Driver of speeding Lamborghini dead after fiery crash Downtown Posted: Nov 05, 2017 6:21 PM EST Updated: Nov 15, 2017 6:21 PM EST
SAN DIEGO, CA (KUSI) — A pre-dawn crash involving a luxury sports car left a man dead and a woman injured Sunday.
It happened about 2 a.m., when the driver of a Lamborghini was traveling at a high speed northbound on North Harbor Drive and apparently lost control of the vehicle, according to San Diego Harbor Police. The car struck a palm tree and burst into flames, police said.
A Harbor Police officer patrolling the area was at the scene of the crash -- just south of Broadway and North Harbor Drive -- within moments, police said.
During a search of the area, police said they found a woman who appeared to be ejected from the vehicle in the collision. She was taken to a local hospital, with serious injuries
The driver of the Lamborghini was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Nearby streets were closed for several hours after the crash.
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SAN DIEGO – A driver was killed and a female passenger injured after a high-speed crash early Saturday morning in downtown San Diego.
According to Harbor Police, at about 2 a.m. the driver of a vehicle, described by witnesses as a Lamborghini, was speeding north near the 900 block of North Harbor Drive when the car left the roadway, hit a palm tree and became engulfed in flames. A female passenger was ejected into the street.
A witness who did not want to show his face on camera told FOX 5 he made eye contact with the driver at a stop light just moments before he sped away and then burst into flames. Arial Batara said he’s shaken after witnessing that Lamborghini slam into a palm tree and burst into flames.
“Last person to see him alive because we had eye contact at the stoplight… when we stopped and it’s the only time he stopped,” said Batara. “A lime green Lamborghini flying 180, 200 miles an hour right by you and it’s like pretty much nothing you can do. You see somebody burning alive and moving and you can’t do anything. Just basically you’re just watching just basically die slowly it’s like a candle melting you can’t do a darn thing about it.”
A Harbor Police officer who was near the scene at the time of the crash assisted the injured passenger until an ambulance arrived and transported her to a hospital. Her condition is not known.
The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
An attorney and a number of friends of the victim and driver of the car stopped by the crash scene and identified him as medical marijuana business man 33-year-old Mike Llamas of San Diego.
“Never take life for granted man, that’s all. Life is short,” said Batara.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
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A Mexican beauty queen who was thrown from a high-speed Lamborghini crash in downtown San Diego that killed the driver—a wealthy medical marijuana entrepreneur who was scheduled to be sentenced in a $10 million mortgage fraud case next month—has also died from her injuries, according to Fox 5 San Diego.
According to witnesses, 33-year-old Michael Llamas was driving the lime green 2016 Lamborghini Aventador roadster at incredibly high speeds through downtown San Diego early Sunday morning when he lost control of the car at over 100 mph and struck a decorative roadside anchor and palm tree. His passenger, 26-year-old Stephanie Rivera Camarena, was thrown from the flaming wreck and severely injured; Llamas was trapped in the driver's seat and reportedly burned to death.
Facebook | Miss Baja California
Stephanie Rivera Camarena - a really fine piece of ass, sadly died in the crash. This is what happens when you mix with the wrong person.
Camarena, a Mexican national and a former Miss Earth Baja California in 2015, was in a coma for several days before succumbing to her injuries and passing away on Wednesday. The international Miss Earth pageant seeks to highlight environmental and social issues, and director Joaquin Meza told the Los Angeles Times that Camarena was a champion of several causes, including breast cancer. A Facebook post on the Baja pageant's page called her "a queen in every sense of the word."
Michael Llamas rocketed to relative fame and fortune when he founded Medical Marijuana, Inc. in 2009, which bills itself as the first publicly-traded company to sell medicinal products derived from cannabis and hemp oil. Though the company still exists, Llamas was forced out as CEO in 2012 after he was indicted for his involvement in a $10 million mortgage fraud scheme. He pleaded guilty to wire fraud last August, and was scheduled to be sentenced on December 5. He faced up to six years in prison.
