Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Stockton Roberries: 12 armed robberies in Stockton in five days


Stockton police are investigating 12 armed robberies, 
including one that ended in the death of a tire shop employee

Police are investigating a rash of violent armed robberies along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in south Stockton.

The most recent incidents include two armed robberies that happened Monday afternoon. During one of the robberies, a car wash employee was held up at gunpoint.

Investigators said it's still unclear if Monday's robberies are connected to the other 10 that Stockton has seen since Thursday. But, what is clear is the suspects behind them are bold, demanding and seem to be operating with a nothing to lose mentality.

The robberies are happening both day and night. The suspects approach their victims with guns in hand, demanding cash, sometimes leaving on foot, while other times jumping into a getaway vehicle.

Sometimes, the suspects target store employees, and other times they go after a person walking down the street.

There were seven armed robberies between Thursday and Friday, including two that ended in shootings. In one shooting, a tire shop employee was found shot to death in an alley behind his store.

Stockton police are urging anyone with information about the rash of armed robberies to call Crime Stoppers at (209)946-0600. If you can give them something that leads to an arrest, it could mean a cash reward of up to $10,000.
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5 injured after 10 vehicles involved in hit-and-run I-80 crash in West Sacramento near IKEA


Scene of accident on I-80 and Reed Avenue. (Photo: News10)


Sacramento, California
 
California Highway Patrol reported Tuesday morning that there was a hit and run multi-vehicle accident involving ten total vehicles on Interstate 80 near Reed Avenue in West Sacramento.

Involved in the accident were nine vehicles and one big rig according to CHP.

The hit and run caused major traffic near the IKEA store in West Sacramento. 

CHP reported that there was one major injury, four minor injuries and three people who were able to walk away from the crash.
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Child killed, driver injured in fiery crash in Gaithersburg, MD


He died in a fiery car crash off I-370 

GAITHERSBURG, Md. (WUSA9) 

A boy is dead and a woman is injured after a fiery crash in Gaithersburg early Tuesday morning.

Captain Paul Starks, spokesman for the Montgomery County Police Department, says the crash occurred in the area of Fields Rd. at I-370/Sam Eig Highway around 3:38 a.m. A boy, estimated to be around 10 years of age, was pronounced dead at the scene. The woman who was driving suffered burns to her hands and was taken to a local hospital in serious condition. Officials say that she is expected to be okay.

A Montgomery County EMS crew was driving by the scene and spotted the car fire. The woman told them that there was another person in the vehicle. 

Rescuers broke glass to try to get into the vehicle and then extinguished the fire, but could not get the boy out of the backseat of the vehicle, say officials.
"They were able to get on the scene and use their extinguishers to knock out the fire," said Pete Piringer, with Montgomery County Fire and Rescue. But, it was too late. "Firefighters had to force entry into the vehicle but they were unable to reach the child," Piringer said.

At this time, it appears the woman was driving eastbound on Sam Eig when, for some unknown reason, her car crossed over the median, crashed and caught on fire.

The area of I-370 in both directions between Diamondback Drive and Fields Rd was closed for more than three hours. It has been reopened.

The names have not been released and the relationship between the woman and the boy is not known.

Meanwhile police, fire investigators and accident reconstruction crews are working to find out what happened and why.

"That's definitely one of the questions, where the woman was coming from and the circumstances, why she had the boy out at 3:30 in the morning," says Lt Dave McBain, the Deputy Director of Traffic Division for Montgomery County Police.

Investigators ask that witnesses or anyone with information call 301-279-8000.


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Farmington Hills Ice Arena in Michigan evacuated after ammonia chemical leak



JUNE 15, 2015

The Farmington Hills Ice Arena was closed for about three hours Sunday afternoon as firefighters and a HAZMAT team investigated a potentially dangerous chemical leak.

According to Farmington Hills Fire Department Lt. Jamie Neufeld, a power outage and eventual surge that impacted the the area of M-5 and Drake Road likely caused the relief valve on the anhydrous ammonia to vent and thus triggered an alarm.

Neufeld said the arena, which had about 30-40 people inside, was evacuated immediately as anhydrous ammonia is dangerous to breathe. The chemical is often used by farmers as fertilizer and by the ice arena to keep the surface cold.

“When our first units got there, they went toward the tank and heard hissing,” Neufeld said. “The relief value did operate properly and there might have been a small release, but we are always going to be a little more on the safe side because it’s an extremely hazardous substance.”

