wayne freedman, abc 7 news. >> thanks very much. >>> to our other top story. hours after a police officer was killed in the line of duty the man who ambushed him and held police in a stand overneveright is found dead. the officer was a beloved veteran of the force. 38-year-old michael johnson. the man accused of killing him, he was found dead this morning on his apartment balcony after a standoff that lasted more than eight hours. >> neighbors evacuated from the scene they are being let back into their homes. a memorial tribute to officer johnson is growing. >> reporter: officers from several agencies have been gathering at the police department throughout the morning, flags are at half staff. the department mourns its first fallen officer in san jose in 14 years. flowers are placed outside the san jose police department in memory of fallen officer michael johnson. johnson was a 14-year veteran with the force. he was shot and killed last night while responding to a call. the devastating loss has left fellow officers shaken. >> officers are grieving, they will

wayne freedman met with a parent today and has the story. >> in san leandro looks may be deceiving. there are office, materials but after 32 years and hundreds of placed children no staff. for would be clients no hope. just -- >> heart break. tears. and questions. that no one is willing to answer. >> for a year she and her husband had gone through qualification, hoping to adopt. part of the process, made this book filled with photos the agency returned it in the mail with documents and this letter with a generic, dear family salutation. >> why didn't you try to bridge us? communicate with us? let us know, months ago we're going to close? let us have the opportunity to go to another agency. >> the letter signed by board chairman barbara parker serving as the oakland city attorney. she would not comment on camera today but issued a statement which reads in part, a small number of families are in the process of applying for adoption. we understand this is difficult. this may make it more difficult, however, for those families of process can be continued with another agency. meantime an

wayne freedman met with a parent today and has the story. >> in san leandro looks may be deceiving. there are office, materials but after 32 years and hundreds of placed children no staff. for would be clients no hope. just -- >> heart break. tears. and questions. that no one is willing to answer. >> for a year she and her husband had gone through qualification, hoping to adopt. part of the process, made this book filled with photos the agency returned it in the mail with documents and this letter with a generic, dear family sal utation. >> why didn't you try to bridge us? communicate with us? let us know, months ago we're going to close? let us have the opportunity to go to another agency. >> the letter signed by board chairman barbara parker serving as the oakland city attorney. she would not comment on camera today but issued a statement which reads in part, a small number of families are in the process of applying for adoption. we understand this is difficult. this may make it more difficult, however, for those families of process can be continued with another agency. meantime a

wayne freedman found the work never stops especially now in a time of new challenges. >> another day another satisfied patient at the marine animal saider. not just another day you see that number 40 over there, it represents years and an anniversary. it's the right thing to do to be on the beach to be able to provide humane care for any animal that may need it. >> the director of this facility that's been here longer than the nike missiles that preceded it on the very same spot. business as usual for staff and volunteers. would you like to swordfish? >> it's not super glamorous, no. >> it's fun, you're working for those little seals out there making them feel better. >> sea lions the most recent famous one, a sterling who washed ashore last february. >> 700 sea lions had been brought in this year that is six times the average for this season. the problem appears to be climate related. >> the ocean temperatures are the highest ever reported off california here. >> that's making all the fish move further away and move further north in the colder areas. >> put simply their mothers are

abc 7 news reporter wayne freedman met with one of the parents and has the story. >> reporter: in sanro looks are deceiving. it has the office it has the materials, but after 32 years and hundreds of placed minority children it has no staff and for would-be clients no hope just -- >> heartbreak. tears tears. and questions that no one is willing to answer. >> reporter: for a year she and her husband went through qualifications hoping to adopt. as part of the process they made this book filled with photos. the agency returned it in the mail along with documents and this letter with a generic dear family salutation saying it was closing with no explanation and no offer of future help. >> why didn't you try to bridge us or have a call with us communicate with us and let us know months ago that we're in trouble or we're going to close. let us have the opportunity to go to another agency. >> reporter: said letter was signed by board chairman barbara parker who serves as the oakland city attorney. she would not comment about this closure but did issue a statement which reads in part, a small

