‘Innocent Driver’ Killed When San Bernardino Pursuit Ends in Violent Collision
A short pursuit in San Bernardino Tuesday morning ended in a fatal crash that killed an innocent driver, police said.
The pursuit began about 4:42 a.m. when officers noticed a stolen car near the intersection of West Baseline Road and North Sierra Way and tried to stop the vehicle, said Lt. Rich Lawhead with the San Bernardino Police Department.
The car accelerated and eventually took to the 215 Freeway as officers pursued, Lawhead said.
Only about 5 minutes after the chase began, the car exited the freeway on 5th Street and struck a vehicle that was headed eastbound, Lawhead said.
The suspect’s car hit the driver’s door and nearly split the vehicle in half.
An “innocent driver,” an unidentified man in his 30s, was killed in the crash, according to Lawhead.
Two men who were in the stolen car were taken into custody following the crash.
The driver was identified by Lawhead as 18-year-old Damian Garcia of San Bernardino.
The passenger was Ricardo Cerda, 21, also of San Bernardino, according to Lawed. (KTLA)
Today Is National Pancake Day: Get a Free Short Stack On IHOP
Do you love pancakes? If you can afford the calories, price will not be an issue Tuesday.
In honor of National Pancake Day, International House of Pancakes (IHOP) restaurants across Southern California are offering customers a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
In exchange for free pancakes, IHOP is asking for customers to consider making a donation for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
Since beginning its annual tradition in 2006, IHOP restaurants across the country have raised nearly $20 million to support local charities.
This year’s goal has been set to reach $3.5 million. (CBS)
Nike, TAG Heuer, Porsche suspend ties with Sharapova
Nike, TAG Heuer and Porsche have suspended their relationships with Maria Sharapova after the tennis star failed a drug test.
Sharapova admitted she failed the test in an announcement at a news conference Monday.
She said the drug Meldonium, which she took for 10 years, was prescribed by a doctor and was not on the banned list until the rules changed on Jan. 1. She said she has a magnesium deficiency and a family history of diabetes. The drug has long been thought to be used by athletes, especially in Eastern Europe and Russia, to boost endurance and help recovery.
The test was done at the Australian Open in January.
In 2010, Sharapova signed a deal with Nike worth $70 million over eight years.
Nike said it was suspending its relationship with Sharapova while the investigation continued.
In a statement, the sportswear firm said: “We are saddened and surprised by the news about Maria Sharapova. We have decided to suspend our relationship with Maria while the investigation continues. We will continue to monitor the situation.”
TAG Heuer said Tuesday that it would not renew her contract.
In a statement, the watchmaker said: “Maria Sharapova was under contract with TAG Heuer until December 31, 2015. We had been in talks to extend our collaboration. In view of the current situation, the Swiss watch brand has suspended negotiations and has decided not to renew the contract.”
Luxury car-maker Porsche on Tuesday said it postponed planned activities with Sharapova “until further details are released and we can analyze the situation.”
Meldonium is used to treat patients with the heart problems angina and myocardial infarction. A statement from the World Anti-Doping Agency confirmed the drug was added to the banned list this year “because of evidence of its use by athletes with the intention of enhancing performance.”
Sharapova’s attorney, John Haggerty, said “a positive drug test could result in a ban of up to four years” from the International Tennis Federation. But he added that “mitigating circumstances can lead to the elimination of a ban altogether. … We’re still determining what we are going to request of them. I’ve asked them to have a cooperative process.”
The International Tennis Federation said Sharapova will be suspended from March 12, pending the determination of the case.
Sharapova, 28, has won five Grand Slam titles, including Wimbledon in 2004, her first Slam title. She ascended to No. 1 in the rankings in 2005 and later achieved a career Grand Slam by winning the U.S. Open in 2006, the Australian Open in 2008 and the French Open in 2012 and 2014.
She has amassed almost $37 million in career earnings, second only to Serena Williams, who has earned more than $75 million. But the Russian has made far more off than court thanks to lucrative endorsement deals. (USA Today)
American Tourist Killed in Palestinian Attack: Israel Police
Israeli police say a man killed by a Palestinian attacker in a stabbing spree in the port city of Jaffa was an American tourist.
Police spokeswoman Luba Samri says the man was killed Tuesday when a Palestinian stabbed seven people in the ancient Mediterranean port city of Jaffa next to Tel Aviv. No other details on the victim’s identity were immediately available.
The attack was just one in multiple Palestinian stabbing and shooting attacks that came as Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Israel on a two-day visit as part of a regional tour of the Mideast.
Four Palestinian attackers were shot and killed in the day’s rash of violence that wounded a dozen Israelis. It was the latest bloodshed in a five-month wave of near-daily Palestinian attacks on civilians and security forces.
