Both the Seahawks and Patriots have won Super Bowls before. So who will win Super Bowl XLIX Sunday in Glendale, Arizona? A case can be made for both:

Why the Patriots could win

It’s a dynasty. New England has won three Super Bowls in the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady era, which qualifies for as much of a dynasty as the NFL has right now. The coach and QB have come up big when it counts before, so they’ll find a way to win a fourth.

The “evil genius” factor. Belichick may not be well-liked these days (or maybe ever), but he’s found a way to reach five of these championship games and win three. The personnel has turned over and the staff has changed, but Belichick knows his Xs and Os and is known for figuring out ways to limit the effectiveness of his opponents’ best players. Certainly he’ll come up with something special to stop Marshawn Lynch and limit Russell Wilson’s impact as a runner.

LeGarrette Blount. Since the running back joined New England after his release by the Steelers in November, the Pats’ running game has had an explosive, workhorse ballcarrier to keep defenses honest. If the Seahawks defense spreads out and focuses its efforts on stopping tight end Rob Gronkowski or wideout Julian Edelman, Blount should be able to gash them with power runs.

Special teams superiority. Both teams are solid in all areas, but New England’s punt-return, kick coverage and field-goal blocking abilities are a tick better. One big play could be the difference.

Brady-to-Gronkowski. The passing combination may be the hardest to stop in the NFL when Gronk is healthy, and he’s been healthy and very productive.

Why the Seahawks could win 

Karma. The flip side to the “evil genius” factor. The Patriots have been caught bending the rules before, so the whole “Deflategate” scandal from the AFC Championship Game is just the latest chapter. Remember, the Patriots went into Super Bowl XLII in February 2008, trying to complete an undefeated season, when they were upset by the Giants -- after the whole “Spygate” controversy first surfaced. That was Karma I. This could be Karma II.

Pete Carroll. The Seattle head coach has managed to get his team to peak at the right time for two seasons now. The Seahawks play hard for him, and Carroll’s defense was No. 1 overall and No. 1 vs. the pass this season. After surviving a scare against Green Bay in the NFC Championship Game, all the mojo is on the side of Seattle's upbeat coach.

Kam Chancellor. The Seahawks’ All-Pro safety will be the man tasked with containing Gronkowski, and he seems ideally suited for the job. He’s big, strong and athletic and should be up to the task. If Seattle can take away Brady’s No. 1 target, the Pats will be playing with one hand tied behind their back.

Russell Wilson. The Seahawks’ young quarterback just wins. He’s not the best passer in the league -- until crunch time. Then he simply finds a way to make plays with his arm and his feet. He has a 6-1 playoff record, including five straight wins. In a meeting of the teams in 2012, Wilson led two late touchdown drives as the Seahawks pulled out a comeback victory.

Marshawn Lynch. If the Seahawks can get “Beast Mode” in gear early, they can control the game’s tempo. And it will help open up other avenues for the Seattle offense. Plus, after a week of Lynch vs. media shenanigans leading up to the game, wouldn’t it be perfect for Lynch to win the MVP award and get yet another chance to be interviewed on national TV? “I’m just here so I won't get fined… and to get my trophy.”

A Super Bowl commercial airing on Sunday will feature some familiar faces for Arcadia High School students.

The school's marching band was selected to appear in a commercial for the NFL after a search for marching bands was conducted by NFL producers, said Ryan Foran, the public information officer at Arcadia Unified School District. During the school shoot, the approximately 300 band students wore their uniforms and displayed signs.

"That was pretty cool," Foran said.

Chris Zaki, a snare drummer for the band, said the producers wanted him, "to scream and move your head and just play. Play loud."

The shoot about two weeks ago at the high school also included some of the band members' parents. Details regarding the ad were not available.

An estimated 186 millions viewers will see the ad during the game.

"They take instruction well. They work really hard and they're good kids," said Kevin Sherrill, co-director of the marching band.

It's not the first time the band has been in the Super Bowl spotlight. In 1967, the marching band performed at half time in the first Super Bowl in Los Angeles, Foran said.

