Six men and two women were busted in a host of charges after a SWAT team search warrant arrest in Hollywood, officials said.

The group was arrested Wednesday after the narcotics warrant was served at 2115 Adams Street, Hollywood Police said.

Police said the suspects are documented gang members and associates. They face charges including possession of cocaine, cannabis and morphine; possession of drug paraphernalia; possession of a stolen gun; possession of a gun and ammunition by a convicted felon; resisting an officer with and without violence; and warrants for prostitution and possession of cocaine and heroin.

The arrests include Ronald Daenecke, 55; Renee Corriveau, 25; Sabrina Schaetzer, 36; Ramone Braham, 25; Henry Graham, 61; Tron Whiting, 38; Jason Williams, 28; and Brannon Lacey, 35.

"This operation not only removed dangerous felons off the streets, but also the tools of their trade, i.e. guns, ammunition, and drugs," Hollywood Police said in a statement. "The criminal enterprise that was operating from this location has been removed from the community."

A South Jersey landscaper and his employee told police that they buried a mother of two alive and poured lime on her body before covering her up and leaving her for dead.

Fatima Perez thought she was going to buy a car for $8,000 when landscaper and friend Carlos Alicea-Antonetti picked her up Monday night.

Instead she was headed towards her death.

One of the 41-year-old’s suspected killers led police to a shallow grave near Clayton Road between Corkery Lane and Tuckahoe Road in Monroe Township, N.J. Wednesday morning.

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That suspect, Ramon Ortiz, told detectives that he helped his Villa Coamo Landscaping and General Maintenance boss Alicea-Antonetti bury Perez, according to probable cause statement obtained by NBC10.com. Ortiz, 57, also allegedly told police that Perez was alive when they placed her in the hole.

"For a woman of her character and stature to have died in this manner is horrible and very traumatic to her family," said Camden County Prosecutor Warren Faulk.

• Rapist List Keeps Reappearing at Columbia University

Investigators say Perez died from asphyxiation and ruled her death a homicide.

Police say Alicea-Antonetti, 36, told investigators that he picked up Perez at her N 41st Street, Camden home on Monday night to take her to get a car she found on Craigslist. At some point the two began to argue and Alicea-Antonetti says Perez fell out of his van during the argument, according to police.

Alicea-Antonetti said Perez was hurt in the fall but still managed to get back in his van. At this point, he told police he picked up his employee, Ortiz, from a job site as Perez laid in the back of the van.

The two men then allegedly tied up Perez and placed duct tape over her mouth and eyes before driving to a wooded area where Ortiz dug a hole, according to Alicea-Antonetti’s statement to police.

Alicea-Antonetti said Perez was still breathing as they poured lime on her body and covered her up. He said Ortiz tried to disguise the shallow grave by placing branches and debris over top.

Ortiz told police that his boss picked him up and that he didn’t even notice Perez at first because she was already tied up in the back of the van. He told police that they drove along Route 42 until Alicea-Antonetti pulled off to a wooded area and directed Ortiz to dig a hole.

Police said Ortiz couldn’t describe the exact location of the grave but that he was able to lead police to the spot, according to investigators.

Investigators said Alicea-Antonetti had about $7,000 on him at the time of his arrest. Perez's family suspects money was the motive behind her murder.

Both Ortiz and Alicea-Antonetti are set to be arraigned in Camden County on Thursday afternoon.

Perez's mother told NBC10 that her daughter came to America from Nicaragua eight years ago for a better life. 

A woman was hospitalized after she was reportedly bitten on the leg by a shark near Melbourne Thursday morning.

The incident happened at Ponce de Leon Park off Highway A1A, WESH reported.

The woman was taken to nearby Holmes Regional Medical Center, Brevard County Fire Rescue officials said.

Her condition was unknown.

The names of four male Columbia University students are repeatedly appearing on bathroom walls and on fliers at the campus by someone alleging they are "sexual assault violators on campus."

The list first appeared last week, according to The New York Times. It was removed, but has since been redrawn on walls in other women's bathrooms and handed out on fliers headlined "Rapists on Campus."

The fliers say the school has found the men "responsible" for sexual assault.

A group of students filed complaints with the federal Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights last month alleging the school has mishandled claims of sexual assault. The students alleged that school officials tell students who file claims that they can't talk about their cases outside campus.

It's not known if the two are related.

