2 Arrests Made In Deadly South LA Street Racing Hit-and-Run Crash

Authorities Thursday were set to announce more details about two arrests that were made in a deadly suspected street racing hit-and-run crash that occurred in South Los Angeles last month. The victim was 20-year-old Anna Michelle Solis. She was living her dream as a musician and was also a college student. On the evening of July 21, officials said she was crossing the street at a recording studio near the University of Southern California when she was hit by a car that was possibly street racing. Investigators believe she may have been struck by two vehicles and neither driver stopped to help and left the scene. The Los Angeles Police Department along with her family are set to hold a press conference later Thursday. 

FOX 11

Los Angeles Crime Lab Finds 4% Of Seized Fentanyl Samples Contain Flesh-Eating Sedative

Five months after public health officials warned Angelenos that a dangerous, flesh-eating sedative may have infiltrated the illicit drug supply, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that it has arrived on the city’s streets. Results from a three-month pilot program showed that just over 4% of seized fentanyl samples tested by the department’s crime lab came back positive for xylazine, an animal tranquilizer that experts say is frequently mixed with illicit opioids to prolong the high. Also known as “tranq,” the drug first began appearing several years ago in illicit pills and powders on the East Coast. It’s been linked to deaths across the country and can cause human tissue to rot, leaving users with grisly wounds that sometimes lead to amputations. Because xylazine is not an opioid, it can render naloxone, a life-saving medication commonly used to reverse heroin and fentanyl overdoses, ineffective. “These findings highlight that the illicit drug supply in Los Angeles County remains dangerous and contains substances such as xylazine that can increase overdose deaths,” a county news release announcing the findings said Wednesday. “People who are obtaining these drugs may not be aware that xylazine is present.”

Los Angeles Times

Man In Custody After Barricading Himself Inside Bullet-Riddled LADWP Vehicle In Atwater Village

A man led police on a chase and then barricaded himself inside a stolen, bullet-riddled LADWP vehicle for more than two hours in Atwater Village Wednesday evening. The lengthy and bizarre standoff ended around 8:45 p.m. when law enforcement swarmed the man when he emerged from the stolen SUV and climbed onto the roof of the vehicle. His leg was wounded and his hand was bloodied, presumably from when he smashed the back window of the SUV. Several bullet holes marked the side of the LADWP SUV, and at least one tire was completely gone. The lengthy standoff all unfolded in the area of Edenhurst Avenue and Colorado Boulevard. Much of the suspect's crime spree was captured on camera. Video showed the suspect crashing the stolen city vehicle through part of a wall and into a van. He's then confronted by police, who open fire. Police opened fire once again when the suspect crashed into a cruiser. The suspect crashed into a fence, and the standoff soon began.

ABC 7

Video: Woman Arrested In Attack On Taco Stand Vendor In Watts

A woman was arrested Wednesday after video captured an attack on a taco street vendor in the Watts area of Los Angeles. The altercation happened at the Tacos Ortiz taco stand located on 1651 E. 103rd Street on Sunday at around 6 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Details about the arrested confirmed by Los Angeles police were not immediately available. According to the street vendor, the woman, wearing a purple tie-dye shirt, had been taking tacos without paying. They say this has happened a few times in the past, but this time they denied her service. According to LAPD, the woman used pepper spray on the street vendors. The video shared on social media shows the woman grabbing and shaking the taco stand table. At one point she grabs their street sign and throws it at the vendors. She can be seen swinging wildly at one of the people working at the stand. The woman is then seen getting into the passenger side of a pink Lexus sedan and speeding away.

NBC 4

Tory Lanez Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison In Shooting Of Megan Thee Stallion

Canadian hip-hop artist Tory Lanez was sentenced to 10 years in prison Tuesday for shooting Megan Thee Stallion after an alcohol-fueled argument in the Hollywood Hills in 2020. Lanez, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, was convicted of assault with a firearm, illegal possession of a firearm and negligent discharge of a gun last December after a dramatic trial that featured tearful testimony from Megan Thee Stallion and a key witness requesting immunity shortly before stonewalling prosecutors on the stand. He faced a maximum of 22 years and 8 months in prison. Peterson, who did not testify at his trial, has denied all wrongdoing. Addressing the court on Tuesday for the first time since his arrest, Lanez talked about his religious upbringing and how he’d spent his life doing charitable works. He asked Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge David Herriford not to punish him too harshly for what he called a wildly out of character moment. While he never admitted to the shooting, Peterson said he still “cared for” Megan and felt regret for the heated argument and insults that led to the shooting. “I’m asking for redemption,” he said. “I’m asking for another chance.” Herriford, however, seemed to believe Peterson’s explosive decision to fire five bullets at Megan, striking her twice in the feet, outweighed his good works.