The band also appeared at the 2005 inauguration event for President George W. Bush. Members have marched in several Rose Parades and performed at college bowl games.

Adults will become children again Friday night at the opening of Pasadena's Neon Retro Arcade.

Visitors will take a "journey to the 80s and 90s," while playing over 40 classic arcade games and pinball machines, according to the Neon Retro Arcade website.

"Playing (arcade games) by yourself is one thing, but having, playing in a social environment like this is totally a different experience," said Mark Guenther, owner of the arcade in Old Town Pasadena.

The couple-owned business, which grew from a collection of old arcade games and arcade-themed parties, will charge a $10 dollar fee per hour that will allow visitors to play unlimited games.

Mia Mazadiego, Guenther's wife, said people wanted to experience the feeling they had when they were younger and growing up with the games.

"I think there's a lot of great memories of the past, it's really nice to relive them," Mazadiego said.

It's also nice for the parents and grandparents to take their children and grandchildren to show them how it was "back in the day," she said.

The arcade will be open during the week from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m., and from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

San Francisco police early Saturday arrested a man on suspicion of murder in the grisly case of a dismembered body found in a suitcase in a downtown street earlier this week.

Mark Andrus, 59, was booked at the San Francisco County Jail. SFPD had initially reported his age as 60.

Police are not releasing a booking photo at this time.

Officers on Friday night detained Andrus at the Sala Burton Manor apartment building, located at 430 Turk Street, less than a mile from where the suitcase with a headless human torso was found. Police confirmed Andrus is the person of interest they have been looking for.

Police said  they received a tip from an anonymous caller at 7:26 p.m. reporting that the person of interest in a photo SFPD released Friday was staying at the apartment building.

Officers quickly responded to the area and detained two men from the apartment, and took them to the Hall of Justice for questioning. The first had a sheet covering his head as he was escorted inside a police car by officers. Then about ten minutes later, officers walked another man out of the building and he willingly got into a police car.

Officials did not say why police detained the second person, who was later released.

The San Francisco Chief Medical Examiner's office confirmed Friday the human body parts found in the suitcase in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood are those of an unidentified light-skinned male.

The suitcase was found on 11th Street near Market, just one block from Twitter's headquarters, on Wednesday afternoon. Police then made another gruesome discovery shortly after when they uncovered more body parts within a three-block radius.

The San Francisco Chief Medical Examiner's office confirmed Friday the human body parts are those of an unidentified light-skinned male.

The Medical Examiner's office said that the California Department of Justice Bureau's DNA Laboratory will be assessing in the identification process of the body parts.

The case is currently under investigation with the cause and manner of death pending.

"We are trying to determine what happened and was this body dumped. Did it happen nearby? Did it happen in San Francisco?" SFPD spokesperson Off. Albie Esparza said.

The surveillance photos released by SFPD don't show the suitcase. SFPD spokesperson Off. Albie Esparza said police will not be releasing pictures of the suitcase, but did not offer an explanation why.

SFPD spent Friday combing the neighborhood for more surveillance video and other evidence, Esparza said. "We want to make sure we thoroughly scour the area to make sure there's no other parts we may have missed," he said.

NBC4 Southern California celebrates Black History Month throughout February with on-air programming, community events and philanthropic contributions throughout the Southland.

Beverly White, NBC4 reporter for more than 25 years, was selected by the City of Pasadena and the Jackie Robinson Community Center to serve as the 2015 Black History Month Parade Grand Marshal on February 21. She will also be honored at the city’s Black History Month dinner in advance of the parade and festival.

Be sure to tune in to NBC4 on Sunday, February 15 at 4:30pm for “Black History Month: Life Connected Special” featuring stories about African Americans living in Southern California.  Also look for a series of public service announcements airing all month celebrating Black History Month with NBC4 anchors and reporters.

