Trust us. The puc seems to be fine with that approach. Local governments lean j have serious concerns. Mayor sam liccardo referring to the may 30 decision by the California PublicUtilities Commission to give pg e full discretion over shutting down power for as long as seven days as a way to prevent wildfires. Liccardo says hes worried the Utility Company might choose to over correct with black outs after causing last years devastating camp fire. The question is ultimately are more people being put in peril because pg e will be protecting its shareholders. Reporter in 2003 the northeast black out that affected new york, philadelphia and ohio lasted two days for some areas, two weeks for others and cost billions of dollars and claimed 100 lives. At least if they gave us a good amount of notice so we can prepare ourselves for it, then i guess i would be okay. What we are worried about in san jose are the many safety risks that a large regional outage would, you know, cause. Reporter pg es website said they plan to give customers 48 hours notice. A document you can download outlines procedures and safety tips. In a statement, they told us, we understand there are safety risks on both sides of the decision to deenergize our lines. It is not a decision we take lightly. But mayor liccardo says thats not enough. He wants rules in place. Id like to see state agencies have the ability to say, no pg e, you cant shut it down. Id like to see the local officials with pg e when those decisions are being made. Reporter liccardo says hes pursuing legislative at the state level and is waiting for a response from sacramento. Chris reyes, abc7 news. Tonight pg e is hosting its first open house so people can reprepare for wildfire season. Theyll talk about wildfire safety as well as emergency preparedness. There are two open houses this week. One starting at 6 00 tonight at the Oakland Marriott city center. Heather farms in walnut creek will host one on thursday. It is the moment Derrick Almenas defense team has been waiting for two 1 2 years. The founder of the ghost ship to tell his side of the story. Almena took the stand late this afternoon in an oakland courtroom. Abc7 News ReporterLaura Anthony was there and she has this report. When you put on a client, its kind of like having a baby. You dont know, you know, whats going to happen. Reporter Derrick Almena finally has his day in court. The final witness for his own defense in a criminal trial that could send him and codefendant max hairs to prison for decades. He put his head down and said he was tired and heartbroken and he became emotional when asked by his attorney if he felt responsible for those who died at the ghost ship. Quote, i instituted something. I built something. I dreamed something. I attracted Beautiful People to my space. Im spiritually and morally responsible for it. And the contemplative pause before he answered and the emotion that he shows in his demeanor and his answers, he does have contrition. Reporter before almena, a former ghost ship resident darrell lee described what he heard in the moments before the fire that killed 36 people in december 2016. Quote, i heard bottles breaking and pop, pop, pop. And i heard what sound the like an argument. The defens claims that the fatal fire was an intentionally set with monthly a to cocktails by several men in dark cloektinging. Fire officials never officially determined a cause. Two Oakland Police officers also testified. Both had been inside the warehouse in the months and years before the fire. One admitted he knew people lived there, but said almena denied it. Derrick almena is expected to be on the stand here through the rest of the week, then both sides will get their chance to deliver their closing arguments. In oakland, Laura Anthony, abc7 news. Also in the east bay, we have a behind the scenes look at an effort to slow things down on a highway where speeding is a problem. The c. H. P. Is cracking down along highway 4. Abc7 News ReporterWayne Freedman had a firsthand look at the effort today and he joins us live from the c. H. P. Headquarters in martinez. Wayne . Reporter indeed we did have a firsthand look. Sometimes in excess of 100 miles an hour. The c. H. P. Has been busy, but as we learned today, that they went only by the guidelines in the speed limit, enforcement would be easy. There are some finer points, even on highway 4. Highway 4 in Contra Costa County today maybe you caught a glimpse of c. H. P. Officer brendan correa. If you did, it may be a little too late. You have to see them before they see you. Reporter thats the ticket. That is not meant as an intentional pun. But after recent road work and widening, they see this as a dangerous corridor and theyre out to slow people down the oldfashioned way. How fast are we going . 