A fire burning in a riverbed was  threatening structures in Deer Springs Wednesday night, Cal Fire says.

Voluntary evacuations were ordered in the 29000 block of Platanus Drive, sheriff's officials say, Circle R Drive was closed down to West Lilac Road.

The flames were reported at 8:10 p.m. near Platanus and Gracilior drives in unincorporated Escondido, marching up the riverbed's embankment and toward 50 homes.

Cal Fire officials said they've stopped the blaze's spread at about 10 acres, though it had the potential to be much worse with the thick brush and steep terrain in the area. 

David Glanzer is Comic-Con International’s Director of Marketing and Public Relations and a man who spends 365 days a year thinking about San Diego’s largest annual convention… now celebrating its 46th year.

Then (1970) vs. Now (2016): here are Glanzer’s top 5 changes over the last 4 ½ decades to Comic-Con.

A bi-partisan political commission sent a warning letter to San Diego County Supervisor Dave Roberts for a delay in reporting a $5,000 contribution from the United Domestic Workers of America.

According to the warning letter, the California FPPC Enforcement Division found Roberts requested a payment from the UDWA to the District 3 Special Events Fund. The employee union agreed to make the payment on June 25 and the money was to be used for the State of the County address, the letter details.

The Political Reform Act requires the payment to be reported within 30 days, according to the letter.

Jay Wierenga of the FPPC told NBC 7 Investigates the source of the information that led to the warning letter was provided by the office of the supervisor. Roberts’ Chief of Staff Mel Millstein called the Commission on June 4 to ask about how to file the payment. FPPC received the needed information in an email on June 8.

“Although this filing was not made within 30 days of the actual date of the payment, we determined that further enforcement action for the late filing of this report was not warranted since there was little public harm and you self-reported this violation,” investigators wrote in the letter.

The California FPPC aids agencies and public officials with record keeping. It was created by the Political Reform Act of 1974. It also investigates alleged violations of the Act.

Click here to read the full letter from the Commission.

In an email, Gary Gartner, a spokesperson for Roberts, said, “It was an unintentional simple error that one of two required forms was not filed by Roberts’ office reporting the contribution.”

Read the full statement from Gartner below.

In recent months, three former Roberts’ staffers have filed claims against San Diego County.

One staffer alleges Roberts misused county funds by double dipping in a county car allowance while having a staffer drive him in a county car, as well as using county funds to buy 10,000 “Dave Roberts baseball cards.”

In a separate claim filed against the county, Roberts’ former Chief of Staff Glynnis Vaughan alleges the supervisor’s office attempted to pay for a consultant through nefarious means.

In a previous interview with NBC 7 Investigates, Roberts said he feels betrayed by the staffers who have turned against him.

Full statement from Gartner:

"It was an unintentional simple error that one of two required forms was not filed by Roberts’ office reporting the contribution. Supervisor Roberts' former chief of staff filed a disclosure form reporting the contribution and receipt of a check with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors on July 16, 2014. However, he didn't file an additional Form 803 with the same information to the Clerk at the same time. It was an honest mistake. As soon as the error was brought to Roberts' attention by the County Counsel, the contribution was self reported immediately to the Fair Political Practices Commission."

The President and CEO of a local charity who was recently arrested after avoiding police for nearly a decade may receive time served for violating her probation, according to a county court clerk.

As of Wednesday, Brianna King, who managed the nonprofit WishWarriors, is still in custody in Orange County.

WishWarriors was the subject of a recent NBC 7 Investigates story this week after a Rancho Penasquitos family raised concerns about the nonprofit.

While King was running the charity, she had two active arrest warrants. In Riverside County, King was charged in 2005 with a misdemeanor for writing bad checks to two stores. King never appeared in court. Two years later, in Orange County, King pleaded guilty to felony charges for burglary and writing bad checks.

After NBC 7 Investigates asked questions about those warrants, law enforcement arrested King in Lake Arrowhead in connection with the Orange County felony charges.

In court Wednesday, King admitted she violated her probation terms. According to an Orange County court clerk, King was sentenced to 16 months in jail for the violations while other charges against her were dropped. Since King served time in jail previously for the charges at the time the crimes were committed, the court is considering letting her out of jail based on time served, the court clerk told NBC 7 Investigates.

In NBC 7 Investigates' piece on the charity WishWarriors, the local family said the nonprofit took advantage of their situation as they tried to save their 13-year-old daughter's life.