The station is proud of its longstanding commitment to charities all year long, including causes that enrich the lives of African American families, seniors and veterans. Nonprofit organizations NBC4 supports include Brotherhood Crusade, Forgiving for Living, SRO Housing, Taste of Soul, United Negro College Fund, Young Visionaries Youth Leadership, and others.

Check the NBC4 Community Photo Gallery frequently for photos of the many places and events we support, including the station’s recent participation in the MLK Kingdom Day Parade.

Stay connected with us by tuning in to NBC4, at NBCLA.com or through the NBCLA mobile app for all breaking news and information.
 

After two weeks with no arrests, the Ventura community is rallying for a homeless man who was doused in lighter fluid and set on fire on the beach of a quiet seaside town.

John Frazier has been recovering from his burn injuries after what some described as an unthinkable nightmare. Residents are still reeling from the news of that he was attacked while sleeping near the San Buenaventura State Beach just before 11 p.m. on Jan. 17.

"I can't imagine a human being setting another human being on fire, at all," Ventura resident Jim Shook said. "It's just incomprehensible."

A passerby and rescuer described flames as high as 5 to 6 feet to police, and helped put out the fire by throwing sand on him before calling 911, Ventura Police Department Sgt. Kenny Welch said last week.

Two weeks after the attack, those responsible are still at large. But a group of good Samaritans have come together to help the homeless man at a time when he needs it most.

"I cannot imagine, after everything he's been through, to go back to the streets," said Dawn Alexander, who started an online fundraiser for Frazier.

Although now living in Michigan, Alexander is a Ventura native who, once she heard about Frazier's ordeal, decided to do something and help the ailing man.

"It's not fair, he didn't deserve that, no one deserves that," Alexander said. "Even though I'm in Michigan, if something is laying on your heart to do something, you should go for it, it doesn't matter where you're at."

So far, the online fundraiser she created has received over $3,700 dollars in donations.

The goal is to provide Frazier with a safe environment once he's out of the hospital where he can continue to heal his wounds, not only physically, but also emotionally and spiritually.

"It really hurts my heart," resident Harriet Shook said. "It's a horrible, heinous crime and it deeply saddens me."

Ventura police are looking at forensic evidence in the case, while still searching for the three people seen in these surveillance photos who they say may have information that can help authorities.

"We're asking for those people in those photographs, or anyone else that may have seen anything in the area at the time to please contact us," Ventura Police Cmdr. Tom Higgins said.

"You would think that somebody would have come forward and that somebody would have seen it, especially in two weeks," Shook said.

Anyone who wishes to donate can visit the YouCaring fundraiser page.

The businessman who was struck and killed allegedly by a rap mogul's vehicle is remembered as a successful entrepreneur and family man, who gave back to his community as a mentor and a foster parent.

Throughout the day Friday, a stream of extended family members and friends of Terry Carter,  many with tears, came to the his home in the Park Ladera neighborhood north of Inglewood.

"He was a great, caring, loyal, loving man," said daughter Crystal Carter, 28.

Added Avis Ridley-Thomas, a cousin and the wife of Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas: "I can't even count the number of  people — of the number of children — he fostered and helped go to college."

At one point in the afternoon, a dozen came outside to speak of their loss.

Terry Carter was described as a "serial entrepreneur" whose business interests ranged from real estate to automobiles to music, including Heavyweight Records for which he partnered with rapper and businessman Ice Cube.

The alleged driver of the pickup that struck Carter is someone he knew: Death Row Records founder Marion "Suge" Knight, who left the scene, but later surrendered to authorities.

Knight was booked into jail on suspicion of murder.

Skipp Townsend, an activist, was in disbelief.

"They were close friends," he said. "I don't believe in my heart that Suge Knight would have ever wanted to hurt Terry Carter. I can't say that it's not true, but I say in my heart that I believe they were good friends."

Carter was in Compton Thursday in connection with filming for "Straight Outta Compton," a biopic based on the rap crew NWA that went shock waves when it burst onto the scene in the late 1980s.

According to family, Carter had been instrumental in arranging for production in Compton, where he grew up.