Los Angeles Times

L.A. Man Charged In Oxnard Deadly DUI Crash

A Los Angeles man has been charged in connection with a deadly DUI crash in Oxnard. Nathaniel Wills, 35, pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and other charges related to the 2021 crash, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office. He also faces special allegations of having prior convictions and that the crash caused bodily injury or death to more than one victim. The crash occurred on Jan. 27, 2021 when Wills crashed at a high rate of speed into a tree stump on Rose Avenue and Cesar Chavez Drive. A passenger was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene, while two others were taken to a hospital with major injuries, officials said. At the time, Wills was driving with a suspended license because of a prior DUI conviction and his blood alcohol content was at or above the legal limit, prosecutors allege.

KTLA 5

Kansas Officer Critically Wounded In Shooting At QuikTrip Dies In Hospital

The police officer who was critically wounded during a Sunday morning shootout at a Johnson County gas station died in the hospital on Monday, according to police. The officer, identified as 29-year-old Jonah Oswald, was a four-year sworn member of the Fairway Police Department. Fairway Chief of Police J.P. Thurlo said in a statement Monday night that he was “heartbroken at the tragic loss,” saying Oswald “made the ultimate sacrifice while carrying out his oath to serve and protect.” “Officer Oswald was an integral part of our team and made significant contributions to our department and to the Fairway community,” Thurlo said. “We will remember him as a warm-hearted individual whose hard work and passion touched the lives of many.” Oswald was a husband and a father to two young children, Thurlo said. He expressed sympathies and condolences to the officer’s family and friends in the wake of his death. The shooting began with a police chase led by police in Lenexa that ended at the QuikTrip at 4700 Lamar Ave. in Mission, just west of Fairway. Officers from other area departments assisted with the report of a stolen car whose driver allegedly rammed a police cruiser and fled.

Kansas City Star

Fargo Officers Wounded In Shooting While Responding To Crash Released From Hospital

Two Fargo police officers wounded last month by a shooter who killed an officer have been released from the hospital, police said. Officer Tyler Hawes and Officer Andrew Dotas, who were both wounded in the shooting, were released from the hospital, the Fargo Police Department announced on Facebook. Dotas left the hospital Saturday after 22 days in recovery and Hawes left Monday after 24 days in recovery. Dotas, Hawes and a bystander, Karlee Koswick, were wounded when Mohamad Barakat opened fire on them while he was inside his car as police responded July 14 to a traffic crash. Barakat fatally shot Officer Jake Wallin, 23. A fourth officer, Zach Robinson, shot and killed Barakat, 37. After the shooting, investigators found guns, 1,800 rounds of ammunition and explosives in Barakat's vehicle. Authorities have said he appeared to have been planning a larger attack on the day of the shooting, when summer festivities were underway in the Fargo area. Police visited Barakat's home and interviewed him at least twice in recent years due to concerns related to his guns, though authorities say he appeared to have acquired the weapons legally.

Associated Press

Florida Police Union Calls Out State Attorney For ‘Soft-on-Crime' Stance After 2 Officers Critically Wounded

Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell is defending against accusations from police union officials who say her office should have done more to keep Daton Viel, the man accused of shooting two Orlando police officers on Friday, behind bars when he was arrested earlier this year. After a manhunt, the 28-year-old with a lengthy criminal history was killed by an Orlando SWAT team Saturday morning while barricaded inside a local hotel, OPD Chief Eric Smith said. “Daton Viel was a violent criminal that the Orange/Osceola County State Attorney let walk the streets after Orlando Police arrested him in March of this year for sexually assaulting a child,” a statement posted to the Fraternal Order of Police Orlando Facebook page said. “He was on probation at the time of his arrest, yet Monique Worrell let him out. Now 2 Orlando Police Officers’ lives have changed forever. Monique Worrell’s soft-on-crime stance has yet again let the citizens of Orlando down.” At a press conference Monday, Worrell said the FOP is spreading “misinformation” for political gain and that the court, not her office, is responsible for setting bail.

Orlando Sentinel

1 Killed After Driver Slams Into Toyota Dealership In Mission Hills; 3 Others Injured

One person was killed and three others injured Wednesday morning when the driver of an SUV slammed into the service area of a Toyota dealership in Mission Hills, officials said. The single-vehicle collision was reported shortly after 9 a.m. at the Hamer Toyota dealership in the 11000 block of North Sepulveda Boulevard, near San Fernando Mission Boulevard, the Los Angeles Fire Department said in a statement. One of the pedestrian victims was initially listed grave condition after being briefly trapped under the vehicle, the news release said. Another victim suffered a head injury and two others sustained unspecified minor injuries. The two employees and two customers were transported to a hospital, the Fire Department said. According to the agency, witnesses said a female customer was freed from underneath the vehicle by bystanders, "including an off-duty nurse who initiated CPR on the pulseless and non-breathing woman." Two male workers were listed in fair condition after sustaining injuries that were not life-threatening. The driver of the car was apparently not injured, and she declined to transported to a medical center, the Fire Department said. She remained at the scene and was speaking with Los Angeles police officers.