Within a week of Kasey Harvey’s Rhabdomyosarcoma cancer diagnosis late last year, her parents got a letter from one of Kasey’s schoolmates. In the letter, the girl writes her father is Robert Bjork and he works for WishWarriors. According to the letter, WishWarriors “helps raise money for families of children with cancer.”

The Harveys said instead of receiving any support, they feel their daughter was treated like a marketing tool.

The Harveys were heavily involved in a WishWarriors-hosted golf tournament at Maderas Gold Club last April. NBC 7 Investigates confirmed the fundraiser was attended by San Diego Chargers players and received thousands of dollars in donations from other participants.

At last check, none of that money has been distributed to any families. WishWarriors said in June it would release information about the money raised. That information has not been provided.

An attorney for the charity wrote in a statement the organization is "new and small" and doesn't have the resources "to handle administrative duties full-time."

Since forming in April 2014, WishWarriors has highlighted several local families with sick children and, to date, none of them have received any money.

“You shouldn’t have to go through that when you’re also trying to save your daughter’s life,” said Rodney Harvey, Kasey’s father.

A San Diego Police Officer's gun discharged during a foot pursuit in North Park over the holiday weekend, according to the man who says he was the target.

Kenneth Hamilton stopped to photograph some graffiti on University Avenue Saturday, July 4. An admirer of street art, he photographs it just about everywhere he goes.

“It was something that caught my eye,” he explained in an exclusive interview. “I just wanted to take a picture of it.”

Still Hamilton and his friends were reported as vandals and San Diego Police responded.

Instead of explaining to the officer what he was doing, Hamilton said he decided to run.

“I wanted to avoid the situation at all cost, no particular reason,” Hamilton said.

The foot chase went down several side streets and near the corner of Herman and University Avenues, Hamilton said he made a motion to surrender.

“I get my hands about half way up to my chest. I just hear and see the pop and see the muzzle flash,” he said.

When NBC 7 contacted San Diego Police to inquire if there was an investigation launched into an officer-involved shooting, Lt. Scott Wahl issued the following statement Tuesday night:

“We are investigating an incident where an officer accidentally discharged a firearm during the early morning hours of Saturday July 4th. The incident occurred at the end of a lengthy foot pursuit. Preliminary information indicates the officer was not trying to shoot at the suspect. We take this matter very seriously. An investigation is being conducted in accordance with Department Policies and Procedures. At the conclusion of the investigation, appropriate action will be determined based on the findings.”

Accident or not, Hamilton said the gun was pointed in his direction, not at the ground or elsewhere.

“It's just not right for an unarmed person to get fired upon with a lethal weapon, even if it was an accident he could have shot me in my face,” Hamilton told NBC 7.

Hamilton was arrested and charged with misdemeanor counts of evading police and vandalism. He is scheduled for his first court appearance on August 18.

Construction has begun on Mid-City’s first-ever freeway-level transit station, a $65 million project that officials say will improve travel in the area.

SANDAG, MTS and Caltrans officials joined community officials to break ground on the public transit project, set to build two new stations at University Avenue and El Cajon Boulevard along State Route 15 to serve four bus lines.

There will be next bus signage, customized bus shelters, site lighting, handrails, stairs, elevators and elevated walkways in and around the new stations.

A concrete barrier and sound walls will separate traffic at both stations, Caltrans said.

The Rapid transit services stop at El Cajon at the moment, but this new line will extend service and will later connect to the future South Bay Rapid service, which will travel to Sorrento Valley.

Once construction I complete, rapid transit services will run on the north and southbound transit-only lanes on the freeway median.

The funds for the project come from the Federal Transit Administration and Transnet, SANDAG’s 50 cent sales tax for transportation.

Later in 2015, Caltrans will begin construction on a bikeway along the SR 15 corridor.

A Sig alert has been issued for a section of Mission Valley near Hotel Circle after Comic-Con related traffic slows cars.

The traffic started around 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, after San Diego Police asked for the alert to warn drivers about traffic near Fashion Valley and Hotel Circle North.

Comic-Con badge pick-up is at Town & County Inn Wednesday, according to Comic-Con's website. Wednesday is the only day badge pick-up is in Mission Valley. 

Officials said the traffic is expected to get worse leading up to 8 p.m.

For the remainder of the convention, badge pick-up will be located at the Convention Center.

