California man arrested after 300 snakes found in his home

Television reporters Bobby DeCastro of FOX11, and Wendy Burch of KTLA 5 try to stave off the stench emanating from a house containing hundreds of snakes, many of them dead or decaying, in Santa Ana, Calif. At left, Sondra Berg, an animal services supervisor for Santa Ana police, holds an albino ball python that was one of the survivors.

By Elizabeth Chuck, Staff Writer, NBC News

An elementary school teacher was arrested Wednesday after police found at least 300 pythons slithering around inside his Southern California home -- and many more snakes dead.

Police and animal control officers served a search warrant Wednesday at 7 a.m. PT on the Santa Ana residence after neighbors complained of a foul odor coming from the house. Inside, they found hundreds of snakes, all believed to be pythons — some of which were dead.

William Fredrick Buchman, a teacher at Mariners Elementary School in Newport Beach, was detained on charges of animal cruelty, NBCLosAngeles.com reported.

The snakes were "mostly alive, but there were some dead ones, along with some mice and rats. I don't know if that's what they fed them," said Santa Ana Police Department Watch Commander Bill Nimmo.

Some of the snakes were caged, he said.

Police did not say whether other people lived in the home.

Reporters outside the house held their noses against the stench as plastic trays containing snakes were brought out and placed on a sidewalk.

"There are all forms of decay," said Sondra Berg, an animal services supervisor at the Santa Ana Police Department. "From skeletons to just dead in the last few days. There is an infestation of rats and mice. They are running loose all over the house. There are rats and mice in plastic storage tubs that are actually canabalizing each other." 

Officials said the house's front four rooms were packed floor to ceiling with snake cages, NBC Los Angeles reported. They said Buchman was breeding ball pythons to sell them.

Officials said the surviving snakes were being taken to a veterinary hospital for medication and feeding. 

Bruce Chambers / AP

Crash after police pursuit leaves 4 dead in Southern California

  By Samia Khan, NBCLosAngeles.comA short pursuit ended with four people dead in a two-vehicle collision following reports of shots fired in Compton early Saturday morning.Officers responded to a call about shots fired from a vehicle. The caller gave a good description of the suspects and the Sheriff’s Dept. was able to locate the car, resulting in a pursuit that started on Indigo Boulevard in Compton.See original report at NBCLosAngeles.comAfter a five-minute pursuit, the suspects’ vehicle ran a red light and struck an oncoming vehicle at the intersection of South Wilmington Avenue and West Greenleaf Boulevard. The suspects’ car flipped over on the lawn of a nearby home and caught on fire.There were three suspects in the overturned vehicle, and all three were pronounced dead on scene.The female driver of the other car, in her early 20s,  also died in the crash when her vehicle struck a power pole.The victims have not been identified.Related story: Infamous SoCal police chases

Two killed, deputy hurt in California patrol car crash

 By Christina Cocca and Kate Larsen, NBCLosAngeles.comTwo people were killed and two were hurt, including a deputy, after a Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department patrol car collided with another car, officials said.The collision between the patrol car and Ford Explorer happened about 4:30 p.m. near 17th Street East and Avenue R in Palmdale, said California Highway Patrol Capt. Gretchen Jacobs.Officials have not said who was at fault in the crash."It's unknown whether the Explorer stopped for a stop sign or not, and we have conflicting information about that," Jacobs said. Officials did not know the speed either of the vehicles was traveling, she said.Corvette Driver Shot, Killed After Hour-Long PursuitThe Ford Explorer had four people inside when it spun out of control. The driver and front passenger were not hurt, but a man and woman in the backseat were thrown from the SUV and killed, officials said.The deputy was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.Video from the scene showed the patrol car on the side of the road with a smashed front end. A tan SUV could be seen near the scene of the crash with damage also on the front end.Debris from the crash was scattered across the road.The female victim was a 20-year-old woman, according to her family members, who were at the scene of the crash. The other victim was her boyfriend, relatives said.The woman's family were screaming and crying as they mourned their loss."My daughter is dead, she is dead," the woman's father could be seen screaming. "That is not ok."The deputy did not have the patrol car siren on at the time of the collision."We do not know at this time what he was responding to," LASD Capt. Don Ford said.A witness at the scene said the intersection where the crash happened is known to be dangerous.Additional details about the crash were not immediately clear.This story was originally published on Sun Dec 15, 2013 3:18 AM EST

12 tons of pot found in big rig in Southern California

 Tustin Police DepartmentPolice discovered about 12 tons of marijuana worth more than $7 million hidden inside a tractor-trailer in Orange County.By Andrew Lopez, NBCLosAngeles.comPolice discovered about 12 tons of marijuana worth more than $7 million hidden inside a tractor-trailer after two men posing as law enforcement officials tried to pull the vehicle over in Orange County Monday, officials said.Officers responded about 8 a.m. to reports of a possible attempted cargo theft in the 1100 block of Warner Avenue, according to the Tustin Police Department.The driver of a big rig carrying electronics from San Diego to a Tustin business told police that two men in a white panel van pulled alongside him and demanded he pull the vehicle over, police said. The passenger of the van displayed an unknown chain or badge around his neck.Police said the driver of the big rig was suspicious of the unprofessional look of the men, and instead pulled into a local business that had an armed security guard stationed. Police were notified, but the van left before officers arrived.When inventory and inspection of the truck was conducted, about 24,000 pounds of marijuana was found packaged in bricks, hidden inside boxes, officials said.During their investigation, officers found that no law enforcement agency was involved in trying to stop the truck, officials said.The driver of the big rig is not a suspect in knowingly transporting illegal cargo, police said.The driver of the van is described as a male Hispanic, approximately 30 years old with a shaved head wearing gray plaid shorts. The passenger is described as a Hispanic man with a thin build wearing what appeared to be a black ballistic-type vest, officials said.Anyone with information regarding the illegal cargo is asked to call Detective Haug at 714-573-3246.