abc7 news reporter wayne freedman met with one of those parents and has their story. >> in san leandrond deals and after 32 years of placing minority children it has no staff. and would-be clients, for them there's no hope. >> just heartbreak. tears. and questions that no one is willing to answer. >> for a year she and her husband had gone through qualification hoping to adopt. as part of the process they made this book filled with photos. the agency under it in the mail along with a let'ser and a generic deer family saltation. it said the adoption and research enter was closing with no explanation and no offer of future help. >> why didn't you try to bridge us or have a call with us? communicate with us and let us know months ago that we are in trouble or we are going to close. let us have the opportunity to go to another agency. >> that letter was signed by board chairman barbara parker who also serves as the oakland city attorney. she would not comment about this closer, but did issue a statement that reads, in part, "a small number of families or in the process of applying for adop

abc7 news reporter wayne freedman met with one of those parents and has their story. >> in san leandroand research center. it has the adoption and deals and after 32 years of placing minority children it has no staff. and would-be clients, for them there's no hope. >> just heartbreak. tears. and questions that no one is willing to answer. >> for a year she and her husband had gone through qualification hoping to adopt. as part of the process they made this book filled with photos. the agency under it in the mail along with documents and this let we're a generic "deer family" saltation. it said only the black adoption and research center was closing with no explanation and no offer of future help. >> why didn't you try to bridge us or have a call with us? communicate with us and let us know months ago that we are in trouble or we are going to close. let us have the opportunity to go to another agency. >> that letter was signed by board chairman barbara parker, who also serves as the oakland city attorney. she would not comment about this closer, but did issue a statement that reads, in

wayne freedman is live with the story. wayne? >> four armed robberies in a week in petaluma? that this is where people go to get away from crime. they don't want anything to do with it. >> reporter: in petaluma at gas stations and convenience store in this city staff and customers are now a little on edge when anyone they don't know walks in. >> unfortunately seems to be a sign of the times, i think. >> four times in a week, a masked man walked into a business, said he had a gun, and made demands. >> he walks in and says i have a gun, give me your money. >> first, a quick stop on east washington boulevard. then, a valero gas station, then a lucky store, demanding not cash but drugs. the latest at a 7-11 on petaluma boulevard south at 1:29 this morning. police say it is significant, thus far he has yet to show the weapon. >> there is more state prison time that comes behind that. significantly than if he simply says he has one. police say they're looking for what p appears to be a white male, and clearly a master of disguise, concern is with success, he and a possible partner

here is wayne freedman. >> reporter: it is the solution that has lead to an image problem. >> now weorry that our intentions have been misunderstood and recognize that the method was ill conceived. >> the bishop did thought order for these sprinklers to be installed in alcoves outside, but he answered questions that for two years the church has used them to douse any homeless person who sleeps beneath. today the arch archdiocese heard from the homeless themselves. >> that's bad that's real bad. >> and even the mayor. >> the individual actions of this it makes your head spin a bit as to why this would be done. >> the church's unintended message as contradictory as the study and contrast outside every morning. statues send messages of welcome and charity while the homeless reflect despair and december spir ration. >> the purpose was to make the cathedral grounds and the homeless people who happen to be on the grounds safer. >> but clearly it failed. >> the homeless adapted and left behind filth. there is drug paraphernalia and if you open this door, a broken crack pipe. the church anno