The people inside the arena were sheltered at a nearby church and apartment complex while the Western Wayne County Hazardous Materials Response Team investigated the incident and reopened the building about three hours later.

Neufeld said no one inside the building could smell the chemical, but a loud boom and hissing sound is what got everyone’s attention.

The arena reopened around 7 p.m.
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2 injured in weekend boat crash at Florence Marina in Alabama








 

JUNE 16, 2015
 
FLORENCE, Ala.

Two people were taken to the hospital with serious injuries Saturday night when two boats collided at Florence Marina.

Colbert County EMA officials said a call came in Saturday night about a boat collision. Witnesses to the crash said a group of people were on a pontoon boat were struck when another boat hit it in the side. The witness said the boat went completely on top of the pontoon.

The witness said two people were taken away in handcuffs, but we’ve been unable to confirm if anyone was arrested or not.
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Sparta, NJ man, 21, charged in hit-and-run boat accident that injured five people; witness sought


JUNE 15, 2015
 
Photo courtesy of the New Jersey State Police - ALEX MAJORS Photo courtesy of the New Jersey State Police - ALEX MAJORS
 By ERIC OBERNAUER

eobernauer@njherald.com

SPARTA, NEW JERSEY

Police have confirmed the arrest of a 21-year-old township resident who was involved in a hit-and-run boating accident on Lake Mohawk shortly after midnight Sunday that injured five people and sent three of them to the hospital, including the twin daughters of Police Chief Ernest Reigstad.

Police are seeking a witness to the accident, a young, white male, who was in the boat driven by Alex Majors, 21, of Sparta. Multiple witnesses saw the second person in the boat, according to Sparta Police.

Majors was arrested late Sunday and was charged with five counts of endangering an injured victim, leaving the scene of a vessel accident with serious bodily injury, fourth-degree assault by vessel, and four counts of disorderly conduct, according to an official statement by the New Jersey State Police.

He was lodged at the Sussex County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail.

Among the injured were Alexa and Brianna Reigstad, 23, and James Glasson, 24, all of Sparta.

Alina Spies, a spokesperson for the State Police, said the three sustained concussions when the errant vessel driven by Majors crashed into the pontoon boat where they were on board early Sunday, knocking all three of them into the water.

One of them, Alexa Reigstad, was knocked unconscious and reportedly nearly drowned, according to Sparta Police Lt. John Paul Beebe.

All three were transported to Morristown Medical Center for treatment.
Also on board with them and injured at the time of the crash were 23-year-old Sparta residents Ian Campbell and James Carney, both of whom declined treatment.

By the time officers from the New Jersey State Police Marine Services Bureau were called to the scene, Majors had reportedly fled the site of the crash.
He was arrested Sunday afternoon after Sparta police began combing the area around Lake Mohawk and located a 2014 Nautilus fiberglass vessel with what appeared to be fresh damage to its hull.

Sparta police later spoke with the owner of the watercraft, who indicated he had lent it to Majors.

Spies declined to say if alcohol was believed to be a factor in the crash, saying only that it remained under investigation.

None of the injuries sustained was believed to be life-threatening, according to Spies.

However, the injuries to Alexa Reigstad were deemed serious enough that she was flown to Morristown Medical Center shortly after the accident was reported early Sunday. Brianna Reigstad and James Glasson both were taken there by ambulance and released later Sunday, but Alexa Reigstad was kept at the hospital overnight.

Her father, Police Chief Ernest Reigstad, and his wife, Cindy, both remained there with her overnight and into Monday, according to Beebe.

Beebe, while declining to comment on the investigation itself, provided some detail on Alexa Reigstad's injuries and said she apparently hit her head at the time of the crash.

“How Alexa hit her head, we don't know,” Beebe said Monday. “What we know is that she suffered a concussion, was knocked unconscious, she suffered some lacerations, abrasions and contusions, and was treated for a near-drowning incident ... and currently she's still at Morristown Hospital.”

Beebe said her condition, while still serious, was improving and that she was expected to be released from the hospital Monday evening.

“I spoke to (Chief Reigstad) earlier today, and he wants to thank everybody for their prayers and outpouring of good wishes,” Beebe said. “He appreciates their kind thoughts very much, but right now he and his family are concentrated on getting his daughter home, and I don't expect to see him back here at work for a few days at least.”

