Walkway Collapse Injures 16 in San Diego

A walkway collapse in San Diego Thursday injured 16 people, three critically.

The covered wooden walkway fell on pedestrians at an East Village construction site during lunch hour, critically injuring two middle-aged women and a middle-aged man. The block-long pathway was constructed next to a three-story apartment building under construction at 15th Street and Imperial Avenue in downtown San Diego. The walkway was designed to protect pedestrians from debris dropping from the construction site.

Investigators with the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration were on the scene and reported the cause of the accident was under investigation.

The general contractor for the project is Allgire General Contractors. According to state records, Allgire has had at least a pair of accidents in recent years, including one which resulted in a $16,000 fine and citation for a serious violation of state safety law.

Former Marine Recruiter Had Sex With Enlistees

A former Marine Corps recruiter was sentenced Wednesday in San Diego on charges he had sexual relations with young women he had enlisted into the Marines.

Staff Sgt. Timothy J. Hall, 31, offered guilty pleas to charges of fraternization, obstructing justice and violating an order at his court martial at Marine Corps Recruit Depot.

Hall, who was tried in San Diego, was also found guilty of adultery after one of his victims – now a lance corporal at Camp Pendleton – testified he fondled her and made her have sex with him in 2007 on the floor of a recruiting office in Wisconsin. Hall was on a recruiting tour in Wisconsin, according to the Marines.

Hall was sentenced to one year in prison, reduction to the lowest enlisted rank and a bad-conduct discharge.

Due to a plea bargain, the prison term will be limited to four months.

Is it Mr./Mrs. de Rossi or Mr./Mrs. DeGeneres?

We hear the nuptials were quite romantic at this past weekend's wedding between Portia de Rossi, 35, and Ellen DeGeneres, 50.

Now that gay marriage is alive in California, the two wed in the backyard of their nearly $34 million estate in Beverly Hills. One witness reportedly said the two were ecstatic and could not keep the smiles off of their faces.

Having seen the "groom's" outfit, we're not sure that is quite the look Ms. DeGeneres appears best in, although she is likely the "groom" in this arrangement.

While we wish them the best, we're also hoping this story goes away very quickly.

On the other hand, more references to the couple will remind us just how fortunate Anne Heche is to be out of her "relationship" with Ms. DeGeneres from a few years back.

Photo - INFdaily.com

EDITOR'S TAKE: Obsessed With a Missing Child

Editor's note: For those that follow this blog or visit for the first time, you know that we are primarily a California news source. However, sometimes things in other states or around the world grab our attention.

Such is the case in the saga of missing Florida child Caylee Marie Anthony.

Now we want to be very clear on this.....We hope the child is found alive. We also want to be clear that this is a heartbreaking story and we would never wish such a situation on any parent, grandparent, loved one, etc.

That being said, we've noticed what we would label an "obsession" with this case, especially on the Nancy Grace television show. Close behind is Greta with Fox's "On the Record." While we enjoy watching both shows, we are especially amazed at how Grace just can't let go of this story. Is it because she is the recent mother of twins, a boy and a girl? We have no doubt Ms. Grace loves kids, but there is a line in the sand.

We've flipped by Nancy Grace out here on the West Coast at 5 p.m. each weeknight for several weeks now and notice it is wall-to-wall Caylee Anthony coverage. Are there not thousands of other missing little boys and girls out there? Of course there are. Can all the cases be covered on television? Of course they cannot.

That being said, with hypocrite John Edwards in the news, wars going on in Iraq and Afghanistan, new bombing taking place in Georgia by the Russians, an economy still sputtering along, etc. we know there are much more important topics to be considering than this case in Florida.

We pray for a happy ending to the case in Florida. We also pray that especially Nancy Grace gets a clue and realizes that it is time to move on from this case until something concrete turns up, aka a body or a confession. Please, Ms. Grace, take a look around you and realize there is other news out there.

