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7 Bus Crash Victims Identified

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Seven victims of a fiery bus crash that left 10 dead on a Northern California highway Thursday have been identified.

Michael Myvette, 25-year-old Mattison Haywood, 18-year-old Adrian Castro, 26-year-old Arthur Arzola, 17-year-old Marisa Serrato, Denise Gomez and Ismael Jimenez were among those killed when the bus they were riding collided head-on with a FedEx truck on Interstate 5 in Orland, Calif., on Thursday evening.

The bus was carrying Los Angeles area students on their way to a college tour at Humboldt State University. The drivers of both the bus and the FedEx truck were killed in the wreck, but their identities have not been released.

Four autopsies were completed Friday, and coroner's were attempting to complete the remaining five on Saturday. An update was not expected until midweek, according to a press release from the Glenn County Sheriff's Department.

Ismael Jimenez:

Evelin Jimenez, the sister of Ismael Jimenez, confirmed to NBC4 on Saturday that her brother was killed in the wreck. 

Denise Gomez:

Extended family members confirmed to NBC4 that Animo Inglewood Charter School student Denise Gomez was killed in the wreck. Gomez and Ismael Jimenez, who also died in the crash, were sitting together at the time of the collision.

Adrian Castro:

Friends of Castro, a football player at El Monte Union High School, say the teen was going to be the first in his family to go to college.

"I just felt like I lost a brother, I lost a family member. It hurt real bad," said classmate Nathaniel Medina, who was on the football team with Castro. “He was telling me he hasn't decided what college to go to and then, um, he was telling me he was really excited because he was going to college."

Marisa Serrato:

Serrato, whose twin sister Marisol was also on the trip but rode a different bus, was a senior at Norte Vista High School. Serrato's mother confirmed on Friday that Marisa is among the dead.

Since the crash, the girls' mother struggled to get a hold of Marisa and said she was desperate for information about what happened to her. The family became even more worried when officials called asking for dental records that would be used to possibly identify a victim.

Michael Myvette and Mattison Haywood:

Myvett and Haywood were a recently engaged couple who were chaperoning the students on the trip. Haywood was a high school and college basketball player who planned to become a doctor. Myvett worked with autistic children.

The two were described as very sweet people whose fairytale romance was "like a movie."

"Had only one of them survived, the other would be an absolute wreck because they were two peas in a pod," Mattison's father John Haywood said.

Arthur Arzol:

Arzola, a college admissions counselor, was recruiting for the university in the LA area. He married his high school sweetheart in 2012.

"He had the biggest smile. He was always really charismatic," friend Ryan Garcia said.

A total of five students, three chaperones and both the bus driver and truck driver died in the crash, authorities said. Nine people died at the scene. Arzola died at the hospital.



Photo Credit: AP

Family of Innocent Man Speaks

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The family of an innocent man who was mistakenly shot and killed by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies is trying to make sense of his death, they said in a statement Friday.

Deputies on Monday were responding to a call of an assault with a deadly weapon and man with a knife in an apartment in the 900 block of Palm Avenue when two men came running toward them.

The deputies mistakenly thought one of the men was the victim and the other the suspect, officials said. They opened fire, shooting and killing John Winkler, 30.

Winkler’s uncle, Craig Dawson, said the Comedy Central staffer was a “kind, funny, smart young man.”

“We are grasping to understand why he was taken away from us in such a tragic way,” Dawson said. "Those who were blessed with the opportunity to know John knew him to be an incredibly giving young man, always ready to do anything for friends and family.”

Authorities said Winkler was one of three men who were held hostage inside the apartment at knifepoint. Alexander McDonald, 27, allegedly stabbed and fought the hostages until deputies arrived.

McDonald was charged with murder on Thursday.

Dawson said that Winkler put his own life at risk trying to help a friend in a dangerous situation.

"Moving forward, we seek to understand the reasons why the sheriff's deputies shot and killed John,” Dawson said. “We know that shooting and killing an innocent man must be a horrible burden for those deputies, and they are in our prayers as well, as they attempt to cope with the circumstances of his death.”

Comedy Central released a statement on Friday mourning the loss of Winkler.

“We only had the privilege of working with him for a short while and extend heartfelt sympathy to his family and friends during this tragic time,” Comedy Central said.

