David Boren, 47, the former chief of the Farmington Volunteer Fire Department in Mississippi indicted for embezzlement and insurance fraud

Corinth, Mississippi

Ex-Farmington fire chief indicted for embezzlement, insurance fraud


The former chief of the Farmington Volunteer Fire Department turned himself in Friday on a grand jury indictment charging him with embezzlement and insurance fraud, Alcorn County Sheriff Ben Caldwell said.


David Boren, 47, of County Road 255, was indicted on the charges, which came after an investigation by the sheriff’s office and others.


Count 1 of the indictment alleges that in 2014, Boren did unlawfully “with the intent to appropriate to himself money, knowingly execute, collude or conspire to execute or attempt to execute a scheme or artifice to obtain by means of false or fraudulent pretense, money from Glatpelter Claims Management, Inc. on behalf of American Alternative Insurance Corporation… .”


Count 2 of the indictment alleges that between 2010 and 2016, Boren did unlawfully “embezzle, fraudulently secret, conceal or convert to his own use or make away with property or money” with a value of $1,000 or more but less than $20,000 which was “entrusted to his care or possession by virtue of his employment with Farmington Volunteer Fire Department.”

Business Description
Farmington Volunteer Fire Dept is located in Corinth, Mississippi. This organization primarily operates in the Fire Department, Volunteer business / industry within the Justice, Public Order and Safety sector. This organization has been operating for approximately 16 years. Farmington Volunteer Fire Dept employs approximately 30 people at this single location.

A 13-year old girl riding her bike at a Redondo Beach intersection was struck and killed by a bus operated not by Metro, but a contractor, MV Transportation

Redondo Beach, Los Angeles County
 
A girl riding her bike at a Redondo Beach intersection was fatally struck by a bus on Friday.

According to an MTA spokesperson, the young victim was believed to have run into the side of the bus when it was going through the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Knob Hill Avenue shortly before 6 p.m.

It was not immediately clear how young the victim was. Officials said she had been riding bikes with a friend, who was not injured.

The vehicle is not an MTA bus and is operated by a contract company, according to the spokesperson.

DEVELOPING: We will add more details to this report as they become available.

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13-year-old girl struck and killed by MTA bus in Redondo Beach

By Larry Altman, Daily Breeze

Posted: 05/05/17, 6:26 PM PDT | Updated: 1 min ago

A 13-year-old girl on a bicycle was struck by an MTA bus and killed tonight in Redondo Beach.

The crash occurred about 5:40 p.m. on Pacific Coast Highway and Knob Hill Avenue, Redondo Beach police Lt. Shawn Freeman said.

The girl was pronounced dead at the scene.

A witness said he saw the girl riding her bike and she somehow swerved in front of the bus.

Redondo Beach police have closed PCH at Knob Hill Avenue, Topaz Street and Avenue A, and Knob Hill Avenue at Elvira and Gertruda avenues.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area.

Metro spokesman Rick Jager said the bus, traveling the 232 route — which goes from Long Beach to LAX — was operated not by Metro, but a contractor, MV Transportation.

Jager said initial reports were the girl rode her bike into the side of the bus.

In February 2015, a LADOT bus operated by MV Transportation struck an elderly Torrance couple, Allen and Lynn Shall, while they were crossing Avenue I just east of Catalina Avenue in the Riviera Village. Allen was killed and Lynn was severely injured.

MV Transportation, LADOT and the bus driver, Mitchell Curtis Floyd, were named in a wrongful death lawsuit Lynn Shall filed in December 2015 that was later settled. Floyd later pleaded no contest to a single misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence.

3 injured after a Spitzer Helicopter Robinson R-44 Clipper (N981RR) tour helicopter crashes and burns at the La Cumbre Country Club in Santa Barbara, CA

The Spitzer Helicopter Robinson R-44 Clipper (N981RR) tour helicopter that crashed and burned

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KABC) -- Three people onboard a tour helicopter that crashed at a golf course in Santa Barbara on Friday got out of the wreck alive, according to Santa Barbara County fire officials.

Emergency crews responded to the collision shortly after 2 p.m. at La Cumbre Country Club in the 4000 block of Via Laguna, an unincorporated area of Santa Barbara County.

Two passengers and a pilot were taking a waterfront tour in the four-seat Robinson R-44. While returning, the chopper developed mechanical problems.

The helicopter struck two vans near the golf course and caught fire, but all three occupants got out before the flames erupted.

The passengers and pilot were transported to a nearby hospital with moderate injuries, fire officials said. Nobody on the ground was hurt.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were investigating the crash.