102. Reporter this stop turned interesting fast. Whoa. Reporter the white cara head had been going 90 miles an hour and this was just the beginning of what shouldnt have been such an adventure. The driver pulled over on the center divider. I dont know what shes doing, but im going to back away from her. Reporter its just another day in the life of a c. H. P. Officer trying to keep our roads safe. And yes, the driver of that white car did receive a citation. Dui impairments and speeding are our bread and butter. Reporter as the c. H. P. Tells us, there can be a difference between written speed limits and how people drive. Officer tells us he also pulls cars over for going too slowly. Generally hes looking for the one car going faster than the rest. Just move all the way to the exit, please. Move all the way to the exit. Thank you. Reporter that would be london morrow in the black turbo. And youre thinking . He got me. Reporter but in this case london was not endangering people, not even at 81 miles an hour. He has nothing on his prior history. Interaction was great. Theres no other things wrong with this car. Everything is up to date, everything is locked on so im like, hey, i dont always have to write a ticket. Reporter so he didnt write a ticket. Morrow got a warning instead and his good attitude helped. You have a wonderful day. Nice meeting you man. Youre going to meet more people out here today. I think you might. Reporter and he said he would not exceed 80 miles an hour again, all the way home or ever. In fact, any driver who we stopped today said they will be going more slowly, and that is the point. As for that chase of the car not chase, but the stop of the car on the center divider, thats on my twitter feed, at least 90 seconds of it. Thats only the beginning. After the driver pulled over to the center divider, we didnt know where he was going to go. He froze. The officer had to get up, go around in front of him, had to go back and tell him to move eventually to the right lane, it all took several minutes, and that is something you dont count on in a normal traffic stop. Live in Contra Costa County, Wayne Freedman, abc7 news. Wayne, thank you. 483 days until the president ial election, and today one man is out and another is likely in the running. Out of a crowded field of 24 democrats, bay area congressman Eric Swalwell became the first to bow out. And while reports are california Billionaire Tom Steyer will enter the race. Abc7 News Reporter liz kreutz is live in dublin with a look at whats behind swalwells decision. Liz . Reporter yeah, its the announcement that no congressional or president ial candidates wants to make, but congressman Eric Swalwell said he saw the writing on the wall. He decided its best for him tow step aside and redirect his efforts to his reelection campaign. As he said, as he does step aside, we are still waiting to see if someone else well known here in the bay area decides to jump in. At this union hall in dublin, congressman Eric Swalwell said it was time to call it quits. Today ends our president ial campaign, but it is the beginning of an opportunity in congress with a new perspective. Reporter after a campaign that started nearly three months ago, swalwell became the first democratic president ial candidate to officially end his bid for the white house. His reasoning, low fundraising and poll numbers. There were questions whether he would even qualify for the upcoming president ial debate. We wanted to be honest with ourselves and with our supporters. If there was a viable chance, i would not be standing here today. Reporter swalwell made gun reform the central focus of his president ial campaign, an issue he says hell continue to fight for as he turns his attention to his congressional reelection bid. But the congressmans decision to drop out of the president ial race could mark the start of a turning point moment. Will other candidates follow suit . Youre seeing the Second Quarter fundraising numbers coming in which are demonstrating the strength and viability of some campaigns. Yes, i think were getting into the period now where the field is going to narrow down substantially. Reporter without swalwell, there are now 23 democratic candidates, but there is still one new face that could emerge. Bay area Billionaire Tom Steyer is reportedly close to jumping in the race despite publicly announcing he wouldnt run in january. The fact that he is coming back at it after having already bowed out when we had such a crowded field is a little surprising to a lot of folks, i think. Reporter now, swalwell, we asked if he has any advice for steyer. He said its rough out there, but he wishes him well. Swalwell would not say who he plans to endorse at this