ReportWire

Tag: authority

  • O.C. man took money meant for COVID gloves to buy boats and cars. Now, he’s been sentenced for fraud

    O.C. man took money meant for COVID gloves to buy boats and cars. Now, he’s been sentenced for fraud

    [ad_1]

    An Orange County man was sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison Friday after admitting he duped three companies out of $3 million for protective gloves that were promised but never delivered during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    In addition to the 87-month sentence, Christopher John Badsey, 63, of Lake Forest was ordered to pay $1.94 million in restitution after pleading guilty to four counts of wire fraud.

    In June and July 2020 — when personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves and hand sanitizer were in short supply — Badsey claimed his Irvine-based company, First Defense International Security Services Corp., could provide millions of boxes of nitrile gloves, according to court documents.

    Badsey entered into contracts to sell gloves to three other companies, court documents say, and required each to deposit around $1 million before they could inspect the promised goods.

    The companies wired a total of $3.2 million to accounts Badsey, his company or an unnamed co-schemer controlled, according to court documents.

    However, prosecutors say Badsey didn’t have the gloves, and concocted elaborate excuses whenever his clients inquired about delivery. His false stories included “absurd claims that government agents were blocking access to his warehouse,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum.

    Meanwhile, he used the deposit money to bankroll expensive purchases, authorities say, including a yacht, a pontoon boat, two Mercedes-Benz automobiles, two Ford pickup trucks, a recreation vehicle, a tractor, three ATVs and fishing equipment.

    He has forfeited all titles from items purchased with the pilfered funds, along with $58,923 in cash.

    Court documents show that Badsey — who previously pleaded guilty to three gun misdemeanors, including gross negligent discharge of a firearm, in November 2016 — had initially argued for a much leaner sentence: one year and one day, a three-year term of supervised release and a special assessment of $400.

    [ad_2]

    Andrew J. Campa

    Source link

  • The nose knows: Border Patrol dog sniffs out 81 pounds of cocaine in Southern California bust

    The nose knows: Border Patrol dog sniffs out 81 pounds of cocaine in Southern California bust

    [ad_1]

    The driver of a sport utility vehicle authorities say was carrying more than 80 pounds of cocaine may have gotten away with it if it weren’t for that meddling dog.

    Around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, the SUV was traveling on the 15 Freeway through Temecula when it was stopped by agents with the San Diego sector of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

    During a subsequent sniff test of the vehicle, a dog alerted agents of the possible presence of drugs. Authorities said a follow-up search uncovered a series of cellophane-wrapped packages stashed inside a false dashboard.

    Agents arrested the driver and an accompanying passenger, and impounded the SUV for further inspection.

    In all, authorities said they found 31 bundles in the false dashboard, containing a total of 81 pounds of cocaine.

    San Diego sector Border Patrol agents have seized 2,437 pounds of cocaine since the beginning of the fiscal year, according to the department.

    The sector has also seized 3,627 pounds of methamphetamine, 31 pounds of heroin and 475 pounds of fentanyl. That includes 3.65 combined pounds of fentanyl and heroin found from Aug. 11 to Aug. 17.

    “I am proud to say that men and women of the United States Border Patrol are out there day and night protecting our communities,” Chief Patrol Agent Patricia McGurk-Daniel said in a statement. “With each successful narcotic interdiction, I know for a fact that we’ve saved someone’s life.”

    [ad_2]

    Andrew J. Campa

    Source link

  • U.S. sues RealPage, alleging its software allows landlords to coordinate rent increases

    U.S. sues RealPage, alleging its software allows landlords to coordinate rent increases

    [ad_1]

    The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday sued a major real estate firm, alleging the company’s algorithmic software enables landlords across the country to set rent at artificially high rates.

    The lawsuit, joined by several states including California, focuses on software from Texas-based company RealPage. The software is used by many landlords to set rent prices for both vacant units and renewal rates for existing tenants.

    In a truly competitive market, authorities said, property owners would be forced to compete with each other, helping to drive down rental costs for Americans.

    However, according to the lawsuit, RealPage enabled the opposite.

    When becoming a client, supposedly competing landlords share nonpublic information — such as occupancy and rents on executed leases — with RealPage, which then uses that data to recommend rents at individual properties.

    “As Americans struggle to afford housing, RealPage is making it easier for landlords to coordinate to increase rents,” Assistant Atty. General Jonathan Kanter said in a statement.

    RealPage did not immediately return a request for comment.

    The company previously called similar allegations false and misleading, saying clients can decline its recommendations, which at times include dropping rent.

