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Carjacker Steals Coffee Truck with Employee Inside, Ends in Crash and Arrest

2024-07-16 20:04:15.834000

Fifteen people were injured in a tram collision at Universal Studios Hollywood on Saturday night. The incident occurred during the popular Universal Studios tour, which takes visitors on a one-hour backlot tour to see behind the scenes where famous films and TV shows were made. The Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to the scene and found 15 people with mild to moderate injuries. They were transported to local hospitals for treatment. The cause of the collision is still under investigation by the California Highway Patrol [372f378d] [d21c62f2].

According to The Associated Press, the collision happened at around 9:05 p.m. when the last car of the backlot tram tour crashed into a metal guardrail as the driver negotiated a turn. The impact caused the vehicle to tilt and eject multiple passengers. Fifteen passengers were taken to a hospital for treatment with injuries described as mild to moderate. Alcohol and drugs were not a factor in the accident. Universal Studios Hollywood is working to support the guests and understand the circumstances that led to the accident [372f378d].

Universal Studios Hollywood has a rich history of offering live show entertainment to its guests. From small-scale performances like piano players and live music to large-scale shows like WaterWorld, entertainment has always been a key aspect of the park. The live shows not only provide guests with a break from waiting in line for rides but also contribute to the overall guest experience and can increase food and merchandise sales. Universal Studios Hollywood has been offering live entertainment since 1964, starting with the Studio Tour and introducing shows like The Universal Studios Animal Actors Training Stage and The Stunt Show. Over the years, Universal continued to innovate and introduce new shows, such as The Adventures of Conan: A Sword and Sorcery Spectacular and The Star Trek Adventure. The park also created seasonal events like Grinchmas and the 12 Days of Christmas parade. However, in recent years, the focus on live entertainment seems to have decreased, with the closure of shows like Animal Actors and the Special Effects Stage. The author hopes that Universal Studios Hollywood will revive its commitment to entertainment and continue to offer both world-class attractions and captivating live shows [d2446221].

Universal Studios Hollywood has resumed tours with a modified route. The tram circuit, called the World-Famous Studio Tour, offers a glimpse behind the scenes of Universal movies. The theme park will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the tour starting Friday [d21c62f2].

In other theme park news, Disneyland Paris has announced plans to transform the front of Walt Disney Studios Park into a new 'World Premiere' land. The transformation will begin this month with the renovation of Studio 1, which will be turned into an open-air movie studio. The entrance area, called 'World Premiere,' will open in spring 2025. Outside of World Premiere will be World Premiere Plaza, an Art Deco-inspired district. The announcement was made on April 12, 2024 [72a03f88].

Disney has issued an advisory for guests to follow new filming protocol at its parks worldwide. The advisory comes after the debut of 250 new versions of the Star Tours attraction, which features characters and locations from Disney+ series. The changes to the attraction offer more than 250 storyline variations. Disney rules prohibit filming on certain rides, including Star Tours, TRON Lightcycle / Run, and Space Mountain. Guests who disobey the rules may be removed from the park. Star Tours debuted at Disneyland in 1987 and utilized a motion simulator system to take riders on thrilling flights through the Star Wars galaxy. The attraction has received updates over the years to incorporate new destinations and characters from the prequel and sequel trilogies [60a9a0bf].

Universal Studios Hollywood is celebrating the 60th anniversary of its tram rides, which began in 1964. The celebration will include events from April 26 to August 11, featuring the return of iconic red and white Glamor Trams and a fully restored 1964 vintage Glamor Tram. Universal Studios Hollywood is partnering with the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and the Hollywood Sign Trust to commemorate the anniversary. Other highlights of the celebration include the 'Earthquake—The Big One' attraction and a stop at Courthouse Square, where scenes from 'Back to the Future' were filmed. Specially created food, beverages, and themed merchandise will also be available. Universal Studios Hollywood's Studio Tour has been visited by over 200 million guests worldwide [0bba2e7b].