Family members told NBC4 that Winkler moved to Los Angeles about six months ago. 

Body Found in Lake Wepawaug in Orange

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Police are investigating after a man's body was found in Lake Wepawaug in Orange on Saturday afternoon and said it doesn't appear foul play was involved.

Authorities said three young people spotted the body about 15 feet from shore in Lake Wepawaug off Grassy Hill Road, an area where people frequently fish.

It appears that the body had been in the water for an extended period of time, and the deceased person's race could not be identified, police said.

Orange fire officials retrieved the body. State police and Orange police are investigating, along with an investigator from the State's Attorney's Office.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will perform an autopsy.

It's not clear when or how the person died. Police said they don't initially believe the death to be suspicious.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Orange Police Det. Mike Morrin at 203-891-2138.


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Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Motorcyclist Killed in Ledyard Crash

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A 25-year-old Groton man has died after losing control of his motorcycle in Ledyard and colliding with two other vehicles Saturday evening, according to police.

Police said Kyle Starts of Groton lost control while traveling westbound on Route 214/Stoddards Wharf Road and struck two cars driving in the opposite direction.

It happened around 5:30 p.m. Saturday in the area of 40 Stoddards Wharf Road, according to Ledyard Fire Chief John R. Doucette.

LifeStar was initially called out, but Startz was pronounced dead at the scene and the helicopter was canceled, Doucette said.

No one else was injured in the crash, according to fire officials.

Ledyard police, the Ledyard and Gales Ferry fire companies, Ledyard Ambulance and American Ambulance Paramedics responded to the crash.

Stoddards Wharf Road was closed for several hours between Whalehead Road and Goulart Road for several hours while an accident reconstruction team responded to the scene.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.


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Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Philly Bar's Sign Stirs Controversy

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A sidewalk sign promoting a Chinatown sports bar has stirred up controversy for poking fun at domestic violence.

The message, scribed in colored chalk, read: “I like my beer like I like my violence… domestic.” It was posted Saturday afternoon outside Bar-Ly at 11th and Appletree Streets in the Chinatown section of Philadelphia. The A-frame sign is marked with a logo for Heineken Light beer, which is considered an import beer.

NBC10 viewer Lisa Schultz, who was outraged by the message, tweeted NBC10.com a picture of the sign. “Can you believe what this sign said…,” she wrote. She also sent angry tweets to the bar and her followers.

NBC10 contacted Bar-Ly to ask about the sign. A man who refused to give his name said he was the person who had written the message and that it was taken down a few hours after being posted. The man said the bar had received complaints about the sign.

“We didn’t want to offend people, so we took it down,” he said. “I personally didn’t think it was offensive.”

According to the Philadelphia-based advocacy group Women Against Abuse, more than 1 in 3 women and 1 in 7 men are victims of severe physical harm by their intimate partner during their lifetimes.

The organization also says 2,000 emergency room visits by Philadelphia women were likely the result of some type of domestic violence and more than 107,000 domestic violence complaints were filed by the Philadelphia Police Department in 2012.

Bar-Ly has used other A-frame chalk signs to post other politically incorrect messages. A photo on the bar’s Facebook page of another A-frame chalkboard, showing a different message, likened the sign to “your loud grandmother.”

“It says whatever it wants,” the caption states. The message written on that sign called its guardian angel an alcoholic.

Through a spokesperson Saturday evening, bar owner Buu Ly said he was not aware of the sign before it was posted and did not approve it.

He said the staffer who wrote the message reflected "very poor judgment" and has been fired.

"In no way does Bar-Ly condone domestic violence nor do we find it humorous," a statement read. "We are sorry to everyone who was offended."

Did the message cross the line? Share your thoughts below.


Contact Vince Lattanzio at 610.668.5532, vince.lattanzio@nbcuni.com or follow @VinceLattanzio on Twitter.



Photo Credit: Lisa Schultz

Zumbathon Honors Sandy Hook Victim

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It was a dance party in West Hartford Saturday evening as dozens came together for Ana Marquez-Greene, a young girl many at the event never met but who affected them deeply.

Ana was one of the 26 victims of the Sandy Hook shooting. She grew up in Hartford and spent her time playing at Elizabeth Park where just last week, on what would have been her eighth birthday, a new purple playground was dedicated.

