of the occupants of this plane, the miracle today is that four occupants of that home that was severely damaged by fire - a very rapidly spreading fire - were able to safely escape," said Coan. "They lost a lot of personal possessions, but they're all safe tonight."

The cause of the crash is still unknown. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

If you lost something at the San Diego County Fair, remember: there is hope!

More than one million people have passed through the fair’s grounds in the past month, and more than a few have probably lost their items along the way.

If you have lost something, call the Fair’s Guest Services Department at (858) 794-1124. If you are calling when the office is closed, leave a detailed message about what you lost and a description.

Fair officials have collected 26 cell phones, 52 pairs of glasses, 36 pieces of jewelry, 68 credits cards, 75 clothing items, 22 wallets, 33 sets of keys, 58 miscellaneous items, one large walker with wheels and one Indian-head sculpture.

Unclaimed items are kept until September 15. After that, they are donated to charity.

The San Diego County Fair has been running since the start of June and will run through Sunday, July 5.

A stolen truck was recovered and a man was arrested after an OnStar system disabled the vehicle during a carjacking east of Los Angeles Saturday night, authorities said.

The man was arrested on suspicion of carjacking after he allegedly pulled a 74-year-old out of his Chevy Silverado, knocked the man to the ground and stomped on his head near the 500 block of West Arrow Highway in San Dimas. The man fought back, but the suspect drove off in the truck.

OnStar was activated in the truck and deputies followed it onto the southbound 57 Freeway for an eight-minute pursuit, durign which the driver reach speeds around 90 mph. OnStar disabled the vehicle, slowing it down to 5 mph.

The system can use GPS to pinpoint a vehicle when it is reported stolen. An OnStar adviser can then send a signal that slows the vehicle and prevents it from restarting.

Deputies said the thief exited the disabled truck on his own, complied with orders and was taken into custody.

The 74-year-old man was taken to a hospital to be treated for minor injuries. No one was injured in the pursuit and no collisions occurred.

A rocket exploded shortly after launching Sunday morning in Cape Canaveral, failing to deliver its cargo -- including the experiment of a group of Southern California high school students -- to the International Space Station.

Students from Damien High School in La Verne designed an experiment to send to the International Space Station with the SpaceX Falcon rocket, which was carrying 23 other student experiments and supplies for astronauts at the station.

"It is a huge bummer for them... but at the same time being a part of this experience has been exciting for them," said Charity Trojanowski, the co-director of the Students Spaceflight Experiments Program at Damien High School.

The students who designed the experiment, Garrett Souza, David Washington, Ashwin Balaji, Richard Conti and Aaditya Patel, worked for nearly a year on the experiment. The team flew to Cape Canaveral to watch the rocket launch.

The experiment was to investigate tardigrades in a microgravity environment. Tardigrades, water-dwelling, segmented micro-animals, can survive in harsh environments by stopping all metabolic processes.

By studying the viability of tardigrades after microgravity exposure, researchers could learn more about the origins of the tardigrades and advance human space travel. Trojanowski said they will take next opportunity the team has to send the experiment to space.

"Being part of the space program, we have to be able to jump to these challenges," Trojanowski said. "We're just going to try to prepare ourselves the best we can. The next opportunity we can, we will go forward."

Ashwin Balaji, a recent Damien graduate and a co-principal investigator for the experiment, said although the failed spaceflight was initially discouraging, the team is still hopeful for when their experiment will go to space.

"I believe that whenever the experiment goes up and comes back down, we'll be collecting data and really just drawing conclusions from that data and finishing this experiment and letting it run its course," Balaji said.

The experiment was part of the Student Spaceflights Experiments Program. In November, three research projects from the school were chosen as finalists, and a national selection committee chose to send the tardigrade experiment to space.

The students will leave Cape Canaveral for a conference at the Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. and return to California July 5.

The people of Dannemora, New York, celebrated the capture of escaped prison inmate David Sweat  Sunday night, with an impromptu rally on the street outside the prison from which Sweat and another convicted murderer, Richard Matt, escaped 23 days ago.

"It's been scary," said Rick St. Louis, who joined the celebration. "People couldn't let their kids out and play in the yard."

Northern New York had been holding its breath for more than three weeks after the killers tricked, drilled, and burrowed their way out of the maximum security prison. A Customs and Border Protection tactical team shot and killed Matt Friday in Malone during a confrontation. He was armed with a shotgun, police said.

Sweat eluded capture for two additional days. He was shot and taken into custody alive in Constable, New York Sunday afternoon.

Jessica LeClair of Dannemora said her community coming together was something of a collective sigh of relief.