    But in its complaint, the Justice Department pointed to instances where RealPage described its software as a tool for maximizing rent and outperforming the market. Authorities also alleged the company made it more difficult for landlords to reject its recommendations than accept them.

    “There is greater good in everybody succeeding versus essentially trying to compete against one another in a way that actually keeps the entire industry down,” a RealPage executive said, according to the lawsuit.

    At another point, RealPage described its tools as ensuring landlords are “driving every possible opportunity to increase price even in the most downward trending or unexpected conditions,” the complaint says.

    Antitrust enforcement has been a focus of the Biden administration. The Justice Department has sued major companies such as Google and Apple, alleged they engaged in anticompetitive behavior.

    Vice President Kamala Harris has also criticized the use of rent-setting algorithms while running for president.

    In a statement, Atty. Gen. Merrick B. Garland said the Justice Department would continue to aggressively enforce antitrust laws.

    “Americans should not have to pay more in rent because a company has found a new way to scheme with landlords to break the law,” Garland said.

    [ad_2]

    Andrew Khouri

    Source link

  • CHP officer struck by vehicle on the 5 Freeway in Sylmar

    CHP officer struck by vehicle on the 5 Freeway in Sylmar

    [ad_1]

    A California Highway Patrol officer is in critical condition after he was struck by a vehicle on the 5 Freeway in Sylmar early Sunday morning, authorities said.

    The officer was hit around 3:30 a.m. while responding to a disabled vehicle on the southbound 5 Freeway, north of State Route 14, according to CHP Officer Elizabeth Kravig.

    He suffered “major injuries” after a 2023 Tesla struck him, according to a news release from the CHP’s Southern Division. The officer, whose name has not been released, was rushed to a local trauma center and is in critical condition, according to CHP.

    The driver of the Tesla pulled over and is cooperating with investigators. Alcohol and drugs are not believed to have been a factor in the crash, authorities said. It is unknown if any automated driving features were activated on the Tesla at the time of the collision, they said.

    All southbound lanes on the 5 Freeway north of State Route 14 were closed for hours Sunday morning and reopened at 10:30 a.m., she said.

    [ad_2]

    Ben Poston

    Source link

  • Gunman sought after fatal shooting in Skid Row

    Gunman sought after fatal shooting in Skid Row

    [ad_1]

    A man was fatally shot in Skid Row early Saturday after an argument with another man that was captured on surveillance video, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

    Police were called at 4:24 a.m. to the 500 block of San Pedro Street, where they found a man suffering from gunshot wounds, a police department spokesperson said.

    The man, who was not identified, was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. The gunman fled the scene.

    Surveillance video showed the victim arguing with another man, who then shot him, authorities said. Police did not have a detailed description of the gunman and no arrests have been made.

    [ad_2]

    Emily Alpert Reyes

    Source link

  • Matthew Perry investigation: What we know about the people charged in his death

    Matthew Perry investigation: What we know about the people charged in his death

    [ad_1]

    Two doctors and a live-in personal assistant to Matthew Perry are among the people charged following a months-long investigation into how the prescription drug ketamine that contributed to the actor’s death was procured.

    Prosecutors on Thursday charged five people in connection with the death of the “Friends” star, who was found dead in the hot tub at his Pacific Palisades home on Oct. 28. Trace amounts of ketamine — which is sometimes used to treat depression — were found in his stomach, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner.

    But the level found in his blood was about the same as would be used during general anesthesia, his autopsy showed.

    Since then, authorities have been working to determine how Perry got the drug, which caused cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression. Ketamine is a legal medication commonly used as an anesthetic, but it can be abused recreationally, with users drawn to it for its disassociative effects.

    The Times reported in June that investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Service had linked several people to procurement of the ketamine.

    The named defendants in the case include two physicians, Perry’s live-in personal assistant who authorities say injected him with ketamine and a dealer dubbed the “Ketamine Queen” by federal agents.

    Here’s what we know about the people named in the indictment, which was unsealed Thursday:

    Narcotics including methamphetamine and ketamine were seized in a raid on Jasveen Sangha’s North Hollywood home on March 19. Sangha, dubbed the “Ketamine Queen” by investigators, is charged in the death of actor Matthew Perry.

    (U.S. District Court)

    Sangha was arrested in March on narcotics charges and posted a $100,000 bond in a separate case.

    During a raid at Sangha’s home on March 19, authorities seized 1,978 grams of methamphetamine pills, 79 bottles of liquid ketamine, 2,127 grams of pills suspected of being Xanax, 323 grams of a substance suspected of being psilocybin mushrooms and 128 grams of suspected cocaine, according to federal prosecutors. Authorities also found a journal in her home that detailed thousands of dollars in drug transactions, according to Thursday’s indictment.