Star Track Tours, a Hollywood tour company, is now offering the 'Universal Studios Adventure Tour.' The tour includes a visit to Universal Studios in the morning and a VIP Hollywood tour in the afternoon. The tour aims to cater to Southern California visitors staying near Universal Studios who may not have transportation or want to deal with parking. The Adventure Tour begins by picking up guests at their hotel or home and taking them to Universal Studios. Later, they will be taken on a 3-hour VIP tour of Hollywood and environs. The Adventure Tour is priced at $700 for up to 12 people. Tickets for the tour are not yet available on the company's website and interested individuals should contact Star Track Tours by phone to set up the personalized service [f303933a].

Universal Studios Hollywood is installing more track for the new Fast & Furious Hollywood Drift roller coaster, set to open in 2026. Construction progress includes the installation of a dual loading station platform, track pieces, and footers. The roller coaster will feature groundbreaking 360-degree rotation in drifting cars. The ride vehicles will have the ability for 360-degree rotation and will face away from the community at key scream moments to reduce noise. The roller coaster will be manufactured by Intamin and is expected to be a multi-dimensional roller coaster. The construction progress can be followed through various YouTube videos posted by Coaster Studios, America's Coaster Network, Theme Park Wizard, and Theme Park Obsession [c5abf9ee].

Several stories of scaffolding were knocked over by strong winds in Hollywood on Sunday. The 4-5 story tall scaffolding was 'swept outward' away from the building they were next to in the 1000 block of N. St. Andrews Place by the winds at around 2 p.m. No injuries were reported as no one was on the scaffolding at the time that it fell. Pedestrians and traffic were routed away from the area because of the unstable scaffolding. Santa Monica Boulevard between N. Wilton Place and N. Western Avenue was expected to be closed as the situation continued [306e8f03].

Space Mountain at Disneyland Resort suddenly shut down after riders were trapped on the roller coaster. A TikTok video showed riders stuck on the ride with the lights on. The reason for the closure was not publicly confirmed. Space Mountain is an iconic indoor roller coaster found in various Disney parks around the world. Some versions of the ride have temporary overlays, while others are undergoing transformations. The incident occurred on July 4, 2024 [0b859df7].

The Hollywood/Highland Metro Red Line was shut down for hours on Friday after a pedestrian stepped onto the tracks in front of an approaching train. The unidentified pedestrian suffered serious lower body injuries and was taken to a local hospital. The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the incident. The Hollywood and Highland station is one of L.A.’s two underground heavy rail subway lines. The incident caused delays on Metro’s B Line as a track between the Universal City/Studio City and Hollywood/Vine stations was shut down for nearly three hours [af64d9e4].

Traffic on northbound Interstate 5 (I-5) was backed up for hours after a semi-truck loaded with vegetables hit a guardrail and came to a stop under the South 178th Street overpass in Tukwila. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) alerted drivers about the right lane being blocked just north of 188th Street due to a crash. The semi-truck was found under the overpass after taking out the guardrail. The crash resulted in a serious injury. Another semi-truck arrived to help transfer the rest of the cargo and begin the clean-up. There is currently no information on whether the overpass sustained any damage and remains open to traffic [bbbee3d6].

A school bus in Noida, India, was towed by a recovery van after it went out of control and climbed onto a divider due to a steering failure. The incident occurred on July 15, 2024. The bus was being towed by a recovery van in the aftermath of the incident. The school bus was towed to address the steering failure that caused it to lose control and climb onto the divider [8912ca0b].

An armed carjacker in North Hollywood, CA, stole a pickup truck towing a coffee vendor's trailer with an employee still inside. The employee jumped out of the trailer before the suspect crashed and overturned it. The suspect attempted to flee the scene but was found hiding inside a porta-potty. The truck was stolen in Ventura County and the LAPD picked up the chase in the San Fernando Valley. The suspect led police on a high-speed chase through Valley Village and North Hollywood, eventually losing control of the truck and overturning the trailer. The injured employee suffered minor cuts and bruises. The suspect was taken into custody after officers found him hiding inside a portable restroom. The incident occurred on July 16, 2024.

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