Legislation Calls for Maternity Coverage in Plans

California lawmakers have given the green light to legislation that calls for comprehensive health insurance plans to include maternity coverage.

The bill (Assemblyman Hector De La Torre, D-South Gate) passed the State Senate today in a 23-15 vote. The Assembly had given its approval to the bill back in May.

Federal law mandates that group health insurance plans offered by employers with at least 15 workers include maternity coverage.

L.A. Man Gets 2 Years in State Pen for Cat Killing

A Los Angeles area man was sentenced to two years in state prison for killing his girlfriend's cat last year.

Scott Allen Atkinson was sentenced today for the killing and to threatening his girlfriend's adult daughter. Atkinson had pleaded no contest to an animal cruelty charge.

According to authorities, Atkinson killed the black-and-white cat last October following a fight with his girlfriend. He then reportedly told her to "follow the blood trail to find Tweety."

Blood was discovered in the apartment, but the cat's body was never located.

Malil Pleads Not Guilty; Bail Set at $10 Million

Actor Shelley Malil, 43, was arraigned on one count of attempted murder with premeditation and one count of personal use of a knife and inflicting great bodily injury Wednesday in the alleged stabbing of his ex-girlfriend last weekend. Malil allegedly stabbed the woman more than 20 times in her San Marcos home.

Malil, who pleaded not guilty, had his bail raised to $10 million and faces life in prison if convicted.

Malil is best known for his supporting role in "The 40 Year Old Virgin." He was arrested on Monday in Oceanside as he left a train.

Insurance Broker Booked in Embezzling Scheme

California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner announced that broker, Prakash Akatrai, aka Peter Akatrai, 48, surrendered himself at the Downey Police Station and was booked on six counts of felony grand theft by embezzlement. Akatrai allegedly issued a false certificate of insurance after receiving premium funds, among other alleged crimes.

According to CDI investigators, from October 2005 to March 2006, Akatrai, owner of Friends Insurance Services Inc., located in Downey, collected not less than $5,292.99 from six victims for commercial general liability insurance. Akatrai's submitted applications for five of his victims to insurance companies and policies were issued. However, he did not send the required down payments, resulting in cancellation of all five policies.

Another broker, representing the insurance companies, made several attempts to collect the earned premium payments from Akatrai. Akatrai eventually sent the payments for four of his victims, although four to six months after the policies canceled. Akatrai accepted one victim's down payment in November 2005, but reportedly never submitted an application or the down payment to any insurance company. Instead, he reportedly issued her a bogus certificate of insurance to make it appear that her business was insured. Akatrai refunded her payment in August 2006

CDI action against Akatrai's license is pending.

Dog Food Recall Ongoing for Pedigree Brand

A number of stores in the San Diego area are recalling a bag variety of Pedigree pet food shipped to some Albertsons and Costco stores because of possible contamination with salmonella, according to the California Department of Public Health.

The recalled variety is Pedigree Complete Nutrition Small Crunchy Bites.

Last week, a component that was supposed to be on hold as a result of positive testing results was inadvertently sent to a Pedigree facility in Tracy, Calif., and used in the production of 100 bags of the food, according to the maker, Mars Petcare US of Franklin, Tenn.

The product was dispersed in 20-pound bags to Albertsons stores in Southern California and in 52-pound bags to Costco stores around the state.

The lot codes for bags sold at Albertsons is 830BFCAT02. The bags sold at Costco show lot numbers of 831BFCAT02 and 830DFCAT02. The two have “best by” dates of 7/2009.

Pet owners are asked to dispose of the product in a secure container and bring back the empty bag to the store where it was purchased in order to obtain a refund.

Further information regarding the recall is available by calling (877) 568-4463 or on the Web site www.petcare.mars.com.

Actor Arrested; Suspected of Stabbing Girlfriend

An actor who played in the movie hit "The 40 Year Old Virgin" is under arrest and suspected of stabbing his estranged girlfriend in San Marcos over the weekend.