One of the women who filed a federal complaint last month said Thursday she didn't know who was behind the lists but supports the idea.

"We want these rapists off our campus," said Rakhi Agrawal. "We want everyone to know who these people are so that they can keep themselves safe."

The university said Thursday that "graffiti is routinely removed by facilities staff," and said it had no further comment "on the particulars of disciplinary proceedings regarding sexual misconduct."

Students had mixed opinions about the vigilante campaign.

"That's probably well-deserved frustration, I just think there's other ways to handle it," said Alex Carames.

--Michael George contributed to this story

An erratic fire tearing a devastating path through one San Diego County community abruptly flared up Thursday with "explosive growth," destroying and threatening more homes in San Marcos even as its eastward spread into Escondido challenged fire crews battling five blazes across the region.

• READ: Evacuations Called as Cocos Fire Threatens Escondido

The Cocos Fire burned at least one home in San Marcos completely, and as it spread Thursday afternoon, another structure went up in flames on Phoenix Way.

Just hours later, a third structure turned into a fiery inferno near Coronado Hills and Seeforever drives when tall trees and a vehicle added fresh fuel to the fire. Firefighters said they let that structure burn because it was abandoned. 

Explosions were heard as flames leapt toward more structures off Country Club Drive near Kauana Loa Drive in Escondido.

The fire jumped Coronado Hills Drive and approached several homes across the brush divide, moving faster than firefighters could over the hilly terrain and narrow, one-way roads, according to an NBC 7 News crew near the scene.

Flames could be seen marching up the hillside, burning eucalyptus trees in the backyards of homes along Via Del Caballo and Camino Hermoso. However, quick action from fire crews and shifting winds moved the flames away from the area.

• Complete Coverage: San Diego's May Firestorm

From Bresa De Loma Drive, flames could be seen cresting the hill behind Harmony Grove Road, near structures. Fires are known to move quickly uphill, but a NBC 7 crew said this blaze is racing downhill just as fast -- as if pulled by gravity. 

The flare-up came hours after fire officials identified the Cocos Fire as their number one priority among a spate of active brush fires that have ravaged the county over the last three days.

The fire, which was about 5 percent contained and burning 1,200 acres Thursday afternoon, has already destroyed at least five structures and forced the evacuation of Cal State San Marcos and at least 29,000 homes.

Evacuation notices were in effect for Questhaven, Harmony Grove, Elfin Forest, Coronado Hills, San Elijo Hills, Cal State San Marcos and Discovery Hills by noon Thursday.

Mandatory evacuations were ordered for Escondido residents living north and west of West Valley Parkway between Via Rancho Parkway and Highway 78 at 2 p.m.

To the south of the fire, residents were ordered to evacuate in the communities of Del Dios and Mt. Israel, north of Lake Hodges. 

A new evacuation point has been set up at Escondido High School, at 1535 N. Broadway.

The fire was one of at least five still burning across the county Thursday, down from nine separate blazes that have scorched more than 9,000 acres. In all, the concurrent fires had consumed or damaged more than a dozen structures and caused tens of millions of dollars in damage.

• WATCH: Raw Video of San Marcos Fire

The timing and proximity of the fires has fueled speculation that arson could be involved, though officials said it would be premature to comment on a cause in the early stages of the investigation. They noted that current weather conditions could cause even a small spark to ignite a brush fire.

"The grass out there is nothing but kindling for these fires, and we had winds, you know, very high speeds," San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said. "It only takes -- I was told by Cal Fire -- a few hundred degrees to ignite that grass."

Thursday afternoon, crews had to battle ever-changing wind patterns that began to pull behind the "plume-driven" fire, according to Cal Fire's Mike Mohler. 

"So we actually have wind on this fire, but the fire is creating that wind. So you’ve seen the explosive fire growth this afternoon," Mohler said. 

Crews have been on the fire line for more than 36 hours, so officials ordered in additional resources and started rotating the firefighters out. 

Among those entering their third day of work was a Heartland Fire crew protecting homes on Cycad Drive, just off Coronado Hills Drive. 

There, the fire got so close to one house that it melted the blinds inside the windows. 

Firefighter Joe Howard said all the flames and heat went down both sides of the house.

“Initially when it came through, this was all red – fire on fire – so we had to wait for it to go through before we could actually get back here and start putting stuff out,” said Firefighter Joe Howard. 

