This Week In The News (12/30-01/03)

Woman, 61, Dies After Alleged Drunk Teen Driver Hits Car in Huntington Beach

Thursday, January 2 (CBS Los Angeles) – Susan Palmer, 61, was killed Wednesday night after her car was struck by a 17-year-old motorist driving the wrong way on Gothard Street in Huntington Beach. Local police say the teen was driving under the influence. He was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI and gross vehicular manslaughter. Palmer was a substitute teacher and is survived by musician Johnny “Ace” Palmer and two daughters.

‘We Will All Miss Him’: Tributes Pour in After Longtime NBA Commissioner David Stern Dies

Wednesday, January 1 (CBS Los Angeles) – Tributes poured in after longtime NBA Commissioner David Stern, 77, died on January 1 following a brain hemorrhage suffered on December 17. Stern served as commissioner for three decades. A statement was issued by current Commission Adam Silver, who praised Stern for making the NBA a global brand and credited him for being “one of the greatest sports commissioners of all time”. Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, and other NBA legends shared their reactions on social media.

3 Crashes, 3 Deaths Raise Questions About Tesla’s Autopilot

Friday, January 3 (ABC 7) – The safety of Tesla’s Autopilot driving system is being scrutinized after three people were killed in recent crashes. Following the crash of a Model 3 in Connecticut on December 7, a Tesla Model S struck a Honda Civic in Harbor Gateway on Sunday, killing two people, while a Tesla Model 3 hit a parked firetruck in Indiana the same day, killing a passenger. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched investigations on the California and Connecticut crashes. Since 2016, two fatal crashes in Florida and one in Silicon Valley have involved Tesla vehicles with Autopilot.

Nearly 500 DUI Arrests Made by CHP Over New Year’s Holiday in California

Thursday, January 2 (KTLA 5) – According to the California Highway Patrol, a total of 491 arrests were made between 6:00 p.m. and 11:59 p.m. Tuesday on suspicion of DUI. The agency attributed at least three deaths to vehicular collisions over a 30-hour period. The latest enforcement period was shorter than the previous, 102-hour period last year, during which 25 people were killed and 270 were injured statewide.

Box Truck Flips, Blocks Several Lanes on SR-78

Friday, January 3 (Fox 5 San Diego) – At about 5:00 a.m. on Friday, a box truck tipped over on state Route 78 in North County, blocking several lanes on the eastbound side of the road. The crash occurred near Mar Vista Drive in Vista. According to FOX, the driver said he swerved to miss another vehicle, but the truck flipped on its side. The driver was not seriously hurt, while some pallets of milk had spilled as a result of the crash.

Doctors Believe Health Supplement Led to 23-Year-Old’s Acute Liver Failure

Friday, January 3 (NBC 4) – Emily Gross, 23, of Amarillo,TX, suffered acute liver failure due to what doctors believe was caused by a women’s herbal supplement. She had taken four pills a day for several months until symptoms like fatigue, abdominal pain, and yellowing in the whites of her eyes appeared. Gross received a liver transplant on Christmas Day. Dr. Jeffrey Weinstein, M.D., Medical Director of Liver Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Services, says acute liver failure is rare. However, up to 40% of cases are linked to herbal or dietary supplements.

Vape Pen Explosion Injures Woman (Video)

Thursday, January 2 (NBC Los Angeles) – A woman was badly burned after a vape pen exploded in her backpack at a Yucaipa Rite Aid at about 6:00 p.m. Tuesday. According to officials, she had 1^st and 2^nd degree burns on 20% of her body. Tobacco Control said 2,000 burn injuries occurred from vape pen explosions in the U.S. from 2015 to 2017. A local retailer suspects overheated batteries may be the cause, which can be avoided by carrying the vape pen in a protective pouch.

Man Dies After Being Hit by Car While Walking on 91 Freeway

Wednesday, January 1 (NBC 4) – A pedestrian was struck and killed on the 91 Freeway in Compton Wednesday morning. Authorities say the victim was walking across the westbound lanes of the freeway when he was hit by a 2016 Honda. The California Highway Patrol estimated the man to be approximately 45 years old. Compton Fire Department paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene at 5:47 a.m.