Authorities arrested Shelley Malil without incident at around 6:15 p.m. Monday after he arrived by train at an Oceanside rail depot. Malil, 43, was the boyfriend of a woman who was stabbed repeatedly and left in critical condition at a home in San Marcos shortly before 9 p.m. Sunday.

Malil, a Sherman Oaks resident originally from the Indian state of Kerala, had reportedly been in a relationship with the woman but it ceased recently.

Malil is facing charges of attempted murder, residential burglary and mayhem.

EDITOR'S TAKE: Edwards Says Bye-Bye to Credibility

So he finally came clean.

While we certainly were not the first ones to break the news, we noted a few weeks back that it seemed pretty quiet out there in the mainstream media about the alleged John Edwards affair.

According to Edwards when previously confronted with the adultery allegations, he responded, "The story is false, it's completely untrue, it's ridiculous," Edwards said.

Well, Edwards came clean a few days ago on ABC's Nightline, referring to his affair with former employee Rielle Hunter, who has been residing in California now for some time.

It was just recently that Edwards was caught trying to sneak out of a Beverly Hills hotel in the wee hours of the morning after reportedly visiting Hunter. It is also out there that the two had a child together, something Edwards flatly denies. Edwards also reportedly told his family, including his wife who is stricken with cancer, about the affair in 2006. That is two years after he unsuccessfully ran with John Kerry in the 2004 Presidential election.

Many men have cheated on their wives, both Republican and Democrat. What sets Edwards a little more apart from the group was his preaching family values, etc.

It all boils down to the fact that Edwards says one thing and does another. He's messed up something more than his hair at this point. He's not only lost credibility with his wife and family whether they want to admit it or not. More importantly, he's lost faith with many across America.

Even those diehards on the left that supported the sweet talking, smiling country boy from North Carolina have to be shaking their heads a little bit these days.

Then again, they still think Al Gore is the second coming of God.

So what do you think?

Shooting Leaves Teen Dead, Woman Wounded

A San Diego shooting has left an 18-year-old man dead and a woman injured.

According to authorities, the shooting took place early Saturday morning in a Descanso home. Police say that the woman's estranged husband opened fire on what he said were burglars in the house. The two shotgun blasts resulted in family tragedy.

Gary Sanner of Oak Grove Drive in Descanso reportedly contacted 911 about 2 a.m. and reported someone was breaking into his house. Only minutes later, a dispatcher heard gunshots.
After reportedly calling 911, Sanner allegedly fired a shotgun in the direction of a window where he heard a noise. He then fired a second time at another window, where a person was reportedly shining a flashlight.

Joseph Eric Burton Jr. died from a gunshot wound outside a rear window of Sanner's house. Sanner's estranged wife, Jennifer Sanner, reportedly left messages on his telephone a day earlier, requesting property from the house, as the two were in the process of a divorce. Sanner's wife filed for divorce back in April.

Jennifer Sanner was wounded in the shooting, but her injuries were reportedly not life-threatening.

The two were reportedly among five people who went to the home. Among those also reportedly there was Jennifer Sanner's boyfriend, Joseph Burton. He is the father of the young man who was killed.

Body Discovered at Camp Pendleton

Authorities are trying to determine the identity of a body found at Camp Pendleton.

A Marine spokesperson said that a forensic anthropologist has said the remains are those of a white male who had been deceased for several months. A Marine reportedly doing some groundskeeping work came across the body last Thursday.

According to the Marines, there are currently no missing persons cases related to the base, which is located north of San Diego.

Hemet Man Dies; Police Taser Him in Confrontation

Authorities say a Hemet man has died at a local hospital after police reportedly used a Taser gun on him during a confrontation last weekend.

The man, who was reportedly mentally disturbed, ran into traffic, according to police reports. After police tried to get him out of the road, he reportedly became confrontational with law enforcement. That is when a deputy used a Taser gun on him to take him into custody.

Reports say the man, whose name was not released, had trouble breathing after being tasered and was taken to the hospital.