Overgrown brush on the property became an issue for the crew, and the flames destroyed a shed and a truck on the property.

Still, firefighters were able to save the house.  

While a DC-10 Super Tanker was requested but not available, officials said in a morning briefing that the support ground crews received from San Diego helicopters with night drops overnight made a difference in controlling the fire.

Map of Wildfire Activity and Open Shelters

Complete List of School Closures | List of Areas Under Evacuation

Hot, dry conditions did nothing to help. Temperatures reached 94 degrees as of 10 a.m. but were likely to reach 101. Humidity was at 6 percent with winds at 3 mph. The extreme heat created additional challenges for firefighters, including those battling the fast-moving Tomahawk Fire charring 6,000 acres near Camp Pendleton.

Even with gains in parts of the county, including the complete containment of several of the fires, life remained on pause for many residents. School closures throughout San Diego kept more than 100,000 children home and thousands of homes and businesses remained under evacuation orders Thursday. Residents were urged to stay off the roads to make way for emergency vehicles. Schuler asked residents to respect the mandatory evacuation orders so crews can do their jobs.

“One of the challenges we faced yesterday is getting homeowners to leave and while we’re doing that we’re unable to fight the fire,” he said.

Gore echoed that messaging, saying 120 deputies have been stationed in San Marcos alone to protect the vacated properties.  He advised residents to follow the directions of firefighters and stay out of the area as long as requested.

“We are watching your neighborhoods,” Gore said.

At its peak, officials said 250 people used the evacuation shelter at Mission Hills High School, and while about half had left by Thursday morning, organizers saw a new influx later that day as flare-ups continued. 

The school will remain closed Friday so county officials can continue to use it as a shelter. 

“It’s a crisis. We have to shift from education to taking care of folks. So that’s what we’re going to do,” said Mission Hills High School's Courtney Goode. “Tests can be made up and what not but lives are being heavily impacted right now so that needs to be our focus.”

Resources are available to all residents who may need recovery information through the county’s recovery website at sdcountyrecovery.com.

Check back for updates on this story.
  

An injured green sea turtle has been rescued from the boat basin of the Turtle Hospital in the Florida Keys.

The 46-pound reptile was plucked from the water Thursday and taken to the hospital's emergency room.

Officials said the turtle was entangled in fishing line and missing its front left flipper, likely severed by the line. It also has approximately 10 Fibropapilloma tumors on it, caused by a herpes-like virus.

Hospital staff has drawn blood and taken X-rays for further evaluation.

It's the second time since the hospital opened in 1986 that a turtle in need has swum into the facility's small harbor. In 2009, a loggerhead was admitted for an intestinal infection and released 10 weeks later.

She’s turning 90 this weekend, and her party promises to give her guests wild ride.

There will be one hour of free stomach-lurching thrills on Saturday for anyone who wants to wish the Giant Dipper a happy birthday, as the Santa Cruz beach boardwalk's iconic roller coaster -- California's oldest -- celebrates a time when coasters cost $50,000 to build and 15 cents a ride.

"It's an unforgettable ride," said Will Pemble of Orinda, also known as the "Coaster Dad." His son, 11-year-old Lyle, also said he thinks the wooden coaster is "fun" and he likes the "old-time ride," even though it's a little "wobbly."

Still, the roller coaster "isn't that tall and isn't that fast" in the sixth grader's eyes, as Lyle noted that "most amusement parks would have torn down an old ride like that."

• Coaster Dad Gives Stick Bomb a Roller Coaster Ride

The coaster is indeed old.

It's California’s oldest, designed by Frank Prior and Frederick Church and built in 1924 by Arthur Looff, according to Boardwalk history.

When it opened on May 17 that year, the Santa Cruz Sentinel ran a full-page black-and-white ad for the ride, promising a “wonderful kick from start to finish.” In 1987, the Giant Dipper was designated a National Historic Landmark.

The coaster is billed as the 5th oldest in the country and the 9th oldest in the world. The oldest is in Altoona, Pennsylvania, built in 1902.

An ad in 1924 announcing opening day of the Giant Dipper. Source Santa Cruz Boardwalk Archives.

Since opening day, 60 million people have coasted down the half-mile track, which stands 70 feet tall, and is the iconic visual image seen across the beachside city of Santa Cruz.

Among those riders have been famous actors like Michelle Pfeiffer when she filmed “Dangerous Minds,” Vincent Price when he made a horror documentary in 1978 called “America Screams” and basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain, who took a spin in 1968.

