An East Bay couple said they have no doubt the brutal attack they endured Sunday afternoon after San Francisco's Gay Pride Parade was a hate crime.

Jen and Jakkie, who both refused to provide their last names, said they were walking to a BART station near Mission and Ninth streets when they heard a homophobic slur. A handful of men then jumped on Jen.

"I held my head and I curled up into a little ball," Jen said. "And I tried to protect my face, my head as best I could."

Jakkie said when she tried to stop the attack, the suspects kicked her arm so hard it broke her wrist.

"There were too many people kicking her at that point in time," Jakkie said.

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The couple said at least six men participated in a beating they felt would never end.

"I thought I was going to die," Jen said. "They were total strangers. And how could they have so much hate toward me and I don't even know them?"

San Francisco police are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime and are asking for anyone in the area who witnessed the beating to come forward. Police are also looking for video from the area.

Meanwhile, both Jen and Jakkie are still in shock the incident could happen in a city like San Francisco. They hope the suspects are caught.

"If someone did know anything about this, it'd be very helpful," Jen said. "Because otherwise, if it's not us, it could be someone else."

A 53-year-old Torrington man was seriously injured when he was hit by a car on East Main Street in Torrington on Tuesday night. 

Daryl Howard, 53, was crossing the street at the intersection with the Route 8 off-ramp to Exit 44 at 11:20 p.m. when he was struck by a 2012 Honda Pilot that was traveling northbound, police said. 

The driver, Khoi Pham, 46, of Torrington, called 911, police said.

LifeStar landed in the Torrington High School parking lot and airlifted Howard to Hartford Hospital to be treated for serious injuries. He is in stable condition, police said. Pham was not injured.

The Torrington Police Department's Accident Investigation Team is investigating. No charges have been filed.

East Main Street was closed for several hours between Columbus Street and East Elm Street and has since reopened.

The department asks witnesses or anyone with information to call police at 860-489-2090.

A Cromwell driver who is accused of dragging a Middletown police officer from his car last night is going through detox, his attorney said during a court appearance, and asked that his client receive medical treatment while he is in prison.

Joseph Nevico, 23, is being held in police custody on a $500,000 bond. He held his head down and cried during his appearance in court on Wednesday.

Nevico is accused of dragging an officer while he was trying to evade a motor vehicle stop late Tuesday night, police said.

He faces multiple charges, including interfering with a police officer after the incident that closed Grand Street between Pearl Street and Lincoln Avenue before 11 p.m. as police investigated.

Middletown narcotics detectives were initially trying to pull over a silver Acura for motor vehicle violations. The vehicle didn't have its front license plate correctly displayed and that the detectives witnessed the driver, Nevico, back up illegally against traffic on Columbus Street and then turned onto Prospect Street, police said in the affidavit.

Police signaled for him to pull over when they reached the High Street intersection on Grand Street. Nevico didn't pull over right away but stopped his car near 85 Grand St. He refused to get out of the car and started to put his car back into gear, police said in a news release.

He struggled with a detective who tried to stop him and sped up through the Pearl Street intersection, dragging the officer who was still partially in the car, according to police. The detective tried to gain control of the car as his feet dragged on the pavement, but he could not. The detective was able to swing his full body into the car, the other detective said in the affidavit.

When the car came to an abrupt stop just east of the Pearl Street intersection, the detective got out of the vehicle and tried to pull Nevico from the car, but Nevico sped forward with the detective still hanging out of the vehicle, according to police.

Another detective who saw his colleague being dragged got into his car and chased the Acura, but  Nevico led him in a pursuit, police said. The detective said in the affidavit that his partner "would have surely been caught under the tires and run over by Nevico" if he fell from the car.

Meanwhile, the detective Nevico's Acura was dragging tried again to stop the car. The Acura crashed into two parked cars on Grand Street. He was able to pull himself into Nevico's car just before the collisions.

"The detective was narrowly able to close the driver's side door and avoid being crushed," police said.

Another officer positioned his cruiser to stop Nevico, who crashed into the police cruiser, causing minor damage.

The detective who was dragged and Nevico had minor injuries and were taken to the hospital for treatment. They have since been released.

One of the parked cars sustained minor damage when the Acura's driver's side door struck it.

Police have not released information on the detectives and police officer involved. Middletown's traffic and street crime units continue to investigate.

Middletown police charged Nevico with interfering with an officer, engaging in a pursuit, assault on a police officer, first-degree criminal attempt at assault, reckless endangerment, reckless driving, traveling too fast, failure to display a front marker plate, unsafe backing, failure to obey an officer's signal, and failure to obey a stop sign.