ABC 7

Crews Battle Hollywood Hills Brush Fire

Crews with the Los Angeles Fire Department were battling a small brush fire at Cahuenga Peak in the Hollywood Hills Wednesday, authorities announced. Ground crews, along with air response teams, responded to the fire located in “remote and rugged terrain northwest of Mt. Lee,” at around 5:30 p.m., LAFD said. Aerial footage from Sky5 showed white smoke billowing from the remote ridge as firefighting helicopters doused the area with water. So far, there have been no reports of any injuries. It is unclear how the brush fire, which was less than a quarter acre, got started. 

KTLA 5

California’s Public Health Agency Is Filled With Vacancies. Is It Ready For The Next Pandemic?

Karen Seifert has watched year after year as colleagues in the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) have left for higher-paying careers in the private sector. Later this month, she’ll join them. Seifert’s new job at a private Bay Area hospital pays close to $200,000 — double what she earned as a state nurse tasked with auditing medical facilities to ensure patients were receiving adequate care. “I’m sad to leave my job,” Seifert said. “I wouldn’t be leaving if I could make it. But I can’t financially.” After the COVID-19 pandemic shined a light on the often invisible, but essential, work of those in the public health sector, California made it a priority to reverse decades of underinvestment. It set aside hundreds of millions of dollars to increase staffing. But retaining professionals like Seifert, who worked tirelessly on the pandemic’s frontlines, while trying to recruit thousands of skilled workers to fill new roles in state and local public health agencies will be a daunting task. 

Sacramento Bee

Maui fire death toll rises to at least 36 after fast-moving blaze nearly destroys town of Lahaina

The death toll rose dramatically overnight on Hawaii's island of Maui, where a fast-moving wildfire nearly destroyed the historic town of Lahaina. The wildfire killed at least 36 people and damaged or destroyed more than 270 structures, officials said Wednesday.

CBS 2

City Council OKs Bonin's 2022 Plan To Give City Land To Marginalized Groups as Reparations

The Los Angeles City Council Wednesday moved forward with a plan to identify land that could be transferred to historically marginalized groups within the city. The council unanimously supported the motion, which former Councilman Mike Bonin, who represented the 11th District, introduced in November 2022. Council members directed several departments to report back within 60 days with a property inventory of all "underutilized, surplus, and/or remnant lands" within the city, as well as public lands held by county, regional, state and federal agencies. In addition, the city's chief legislative analyst in collaboration with the Civil and Human Rights and Equity Department, and other relative departments, will report back in 60 days with recommendations on how to use the land, such as community land trusts, urban agriculture, or "other uses that center principles of self-determination, community building and healing." Councilwoman Nithya Raman, alongside Council President Pro Tem Marqueece Harris-Dawson, said they worked with Bonin's office to put the motion forward.

Westside Current

L.A. County Considers $25 Minimum Wage For Hotel, Theme Park Workers

Amusement park and hotel workers in Los Angeles County may be getting raises in the coming years as the Board of Supervisors will vote on a large increase to their minimum wage. On Tuesday, Supervisor Janice Hahn, 4th District, proposed increasing base pay for workers in unincorporated L.A. County to at least $25 an hour, with that wage increasing to $30 an hour by 2028. Currently, these workers are paid $16.90 per hour. “Too many people in our communities are working full-time jobs but they cannot pay their rent. This board has the ability to do something about it, at least for the workers in the unincorporated areas of L.A. County, and I think we should,” Hahn said. Hahn added that the minimum wage increase would apply to workers at hotels with more than 60 rooms. The Los Angeles Times identified the affected theme parks as Universal Studios Hollywood and Six Flags Magic Mountain. Similar proposals are being considered in Los Angeles and Long Beach, Hahn added.

KTLA 5

LA Council Expands Program To Let Restaurants Serve Alcohol

The Los Angeles City Council voted 13-0 Wednesday to expand the Restaurant Beverage Program to include businesses in downtown and portions of northeast LA. The council adopted the RBP ordinance in February 2022 and it went into effect the following month. Council members designate specific geographic areas to activate the ordinance, allowing eligible businesses to participate in the program, which allows eligible sit-down restaurants to serve alcoholic beverages without obtaining a conditional-use permit. Council members Nithya Raman and Kevin de Leon were absent during the vote, arriving to Wednesday’s council meeting later. De Leon introduced the motion to include restaurants in downtown L.A. back in April in an effort to give a boost to the restaurant and hospitality industry, which continues to face financial hardship due the coronavirus pandemic. “Alcohol service provides a substation portion of restaurants’ revenue and often make or break their viability as a business, however, restaurants with alcohol sales must meet both state and local regulations for serving alcohol,” the motion reads.

MyNewsLA

About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents more than 9,200 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education.