Knight was also in Compton, at the location where promotional filming was taking place, but asked to leave after becoming involved in an argument with actor Cle Shaheed "Bone" Sloan, according to Los Angeles Sheriff's Homicide Lt. John Corina.

Later, after filming wrapped, Knight drove into the parking lot of a nearby hamburger restaurant, where a second altercation occurred with Sloan and others, punches being thrown through the open driver's side window of Knight's pickup truck as he remained behind the wheel, Corina said.

As it now appears to investigators, according to Corina, during the next few chaotic moments, Knight backed up his truck, striking and injuring Sloan.  When Knight then drove forward, the truck struck and killed Carter.

Knight's attorney James Blatt said these were accidents as Knight tried to escape an "attack."

Corina said there is evidence Knight deliberately ran into the individuals.

With investigation still underway, sheriff's officials have not yet gone to the Los Angeles District Attorney to seek the filing of any charges.

Carter had invited Knight to return to the Tam's Burgers, according to Blatt.

Members of Carter's family were reluctant to discuss Knight, 49, his previous dealings with Terry Carter, or what may have led to the encounter.  They pointedly did not refer to him as a friend.

"We don't have any comments about Suge Knight," said one woman who was identified simply as among those Carter and wife Lillian had raised in their home. "It's  about our family and what we're going through at this time."

Sloan is not yet prepared to comment publicly on what happened, said his representative, Jermaine Shelton.

"He’s fine, recovering. We are glad he is doing better," Shelton said.

Sloan's film credits include 2001's "Training Day" with Denzel Washington, and the 2008 film, "Street Kings."

Sloan, 51,  founded a nonprofit organization, Aktive, to work to reduce gang violence.

Carter was also lauded for his work in gang intervention. Avis Ridley Thomas said they had worked together.

She rejected any suggestion of Carter being involved in an attack on Knight.

"There's no reason to believe Terry would be involved in any violence at all," Ridley-Thomas said.

"I just want justice for my dad," said Crystal Carter.

UPDATE: In an earlier version of this story, Cle Sloan's representative Jermaine Shelton was attributed saying Sloan was out of the hospital. Shelton later contacted NBC4 to say that he was not quoted correctly and that Sloan remains in the hospital.

Beverly White contributed to this report.

A Whittier police officer suffered minor injuries when he was hit by a car while he was investigating a fatal crash, officials said.

The officer suffered minor injuries. Details were developing.

Grief stricken classmates of siblings killed in a high-speed crash blocks away from school returned to classes on Friday, stunned and saddened by the tragedy.

Friends of 18-year-old Lexi Garcia and her 16-year-brother Eli, both students at Banning High School in Wilmington, hugged and consoled each other as they tried to come to grips with the tragedy.

"To know that just two people like randomly you see every day at school, just one day die in a car accident, is just too much to take in," said Henry Chavez, a student.

Inside the school, students scrawled personal messages and said goodbye to the victims on a message board. Others grieved at a makeshift memorial at the spot on Pacific Coast Highway where the Garcias where killed.

Alicia Escobedo, a friend, was too overcome with grief to talk. She said she was overwhelmed after she heard the news and called her mother to have her pick her up from school and take her home.

The siblings were in a red Honda on Thursday when it crashed. Surveillance video showed their car speeding next to a pickup truck shortly before the crash.

The Honda somehow wound up on the wrong side of the road and crashed into a van, police said.

Two passengers in the car were injured, including the sister of Monique Mares, who says her sister will be OK, but can't believe two of her friends are gone.

"I thank God that nothing really bad happened to her but my other two..." she said trailing off.

Police questioned one of the survivors of the crash at a hospital to try to determine if racing was a factor.

Friday night was supposed to be a special night for the siblings. The school was having its Winter Formal.

"We wanted to come here just to pay our respects before going to the party," said Paola Duarte, a friend.

The brother and sister were inseparable, friends said.

"They were good people," said Anthony Marin. "They shouldn't have been taken that early. They were two of the most outgoing students at Banning High School and they're going to be remembered for a while."