USC Football Recruit, Other Man Convicted

A USC football recruit and a second man accused of robbing a male victim at gunpoint were convicted Wednesday by a Compton Superior Court jury.

After a day of deliberations, jurors found Maurice Leon Simmons, 18, and Lamont Lee Hall, 20, guilty of second-degree robbery and assault with a firearm. Additionally, Simmons was convicted of permitting a loaded firearm in a vehicle, a misdemeanor, and Hall was convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon.

The jury also found true the allegation that Hall personally used a handgun in the commission of the crime and, as to both defendants, found true the allegation that a principal in the robbery was armed with a firearm.

Superior Court Judge Arthur Lew remanded Simmons into custody and denied bail. Hall has been in custody since his arrest in March. Judge Lew ordered Simmons and Hall back for sentencing on Aug. 28.

Simmons, of Compton, faces a maximum state prison sentence of seven years and six months. Hall, of Los Angeles, faces a maximum sentence of 16 years and eight months in prison.

Simmons – a former linebacker from Dominguez High School in Compton – signed a letter of intent to accept an athletic scholarship at USC on Feb. 6, according to media reports.

Bones Are Those of Missing OC Woman

Although it took nearly a year for identification, authorities now say that a skull and bones discovered in a dry riverbed near Santiago Canyon Road last September are those of an Anaheim woman who disappeared in 2004.

Cindy Casteel Mathieu, 42, went missing in August of 2004 after reportedly leaving a family gathering with her husband, Don Mathieu. Although the husband was at one time deemed a "person of interest" in his wife's disappearance, he has never been charged. The husband has not been notified that the remains are those of his wife. According to police, they cannot locate the husband at this time.

Authorities say determining a cause of death is not likely due to the condition of the remains.

Beard's Naked Anti-Fur Poster Gets a Cover Up

Newport Beach native and Olympic gold medalist swimmer Amanda Beard created a stir on Wednesday in China after authorities said no to a planned unveiling of her naked, anti-fur campaign poster at a Beijing hotel.

Beard, the current 200-meter breaststroke champion, had hoped to unveil the poster at the hotel, but Chinese authorities canceled the event, citing public safety concerns. Beard, 26, appears naked in the poster for animal rights group PETA in front of the U.S. flag and the slogan "Be comfortable in your own skin. Don't wear fur."

According to reports, Chinese police and security did not stop the event when it was moved outside the village's south gate, but kept a close eye on the proceedings.

PETA has been investigating the fur trade in China for some time now.

Pair of No. Cal Police Officers Jailed in Mexico

A pair of Northern California police officers have been jailed in Mexico after reportedly being stopped with guns and ammunition in their vehicle after crossing into Mexico last Friday.

Hermonegenes Llanos and Jorge Luis Matos reportedly crossed into Tijuana with firearms and some 6,000 rounds of ammunition at the San Ysidro crossing. The two are from the Monterey area.

The officers, who could get up to 20 years in prison, may face a variety of charges, the majority of them involving the possession of weapons and equipment restricted under Mexican law to military use.

9 Missing Following Redding Chopper Crash

Authorities are holding out little hope that nine people missing from a helicopter crash Tuesday evening some 35 miles northwest of Redding are alive. Four people were hospitalized following the crash of the Sikorsky S-61 helicopter.

The chopper was carrying 11 contract firefighters and two crew members into a remote area to battle local wildfires.

The crash happened in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest in northern California as the chopper was reportedly trying to land.

Former L.A. Resident Pleads Guilty to 2 Murders

A man who fled Los Angeles County more than nine years ago pleaded guilty Tuesday to murdering his estranged wife and her teenage son at the family home in 1998. He was sentenced to spend the remainder of his life in prison.

Fu Lin Wang, 61, entered the plea before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Wesley, who immediately imposed sentence.

Authorities filed a felony complaint for arrest warrant against Wang in early March of this year. The resulting news stories carried in Chinese-language publications across the country led to a tip and the arrest of Wang in Chicago’s Chinatown in mid-March. He waived extradition and was returned to Los Angeles.

