By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: Savaii Seau and his wife, Megan, on their wedding day, courtesy of the Seau family

Updated 8:30 with information on Seau's wife, Megan, the passenger in his vehicle.

February 2, 2022 (Lakeside) –  Savaii Seau, the brother of former Chargers' linebaker Junior Seau, has died of injuries sustained when the 2005 Audi A6 he was driving crossed the center line on Los Coches Road in Lakeside yesterday and struck a Helix Water District dump truck head on.

His wife, Megan, was a passenger in Seau's vehicle and remains hospitalized in stable condition, a family member told ECM.

By Miriam Raftery

January 28, 2022 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police today announced the arrest of Valerie Eliezer, 29,on multiple counts of arson and parole violations. She is accused of setting fire to several ATM machines at Bank of the West, located at 1234 East Main Street, on January 25.

El Cajon Fire and Police officers responded to reports of the fires, which caused extensive property damage to the unoccupied building, but no injuries. Images of the arsonist were caught on surveillance cameras at the bank and surrounding areas. 

East County News Service

January 27, 2022 (El Cajon) -- Queen Nation is the West Coast's longest-running authentic re-creation of a vintage Queen concert. The show consists of four musicians who all sing and perform in character and in period costumes while playing live note-for-note renditions of classic Queen songs. The group will perform this Saturday night at 8 p.m. at the Magnolia Theatre in El Cajon.

By Henri Migala

January 19, 2022 (El Cajon) -- Despite a statewide mask mandate that was declared on December 15 and extended until February 15, Mayor Bill Wells as well as Councilmembers Michelle Metschel and Phil Ortiz, did not wear their masks at the January 11, City Council meeting. Councilmember Steve Goble removed his mask when he made comments.

East County News Service

Photo by Henri Migala:  Homeless youths and community members gathered in El Cajon recently to call for help to aid young homeless people.

January 15, 2022 (San Diego) – On January 26 at 9 a.m., County Supervisors will hold a public hearing on a proposal to exempt county-owned, run or leased emergency shelters, transitional and supportive services form zoning ordinance provisions.

By Miriam Raftery

January 11, 2022 (El Cajon) – The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a preliminary report on the LearJet that crashed on December 27th into El Cajon’s Bostonia neighborhood, killing all four people aboard.

The report does not identify the cause of the crash, but does reveal that the plane struck powerlines before the crash in overcast, misty weather conditions. The report also indicates that the pilot had overflown the runway at Gillespie Field at a low altitude, was granted permission to land on a different runway, switched from automatic to visual controls and asked that the runway lights be turned up moments before the deadly crash.

Story and photos by Henri Migala

January 10, 2022 (El Cajon) -- It seems that everywhere you look in East County, there is another culinary delight to discover. If you favor the flavors of the Far East, you must visit Busy B Thai Café, 330 Magnolia Ave, in El Cajon.

I spent my childhood growing up in Bangkok, Thailand, when my family was stationed there in the ‘60s, so I have a long-standing appreciation for Thai food and culture.

Visiting Busy B Thai Café is like slipping into a small piece of Bangkok, right in the middle of El Cajon. This charming and cozy restaurant is decorated with images and artifacts reflecting both the rich culture and religion of Thailand.

Update January 11, 2021:  CHP indicates a Honda Civic crossed the double yellow lines, colliding with a Chrysler Pacific minivan.  A 74-year old San Diego woman, a passenger in the minivan, died at the scene.  The minivan’s driver, a 46-year old woman, suffered moderate injuries.  The Honda driver, a 30-year-old woman, suffered major injuries; she is suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol but has not yet been charged, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Update 4 p.m.  Dehesa Road will likely be obstructed for two hours, ECM has learned. 

By Miriam Raftery

January 9, 2021 (El Cajon) -- A head -on collision is blocking Dehesa Road in unincorporated El Cajon in both directions, about 500 feet west of Sloan Canyon Road. 

Two patients has been transported to Sharp Memorial hospital. 

Edwin Mathery, an eyewitness who lives nearby, told ECM that one of the vehicles is a white minivan.  

East County News Service

January 5, 2022 (El Cajon) – Robert Roger Marchand, 71, of El Cajon died at a local hospital of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident December 28 on Interstate 805.

Marchand was driving northbound on I-805 at Telegraph Canyon Road in Chula Vista around 7:02 p.m. when for unknown reasons, his vehicle veered onto the shoulder and down an embanking, landing on the roof.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Screenshot from video posted by 10 News, an ECM news partner

Update December 28, 2021: The FAA reports that four people were on board the plane.

December 27, 2021 (El Cajon) -- A Lear jet owned by Med Jet LLC, an air ambulance company, crashed at 7:15 p.m. tonight at Pepper Drive and North Mollison Avenue in the Bostonia area of El Cajon.  The pilot and any passengers aboard the 10-seat plane are presumed dead following multiple explosions.  There are no reports of fatalities on the ground, ECM news partner Times of San Diego reports.

The crash spewed fiery wreckage across the neighborhood, damaged a vehicle and knocked out power to around 2,500 customers of SDG&E, the utility website indicates. Power is expected to be restored by 6 a.m. tomorrow. Traffic signals are also out in the vicinity.

By Elijah McKee

December 21, 2021 (El Cajon) — The El Cajon City Council tackled several County-level issues at its recent meeting on December 14.  

First, City Manager Graham Mitchell spoke about a rare opportunity to temporarily over-staff the police department with 10 new officers drawn laterally from other nearby agencies, in an effort to save the city money over the next three years. 

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, as many as 160 San Diego police officers may be facing termination in light of the city’s vaccine mandate. Meanwhile, El Cajon does not currently have such a mandate.

By Elijah McKee

Photo, left: Rebecca Branstetter, East County Homeless Task Force, testifies to El Cajon City Council

December 18, 2021 (El Cajon) — The El Cajon City Council addressed several agenda items at its last meeting that had potential to either help or hurt those in the homeless community who rely on cars or RVs. 

According to the East County Homeless Task Force (ECHTF), the Cajon Valley Union and Grossmont Union High School Districts serve a known homeless population of over 550 families, at least 30 of which are unsheltered and sometimes living in vehicles. 

However, after lengthy discussion, the two pressing items — a Safe Parking Program proposal and a zoning code update on RVs — were pushed off to a future meeting so that City staff could look at them in greater detail. Many who spoke at the meeting hoped to see clear actionable steps and less policy mazes on these issues, but the City Council sought to strike a balance. 

By Miriam Raftery

December 16, 2021 (El Cajon) – Sheriff’s deputies deployed a spike strip on Interstate 8 East in El Cajon Tuesday night to help stop a suspected carjacker who forced an Amazon driver out of a delivery truck in Kearny Mesa. The driver drove a short distance on the shredded tires before he was surrounded by officers and arrested in the parking lot at Shadow Mountain Church on Greenfield Drive in El Cajon around10 p.m.

East County News Service

December 13, 2021 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police are investigating a suspicious death after Sharp Grossmont Hospital reported a 29-year-old man with a single gunshot wound admitted by family members last night around 8:15 p.m. The man died of his injury upon arrival at the hospital.  

“At this time, it is believed the incident originated on the 500 block of Jeffree Street in the City of El Cajon,” says Sergeant James Juns with El Cajon Police. 

Story and photos by Elijah McKee

December 8, 2021 (El Cajon) — “Our community is under threat again. This time, it's right here in the United States,” said Vince Kattoula, a Chaldean activist, at the Keep East County United rally and press conference on Tuesday.