    Prosecutors say that Perry was not the only victim who overdosed on Sangha’s product.

    In August 2019, she sold ketamine to Cody McLaury hours before his death. One of McLaury’s family members texted Sangha: “The ketamine you sold my brother killed him. It’s listed as the cause of death,” according to court records.

    Days later, according to the records, Sangha searched on Google, “can ketamine be listed as a cause of death[?]”

    [ad_2]

    Nathan Solis

    Source link

  • Woman killed in apparent dog attack in Northern California. Police find 25 Great Danes roaming the area

    Woman killed in apparent dog attack in Northern California. Police find 25 Great Danes roaming the area

    [ad_1]

    A woman in Northern California was killed this week in what appeared to be a dog attack, and authorities are investigating whether any of the 25 Great Danes found roaming the area may be behind the fatal mauling.

    Just before 2 a.m. Thursday, a resident came across a body on Blackhawk Trail in Feather Falls, not far from Lake Oroville. He called the police, and deputies responded to the scene, according to the Butte County Sheriff’s Office.

    The woman was later identified as Davina Corbin, 56, who lived in the area. An autopsy found numerous bite marks and other injuries that pointed to a domestic dog attack, authorities said, and the evidence indicates she was out on a walk when she was mauled.

    Sheriff’s detectives launched an investigation, but did not have to go far. Corbin’s body had been discovered directly in front of a home, and upon serving a search warrant, detectives found themselves in a startling situation that involved 25 Great Danes.

    “Deputies and detectives spent the entire day capturing the dogs, who were running loose in the area,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Friday. “To date, approximately 23 dogs have been captured and turned over to animal control. Detectives are currently attempting to capture the two outstanding dogs.”

    A lab analysis confirmed that Corbin’s clothing was covered with DNA that was consistent with at least one domestic dog, and authorities are in the process of doing additional testing to determine which dog, or dogs, might be guilty of the attack.

    Great Danes are usually known to be gentle and friendly, despite their imposing size. Once fully grown, the dogs are taller than most people when standing on their hind legs and can weigh anywhere from 110 to 175 pounds — making them one of the largest recognized dog breeds.

    According to the American Kennel Club, Great Danes were developed once upon a time by German nobles to hunt ferocious wild boars, and they later became beloved protectors of their home and loved ones.

    [ad_2]

    Rosanna Xia

    Source link

  • Deputies fatally shoot man during gunfire exchange outside Inland Empire shopping center

    Deputies fatally shoot man during gunfire exchange outside Inland Empire shopping center

    [ad_1]

    San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies shot and fatally wounded a man who fired at them outside a Rancho Cucamonga shopping center, authorities said.

    Deputies were called to the shopping center at around 9:30 p.m. Saturday after receiving reports of a man armed with a gun, according to authorities.

    Deputies found and then exchanged gunfire with the suspect outside a Walgreens near the intersection of Carnelian and 19th streets, a spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department told KABC.

    It’s unclear if the suspect was wounded during that exchange, but he then ran into a nearby Sprouts Farmers Market, authorities said.

    In a statement, the Sheriff’s Department said deputies shot the man, but did not provide any further details as to where and when he was struck, or whether the suspect fired any shots into or from inside the market.

    Video footage from OnScene.TV showed a shattered glass door at the Sprouts and a sheriff’s deputy being taken from the scene in the back of an ambulance. It was not immediately clear how the deputy was injured.

    The suspect, who has not yet been publicly identified, was taken by ambulance to a hospital, but later died from his injuries, the sheriff’s department told KABC.

    The shooting is still under investigation.

    [ad_2]

    Nathan Solis

    Source link

  • Former Inglewood teacher linked by DNA to cold-case killing is convicted of murder, kidnapping

    Former Inglewood teacher linked by DNA to cold-case killing is convicted of murder, kidnapping

    [ad_1]

    A former Inglewood teacher has been convicted of murdering one woman and kidnapping, then sexually assaulting, another nearly two decades ago, prosecutors said.

    Charles Wright, 58, is expected to be sentenced to 50 years to life in state prison, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

    “I am pleased that this day has finally come for the victims of this horrendous crime,” Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascón said in a statement. “It is particularly egregious that these crimes were committed by someone who was in a position of trust and authority. This conviction sends a clear message that we will not tolerate violence in our community.”