Wilt Chamberlain rides the Giant Dipper at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in 1968. Source Santa Cruz Boardwalk Archives.

“It’s definitely our signature ride,” said park spokeswoman Brigid Fuller. “Everyone loves the Dipper. It’s beautiful. And that sound of the clickety-clack is so great. It’s a pretty special ride.”

In honor of the coaster's birthday, the park is offering free Giant Dipper rides on Saturday for one hour from 10 a.m to 11 a.m., which Fuller said is something the boardwalk has never done before. The Boardwalk kicks off its summer season on that day too, with a Drum Corp presentation and a free beach concert.

Fun Facts About the Dipper:

• The Giant Dipper was built in just 47 days at a cost of $50,000.
• The fare was 15 cents in 1924; today it is $6.
• Record day was June 27, 1987, with 13,729 riders.
• When the Dipper received a fresh coat of paint last fall, painters used over 4500 gallons of paint and primer to cover an estimated 327,000 board feet of lumber.
• The 2013 project cost nearly $300,000, six times the original cost to build the ride in 1924.

(Source: Beach Boardwalk)

Miami Marlins ace pitcher Jose Fernandez will undergo Tommy John surgery Friday morning in Los Angeles, according to a report from CBSSports.com.

The surgery, nicknamed for the first pitcher to have it, involves taking a ligament from another part of the body and replacing the ulnar collateral ligament in the arm. The recovery time for the surgery is usually between 12 and 18 months.

With that timetable, Fernandez may be ready to go as early as May 2015, but it could be as late as the beginning of the 2016 season, depending on how his arm heals from the surgery.

Doctors found a tear in Fernandez’s ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm. Fernandez was shelled in his last start and that set off warning bells for the franchise. He was initially put on the 15-day disabled list with a right arm strain. However, it was quickly determined the injury was much worse.

Fernandez was off to a great start in the 2014 season, just a year after winning rookie of the year. In eight starts, Fernandez was 4-2 with a 2.44 ERA in 51.2 innings pitched. He had 70 strikeouts to just 13 walks this season as well.

The Marlins hope Fernandez can get close to the player he was before the injury, but whether he will be able to achieve the same velocity he had on his fastball after the surgery is unknown. The surgery has an approximately 90 percent success rate.

The Miami Heat punched its ticket to the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals Wednesday night. But who the team Miami will play, where the series will start, and on what day the series will start remains up in the air.

The Heat’s opponent in the Conference Finals will be either the Indiana Pacers or the Washington Wizards. Indiana has a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series and can close out the Wizards with a victory Thursday night.

If Indiana wins Thursday, the Pacers will have home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference Finals. The schedule would look like this:

• Game 1 – Sunday, May 18, Miami at Indiana
• Game 2 – Tuesday, May 20, Miami at Indiana
• Game 3 – Saturday, May 24, Indiana at Miami
• Game 4 – Monday, May 26, Indiana at Miami
• Game 5 – Wednesday, May 28, Miami at Indiana *if necessary*
• Game 6 – Friday, May 30, Indiana at Miami *if necessary*
• Game 7 – Sunday, June 1, Miami at Indiana *if necessary*

However, if the Wizards managed to win Thursday and send the series to a deciding seventh game, the Eastern Conference Finals would then begin on May 20 and have the following schedule:

• Game 1 – Tuesday, May 20 Miami at Indiana or Washington at Miami
• Game 2 – Thursday, May 22 Miami at Indiana or Washington at Miami
• Game 3 – Saturday, May 24 Indiana at Miami or Miami at Washington
• Game 4 – Monday, May 26 Indiana at Miami or Miami at Washington
• Game 5 – Wednesday, May 28 Miami at Indiana or Washington at Miami *if necessary*
• Game 6 – Friday, May 30 Indiana at Miami or Miami at Washington *if necessary*
• Game 7 – Sunday, June 1 Miami at Indiana or Washington at Miami *if necessary*

The NBA Finals will begin on June 5.

Groundwater pumping amid California’s historic drought may be affecting earthquakes along the San Andreas fault, according to a new study.

The pumping, which has been going on for decades in the usually fertile San Joaquin Valley, is now leading to an increase in temblors in the area, according to the study, spearheaded by Western Washington University, which was published in the science journal Nature.