time. He just said whoever becomes the democratic nominee will have to be someone who is tested, who can take punches from President Trump and throw them right back. This dublin, liz kreutz, abc7 news. Liz, thank you very much. The desire to have a selfie souvenir from the running of the bills in spain nearly cost a man from San Francisco his life. A sixton bull struck Jaime Alvarez in the neck yesterday in pamplona. Alvarez was in spain withmi hlyy intend but sd t engy was jtoo strong to resist. He says he ran most of the course then returned to shoot a video when he thought the danger had passed. Then he describes what happened as a stray bull came at him. I turned and it was like a truck or a car just hitting the side of my head. I put my hand on my neck and saw blood. I could feel my neck opened up. I was stunned. And then some ran down my wrist and knew i was hurt and just ran to the medics. Alvarez works as a public defender for santa clara county. He could be out of the hospital as soon as tomorrow. Another dead whale was spotted at Point Reyes National sea shore. This one estimated 27 foot baby hump back and the 14th whale to wash ashore in the bay area this year. The Marine Mammal center received reports of the ccarcas saturday. Then later at elephant rock, the team attempted to locate the whale, but it washed out to sea. Local scientists have performed necropsies on 12 gray whales this year citing malnutrition as the leading cause of death. Oakland born scientist eaton has gone missing on the greek island of crete. The 59yearold was last seen at a conference there on july 2nd. Police believe eaton, an avid runner, went out for a run. All of her items are still in the room except her running shoes. Eaton is a molecular biologist with the max plunk institute at Dresden University in germany. She earned her ph. D. At u. Csf. Cracks in homes, cracks on the road and homes turned upside down. Life after two major earthquakes still has people on edge in Southern California. Also ahead, the uber driver who got home from work to find a big surprise. Keep your hands up. Im abc7 news meteorologist sandhya patel. June gloom in july, but we have a pattern change coming that will bring brighter and warmer conditions. Accuweather sevenday forecast coming up. And getting a Second Chance one meal at a were working very closely in california with the various representatives and were making a lot of progress. It was something that was a long time, lot of shock, lot of shake, and we are helping out. President trump has spoken with governor newsome about the earthquakes that struck Southern California over the 4th of july weekend. Newsome says the president is committed to helping support rebuilding efforts. Friday, 7. 1 magnitude quake created a massive crack in the earth, big enough to be visible in satellite images. A lot of people are looking at these pictures on abc7news. Com of the before and after photos on the desert floor. Planet lodge generated these pictures. Its an earth Imaging Company based in San Francisco. The u. S. Geological survey estimates that the Economic Loss from the damage is 1 billion. As many as 50 structures were damaged in trona and the town is currently without running water. And some People Living in trona are too scared to sleep indoors as they are jolted by thousands of aftershocks. Reporter rob mcmillan from our sister station in los angeles has the story. Reporter for folks in trona, help is on the way. What do you need . Water, food. And stuff to clean up with. A good shower. Reporter thats right, a good shower, something dan and kathleen lymon havent had in days. What happens when you turn on the tap . Nothing. Not even a dribble. Reporter roads are cracked, walls have crumbled, but only a handful of homes in trona have significant structural damage. I mean, we have little cracks, like theres cracks in the yard and stuff. Other than that, our house is perfectly fine. Reporter but like many, Jessica Schultz and family are sleeping outside. Tonight were probably going to sleep in the tent because were scared about the big one thats supposed to be coming. Reporter but thats nothing more than a rumor. Usgs says the chances of a quake larger than 7. 