    Wright, then a middle school teacher in the Inglewood Unified School District, was arrested in early 2022 after DNA and fingerprint evidence linked him to the killing of Pertina Epps. The 21-year-old was found strangled in a carport in Gardena on the afternoon of April 26, 2005.

    Her killing remained unsolved for years, until homicide investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reviewed the case in 2021 and resubmitted some of the evidence for forensic testing.

    When the newer technology came back with a match to Wright, the Sheriff’s Department got a warrant to arrest the Hawthorne man.

    Afterward, Wright denied any involvement, telling The Times in 2022 that his fingerprints were only on the woman’s purse because he’d been selling purses and other clothes from the trunk of his car.

    “I didn’t do this,” he said, without explaining the DNA allegations. He said he had resigned from his teaching job to fight the case.

    By the time his case went to trial, Wright was also facing charges in the 2006 kidnapping and sexual assault of an 18-year-old woman whom the district attorney’s office did not identify in a statement Friday.

    On Wednesday, he was convicted of first-degree murder, kidnapping for oral copulation and forced oral copulation, prosecutors said. His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 10.

    [ad_2]

    Keri Blakinger

    Source link

  • Woman killed in robbery gone wrong at upscale Newport Beach mall, authorities say

    Woman killed in robbery gone wrong at upscale Newport Beach mall, authorities say

    [ad_1]

    A tranquil summer afternoon at the upscale Fashion Island mall in Newport Beach disintegrated into violence Tuesday, with a woman killed after a botched robbery attempt.

    Two men accosted the 69-year-old woman and her husband close to the Barnes & Noble bookstore at the mall, authorities said. Shots were fired, but police said no one was struck by bullets.

    The couple had been walking at Fashion Island when they were approached by the two men, who attempted to rob them, according to Sgt. Steven Oberon of the Newport Beach Police Department.

    A struggle ensued, and the woman was dragged into a parking lot and subsequently run over by the suspects’ white Toyota Camry. Oberon said the woman’s husband was believed to be uninjured.

    The victims were not immediately identified.

    Police pursued the suspects after the incident, a chase that took them into Los Angeles County. Authorities reported that the Camry reached speeds of up to 110 mph as it sped north. A television news helicopter captured video of the car speeding into the left shoulder of the 105 Freeway and at one point grazing the concrete center median.

    During the pursuit, the getaway driver allegedly let at least one accomplice out before he and another man sped on. The pair eventually jumped out of the car in South Gate, fleeing on foot around Harding and Hoover avenues, according to police and video of the chase shown on multiple local TV news stations.

    News footage showed one bare-chested man being taken into custody minutes after he jumped from the driver’s side of the car. Eventually, three suspects were taken into custody.

    The shooting occurred just after 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at what is known as a usually peaceful shopping center, which sits on a bluff above the ocean in the wealthy coastal community.

    The Newport Beach Fire Department said it found a person dead in the parking lot adjacent to the bookstore.

    Authorities notified nearby residents around 4 p.m. to avoid the shopping plaza as they investigated the incident. Police were seen on site guiding the public to safety, and helicopters were flying overhead.

    A woman who was shopping in the area on Tuesday described the situation as a “hullabaloo.” She said she was from Los Angeles and was thankful that police responded quickly. She declined to give her name.

    A young man who asked not to be identified said he was at Cucina enoteca in Fashion Island when the incident occurred.

    “About 20 people were running and screaming, ‘Someone’s shooting!’ They locked us in the restaurant,” he said.

    “This doesn’t happen in Newport Beach,” Mayor Will O’Neill told KCAL-9 News. “Fashion Island is an incredibly safe place. This is a tragedy, and I’m furious.”

    City News Service contributed to this report. Winton and Rainey are Times staff writers. Nguyen and Hoffman are staff writers for the Daily Pilot, a sister publication of The Times.

    [ad_2]

    Richard Winton, James Rainey, Lilly Nguyen, Susan Hoffman

    Source link

  • A smashed Polaris Slingshot, friends inside the CHP. How investigators unraveled an insurance plot

    A smashed Polaris Slingshot, friends inside the CHP. How investigators unraveled an insurance plot

    [ad_1]

    The scheme had a lot of moving parts, but was surprisingly simple.

    The Inland Empire Automobile Insurance Task Force, which has been investigating the plot for nearly two years, said it unfolded like this: Andre Angelo Reyes, 36, allegedly purchased traffic collision reports that contained personal information of drivers involved in crashes across Southern California from Rosa Isela Santistevan, a 55-year-old California Highway Patrol employee.