New DNA evidence shows that remains found in San Bernardino County are that of a National City woman who disappeared 23 years ago.

Jovita Collazo disappeared in 1992 when she was 38 years old. She left behind a young daughter, who is now 35 years old.

More than two decades later, her former boyfriend, Michael Richardson, pleaded guilty to her murder, though her body was never found.

Richardson, while he admitted guilty, did not disclose how she was killed or where her body was buried.

National City police said Wednesday that San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies positively identified remains found near Apple Valley as Collazo.

They were able to make the identification because National City police Sgt. David Bavencoff asked family members of Collazo for DNA samples in hopes of finding a match.

Investigators said they were unable to determine how she died based on the skeletal remains.

“You did the best you could by actually getting a conviction,” National City police Sgt. David Bavencoff said. “Which is pretty significant to begin with.”

Bavencoff said he was shocked to see some type of resolution in the case.

“We all just assumed he’s going to go to his grave with what he’d done with her and where he put her,” he said.

Richardson, also convicted of two other murders – his wife and her mother – was sentenced to six consecutive life terms without parole.

Comic-Con International got underway Wednesday with the annual preview evening ahead of four full days of events and happenings at and around San Diego's Convention Center.

Anticipation and excitement were the order of the night as die-hard fans and merchandise hunters jostled with wide-eyed first-timers and seasoned attendees.

The big takeaways: "Star Wars" is the early standout franchise, exclusive merchandise is a must, there's a growing awareness and interest in LGBT content and panels, and the only grumblings heard were about the thronging crowds on what has traditionally been a more low-key start to the annual pop culture and comic book hype-fest.

Costumed crusaders were scarce (garbed attendees will be omnipresent Saturday, the busiest day of the convention) as serious shoppers eager to snap up limited edition merchandise exclusive to Comic-Con swarmed exhibitor stands.

Already a major draw on the convention floor is a life-size Stormtrooper created entirely of LEGO blocks – perfect for selfies (but remember, no selfie sticks allowed this year!), and a miniature collectible version of the revamped black-and-white soldier from the upcoming "Star Wars" movie sequel, "The Force Awakens."

A friendly employee at the Hasbro stall (the toy maker produces the limited edition Stormtrooper figurine released exclusively at the con) explained that purchasing for the evening was now closed, and he expected a long line in advance of the 7 a.m. ticketing number handout the following morning for those wishing to ensure they did not miss out on the sought-after toy on the first full day of the convention. If you question the seriousness of said shoppers, note the convention floor is not open until 9 a.m.

Jackie Nguyen, a first-time attendee from Los Angeles was waiting patiently 20-deep at the Peanuts booth alongside a friend who was eager to nab one the convention-exclusive Snoopy T-shirts produced annually. "It's something else!" was Nguyen's take on the event. "I'm really overwhelmed," she said before proudly displaying a set of con-exclusive "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" key chains she purchased.

Jimmy Jay, founder of Jay Company Comics based in San Diego and a regular booth holder since 1996, said Wednesday he expects the majority of sales at this year's convention will be "fans picking up comics based on the movies and TV shows that they love." Jay says sales overall have been up in the last year and he has witnessed an increasing interest in "Star Wars"-related titles.

"'Star Wars' has been a great shot in the arm and brings in a lot of new fans," he explained amidst shoppers flipping through boxes of comic books. "People that dug the old-school movies just like I did are now picking up the comics, because the comics are bridging the gap between the original trilogy and what's to come later this year."

Jay is referring to "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" – a movie sequel to "Return of the Jedi" featuring the original characters and actors from the first three films of the franchise. It won't hit the big screen until December but a panel Friday featuring J.J. Abrams, the film's director, and "surprise guests" is one of the hottest happenings on a packed convention schedule. (Even Comic-Con International Director of Marketing and Public Relations, David Glanzer, listed the panel in his top three events not to miss.)

Just as optimistic for a successful convention is Ted Abenheim, President of Prism Comics – a volunteer LGBT organization dedicated to supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender graphic novelists, artists and readers.

Prism first set up a stall at Comic-Con International in 2003, which Abenheim describes as a time when LGBT comics, creators and fans "were kind of marginalized." Now, he says, it's changed a lot. Abenheim notes there are at least six LGBT panels on the schedule this year, a major change from previous years where only one or two would exist. 

"There is so much more awareness out there now," Abenheim says. "It's going to be a great convention this year."

