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Some of today's top stories
Donald trump, the former president and presumptive 2024 gop nominee, was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a hush money scheme that silenced a porn star, in effect interfering with the 2016 presidential election.
    Nbc's brie jackson is in washington with details on this historic criminal case.Our political anaylsts joined us in studio yesterday to talk more about this historic verdict...
    Cathy Abernathy on the right.. and Marisa Wood on the left.
    Both weighed in on the verdict with their opinions.Former Bakersfield Congressman Kevin McCarthy reacting to the guilty verdict. 
    His post on social media reads, quote, "President Trump's only crime is running against Joe Biden in 2024. 
    The American people see right through this weaponization of the legal system"...end quote.And 20th Congressional District elect Vince Fong also weighing in on the verdict...
    His post on social media reads, quote "Today's verdict against President Trump is a historic turn in the politicization of our institutions."
    "The American people are rightfully concerned with the weaponization of the legal system," end quote.
    Our political analysts will join us in studio again this morning at 6:30, so stick around for that converstation.A Sacramento man has been sentenced to 15 years to life in prison -- after being convicted 17's Aleeya Fitzgerald was there for the sentencing and the tense courthouse exchange between the family of the predator and relatives of his young victim. of sex trafficking a Bakersfield teenage girl. At least 1 person has died in a crash northwest of Bakersfield. Details are limited at this time...
    But we do know it happened this morning just after 1:30 a.m. on northbound Highway 99 near Merced Avenue.
    The identity of the victim has not been publicly released.
    We will continue to follow this crash as those details become available.

Some of today's top stories
a developing story out of California City.
    A homicide investigation is underway this morning following a shooting at a McDonald's. According to police, the shooting happened around 12:30 yesterday afternoon at the McDonald's on California City Boulevard. 
    The victim was shot and taken to Antelope Valley Hospital where that person died. 
    No arrests have been made.
    The ages of those involved and the circumstances leading up to the shooting have not been released.
    We'll continue to bring you updates on our website, kget.com.Three men are in jail this morning in connection with a deadly shooting that happened during a robbery.The shooting happened around 11:30 last Monday night on Union Avenue.
    Officers say the man was shot multiple times and died.
    This week, investigators arrested Dalton Thompson, William Darden and Joey Elia on Eye Street.
    They're being held without bail and are due in court tomorrow.A 38-year-old man is also in jail this morning for allegedly stabbing someone and hiding on the campus of an elementary school in southeast Bakersfield.
    Deputies responded to reports of a stabbing on East Casa Loma Drive around 3:30 Tuesday afternoon, where they found one man suffering from stab wounds.
    They learned the suspect, Ronald Lawrence Lamb the second, had run off to nearby Casa Loma Elementary School.
    Bakersfield Police officers arrived at the school and arrested Lamb.
    He's charged with attempted murder, elder abuse, false imprisonment with violence and other offenses.
    He's due in court today.At least one person has died in a multi-vehicle crash on Highway 65.
    The crash happened just before 6:30 yesterday evening near Sherwood Avenue.
    CHP says at least three cars were involved.
    The driver of the white sedan died in the crash..
    Witnesses say two people were airlifted to the hospital with injuries.
    No word this morning on the conditions of those people or who was at fault.News around the state.... 
              Claims of abuse in the Catholic church continue to hit home right here in Kern County. 
              Here, with an update, is 17's Robert Price.It has been two months now since former Delano police chief Mark Derosia was arrested on suspicion of contacting a minor for sex. 
    And, as of this morning, Derosia has still not been charged.  The 68-year-old was arrested back in March. 
    The Sheriff's Office says investigators with the Special Victims Unit were conducting a decoy operation when Derosia contacted a deputy who was posing as a 15-year-old. 
    Investigators say the conversation turned sexual and Derosia arranged to meet the decoy for sex. 
    We reached out to the District Attorney's office yesterday for an update in this case. 
    A spokesperson told us the case, quote, "remains under continuous investigation and review."