Family has set up a memorial fund for the Garcias here.

Hetty Chang contributed to this report.

New York state health officials say an upstate college student who took an Amtrak train out of Penn Station earlier this week has been diagnosed with the highly contagious measles.

The student was diagnosed at Bard College in Dutchess County, officials said, but had traveled out of New York City on Sunday, potentially exposing people beyond the campus. 

Anyone who traveled on Amtrak train no. 283 departing Penn Station at 1:20 p.m. on Jan. 25 is urged to contact their doctor if they're not immune to measles and they develop a fever. The train was headed to Albany and Niagara. 

People who may have been exposed and have symptoms consistent with measles should call their doctor or local emergency room before going for care so that others at the facilities aren't exposed. 

New York state has had three cases of measles this year, one in Dutchess County and two in New York City. 

A measles outbreak in New York City in early 2014 affected dozens of residents, initially in upper Manhattan and the Bronx, and then in Brooklyn and the Lower East Side. Officials had been looking at whether that outbreak may have spread because workers in medical facilities didn't recognize the symptoms quickly enough to isolate patients and prevent them from spreading it to others. 

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus and is spread by contact with nasal or throat secretions of infected people. Measles can lead to serious side effects and, in rare cases, death. Measles symptoms usually appear in 10 to 12 days, but can occur as late as 18 days after exposure. Symptoms generally appear in two stages.

Learn more about measles at health.ny.gov.

Three social studies teachers at a D.C. public charter school were fired for teaching black history lessons beyond what’s in the curriculum, students’ parents told News4.

"It's about the history of who we are and where we came from,” said Michelle Payne, whose son is in the eighth grade at Howard University Middle School of Math and Science.

Parents say it is unacceptable for a school located on the campus of a historically black university to stifle African-American history lessons.

"If you know your culture, if you know from whence you came, it tends to build your self-esteem," said Lateefah Bilal, a grandmother who heads Parents in Action, Howard Middle’s parent group.

D.C. Council Education Committee member Anita Bonds and Council member Brianne Nadeau are looking into the claims that the three teachers were fired for teaching too much black history.

Bonds' spokesman said the charter school board chairman declined to answer her questions Friday.

News4 reached out to school administrators and the D.C. Public Charter School Board several times this week. They promised to release a statement.

Parents said they are also upset because the teachers were fired and escorted out of the building in front of the kids.

A baby abducted by her father in a violent Los Angeles confrontation was located unharmed in Bakersfield Saturday morning, authorities said.

Deputies had sought the public's help on Friday to find a 28-year-old man who allegedly kidnapped his 3-month-old daughter.

The man, Ellsworth Jerome Young, is accused by the baby's mother of punching and repeatedly sexually assaulting her before taking the baby.

The incident was reported before noon Friday in the 800 block of East Palmdale Boulevard in Palmdale.

The suspect, punched his girlfriend, causing a black eye, authorities said. She ran into a check-cashing business to escape, leaving her 3-month-old in the car.

Young drove away with the child. He was arrested Saturday morning in Bakersfield at about 2:30 a.m.

The victim claimed the suspect had a black semi-auto pistol, and repeatedly forced her to commit sex acts as recently as Thursday, authorities said.

A five-hour standoff between a SWAT team and men believed to have violently robbed three men at a nearby Inland Empire medical marijuana dispensary ended in their arrests Saturday morning.

Two men and two boys were arrested after police used a claw device to rip open the facade of the Upland residence where the suspects where holed up.

Three were arrested in that house, while another suspect was found and taken into custody at a nearby apartment complex, Upland police said. The four susects allegedly had five handguns in their possesion.

Earlier, they police had said five hooded men took money and a car from the marijauna dispensary, but they later revised that number to four.

The suspects are believed to have shot one of three men they tied up at the dispensary, in the 700 block of North Mountain Avenue, at about 10 p.m. on Friday, about three miles from the apartment complex where the standoff took place.