1 happening here within the week are less than 1 . Its rattling for sure. Reporter cindy davis is from ridgecrest. She drove the 25 miles to trona with supplies to help out. Still slept, fully clothe and had ready to go, bags at the door and whatnot, but i at least did not sleep in the front of my truck last night, so that was a step in the right direction. Reporter rob mcmillan, abc7 news. Insurance carriers are helping customers get the claims process started, but many people in the area dont have earthquake insurance. Those who do say they cant afford the deductible. California will be applying for federal assistance through fema and disaster loans for individuals. Cal trans today removed some of the pavement that was damaged from the earthquakes own state route 8 near ridge krefrt. The highway has been reopened following a rock slide. Abc7 news can help you prepare for an earthquake or any natural disaster. We have tips on what to pack in an emergency kit on our website abc7news. Com. Turning our attention to the weather, you know that fog meant business today. You saw it . Oh, i saw it . I felt it. It soaked to my pores, into my bones. All we had was wind out there. Heres sandhya patel with the weather. Yeah, that marine layer was pretty deep and we did have some drizzle earlier today, eric and kristen. It is gusty right now. Combination of all of those things kept those temperatures on the cooler side of normal for july. Take a look at the wind gusts right now. Southwest gusting to 31 miles an hour at fairfield. 25 in save. Pretty good indication as to why it did not feel like july today. Lets check out your winds as we head into the latter part of the night. Those winds will eventually die down. And as we go into tomorrow morning, notice its just lighter winds at 5 00 a. M. , but they pick bacpin tw evening. We are expecting, though, a little bit of a warm up as we head into your tuesday afternoon. Heres a live picture from our Golden Gate Bridge camera. Flag is swaying in the wind and you can see the clouds are back. As a matter of fact, they never quite cleared the coast. Live doppler 7 showing you how socked in it is along the coast line from point reyes to the san mateo coast. Even parts of the east bay are still pretty gray right now. One of the biggest reasons for the cooler than average conditions for this time of year, this trough has just been parked here. And until it moves out of the picture, were not expecting any heat. So late in the week, High Pressure will start to build back, enough so that those temperatures will come up into the 90s inland. But until then, enjoy the marine layer from Mount Tamalpais camera is shaky as well. 60 in San Francisco. 65 in oakland. It is 68 in san jose. 73 in morgan hill. Lovely view from san jose looking at sunshine over the shark tank. Low 70s from santa rosa to napa. Temperature right now 73 in concord, 68 in livermore. Todays high so far anywhere from the upper 50s to the upper 70s. So well below average. Emeryville camera showing you a couple of layers of clouds right now. Widespread low clouds and patchy morning drizzle. Gradual warming begins tomorrow. And it is going to turn host inland by the end of the week. I want to show you your 12 hour planner. So tomorrow morning out the door temperatures in the 50s. It will be gray and drizzly. Partly sunny at noontime away from the coast line. You will notice that it is going to be a little bit warmer. Temperatures in the low 60s to the mid80s. Breezy at the coast. Most temperatures drop by evening. Tonight a pretty good push of the marine layer. By the delta tomorrow morning. 5 00 a. M. , 8 00 a. M. , youll see drizzle out there. On the afternoon keeping it on the gray side. For the rest of you there will be sunshine and a little bit of a warm up. In terms of the drizzle, measurable drizzle expected along the coast and around the bay by tomorrow morning. So do expect damp roadways out there for the commute. Temperatures in the 50s tomorrow morning with the gray skies tomorrow afternoon. A nice mild day inland. Low to mid80s there along the coast line in the 60s. Few high clouds, especially in the north bay will filter the sunshine for your tuesday. Accuweather sevenday forecast, morning gray giving way to a milder afternoon. Wednesday warming trend continues. And were going to go warm as we head towards friday, saturday inland, and even into sunday. Low 90s there, low to mid 60s along the coast. So well bounce back to average by the end of the workweek. I think its looking pretty good. Eric, kristen . All right, thank you very much, sandhya. Okay. Caught on camera, the moment a Lightning Strike hits a boat. That story is next. Then at 5 30 on world news with david muir. Coming up tonight, the dramatic raid here in new a multimillionaire. Charged tonight, sex trafficking, girls allegedly as young as 14. Young as 14. What heres your buick sir. Actually, thats my buick. Your buick doesnt have a roof rack this is my buick. How are we gonna fit in your moms buick . Easy. I like that new buick. Me too. I was actually talking about that buick. I knew that. Did you . Buicks fresh new lineup is full of surprises. During buicks fourth of july sales event, pay no interest for 76 months on most 2019 buick models. An incredible Lightning Strike was caught on video in