Author: CNN Newsource

By Lindsay Weber

Click here for updates on this story

    VALLEJO, California (KCRA) — A woman has died weeks after investigators determined she was “intentionally shoved” into the path of an oncoming vehicle, according to the Vallejo Police Department.

The Sept. 15 crash in the 100 block of Lincoln Road West was initially believed to be a crash involving a pedestrian.

The woman sustained critical injuries in the crash and was taken to an area hospital, but died from her injuries on Sept. 28.

Investigators reclassified the crash as a homicide investigation, Vallejo police said, after officers “developed information that the victim had been intentionally shoved into the path of the oncoming vehicle.”

The victim has not yet been identified, and no suspect information has been released.

Anyone with information about the crash is urged to contact Detective Zach Horton at (707) 648-5425 or Zach.Horton@cityofvallejo.net or Detective Daniel Callison at (707) 648-4533 or Daniel.Callison@cityofvallejo.net.

Officials said this marked the 13th homicide in Vallejo this year.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Ricardo Tovar

Click here for updates on this story

    PACIFIC GROVE, California (KSBW) — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is searching for a man wanted for allegedly decapitating a sea lion in Pacific Grove.

A woman walking along Point Pinos Beach in Pacific Grove reported witnessing a man and his daughter mutilating the carcass of a dead seal back in June to KSBW 8.

Several months later, NOAA got involved and announced a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the man wanted for doing this.

The incident occured at 8:40 p.m. on July 27. NOAA says the sea lion was dead before being decapitated, and its cause of death was not determined.

“We are seeking information on the person who decapitated the animal and any other details surrounding the incident,” said NOAA.

The man was described as a white male, approximately 5’9”, bald, with a full beard, and appearing in his late 50s to early 60s. After sawing off the head, he placed it in a zip-style plastic bag and left the area in a late-model Cadillac Escalade.

“Harassing, harming, killing, or feeding sea lions is prohibited under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, as is collecting marine mammal protected species parts,” said NOAA.

Violations could result in $36,000 in civil court fines and a year in jail or up to $100,000 in fines if found criminally liable.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NOAA Enforcement Hotline at (800) 853-1964

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Alice Gainer

Click here for updates on this story

    NEW YORK (WCBS) — A man who shoved a woman onto the subway tracks in an unprovoked attack back in August 2023 was sentenced Monday.

Victim Yanan Xu was emotional as she spoke to attacker Samuel Junker in court. Junker followed her into a subway station near West Broadway and Chambers Street, shoved her onto the tracks without warning, and then ran off.

Xu suffered a broken leg.

“I am standing here today not because of an accident, but because of a sudden, violent act,” Xu said.

Xu said she tried to get up three times as she heard the train coming.

“I only had one thought — I may not be able to survive,” Xu said. “Luckily, there were a few strangers who tried their best and helped me and pulled me up.

“Although I survived, my life was never the same,” Xu added.

Xu said she suffered complications and psychological trauma, and still wakes up in the middle of the night.

“Every time when I walk into a subway station, I feel faster breathing and my heart beats faster,” Xu said. “That act of violence tears away at my sense of security and safety.”

Xu called for justice, and asked the judge to punish Junker to help prevent this from happening again.

Junker, 43, was arrested after an officer recognized him from a wanted flyer. He took a plea deal, admitting guilt to one count of attempted assault.

Junker mostly kept his head down during court, but did speak briefly.

“My apologies run deeper than the ocean for how sorry I am to this innocent person,” Junker said.

Prosecutors asked for a 12-year sentence, explaining what happed to Xu is every New Yorker’s nightmare. The judge agreed, but sentenced him to 10 years, noting his mental health issues and that sometimes he’s not compliant with his medication.

“I hope he seeks the help he needs while he’s incarcerated,” the judge said.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg released a statement after the sentencing.

“Samuel Junker has been held accountable for shoving an innocent woman — a wife and mother — onto the tracks of a Lower Manhattan subway station in a brutal, unprovoked attack,” Bragg said. “We will continue to treat acts of violence committed throughout our subway system with the seriousness they deserve, and I thank our prosecutors for their hard work.”

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Ted Scouten

Click here for updates on this story

    HOLLYWOOD HILLS, Florida (WFOR) — Video captured in South Florida shows a dramatic encounter between a coyote and an iguana, with the reptile whipping its tail in a desperate fight before the coyote trotted away with the iguana in its mouth.

“It’s essentially exactly what they should be doing,” said Camila Pulido from the South Florida Wildlife Center about the coyote’s behavior. “They’re not only helping the ecosystem remove them, but they’re also kind of letting the iguana populations know that that’s a possibility.”

Florida wildlife officials say coyotes are now present in all 67 counties across the state, including heavily urbanized areas like Miami-Dade and Broward.