The men were able to break free from zip ties and spoke to police.

A SWAT team arrived at the house, in the 1400 block of Randy Street, at about 4:40 a.m. as police evacuated residents of nearby residences. The long standoff ended at around 11 a.m.

Diego Sanchez, 19, of Upland, and Christopher Baca, 30, of Covina, were arrested along with two boys who haven't been named, police said. It wasn't clear what their relationship was.

Police responded to Cal Med Express, located at 759 North Mountain Avenue, in Upland, just after 11 p.m. for a robbery call, Lt. Alan Ansara said. They found the the three victims who had been tied up by the robbers, Ansara said.

The three men were leaving the medical marijuana dispensary at around 10 p.m. Friday, when they were approached by five male subjects wearing gloves and hoods over their faces, police said. The victims were forced back into the business and were immediately zip-tied.

One of the victims suffered a non-life threatening gun shot wound to his leg and was later transported to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Ansara said. Another victim was pistol whipped during the incident but did not need any medical treatment.

The three victims were robbed of their money and later the subjects took one of the victims' 2007 Dark grey Lexus IS 250, Ansara said. Police were also investigating to see if any products were taken from the dispensary.

The shop was not zoned to sell medical marijuana, police said.

NBC4 editor Oleevia Woo contributed to this report.

Dave George is promising free nonalcoholic drinks to designated drivers at his Breakaway Sports Lounge in Santa Ana on Super Bowl Sunday.

From the moment the coin is tossed until the clock runs out, you can have your choice of anything to drink at this bar — Coke, Sprite, Pepsi, ice tea.

George's bar is so sincere, its bartenders are giving away drinks for free.

"New Year's Eve everyone is celebrating, " he said. "Super Bowl, there's a winner and loser. You never know what you'll get. It's an open bag."

The bar is taking a sober approach to an event traditionally celebrated with friends and, in many cases, alcohol.

Every year, police try to stem the tide of DUIs by blitzing streets with extra patrols.

In Orange County this year, police are also sending a message — "Fans don't let fans drive drunk. Designate a driver on Super Bowl Sunday."

There is also a statewide push to ensure designated drivers are treated as VIPs. An app created by the California Office of Traffic Safety shows where all the freebies are located.

Kathryn Hamel, a Fullerton Police Department spokeswoman, said that at least 30 percent of collisions in the city are caused by impairment.

So Fullerton police will be out in force, working a saturation patrol downtown on Sunday.

Nationwide, officials say one person dies in a drunken driving crash every 52 minutes. More than half occur on weekends.

Some restaurants plan to ignore the Seahawks and Patriots.

But the game will be on at The Patio, where proprietors are prepping for a busy afternoon.

"We anticipate we'll be busier," said bartender Genevieve Sandoval. "Just pray for the best."

Police said the ultimate gridiron match up brings a different atmosphere to bars.

Isaac Arreola, of Anaheim, agrees.

"People get all riled up for this sport," he said. "It's something that really intensifies the situation."

Added Romeo Singh, of Orange: "When you get around friends, I feel like people drink, but I don't really approve of drinking and driving. I think that's bad."

Police in Huntington Beach issued their warning with a video. It shows an alleged drunken driver cruising the entire length of the pier this week.

He was arrested after he made a U-turn and headed back toward Pacific Coast Highway.

Huntington Beach police say the outcome of the game could play into bar fights so they'll be on patrol in cars and horseback downtown.

Firefighters found a woman's dead body at a two-story apartment building that was on fire in Northwest Los Angeles Saturday morning, officials said.

The woman was stabbed multiple times, according to Los Angeles Police Department detective Robert Bub. He said investigators suspect the fire was set to cover up the killing.

Police were searching for the woman's boyfriend, Bub said.

The Van Nuys fire, in the 14000 block of Saticoy Street, was extinguished at about 5:20 a.m., another LAPD spokesman said. This article initially reported incorrectly the city in which the fire was located.

Arson investigators were waiting for a search warrant to look into the cause of the fire, police said.