California State Parks has shut off the water in public showers at state beaches in an attempt to conserve water during the statewide drought.

Officials say the change should save up to 18 million gallons of water annually across the state in the middle of a four-year dry spell.

The restrictions apply only to outdoor showers and rinse stations, not to indoor campground showers.

The San Diego County beaches affected are: Carlsbad State Beach, Cardiff State Beach, San Elijo State Beach, San Onofre State Beach, Silver Strand State Beach, South Carlsbad State Beach and Torrey Pines State Beach.

Officials suggest using a towel to brush away sand after a beach excursion or bringing water from home in a reusable jug.
 

Eleven surgeries in her 11 years of life haven't slowed down Brittany Apgar or her impressive pitching skills.

Apgar was born without her right hand. The seventh grader from Greensboro, North Carolina, is a ballplayer in Greensboro’s Parks and Recreation “Bronco Divison,” NBC affiliate KSNV reported.

"When I first get on the field, I can feel everybody watching me. It gives me like a nervous [feeling], and then once I start throwing, they'll start realizing that I'm here to just play. Not play around," Apgar said.

She has been playing the game since age 2 and looks up to retired star pitcher Jim Abbott as her hero. Abbott was also born without a right hand, and Apgar hopes to meet him one day.

She also goes to bat using a special prosthesis, but her real love is pitching. Apgar hopes to play ball alongside the boys through high school.

"It was a goal to get people to accept me for who I am and to know that they won't take me for anybody different," she said.

Apgar's doctors hope the next few operations will give her joints in her right hand so that one day she will be able to move her fingers.

A 17-year-old Connecticut teen is missing after being driven to John F. Kennedy Airport so she could fly to Morocco to meet a Facebook boyfriend, authorities say.

Rebecca Arthur, 17, was last seen being dropped off at the Delta Airlines terminal at the airport on Monday, authorities said. She flew to Casablanca, Morocco, and arrived there Tuesday. It's not clear who drove her to the airport.

Police say Arthur flew to Morocco to meet a Facebook friend named Simo El Adala. A Facebook profile for El Adala features photos of Arthur and lists her as in a relationship with the girl. El Adala's profile states that he lives in Uruguay.

Arthur's parents didn't know about their daughter's plans, police say.

Arthur is about 5 feet tall and has blue eyes and blonde hair with red highlights. She was about 150 pounds and was last seen wearing black yoga pants, a black sleeveless shirt and pink and blue and white Nike sneakers. She had a red suitcase when she was last seen, authorities said.

Anyone who has been contact with Arthur or El Adala or knows anything about either them or their plans is asked to call police immediately and speak to officer Santiago or Sgt. Flynn at 860-669-0451. 

San Diego County Sheriff's Deputies arrested two teenagers, accused of using a homemade Molotov cocktail that sparked a fire and caused evacuations late Wednesday.

The fire burned in a riverbed in Deer Springs, a community located northwest of Valley Center and east of Interstate 15. 

Flames were reported at 8:10 p.m. near Platanus and Gracilior drives in unincorporated Escondido, marching up the riverbed's embankment and toward 50 to 60 homes.

The teenagers, ages 14 and 13, told deputies they were at a friend's house making a Molotov cocktail with an empty beer bottle and a paper towel for a wick.

The teens lighted the device and threw it against a boulder on a hillside with a lot of dry brush.

When the fire started, the teens told deputies they put out the flames but as they walked away, the fire reignited.

The minors then panicked and ran back to their friends' home, investigators said.

The flames spread quickly up the hillside towards Ridgeway Creek Road, scorching about 15 acres and getting dangerously close to dozens of homes.

Voluntary evacuations were issued by deptuies for those residents living along Platanus Drive. Circle R Drive was closed down to West Lilac Road.

Cal Fire crews stopped the blaze's spread at about 15 acres as of Wednesday night. Officials say the fire had the potential to be much worse with the thick brush and steep terrain in the area.

As 2015 San Diego Comic-Con International (SDCC) moves into full swing, the streets of downtown San Diego are flooded with jumbo-sized tote bags advertising popular comics, movies and TV shows – a sure sign of the pop culture convention.

The coveted bags are given to each Comic-Con badge holder and contain a program guide and other important reading materials. As the convention unfolds, fans fill their bags to the brim with free giveaways and goodies purchased in the exhibition halls.

Fans proudly brandish these tote bags as they strut into their favorite celebrity panels.