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3 Injured After Helicopter Crashes, Catches Fire at La Cumbre Country Club Near Santa Barbara


Three people transported to hospital with moderate injuries after tour helicopter makes crash-landing








A helicopter crashed and caught fire in Santa Barbara Friday afternoon. (Zack Warburg / Noozhawk photo)






A tour helicopter reportedly had mechanical problems on its way back to the Santa Barbara Airport, authorities said. (Brooke Holland / Noozhawk photo)






A helicopter crashed and caught fire at La Cumbre Country Club Friday afternoon. (Zack Warburg / Noozhawk photo)






Santa Barbara County firefighters responded to a crashed helicopter at La Cumbre Country Club Friday afternoon. (Zack Warburg / Noozhawk photo)






Santa Barbara County firefighters responded to a crashed helicopter (N981RR) at La Cumbre Country Club Friday afternoon. (Brooke Holland / Noozhawk photo)






Santa Barbara County firefighters responded to a crashed helicopter at La Cumbre Country Club Friday afternoon. (Santa Barbara County Fire Department photo)


By Giana Magnoli, Noozhawk Managing Editor | @magnoli | 

 3:25 p.m. | May 5, 2017 | 2:22 p.m.



A helicopter crashed near La Cumbre Country Club Friday afternoon in Santa Barbara, causing moderate injuries to the three people aboard.

Emergency response crews responded to 4015 Via Laguna Dr. just after 2 p.m. to the report of a plane down.

County Fire Department Capt. Dave Zaniboni said the crashed aircraft was a tour helicopter out of Santa Barbara.


The helicopter had finished a tour of the harbor and downtown area and was headed back to the airport when it had mechanical problems, Zaniboni told Noozhawk.

The pilot told the Santa Barbara Airport tower it was going down, he said.

It crash-landed in a maintenance area of La Cumbre Country Club, skidding into several vehicles in a paved area.

The pilot, male passenger and female passenger were able to get out of the helicopter on their own, Zaniboni said.

All three people were transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital with moderate injuries.

Firefighters arrived on the scene to find the aircraft on fire, Zaniboni said, adding that there was a fuel spill as a result of the crash.

Santa Barbara County Fire responded to a crashed helicopter at La Cumbre Country Club Friday afternoon. (Zack Warburg / Noozhawk photo)

The tail number is assigned to a Robinson Helicopter R44 model, which is owned by a leasing company in Riverside County, Spitzer Helicopter.

Owner Eric Spitzer said he deals in long-term leases, often to flight schools, and the crashed aircraft was leased to Santa Barbara Air.

The owner/operator is Mike Ower, who mostly does helicopter tours, Spitzer said.

The Helicopter Tours of Santa Barbara website shows photos of a helicopter with the same tail number as the crashed aircraft.

The Federal Aviation Administration was notified of the crash and representatives were responding to the scene. No further details were available.

1 man found dead in a Berwyn, Illinois home fire

BERWYN, Ill. (WLS) --

Berwyn firefighters and police responded to reports of a fire in the 3300-block of South Home Avenue on Friday afternoon.

Police say there was excessive smoke and fire coming out of the roof and windows.

After firefighters extinguished the blaze, officials say they discovered a body inside the house. The identity of the victim is not known.

Children were evacuated from a day care center next door as a precaution.

Berwyn police and fire officials are still investigating the blaze.



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BERWYN, Ill.
 
A man was found dead in a Berwyn home following a fire Friday, authorities said.

The man, who had not yet been identified, was pronounced dead at 1:30 p.m. at the scene in the 3300 block of South Home Avenue in the west suburb, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Emergency crews were called to the home late Friday morning following a report of smoke and fire coming from the house, according to a news release from Berwyn police. When police arrived, they saw heavy smoke and fire coming from the roof and some windows.

Firefighters from Berwyn and other area fire departments were able to put out the fire, and when firefighters searched the home, they found the man dead, according to the release.

Police have identified the 64-year-old owner of the home, but had not been able to confirm that he was the man found dead, according to the release.

The Illinois Fire Marshall’s office is working with fire investigators to find the cause of the fire. Police and fire investigators are working together to establish how the man died and his identity.

An autopsy was expected to be performed Saturday.

Tirpoke Cleaners was destroyed by a 3-alarm fire in Hunterdon County, New Jersey.

Residents shocked by damage after Flemington, New Jersey fire



Friday, May 05, 2017 06:18PM
FLEMINGTON, N.J. (WPVI) -- A dry cleaners was destroyed when flames ripped through the longtime business in Hunterdon County, New Jersey.

It took firefighters about three hours to get the fire under control after it erupted around 7 p.m. Thursday at Tirpoke Cleaners on Reaville Ave.

On Friday, residents were showing up to the scene in shock at the extent of the damage.

The massive blaze engulfed the building, gutting it and destroying everything inside.

"I feel very bad for them. I've known them for many, many years and they didn't deserve what happened," said coffee shop owner Bobbie Pyatt.

The Tirpok family has six stores, but this was the production facility where everything was sent to be cleaned. Debbie Neal runs the Lambertville location.

"I just had a girl that I called and she was a little upset because Lambertville's prom is Friday night. So she was unhappy, but everybody else that called, they understand. A fire's a fire," Neal Said.

Owner Andrew Tirpok didn't want to go on camera, but told Action News he was heartbroken and will do everything he can to make it right for customers.

He says he's working with his insurance company to set up a hotline and protocol for people who've lost items in the fire.
Chuck Savelli's stepson sent him a video of what the blaze looked like before it was brought under control.