So Carla Butler began the Dance for Ana with Love Zumbathon Charity event last year after finding out how much Ana loved music and loved to dance.

"I read a tribute to Ana from mom and dad, and they said that she never walked because her mode of transportation was to dance," said Butler.

"Everybody has just stepped right up," said organizer Diana Stephens. "Everybody loves Sandy Hook. Everyone loves the Newtown victims, and we just want to continue to show the support to everybody."

Every penny raised goes to the Ana Grace Project, which works to build connections in communities, prevent violence, and help victims. For the people dancing it was a way to show how important Ana is to them.

"It's love. It's love. Mom's message is 'love wins,' and that's what this is showing: that people love," said Butler.

You can visit the Ana Grace Project online.

Woman Seriously Hurt in Crash on I-84 in East Hartford

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A Coventry woman is in serious condition following a crash on Interstate 84 eastbound in East Hartford late Friday night, according to police.

Police said 47-year-old Nancy Lapoint was traveling east on I-84 toward Interstate 384 when her car was struck by another vehicle that had lost control.

It happened when 59-year-old Charles Peterson, of Rocky Hill, changed lanes and lost control of his car, crashing into barrels at exit 59 and then hitting Lapoint’s car, according to police. Lapoint’s car then rolled onto its hood.

Lapoint was taken to the hospital for treatment of serious injuries. Peterson received minor injuries in the crash, police said.

Authorities are investigating to determine the cause of the crash.

Anyone with information is urged to contact State Police Trooper John Wilson 860-534-100 ext. 6112.
 

Police Shoot, Kill Armed N.Y. Man

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Police shot and killed an elderly Queens man Saturday who was armed with a gun and is believed to have shot and killed his daughter, according to the NYPD. 

Officers arrived at a house on 38th Street in Astoria shortly after 11 a.m. and found a man with a gun, authorities said. Police ordered the 86-year-old man to drop the gun and shot him when he didn't.

The man, who authorities say called 911 to say that he had shot his daughter and dog, was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Police found a 65-year-old woman, the man's daughter, shot in the house's kitchen. She was taken to Elmhurst Hospital and died at 3:45 p.m.

The names of the man and his daughter were not immediately released.

A dog that was injured with what officials believe are gunshot wounds was found in the house and is expected to make a full recovery.

Neighbors who were nearby when the shooting occurred said they heard a number of shots ringing out from the house.

"Right when I passed his house all I heard was five gunshots...and I just got on the floor and I kneeled because I didn't wanna get shot too," said Dean Rocco. 

Rocco said he heard an officer repeatedly instruct the elderly man to put his gun down.

"The cop was telling him, 'Put down the gun, put down the gun,'" Rocco said. "I guess he didn't wanna put down the gun."


Boy Killed After Father's Funeral

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A 4-year-old boy, returning home from his father’s funeral, was struck and killed by a van along a Delaware County street.

Karder Hardy had just exited a gold Dodge Charger at 11th and Upland Streets in Chester, Pa. around 5 p.m. on Saturday when he was hit by a white passenger van, Chester Police say.

The boy jumped out of the car's backseat after seeing his mother standing outside, according to police.

"I seen him laying on the ground and I was holding him and telling him to hold on, hold on Karder," Denise Brown, his great aunt, said.

Hardy was rushed to Crozer-Chester Medical Center with severe head trauma, but his injuries were too severe and he was pronounced dead on arrival, police said.

"He was a loveable little boy," the aunt said.

Police say the 42-year-old van driver did stop and was questioned by detectives at the city’s police station. Police say it appears to be an accident.

The family had just returned from the funeral for the boy’s father, Derrick Brown, police said. The man was murdered last Saturday in the city's West End. Investigators believe he was an innocent bystander.

"It's too much for the family to deal with all in one day," said Kathy Pappas, a family friend.



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

No Sign Truck Braked Before Crash

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Investigators found no signs that a FedEx truck braked before colliding head-on with a tour bus in Northern California, killing 10 people, a National Transportation Safety Board spokesman said Saturday.

The tractor-trailer strayed from the southbound lane at a 10-degree angle, the spokesman said, running over the 58-foot-wide median and onto the northbound lane – but leaving no tire marks behind, NBC News reported.