"It's just good to be out here and supporting [corrections officers and other members of law enforcement] and saying 'thank you,'" LeClair said.

With signs, bells, flags, and cheers, the several hundred people gathered in Dannemora expressed gratitude to state troopers, sheriff's deputies, the correctional center's emergency response team, forest rangers, and many others who kept the area safe and worked such long hours during the manhunt.

"This is the least we can do to support them," said Ryan Poe, 9, of Dannemora.

"They have put their lives at risk for us," added Katie Holland, another participant in the celebration. "Can't thank them enough; can't thank them enough."

In the end, the escapees claimed no new victims. They did, however, inspire in this community fresh appreciation for the men and women who step up during emergencies.

Several people in Dannemora Sunday night told necn they were glad David Sweat was taken alive. They said they hope he provides clues to corrections officials to prevent something like this from happening again.

An explosive device team cleared the scene of a reported suspicious device at a Midway fire station, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department said. 

The incident happened at 9:55 a.m. at a fire station on the 3300 block of Kemper Street at Sports Arena.

San Diego Fire-Rescue officials told NBC 7 they are still trying to piece together what happened but said they did clear the scene.  

No further details were available. 

San Diego’s sport fishing industry has been predicting 2015 will be a fantastic year. We’re looking at an El Nino, which means warmer waters for longer periods. Warmer water means more sport fish.

Local angler Chuck Levine is proving that prediction might just be true.

Levine took off from Mission Beach early Saturday morning. The idea was to head slightly northwest to the 9-mile Bank, which is fittingly nine miles off the San Diego coast.

“I didn’t make it as far as I wanted because of the headwinds,” said Levine on Sunday afternoon. “So I decided, as I was working my way out, I’d drag a couple of sardines out there.”

About 9:30 in the morning, just seven miles off shore, Chuck heard that wonderful sound of Spectra line screaming off a reel. After a nice fight, Levine had himself a 30-pound Bluefin tuna.

“I knew they were close,” said Levine. “I knew if I was ever going to get (a Bluefin) on a kayak this would be the time.”

Getting a Bluefin that close to shore is a rare thing. Getting one this time of year, when the water is typically too cold for the species to be up this high, makes it even more amazing (and thrills the sport boats).

Levine grew up in Colorado fishing trout and has been kayak fishing in the Pacific Ocean since 2002. This was the trip of a lifetime.

“No question” said Levine. “One, it was my birthday, so that’s crazy as it is. But two, I’ve caught some really big fish out of La Jolla here. I’ve got a 52-pound yellow(tail), I’ve caught a 68-pound white sea bass, but by far I think everybody’s bucket list is that Bluefin. That is the apex fish of the sea, right?”

The now-46-year-old actually had a chance at a couple more Bluefin but made the fatal error of many anglers; he got greedy. With one already on the line, it was decision time.

“That was my thought; I have one on the boat, I’ve got one I’m getting ready to gaff and then the reel went off with one I thought was bigger so I went with the bigger one and lost them both.”

And what does he plan to do with his prized catch? Break out the cookbooks.

 “We’re going to do a little of everything. We’ve already done some of the sashimi, of course, and we’ll fire up the grill again tonight.”

Levine has also caught a couple of thresher sharks on his kayak, but if there’s anything that might be a bigger thrill than landing the Bluefin it might be bagging a marlin, and that is certainly on Levine’s radar.

“Well, of course! The marlin haven’t showed up yet but where there’s Bluefin the water’s right for sails. Whatever I hear is around and available I’m going to target it.”

And he’ll probably land it.

Three people are recovering after a San Diego Sheriff’s deputy crashed into a van carrying a family of five, San Diego Sheriff’s Department officials said.

The incident happened just before 2 a.m. on the West San Marcos Boulevard off-ramp from State Route 78 when officials said the deputy was responding to a call of a fight.

The family’s van was stopped at a westbound light when the deputy somehow lost control of his car and came crashing into the van carrying the family of five, including young children, Sheriff's officials told NBC 7.

One child was taken to the hospital with minor injuries and the deputy and a youth explorer on a ride along were also taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

The intersection was closed for four hours as officials worked to clean up the damage.

Later that morning, officials confirmed the three injured had been released. 

The incident is under investigation. 

One person has died and a suspect is in custody after an early morning stabbing in Downtown San Diego as officials work to gather clues at the scene of the crime. 

The stabbing happened around 3:16 a.m. Sunday on the 400 block of Broadway in Downtown San Diego and a short time later, homicide detectives came out to investigate.

Police said they responded to a radio call of a 43-year-old victim who had been stabbed and found the man on the sidewalk, suffering from stab wounds to his upper torso. 