Nevico is a convicted felon who has been arrested in the past on charges of narcotics and drug paraphernalia possession, interfering with police, running from police, breach of peace, probation violation, reckless driving and failure to appear in court, according to a State Police records search.

Nevico is next due in court on July 29.

Tonight, you have the chance to let Hartford city officials know how you feel about a proposal to build a baseball park in the downtown area that would be the new home of the Rock Cats.

The non-profit organization Hartford 2000, a coalition of Hartford's Neighborhood Revitalization Zones and the city of Hartford, is organizing the event and inviting the public to attend a conversation with the mayor and city officials about

The meeting is scheduled for July 2 at 6 p.m. in the Hartford Public Library at 500 Main Street.

The AA minor league affiliate of the Minnesota Twins agreed in early June to move its home base from New Britain to Hartford if the city builds the Rock Cats a stadium.

The team, which has played in its current New Britain stadium since 1996, plans to sign a 25-year lease at the ballpark, which is proposed for the corner of Main and Trumbull streets, assuming city officials approve it.

Hartford 2000 offers free workshops, forums an educational events to the public, has a mission "to strengthen the individual and collective capability" of the zones and "to advocate for neighborhood issues."

"We have not taken a position for or against the ballpark but will listen to the voices of the neighborhoods first," organization spokesperson Ted Steege said in an e-mail. .

Mayor Pedro E. Segarra and city officials are scheduled to give an update on the proposal at the discussion. The forum also includes an open discussion section inviting members of the public to share their views. Ted Carroll, of Leadership Greater Hartford, will moderate the conversation.

The parents of an 11-year-old boy diagnosed with autism were arrested Tuesday night after Anaheim Police discovered that the boy may have been living in a cage inside their home.

Loy Vu, 40, and Trang Le, 35, have both been arrested on suspicion of felony child endangerment and false imprisonment.

Officers arrived at the home on the 1300 block of South Garrett Street around 6:15 p.m. after receiving a tip and found a large kennel-style cage with a mattress inside.

"There are some signs that someone had been living there, including a mattress," said Anaheim Police Lt. Bob Dunn.

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The cage measured about 6-feet tall and 4 1/2-feet wide, Dunn said.

"It was enough for him to be able to stand up in if, in fact, he was living in that cage," Dunn said.

Family members of the boy told police that he can’t communicate and that as he got older, his violent outbursts became difficult to control. The cage was a means to control the boy’s outbursts.

The boy himself was found nourished and well-bathed, police said. He was taken to a hospital as a precautionary measure to ensure there’s no underlying medical condition, police said.

The boy also has two siblings, ages 8 and 10 years old. They have been taken into protective custody.

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Upon initial investigation, there are conflicting reports that indicate the boy had been kept in the cage a couple years, months or even hours. The family is of Vietnamese descent and because of language barriers, additional translators will be needed as the investigation continues.

Police also plan to interview other people who live inside the home, including someone not related to the family who rents a room in the home.

Neighbors were stunned by the arrests.

"I hear the kids screaming, laughing and playing out there but I don't know I assumed they were just playing," said neighbor Kathy Johnson.

Bob Emerson said the family appeared to be happy, and the boy appeared healthy.

"They were happy. They would play in the yard. The whole family seemed to be happy," he said.

Members of the autism community, including experts who spoke with NBC 4 said they were shocked by the news, but also saddened.

"Maybe they didn't have the skill set or the tools or support to know how to address his behaviors and were helpless," said Peter Thach. "Maybe they resorted to that very desperate situation where they used a cage."

He said a language barrier and access to resources may have prevented the family from asking for help.

"Are the parents being trained on how to deal with his triggers (and) things that set him off?" Thach explained.

A car flipped over on Interstate 84 Westbound in Hartford on Wednesday morning and caused congestion.

The crash happened on the bridge before the exit 55.

An alert from the state Department of Transportation said the crash scene is now clear.

A pedestrian was struck and killed on Route 30 in Vernon on Wednesday morning.

Police said the person was struck at the intersection of Hyde Avenue and East Street around 7 a.m. and pronounced dead at the scene.

Darryl Cason, of Rockville, did not see the crash, but his friend did.

"He saw the lady trying to cross the street and then the car hit her," he said.

Route 30 reopened just after 11 a.m. after closing for several hours between Grove Street and Kingsbury Avenue.

Police have not released the victim's name because they are notifying family. 

Any witnesses are asked to call the Vernon Police Department 860-872-9126.

Route 177 in Farmington is closed in both directions after a tractor-trailer hit a low-hanging wire, according to Farmington Police.

