JUDGE: ALAMEDA HAD NO DUTY TO SAVE SUICIDAL MAN: HAYWARD (AP) — A Northern California judge has ruled the police and firefighters had no legal obligation to rescue a suicidal man who waded into San Francisco Bay and drowned while the first responders watched.
The Oakland Tribune reports that Alameda County Superior Court Judge George Hernandez' ruling effectively forecloses efforts by 52-year-old Raymond Zack's family to hold the city of Alameda liable for his death.
Fire officials have said their employees stayed on the beach because they did not have water rescue training or a boat that could navigate the shallow bay.
The judge also determined that authorities did not exacerbate the danger Zack faced by clearing the beach and preventing other witnesses from attempting a rescue.
The lawyer for Zack's brother and sister, Robert Cartwright, says he will ask Hernandez to reconsider and if that fails, file an appeal.
MARIN NEIGHBORS OPPOSE REZONING OF LUCAS' RANCH: SAN RAFAEL (AP) — Marin County residents are opposing filmmaker George Lucas' plans to build low-income housing on the eight acres of the ranch where he originally proposed erecting a new film studio.
Lucas abandoned the studio project last year after some neighbors complained about its size and raised concerns about traffic.
Lucas Valley residents also aren't happy about the alternative the "Star Wars" creator has proposed.
Lucas' Grady Ranch is one of four properties that county planners want to rezone to allow up for up to 30 residential units per acre as a way of increasing the stock of affordable housing in Marin.
During a planning commission Monday, several residents said Lucas Valley is an inappropriate spot for high-density development.
The Independent-Journal says a final decision is expected this summer.
POLICE: 5 PEOPLE SHOT, 1 FATALLY, AT VALLEJO HOME: VALLEJO (AP) — Police are investigating the shootings of five people in Vallejo that left one man dead.
The Times-Herald of Vallejo reports that three of the victims drove to a hospital for treatment, but officers found the man who eventually died and another who was seriously wounded inside the garage of a house where the gunfire erupted Monday night.
Neighbors who heard gunshots alerted authorities.
The newspaper says the homicide was Vallejo's second of the year and the second within a week.
The search for suspects was continuing Tuesday.
EX-49ER CHARGED WITH FAILING TO FILE INCOME TAX: DISCOVERY BAY (AP) — Former San Francisco 49er standout Bubba Paris has been charged with failing to file federal income tax returns.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday that Paris has been charged with three misdemeanor charges of failing to file tax returns in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Prosecutors allege that Paris received gross income of more than $57,000, nearly $84,000 and almost $42,000, respectively, in each of those years.
The 52-year-old Discovery Bay., resident didn't return a phone call and an email message sent to his motivational speaking company.
Paris was drafted in the second round of the 1982 NFL draft from the University of Michigan. He started at left tackle for eight of the nine years he played for San Francisco, which won three Super Bowls during his career.
WOMAN JAILED FOR TORCHING SANTA CRUZ BEACH HOUSE: SANTA CRUZ, (AP) — Investigators have arrested a woman who was found partially clad on the balcony of a burning Northern California beach house.
Santa Cruz County sheriff's investigators say 20-year-old Marian Elamri Kadmiri broke into the Twin Lakes area home last month and set it on fire.
The Santa Cruz Sentinel says she was arrested and booked on Sunday for investigation of arson and burglary.
Kadmiri was found on the deck of the oceanfront home as it was being consumed by flames late on Jan. 13.
Firefighters said Kadmiri was incoherent and deputies took her to Dominican Hospital.
About a week later, the owners of a nearby vacation home discovered someone had ransacked and vandalized the place.
Investigators say Kadmiri burned paper in the house and left her identification.