Sparta police have been assisting in the investigation, but primary jurisdiction in the accident — as with all boating and lake accidents — remains with the Marine Patrol Unit of the State Police.
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Massive Damage When Millions of Gallons of Water Flow After Water Main Break in West Philly






Sunday's water main break in West Philadelphia sent 12 million gallons of water into the streets. NBC10's Rosemary Connors reports on the extensive cleanup that needs to be done on Wyalusing Street. (Published Monday, Jun 15, 2015)
Updated at 1:07 PM EDT on Monday, Jun 15, 2015
 
A massive water main break forced the evacuations of several homes and sent millions of gallons of water flowing onto the streets of a Philadelphia neighborhood Sunday morning.

Philadelphia Water Department officials said a 36-inch water main ruptured around 4:30 a.m. on 52nd Street in West Philadelphia.

The break sent approximately 12.5 million gallons of water flowing into the streets in the neighborhood.

As a result of the water main break, 14 people were evacuated from their homes and placed in temporary shelter at West Philadelphia High School. Some residents reported having ankle-deep water in their homes.

West Philly Water Main Break

[PHI] West Philly Water Main Break
More than 12 million gallons of water filled the streets of a West Philly neighborhood during a water main break Sunday morning. NBC10's Randy Gyllenhaal speaks to families still dealing with the devastation. (Published Sunday, Jun 14, 2015)
 
"The water started coming through the back door and it just got bad," said Steve Johnson, one of the residents. 

Workers with the Water Department were able to shut off the flow of water shortly before 7 a.m.

Several parked cars in the area were partially submerged and damaged as the water broke the windows. 

Philadelphia Gas Works crews were called to the scene after a sinkhole opened up on the street and a partially submerged car went into the hole, coming to rest against a gas main. PGW workers had to shut off the valve before crews could remove the car.

Massive Water Main Break Floods Philly Neighborhood

[PHI] Massive Water Main Break Floods Philly Neighborhood
Millions of gallons of water gushing from a busted water main put part of a Philadelphia neighborhood under water. NBC10's Monique Braxton reports from the scene. (Published Sunday, Jun 14, 2015)
 
The cause of the water main break, which was installed in 1885, was not immediately known.

The Red Cross is assisting those impacted by the water main break. Some residents are staying with family and friends while others are staying inside their homes despite not having any electricity. 

Philadelphia City Hall has not yet revealed what damage will be covered and who will pay for it all. Many of the victims don't have insurance. 

"I hope the city steps up and makes it easy for us," Johnson said. "I'm pretty sure they can do it."
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Construction worker killed when a saw cut his neck at Collegiate school in Virginia


JUNE 16, 2015
 
HENRICO COUNTY, Va.

A construction worker was killed on the job at Collegiate School, when a saw fatally cut him. The accident happened Monday when the man was doing masonry work near the roof.

He was placing a joint on the roofing and his saw misfired, according to witnesses on scene. Two of his fellow employees attempted CPR. He died on scene. The crew is incredibly shaken.
He was 42-years-old and leaves behind two sons. He was with  Breedlove Masonry Inc., who said he was a skilled worker.

The event is being called a freak accident.

We are not reporting his identity at this time.
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EXPLOSION DESTROYED A GARAGE IN BELLAIRE, OHIO








JUNE 16, 2015

BELLAIRE, Ohio

An explosion Monday night destroyed a garage on Merritt Row, just off of State Route 149 in Bellaire, Ohio.
The fire happened shortly after 11 pm. 
Multiple fire crews from across Belmont County spent nearly two hours extinguishing the flames.
According to the Neff's Fire Department, the area is a moderately populated  but no one was injured and the damage was limited to the garage. 
The cause of the fire remains unknown as of early Tuesday morning but the State Fire Marshal will be on scene later Tuesday to investigate.

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An explosion at USA Metal Recycling in Neosho that killed one person and injured another was caused by an explosive device in a pile of empty military shell casings




Monday, June 15, 2015

NEOSHO, Mo.

An explosion early Monday morning at USA Metal Recycling in Neosho that killed one person and injured another was caused by an explosive device in a pile of empty military shell casings, according to the city of Neosho.

Killed in the blast was Cody D. Brisco, 20, of Granby. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Tyler Spencer, 23, of Granby, was injured. He was taken to an area hospital with moderate injuries. He was listed in stable condition Monday afternoon, according to a release from the city.

Fire Chief Mike Eads said Neosho police and firefighters responded at 3:30 a.m. to a report of an explosion with injuries. According to a statement released by the city, Brisco and Spencer, both employees of USA Metal Recycling, "were handling empty aluminum shell casings when they discovered what turned out to be an explosive device, though they were not aware of its nature. They were examining the device when it detonated."