Some of today's top stories
A u-s military fighter jet headed to Edwards Air Force Base in Kern County - crashed in new mexico.The plane was a developmental model of the f-35 fighter jet that was being delivered by lockheed martin.
      It had just taken off from albuquerque and was en route to edwards air force base when it went down.
Fortunately, the pilot was able to eject safely. An investigation is underway into the cause of the crash.
After weeks of sqauring off inside the courtroom, the prosecution and defense presented their closing arguments in the historic hush money trial of former president trump.
Now, a jury of seven men and five women will determine whether the former president orchestrated a criminal conspiracy designed to influence the 2016 presidential election.
NBC's brie Jackson has the latest from Washington.It has been more than a week now since Kern County senior deputy Ben Harmonson took his own life, outside a patrol car, near a canal north of 7th Standard Road.  Yesterday, Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood issued a statement regarding Harmonson's death and life of service.
It reads in part:
"On Tuesday, May 21st, we lost a valued member of our organization. Senior Deputy Ben Harmonson passed away unexpectedly. His passing was a shock to us all. We knew his family and his work family needed time to grieve. 
Ben worked for the Sheriffs Office for 16 years and was one of our best. He had numerous commendations with a common theme. He was kind. Fellow workers and citizens said he was kind. Ben will be missed for sure." "Out of respect for the family, any other information will come from them. Out of respect for Ben, be kind!
Meantime, Harmonson's family's launched a Go Fund Me to help raise funeral costs. 
    The account says Ben Harmonson was "an incredible man who was loved by many."
    The page has already blown past its goal of $8-thousand dollars, with more than $41-thousand dollars raised as of this morning. May is Mental Health Awareness month. 
    As we're wrapping up the past four weeks, experts say to look out for red flags when it comes to mental illness.
    17's Aleeya Fitzgerald has more. 

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Police are asking for your help catching accused members of an organized crime ring that stole tens of thousands dollars in sunglasses... and sold them out of a smoke shop. This all happened at the Sunglass Hut at Valley Plaza Mall earlier this month.
    BPD says three people walked into the store and stole about 50 pairs of designer sunglasses.
    Then they returned and stole another 50 pairs a few days later... this time pepper spraying staff who tried to stop them.
    Investigators later learned the crime ring was selling the sunglasses out of a smoke shop on Beale Avenue.
    Officers say they found 21 pairs of sunglasses, drugs and guns.
    Officers arrested five people in connection with the thefts. However, they're still looking for three others... Natalie Saucedo, Veronica Alvarez and Richard Gann.
If you know anything about this case, please call the BPD tipline at 327-7111
New details this morning about the case of a woman who was arrested after a delivery driver reported seeing kids tied up in her East Bakersfield home. someone reported seeing several children tied up at a home on Larry Street, south of Edison Highway on the evening of Valentine's Day.
    According to court documents, deputies didn't find any evidence backing that claim.
    But they *did* find deplorable living conditions including "cockroaches, piles of trash, an unbearable stench," and possible feces smeared on bedroom walls *inside* the home. 
    The children's mother, Catherine Harris, and her daughter, Mariah Moore, are now both charged with six counts of child cruelty.
    They're due back in court in July.From our 17 Follow up file..
    It's been 3 years now since a 12-year-old girl was shot and killed in Bakersfield. 
    And the family of Ahmaya Alexander is still searching for answers.
    17's Mikhala Armstrong has more on their cry for justice.An investigation is underway in Delano after a crash left a woman dead Saturday.  It happened just after 8 a-m on Albany Street near 1st Avenue. 
    It's still not clear what led up to the crash, but police say two cars were involved. 
    One of the drivers died at the scene, and the other, who was not hurt, is said to be cooperating with the investigation. 
    According to the Delano Police Department, preliminary findings indicate drugs or alcohol do not appear to be factors in this collision. 