"As the valley is going down, you are unclamping the San Andreas fault,” said Dr. Susan Hough of the U.S. Geological Survey. "When you take out the water, it’s the weight of the water that is affecting the crust and the faults.”

• Running Dry: Drought Maps, Timeline

The study suggests that while the Central Valley is sinking, the mountain ranges that surround it are climbing.

Hough said adding water to a fault zone can also alter an earthquake fault.

"If a big reservoir in particular is filled up, that can sometimes induce earthquakes, and we've seen some quite damaging earthquakes as a result of reservoirs being filled,” Hough said.

Altogether though, Hough said that while groundwater pumping and reservoirs may cause temblors to happen more quickly than normal, chances are the quakes were going to happen at some point anyway.

"An earthquake that is induced is going to happen anyway. If you hasten it a little bit, maybe it will happen in September instead of January, but it’s not really a game changer,” Hough said.

Ex-NFL star safety Darren Sharper won’t face a charge of rape in Miami, according to USAToday.com. But, Sharper’s problems with the law across the country are far from over.

The decision to not charge Sharper came because the alleged victim didn’t file a complaint until over three months after the alleged incident last fall, USAToday.com reported. The case could be restarted in Miami, but only if new evidence was found.

USAToday.com reported an assistant state attorney said the problems with Sharper’s case in Miami included: “delayed disclosure, no physical evidence, inconsistent statements made by the victim, no corroborating witnesses,” and other problems.

While Sharper’s problems in Florida are over, he still faces date-rape charges in Arizona and Los Angeles. He is currently in an L.A. jail being held without bail on date-rape charges. Police in Las Vegas and New Orleans are also investigating Sharper for other alleged date rapes, but no charges have been filed in Vegas or in Louisiana.

Sharper was a second-round pick of the Green Bay Packers in the 1997 NFL Draft. He went on to be named to the Pro Bowl five times and was named an all-pro twice in his 14-year career.

The Social Security Administration released its annual list of most popular baby names in the U.S. last week. This week, the SSA broke the numbers down by state with Jayden and Isabella taking top honors in the state of Florida.

According to the SSA, the top boy name in Florida in 2013 was Jayden followed by Jacob, Liam, Noah, and Michael rounding out the top five. For girls, the top girl name was Isabella, Sophia, Emma, Olivia, and Mia making up the top five.

Nationwide, the SSA ranked the top male names as: Noah, Liam, Jacob, Mason, and William. The top female names across the country were: Sophia, Emma, Olivia, Isabella, and Ava.

The top 10 boy names in Florida in 2013 were:

1. Jayden
2. Jacob
3. Liam
4. Noah
5. Michael
6. Mason
7. Ethan
8. Daniel
9. Elijah
10. Anthony

The top 10 girl names in the Sunshine State in 2013 were:

1. Isabella
2. Sophia
3. Emma
4. Olivia
5. Mia
6. Ava
7. Emily
8. Abigail
9. Sofia
10. Madison

Connecticut lawmakers voted to ban chocolate milk from school lunchrooms statewide as they wrapped up their legislative session Wednesday, in a move that critics warned could change kids' lunchtime habits for the worse.

The legislation, which next heads to Gov. Malloy's desk, makes revisions to the education statutes in order to comply with new federal school lunch standards on sodium, which is found in chocolate milk.

Lonnie Burt, the chief nutritionist of Hartford Public Schools, has concerns about the impact this legislation will have on children’s nutrition. Chocolate milk provides calcium, Vitamin A, potassium and other nutrients, she said.

“What concerns me is that if chocolate milk is not one of the available options, then I believe students will decrease consumption of milk overall,” Burt said.

The American Heart Association seems to agree and said the nutritional value of milk, even flavored milk, outweighs concerns about the amount of sodium in diets.

At the Environmental Sciences Magnet School in Hartford, chocolate milk is popular, and students don’t like the idea of getting rid of it. 

“Everyone likes it. The majority of the school wants it, and not many people like regular milk,” seventh-grader Maddy Lanzi said.
 

State environmental officials say there is no indication of disease, and that the fish, which normally produce in large numbers and consume a lot of oxygen, simply overproduced.

Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty says crews will be patrolling the beaches this weekend to clear any dead fish out of the way of beachgoers.

--Brian Thompson contributed to this story

One person has been found dead in Carlsbad, a day after an intense blaze scorched a twisting path through the community, ravaging homes and forcing thousands to evacuate.