Wang, who also had been featured on television’s “America’s Most Wanted,” pleaded guilty to the first-degree murders of his estranged wife, Carol Lee, and his stepson, 18-year-old Michael Chu. The victims were shot to death at the family home in Alhambra on Dec. 14, 1998. Wang and Lee’s 9-year-old daughter was home at the time, but was not harmed.

Wang admitted the special circumstance of multiple murders. He also admitted he personally used a handgun to commit the crimes and had two prior serious or violent felony convictions in 1995. The convictions for assault with a firearm and shooting into an inhabited dwelling were counted as strikes.

The defendant’s attorney, Deputy Public Defender Frederick Brennan, concurred and the plea was accepted by Wesley.

The judge sentenced the defendant to life without the possibility of parole for the special circumstance murders, plus 75 years to life for the murder of his estranged wife and the related gun use and prior conviction allegations.

Olsen Issued Subpoena in Ledger Investigation

Actress Mary-Kate Olsen, who once starred on the television show "Full House," has been issued a subpoena by the Drug Enforcement Administration office that will require her testimony in front of a grand jury in the investigation into the death of actor Heath Ledger.

Olsen, who has denied any involvement in Ledger's accidental overdose, originally said she would only speak with authorities if granted imunity from prosecution.

Ledger, who most recently played the Joker in the latest Batman installment of " The Dark Knight," had five diffrent medications in his system when he was discovered in his apartment in New York City. Three of the drugs he had reportedly received from doctors in Texas and Los Angeles. Officials are trying to determine how he obtained the OxyContin and Vicodin discovered in his apartment without a legal prescription.

Olsen, who was in California at the time of his death, was the first person that Ledger's housekeeper called after his masseuse found the actor dead on Jan. 22.

SWAT Teams Raid Homes of Motorcycle Members

Prompted by an altercation recently in a Newport Beach bar, SWAT teams conducted raids on a number of Orange and Riverside county homes early Wednesday, with members of a Christian motorcycle gang arrested in connection to several stabbings.

Members of the "Set Free Soldiers" gang were taken into custody for investigation of attempted murder. There were no injuries reported during the raids.

In all, authorities served 11 search warrants in Anaheim, Costa Mesa and Rancho Santa Margarita in Orange County and Norco in Riverside County.

Members of the Christian gang reportedly got into a fight with Hell's Angels members at the Newport Beach bar, resulting in three people being stabbed.

Man Suspected of Dog Deaths Pleads Not Guilty

The response was not guilty from a Santa Cruz County man who has been suspected of killing a number of dogs on his remote property.

Robert Brunette pled not guilty on Monday to 10 charges of animal cruelty, including a pair of felonies. Authorities arrested him last week and removed more than three dozen emaciated and diseased dogs from the grounds of his home.

A judge ordered Brunette released on his own recognizance Monday, however Brunette did not agree to the conditions set forward by the judge.

Brunette would not sign an agreement stating he would not have any pets while the case is ongoing, and must help Santa Cruz County Animal Services find nearly a dozen dogs still roaming his property in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

With that being the case, Brunette was in jail Tuesday and is slated to appear in court for a hearing in early October.

While authorities said there is no evidence he killed any animals, a decapitated dog head, skulls and a pair of paws were discovered on his property during a recent search.

Arrest Made in Rape of 15-Year-Old Female

Police in Montclair have arrested a 13-year-old boy on suspicion that he raped a 15-year-old girl late last month.

According to police, the female was walking home on the evening of July 27 when she was grabbed, pulled into an alley and raped. The victim gave police a description of the suspect, who was later apprehended.

The victim's brother reportedly recognized the suspect from a police drawing, located him and called police.

The suspect, whose name was not provided due to his age, was booked into a juvenile detention facility.

Sammy's Fire Blamed on Natural Gas Leak

A fire late last month at a Sammy's Woodfired Pizza restaurant in Carlsbad has been blamed on a natural gas leak.