Tire marks by the bus before the moment of impact stretched for 145 feet, said the NTSB’s Mark Rosekind. The marks indicate that the bus driver reacted to the oncoming truck by braking and steering to the right, he said.

The force of the collision ejected some of the bus passengers, Rosekind said.

The bus, a 2014 model, had been in service for about a month and was equipped with seat belts, Rosekind said.

Rosekind also said toxicology tests were being conducted on both drivers to determine if drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash.

Tracking technology on board the tractor-trailer was likely destroyed during a fire, an investigator told NBC News.

The crash occurred about 5:40 p.m. Thursday on Interstate 5 near Orland, when the FedEx truck crossed a median and struck a Nissan Altima and a charter bus carrying dozens of Southern California high school students on their way to visit Humboldt State University.

Rosekind told NBC News that an electronic module inside the delivery truck could give information “about the speed, any hard braking that may have happened.” However, the blaze was so powerful that the device was “probably destroyed” in it, he said.

Rosekind’s comments come after the couple driving the Altima told NBC4 that the FedEx truck was already on fire before it crossed lanes and hit the tour bus.

Bonnie and Joe Duran were driving back to home to the Seattle-area at the time of the crash. They were driving in front of the charter bus.

"The driver (of the Nissan) did report seeing flames that were coming out from the truck tractor cab prior to the crash as it was coming across the median," Rosekind said at the news conference Saturday.

Bonnie Duran said the flames were not coming from the front engine and appeared to be coming from behind the cab.

The Durans were set to be interviewed by CHP investigators Saturday, and could be seen leaving a station Saturday morning.

Seven victims of a fiery bus crash had been identified as of Saturday afternoon. They are Michael Myvette, 25-year-old Mattison Haywood, 18-year-old Adrian Castro, 26-year-old Arthur Arzola, 17-year-old Marisa Serrato, Denise Gomez and Ismael Jimenez.

Four autopsies were completed Friday, and coroners were attempting to complete the remaining five on Saturday. An update was not expected until midweek.



Photo Credit: AP

Body Is Missing Calif. Hiker

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Investigators confirmed Saturday night a woman’s body found that morning near Mt. Tamalpais is that of a hiker from Menlo Park who went missing two weeks ago.

The sheriff’s department confirmed the body to be of 33-year-old Magdalena Glinkowski. As for exactly what caused her death, that could take some time to determine, investigators said.

Search teams returned to Mt. Tam Saturday morning after a runner called in a tip and said he thought he saw Glinkowski on the day she disappeared.

He said he spotted her on a hiking trail about a mile from the Pantoll Campground where security cameras captured images of Glinkowski, who appeared to be embarking on a hike.

Dozens of searchers, along with trained search dogs, went looking for Glinkowski in that general area. And they discovered a woman’s body at the bottom of a steep ravine.

"The body was located in a very remote, rugged area, drainage off what might be considered one of the more common used here in the mountain," Marin County Sheriff's Department Lt. Doug Pittman said.  "It's unusual for people to travel these areas, which would explain as to why she had not been located up until this point."

Glinkowski went missing on March 30, and the software developer apparently left a note at her Menlo Park home, saying she was going hiking for the day.

Her parents were present at the site of the search Saturday morning. Some experienced hikers said that particular trail is dangerous, and there are places where you can easily slip and fall.

The sheriff’s department said that is a possibility in this case, and they do not suspect foul play.

It will take a day or two for the medical examiner to do an evaluation.

Toxicology tests can take up to 30 days, so it may be a while before the official cause of death is released.

Eight Displaced by Norwich House Fire

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Eight people have been displaced by a house fire that broke out in Norwich on Sunday morning, according to the Red Cross.

Fire officials responded to the home on Lincoln Avenue around 8:15 a.m. Sunday. The house is located near the intersection with Washington Street.

According to the fire chief, the fire started in the upper levels of the multi-family home.

Firefighters were on the scene for several hours. The fire got into the gas lines, which slowed down the fire department's effort to extinguish the flames, according to the fire department.

The Red Cross is helping four families, including six adults and two children, who were forced out of their homes by the blaze. 



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

2 Men Arrested in String of Murders

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Two transients have been arrested in connection with a string of murders in Orange County, police said Saturday.

