LA Weekly Metrolink Article

I wrote a small first person piece for this week's LA Weekly on the Metrolink train wreck. Click here for the article.

Photo by Ted Soqui c 2008

Metrolink Train Wreck

A Metrolink train crashed into a freight train that occupied the same tracks killing 25 passengers and injuring over 135 train passengers in Chatsworth, CA. The Metrolink's locomotive sliced into one of its double decked passenger cars where all of the fatalities occurred.  The horrific crash scene had over 700 fire, police, and rescue personnel busily working late into the evening rescuing and recovering train passengers. 10 helicopters waited to transport passengers to local area hospitals along with many ambulances. One LAPD officer who was a passenger on the train was killed. 

Photos by Ted Soqui

Olympic Champion Michael Phelps Visits Boys And Girls Club

Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps visited the Boys and Girls Club of Burbank today. He spoke to a group of children about his Olympic experiences and answered several of their questions. He told the kids that he had mostly rap on his iPod with "Young Jeezy" being one of his favorites. He also told them that he missed his dog which is back home in Baltimore. The entertainment media covered Michaels's visit en force. They queried Michael about his "celebrity crush" on "Lindsay Lohan." Word is that he is over that crush, and has moved on to a new crush with "Carrie Underwood." Michael rushed off for a taping at the NBC studios for the "Tonight Show With Jay Leno", and will host next week's "Saturday Night Live." He was also a presenter at the MTV Video Awards Show and shared a limo with music star "Kid Rock."

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2008

Walter Reed Featured At RNC During McCain Speech

Walter Reed Junior (Middle) High School located in North Hollywood, CA was featured as a backdrop for the first five minutes of John McCain's acceptance speech last night at the RNC. Most TV viewers just saw a glimpse of the wide shot that featured Walter Reed Junior High. The camera angle was mostly a tight shot for the first few minutes of the speech, which had an unusual green background that was a detail of Walter Reed JHS's lovely lawn. John Heaner, a Walter Reed Middle School PTA member and Region 13 Director of the Democratic Party, held a press conference outside of the school to claim John McCain and his campaign is out of touch because of the featured photo which was supposed to be the Walter Reed Army Medical Center located in Washington, DC. The shot was quickly changed to a lone US flag waiving on a angled pole for the rest of the speech.

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2008

LA City Council OK's $500k Reward To Capture The "Grim Sleeper"

The LA City Council approved a reward up to $500,000 for information that would lead to the capture and conviction of the "Grim Sleeper" serial murderer. The motion was brought forth by Councilperson Bernard Parks, the former LAPD Chief. Parks was joined by Mary and Porter Alexander, their daughter Monique Alicia Alexander was murdered by the "Grim Sleeper", at a LA City Hall press conference. The serial killer, dubbed the "Grim Sleeper" by the LA Weekly, has taken a 13 year hiatus before resuming his killing spree and was linked to the 11 murders by DNA. Most of the "Grim Sleepers" victims were dumped in alley ways along Western Avenue in South Central LA. Anyone with information regarding the "Grim Sleeper" should contact the LAPD at 1-877-LAWFUL

Photo by Ted Soqui c 2008