Firefighters combat wildfires unusual winter in Northern California

Kent Porter / the Press Democrat via APFirefighters in Schell Vista in Sonoma County and Santa Clara County are prepared to attack hot spots in the hills of Soda Canyon up Napa, on Friday.Nearly 800 firefighters and more than 50 firefighters fought a fire of great end of season which destroyed a structure and was threatening several others in Northern California on Saturday, according to the California Forestry Department and fire protection.Nicknamed McCabe fire, the fire that began on Friday morning had burned 2,000 acres in The Geysers in Sonoma County, a rural area north of San Francisco, which produces geothermal energy, at noon on Saturday, destroying a power plant cooling tower.Fire, containing 10 per cent, in rough terrain and tough, making it difficult to firefighters to access certain areas, said Daniel Berlant, a spokesman for Cal Fire burned. He said that dry conditions in the area and strong offshore winds in recent days have fueled the fire and allowed him to grow rapidly despite being the fire season."Absolutely having a fire this big this late in the year is very uncommon, especially in Northern California along the coast", he said.Calpine Corp., which owns much of the land where the fire is burning, evacuated employees on Friday. Apart from geothermal plants, the area is remote and devoid of many structures. But Berlant said that firefighters were focused on the protection of the installations of geothermal energy in the area. According to the website of Cal Fire, the fire threat currently 12 structures.Berlant said that weather conditions have made it more difficult for firefighters to contain the fire."We are seeing strong winds today that could allow this fire to grow even bigger and thus increase the risk of new fires," he said.Additional resources of fire were underway to 783 staff and 54 firefighters already on the scene, including some of Southern California.On Saturday afternoon the cause of the fire is unknown and Cal Fire said was still under investigation. No injuries have been reported.Click to view more weather newsBerlant cautioned that if conditions remain dry state, which has seen little rainfall this season, California would an additional fire hazard later in the winter."This year in California saw very little rainfall early in the season and that has allowed this year will be a season very prolonged fire and unfortunately until we have a good amount of precipitation remain susceptible to forest fires," he said.

'Colonial Bros and Nava-Hos' frat party investigated by California university

aBy Simon Moya-Smith, Staff Writer, NBC NewsSexism and racism were the topics of discussion during a forum Friday at a northern California university after a fraternity and sorority hosted a theme party last week deemed offensive to women and Native Americans.Officials at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo told NBC News that they were investigating an off-campus party allegedly called, "Colonial Bros and Nava-Hos."At the party, men reportedly dressed up in colonial-era costumes and women wore scantily clad Native American-themed attire."Cal Poly is currently reviewing an off-campus party that occurred on Nov. 16 that may have included culturally insensitive, sexist, and offensive behavior," university spokesman Matt Lazier wrote in an email. "While the gathering was held off campus, the university takes diversity and inclusivity very seriously."In a campus-wide email, university President Jeffrey D. Armstrong denounced the party and said university officials "will respond to any violations of the Standards for Student Conduct" following an investigation."Let us be clear, events like these have no place in the Cal Poly community and are not reflective of the principles of The Mustang Way," he wrote. "Obviously, this was not a university-sponsored event."A Cal Poly student and fraternity member named Daniel, who declined to provide his last name, told the San Luis Obispo Tribune that he didn't think the party "was meant to be racist."“It’s unfair,” he said. “We are taught that Thanksgiving is Pilgrims and Indians.”Tristin Moone, a citizen of the Diné (Navajo) Nation who is a student of Native American Studies at Columbia University in New York, told NBC News that she's concerned by the psychology of those who would think this type of party is acceptable."I think the mentality that went into the creation of this party, the mentality that thought this was OK, is ubiquitous in America," she said.Moone, who was born and raised on the Diné reservation in northeast Arizona and northwest New Mexico, said she's concerned for the indigenous students who may attend Cal Poly and whether their peers view them as contemporary individuals."I’m worried about indigenous students in that institution not having an ally or advocate who can help mentor them, and guide students for a better understanding of Native peoples around the world," she said.Lazier wrote that Friday's forum was a part of several "ongoing efforts to promote a culture of support, diversity, inclusivity and community engagement" at Cal Poly.Moone said she believes such efforts should also include hearing and learning from the Native American community and allowing them to teach their own history."I think (parties) like these are very reflective of how the dominant narrative is supported and nurtured throughout American schools and universities, and how it stifles and hinders and silences the Native American narrative," she said.Related:Duke students rally against anti-Asian frat party