Llamas' attorney Michael Pancer told NBC 7 that his client "never appeared depressed or suicidal about his upcoming sentencing," and authorities still aren't sure whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash
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Driver in Fiery Lamborghini Crash Was Awaiting Sentence on Fraud Charges
Michael Llamas was also a defendant in at least four civil cases involving the medical marijuana business
By Paul Krueger
A controversial medical marijuana businessman who died in the explosive crash of his late model Lamborghini was awaiting sentencing on fraud charges.
The county Medical Examiner confirmed that Michael Llamas died at the wheel of his speeding sports car on North Harbor Drive not far from San Diego International Airport.
Llamas’s 2016 Lamborghini hit a curb, a palm tree, and an ornamental anchor, before bursting into flames just before 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5.
A female passenger was thrown from the car and injured.
Court documents obtained by NBC 7 confirm that Llamas pleaded guilty to wire fraud and another felony, and was due to be sentenced December 5, in federal court in Sacramento.
That case involved the filing of falsified documents and financial misdealings in a real estate sale.
Court records confirm that Llamas was also a defendant in at least four civil cases involving the medical marijuana business.
Llamas’s attorney in the federal fraud case told NBC 7 that Llamas “accomplished a number business successes relating to the hemp industry and medical uses of hemp and oil derived from hemp products.” Attorney Michael Pancer said that while preparing for Llamas’ sentencing hearing, his firm gathered numerous testimonials from persons who believe the products he has distributed were lifesaving and greatly reduced symptoms from many pain-causing and debilitating diseases and injuries.”
Pancer said he had hoped Llamas would get probation, instead of up to six years in federal prison, at his December 5th sentencing.
His attorneys told NBC 7 that Llamas never appeared depressed or suicidal about his upcoming sentencing, and was looking forward to life and business after serving what they predicted would be probation or a brief prison sentence.
Another lawyer who represented Llamas in the federal case said his client helped patients in need of pain relief around the world, often at his own expense.
"He was one person who was the complete opposite of selfish," said attorney Guadalupe Valencia, who knew Llamas for five years and considered him a friend.
"He always talked about helping other people. That’s a lot of what his life was about. Like any other person involved in a big business, there’s always going to be some types of lawsuits, but he was a really reformed, really good young man," Valencia said.
HOUSTON, TX (KTRK) -- Harris County officials made good on a promise to sue Crosby chemical plant Arkema Thursday.
The suit, first discussed in September, claims the plant's explosion after Harvey caused negative health effects to residents nearby.
"Companies should be on notice that we care when they pollute our air, our water, our environment," Ogg said. "We are looking into exactly what happened at the plant. We are gathering facts and we will apply the law. Arkema is under criminal investigation."
Thursday's suit alleges Arkema had unpermitted air releases, wastewater releases, violated the Clean Air Act and asks for reimbursement for costs incurred by the county during the enforcement of the 1.5-mile evacuation zone. It also asks for an "environmental audit" of the Arkema plant to find out what it will take to "bring the Facility into compliance."
Additionally, the county alleges that because the facility is in a floodplain, any buildings must have a permit under floodplain regulations. County records show Arkema doesn't have a permit for one or more of the structures on the property, the suit alleges.
"This was a very dangerous situation," County Attorney Vince Ryan said in an e-mailed statement. "Arkema must take responsibility for its inability to ensure the safety of the people of the Crosby community and those who protect them."
Wednesday, members of the Chemical Safety Board questioned Arkema's safety plans after building the plant in a flood zone and not having a disaster plan that included the possibility of significant flooding.
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First responders file suit against Arkema over 'serious bodily injuries' in Houston chemical plant fire after Hurricane Harvey
First responders filed a lawsuit in Harris Count court alleging Arkema failed to take adequate safety steps to secure dangerous chemicals ahead of Hurricane Harvey.
The lawsuit filed by seven police, fire and emergency service workers seeks at least $1 million Published 11:22 PM ET Thu, 7 Sept 2017 Reuters
Police and emergency workers filed suit on Thursday against French chemicals company Arkema SA, claiming they were injured after it failed to take adequate steps to avoid a fire at its Crosby, Texas, plant after Hurricane Harvey.
