Category: Southern California

Man Faces 26 Years in Prison for Murdering Brother With Crossbow in San Diego

SAN DIEGO—A Northern California man who fatally shot his brother with a crossbow at a City Heights park was convicted of first-degree murder last week. Adam Thomas, 22, was found guilty by a San Diego jury in the Aug. 9, 2021, killing of his 22-year-old brother Trenton Thomas. The defendant was 20 years old at…


Man Arrested in Shooting Death in San Diego

SAN DIEGO—A 39-year-old man was in custody on July 24 in connection with the killing of a man during an argument in the Redwood Village neighborhood. Esteban Elizondo was arrested around 11:30 a.m. on July 23 during a traffic stop of a vehicle in which he was a passenger, according to San Diego police. He…


Girl, 15, Wounded in Shooting at Northridge Party

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.—A 15-year-old girl attending a house party in Northridge was wounded when a shot was fired, authorities said July 23. The shooting occurred about 10:10 p.m. Saturday at 8523 Oak Park Ave., according to a dispatcher at the Los Angeles Police Department’s Operations Center. The girl heard a gunshot and realized she was struck…


Report Says Plane Rolled Upside Down in Crash Near California Airport, Killing Father, Injuring Sons

MURRIETA, Calif.—A single-engine plane rolled upside down before crashing near a Southern California airport on the Fourth of July, killing a father and severely injuring his three sons, federal investigators said in a preliminary report. The National Transportation Safety Board on Thursday released the report on the crash that killed Jared Newman, 39, of Temecula…


Man Dies, Woman Critically Injured in Crash With Cement Truck in Santa Ana

SANTA ANA, Calif.—A sedan driver died and his passenger was critically injured July 22 in a crash with a cement truck in Santa Ana. It happened just after 8 a.m. Saturday at 2400 E. 17th St., according to Santa Ana police. The driver, whose name was withheld, died at the scene. An investigation revealed that…


Man Killed, 2 Youths Wounded in Gardena Party Shooting

GARDENA, Calif.—A man about 18 to 21 years old was shot to death and two other youths were wounded during a party at a business in Gardena, authorities said July 23. The shooting was reported at 2:08 a.m. in the 100 block of West 155th Street, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Deputies…


Orange County Leaders Talk Progress, Vision in First State of the County Luncheon

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.—Several hundred local leaders and business owners gathered in Newport Beach to celebrate a new tradition at the first State of the County Luncheon July 19. During the event, county officials discussed such things as public safety, homelessness, government finances, and residents’ quality of life. “We need to make sure law enforcement has…


Southern California School Board Approves Curriculum After Gov. Gavin Newsom Threatened $1.5 Million Fine

TEMECULA, Calif.—A Southern California school board has voted to approve a social studies curriculum for elementary students, resolving a dispute with Gov. Gavin Newsom over lesson plans that mentioned the state’s first openly gay elected public official. The Temecula Valley Unified School District had previously voted to reject the curriculum in part because some board members…


Deadly Crash of Marine Osprey Last Year Was Caused by Mechanical Failure, Report Says

WASHINGTON—The deadly crash of a Marine V-22 Osprey in California last year was caused by mechanical failure, according to an investigation that ruled out pilot and maintenance errors. The more than 400-page report released on Friday concluded that the Marines were doing routine flight operations when a “catastrophic, unpreventable, and unanticipated mechanical failure occurred.” The…


Dog Reunites With His Owner in San Diego 335 Miles From Home

A dog who went missing around the Fourth of July was reunited with his family at San Diego Humane Society’s El Cajon campus—335 miles from where he went missing. Ryder, a 9-year-old Chihuahua-terrier mix, was brought into the El Cajon campus as a stray on July 17. The person who found him said the dog…