Articles by Stefanie Dazio

Landslide Forces Closure of Iconic California Chapel

A decades-old landslide that’s rapidly accelerating has forced the dismantling of Wayfarers Chapel, an iconic Southern California church that was designed by one of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s sons and built among soaring redwoods and sweeping Pacific Ocean views. …

Dark Skies, Bad Weather Could Have Led to Fatal California Helicopter Crash That Killed 6

Two aviation experts who reviewed newly released photos and video of last week’s helicopter crash that killed a prominent Nigerian banker and five others said the flight likely should have been canceled because of poor nighttime weather conditions in Southern …

Avalanche Killed 1, Injured 3 at Popular California Ski Resort

An avalanche roared through a section of expert trails at a California ski resort near Lake Tahoe on Wednesday, sweeping up four people and killing one, as a major storm with snow and gusty winds moved into the region, authorities …

Tesla Driver Paying $23K for 2019 California Crash

A Tesla driver will pay more than $23,000 in restitution for the deaths of two people during a 2019 car crash in a Los Angeles suburb, a decision announced the same day that the automaker recalled nearly all vehicles sold …

Investigators Found Fire And Safety Hazards on Land Under Los Angeles Before Arson Fire

State investigators repeatedly identified fire and safety hazards at a leased storage space under an elevated Los Angeles freeway before it burned in an arson fire, documents show. The Nov. 11 blaze, fed by flammable materials stored under the roadway …

Captain Found Guilty of ‘Seaman’s Manslaughter’ in Boat Fire That Killed 34 off California

A scuba dive boat captain was convicted this week of criminal negligence in the deaths of 34 people killed in a fire aboard the vessel in 2019, the deadliest maritime disaster in recent U.S. history. Jerry Boylan, 69, was found …

Lawyers Trade Blame for 2019 California Boat Fire That Killed 34 People as Trial Begins

Federal prosecutors said this week that the captain of a scuba dive boat should be held responsible for the deaths of 34 people killed in a fire aboard the vessel in 2019, while the captain`s defense attorneys said the boat’s …

FBI, European Partners Seize Major Malware Network in Blow to Global Cybercrime

U.S. officials said Tuesday that the FBI and its European partners infiltrated and seized control of a major malware network used for more than 15 years to commit a gamut of online crimes including crippling ransomware attacks. They then remotely …

Man Agrees to Plead Guilty in Basquiat Artwork Fraud Scheme

A former Los Angeles auctioneer has agreed to plead guilty in a cross-country art fraud scheme where he created fake artwork and falsely attributed the paintings to artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, federal prosecutors said Tuesday. The paintings ultimately wound up at …

Storm Breached California River’s Levee, Hundreds Evacuated

Authorities ordered more than 1,500 people to evacuate early Saturday from a Northern California agricultural community famous for its strawberry crop after the Pajaro River’s levee was breached by flooding from a new atmospheric river pummeling the state. Monterey County …