CNBC
Screengrab of a video taken of a fire at the Arkema plant in Crosby, Texas, September 1, 2017.
Seven police, fire and emergency medical technicians sued Arkema in Harris County District Court for at least $1 million, alleging negligence by the company and executives led flammable organic peroxides stored at the site to ignite after the plant lost power during the storm.
Arkema defended its efforts to secure the chemicals and plant, saying in a statement that it worked with police, fire and regulatory officials to protect the plant and local residents.
"We deeply regret that anyone suffered harm as a result of the havoc wreaked on our plant by Hurricane Harvey," it said in statement. It called the negligence suit "gravely mistaken" and said it will contest the allegations.
The seven emergency workers claim they received "serious bodily injuries" after breathing smoke released by the fire while manning an evacuation perimeter a mile and a half from the plant. The chemicals are used in the manufacture of plastics.
The company and its executives failed to protect the chemicals adequately and did not alert the emergency workers on Aug. 31, after some containers exploded, caught fire and released "toxic fumes," the suit said.
Texas chemical plant fire rages 6:47 PM ET Fri, 1 Sept 2017 | 00:31
Arkema's executives "repeatedly denied that the chemicals were toxic or harmful in any manner" and the seven emergency workers "relied on these representations and suffered serious bodily injuries as a result," the suit alleges.
In all, about 15 emergency workers outside the plant required care at the scene or were taken to a hospital and treated for smoke inhalation.
Floodwaters from Harvey cut electricity feeding refrigeration units used to keep the plant's tanks of volatile organic peroxide from warming and combusting.
Plant workers evacuated after moving the chemicals into nine trailers.
The federal Chemical Safety Board has launched an investigation of the incident, and the Environmental Protection Agency has been monitoring the site for pollutants.
NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) --
Four people were injured in an apparent boiler explosion at a home in Newark Thursday morning.
The victims were hurt in the explosion and fire on Cedar Avenue just before 8 a.m.
All are believed to be members of the same family who lived in the three-story home.
Neighbors said they heard the blast, and saw the people inside the home come out -- one woman appeared to be burned.
Two good Samaritans came running to help. One was driving by in a car, and the other lives in the neighborhood.
They broke through the door to see if anyone was inside -- but all just gotten out on their own.
"I did what I did. God must have put me here for a reason," the good Samaritan who lives in the neighborhood said.
The people injured were taken to burn unit at a hospital in Livingston. One of the victims, an adult, had serious burns.
The others, including children, were less seriously injured.
The photo above shows the windows are all blown out, the front door was blown off and other damage to the building.
The blast left two families out of their home.
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NEWARK (CBSNewYork) –
A possible explosion rocked a Newark neighborhood Thursday morning.
Firefighters are trying to determine if a boiler explosion caused the fire at a two-family house on Cedar Avenue.
“Just a big boom. The whole house shook,” said Marlene Philidor.
The exact cause is still under investigation.
Five people were taken to St. Barnabas Medical Center, including two children.
Witnesses said one woman appeared to have burns on her body.
“I saw the lady pushing her way out of the garage at first, and once she came out you just noticed that her whole back was burned up and she started screaming. Then I saw everybody else coming out of the house,” Philidor said.
None of the injuries are said to be life-threatening.
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One person is being rushed to St. Barnabus Burn Center in Livingston after a boiler exploded and caused severe injuries to the victim in a Newark West Ward house.
Emergency responders and rescue crews rushed to the teens block of Cedar Avenue at shortly before 8 a.m. after several of an explosion with injuries was reported.
Firefighters arrived to find one person suffering serious burns and at least three others sustaining non-life threatening injuries.
Residents on the block told RLS Metro that they heard a loud bang then screams from victims before firefighters arrived.
Crews were able to extinguish the blaze that extended and destroyed the house swiftly.
The cause of the explosion is under investigation.
We are awaiting an official report from The Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose.
UPDATE 8:25 a.m. The address is 16 Cedar Avenue
UPDATE 8:43 a.m. The Essex County Prosecutor's Office are on the scene.
