A Shar-Pei mix turned itself into a Shar-Pei sandwich Friday when it got wedged between parallel cinder-block walls in Cathedral City.

But not to worry, dog lovers. Riverside County animal control officers rode to the rescue of the wrinkly pooch, which was promptly nicknamed Wally.

Aided by workers from the Coachella Valley Water District, which owns an adjacent property, animal control officers knocked out enough of the blocks to, well, free Wally.

Minor flooding and auto collisions continued to be a hazard on Southern California roadways Sunday morning, but officials reported few other major problems as a Pacific storm continued to pound Los Angeles.

In the Los Angeles neighborhood of Mar Vista, an enormous fig tree about two stories high fell over on a sidewalk. Its large, gnarly roots were lifted into the air, and its branches leaned precariously close to homes on the 3000 block of South Centinela Avenue.

The 71 freeway in Pomona was closed at Valley Boulevard due to flooding, probably for the rest of the day, California HIghway Patrol Officer Ed Jacobs said. And a vehicle collision after 10 a.m. led officials to declare a Sigalert on the southbound 14 freeway at Newhall Avenue in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Deep in Hollywood Hills West, some mud and soil flow on Astral Drive brought a Los Angeles fire engine company out to the neighborhood, but "it's not a large issue," said Erik Scott, a fire department spokesman. He said the fire agency is ready to set up command posts and is monitoring at-risk neighborhoods.

On Saturday, Long Beach fire crews rescued a 23-year-old woman from the Los Angeles River. About 1:50 p.m., the woman was riding her bicycle at Del Amo Boulevard when she hit some water and the bike slid into the concrete-lined river bank, said Capt. Rich Brandt of the Long Beach Fire Department.

A passing jogger called 911 as she saw the woman bobbing up and down in the river, doing a dog paddle to stay afloat. Fire rescue teams, attached to the riverbank by rope, threw the cyclist a rope and plucked her out at Wardlow Road, about a mile south of where she fell in, Brandt said.

The woman was transported to a hospital for observation and was released in good condition Saturday night.

Power outages were reported all over Southern California. Southern California Edison said more than 11,000 customers were without service at mid-morning, with problems reported in Joshua Tree, Palm Springs, Culver City, Bellflower, La Canada-Flintridge, Montclair, Westlake Village, Ojai and Whittier.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power reported no power outages in its territory Sunday morning.

-- Rong-Gong Lin II

 The 69-year-old widow of famed “Singing Cowboy” Gene Autry struck and killed a homeless man while driving in Palm Springs on Thanksgiving Day, authorities said.

Jackie Autry struck 50-year-old Jesus Cardova Diaz as she was driving on Sunrise Way, north of Ramon Road, said Det. Steve Woodward, a traffic investigator with the Palm Springs Police Department.

Diaz was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center, where he later died, Woodward said.

Diaz, who was believed to be homeless, was not in a crosswalk when he was struck. Autry was not cited and did not undergo a blood alcohol test because it was clear she was not under the influence, Woodward said.

Investigators were awaiting autopsy results to see if Diaz was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

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-- Stephen Ceasar

Photo: Jackie Autry in 2002. Credit: Amy Sanchetta / Associated Press

A Cathedral City police officer accused of stripping off his uniform while on duty and jumping into a pool with three women, allegedly sexually assaulting one of them, was charged with multiple counts Thursday by the Riverside County district attorney’s office.

John Fox Jr., 37, was responding to a noise complaint at the home where the incident allegedly occurred Sept. 29.

During the course of his investigation, Fox took off his clothes and jumped into the pool. The owner of the home called 911, but before other officers arrived, Fox put his uniform back on and left, according to a statement released by the prosecutor’s office.

Fox has been charged with one count of attempted sexual penetration, one count of assault under the color of authority, indecent exposure and sexual battery.

He is scheduled to be arraigned Monday.

-- Phil Willon in Riverside

Palm Springs police have arrested a man who allegedly tried to kidnap actor Jeremy London in Palm Springs Friday after he offered the man a ride home.

London, 37, told police that he was trying to change a flat tire in the 2500 block of N. Palm Canyon Drive June 10 when several men stopped to help him, police said.