Authorities said the early morning fire on July 29 was accidental. The fire caused approximately $1 million in damages to the facility.

Company officials have said they plan to rebuild onsite.

UPDATE: American Flight Makes Emergency Stop

An American Airlines jet made an emergency landing this morning at Los Angeles International Airport.

Reports say smoke was detected in the cabin of AA Flight #81 prior to landing. Passengers were evacuated via inflatable chutes.

The plane was bound for Honolulu from Los Angeles. No injuries were reported.

Second Day of Protests Mark Planned Budget Cuts

The plan by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to cut salaries and jobs for state workers was met today with a second day of protests.

Teachers protested the Legislature's failure to pass a budget, and state workers supported rallies to voice opposition to the governor's decision to lay off some workers and make deep cuts in the salaries of other employees until a budget is approved. California has been without a budget since the new fiscal year began on July 1.

Members of Service Employees International Union Local 1000 staged rallies at Department of Motor Vehicle offices around Southern California, while approximately 1,200 members of the California Teachers Association conducted a mass call-in at UCLA, urging lawmakers to settle on a budget.

Gov. Schwarzenegger inked an executive order last Thursday that would eliminate a number of jobs and make drastic cuts in the salaries of many state employees, bringing them to the federal minimum wage of $6.55 an hour. Those workers would be reimbursed at the time a budget is approved.

Police Continue to Seek Teen's Killer

Authorities continue their search for the killer of Edward Satterstron, 16, of Sun Valley.

A student at John Francis Polytechnic High School, Satterstron was the school's second football player to be fatally gunned down this year. The victim was shot numerous times in the chest Saturday evening in the 8200 block of Laurel Canyon Blvd., according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Reports say Satterstron was walking with a friend in the vicinity when a Hispanic man opened fire on him. The assailant is described as in his teens or early 20s.

Police are asking anyone with information on this shooting to call 818-623-4075 or 877-LAW-FULL.

San Diego Post Office Fire Deemed an Arson

Authorities say a fire to a post office in San Diego's Hillcrest section was an arson.

The fire at the Cleveland Avenue facility began late Sunday evening and took firefighters about a half an hour to extinguish.

The initial report puts damages to the building at around $10,000.

Accident Sends 2 to Hospital With Critical Burns

A rental truck accident Sunday evening in Los Angeles sent two people to USC Medical Center with critical burn injuries.

The accident happened when a Ryder truck overturned and caught fire on the southbound side of I-5 at the connector to eastbound I-10.

The accident shut down the freeway interchange in downtown for several hours, with the road reopening shortly after midnight.

Animal Rights Activists Suspected in Firebombs

A pair of firebombings against University of California, Santa Cruz biologists have authorities looking at suspected animal rights activists.

Over the weekend, a firebomb hit the home of biology professor David Feldheim, forcing him and his family to flee. The other firebomb exploded minutes earlier, destroying a car of a second researcher parked outside his campus home.

Feldheim reportedly uses mice in laboratory research for brain formation. That attack is being viewed as an act of terrorism and attempted murder.

Authorities say the firebomb used in the Feldheim case is similar to those used by animal rights extremists in prior attacks.

San Diego Area Deputy Tries to Kill Himself

Authorities in San Diego report that a local deputy charged with sexually assaulting a prostitute earlier this year in Mission Valley has tried to take his own life.

Thomas Sadler, 47, was arrested this past Thursday on a host of felony charges for his alleged conduct on Feb. 6 with a prostitute.

He reportedly picked the woman up and took her to a location where he forcibly touched her breasts and genitals. Several people witnessed the alleged action and the woman later came forward to provide police with a license plate description of Sadler's unmarked police vehicle. The woman and two witnesses later pointed out Sadler in a photo lineup.

Police did not describe how Sadler reportedly attempted suicide, only that it was on Friday and that he was recovering in a local hospital.

Sadler is slated to be arraigned on the charges on Aug. 7.