The road is closed between West District and Silversmith roads.

No injuries are reported and Connecticut Light & Power has responded.

Check back for updates.
 

Police arrested a Westbrook man Tuesday on child pornography charges in connection to an investigation during his time living in Guilford.

Guilford police began investigating Gary Felsted, 65, in a child pornography possession case in February.

Police searched his Guilford home and seized "a large amount of computer equipment," including hard drives and DVDs, police said in a news release.

The CT State Scientific Services Lab analyzed the evidence seized and found "several hundred files, videos and still images" of child pornography, police said.

"At this time there is no evidence that Felsted made physical contact with any children," police said.

Police charged Felsted with first-degree possession of child pornography, promoting a minor in an obscene performance and obscenity.

He was held in custody on a $150,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.

A New York novelist was assaulted at the Study Hotel in New Haven on Saturday night and police are searching for the assailant.

Witnesses told police that the writer, Colum McCann, 49, might have been trying to help a woman who was involved in a dispute when a man punched him on June 28.

Police believe the man who attacked McCann was with the woman McCann was trying to help.

Police and EMTs responded to 1157 Chapel Street at 10:16 p.m. and McCann was taken to Yale–New Haven Hospital to be treated for what police called non-life threatening facial injuries.

McCann spoke with detectives and has been released from the hospital.

McCann, who has won the National Book Award and several other awards, is the author of six novels.

He was also nominated for an Oscar, according to his Web site.

olice said they have significant leads in this case and are hope to make an arrest soon.

An 18-year-old is in critical condition after his car struck a tree in Manchester early Wednesday, according to police.

Police said Safwaan Dalal was driving eastbound on Vernon Street when he veered off the road and up a car, then slammed into a tree on the 200 block.

Investigators are still probing the cause of the crash but said speed may have been a factor.

According to the fire department, Dalal was trapped inside the car and was unconscious and unresponsive at the scene. Firefighters had to extricate him and gave him medical treatment on the scene.

Dalal was taken to Manchester Hospital, then airlifted via LifeStar for Hartford Hospital. He’s listed in critical condition.

Anyone with information is urged to call Manchester police Officer Aaron Calkins at 860-645-5560.

A Waterbury man is facing charges after allegedly threatening a “former girlfriend and her male friend” at Waterbury Superior Court on Wednesday morning, according to state police.

Police said 60-year-old Angel Hernandez was inside the court building when he made the threats. A judicial marshal contacted troopers around 10:30 a.m.

Troopers spotted Hernandez’s car leaving the courthouse and intercepted him on State Street, according to police.

Hernandez was charged with two counts of threatening and one count of disorderly conduct.

He was held on $10,000 bond and is due in court July 3.

Police are searching for the man who robbed a Waterbury gas station at gunpoint late last month.

Surveillance footage shows the suspect walking into the Sunoco gas station at 1153 South Main Street just before 5 a.m. June 23. He’s clad in a black zip-up sweatshirt with the hood pulled over his head, dark-colored pants and a black ski mask.

Video shows the man entering the store brandishing a silver or chrome-colored handgun and pointing it at employees behind the counter.

He motions with the gun and a store clerk hands over cash. The robber pockets the bills and motions for more, according to surveillance footage from inside the store.

The video shows him running from the store and disappearing down the street. Police said he was last seen heading southbound on South Main Street.

He’s described as a white man standing 5 feet 7 inches tall.

Anyone with information about the robbery or the suspect’s identity is urged to call Waterbury police at 203-574-6941 or Crimestoppers at 203-755-1234. Calls will remain confidential.

Police have obtained an arrest warrant charging a New Haven attorney with assault following a domestic dispute that happened in an apartment lobby June 13, authorities said Wednesday.

Michael Stratton, an attorney at Stratton Faxon Trial Lawyers LLC in New Haven and former city alderman, will be charged with third-degree assault and second-degree breach of peace, according to New Haven police.

Officers arrived at Kelly House apartments at 196 Crown Street early June 13 after Stratton called police to report that he had been attacked by "a woman he'd been with," police said.

Police said the dispute happened in the lobby of the apartment building. Courtney Darlington, 20, of New Haven, was arrested and charged with second-degree breach of peace and third-degree assault.

Chief Dean Esserman called for further investigation after learning that officers at the scene failed to seize marijuana found in the apartment, according to police.

Police said Wednesday they had obtained a warrant for Stratton's arrest on the same charges that Darlington is facing.

Authorities have not released the findings of the investigation and what prompted the additional charges.

Police declined to elaborate on the relationship between Darlington and Stratton.