London offered the men a ride home and was held at gunpoint in the vehicle, police said. The gunman allegedly forced London to drive through the city, with stops to purchase alcohol and use illicit drugs, police said.

London was able to escape from the vehicle, but the suspects stole the car. London contacted the police about 2:30 a.m. Friday.

Several hours later, police arrested Brandon Adams, 26, of Palm Springs. He was arraigned on Tuesday and charged with kidnapping, robbery, possession of stolen property and vehicle theft.

A Good Samaritan helped authorities rescue a wayward deer in Riverside County by lassoing the animal as it swam in 12-foot water in the All American Canal, officials said Monday.

The deer was rescued from the canal in the Coachella area shortly before noon Sunday. The animal may have fallen in the canal while taking a drink as the region baked in temperatures that topped 100 degrees,  the county Department of Animal Services said.

A Riverside County animal control officer and a state Fish and Game warden tried to rescue the mule deer with ropes, the department said. At one point, the warden swam in the canal and tried to coax the animal out of the water.

In the end, the Samaritan was able to use his rope to help haul the deer to safety, the department said.
The deer was placed in an air-conditioned truck for observation and was released near Berdoo Canyon Road, according to the department.

--Robert J. Lopez

Photo: A Fish and Game warden tries to rescue deer. Credit: Riverside County Department of Animal Services.

Firefighters in Riverside County were expecting to contain a blaze Wednesday evening that had scorched 75 acres and sent a plume of smoke into the Coachella Valley.

The fire, which broke out about noon east of Hemet, was apparently sparked by a metal grinder that was being used in a grassy area near Fairview and Whittier avenues, the Riverside County Fire Department said.

More than 100 firefighters, along with four air tankers and two helicopters, were fighting the flames. They were being assisted by a bulldozer and seven hand crews that were working to cut breaks along the perimeter of the blaze.

No injuries were reported.

-- Robert J. Lopez

An illegal immigrant who is a convicted sex offender and carjacker has been arrested in Indio after reentering the U.S., federal authorities said Thursday.

The 37-year-old man, who was heavily tattooed with emblems of the Border Brothers street and prison gang, was arrested Tuesday by Border Patrol agents at the Indio Greyhound bus station, the Department of Homeland Security said.

The man had previously been deported, the department said. He is a Mexican citizen.

A records check showed that the man had been convicted of unlawful sexual contact with a minor and carjacking with a firearm, the department said.

He was being held pending prosecution for entering the country after deportation. His name was not released.

-- Robert J. Lopez

A magnitude 4.3 earthquake centered near Beaumont in the Inland Empire struck early this morning, but there were no reports of damage or injuries, according authorities and the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake’s epicenter was about nine miles deep and about three miles west-northwest of Beaumont and 71 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.

The quake was felt as far away as the Coachella Valley, according to the USGS website.

Jody Hagemann of the Riverside County Fire Department said there were no reports of injuries or damage to local structures. The San Bernardino County Fire Department also had no incidents to report.

-- Ruben Vives

Think your commute is bad? Others have it worse – unless you happen to live in Lake Elsinore.

The U.S. Census Bureau on Tuesday released new data showing how long it takes people to get to work. In Southern California, Lake Elsinore in Riverside County topped the list, with residents taking an average of 41.8 minutes to get to work. Palmdale and Adelanto were behind, at 40.5 minutes.

The report, which examined data collected between 2006 and 2008, confirms something veteran commuters know well: The worst drives to work are often shared by residents who live in far-flung suburbs. Other Southern California cities high on the list: Walnut, Perris, Murrieta, Moreno Valley, Diamond Bar, Chino Hills, Santa Clarita and La Puente.

The study found that the average Los Angeles resident spends an average of just under half an hour getting to work – putting the city at No. 26 for cities in the region.

Palm Springs and Indio in the Coachella Valley posted some of the shortest commutes in Southern California, about 20 minutes. But not far behind were some Orange County suburbs: Costa Mesa (22.3), Tustin (22.3) and Irvine (22.5).

--Ari B. Bloomekatz and Sandy Poindexter

Photo: Hollywood Freeway traffic.

Credit: Richard Vogel / Associated Press