Officers tried to render aid to the victim. He was taken to the local hospital and he was pronounced dead later. 

A preliminary investigation revealed the victim had been in a verbal altercation with another man when he was stabbed. 

Police said they took 64-year-old Santiago Gonzalez Abraham Jr. of San Diego into custody at the scene as a suspect. He has been booked into San Diego County Jail for murder and will be arrainged Wednesday July 1. 

As investigators work, the block of Broadway between 4th and 5th Avenue will be closed. 

Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to call the San Diego Police Department’s Homicide Unit at 619-531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

A Otay Mesa man who says he was scammed out of thousands of dollars he was saving for his daughter spoke exclusively to NBC7 about the loss of his savings.

A woman named Guiliana Huerta allegedly scammed resident Melvin Fredrick of more than $40,000, Fredrick told NBC7.

On Thursday, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said suspect Guiliana Huerta was facing multiple charges for stealing more than half a million dollars from her victims. Fredrick said he was one of her victims.

Fredrick said he asked Huerta to help him set up an LLC for his growing bakery and a trust fund for his daughter.

“I thought that she was a legit lawyer who was working on my cases and she wasn't she was just taking my money and I have nothing to show for it,” said Huerta.

Fredrick, who asked us not to show his face because he is an active duty law enforcement officer, said Huerta conned him out of tens of thousands of dollars by posing as his lawyer.

The lawyer representing Huerta notes the mother of Fredrick’s daughter is married to Huerta, complicating the case.

“Those allegations have to be taken with a grain of salt given the inter-family connection and his basically having to provide that money to Mrs. Huerta for child support in any event,” said Gretchen von Helms, a criminal defense attorney.

Huerta is a paralegal, but not an attorney.

The DA’s office said she goes by another name as well: Julie Saska Feinberg. Feinberg has been convicted of grand theft, identity theft and burglary in the past.

Fredrick is her most recent victim, he said.

“She gets you she plays on your heart and she comes across genuine with an ill intent which is disheartening,” he said.

Huerta will appear in court on July 8th. If convicted of the charges she is facing, she could spend ten years in prison.

A bicyclist struck by a car early Monday traveled through a red light moments before the crash, officials said.

The incident happened at Fairmount and Home avenues, east of Interstate 805 and north of State Route 94.

At around 12:15 a.m. the bicyclist went through a red light and was hit by the driver of a white sedan, according to San Diego Police.

The sedan’s windshield was shattered when the cyclist’s head hit the glass.

San Diego Fire-Rescue officials say the cyclist was transported to UCSD in Hillcrest in critical condition.

A police officer who went to the hospital with the victim said he has minor injuries to his head and no broken bones.

The driver stayed at the scene and was not cited, officials said.
 

The pilot of a small plane that plunged into a Plainville, Massachusetts, home Sunday, reported engine problems before the fatal crash, newly released audio communications show. 

"We got real bad vibrations. We are losing engines," the pilot said to an air traffic control tower before requesting to make an emergency landing at the nearest airport.

The audio transmission released Monday details the final moments before the Beechcraft BE36, headed to Norwood Memorial Airport from Lancaster Airport in Pennsylvania, went down around 5:45 p.m., killing three people on board.

The control tower is heard suggesting two airports and a field where the pilot can make an emergency landing. Unfamiliar with the area and quickly loosing altitude, the pilot is then directed to land the plane on interstate 495.

"We have no engine. We're IMC. I need help," the pilot appeals.

Massachusetts State Police say two adults and a child were on board the plane that crashed into the two-story colonial on Bridle Path. The victims have been identified as Dr. Joseph Rick Kalister, his wife Betty, and their daughter, according to the director of Starr Regional Hospital Business Development.

"The interstate is the best thing I have at the moment," the air traffic controller said.

As the plane is guided to the highway, the pilot stops responding to calls from the tower before the aircraft disappears from the radar.

Homeowner Aaron Rice said his wife and two sons were on the second floor of the house when the aircraft plummeted through the roof.

"We heard a loud bang. As some of our neighbors have said, we live close to a quarry, so you're use to explosions here and the house shaking," Rice told reporters outside the wreckage of his home. "But when I saw the fireball go down in the back of the house, we realized it was a little more serious than that."

Officials with the National Transportation Safety Board are on the scene investigating the cause of the crash. The transmission will be a key piece of evidence.

"I have to say that while we suffered great tragedy here today, with the death of the occupants of this plane, the miracle today is that four occupants of that home that was severely damaged by fire - a very rapidly spreading fire - were able to safely escape," Massachusetts Fire Marshal Stephen Coan said. "They lost a lot of personal possessions, but they're all safe tonight."