This year, SDCC released 13 official designs for the tote bags. The designs are given at random to attendees when they first arrive.

Attention is often focused on the intricate costumes worn by fans of “The Con,” but these bags are a key piece of the overall Comic-Con experience.

According to fans, some bags are more popular than others and an unofficial bartering system has started between fans with different bags.

As she piled boxes of figurines into her jumbo tote bag emblazoned with the Marvel logo, Comic-Con patron Annie Pallant said the most popular bags this year are “Supernatural,” “Arrow,” “The Flash” and “Batman v. Superman. “

“Mainly fans sell them to each other here, but there are also auctions on eBay,” Pallant told NBC 7.
Another Comic-Con attendee, Silverio DiGiovanni, confirmed this by explaining that older bags are sold online as expensive collector’s items.

DiGiovanni has been attending Comic-Con since he was 7 and admitted with a guilty laugh that he has a storage unit full of his Comic-Con paraphernalia.

These tote bags are important keepsakes for the fans who attend, a sentiment echoed by many fans who spoke to NBC 7 at the San Diego Convention Center Thursday.

“It’s our first time, we’re happy with the bags we got, we like ‘Supernatural,’” one fan said, dressed in matching Power Ranger costumes with his young son.

The Con tote bags have gained popularity over the years and DiGiovanni explained that in 2002 they added straps that converted the bags into backpacks, making them much more functional.

He said fans loved this new addition because it kept their merchandise from scraping on the floor and you could easily spot people who had the bag you wanted as you hatched a plan for a fair trade.

In addition to the straps, fans said special artwork is rumored to be commissioned for some of the bag designs, increasing the desire of some fans to barter.

A handful of fans told NBC 7 there is a rumor the “Arrow” bag this year was designed by a well-known artist, but who that artist is has yet to be confirmed.

Pallant and DiGiovanni agreed that bartering your way to the perfect tote bag is essential to having a successful trip to Comic-Con.
 

Federal authorities are helping local police search for a 17-year-old girl from Clinton, Connecticut, who is missing after flying to Morocco to see a young man she met on Facebook.

Police said Rebecca Arthur's mother dropped her off Monday at the Delta Airlines terminal at JFK International Airport. She was under the impression her daughter was flying to California to visit a friend.

"The daughter had no intent of going to California," said Clinton police spokesman Sgt. Jeremiah Dunn.

Instead, Arthur boarded a flight to Casablanca, Morocco, to visit with someone by the name of Sima El Adala. The two met on Facebook and, according to the site, are in a relationship.

One of El Adala's profile pictures matches the image police sent out Thursday. El Adala has also posted photos of Arthur on his page and is listed as living in Uruguay.

Police said they "have reason to believe" El Adala paid for Arthur's plane ticket to Morocco. They worry he's not who he claims to be.

"We don't know that he's a real person," Dunn said. "That's our concern."

Arthur arrived in Morocco on July 7.

"We know she's in the country, but we don't know where she is in that country and we don't know who she's with in that country," Dunn said, adding that the police department is receiving help from the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. consulate in Morocco.

Travel to Morocco can be dangerous due to "the potential for terrorist violence against U.S. interests and citizens," according to the U.S. State Department, which urges Americans in Morocco to "maintain a low profile."

Police said Arthur stands about 5 feet tall and weighs 150 pounds. She has blue eyes and blond hair with red highlights. Arthur was last seen wearing black yoga pants; a black sleeveless shirt; and pink, blue and white Nike sneakers. She was carrying a red suitcase.

Anyone who has been in contact with Arthur or El Adala or who knows anything about them should call police immediately at 860-669-0451 and ask to speak with Officer Santiago or Sgt. Flynn.

Three San Diego hotels have identified a payment card security breach between September 2014 and March 2015.

The hotel operator, Evans Hotels, was not able to say how many guests were impacted, but urge people who stayed at the Catamaran Resort and Hotel, Bahia Hotel and The Lodge at Torrey Pines during that time frame to check their bank accounts for suspicious activity.

Guest information that may have been affected included the cardholder name, account number, expiration date and verification code.

In February, the hotels received calls from some guests who saw unauthorized charges on their payments cards.

During the investigation, “it was learned that when large groups were checking-in front desk clerks occasionally used card readers kept on hand as a backup after new card readers were installed several years ago…As the investigation progressed, indicators were found that malware had been installed on the computers at the front desk of Evans Hotel’ properties that could have captured data from cards that were swiped using the backup readers between September 2014 and March 5, 2015.”