wayne freedman is live with the story. wayne? >> four armed robberies in a week in petaluma? that this is where people go to get away from crime. they don't want anything to do with it. >> reporter: in petaluma at gas stations and convenience store in this city staff and customers are now a little on edge when anyone they don't know walks in. >> unfortunately seems to be a sign of the times, i think. >> four times in a week, a masked man walked into a business, said he had a gun, and made demands. >> he walks in and says i have a gun, give me your money. >> first, a quick stop on east washington boulevard. then, a valero gas station, then a lucky store, demanding not cash but drugs. the latest at a 7-11 on petaluma boulevard south at 1:29 this morning. police say it is significant, thus far he has yet to show the weapon. >> there is more state prison time that comes behind that. significantly than if he simply says he has one. police say they're looking for what p appears to be a white male, and clearly a master of disguise, concern is with success, he and a possible partner

here is wayne freedman. >> reporter: it is the solution that has lead to an image problem. >> now we sorry that our intentions have been misunderstood and recognize that the method was ill conceived. >> the bishop did thought order for these sprinklers to be installed in alcoves outside, but he answered questions that for two years the church has used them to douse any homeless person who sleeps beneath. today the arch archdiocese heard from the homeless themselves. >> that's bad that's real bad. >> and even the mayor. >> the individual actions of this it makes your head spin a bit as to why this would be done. >> the church's unintended message as contradictory as the study and contrast outside every morning. statues send messages of welcome and charity while the homeless reflect despair and december spir ration. >> the purpose was to make the cathedral grounds and the homeless people who happen to be on the grounds safer. >> but clearly it failed. >> the homeless adapted and left behind filth. there is drug paraphernalia and if you open this door, a broken crack pipe. the church an

here is wayne freedman. >> reporter: it is the solution that has lead to an image problem. >> now we are sorry that our intentions have been misunderstood and recognize that the method was ill conceived. >> the bishop did thought order for these sprinklers to be installed in alcoves outside, but he answered questions that for two years the church has used them to douse any homeless person who sleeps beneath. today the arch archdiocese heard from the homeless themselves. >> that's bad that's real bad. >> and even the mayor. >> the individual actions of this it makes your head spin a bit as to why this would be done. >> the church's unintended message as contradictory as the study and contrast outside every morning. statues send messages of welcome and charity while the homeless reflect despair and december spir ration. >> the purpose was to make the cathedral grounds and the homeless people who happen to be on the grounds safer. >> but clearly it failed. >> the homeless adapted and left behind filth. there is drug paraphernalia and if you open this door, a broken crack pipe. the churc

wayne freedman joins us with the latest. >> reporter: this was going on all day. first they were trying to get the body of the truck driver out that happened and now trying to get the truck out. this is what remains of the mexican restaurant and in there, inside is what remains of the cab of that truck as it barrelled in and barrelled through. this is the aftermath and impact from the fire this morning. let's go to the video. the accident happened at 8:15. it did kill the driver. it would have been much worse if that restaurant was filled with customers. the truck lost the brakes up the road and that it kept gaining speed and ran red lights. the driver had no choice. one of the people he passed was marvin thompkins dote. >> you could hear that he was trying to apply on the brakes stepping on the brake and then you could smell the clutch. >> mr. dode shot video of the time after the impact as he came down the hill seconds afterward as you see the smoke and flames rising from that mexican restaurant. the driver may have very well been an unlucky hero. the flames wou

from vallejo wayne freedman abc 7 news. >>> napa police want to find out more about the death of a man found inside a freezer in his home this afternoon. officers discovered the man after his brother-in-law called them asking them to check on him around 12:30 this afternoon. the man who called police said he had not heard from his relatives since the end of last month. he was getting worried. police found no signs that anyone broke into the home. they're working with the coroner to determine if someone killed the man or perhaps he committed suicide. >>> today we're learning more about an apparent murder-suicide involving an investor and a winery owner. hearing more from the sheriff's office dispatchers. yesterday in napa robert dal met with someone to discuss a business agreement. their attorneys were on the phone. the two decided to talk privately without attorneys. several minutes later, there was a frantic 911 call saying he was being chased through grapevines and shots were being fired at him from an suv. >> we have a male saying help me, help me. he was shot. [ inaudible ] coming

