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California firefighters remain hospitalized after truck flips over on freeway

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California firefighters remain hospitalized after truck flips over on freeway

Eight firefighters were injured – six critically – after their fire truck rolled over and crashed on a California freeway as they were returning from a shift battling a devastating wildfire.

The group of firefighters were returning to the station after battling the exhaustive 23,000 Airport Fire during a 12-hour shift, when the truck unexpectedly overturned on an Irvine, California, freeway around 6:50 p.m. local time Thursday. 

The crash left eight people hurt, one of them needing to be airlifted out of the scene. 

Six of the eight crash victims were critically injured and taken to local trauma centers.

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Photos and videos from the scene showed the devastated fire truck on it’s side after the crash.

Authorities did not specify what led to the accident, but it remains under investigation.

Six of the eight crash victims were critically injured and taken to local trauma centers. (OC HAWK)

Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy said in a press conference on Thursday night that the vehicle “did swerve for whatever [reason] and did roll several times. What caused that, again, I have some thoughts, but I don’t have any factual information.”

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During a press conference on Friday morning, Fennessy provided an update on the injured firefighters, saying that they had a “long road” of recovery ahead of them.

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“We ask that you pray for our firefighters and their families,” Fennessy said. “This is the beginning of a long road for many of those firefighters and our fire departments.”

Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy says the cause of Thursday night’s crash that injured eight firefighters remains under investigation.  (KTTV)

Fennessy said Friday morning that the six firefighters injured in the crash remained hospitalized in conditions ranging from “stable to critical.” 

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He said “many of the injured are going to be hospitalized for quite a while,” but he did not provide specifics about the injuries. Two other firefighters injured in the crash were treated and released on Thursday evening.

“Our crews, as you can imagine, are devastated,” Fennessey said. “As you can imagine how traumatic it would be to see your fellow firefighters that injured in the middle of the freeway.”

The crash happened in the Portola Springs area, which is 10 miles east of Irvine, Calif., on Thursday. (OC HAWK)

The California fire chief said that the community was hurting after the incident, but that he was confident that they would “rally around each other.”

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“This is devastating for me, personally, devastating for everybody in the fire service here in Orange County,” Fennessey said. “We’re heartbroken, we’re devastated, but there’s no doubt in my mind that the crews, firefighters, our professional staff — everybody involved are going to rally around each other, and we’re going to be stronger because of it.”



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Utah

Man suspected in 2006 Utah murder left suicide note in Las Vegas jail cell: police

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Man suspected in 2006 Utah murder left suicide note in Las Vegas jail cell: police


The man arrested for murder in the 2006 death of his wife at a Utah national park left behind a suicide note in his Las Vegas jail cell, according to a police report.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police released a public report on the death of David Vander Meer, 49, who was in custody on an out-of-state warrant.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office said in an affidavit that Vander Meer, a former youth pastor, was a suspect in the death of his then-wife, 28-year-old Bernadette Vander Meer, 20 years ago.

Bernadette fell to her death at Angels Landing in Zion National Park. Prosecutors said in their affidavit that they received new information implicating David, alleing that he began having a close relationship with a young girl when she was 14 and he was her youth pastor.

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A fugitive task force took Vander Meer into custody in Summerlin, according to an arrest report, and he was booked into Clark County Detention Center on June 22.

In the report on his death, LVMPD said a corrections officer was conducting visual checks at about 9:30 p.m. June 24 when he noticed Vander Meer lying face down on the ground and unresponsive.

Several sections are redacted, but police wrote that the officer performed chest compressions until medical personnel arrived. Vander Meer was taken to UMC, where he was pronounced dead just after 2:36 a.m. June 25.

Investigators wrote that because of “the nature of his case,” Vander Meer was placed into protective custody. He was seen sitting upright and awake at 9 p.m., and he had no known medical conditions. He also did not mention being suicidal during a mental health screening.

Inside the cell, police wrote that Vander Meer “left a hand written suicide letter and a hand written will in his cell which has been photographed and impounded.” The following paragraph of the report was redacted, and no further details on Vander Meer’s death were disclosed.

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The Clark County Coroner’s Office has not yet released its official rulings on his cause and manner of death.

Bernadette’s parents, Richard and Laura Gudenkauf, told News 3 they long suspected Vander Meer played a role in her death.

“Because of the girlfriend,” said Laura. “I found insurance policies months later that he had, lots of them.”



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Washington

Washington Commanders are retiring Hall of Famer John Riggins’ No. 44

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Washington Commanders are retiring Hall of Famer John Riggins’ No. 44


The Washington Commanders are retiring John Riggins’ No. 44 during the upcoming NFL season, the team announced Thursday.

The Hall of Fame running back will be honored in a ceremony at halftime of the team’s game against the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 8.

“There are certain players whose impact goes far beyond statistics, championships and accolades: They become woven into the identity of a franchise,” controlling owner Josh Harris said in a statement. “John Riggins is one of those players. …Our fans not only admired him, they identified with him. He is authentic, unapologetically himself and deeply connected to the people around him. John has meant so much to this franchise, our fans and the game of football.”

Riggins is the organization’s all-time leading rusher with 7,472 yards and 79 touchdowns on 1,988 carries and helped the team win the Super Bowl in the 1982 season.

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The fan favorite nicknamed “Riggo” was the MVP of that Super Bowl for his performance best known for his memorable 43-yard TD run in the fourth quarter that put Washington ahead of the Miami Dolphins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992.

Riggins is the seventh player to have his number retired by the team, joining Sammy Baugh, Bobby Mitchell, Sean Taylor, Sonny Jurgensen, Darrell Green and Art Monk. Green, Monk and Riggins have all happened since Harris’ group took over from longtime owner Dan Snyder.



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Wyoming

WHP: July 5 single-vehicle rollover north of Riverton resulted in one death, one injury

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WHP: July 5 single-vehicle rollover north of Riverton resulted in one death, one injury


(Fremont County, WY) – A July 5 rollover crash on US 26 / WY 789 resulted in one fatality and one injury, according to the Wyoming Highway Patrol preliminary report posted on July 9. The deceased has been identified as 41-year-old Wyoming resident Merry Teakell. The one-vehicle crash occurred around 8:20 AM. According to the […]



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