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At least one person is dead this morning following a fiery crash on Interstate 5. It happened last night just after 11 p.m. just south of Main Drain Road.
    C-H-P says the car fire quickly spread to nearby brush.
    It is unclear what led up to the crash.
    The person killed has not been publicly identifiedFire crews are trying to contain the flames of a wildfire in Buttonwillow called the Twisselman Fire. The Twisselman Wildfire has consumed more than 300 acres in an area Northeast of I-5 on Twisselman and Lost Hills Roads.
    The fire was reported shortly after 5pm yesterday evening.
    At last report, forward progression of the fire has been contained.
    There are currently no reports of any structures threatened or any pre evacuations ordered.
    The CHP said a torched vehicle was found on scene and possibly the origin of the fire.Today is Memoral Day, and at the start of this weekend...
    Family, friends, and vets came together at the Bakersfield National Cemetery to honor the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives so we can live free.
    17's Rob Hagan was there to capture those moments. And the Bakersfield Breakfast Rotary Club held the kickoff to the annual One Thousand Flags event at the Park at River Walk ths weekend.
    The ceremony opened with a flag raising ceremony.
    There was a Bagpipes performance
    Today, there will be a Military Skydive by Comrades & Canopies and A Veteran Fly-By.
    organizers say they've been trying to arrange the event of rememberance for half a decade.
    

Some of today's top stories
A man is in custody this morning after he was involved in a SWAT standoff in East Bakersfield yesterday. This all began around 4 p.m. at Fast Stop Market on Niles and Virginia Streets. 
    KCSO says the man fled from a stolen vehicle into the convenience store, where he barricaded himself and refused to come out. 
    Deputies eventually went inside and took the man into custody. 
    They say a firearm was recovered at the scene. The Kern County Sheriff's Senior Deputy who died Tuesday of a self-inflicted gunshot wound has been identified. 36-year-old Benjamin Harmonson was found outside his unmarked patrol vehicle a little before 3 p-m, near a canal north of 7th Standard Road and west of Verdugo Lane. 
    The discovery prompted a huge law enforcement response, with more than 30 patrol cars and motorcycles from various agencies gathering at the scene, and eventually forming a single file procession to the coroner's office.
    Services for Benjamin Harmonson are pending.
    With suicide all too common among first responders it's critical that resources are available – and a handful of such resources are right here in Kern County. 
    17's Robert Price reached out to one such organization.We now know the names of the two people who died in a house fire in Inyokern back in March.  The fire broke out around 3 a-m on March 29th on North Calvert Boulevard near Johnston Avenue. 
    When the flames were put out, crews found the bodies of 94-year-old Agnes Davis and 53-year-old Lyndel Davis. 
    The cause of the fire remains under investigation.We're learning more this morning about a deadly motorcycle crash that claimed the life of a local student. 
    It happened in Ridgecrest Friday on South Sunland Street and East Bowman Road. 
    Police say the student was riding a motorcycle when he ran a stop sign and hit a car. 
    He was taken to the hospital where he later died. 
    The Sierra Sands Unified School District says a crisis team will be available to provide emotional support to those impacted by the death. 
    The student has not been identified.  New details this morning on the investigation into Kern County Supervisor Zack Scrivner...
    It's been a month since allegations of sexual assault against Scrivner emerged... yet he has not been arrested nor charged.
    17 News confirming it is still unclear which agency will handle the prosecution. 17 News and other Bakersfield media have previously reported the state Attorney General's Office would be taking over the Scrivner case.
    However... in a phone call with 17 News... the AG's Office clarified they're simply reviewing the case right now.
    They have not decided whether to take on the prosecution.
    The Kern County Sheriff's Office tells us they've completed the investigation and handed over all information to the AG's Office.
    Scrivner's whereabouts meantime are still unknown.
    He has missed the last two Board of Supervisors meetingsNow to a sad start to the Memorial Day weekend.
    Rescue crews have recovered a body in Isabella Lake. According to the Kern County Sheriff's office, a witness called 9-1-1 around 7:30 yesterday evening, to report seeing someone in the water near 'French Gulch' boat launch area.
 Emergency crews responded and pulled the person out out of the water.
 Lifesaving measures were performed, but KCSO says the person was pronounced dead at the scene.
 It's unknown the age or gender of the person and how long he or she had been in the water.
 The coroner's office will release the name and cause of death at a later date.The water may seem calm...and as the days get warmer...it can be quite inviting.
    But...below the surface...the Kern River is really very dangerous. Yesterday ...rescuers updated...