The grim discovery Thursday evening marked the first death in the rash of fires that have ravaged the San Diego area in the past three days amid high winds, extreme heat and dry conditions.

Firefighters found the victim's badly burned body while they were performing a hot spot check in a known transient encampment near Ambrosia and Calliandra, about two miles west of where the 400-acre Poinsettia Fire -- now called the San Diego Complex -- first sparked.

All evacuations were lifted in Carlsbad late Thursday, allowing residents to return home more than a day after that blaze began devastating the area.

Officials said 18 condos, four single-family homes and two commercial buildings burned in the fire. Six more homes and one other structure were also damaged.

About 300 firefighters were on the front lines Thursday morning. As of 5:30 p.m., the San Diego Complex had burned 400 acres and was 75 percent contained.

On Wednesday, the county issued 15,000 evacuation notices homes, cell phones and businesses in the area wast of El Fuerte Road, south of Palomar Airport Road, north of Aviara Parkway and west to the coast.

• Carlsbad Man after Fire Destroys Home: “It’s OK, I’m Alive”

Major roadways throughout Carlsbad were opened by 6 p.m. Thursday. However, limited access has been granted to Ambrosia Lane to facilitate support for safety personnel, officials said.

Legoland California closed early Wednesday but was open Thursday.

• San Diego’s Most Accurate Forecast

Fire officials are investigating the cause of the Poinsettia Fire and multiple other brush fires that sparked in San Diego County on Wednesday. Anyone who noticed suspicious activity that could have started the fire is asked to call 760-602-7599 or email PoinsettiaFire@carlsbadca.gov.

A South Florida 8th grader says his neck was broken during an incident at his Miramar school, and now his family says the school should have done something to stop it from happening.

Taishawn Yee has spent the last several weeks lying on his couch at home wearing a neck brace after he broke three vertebrae and underwent spinal surgery and had two screws placed in his neck.

Last month, Yee and some classmates were horsing around at Renaissance Middle School when things got out of hand. Yee says he was bear hugged from behind in a hallway by another student and then slammed to the floor.

• WATCH: Cat Saves Boy From Dog Attack

Yee blacked out and was rushed to the hospital, and now he says his life and body will never be the same.

"The scar that's on the back of my neck, sometimes it itches, and it's like it's crawling and stuff," Yee said. "The doctor told me I could have been paralyzed, thank God I wasn't."

Yee and his mother said someone at the school should have been watching.

• Gay Student Sues FAU After Being Denied In-State Tuition

“Kids need guidance, they need an adult to tell them 'this isn’t right, you shouldn’t do that," mother Angela Hines said. "If it’s playing, that’s too much force. Now my life is changed forever."

Broward School officials are investigating the incident. The student who did this to Yee served a 10-day suspension and could be facing further disciplinary action.

Hines said the family plans to file a lawsuit.

Fast food workers in Miami are joining a national and world-wide walk out as they push for higher wages.

Organizers say the protesters will gather outside a McDonalds at the corner of Northwest 17th Street and Northwest 9th Avenue.

The workers are seeking to have their wages raised to $15 per hour, and want the right to form a union without retaliation.

Strikes are expected in 150 cities across the United States and another 33 countries across the globe.
 
South Florida fast food workers took part in a protest over wages in December.

A horrific crime is now being called a hate crime.

Prosecutors say a transient woman accused of attacking a 4-year-old girl and her father inside a San Jose Walmart store targeted her victims because they were of Asian origin.

Maria Garate, a 20-year-old transient, was charged on Thursday with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, both with hate crime allegations. She appeared briefly in a Santa Clara County courtroom with a public defender, but did not enter a plea.

"This was every parent's worst nightmare,” deputy district attorney Kalila Spain said at a news conference outside the Hall of Justice in San Jose.

• Roommates Find $40K in Couch, Return Cash to Owner

Garate is being held without bail. The attempted murder charge could come with a life sentence.

At about 11 a.m. Tuesday, San Jose police were informed of an assault with a deadly weapon at the Walmart on Story Road.

A woman later identified as Garate allegedly went up to an Asian man who was with his 4-year-old daughter, then struck the girl over the head, police Sgt. Heather Randol said.

Walmart security guards detained Garate until police arrived. Police arrested Garate on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and booked her into county jail.