in san francisco, wayne freedman, abc 7 news. >>> tonight the medical examiner has identified the woman shot and killed by san francisco police after she was driving recklessly on a busy street. two plain clothes officers were investigating reports of a stolen jet that at the the chevron station at van ness and pine street. they found the car identified themselves to the driver, 24-year-old alice brown. brown drove straight toward them. when she tried to get away, she hit a building went the wrong way down pine street. drove on a sidewalk, hit another building and several cars. one motorcycle officer dumped his bicycle to avoid being hit. police say they shot brown because she was endangering officers and pedestrians last night on the street. >>> a 45-year-old woman and her 5-year-old daughter are in the hospital after an elderly driver hit them in a crosswalk. that was just afternoon when it happened. the 86-year-old woman was driving the white suv you see there. he has life threatening injuries. the elderly driver went to the hospital with unknown injuries. officers say at this point

from the dpg bridge wayne freedman abc7 news. >>> pockets of rain hit throughout the bay area today. check out this surprisingly heavy downpour outside san jose's city hall. very few people had umbrellas when the rain fell around lunch time. abc7 news reporter david louie was one of those stuck in the down pour. he tweeted this video. and check out the gray skies in hayward as rain started to fall late today. sky 7 hd shows the wet roads around 3:30 this afternoon. >>> check out a wet commute on the san mateo bridge, the rain covering up the lens on our bridge camera. abc7 news meteorologist is here now with live doppler 7 hd. hi, drew. >> hi, al match showers popped up across the region today came down in buckets, not everyone is seeing the rain at this hour. live doppler 7 hd show you the activity is diminishing in and staying in the east bay 680 danville livermore, north of fremont. light showers at this hour. plan your evening the next couple of hours those showers are going to exit around 7:00. we are in store for a cool evening and mainly clear skies will prevail nearing the mi

wayne freedman abc7 news. >> well if you have questions about your taxes tonight, really it's your night. >> michael finney is standing by with our tax experts. you're doing brisk business out there. >> you can call right now. they'll answer your questions. we're taking your questions up until 8:00 today. and we're taking them in three languages, spanish english, and chinese. if you have a relative that speaks a different language, we'll figure it out. joining me is norman golden. and you want to talk about what? >> about people calling in asking about filing returns they haven't filed for a number of years how to file to get refunds. and what i want to tell them is that if they waited too long they may in the be able to get their money back. >> so they overpaid they just don't file paper work? >> yes they said i knew i was going to get money back so i haven't filed yet i told them they're only entitled if they file no later than three years from the due date of the return or two years after paying the tax. so one person hasn't filed 2010 return. it's too late. >> 2010 return should have

wayne freedman abc7 news. >> well if you have questions about your taxes tonight, really it's your nightichael finney is standing by with our tax experts. you're doing brisk business out there. >> you can call right now. they'll answer your questions. we're taking your questions up until 8:00 today. and we're taking them in three languages, spanish english, and chinese. if you have a relative that speaks a different language, we'll figure it out. joining me is norman golden. and you want to talk about what? >> about people calling in asking about filing returns they haven't filed for a number of years how to file to get refunds. and what i want to tell them is that if they waited too long they may in the be able to get their money back. >> so they overpaid they just don't file paper work? >> yes they said i knew i was going to get money back so i haven't filed yet i told them they're only entitled if they file no later than three years from the due date of the return or two years after paying the tax. so one person hasn't filed 2010 return. it's too late. >> 2010 return should have been

wayne freedman joins us live now, wayne? >> reporter: good afternoon, cheryl. this is an on going all-day event. you can see that going on over my shoulder. this is the big rig that crashed in here this morning that was carrying two trailers filled with gravel. it came barrelling down the road. according to an eyewitness, the driver had problems with the brakes. he had video, in fact after that driver passed him, which is shot by marvin thompkins dodd. he says he could hear the truck driver stepping on the brake. he says he could smell the clutch. he said there was no stochpping this 18 wheeler. he said no brakes no control, no honking, no nothing. this truck did clip a couple cars on the way in. those people were lucky to walk away. one of the men involved in one of those trucks said i'm a fortunate man he said, this is my birthday, march 16th is my new birthday. he figures the difference for life and death for him was roughly four feet. as we come back live again now. this is going to take awhile. it took them until well past noon to get the body of the drive

