Two boats collided Wednesday night near the Port of Long Beach, leaving the driver of one vessel with "traumatic injuries," Long Beach Fire says.
Details:
The crash occurred just after 11:30 p.m., between a tug boat and a 30' ft powerboat near Pier T of the Port of Long Beach. Three other passengers sustained minor injuries, but the powerboat driver had to be transported to a nearby hospital.
Long Beach Fire responded to a distress call from a tug boat struck by the powerboat at a "high rate of speed."
The powerboat was going about 30 knots or 34.5 miles per hour; Marine Safety Chief Gonzalo Medina told the Post.
Authorities say the powerboat lost an outboard engine during the crash.
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill-331, a new crime bill directed towards combating organized retail thieves, into law at a signing ceremony in Long Beach.
Between the lines: The timing of the enactment of AB 331 comes as Newsom faces a recall election and how nearly 60% of Americans think crime is "extremely serious,” according to a poll by ABC News/ Washington Post.
The event was held at The Hangout on Long Beach's Retro Row and featured over thirteen mayors and police chiefs, including Mayor Robert Garcia and LBPD Chief Robert Luna.
Details: The legislation expands on an existing program that allows California Highway Patrol to form regional task forces with other local police departments to tackle organized retail theft.
The program expired on July 1st, but since Newsom signed the bill into law, the task force will be extended to 2026.
If someone breaks the new anti-theft law "on two or more separate occasions within a 12-month period, and if the aggregated value of the merchandise stolen, received, purchased, or possessed within that 12-month period exceeds $950", a person could be imprisoned at a county jail for at least one year.
AB 331 was introduced by California Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer.
Three CHP retail theft task forces will focus on the San Francisco Bay area, one in San Diego and another in Orange County.
A three-vehicle crash on the 405 Freeway in Long Beach has left one person dead, the LB Post reports.
A few details: Long Beach Fire Department spokesperson Jack Crabtree told the Post that the crash occurred Tuesday evening at about 8:30 p.m. near the Lakewood Boulevard off-ramp.
The sole victim died at the scene of the crash. Officials reported no other injuries.
CHP closed all traffic on the southbound lane on the 405 in order to conduct an investigation.