• San Francisco Digital Traffic Sign Hacked, Warns of "Godzilla Attack"

Spain said that the girl and her father were shopping "like any other day" and "the defendant came in and hit the victim over the head with a lug nut wrench and also attacked the father as well."

The girl was treated for her injuries, which were not considered major.

Spain declined to be specific concerning the evidence the district attorney's office has except that the alleged assault was "a premeditated, willful act" on Garate's part.

Spain, asked by a reporter if Garate may be mentally ill, said that the prosecutors "don't know why people commit the crimes that they do."

• Men Admit to Burying Missing NJ Mother Alive: Police

"Sometimes we do, sometimes we don't," she said. "There are a variety of defenses for any type of crime that we charge. Any additional information will come out later."

Shoppers at the Walmart store on Story Road told NBC Bay Area on Thursday that they see a lot of homeless people in the area. An encampment nearby is commonly referred to as "the jungle.”

Garate is due back in court on May 23.

No information regarding a defense attorney representing Garate was available Thursday.

The Associated Press and Bay City News contributed to this report.

Imagine piloting an aircraft and then being suddenly blinded by bright light that comes out of nowhere.

"What goes through your mind is 'how am I going to be able to complete this flight safely. How am I going to land when I can’t see?'" said airline captain Robert Hamilton, with the Airline Pilots Association.

The bright light, it turns out is a laser – intentionally aimed at a pilot by someone on the ground. It’s a federal crime that has the potential to cause a plane crash, and federal statistics show a sharp increase in the number of incidents.

Veteran Miami-Dade Police Department pilot Brendan Gill said it happened to him.

“I was flying around and the next thing I know I got a bright flash coming off the left side of the helicopter,” Gill said. “And it was a green laser that was being pointed up at me from a mile and a half away.“

Police said they tracked the laser to a Miami home where they saw Dennys Diaz point the laser at Gill’s helicopter. He was arrested and charged by federal prosecutors. NBC 6 found Mr. Diaz at his home recently but he told us, “I’m sorry but I don’t want to talk about it.”

Diaz avoided jail time by agreeing to continue his education and stay out of any other trouble, but a federal judge in California gave 26-year-old Sergio Rodriguez a 14-year prison sentence for pointing a laser at a police helicopter and interfering with aircraft operations.

“The FBI is taking this crime very seriously,” said FBI agent John Kitzinger. “We don’t want a catastrophe to happen.”

The FBI said that in 2005, lasers were pointed at pilots 384 times. Last year, the number grew to almost 4,000.

In 2014, there have been 63 incidents of lasers and pilots in South Florida. Across the Sunshine State, the number of incidents jumps to 129.

The FBI said pilots often describe it like a camera flash going off in a pitch black car.

“When it’s actually shone at an aircraft the intensity of the laser light and the affect that it has on you in a darker cockpit is actually quite intense,“ Officer Gill stated.

Dr. Andrew Schimel, an Ophthalmologist, who is a professor at FIU’s medical school told NBC 6, “The worst time for the lasers to be shot in the eyes is just as they are landing because they are closer to the laser beam. The closer they are to the laser beam—the more likely they get damage to the retina.”

Schimel warns that more powerful lasers are hitting the market-- primarily from China. He says those lasers are up to 200 times stronger.

“It is a very real safety hazard. And it brings the very real possibility of having an aircraft accident,“ Capt. Hamilton said.

“Lots of times we will get the call from the FLL tower saying that someone is lasering the airliners,” said Sgt. Christine Ponticelli, who runs the aviation division for the Broward Sheriff’s Office.

The perimeter patrols at Ft. Lauderdale airport are on the lookout for someone with a laser. Airport Commander Capt. Roy Liddicott told NBC 6, “All our guys are very aware of this as an absolute problem.”

At night police helicopter pilots wear night vision goggles that brighten everything on the ground, but having them on makes the lasers even more dangerous.

“Because night vision goggles work off of light that’s really going to enhance and intensify the light that’s coming towards them,” Ponticelli said. “If someone was to actually put that laser on them as they were coming on short final it could blind them. The pilot could lose control of the aircraft and crash into the house.”

The FBI told NBC 6 most people think it’s a joke. They just don’t realize the very real danger they are causing.

Two teens were arrested Thursday evening after police say they started at least two brush fires in San Diego’s Escondido area, as several destructive blazes continued to burn across the county.

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Escondido police will continue investigating the incident.