WVMetronewsGatens-Harding Funeral Home Poca, W.Va.
Funeral director pleads to insurance fraud
By Chris Lawrence in News
November 14, 2017 at 1:11PM
WINFIELD,W.Va. — A Putnam County funeral home director will face 3 to 30 years in prison and up to $30,000 in fines for defrauding an insurance company.
Chad Harding, owner of Gatens-Harding Funeral Home, entered the plea agreement with the Putnam County Prosecutor’s office on Monday to settle criminal charges. Harding cashed in pre-need funeral arrangements for more than 100 people who had not died.
“He sent messages to the insurance company saying people died when they didn’t and he got the money for the funeral,” said Putnam County Prosecutor Mark Sorsaia. “That was the fraud part.”
The case came to Sorsaia’s office after an investigation by the state Insurance Commission. Harding enter the plea to avoid a trial and possibly stiffer penalties. The plea comes after a judgement was reached in a lawsuit over the case from earlier this year–a judgement against Harding which was sold to a third party. According to Sorsaia it has created difficulty in determining restitution in the case.
“It’s a very complicated deal,” said Sorsaia. “It was in the 900 thousands they got a judgement. Somebody bought the judgement so the insurance company got money and then the insurance company had a fraud policy and got money from another company. We’ve just got to sort out whose entitled to what.”
One group that will not be left holding the bag are those who bought a pre-need funeral arrangement. The company, Homesteaders Insurance, agreed to honor all of the policies even though they have already paid on many of them.
Part of the plea also called for Harding to aid in ongoing investigations related and unrelated to his particular case.
“He’s involved in some other activities we’re looking at which I really can’t comment on,” said Sorsaia. “Part of the agreement is he’s going to cooperate with state and federal authorities for us to look into those matters more thoroughly.”
FORT EDWARD, NY — Two people face a five-count felony indictment in Washington County Court alleging insurance fraud after a 2013 house fire, court records show.
Robert P. Smilansky, 60, of Salem, was charged with felony counts of grand larceny, insurance fraud and forgery after an investigation by the state Department of Finance into alleged insurance fraud, according to the Washington County District Attorney’s Office.
Another person was also listed as being indicted, but she had not been arrested as of Thursday and her name was not released.
Washington County District Attorney Tony Jordan said the allegations related to claims that were filed by Smilansky and the other person after the fire for reimbursement of housing expenses. He is accused of fabricating thousands of dollars worth of vouchers that were paid.
The theft amounted to more than $3,000 but less than $50,000, Jordan said.
Jordan said it was unclear how the Department of Finance became aware of the alleged fraud. A call to the agency was not returned Thursday.
Smilansky was arrested by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday and held in Washington County Jail pending arraignment Thursday.
With the consent of Jordan’s office, Washington County Judge Kelly McKeighan agreed to release Smilansky on his own recognizance after his lawyer, Dustin Bruhns, entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
He faces up to 7 years in state prison on the grand larceny and forgery counts.
Prior media reports show Smilansky was also arrested by the Sheriff’s Office on felony charges in 2013 related to accusations he falsely reported his income to receive $5,644 in food stamps and Medicaid benefits, police said.
The file from that case is sealed, which means there was a disposition in his favor.
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. -
A DeKalb County accountant is accused of falsifying multiple life insurance applications and collecting over $11,000 in death benefits.
FOX 5 News was there as police and state fraud investigators arrested Earle M. Turner Sr. at his Covington Highway office.
Detectives said they began investigating Turner last May when an insurance company contacted the Georgia Department of Insurance after realizing they had three life insurance policies with Turner listed as the beneficiary. The policyholders had no idea, according to police.
The 67-year-old Certified Public Accountant (CPA) has been charged with 19 counts of insurance fraud, 11 counts of identity fraud, and one count of theft by deception.
Police said all of the victims were Turner's clients, who he was filing taxes for.
If convicted, Turner could face up to 10 years in state prison.