Evans Hotels immediately removed the backup readers from all of its properties on March 5, 2015.

Hotel officials are urging guests who used their cards at any of their hotels during that time frame to:

1. Check your account statements for unauthorized charges
2. If you see something suspicious, call your bank

Evans Hotels is working with a computer security firm to enhance its security measures. It said in a statement, its payment system has been fully remediated and guests should feel confident in using their cards at all its properties.

No one from Evans Hotels was available for an interview Wednesday.
 

San Diego Comic-Con International (SDCC) 2015 kicked off Thursday, bringing fans from all over country to downtown San Diego with a glimmer of excitement in their eyes.

For some, the annual pop culture and comic book convention is a family affair.

Roseana Monsen told NBC 7 she’s attended Comic-Con for the past seven years with her family, including her two kids, 16-year-old Zach Robbins and 8-year-old Isabella Robbins.

Each year, in an effort to stay organized and see everything on their wish lists, Monsen said she makes a list of which panels they want to see and which exhibits they want to peruse.

She also said her family takes the Trolley to avoid having to find parking in the busy downtown area.

This year, Monsen said she and her kids are most looking forward to checking out the “Hunger Games” panel on Thursday. Isabella said her heart was set on seeing anything having to do with “Once Upon a Time.”

Sisters Miya, Miara and Moria Thomas flew into San Diego from Florida for their first trip to Comic-Con.

They bought bus passes to get around town easily and planned to use Uber as well to make their way to the Convention Center each day.

On Wednesday, the sisters were able to get into the much-talked-about taping of Conan O’Brien’s TBS talk show, which is being broadcast from the Spreckels Theatre on Broadway all week.

“That was so exciting; so cool,” said Moria with a big smile. “They got the audience really pumped up for it. It was so exciting.”

The sisters said they were looking forward to attending panels for some of their favorite TV show, including MTV’s “Teen Wolf” and “Orphan Black.” They also planned to attend some offsite events to really experience the fandom and excitement of the Comic-Con activities engulfing the streets of downtown.

NBC 7 also spoke with a family from Temecula who drove to San Diego bright and early Thursday morning and camped out in front of the Convention Center, eagerly waiting for those doors to open.

“You have to get a jumpstart on everything,” one fan said. “For the last five years, we’ve been doing this. It’s been great – a nice time for all of us.”

The Temecula family said they were most excited for the “Star Wars,” “Game of Thrones” and “Walking Dead” events at Comic-Con. The Hasbro booth was also on their “To Do” list. They also planned to camp out Friday night to get their place in line for signings of “The Flash” and “Gotham.”

A family from Ohio was also camped out in front of the Convention Center with a group of 10 family members and friends who have come together for the event for the past four years.

“It’s an exclusive event – it’s Comic-Con International. It’s exciting,” said one member of the group.

Many of those fans were also looking forward to autograph signings by their favorite stars.

Comic-Con fan Bobbie Rivera was visiting San Diego with her family and said her children were very excited to see “My Little Pony” and anything LEGO at the event. Rivera said she was just happy to be vacationing in San Diego, Comic-Con aside.

Robert Edwards, like many fans, was hyped for the “Game of Thrones” panel and also hoped to see some exhibitions from NASA on the Convention Center floor.

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer welcomed fans to the city Thursday with a speech outside the Convention Center while accompanied by some costumed characters from “Star Wars.”

“The Force is strong with San Diego, and the Force is even stronger with Comic-Con,” Faulconer said.
 

A teenager was arrested in San Bernardino, accused of an attack on a Navy veteran last month at a La Mesa trolley station.

U.S. Marshals helped investigators with the La Mesa Police Department as they arrested a 17-year-old male and brought him back to San Diego.

The minor was booked at Juvenile Hall on one charge of assault involving great bodily injury.

Surveillance cameras captured the June 13 attack at the La Mesa Trolley Station at 8248 La Mesa Blvd.

Frank Cerasoli, 52, who performs as a clown for children, was in downtown La Mesa wrapping up a shopping trip for balloons and clown makeup when he was attacked from behind.

He often performs as “Scooter” the clown for children’s parties. He said nothing brings him more joy than making people happy.

The unidentified minor was arrested around noon Wednesday at a home in San Bernardino.