Franc Cano, 27, and Steven Dean Gordon, 45, were arrested Friday in the 5100 block of East La Palma Avenue in Anaheim for allegedly killing four women, the Anaheim Police Department said.

Three of the women had been reported missing from Santa Ana and the fourth, identified as 21-year-old Jarrae Nykkole Estepp of Oklahoma, was found dead at a recycling plant in Anaheim on March 14, police said.

The missing women were identified by police as 20-year-old Kianna Jackson of Las Vegas, and 34-year-old Josephine Vargas and 28-year-old Martha Anaya, both of Santa Ana.

Investigators said there may be more victims.

The Anaheim and Santa Ana police departments conducted a joint investigation into the slayings.

2 Bodies Found in Hudson River

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Two Newark men were found dead in the Hudson River off a pier in New Jersey Sunday morning, authorities said.

Police received reports of two men in the water near Sinatra Park in Hoboken at around 5:30 a.m. The bodies of the two men were recovered by the NYPD Scuba Unit about 90 minutes later, police said.

Officials have identified them as 20-year-old Elias Serrano and 24-year-old Edwin Cruz.

Investigators said Serrano and Cruz were with a group of friends on a pier near 8th Street before they went in the water.

No foul play is suspected but it remains unclear exactly why or how the men ended up in the river.

On Sunday afternoon, police were still interviewing the group of friends the men were with. Autopsies for Serrano and Cruz were expected to be completed Monday.

Tearful family members remembered Serrano Sunday night.

“Any dark room he lit it up, he was vibrant, strong,” said Jose Rivera, one of his cousins.
 


 

Bus Crash Survivor Recounts Horror

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A Southern California teen said he knew he had to act quickly when he saw a tractor-trailer careening directly toward the tour bus full of students he was riding in.

Miles Hill, 18, escaped the fiery crash with second-degree burns on both his hands and along the left side of his body, among other injuries. Five students and five adults were killed in the crash on Interstate 5 near the small Northern California city of Orland on Thursday.

When Hill saw the FedEx truck coming toward the bus, he covered his head with his fire-repellent Army jacket and braced for impact. As the bus became engulfed in flames, the teen kicked out a window and fled from the burning bus.

“So much adrenaline was coursing through my veins,” Hill said. “I was in so much shock that I did what I had to do. I kicked it and it came off and I ran.”

From his hospital bed at Enloe Medical Center in Chico, Hill said he is still haunted by what he heard and saw.

“Screams of people who were trapped inside burning alive,” Hill said. “They were screaming, ‘Help me, I don’t want to die.’”

The worst of the fire and most of the deaths happened near the front of the bus. Hill was sitting right behind the driver.

“He chose that position because he had read somewhere a long time ago that the safest position in the bus in a bus crash – he had researched it – was in the front of the bus,” said Hill’s father, Gaylord Hill.

Hill disputed other witness accounts claiming the dlivery truck was on fire before it collided with the bus.

“It was in perfect condition. It exploded upon impact with the bus," Hills said. "It was not on fire at all.

The teen was able to save himself and others after kicking out the window. But his father said the teen almost feels guilty about surviving because he wasn’t able to do more for those who died.

“I can’t even imagine him in the middle of the explosion and saved his life, and the others couldn’t,” the father said.


NTSB: No Evidence of Pre-Crash Fire

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Federal investigators said on Sunday that they haven't found any evidence that the FedEx truck was on fire when it hit a tour bus carrying high school students on a Northern California highway.

Ten people were killed when the delivery truck crossed a 60-foot median and hit a couple’s Nissan Altima and a charter bus carrying dozens of Southern California high school students on Thursday.

Mark Rosekind of the National Transportation Safety Board said authorities were still investigating the scene of the crash near Orland, but there was nothing indicating the truck was on fire while crossing the median or highway before the wreck.

"There is no evidence of pre-impact fire located at the accident scene, on the median or on the highway," Rosekind said.

The couple in the Altima, Bonnie and Joe Duran, said the truck had fire coming from the rear of the truck just before it sideswiped their car.

"Look to the left and there it was, coming through right at me at an angle and I could tell I wasn’t going to outrun him so I just kind of turned to the right and he hit me just like that," Bonnie Duran told NBC4.