The state fire marshal's office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Department of Defense were investigating the incident. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating because the incident is considered a workplace accident, according to the city.

City spokesman Wes Franklin said OSHA will take the lead on the investigation.

Eads said there were only two employees in the building at the time of the explosion. There was no fire. The building sustained minimal damage.

Newton County Coroner Mark Bridges, who responded to the scene, said he didn't see anything noticeable or remarkable in terms of damage and that he suspected, based on the scene, that the victim's body took the force of the explosion.

An autopsy is scheduled for this morning in Springfield, Bridges said. An initial assessment, he said, indicates Brisco died of traumatic injuries from shrapnel.
"In 20 years, I've never handled anything like this before," he said.

Eads said he hadn't previously been aware that the company handled items such as empty shell casings. The explosive device should not have been in the shell casings that were being recycled. Eads said he was told the company had recently started operating 24 hours a day.

"As far as how or why they got it (the explosive device), I can't say but from what I was told all they handle is aluminum pieces," Eads said.

Earlier this month, a fire at a USA Metal Recycling location in Joplin caused an estimated $500,000 in damage.

Seth Bundy, a spokesman for the Missouri Department of Public Safety, said the state fire marshal's office is assisting with investigations of both the Neosho explosion and the Joplin fire. He said there is no reason to believe the two are related, though the cause of the Joplin fire is still under investigation.

"Until those investigations are complete, I don’t see how you could speculate one way or the other," Bundy said.

USA Metal Recycling

Lisa Nichols, a dispatcher at USA Metal Recycling, said the company was not commenting on the Neosho incident at this time. USA Metal Recycling has locations in Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma, according to the company's website.

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ATF helping probe cause of St. Louis-area house explosion. An explosion leveled a house in the 800 block of Pershall Road Sunday afternoon.




JUNE 16, 2015
 
FLORISSANT, Mo. (AP)

Federal agents are assisting in the effort to pinpoint what caused a suburban St. Louis house to explode, injuring two of its three occupants.

Florissant police say the explosion destroyed the home about 2 p.m. Sunday.

A Kansas City-based spokesman for the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says that agency is involved because Ferguson police have asked for the assistance. 

John Ham adds that the ATF has two fire investigators and an explosives specialist working on the case.

Two occupants of the home sustained burn injuries. Their medical statuses were not immediately available Tuesday.

///-----------///


FLORISSANT, MO.

 An explosion leveled a house in the 800 block of Pershall Road Sunday afternoon.

Two people were able to escape and were taken by ambulance for treatment of burn injuries. A third appeared to be unharmed.

Windows at the house were blown out into the front yard and the explosion shot glass and debris into the road, which runs along Interstate 270. Siding on two adjacent houses melted.

According to a family member, Robert Jerome Malawey, who owns the home, was inside at the time of the explosion with his brother Nicholas J. Malawey, and Nicholas’ son, Scott Malawey.

“We got a call and they said Bob’s house exploded,” said Tammy Malawey, 50, of Troy, Mo., who is a sister-in-law of the two brothers.

She said Robert Malawey suffered the most injuries. Nicholas also had burns, while Scott was not injured, she said.


Jason Hoevelmann, battalion chief for the Florissant Valley Fire Protection District, said responders received a report of an explosion about 2 p.m. and found the house engulfed in flames.

Hoevelmann called the explosion a “pancake explosion.”
“The top just fell straight down on top of itself,” he said.

He said the cause was unknown.

Utilities were on the scene investigating.

Several police, fire departments and districts responded. In addition to Florissant Valley, other fire departments and districts at the scene were Metro North, Berkeley and Ferguson.

One neighbor reported seeing the two men emerge from the house, including one crawling on his knees out the back door. Witnesses also said they saw the two men leave on stretchers.

“It sounded just like a bomb going off,” said a neighbor who did not want his name used. He was in bed at the time. He and his wife jumped up and ran out to see one of the men crawling out the back door of the house.

George Simms, 70, who lives two doors down the street, said he heard what he thought was thunder or a tractor-trailer crashing on the highway. He went into his backyard and saw the house destroyed.

“I don’t see how anyone walked out of that,” Simms said.

Ken and Carol Angell, 77 and 74, said the brothers have lived in the house for about 15 years. They are active in church and sing in the church choir.

“We are just happy they are alive,” Carol Angell said.
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