    Investigators say Reyes would give the documents to a third individual, Esmeralda Parga, 26, who would call the drivers and pretend to be from their insurance company. She would allegedly coordinate for their damaged cars to be taken to a specific repair center, CA Collision, whose owner, Anthony Gomez, 35, was also in on the scheme, authorities said.

    Then the repair shop would contact the insurance companies and demand cash to have the cars released, authorities said.

    Investigators allege the scheme resulted in 19 fraudulent claims resulting in a loss of more than $353,000 to insurance companies. This month, a total of 15 people involved in the scheme, including Reyes, of Corona; Santistevan, of Irvine; Parga, of Pomona; and Gomez, of Jurupa Valley, were charged with insurance fraud, grand theft by trick and false impersonation, state investigators wrote in a press release. The others were:

    • Ezequiel Baltazar Orozco, 30, of Los Angeles
    • Antonio Terrazas Perez Jr., 19, of Los Angeles
    • Erika Garcia, 31, of Los Angeles
    • Israel Avila Sandoval, 45, of Pomona
    • Luis Alberto Ramirez Jr., 32, of San Bernardino
    • Robert Arzac, 49, of West Covina
    • Antonio Ramirez Perez, 44, of Los Angeles
    • Brian Anthony Lopez, 25, of Anaheim
    • Emily Marie Boatman, 26, of Ontario
    • Ricardo Parga Jr., 23, of Pomona
    • Steven Anthony Alfaro, 38, of Buena Park

    The Inland Empire Automobile Insurance Task Force, which includes representatives from the California Department of Insurance, the California Highway Patrol, the San Bernardino County district attorney’s office and the Riverside County district attorney’s office, launched its investigation in November 2022 after it was discovered that a CHP employee was apparently selling traffic collision reports.

    Investigators say the scheme began after Reyes donated to several CHP events and parties and befriended Santistevan and other CHP employees.

    While executing search warrants on various properties during the investigation, authorities said they found evidence, including a video, of another type of insurance fraud called “collusive collisions,” in which participants intentionally crash cars to collect insurance payments.

    The video showed someone driving a Polaris Slingshot through a darkened road at night, blasting hip-hop music. The video cuts to someone doing donuts in the vehicle while another person films it. The next scene shows a BMW slamming into the front of the Slingshot. The man filming the crash says, “Oops.”

    Authorities said the individuals involved in the scam claimed the damage resulted from two separate crashes that occurred on a freeway.

    “And that’s just how we do it,” the unidentified man says in the video as the two cars are being loaded onto a tow truck. “Two birds killed in one shot.”

    [ad_2]

    Hannah Fry

    Source link

  • Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter agrees to plead guilty to stealing $17 million

    Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter agrees to plead guilty to stealing $17 million

    [ad_1]

    Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, has agreed to plead guilty in federal court to stealing millions of dollars from Ohtani to cover gambling debts, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

    The 39-year-old Japanese-language interpreter has reached a plea deal for one count each of bank fraud and subscribing to a federal tax return, the Justice Department said. Mizuhara faces up to 33 years in federal prison for the two crimes, which authorities allege he committed as part of a scheme to surreptitiously steal more than $17 million from Ohtani to pay off an Orange County bookmaker.

    The blockbuster March revelation that the Dodgers had fired Mizuhara amid an investigation into claims he had stolen Ohtani’s money and gambled on sports shocked the baseball world. Last month, federal authorities cleared Ohtani of wrongdoing in connection with the scheme, quieting widespread speculation about the potential fallout of the scandal for his baseball career and potential criminal charges.

    Mizuhara has not yet formally entered a plea, according to Ciaran McEvoy, a spokesman for the DOJ. McEvoy said Wednesday he expects Mizuhara to “plead guilty in the coming weeks.”

    “The extent of this defendant’s deception and theft is massive,” U.S. Atty. Martin Estrada said in a news release. “He took advantage of his position of trust to take advantage of Mr. Ohtani and fuel a dangerous gambling habit. My office is committed to vindicating victims throughout our community and ensuring that wrongdoers face justice.”

    [ad_2]

    Connor Sheets

    Source link

  • Woman who went missing during hike near Angeles National Forest found dead, authorities say

    Woman who went missing during hike near Angeles National Forest found dead, authorities say

    [ad_1]

    A woman who went missing during a hike near the Angeles National Forest was found dead on Monday, a day after she was reported missing.

    Julia Li, 21,was last seen near Bailey Canyon Park in Sierra Madre at 4 p.m. Sunday, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Li’s mother reported her missing after they were separated during a hike and Li didn’t meet her at their car at the agreed-upon time, according to KTLA-TV.

