Kelly Thomas' father, other angry Fullerton residents want cops fired

Angry Fullerton residents, including the father of beating death victim Kelly Thomas,  blasted the City Council on Tuesday night for their handling of the Thomas case and urged them to fire the police officers involved in the incident.

Drunk mom late to child’s birthday party hit 100 mph, CHP says

A Sonoma County mother who said she was late to her child’s birthday party was arrested on suspicion of driving 100 mph while drunk, authorities said.

Katherine Russell, 34, of Rohnert Park, sped past a CHP officer Friday in a Highway 101 construction zone, officials told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Estranged couple in custody dispute over Knuckles the dog

 Would you sue for custody of your dog?

A New York man is feuding with his ex-girlfriend, now living in Southern California, over custody of their pet dog Knuckles, a pug-beagle mix.

'Terminator 3' star Nick Stahl reported missing

Nick Stahl, the actor who played John Connor in "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines," is missing, an LAPD spokesman confirmed Wednesday.

Stahl's wife, Rose Murphy, reported him missing about 10:10 a.m. Monday to Hollywood division officers, said spokesman Richard French. Foul play is not suspected at this time, he said.

Hit-and-run driver crashes into luxury car body shop

Police were searching Wednesday for the driver of a Lincoln Town Car that crashed into an exotic car body shop, critically injuring his passenger and damaging a Ferrari and a Lamborghini.

The crash occurred about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday at Specialty Craft Car in the 1800 block of La Cienega Boulevard. The driver fled on foot, and his passenger, identified as a woman in her early 30s, was hospitalized in critical condition, LAPD Officer Rosario Herrera said.

Homeless man's mother settles with Fullerton over his death

The mother of a mentally ill homeless man who died after he was beaten by Fullerton police has reached a settlement with the city that will pay her $1 million, officials announced Tuesday evening.The agreement unanimously approved by the Fullerton City Council resolves Cathy Thomas' legal claims against the city involving the death of Kelly Thomas, 37. He died July 10, five days after his violent confrontation with Fullerton Police Department officers.

Thomas reached the settlement after voluntary mediation with her attorney, city officials said.

Assisted suicide or a show of love?

SAN MARCOS, Calif. —When paramedics arrived at the Purdy home March 20, Margaret was seated in her favorite chair in the living room. The morning sunshine streamed in through a picture window that overlooked a valley. A plastic bag was over her head, tied securely at the neck.A suicide note in her handwriting was in a folder on her desk, beneath a shelf with books about death and dying. She had written that the pain from her various medical conditions had become unbearable.

Alan Purdy met the paramedics at the door. He said that his 84-year-old wife had taken 30 sleeping pills mixed with applesauce and then suffocated herself.

Retired LAPD homicide detective charged with killing his wife

A retired Los Angeles Police Department detective who worked on several high-profile homicide cases was in a Hawaiian jail Wednesday after he was formally charged with murder for allegedly killing his wife in 2006.

Dan DeJarnette, 59, appeared Tuesday in a Hawaii courtroom after a grand jury indicted him in the slaying of his wife, Yu DeJarnette. He was arrested Monday at his home on the Big Island.

Author claims huge coverup in Zodiac Killer investigation

The author of a new book about the Zodiac Killer, who struck Northern California four decades ago, claims there was a massive law enforcement coverup that prevented the killer from being caught.

"The Zodiac Killer Cover Up" is a new book written by a former California Highway Patrol officer, Lyndon Lafferty.

Slain man found in Castro Valley garage, house filled with blood

Authorities in the Northern California community of Castro Valley are investigating the death of a man whose body was found in the garage of a blood-soaked home, they said.

Alameda County sheriffs had followed an anonymous tip, which did not provide an address but reported that someone “had been done some harm,” officials told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Police to search Irvine landfill for two boys' bodies

Authorities planned to continue searching an Irvine landfill Wednesday for two young boys believed to have been killed by their father more than a month ago.

Police began focusing their attention on the landfill after a previous search of a Brea landfill came up empty.

L.A. Now Live: Discuss Kelly Thomas case and $1-million settlement

Times crime reporter Richard Winton will join City Editor Shelby Grad for a discussion about the latest developments in the Kelly Thomas case.

The chat will begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday and questions can be submitted live during the conversation.

Kelly Thomas case: mother accepts $1-million settlement offer

The mother of  a mentally ill homeless man who died after he was beaten by Fullerton police has reached a settlement with the city that will pay her $1 million.

The settlement agreement unanimously approved Tuesday by the Fullerton City Council resolves Cathy Thomas' legal claims against the city regarding the death of her son, Kelly Thomas, 37. He died in July 2011,  five days after his confrontation with Fullerton Police Department officers.

3 pit bulls attack Riverside woman walking with daughter

A Riverside woman walking with her daughter was attacked by three pit bulls, officials said Tuesday.

Leesa Lyon and her teenage daughter were walking to their apartment in the city's La Sierra neighborhood when the loose dogs attacked, according to the Riverside County Department of Animal Services.

Assessor corruption probe widening, grand jury expected, D.A. says

Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley said on Tuesday that the corruption investigation of Assessor John Noguez has grown to include other individuals  and that he intends to seek grand jury indictments in the near future.In his first public comments about the expanding criminal probe, Cooley also accused the union that represents assessor’s office employees of inappropriately interfering with the investigation by ordering members to refuse to cooperate without permission from Noguez’s office.“They’re telling potential witnesses that, until they get permission from the No. 1 target, they can’t talk,” Cooley told The Times, waving a copy of the memo at a conference table in his office. He added that whoever issued the order will probably be the first person summoned to testify under oath in front of the grand jury.The investigation, which began last year, has centered on tax breaks allegedly extended to Noguez campaign contributors and would-be contributors. Property tax bills are based on “assessed values,” which are determined by Noguez’s staff. A lower assessed value means a lower tax bill.Noguez has denied any wrongdoing.

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