Miles Hill disputed other witness accounts claiming the delivery truck was on fire before it collided with the bus.

“It was in perfect condition. It exploded upon impact with the bus," Hills said. "It was not on fire at all.

Video captured by the Durans' and dashcam footage from a California Highway Patrol vehicle were being used in the investigation, Rosekind said.

In the past five years, 109 crashes have occurred within a 10-mile radius of the wreck site. In all of those wrecks, Rosekind said a vehicle had never crossed the median before.

A final report could take up to a year before it is finished, but a preliminary report was expected to be released in about one month, Rosekind said. 

Eight of the 10 killed had been identified as Saturday afternoon.

Michael Myvette, 25-year-old Mattison Haywood, 18-year-old Adrian Castro, 26-year-old Arthur Arzola, 17-year-old Marisa Serrato, Denise Gomez, Ismael Jimenez and Jennifer Bonilla were among those killed when the bus they were riding collided head-on with a FedEx truck on Interstate 5 in Orland, Calif., on Thursday evening.



Photo Credit: AP

Man Dies After Police Shock Him With Stun Gun

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State police and the Hartford State’s Attorney are investigating the death of a Manchester man who was shot with a stun gun while resisting arrest early Sunday, authorities said.

Twenty-two-year-old Jose Maldonado, of Hamlin Street in Manchester, died after struggling with officers at the East Hartford Police Department, according to state police.

Maldonado was arrested and taken to police headquarters following an incident at 181 Nutmeg Lane in East Hartford, where police said he damaged a car with two adults and three children inside. Broken glass injured one of the adults, police said.

Officers arrived on scene around 1:30 a.m. to arrest Maldonado. He reportedly fought with police while they were arresting him and was charged with three counts of risk of injury to a minor, third degree assault, second-degree criminal mischief, disorderly conduct and interfering with or resisting arrest.

Police said Maldonado began to fight with officers again at police headquarters, prompting one of them to shoot him with a stun gun.

According to state police, Maldonado seemed to suffer medical distress” after the stun gun was used. EMS provided medical care while waiting for an ambulance to arrive. Maldonado was taken by ambulance to Hartford Hospital, where he died.
The Hartford State’s Attorney and the Connecticut State Police Central District Major Crime Squad are investigating the incident.

State police gathered evidence and interviewed witnesses Sunday.

The Chief Medical Examiner’s will conduct an autopsy to determine the official cause of death.



Photo Credit: AP

High School Senior ID'd in Crash

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A senior from Dorsey High School was identified as one of the 10 dead in the violent Northern California bus crash Thursday.

Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy confirmed Saturday that Jennifer Bonilla died in the bus that was carrying Los Angeles area high school students to Humboldt State University when it was struck by a FedEx delivery truck that crossed lanes of traffic on Interstate 5.

Bonilla's mother notified Dorsey High's principal that her daughter was on the bus that crashed. A crisis center will be open to students on the Dorsey campus starting Monday at 9 a.m.

A donation site was set up for Bonilla by Nancy Perdomo-Browning, a co-worker of the victim’s sister.

“Any financial assistance you are able to give will be greatly appreciated and updated information will be posted on this site as arrangements are made,” Perdomo-Browning wrote on the site. “The funds will be used by her mother to assist with burial and additional arrangements as necessary in relation to such.”

To donate, click here: http://www.gofundme.com/8a287s 



Photo Credit: Nancy Perdomo-Browning

14 Hurt in "Mass Casualty" Crash on I-84 in Vernon

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Fourteen people have been injured, three critically, in a serious three-car crash on Interstate 84 west in Vernon, and traffic was backed up for miles Sunday night.

Firefighters are calling it a mass casualty incident.

Two LifeStar helicopters, 12 ambulances and nine paramedics responded to the scene between exits 66 and 65, according to Tolland County Dispatch.

Vernon Fire Chief William Call said a van carrying 13 people collided with two other vehicles – a dark-colored Mercedes and a truck pulling a landscape trailer – then flipped several times over the right guard rail and went 40-50 feet down an embankment.

The driver, a man, was ejected, and a woman had her leg trapped in the sliding door of the van, Call said. Two other passengers also had to be extricated.