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Warrants: Man illegally got life insurance on 19 seniors in DeKalb
Joshua Sharpe The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1:11 p.m Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017
DeKalb County, GA
Channel 2 Action News Earle Turner Sr., a DeKalb County accountant, was arrested Wednesday on accusations of taking out life insurance policies on unsuspecting elderly people.
A DeKalb County accountant was arrested Wednesday on charges of insurance fraud for allegedly taking out life insurance policies on 19 elderly customers without permission.
Earle Turner Sr., 67, faces 30 various counts of insurance and identity fraud, according to a news release from Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens.
“Apprehending this suspect is a victory for all Georgia insurance consumers,” said Hudgens.
According to the release, Mutual of Omaha notified Georgia officials of suspected fraudulent activity by Turner after finding him as the beneficiary of three policies. The three victims said they hadn’t given Turner, who runs an office on Covington Highway, permission to take out the policies.
The investigation eventually found all 19 policies, each of which bore the name of one of Turner’s customers. Five of them died while he allegedly had policies in their names, but only one policy of $10,000 fully paid out.
“Fortunately our investigators stopped this scheme before more policies were submitted without the consumer’s knowledge,” Deputy Insurance Commissioner Jay Florence said.
A warehouse in the Botanical Heights neighborhood partially collapsed as St. Louis fire crews were battling a five-alarm fire Wednesday.
Shortly after 11:30 a.m., firefighters reported a partial collapse of the Park Warehouse Service building in the 3900 block of Park Avenue, where at least 80 firefighters were working to extinguish a blaze that began more than an hour earlier.
A fire department pumper truck was damaged when a portion of the building collapsed, according to officials.
According to fire officials, plastics in the basement of the warehouse caught fire. Officials said they were concerned because there were pallets of magnesium in the basement. A hazmat team was called to the area because of the magnesium but it was believed the fire has not reached the pallets.
Just after 10:45 a.m., fire officials reported that a worker was transported urgently due to smoke inhalation.
A firefighter on the scene told News 4 two firefighters were transported from the scene. One of the firefighters suffered smoke inhalation and it is currently unknown what injuries the other sustained. The official said the injuries are not believed to be serious.
Capt. Garon Mosby told News 4 there was no immediate threat to surrounding buildings.
Other details regarding the fire have not been released.
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ST. LOUIS, MO (KMOV.com) – A Botanical Heights neighborhood warehouse continues to burn Thursday morning.
Shortly after 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, firefighters reported a partial collapse of the Park Warehouse Service building in the 3900 block of Park Avenue, where at least 100 firefighters were working to extinguish a five-alarm fire that began more than an hour earlier.
A fire department pumper truck was damaged when a portion of the building collapsed. No firefighters were inside the truck when the damaged occurred. The department said the truck was purchased in 2004 and cost about $750,000 but is estimated to cost nearly $1 million to replace in 2017.
“It was making like a rocket jet noise and when that happened you could see the roof separate from the outside of the wall, then you could see the flames and the whole wall just came down,” a witness of the collapse said. “I was 30 feet away from it, if it wasn’t for the fire truck sitting there we probably would’ve got debris on us.”
Wednesday afternoon, fire department officials said, in vague detail, the fire contains hazardous material. They are advising people to avoid breathing in the smoke. Initially, it was reported there were drums of magnesium in the basement of the fire, but that was later deemed to be inaccurate. Fire department spokesman Garon Mosby said details were still unavailable about what materials may be burning and advised residents to shelter in place and turn off their HVAC units.
Authorities said they are also concerned about lung irritation from the smoke plume.
The Shriners of St. Louis said toys meant for the Shriners’ Hospital Christmas party were inside the building. The warehouse also housed more 150,000 citronella candles, Styrofoam and thousands of books from Reedy Press.
Local authors getting ready for book signings and holiday sales said the fire will be devastating for the gift-giving season. Most of the authors are St. Louis based. The employees of Reedy Press are safe.
In total, authorities said four people, including two firefighters, were treated at a local hospital for smoke inhalation and released.
Mosby told News 4 there was no immediate threat to surrounding buildings.
