Alleged Gang Member Has Run-In with Santa Claus

An alleged gang member got more than a lump of coal for flashing gang signs in a photo he took while sitting on Santa's lap.

Uriel Oliva, 18, was arrested recently after visiting with Santa at the Village Mall in Orange.

According to police, Oliva was under a court order not to associate with members of his street gang, engage in gang activity or hang out at the Village Mall when the photo was taken last Tuesday.

The photo showed Oliva and two other members of the Orange County Criminals gang. Oliva's probation officer reportedly noticed the photo on a keychain during a probation check.

Oliva, who will have a pre-trial hearing next month, has pleaded not guilty on three misdemeanor counts of violating court orders. He faces up to 18 months in jail.

Bail Set at $1M for Alleged Drunk Driver

A Santa Ana man who allegedly killed a 20-year-old nursing student with his vehicle Sunday night has had his bail set at $1 million.

Takayuki Saito, 41, surrendered his Japanese passport in a Santa Ana courtroom Tuesday when prosecutors argued he posed a flight risk.

Saito appeared in court to enter a plea stemming from the death of Kaydee Campbell, who had stopped on the freeway to assist a crash victim.

A nursing student at St. Francis University in Indiana, Campbell, the daughter of Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Craig Campbell, was home for Christmas break when she was struck by the vehicle.

Arraignment on two felony counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence causing bodily injury was postponed until Jan. 14. Saito also faces a sentencing enhancement for great bodily injury.

Campbell, who had attended Rancho Santa Margarita High School, was allegedly struck by a 1992 black Toyota 4-Runner driven by Saito near the Red Hill Avenue off-ramp of the northbound Santa Ana (5) Freeway in Tustin.

A 16-year-old girl who was involved in a prior crash that Campbell stopped to assist remained in serious condition as of today.

Saito reportedly has several previous citations, including one for evading police, but the majority were for items like driving without lights in the dark and failure to obey traffic signs.

UPDATE: Several Wildfires Continue Burning

Several wildfires continue to burn in Southern California Tuesday morning, fueled by Santa Ana winds and dry brush.

To date:

• Two major fires -- the Marek and Sesnon blazes -- have burned more than 15,000 acres in the hills and mountains north of Los Angeles.

• At Camp Pendleton, near Oceanside, a fire has burned more than 3,000 acres and forced the evacuation of Marines from their barracks and other personnel from the base.

• A fast-moving fire east of San Diego that started early Tuesday led to the evacuation of 300 homes in the Campo area, near the Mexican border.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles and Ventura counties on Monday, and local officials are urging President Bush to issue a federal disaster declaration.

The Marek fire, burning at the northeastern end of the valley, had charred nearly 5,000 acres in the Angeles National Forest, according to officials.

That fire destroyed 39 homes, including some 30 mobile homes, and five outbuildings in the Lopez Canyon area.

In October of 2007, fires fueled by Santa Anas destroyed 2,196 homes and burned a combined 800 square miles in Southern California.