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Suspect who fatally shot California UPS driver 10 times in truck was coworker, childhood friend: DA

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Suspect who fatally shot California UPS driver 10 times in truck was coworker, childhood friend: DA

The suspect who shot a UPS driver in broad daylight in an ambush killing as the victim was on his delivery route in Southern California was a childhood friend of his and a coworker, prosecutors said. 

Rhean Jalipa Fontanoza, 46, allegedly shot 50-year-old Expedito De Leon 10 times “in a matter of seconds as he sat seat belted in his delivery truck” on May 16, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office said Tuesday. 

“He still had his UPS scanner in his hand and his seatbelt buckled when Fontanoza drove up next to De Leon’s delivery truck and shot [at] him 14 times in 19 seconds,” the DA’s office said. 

Authorities said Fontanoza fired 14 shots and 10 hit De Leon. 

USPS MAIL CARRIER SHOT AND KILLED ON THE JOB, POLICE OFFERING $250K REWARD FOR INFO

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Rhean Jalipa Fontanoza (bottom), 46, allegedly shot and killed his coworker and childhood friend, Expedito De Leon (top), 50, as the victim was inside a UPS truck last week.  (KTTV; Irvine Police Department)

Fontanoza, a UPS employee who was on disability leave, is charged with a special circumstances allegation of shooting from a vehicle and murder by lying in wait.

He allegedly went to great lengths to track down De Leon’s delivery route on the day of the killing. He allegedly stopped another UPS driver at around 12:30 that day and asked if it was the same delivery route used by De Leon.

The driver said De Leon was on a different route, prompting Fontanoza to go to the UPS substation in Aliso Viejo, where he was allegedly seen accessing a computer that shows driver routes and taking a picture with his phone. 

“Just before 3 p.m., Fontanoza is accused of tracking De Leon down on his route and driving past him a new vehicle which De Leon wouldn’t recognize. De Leon then left his truck to make a delivery and returned to his truck, and buckled his seatbelt,” prosecutors said. 

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CALIFORNIA MAIL CARRIER FIGHTS BACK AFTER GETTING SUCKER PUNCHED, VIDEO SHOWS

A UPS driver was shot and killed in what police believe was a targeted attack on Thursday in Irvine, California. (FOX 11 LA livestream/Screenshot)

After the murder, Fontanoza fled the scene but was found by authorities in his vehicle later that afternoon, prosecutors said. He refused to get out of the car until tear gas and a police K-9 were deployed, authorities said. 

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said De Leon “was just going about his day, doing his job with no idea his longtime friend was stalking him with every intent to kill him.” 

“The depravity involved to plot and carry out a plan to execute someone you shared a lifetime of memories is not something anyone of us can wrap our heads around,” he added. “No life should have to end like this and it is a tragedy that should have never happened.”

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The shooter accused of killing a UPS driver on Thursday in Irvine, California, barricaded himself inside his truck before police forced him out and arrested him. (FOX 11 LA livestream/Screenshot)

At the time of the killing, Fontanoza was scheduled to return to work on June 1 from disability leave.

Investigators have not determined a motive for the attack. Fontanoza is being held in the Orange County Jail with no bail. He is eligible for the death penalty, prosecutors said. 

In a statement to Fox News Digital, UPS said it was “shocked and saddened by the latest developments in Irvine, CA. These are highly unusual circumstances and do not represent the culture of our company and the camaraderie among our employees around the world.”

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“Our focus now is on supporting our people and their loved ones during this extremely difficult time. Since the investigation is ongoing, we defer any additional questions to the investigating authorities,” the company said. 

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New Mexico

‘West Wing’ actor Timothy Busfield accused of child sex abuse in New Mexico

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‘West Wing’ actor Timothy Busfield accused of child sex abuse in New Mexico


New Mexico authorities have accused Emmy-winning actor Timothy Busfield, known for series “The West Wing” and “Thirtysomething,” of child sex abuse.

A judge on Friday issued an arrest warrant for the 68-year-old actor on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and a single count of child abuse. The arrest warrant affidavit, reviewed by The Times on Sunday, accuses Busfield of inappropriately touching two child actors, who are brothers, during his tenure on the Fox crime drama “The Cleaning Lady.”

“The health and safety of our cast and crew is always our top priority, especially the safety of minors on our productions,” Fox and Warner Bros. Television said in a statement shared Sunday. “We take all allegations of misconduct very seriously and have systems in place to promptly and thoroughly investigate, and when needed, take appropriate action. … We are aware of the current charges against Mr. Busfield and have been and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement.”

Busfield, who was an actor, producer and director for “The Cleaning Lady,” allegedly sexually assaulted of one of the young actors multiple times during his tenure. According to the affidavit, one child actor said Busfield first touched his “‘private areas’” multiple times on set when he was 7 years old. The actor said that when he was 8 years old, Busfield touched him inappropriately again several times. He was “afraid to tell anyone because Tim was the Director, and he feared Tim would get mad at him,” the affidavit said.

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The second child actor said that Busfield “started touching them for the first two years” of his time on “The Cleaning Lady,” which filmed in Albuquerque, according to the complaint. The investigator said both children said they did not speak out about their alleged encounters with Busfield out of fear or concern for him.

The actors’ mother, per the complaint, reported the alleged abuse to Child Protective Services in October 2025, claiming that Busfield sexually abused her children from November 2022 to spring 2024. Police began investigating the alleged abuse in November 2024 after receiving a request from a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital.