    Julia Li, 21, was last seen alive near Bailey Canyon Park in Sierra Madre on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

    (LAPD)

    Early Monday morning, the Sheriff’s Department sent out an alert for Li, describing her as being 5 feet 2 and 110 pounds. Later that day, her body was found by the sheriff’s search and rescue personnel, the Sheriff’s Department said.

    The L.A. County coroner’s office listed Li’s cause of death as blunt trauma. The Sheriff’s Department said foul play is not suspected at this time.

    [ad_2]

    Melissa Gomez, Summer Lin

    Source link

  • Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy shot near 10 Freeway; person of interest has been detained

    Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy shot near 10 Freeway; person of interest has been detained

    [ad_1]

    A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy was shot Monday on the 10 Freeway, authorities said.

    The Sheriff’s Department confirmed to The Times that a deputy assigned to a motorcycle unit was shot on the freeway in West Covina but did not provide additional information, saying the investigation is ongoing.

    The westbound lanes of the 10 Freeway were closed in West Covina near Barranca Street, NBC4 reported.

    Sources told The Times the deputy was taken to a hospital with a gunshot wound to the back.

    Nicole Nishida, a spokeswoman for the department, said the deputy was wearing a bullet-resistant vest and is in stable condition.

    Authorities said they are looking into a person of interest in connection with the shooting. Deputies tracked a white van and now have a La Puente home surrounded, sources told The Times.

    This is a breaking news story and will be updated with more information as it becomes available.

    [ad_2]

    Karen Garcia, Richard Winton

    Source link

  • Universal Studios tram tossed “multiple” riders to the ground, accident investigators say

    Universal Studios tram tossed “multiple” riders to the ground, accident investigators say

    [ad_1]

    A tram vehicle at Universal Studios Hollywood threw “multiple” riders to the ground after it struck a guardrail near props from the “Jurassic Park” film franchise in an accident that is under investigation by the California Highway Patrol.

    Details of the accident that took place Saturday night — amid the 60th anniversary of the attraction — remain sketchy, but the CHP said the agency has determined that drugs and alcohol were not a factor in the crash that injured 15 park visitors.

    For the record:

    3:01 p.m. April 22, 2024An earlier version of this article said 15 riders on the Universal Studios Hollywood tram attraction were thrown to the ground. The California Highway Patrol said “multiple” riders were thrown to the ground and that a total of 15 were injured.

    The tram was driving through the storied Universal Studios back lot shortly after 9 p.m. when the crash occurred, according to authorities.

    The linked tram cars passed by a set of props from the “Jurassic Park” film franchise when the tram driver turned onto Avenue M and for some unknown reason the last car in the procession collided with the metal guardrail on the right side, the CHP said. This caused the tram to “tilt and eject multiple passengers from the tram,” authorities said in a news release.

    The Los Angeles County Fire Department received a call for service shortly after 9 p.m. for the crash and 15 passengers were transported to a hospital with minor to moderate injuries.

    The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department also responded to the scene but the CHP is the lead agency, a Universal Studios spokesperson said.

    “Our thoughts continue to be with the guests who were involved, and we are thankful that based on agency reports, the injuries sustained were minor,” Universal Studios said in a statement.

    The theme park is working closely with authorities as Universal Studios continues its “review of the incident and safety remains a top priority.”

    The Studio Tour tram ride, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this week, will continue to operate with a modified route and the theme park will reinforce its “operational and safety protocols.”

    The status of the injured passengers was unclear as of Monday.

    In many ways, the tram ride came to define the theme park.

    Over the years, countless riders have enjoyed close encounters with a robotic shark depicting the blood-thirsty animal in the movie “Jaws,” a terrifying stop outside the Bates Motel from the film classic “Psycho” and a harrowing escape from the clutches of King Kong.

    Newer film franchises have joined the tour, including a stroll through a suburban neighborhood wasted by aliens from the 2005 film “War of the Worlds” to a western-themed sideshow from Jordan Peele’s 2022 movie “Nope.”

    The tram tour got its start in 1964 when Universal Studios executives noticed that food sales at the studio commissary shot up after local tour buses were allowed past the studio gates to let fans get a glimpse of the back lot movie sets and props.

    The first iteration of the attraction were the pink-and-white Glamour Trams, which carried about 38,200 riders in the first year. Passengers paid $2.50 for a two-and-a-half hour tour that included stops to see a stunt show and a movie makeup exhibition.

    Later renamed the Universal Studios Studio Tour, the trams have since endured real life fires, labor strife, a series of expansions and at least one fatal accident.