According to fire officials, plastics in the basement of the warehouse caught fire.
Construction Worker dies from injuries sustained in construction accident
By Tom Smith Senior Staff Writer
FLORENCE, AL — A man working on the development of a new apartment complex in west Florence died Wednesday evening from injuries he sustained in a construction accident earlier in the day, authorities said.
Florence police detective Sgt. Greg Cobb confirmed this morning that the man had died. He did not release the name but did say the man was from Cherokee.
Cobb said the accident was reported to police at 11:55 a.m.
Emergency personnel at the scene said the man was apparently injured when he walked behind a bulldozer and was struck.
Authorities said the man was taken by Shoals Ambulance to Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital.
The apartment complex is being developed by Mallory and Evans Development of Scottdale, Georgia. The contractor for this development is Montgomery Martin Contractors based out of Memphis.
The Bellamy Florence is a $24 million 420-bed community near the University of North Alabama in Florence, Alabama.
Cobb said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident.
This is a so-called backover death when the worker is killed by a construction equipment, truck, etc at the equipment is backing up. They are easily avoidable with proper training of the workers and a proper site safety plan.
FLORENCE-The Florence Police Department released a statement concerning the death of a construction worker on Wednesday, November 15:
“Florence Police, Fire, and EMS
responded to a construction accident at the site of the new apartments
being developed by Mallory and Evans Development of Scottsdale, GA. This
site sets off of W Irvine Ave in West Florence. The Contractor for this
development is Montgomery Martin Contractors based out of Memphis, TN.
At around 11:55am we received the
call of the accident. When EMS arrived they found a male laying on the
ground that was hit by a bulldozer. Shoals Ambulance services
transported the subject to ECM Hospital where he died of his injuries.
The worker was from Cherokee, Al, but no other information can be
released until we are sure his family has been notified. No other
workers were injured during this accident. OSHA has been contacted to
conduct the investigation into this accident.
We will assist them anyway
we can. After the accident the construction work was stopped by the
superintendent of the site.”
Fatal fall investigation results in citation and fine for Aberdeen lumber mill
October 25, 2017 #17-042
Tumwater, WA – An Aberdeen lumber mill has been fined $112,000 for safety violations following the death of a worker last April. Andrew Ward, 41, died when he fell from an elevated platform where he was working to the concrete surface below.
An investigation by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) has found and cited Sierra Pacific Industries for seven safety violations at the lumber mill where the incident happened.
L&I's investigation found that a section of permanent yellow guardrail was removed from the 17-and-a-half-foot-high platform and replaced with yellow caution tape so that a crane could move some equipment. When Ward went to the edge of the platform to communicate with the crane operator below, he leaned forward and fell.
The investigation found that the employer knew that caution tape cannot be used in place of guardrails at a high elevation, but still regularly allowed it to happen. Additionally, the employer was required to provide workers with a fall protection system, such as a harness, lanyard and tie-off point, while working on the elevated platform without adequate guardrails, and when removing them.
As a result, Sierra Pacific has been cited for a willful violation, the most serious, with the maximum penalty of $70,000 for not ensuring that an open-sided work platform was adequately guarded and for not ensuring employees wore fall protection equipment.
"A death like this is especially tragic because it was completely preventable by using proper fall protection and following safe work practices," said Anne Soiza, L&I's assistant director for the Division of Occupational Safety and Health. "Falls are the leading cause of worker deaths and immediate hospitalizations. Employers need to be vigilant about preventing falls."
The employer was cited for an additional six serious violations, each with the maximum penalty of $7,000. Those violations covered a range of serious hazards that exposed workers to harm, including ineffective safety and health training; a safety program that wasn't tailored to company operations; inadequate personal protective equipment training; untrained crane personnel; and not following safety precautions required for open flame work.
Because of the willful violation that led to the death of a worker, Sierra Pacific Industries has been placed on the severe violator list and will be subject to follow-up inspections to determine if the conditions still exist in the future.
The company has appealed the violations.
For a copy of the citation or a photo, contact Public Affairs at 360-902-5413.
