INVASIVE FISH POISONED AT SAN FRANCISCO LAKE: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Workers in hazmat suits used a fish-killing chemical to rid a San Francisco lake of invasive species — a major step toward turning the area into a nature preserve.
The San Francisco Chronicle says the carcasses of carp, goldfish, sturgeon and other species floated to the surface Wednesday, several hours after nearly 50 gallons of rotenone was dumped into Mountain Lake.
The goal is to make room for the introduction of native species like three-spined sticklebacks, Western pond turtles and chorus frogs at the lake in the Presidio.
Rotenone is a plant-based chemical that is widely used to rid lakes of alien fish. Officials say it is not harmful to birds or humans, and all traces of the chemical disappear from water in several days.
FUNDING APPROVED FOR BAY BRIDGE BIKE PATH STUDY: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Officials have approved spending up to $10 million to try to find an affordable way to extend the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge pedestrian path across the bridge’s western span.
A Bay Area Toll Authority committee gave the go-ahead Wednesday to fund a study to come up with as many as four design alternatives for the path. The San Francisco Chronicle that the study is also intended try to identify possible funding sources.
The decision comes after another study estimated the cost of a 2-mile path on both sides of the western span at around $500 million.
Officials say that is too expensive.
The bridge’s new eastern span includes a pedestrian path. A similar path on the western span could allow people to bike or walk from Oakland to San Francisco.
POLICE USE PINTEREST IN JEWEL CRIME: MOUNTAIN VIEW (AP) — A Northern California police department turned to Pinterest to find the owners of stolen jewelry and also pinned four people to the thefts.
Mountain View, California Police Sgt. Saul Jaeger said $13,000 worth of stolen jewelry was returned to nine rightful owners, but there are still hundreds of pieces unclaimed.
Police have posted pictures of the jewelry to the department’s Pinterest page. hoping other owners of the stolen bracelets, necklaces, earrings and watches will come forward.
The items were recovered in May at a home in San Jose, California after two burglary arrests at a motorcycle shop led detectives to a home where police arrested two more people and confiscated the goods.
POLICE SHOOT, KILL SUSPECT IN CONCORD: CONCORD (AP) — Police in the San Francisco Bay Area city of Concord say officers shot and killed a man after he tried to carjack two vehicles, successfully carjacked a third and then rammed a police car.
The shooting occurred in the parking lot of a shopping center around 9 p.m. Wednesday. The incident began about a half hour earlier when Contra Costa sheriff’s deputies spotted a stolen Honda Accord with the suspect inside and gave chase.
Concord police Lt. David Hughes tells the San Francisco Chronicle the suspect — a convicted felon — eventually abandoned the vehicle and ran to the shopping center, where he tried to carjack two cars. Hughes says he was shot when he rammed a third vehicle he had successfully carjacked into a police car. He died at the scene.
MAN STABBED ON TRAIN HEADED TO CENTRAL CALIFORNIA: STOCKTON (AP) — Authorities say a conductor locked one man in an Amtrak train bathroom following a stabbing onboard the train in Northern California.
KFSN-TV in Fresno reports witnesses told authorities one man stabbed another man in self-defense on the moving train. A motive in the altercation was not known.
The stabbing happened about 11:40 a.m. Wednesday, halting the train for roughly 45 minutes. The type of weapon used in the stabbing was not released by authorities.
No other injuries were reported.
One man was arrested but his name, age and hometown were not released. Stockton police spokesman Joe Silva said Amtrak police are investigating. An Amtrak spokeswoman was not immediately available Thursday morning.
The train was traveling from a suburb of San Francisco to Central California when the violence broke out.
ARMORED TRUCK DRIVERS CHARGED WITH $1M LA HEIST: LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two armored truck drivers have been charged with stealing more than $1 million from their own truck in Los Angeles.
Authorities say Cesar Yanez of Fontana and Aldo Vega of Pomona were arrested Thursday. They’ve been charged with bank larceny and conspiracy.
Federal prosecutors contend that the Loomis drivers were transporting a multimillion-dollar shipment of cash for Bank of America last June when they stopped in a parking lot, opened the rear doors of their truck and stole more than $1 million.
Only $110,000 has been recovered.
A third person, Jovita Guzman of San Bernardino, is charged with helping to hide and disperse some of the money.
Vegas pleaded not guilty on Thursday and is free on bail. Yanez and Guzman remain jailed and don’t have lawyers yet.
DEPUTY RECOVERING AFTER PURSUIT CRASH: PORTERVILLE (AP) — A Central California sheriff’s deputy is recovering after his patrol car overturned and crashed when a carjacking suspect opened fire at him.
Tulare County Sheriff’s officials say the deputy was pursuing 25-year-old Mario Hernandez Gomez Wednesday night in Porterville. Gomez had allegedly carjacked the vehicle earlier.
Sheriff’s officials say Gomez shot at the deputy during the chase, and the deputy crashed. Gomez was arrested a short time later after he, too, crashed and was booked into jail on suspicion of attempted murder on a police officer.
The unidentified deputy was treated at a hospital and released. His K-9, who was also in the patrol car, was also OK.