    The theme park launched a renovation project in 2022 to begin converting the diesel-hydraulic powered vehicles to run on electricity to reduce emissions. It is not clear if the tram that struck the guard rail was a newer electric vehicle or an older version.

    This is not the first time an accident happened at the theme park. In 1986, a park employee was run over by the tram during a special Halloween “Fright Nights” show. Paul Rebalde, 20, was stationed on a parked tram filled with mannequins dressed to look like corpses, the Sheriff’s Department said at the time.

    While in costume, Rebalde was to leap from among the mannequins on the parked tram and frighten people passing on moving trams, but was trapped between the third and fourth sections of one of the four-section moving trams and was run over and dragged to his death, according to authorities. The Halloween-themed attraction was paused for several years and later rebranded “Halloween Horror Nights.”

    More recently, a stunt performer was hospitalized after performing in the “Waterworld” show in January 2023. The performer was set on fire shortly before taking a leap off a tower in the show’s finale. The “Waterworld: A Live Sea War Spectacular” show is inspired by the 1995 Kevin Costner film and opened months after the movie’s debut.

    Times editor Hugo Martin contributed to this report.

    [ad_2]

    Nathan Solis

    Source link

  • Suspected Marina del Rey gunman ID’d; reported self-employed chef accused of firing from rooftop

    Suspected Marina del Rey gunman ID’d; reported self-employed chef accused of firing from rooftop

    [ad_1]

    A man suspected of spraying gunfire from atop a Marina del Rey apartment complex over the weekend was identified Monday by authorities.

    The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department identified the suspect as 41-year-old Victoryloc Nguyen, who remains jailed in lieu of $2-million bail.

    No one was injured in the Saturday night shooting in the 4100 block of Via Marina, according to a written statement from the Sheriff’s Department.

    The incident began at 10:15 p.m. when deputies from the Marina del Rey sheriff’s station responded to reports of gunshots from inside the apartment complex.

    Later, a sheriff’s helicopter “observed a male suspect on the roof of the location, firing rounds from a rifle,” the statement read.

    The shooting prompted deputies from other nearby stations to respond to the location, and armored SWAT-style vehicles were dispatched.

    Videos posted on social media show a man shooting from the balcony of an apartment who can be heard saying: “I can shoot a car right now and no one would give a s—.” In other videos, bystanders shelter at home or take cover while gunfire can be heard in the background.

    Witnesses told KTLA that as many as 100 rounds were fired from the building. Jeff Rubin, who was hiding with his wife in their apartment’s bathroom, said there were at least 20 minutes of silence.

    “Then another round of gunshots and that went on for three hours,” he told the news station.

    A pair of photographs of the scene released by the sheriff’s SWAT unit show two rifles, a handgun and tactical gear lying on the ground after the suspect’s arrest early Sunday.

    City News Service reported that the suspect was a self-employed chef who specializes in organic traditional Vietnamese cuisine and might have been live-streaming the shooting.

    Authorities said the motive for the shooting was not known. Nguyen is due in court Tuesday.

    [ad_2]

    Ruben Vives

    Source link

  • Small plane crashes in San Bernardino Mountains

    Small plane crashes in San Bernardino Mountains

    [ad_1]

    Authorities are investigating a plane crash that occurred in the San Bernardino Mountains on Saturday night, officials said.

    The twin-engine Gulfstream AC95 crashed at about 8:15 p.m. in the mountains north of Palm Avenue, according to preliminary information from the Federal Aviation Administration. Officials did not know how many people were on board, or whether anyone survived.

    The remote area is difficult to access by foot or vehicle, and search efforts were initially hampered by rain and wind that lashed the area Saturday night, officials said.

    By Sunday morning, authorities had located a debris field north of Devil’s Canyon, and members of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Aviation Unit were on the scene along with search and rescue crews, said Gloria Huerta, a spokesperson with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Rescue workers were being hoisted down a mountain and attempting to hike to the debris field, she said.

    This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

    [ad_2]

    Alex Wigglesworth

    Source link

  • Cannabis Contracts 101: Authority and Why it Matters – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news

    Cannabis Contracts 101: Authority and Why it Matters – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news

    [ad_1]





    Cannabis Contracts 101: Authority and Why it Matters – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news





























    [ad_2]

    AggregatedNews

    Source link

  • Sheriff’s deputies fatally shoot man who they say drove van toward officers in East L.A.

    Sheriff’s deputies fatally shoot man who they say drove van toward officers in East L.A.

    [ad_1]

    Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies shot and killed a man late Saturday in East Los Angeles after he allegedly drove a van toward one of the officers after fleeing the scene of a crime, authorities said.