Residents in Hollywood Hills are among those noticing the animals.

“I saw it walking across the street. It was on the other side of the street, and it was just bopping,” said Mark McKenzie, who lives near 50th Street and Garfield, where the latest sighting happened Monday morning.

Another cellphone video from a neighborhood resident shows a coyote trotting down the middle of the street. McKenzie said the sighting has unnerved some neighbors.

“It’s concerning, because a lot of us have small animals, small pets, whether it be dogs or cats. Some, some have very small children,” he said.

Pulido warned that coyotes could attack unattended pets.

“With smaller pets, there is a good chance that if they’re left unattended, a coyote will predate on them, because it’s very natural behavior,” she said. She added that pets and small children should be closely supervised outdoors in areas where coyotes have been spotted.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) advises that coyotes are typically shy and avoid humans. If one gets too close, Pulido recommended, “kind of flare your arms out, make a lot of noise and scare them off.”

Beyond controlling invasive iguana populations, coyotes also play a crucial role in the ecosystem.

“If we didn’t have coyotes, there could be an uptick in raccoons, there could be an uptick in rats and so on and so forth,” Pulido said.

For more information on coyotes and to see how many have been spotted near your home, residents can consult FWC resources.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Christopher Harris

Click here for updates on this story

    ATLANTA (WUPA) — An arrest warrant has been issued for “Fast and Furious” star Tyrese Gibson in connection with the death of a neighbor’s dog, Fulton County police confirmed Monday.

The Fulton County Police Department said a call came in on Sept. 18 from a Buckhead resident reporting that Gibson’s four Cane Corso dogs, a large breed often used as guard dogs, had killed the neighbor’s 5-year-old King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, named Henry.

According to FCPD Capt. Nicole Dwyer, Animal Services commander, the neighbor had let his dog into his front yard and found the dog dead just five minutes later. Security footage showed Gibson’s Cane Corsos scratching at a door across the street minutes before the attack.

A few minutes after the neighbor’s dog was killed, a woman in a nearby home called 911, saying she could not reach her car because Gibson’s dogs were blocking her. Animal control officers arrived and escorted her safely to her vehicle.

The department said Gibson’s dogs had been reported running loose on five occasions during the week and a half before Henry’s death. Dwyer said multiple warnings were issued to Gibson.

On Sept. 22, Gibson told authorities he would surrender his dogs to Animal Services. However, when officers arrived, he requested three or four more days to decide, police said. Dwyer said she informed him that a search warrant would be obtained if he did not comply. He allegedly refused to comply, prompting the department to secure both a search warrant for Gibson’s property and an arrest warrant for cruelty to animals.

Officers executed the search warrant the same evening, but Gibson was not at the property, and the dogs had been moved, Dwyer said.

In a statement, Gibson’s legal counsel said he “extends his deepest condolences to the family who lost their beloved dog to this tragic incident that occurred while Mr. Gibson was away from his home. Upon learning of this unfortunate accident, Mr. Gibson immediately made the difficult decision to rehome his dogs to a safe and loving environment.”

The statement said Gibson is “cooperating fully with authorities to address and resolve this matter responsibly.”

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Matt Schooley, Penny Kmitt

Click here for updates on this story

    BOSTON (WBZ) — Red Sox fans in Boston are excited for the start of the Wild Card playoff series against the rival New York Yankees, which starts Tuesday night in The Bronx. But fans in most New England states hoping to attend any of this week’s games may have to find other avenues, as the Yankees are trying to keep them from getting tickets.

Boston and New York play a best-of-three series this week, with all three games taking place at Yankee Stadium. Game 1 is Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Game 1 tickets are still available at face value on the Ticketmaster website, with most being located in the upper deck as of Tuesday morning.

However, when attempting to buy tickets for the game on Ticketmaster, fans are greeted by an “Important Event Info” message.

“Yankee Stadium in located in Bronx, New York. Sales to this event will be restricted to residents of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. Residency will be based on credit card billing address. Orders by residents outside New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania will be canceled without notice and refunds given,” the warning reads.

WBZ-TV reached out to Ticketmaster for comment on the restrictions.

“Sometimes teams will place geographic restrictions on certain events to give local fans the best chance to attend. You’d have to ask the team about any specific restrictions that may be in place,” Ticketmaster said.

Yankee Stadium has not yet responded to a request for comment.

Red Sox fans from New England hoping to attend the Wild Card round will seemingly have to take to the secondary market.

Teams in other sports have instituted similar restrictions during playoff games. During this year’s NBA postseason, the Detroit Pistons had a “geo-fencing” restriction in place during its showdown against the New York Knicks. The Carolina Hurricanes restricted ticket sales in 2022 during the NHL playoffs when they played the New York Rangers.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.