A man and woman were heard arguing in the unit the night before, a neighbor told NBC4.

Refresh this page for updates on this developing story.

Residents of San Jose's Almaden Valley say they're under attack, with burglars targeting homes during the middle of the day.

In the last seven days, police say, 20 homes in the neighborhood have been hit. This comes weeks after neighbors hired a private security company to help improve safety.

Residents say the neighborhood used to be a place where people could leave the doors unlocked. Now, many are investing in alarms, dogs and private security.

Mary Ellen Distini says her neighborhood is at war with burglars. According to the San Jose Police Department, in the last 90 days, 176 burglaries have been reported in the Almaden Valley. Six homes were hit on Tuesday alone.

“The police are down on the men,” Distine said. “There isn’t enough to cover the area.”

The department has only two detectives investigating burglaries in San Jose, police said, compared to 18 back in 2008.

“We are not safe. We are not happy,” resident Tatiana Gorshkoe said. She said she is worried about her home and her well-being. “The kids come home after school during the daytime. That’s what’s really scary.”

Police said the thieves are generally breaking into empty homes, looking for jewelry and small electronics.

Investigators say they don’t have any leads and don’t know if the crimes are related. Their best advice: Lock your doors and invest in a security camera.

A dog is recovering after veterinarians removed a pair of women’s boots from his stomach.

The dog, a 4-year-old mixed breed named Vince, ate a pair of calf-high women’s Frye boots Friday afternoon, according to his owners, who live in Philadelphia.

Vince was taken to the Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center (VSEC) in Philadelphia where he underwent surgery Saturday afternoon.

“These X-rays are absolutely remarkable, especially given that you can see and count the number of eyelets on the boots,” said Dr. Laura Tseng, a board-certified specialist in critical care and emergency medicine with VSEC. “The sheer volume of what he ate is impressive and caused a very serious emergency situation.”

Doctors at VSEC said the volume of the leather material was so large that Vince’s stomach was unable to pass the material into his small intestines. The material was removed manually during his surgery.

“If your pet is experiencing vomiting, lethargy or a lack of appetite, these are all signs a foreign body may be present and they should see a veterinarian as soon as possible,” said Tseng.

Vince’s surgery was successful, according to a VSEC spokesman. He is expected to be released from the center Sunday.
 

If you live in Fontana and can't drive home after drinking too much on Super Bowl Sunday, you're in luck.

Tipsy residents will be provided with a free car tow and ride home from 4 p.m. through midnight, according to the Fontana Police Department.

Party hosts and bartenders can also request the service if their guests or customers have had too much to drink.

The free tow service is part of Project SOBER Tow, started by the Fontana Police Department and three local towing companies - Armada Towing, Hadley Tow and Pepe's Towing.

The purpose of SOBER Tow is to reduce the number of drunk drivers by offering a safe alternative for getting home, police said.

However, the program only serves residents who are going directly home, police said. No more than two occupants are allowed per vehicle.

The service can be requested at 909-350-7700.

Police on Saturday were investigating the discovery of a body inside an SUV parked at an Irwindale gas station.

The body was reported about 2:50 p.m. at an Arco gas station at Longden Avenue and Peck Road, Irwindale Police Department officials said. The woman was found slumped behind the wheel of the car, which was next to a gas pump.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Police did not release her name because her family had not been notified of her death.

Initial reports indicate that the body had been in the SUV for an extended period of time, fire officials said.

Police said it was unclear whether fould play was involved in her death.
 

A crowd of several hundred people in Boyle Heights that police originally thought were part of a rave turned out to be a photography group on a Saturday night photo walk.

Los Angeles police officers and an air unit responded to the crowd, reported to be about 300 people strong, a little after 7 p.m. in the area of Mission Road and Seventh Street.

A watch commander at the LAPD's Central Station originally said the throng was thought to have been part of some kind of rave in the area. The group was on a photo walk and had caused concern when some participants lit objects on fire so that they could take pictures of them.

No arrests were reported.