    Deputies responded to a domestic assault call shortly before midnight in the 1500 block of North Herbert Avenue, according to the sheriff’s department.

    Deputies saw the alleged assailant leave the area in a green van, according to the department.

    They found the man driving west on the 3900 block of Snow Drive and tried to stop the van, officials said. The deputies got out of their vehicle and drew their guns. The man made a U-turn in a cul-de-sac and then started driving toward one of the deputies, according to the sheriff’s department.

    The driver was shot in the torso, about 11:47 p.m. The sheriff’s department did not immediately report how many deputies shot the man or how many times he was shot.

    The unidentified man, reported to be between 40 to 45, was taken to a hospital, where he died, officials said.

    A deputy was taken to a hospital and treated for a related injury. No one else was injured.

    As of late Sunday morning, the sheriff’s department had not released the name of the man or further details surrounding the shooting.

    This is a breaking news story based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement. It will be updated if more information becomes immediately available.

    [ad_2]

    Jaclyn Cosgrove

    Source link

  • San Bernardino County deputies seen on video punching, kneeing suspect in the head during arrest

    San Bernardino County deputies seen on video punching, kneeing suspect in the head during arrest

    [ad_1]

    San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies were captured on video kneeling on a man and striking him in the head during an arrest, an incident that has sparked public outrage and prompted authorities to place one deputy on leave and launch an internal investigation.

    According to the Sheriff’s Department, deputies from the Hesperia station responded to a reported armed robbery in the 16000 block of Main Street on Sunday. They later identified Christian Cardenas Alonso, 36, of Adelanto, as a suspect in the case.

    At 4:51 p.m. Tuesday, investigators located and pulled over Alonso at the intersection of Main Street and E Avenue. Authorities say they attempted to arrest Alonso, but he resisted and “a use of force occurred.”

    In bystander video posted to social media, four sheriff’s deputies can be seen kneeling on top of a man who is lying face down on the gravel outside a car. At one point, a plainclothes officer knees the man in the head multiple times.

    Jesse Vega, a local car enthusiast and smog technician who took the video, happened to be filming Alonso’s vehicle — a 1964 Chevrolet Impala — at the time.

    “I’ve never seen somebody’s eyes go black the way like [his] just bruised up that fast,” Vega said. “His jaw at his right side was pretty swollen, his face looked like it was crooked.”

    San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said in a statement that a deputy seen striking Alonso has been place on administrative leave as the district attorney’s office reviews the incident.

    The district attorney’s office did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

    After detaining Alonso, authorities said, they found items belonging to the victim of the armed robbery in his trunk. They subsequently searched his business — Califa Style Tattoo Ink, also in the 16000 block of Main Street — at around 5:45 p.m. Tuesday. There, investigators said they recovered a firearm, ammunition and unspecified gang paraphernalia and confronted individuals inside the tattoo shop who they allege were gang members.

    In a statement, the Sheriff’s Department also alleged that Alonso was an “active criminal street gang member.”

    Jesus Basulto, a tattoo artist who works at Califa Style Tattoo Ink, said he was about to take his 13-year-old daughter miniature golfing when deputies “came in by surprise” and pointed a gun at his child while they searched the business.

    Basulto said there was “nothing gang-related” in his work and that he, Alonso and his coworkers are innocent.

    “We are all here supporting our families,” a confused and upset Basulto said in a phone interview. “We want to do something positive.”

    The shop has been closed since Tuesday out of fear of harassment from law enforcement, Basulto said. He also alleged that the deputies turned off surveillance footage of the shop’s entry and falsified documentation claiming he was carrying a firearm during his arrest.

    The Sheriff’s Department did not immediately respond to a phone call or email seeking comment on Basulto’s allegations Friday evening.

    Basulto said he and other friends of Alonso planned to protest at the Hesperia sheriff’s station Friday evening.

    “All of them should be held accountable,” he said.

    Next door to Califa Style Tattoo Ink, Damian Rodriguez was the manager on shift at Roll Over Beethoven’s Music Store when deputies arrived. Rodriguez has worked at the music store for nine years and said Main Street “is just not that safe of a place,” but that normal business has for the most part resumed on their block.

    Rodriguez said that Califa Style Tattoo Ink was a newer tenant that opened two or three years ago and seemed to be doing pretty well.

    “Whenever they have flash deals or anything, like most tattoo shops they were pretty packed,” he said.

    In that time, he said, he never experienced trouble with his neighbors. In passing, Rodriguez would wave hello while taking out the trash.

    “All the employees there have been real cool and wonderful with us,” he said.

    [ad_2]

    Jireh Deng

    Source link