According to the affidavit, the investigation also included interviews with the children’s therapists and doctors. One of the child actors, who disclosed the alleged abuse by Busfield to his therapist, has issues with bed-wetting “along with other behavior issues,” was diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety and has suffered nightmares “about the director touching him,” according to the complaint.

The investigator also spoke to numerous cast and crew members of “The Cleaning Lady,” which was canceled in June after four seasons. The affidavit details the investigator’s conversations with production assistants, the studio teacher and Busfield.

Busfield, married to actor Melissa Gilbert, told the investigator that “Cleaning Lady” producer Warner Bros. Television notified him in the spring of 2025 of an investigation regarding complaints “about him from the boys.” When asked whether he had any physical contact with the two child actors, Busfield “said it was highly likely that he would have,” the complaint said. He suggested to the investigator that the boys’ mother might have sought “revenge” on the director for “not bringing her kids back for the final season,” according to the complaint.

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Though Busfield confirmed the identities of the young actors to the investigator in his interview, he allegedly said later, “ ‘I don’t remember those boys’ ” and “ ‘I don’t remember overtly tickling the boys ever, but it wouldn’t be uncommon for me.’ ”

The complaint also details Warner Bros.’ investigation into Busfield’s alleged behavior. The studio started its investigation after receiving an anonymous tip in February 2025 from the SAG-AFTRA hotline regarding a December 2024 incident. Busfield allegedly entered the hair and makeup trailer and “kissed a minor male on the face as the minor was getting a haircut.” The complaint further alleged “there are pictures of Mr. Busfield, ‘tickling and caressing the head and body of minor boys.’ ”

Neither Fox or Warner Bros. immediately responded to a request for comment on Sunday, but a spokesperson for the latter told the New York Times it is “aware of the current charges against Mr. Busfield and have been and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement.”

Busfield received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Elliot Weston in the ABC drama “Thirtysomething” in the late 1980s and early ‘90s. He also appeared in “Field of Dreams,” “Little Big League,” “The Byrds of Paradise” and other titles. He is perhaps best known for his recurring role in “The West Wing” as Danny Concannon, a White House correspondent who strikes up a relationship with Press Secretary C.J. Clegg, played by Allison Janney.

In addition to television and film, Busfield is a stage actor and director. In 1991, Busfield and his brother Buck Busfield created the B Street Theatre, a nonprofit theater in Sacramento that first began as a touring theater group for children. He also pitched for baseball team the Sacramento Smokeys and was inducted into the Sacramento Baseball Hall of Fame in 2024.

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Prior to the allegations from his time on “The Cleaning Lady,” Busfield was accused in 1994 of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old actor who appeared on “Little Big League.” He denied those claims and sued his accuser for defamation. The case ended in a settlement, with a judge ordering Busfield to pay the woman $150,000.



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Oregon

Oregon outside linebacker Blake Purchase to enter transfer portal

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Oregon outside linebacker Blake Purchase to enter transfer portal


Oregon is losing a second edge defender to transfer.

Blake Purchase will enter the transfer portal, he announced via X. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

“I want to start by thanking God for this journey and everything that has come with it,” Purchase told DenverSportsMedia.com. “Thank you to my family for the continued love and support they have given me. I’m forever grateful for these past three seasons at the University of Oregon. The lessons l’ve learned here will stay with me for a lifetime. Thank you to all the coaches who poured into me and helped me grow as both a person and a player. And to my teammates – the bonds we built are forever. You are my brothers for life.”

The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Purchase had 32 tackles (4.5 for loss) with two sacks, one interception and one pass breakup this season. His 352 snaps on defense ranked 14th for UO this season.

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Purchase had two tackles while redshirting last season and five tackles as a true freshman in 2023.

A four-star recruit out of Cherry Creek (Colorado) High School, Purchase was the No. 294 overall prospect and No. 34 edge defender in the class of 2023 in the 247Sports Composite.

Purchase will be the sixteenth scholarship player to transfer from UO this offseason, joining defensive backs Jahlil Florence, Dakoda Fields, Solomon Davis, Sione Laulea, Kingston Lopa and Daylen Austin, receivers Justius Lowe and Kyler Kasper, quarterbacks Austin Novosad and Luke Moga, offensive lineman Lipe Moala and running backs Jay Harris, Makhi Hughes and Jayden Limar. Oregon has 79 projected scholarship players in 2026.





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Utah

5 vehicles hit exercise equipment on I-15 near Arizona-Utah border

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5 vehicles hit exercise equipment on I-15 near Arizona-Utah border


SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Five vehicles collided with a piece of exercise equipment on I-15 near the Arizona-Utah border on Friday, according to Beaver Dam/Littlefield Fire Department.

At around 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 9, fire personnel responded to an incident involving five vehicles on I-15 Southbound at Mile Marker 17. Crews arrived on scene to find “slightly used exercise equipment” in the middle of the road, officials said.

Five vehicles collided with a piece of exercise equipment on I-15 near the Arizona-Utah border on Friday. (Courtesy: Beaver Dam/Littlefield Fire Department)

A total of 14 people were involved in the collisions, though only one was taken to the hospital, St. George Regional, as a result.

“Please drive defensively; Keep your eyes on the road,” a social media post from Beaver Dam/Littlefield Fire states.

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No further information is available at this time.



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