A firefighter was also taken to the hospital for minor injuries sustained during the extrication process, according to Call. To his knowledge, no children were involved in the crash.

Call said he heard the crash from a mile away.

The crash happened around 5:45 p.m. Sunday and the highway was shut down for hours while emergency crews responded to the scene.

The left lane reopened on I-84 west but state police said to expect intermittent closures for accident reconstruction throughout the night.

Traffic was also backed up on the eastbound side after the crash.

At least eight emergency departments responded to the scene.

The van was towed away just before 11 p.m. Sunday.

49ers' Aldon Smith Arrested For False Bomb Threat

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San Francisco 49ers star linebacker Aldon Smith was taken into custody by police at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday following an encounter with a TSA agent, police said.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, 25-year-old Smith from San Jose, Calif., was arrested at LAX after making a bomb threat. He was released from custody after posting $20,000 bail Sunday evening and was not charged on Monday, as is standard for out-of-custody defendents, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney.

According to the police statement, Smith was going through Terminal 1 screening and was randomly selected for a secondary screening at about 2 p.m.. Smith "then became belligerent and uncooperative with the process and with the TSA agent, making a comment indicating that he was in possession of a bomb before proceeding towards the gate area."

Los Angeles Airport Police made contact with Smith at the gate, where he was identified as the person in question. Once again, Smith became uncooperative and was detained and taken into custody by Airport Police and transported to LAPD and booked for California Penal Code 148.1(a) - false report of a bomb threat.

Additional eyewitness accounts support the accusation.

An airport employee said that he witnessed the confrontation at the gate between Smith and police.

"I could hear him saying bomb, and then I looked and noticed who it was," an LAX employee who said his name was "Garet" told NBC Bay Area. "He was taking money out of his pocket and throwing it on the ground saying, ‘It’ll be all right. It’ll be all right.'"

The NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit has confirmed police at the airport said it appeared Smith may have been drunk earlier in the day. He was belligerent, but he was not charged with being drunk in public, police said.

The airport said it did not run or request any blood alcohol tests because alcohol was not a factor in the arrest.

TMZ Sports was first to post footage of police officers at LAX taking Smith into custody. Smith can can be heard in the video saying he did nothing wrong.

San Francisco 49ers General Manager Trent Baalke released a statement saying the team is "disappointed to learn of the incident today involving Aldon Smith." He declined to comment further, citing a "pending legal matter."

This is the fourth criminal case against Smith in the last two years.

Smith had hearings on two separate criminal cases last Friday, including three felony counts of possessing an illegal assault weapon and a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of alcohol, according to Deputy District Attorney Brian Buckelew.

Smith wasn't present for the hearing.

The district attorney's office filed the three felony charges against Smith on Oct. 9, after the office's firearms unit examined five rifles recovered by sheriff's deputies from Smith's rented home outside San Jose in 2012. Deputies searched the home after a raucous late-night party where two people were shot and wounded and Smith was stabbed in the leg.

During the crowded party, which was attended by 49ers player Chris Culliver and former 49ers player Delanie Walker, Smith fired a .45 caliber handgun into the air to disburse partygoers before he was stabbed.

The man prosecutors alleged stabbed Smith, Steven Raymond Burba, a reputed gang member, was later arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon. Authorities have not arrested a suspect in the shootings of the two victims at the party.

When sheriff's deputies arrived at Smith's home to investigate, they found five rifles in his bedroom, including three assault weapons, an Armalite AR-10T and two Bushmaster brand rifles, which Smith bought legally in Arizona in 2011 but are illegal to possess in California, prosecutors said.

Smith's separate DUI case was on the court calendar for a pretrial conference. He was arrested on suspicion of DUI and marijuana possession on Sept. 20, after San Jose police said he crashed his car into a tree at about 7 a.m. on Bentley Ridge Drive in San Jose.

Some 49ers fans said they were not surprised Smith has had yet another brush with the law.

"You would think he’d get his act together after getting caught after having that DUI crash in San Jose but he’s young, he’s not learning," 49ers fan TJ Duran said.

"I would be shocked if he has a future with the team," football fan Sean Smith said.


Credit for cell phone video: Clayton Mullaly, USMC combat vet.

 

Information from Bay City News was used in this report.



Photo Credit: Jeff Gross/Getty Images
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