Category: San Diego

San Diego City Attorney Sues 20-Plus Companies to Force Cleanup of Toxic Chemicals

SAN DIEGO—The San Diego City Attorney’s Office filed suit on May 11 against more than 20 chemical companies for allegedly manufacturing toxic chemicals that have been detected in San Diego area water sources. The lawsuit seeks to force the companies, which include Dupont, 3M, and others, to pay for the costs of cleanup, which the…


UCSD Grad Student Accused in CHP Officer’s Shooting Pleads Insanity

SAN DIEGO—A 25-year-old graduate student accused of trying to grab a California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer’s gun during an altercation on Interstate 8 in Mission Valley, leaving the lawman shot in the leg, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity on May 10 to charges that include attempted murder of a peace officer. Yuhao Du,…


3 Suspects Arrested in Vista Bombings

VISTA, Calif.—Three men were arrested on May 7 in connection with a string of explosions in Vista on May 4, authorities said. Valentin Castaneda, 25, was taken into custody on suspicion of possessing a destructive device near a church and on public streets, possessing material with intent to make explosives, exploding a device with intent…


Home Torched, Killing One, During Eviction Attempt in El Cajon

EL CAJON, Calif.—An unidentified person died in an El Cajon house fire sparked on May 6 by someone who threw Molotov cocktail-type incendiary devices at deputies as they were trying to evict a resident. The events that led to the deadly blaze began shortly before noon, when court services personnel with the San Diego County…


Ex-San Diego Resident Arrested in Costa Rica After Alleged Flight From US for 21 Years

SAN DIEGO—A former San Diego resident who allegedly fled the United States more than 20 years ago to avoid being sentenced for tax crimes has been arrested, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on May 4. Federal authorities say Robin McPherson was apprehended and deported from Costa Rica so that he could be sentenced…


Mechanical Failure Caused Deadly Navy Helicopter Crash

SAN DIEGO—A Navy helicopter crash off Southern California that killed five crewmembers last year was caused by mechanical failure, not pilot error, the military announced Tuesday. A command investigation completed on April 18 found that a damper hose failed on the MH-60S Seahawk during flight, probably because of unsuspected damage that occurred during maintenance, the…


San Diego Nonprofit, CDC Partner to Help Ukrainian Pets Cross Border

SAN DIEGO—The San Diego Humane Society and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on May 2 they have partnered to allow Ukrainian refugees crossing the U.S.-Mexico border to bring their pets with them. The nonprofit transported the first dog from Ukraine across the border at the San Ysidro Port of Entry on…


Man Killed in East San Diego Park

SAN DIEGO—Homicide detectives are investigating on April 30 the death of a 31-year-old man in Teralta Park in East San Diego. Just after 3 a.m. on April 30, police received a call about a man down on the sidewalk along a bike path in Teralta Park at 4050 Orange Avenue, said Lt. Steve Shebloski of…


Families Should Guard Against ‘Sextortion’ Schemes Targeting Boys: San Diego FBI

SAN DIEGO—The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in San Diego warned parents and caregivers on April 28 about an increase in “sextortion” incidents involving children, especially teenage boys. According to the FBI, the agency has received more reports of adults posing as young girls coercing boys through social media to produce sexual images and videos, and…


San Diego County Supervisors Vote to Redefine ‘Women’

San Diego County Supervisors voted 3–2 in favor of a women’s rights ordinance on April 26 to eradicate discrimination against women and girls—including biological men who identify as women—despite an overwhelming showing of public opposition. Aiming to achieve gender equality, decrease gender bias discrimination, and work towards the elimination of all acts of discrimination against…