Archives : 2009 : July

Martial Arts Coach Sentenced to 30 Years for Assault

A martial arts coach, who sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl in Lakewood earlier this year, has been sentenced to 30 years in state prison.

On January 23^rd, Jonathan Allen Gamond stopped the victim as she walked with another girl in Lakewood. According to the victim, he identified himself as a police officer and drove the girl to Seal Beach where he assaulted her. Gamond was arrested in Lakewood by sheriff deputies 13 days after the attack.  On June 24^th, Gamond pleaded no contest to four counts. Gamond’s attorneys have denied that he impersonated a police officer during the assault, but deputy district attorney Diana Martinez and a detective from the Los Angeles Sheriff Department have confirmed that Gamond identified himself to the two girls as a police officer.

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US House Approves Measures Aimed at Preventing Food Poisoning

California food poisoning lawyers and consumer safety advocates who have long called for stronger food safety laws and greater oversight have reason to cheer. The House on Thursday approved the Food Safety and Enhancement Act of 2009.

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New Bill Aims to Ban Text Messaging Behind the Wheel

Recently a study was released by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute that showed that the dangers of a motorist being involved in an accident or near accident while text messaging increased by 23 times over a non-distracted driver. Now, a bill that calls for a ban on text messaging behind the wheel has been introduced in the Senate.

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FDA Issues Warning Against Steroid-Tainted Supplements

The Food and Drug Administration this week issued a public heath advisory, warning people against using a range of dietary supplements, because of the presence of steroids or steroid-like substances in these products. The FDA has sent a warning letter to the California offices of American Cellular Labs, saying that the company has been selling unapproved and misbranded drugs. In the warning letter, the FDA says that the ALC has marketed and distributed products that violate the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act because they do not meet the definition of dietary supplements. To be considered a dietary supplement under the Act, a product must contain vitamins, minerals and other dietary supplements.

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Train Accidents Kill Several Pedestrians in California

The death of a Goleta resident in a truck accident near Refugio State Beach has focused attention on the dangers posed to trespassers crossing tracks.

Murtaza Kasim Ali was struck and killed on Sunday while he was checking on a camp site. The pedestrian died from his injuries before rescue teams arrived at the scene. Toxicology tests will be conducted as part of standard procedures. According to Noozhawk, it was the latest in a series of accidents involving pedestrians and trains.

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Pedestrian Killed in Long Beach Truck Accident

A FedEx truck went out of control on a busy Long Beach street on Monday morning, striking and killing one pedestrian and injuring at least one woman.

According to the Long Beach Police Department, the FedEx truck was likely traveling at high speeds when it struck and killed the man. The victim has not yet been identified. After hitting the pedestrian, the truck then crashed into a Toyota Solara convertible. The occupant of the convertible, Bonny Goetz sustained minor injuries in the crash.  Goetz was sitting in her car outside a deli, when the truck struck her vehicle. Her car was dragged about 30 yards, and was pushed into two other vehicles that were parked in front.

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Blue M&Ms and Spinal Cord Injuries

A new study is showing that the same blue food color used in M&Ms, could also be used to reduce the extent of damage caused by spinal cord injuries.

According to AOL, news researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center found that the color compound Brilliant Blue G (BBG) when injected into rats suffering from spinal cord injuries, reduced the damage enough to allow the rats to walk again. The only side effects were that the rodents temporarily turned blue.

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Drunk Driver Causes Three Accidents in Simi Valley

A drunk driver is accused of causing an accident that caused serious injuries on Sunday night, soon after he fled the scene of two previous accidents.

According to the California Highway Patrol, 26-year-old Abdula Kwara left a party at about 7:15 pm on Sunday, and soon after, caused two separate accidents. The victims tried to follow him, but soon lost sight of him. A few minutes later, the drunk driver lost control of his car, struck the center median, and hit at least two other vehicles. The car careened down an embankment. One of the cars that was struck by Kwara’s vehicle, also crashed down the embankment.

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Study Shows that Text Messaging While Driving Raises Accident Risk by 23 Times

We’ve always known of the dangers of text messaging at the wheel of a car, but there haven’t been studies conducted on exactly how dangerous such behavior can be. Now, a new study shows how the risk of accidents can increase when you text and drive.

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Fatal Bicycle Accident in Marin County Raises Calls for Safety Measures

For decades now, the Marin County community had been calling for enhanced safety measures on a dangerous stretch of highway because of the risk of serious accidents. A bicycle accident, that left a woman seriously injured, has pushed those plans forward.

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