Minnesota

Four killed when car tries to outrun train

A driver swerved around a railroad crossing barrier despite warning lights indicating an approaching train, which smashed into the car, killing all four people inside, railroad officials said.

The Anoka County Sheriff’s Department received a call from the train’s engineer reporting he had hit a vehicle Friday night.

The victims, who were pronounced dead at the scene, were identified as Brian L. Frazier, 20, of Newport; Harry J. Rhodes, Jr., 19, of Newport; Bridgette M. Shannon, 17, of Ramsey; and Corey E. Chase, 20, of Coon Rapids.

The crash was under investigation Saturday.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe spokesman Steve Forsberg said the train, on its way from St. Paul to Portland, Ore., was traveling 59 mph. He said the crossarms and warning lights were working properly.

Anoka is about 25 miles northwest of Minneapolis.

Ohio

License revoked where decayed bodies found

The state has revoked the licenses of the owners of a funeral home where eight decomposing bodies were found.

The Ohio Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors on Friday revoked the licenses of Henry Harden, his wife, Sandra Harden, and the Sherrill Harden Funeral Home.

The licenses were suspended on June 26.

The eight bodies were found June 20 — a day after the state received a tip that there were several decomposing bodies that had not been properly disposed of in the funeral home.

Some bodies had been gnawed by rodents and were left for months. One had been left since 1996; another has not yet been identified.

On Sept. 12, Henry Harden pleaded no contest to charges of abusing a corpse and theft. He faces up to nine years in prison at sentencing Oct. 10.

Los Angeles

Two plead guilty in sea lion shooting

Two men pleaded guilty to violating the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act by hooking a 5-month-old sea lion and shooting an arrow through the animal’s neck.

Anthony Hill, 18, a crew member of a San Diego-based sportfishing company and Matthew Lyon, 38, were charged with illegally taking and attempting to kill a marine animal.

The two, who entered their pleas Friday, face up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine under the misdemeanor charge. A federal judge will sentence the men Jan. 12.

The young sea lion survived the attack. Tourists visiting Morro Bay found the pup two days later with the yellow arrow protruding from her neck.

Philadelphia

City to pay $206,000 to detained diabetics

The city will pay $206,000 to diabetics who said they were denied proper medical care while detained by police under a settlement approved by a federal judge.

The lawsuit, which included more than 250 diabetics, was first brought by the diabetic owner of an adult cabaret who said he nearly died when denied medical care after a 1999 arrest for a liquor code violation.

The city will send checks to 256 claimants who each will receive checks ranging from $200 to $5,000, said Alan Yatvin, the lawyer who filed the original lawsuit on behalf of Stephen Rosen.

As part of the agreement, the city will provide all diabetic adults who are arrested or detained a blood-glucose test, medically needed food or medicine, and hospital care if needed.