wayne freedman is live in walnut creek now with what he saw. wayne? >> we have a name for that driver who was killed his name is 52-year-old yule levi, he lived in richmond. he was the driver in the truck. the highway patrol is looking into the company that owned that truck. ruby trucking. there were a number of violations cited against that company. many of them gathered here along highways during random inspections of semitrucks. >> can you pop your hood for me? >> for a commercial trucker, this can happen any time any does where on bay area highways. >> we can't get them all. >> we found paul and this crew doing what they do every day. performing ran gom inspections of commercial trucks. >> all to prevent crashes like this one last monday in pittsburgh. the driver of a sell mi carrying two loads of gravel lost control and died after slamming into other cars and then a restaurant at highway speeds if not faster. >> he was in trouble. i already know it, i heard it from the sound. >> later a driver and former employee of roby trucking called abc 7 wit

. >>> wayne freedman is on the story of a woman weeks away from adopting a child.ave that story tonight at 5:00. >>> and new information on the pilot who investigators say intentionally flew a plane full of passengers into the french alps. we now know that pilot had a secret medical condition. >> that's right. investigators say there was not a suicide note but they have found indicators that he may have been been keeping a secret. in his homes in germany, investigators uncovers evidence they say could help explain why co-pilot andreas lubitz intentionally crashed the flight 9525. among the clues, a doctor's note excusing the 27-year-old from work the day of the crash. his company never received it. prosecutors explaining other documents and prescriptions indicate some kind of ongoing illness and treatment, something they say he hid from his employer. >> translator: without any restrictions. >> investigators are still piecing together what happened in the flight's final ten minutes when they say he locked the captain out of the cockpit and sent the plane dropping mo

abc 7's wayne freedman joins us live in the area with the story. wayne? >> reporter: good afternoon. it is the 18th homicide in oakland this year. 18 homicides now. we're only into the month of march. every homicide is surprising. every homicide is a disappointment and a tragedy to a family. but in this neighborhood it is also a major surprise. in a neighborhood of nice homes and pride of ownership, the police tape the evidence markers, the grieving family hardly seem to fit. in oakland's grass valley they own this too now, and the grandmother of 21-year-old marcus west jr. weeps. >> one and that's it. my daughter says it was four gunshots, but the policeman said it was many more. >> sounded like little pop, pop, pop, pop, pop shots about seven of them. then the young man of laying in the street. he bled out on the street. he was shot in the head just bled out. >> reporter: marcus west jr. had a 2-month-old son and plans to work in construction. he died outside the house he grew up in, the victim of what neighbors describe as a drive-by shooting around 7:

abc 7 news reporter wayne freedman is on the story of a catholic church in san francisco that is accusednkler system to keep the homeless away. now they're stuck between providing shelter and keeping the grounds safe for nearby school kids. you can catch the report coming up at abc 7 news at 5:00. >>> public opposition is forcing the martinez city council to a recent plan to turn a golf course into a housing development. >> this meeting coming up at 7:00 tonight. the owner says this is no game to her. it's about her family's livelihood. and private property rights are hijacked by others. >> i'm in complete limbo. i really cant do anything. >> christine is the owner of the pine meadow golf course. she says a misleading drive is pushing her family towards financial ruins. >> the petitioners would constantly say they were friends. nothing about this peation saves pine meadow. >> in january the martinez city council approved a plan to build 99 new homes on the 27 acres own ud by dean. it was a culmination of six years of planning and public meetings. and part of the final process, the the co