UPDATE: El Cajon Woman Safe, Arrest Made

Frances Jean Agan, the 21-year-old woman who went missing on Thursday in El Cajon, is back home safe and sound, with her ex-boyfriend under arrest.

Agan went missing and her ex, Maynard Whitfield, was a 'person of interest' in her disappearance, according to police. The two were reportedly spotted Friday evening near Whitfield's home. Police followed up on the leads and made the arrest late last night. The suspect reportedly tried to run, but was apprehended by police.

Agan reportedly informed police that Whitfield broke into her home on El Rey Court and threatened her with a knife. She reportedly stayed with Whitfield the past two days because she felt threatened.

Whitfield is under arrest on suspicion of kidnapping, false imprisonment and residential burglary.

Sacramento Woman Missing Since Last Sunday

Sacramento police continue to search for a 38-year-old woman who has been missing since last Sunday afternoon.

According to authorities, Jennifer McSweeney left her home around 3 p.m. and has been missing since. She reportedly left by foot and just had her house keys with her at the time. Police state that it is not like McSweeney to just up and go away without being in touch with family or friends.

She is described as white, 5' 7", 145 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes. She was reportedly last seen wearing plaid shorts, and a beige T-shirt and sandals.

Anyone with information about McSweeney's disappearance should contact the police at (916) 264-5471.

Lawsuit Follows Gov. Schwarzenegger Moves

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's move to eliminate state jobs and slash the pay of many workers was met with a lawsuit on Friday.

California's biggest state employees union filed a lawsuit in Sacramento County Superior Court to block the part of the executive order forcing layoffs for 10,300 seasonal, contract and part-time workers. Employee unions have also filed unfair labor practice allegations against a provision temporarily trimming the pay of up to 200,000 state employees to the federal minimum wage of $6.55 an hour. Those workers would be reimbursed at the time a budget is approved.

Schwarzenegger said the layoffs and pay cuts were designed to avoid a fiscal crisis as the state remains without an approved spending plan.

California is the only state with a fiscal year starting July 1 to be without a budget.

San Diego Deputy Charged in Prostitute Assault

Authorities have arrested and charged a San Diego County sheriff's deputy with sexual battery under the color of authority and false imprisonment charges related to a February incident involving a prostitute.

Thomas J. Sadler, 47, was arrested without incident Thursday afternoon at his Santee home.

Sadler, who has been a member of the department for 20 years, reportedly was on duty and driving his assigned, unmarked vehicle, last February when he pulled up alongside a prostitute who was sitting on a bus bench on El Cajon Boulevard. He reportedly ordered the woman to get into his car and the two drove to Camino Del Rio South in Mission Valley, near the intersection of Interstates 8 and 805, and parked. Police allege that he then fondled the woman's genitals and breasts.

Three witnesses reportedly viewed the incident and made a 911 call to report a kidnapping was taking place.

The woman later called police that she spotted the deputy and took down his plate number. When police went to question Sadler, who has not yet been arraigned, he reportedly refused to cooperate.

Sadler was later identified by the woman and two others in a photo lineup.

UPDATE: Police Seek Boyfriend in Possible Kidnap

Editor's note: Police reported they have found the truck of Frances Jean Agan near Maynard Whitfield's home. Stay tuned for more updates.

Authorities not only are looking for 21-year-old missing El Cajon resident Frances Jean Agan, they also want to talk with her boyfriend, 20-year-old Maynard Whitfield.

Agan went missing early Thursday morning from her El Cajon home. Her purse, cell phone and other belongings were discovered in her bedroom, where police say a window screen was cut.

Police say Whitfield is a "person of interest" in her disappearance, and that Agan had reportedly tried to break up with Whitfield recently. Family members say that Whitfield reportedly kidnapped Agan once before, but she got away from him.

Agan's truck, a 2000 Ford Ranger pickup is also missing. The plate number is (Calif.) 6H03939.

Anyone with information should call police at (619) 579-3311.