"Look at that," he said while showing us the video. "See that's really, that's engulfed."

The three-alarm fire was fought by more than 20 fire companies from around the area, who miraculously saved Central Wine Merchants liquor store just about 10 feet away.

"The wind brought it over, so it looked like it was our building also. But the way they had the water set up and the hoses, they just kept it contained. It was the most amazing thing," said clerk Cara Hamrah.

"It's a very nice family-run business and very sad to see that it burned. I learned that this morning," said Diane Papalski.

"We went through the same thing about 30 years ago here. We burned down in '84, so it's a tough rebuild, but they'll do it," said the owner of Central Wine, Steve Little.

While the cause of the fire is not yet known, investigators say at this point it does not appear to be suspicious.




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The community is rallying to support Tirpok Clea ners whose longtime Flemington store was destroyed by fire Thursday evening. (Photo: Mike Deak/Staff Photo)

FLEMINGTON, NJ - The community is rallying together to help one of Hunterdon County's landmark businesses, Tirpok Cleaners, after a fire destroyed its home location on Reaville Avenue Thursday evening.

Firefighters from throughout Hunterdon County rushed to Flemington to battle the blaze at the business that has been at the same location for 69 years. The efforts to save the business were so intense that water pressure lowered throughout the borough.

Though the building was destroyed, firefighters were able to keep the fire from speading next door to Central Wine Merchants, another Hunterdon County landmark business. No injuries were reported.

"Even though our building couldn't be saved, the fire departments did an outstanding job tonight," Andrew Tirpok, president of the business with other locations in Hunterdon County, wrote on Facebook. "I can't express how much I appreciate all the hard work they do."

"We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and love from the surrounding communities," Tirpok said. "We are committed to rebuilding as soon as possible."

Tirpok added that the business's "point of sale software is cloud- based and we have no data loss, which will greatly assist us in expediting our assistance to you, our customers."

Hunterdon County Prosecutor Anthony P. Kearns III said the fire does not appear to be suspicious and the cause is undetermined. The investigation is continuing, he said.

The fire was reported by employees at about 6:55 p.m., Kearns said.

Responding to the scene were the Flemington Borough Fire Department, Raritan Township Fire Department, Raritan Township Police Department, Flemington Borough Office of Emergency Management, Flemington Borough Police Department, Glen Gardner Fire Department, Fairmont Fire Department, High Bridge Fire Department, Stockton Fire Department, Kingwood Fire Department, Sergeantsville Fire Department, Lambertville Fire Department, Readington Fire Department, Lebanon Borough Fire Department, Three Bridges Fire Department, Quakertown Fire Department, Milford Fire Department, Amwell Valley Fire Department, Lebanon Township Fire Department, Annandale Fire Department, East Whitehouse Fire Department, Hampton Fire Department, Flemington-Raritan Rescue Squad, Lambertville Rescue Squad, Clinton Rescue Squad, Whitehouse Rescue Squad, Hunterdon County OEM, Hunterdon County Hazmat Team, Hunterdon Medical Center Paramedics, Hunterdon County Fire Marshalls Office and Flemington Borough Office of Emergency Management.

“I commend the volunteers for their quick response to this fire," Kearns said. "It is a testament to the dedication of these men and women to see so many fire companies and rescue squads come to the aid of their fellow volunteers and keep our county safe. Other structures and businesses surrounding the cleaners were saved by the rapid response and expertise of our selfless first responders.”


Tirpok Cleaners was an integral part of the Flemington and Hunterdon community for decades, always generous in supporting youth groups, schools and other nonprofit organizations.

And now the community is rallying behind Tirpok Cleaners.

"I think it's safe to say that the greater Flemington area feels like it lost a friend in the business community last night due to the tragic fire at Tirpok Cleaners. They've been part of, and a friend to this community for the many decades that I've lived here," Jeff Hoffman of Flemington Precast and Supply posted on Facebook.

"We must do everything that we can to support them and help them through this difficult time," Hoffman continued. " We must not only support our local businesses by shopping here, but we need to pitch-in where we can in situations like this as well."

The Ladies of Hunterdon County, a Facebook group with more than 8,300 members, are trying to organize a donation for those who had prom and wedding dresses at Tirpok Cleaners.

According to the Flemington Office of Emergency Management, several businesses, including 55 Main, Gabby's Pizza, Jack's Pizza, Krauszer's and Steve's Food Store , donated food and water to the army of first-responders who were on the fire scene shortly before 7 p.m. until late in the night.

Borough Councilman Brian Swingle said he told Tirpok that the borough will help "any way we can" to get the business open again.

"One positive thing out of tonight's fire," wrote Flemington resident Tim Hester. "We're all looking out for each other.

For three generations the Tirpok Family has owned and operated Tirpok Cleaners. Andy Tirpok Sr. started in 1936 with a shoe-shine stand on Main Street in Flemington.. In 1948 he built the Reaville Avenue location.

Through the years, Andy Sr.’s son Andy Jr. took over the company and then passed the torch to his son Andrew in 2002.