Boston Harbor this weekend. Yikes. The man who took these pictures said he took out his camera after seeing Lightning Strikes in the distance and couldnt believe it when one hit his friends boat. The boat suffered electrical damage, but no one was hurt. All right. This one is strange. An uber driver unknowingly took part in an Armed Robbery as a get away driver in albuquerque. He said he had been on the job three weeks when police stormed his house. Keep your hands up. Reporter uber driver terry owens never expected this. Come out with your hands clear. Reporter the uber driver says this nightmare started after he picked up a guy named austin. Hands in the back, please. Reporter terry drove him around town for about two hours, even befriended him. The final stop, a gas station in northwest albuquerque. We pull in the parking lot and the young man proceeded to go inside the gas station. Reporter terry says he was busy texting his wife telling her he would be home soon. Then he says austin came outside. Now he was acting weird. Hes acting a little fishy when he gets back in the car, telling me, lets go, lets go, lets go. Reporter terry said austin was now holding a pair of scissors. When terry asked him why . Oh, no, im using this pair of scissors to cut strings off my jacket. Reporter it was late, terry was tired. He dropped off austin and headed home. An hour later police were outside his house. As instructed, terry and his wife came out with their hands up. Yes, sir, my name is terry owens, i have no weapons on me. Reporter he spoke with police. Youre a uber driver . Yes, uber and lyft. Reporter he found out why they were calling. The reason were detaining you. The person you took to the valero robbed the valero. I had no idea. Reporter the next day Police Arrested austin harris. You really feel for that uber driver. That was reporter nancy laughlin. Serving up change for a better future. Thats next. First we want to thank jen for this beautiful picture, lavender plants in dixon. You can share this on abc7 news now and you may on abc7 news at 6 00 tonight, california congresswoman House Speaker nancy pelosi wants to protect our next election from interference. Now shes trying to get republicans on board. Plus, an electric incentive when it comes to buying a car in california. Money talks. And it looks like someone ordered takeout, but whats really in these burritos will have one man dining in. Do you get it . For the next 15 years. Its all coming up in half an hour on abc7 news at 6 00. Aaron and kristen . Dion, thank you very much. Eric and kristen. Well see you then. Thanks, dion. Ary program at san quentin is giving inmates a chance to switch out their prison uniforms for chefs coats. And giving them a sense of hope for the future. Its my favorite dessert. Banana pudding. I love it. I can make as much as i want and eat as much as i want once i go home. Ha ha ha. When is that going to be . Probably 14 months. Im earning timeout as we speak. This class alone gives me ten days off of my sentence. Not only do i learn how to cook, i go home cooking. Brother d so we have olive oil. Start light on everything. We have a little bit of lemon juuse. This is a huge hunk of fennel. Thats for you, d. A nice vigorous mix, see what it tastes like. San quentin actually help save my life. Theres opportunities here that will open you up to different things. I never once on the streets thought about cooking. Now its like a passion for me, you know, when im in the kitchen and im cooking. Its like its just me and the ingredients. I love to cook. I didnt know i would enjoy cooking this much. We have much more about this Cooking Program at san quentin. You can find it on our website, abc7news. Com. World news tonight with david muir is coming up next. Im kristen sze. And im eric thomas. For sandhya patel and all of us here at abc7, thanks for inviting us in your homes tonight. Our next newscast is 6 00. Of course you can connect at abc7news. Com. Have a great day. Tonight, the dramatic raid in new york city. Investigators storm the home of multimillionaire jeffrey epstein, who was friends with the rich and powerful. Using a crow bar to get in. Hes under arrest, charged with sex trafficking. Girls allegedly as young as 14. And tonight, what prosecutors now say was discovered in his home. Also tonight, the severe storm in the east. The flooding emergency. Commuters stranded on top of their cars. Halting amtrak, water pouring in. And ginger zee standing by in the next major storm and the potential tropical stranger in the gulf. Millions tonight on edge in california. Those two major earthquakes. A 6. 4, then a 7. 1. What scientists are now saying tonight. Our correspondent takes us right up to the damage. The family tragedy on a cruise ship