The law firm had not returned a request for comment at the time of publication.

Emergency officials are responding to a home on Angevine Road in Warren after it was reportedly struck by lightning as intense storms moved through the state Wednesday afternoon.

It's not clear if anyone was inside the house when it happened.

A severe thunderstorm warning was in effect for Litchfield County until 5 p.m. Wednesday and the area remains under a flash flood warning until 9 p.m.

No additional information was immediately available.

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Five people critically hurt when a propane tank on the back of a food truck exploded along a busy Philadelphia street remain hospitalized on Wednesday.

Olga Galdemez, 42, and her daughter Jaylin Landaverry, 17, were working inside their food truck, La Parrillada Chapina, at 3rd Street and Wyoming Avenue when the 100-pound tank blew around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The truck was equipped with two such tanks filled with gas.

Investigators believe propane vapor began leaking from one tank and filled the truck. A flame from the grill inside the mobile restaurant provided the spark, officials said. Witnesses told detectives they smelled gas before the blast.

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The propane fueled a fireball that engulfed the truck, the street and surrounding sidewalks. One tank was blown 95 feet away into the backyard of a home nearby, police said.

Galdemez's husband spent 20 minutes at the scene of the explosion on Wednesday morning talking with investigators from the Philadelphia Police Department, the Philadelphia Fire Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The truck was properly licensed to operate, officials said.

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He confirmed that his wife and her daughter remain in critical condition with severe burns on large parts of their bodies. Both are hospitalized at Temple University Hospital.

Philadelphia Police said eight other people were hurt when the tank exploded. Two relatives of Galdemez – a 13-year-old girl and 27-year-old woman – and a 23-year-old man who was walking by remain in critical condition at area hospitals. All others were treated and released for their injuries.

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A car driving by when the propane ignited was enveloped in flames and damaged, but the 53-year-old female driver and a 3-year-old child inside were not hurt, police said.

The blast remains under investigation by the ATF's Arson and Explosives Task Force.

PHOTO: Olga Galdemez, 42, and her 17-year-old daughter, Jaylin Landaverry, pictured two years ago at the girl's quinceanera.

The (real) secretary of defense called U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard to congratulate him on his heroic performance during Tuesday's World Cup match against Belgium. 

Howard's record-breaking 16 saves during the 2-1 loss drew plenty of social media attention, sparking dozens of memes -- including some Photoshopping Howard's face onto the real body of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. 

A real fan even edited the "U.S. Secretary of Defense" page on Wikipedia with Howard's picture and information.

After all the attention Howard received, Hagel – holding a soccer ball – called Howard to thank him for defending the U.S. Of course, there is evidence of the call on Twitter.

From 1 SecDef to another: Hagel calls @timhowardgk to say thanks for defending USA. We (USA) are proud of @ussoccer! pic.twitter.com/M8nsYdlXFn

— U.S. Dept of Defense (@DeptofDefense) July 2, 2014

 President Barack Obama also gave Howard a call Wednesday.

Pres Obama talks w USA soccer goalie Tim Howard and team captain Clint Dempsey pic.twitter.com/415DqvQvBp

— petesouza (@petesouza) July 2, 2014

An unruly passenger forced an American Airlines flight en route from San Diego to Dallas to land in Phoenix on Wednesday, officials say.

Transportation Security Administration officials said the plane diverted and made an unscheduled landing after the passenger caused a disturbance on board, but did not offer further details.

American Airlines flight 362 landed in Arizona at 2:14 p.m., about an hour after it left San Diego, KPNX in Phoenix reported. It had been scheduled to take off from San Diego at 12:50 p.m. and wound up departing at 1:19 p.m.

The flight took off from Phoenix Sky Harbor International at 3:29 p.m. PT and was scheduled to arrive in Dallas at 7:16 p.m. CT, according to the American Airlines website.

"AA 362 en route from San Diego to Dallas-Fort Worth made an emergency landing in Phoenix because of a disruptive passenger. The flight landed in Phoenix around 2pMT, the passenger was escorted off the flight, and they took back off at 3pMT," the airline said in a statement.

No injuries were reported and further details were not immediately released.
 

A tree brought down wires on Route 189/North Granby Road in Granby on Wednesday evening, closing the roadway and cutting power to more than 700 residences in the area, according to police and CL&P.

Route 189 was closed for about an hour near Mechanicsville Road while crews worked to clear the road. The area reopened around 8:30 p.m.

The CL&P outage map initially showed about 700 customers without power in Granby. CL&P tweeted that a tree fell on an overhead line and caused the outage.

According to the outage map, power had been restored by 8:45.