Beyond Elijah Paige, USC’s offensive line for Las Vegas Bowl is razor-thin

• December 13, 2024

LOS ANGELES — At Elijah Paige’s lowest point, Jonah Monheim was there, just as he had always been.

The shaggy-haired veteran sat with him, when Paige first got to USC as a freshman, poring over hours of film and pointing to techniques that could work for him at tackle. Monheim was there, too, when Paige was demoted to the Trojans’ scout team last season, imploring it was good for you. And Monheim was there, USC’s starting center this season and the offensive line’s ringleader, when Paige was mauled in Ann Arbor.

Paige was cramping. He was starting just his fourth game as USC’s left tackle, against a fearsome Michigan defensive line. He gave up four pressures in 31 snaps. But he has always responded, as coaches have detailed, when a mirror has been put to his 6-foot-7 frame. And Monheim, for years, has been both both mentor and mirror.

“He told me that this is normal, and I just need to grow from it,” Paige said Thursday, reflecting on conversations with Monheim after USC’s Week 3 loss to the Wolverines. “And kinda, there’s two ways I can go from it. I can get discouraged and go down from it, or I can get encouraged by it and rise to the occasion.”

Weeks later, amid USC’s end-of-season roster shuffle, redshirt freshman Paige has suddenly become the new long-haired sage for a depleted offensive line. Starting center Monheim and left guard Emmanuel Pregnon are “still making their decisions,” as Paige put it, on whether to play in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 27, but both are likely to forgo starting spots to prepare for the NFL draft. There is hardly any veteran leadership behind them: starting right tackle Mason Murphy has entered the transfer portal, and so has senior backup Gino Quinones, and so have young pieces Amos Talalele and Kalolo Ta’aga.

Paige, truly, is who remains. And on Thursday, he strode in front of reporters to speak for USC’s offensive line – so often Monheim’s role this fall – and planted his flag in future Coliseum soil.

“I just think it’s important,” Paige said, when asked why he had seemingly chosen to stay at USC rather than hit the portal. “I committed here, not for any of those other, outside reasons.”

“I committed here because I see Coach (Lincoln) Riley’s vision, and I believe in it. I trust it. I’m a part of it.”

He’ll now become the figurehead of USC’s line, as Monheim once was.

The question, both for USC’s immediate future in Las Vegas and long-term future in the Big Ten: who, exactly, will slot in next to him?

Sophomore Alani Noa, by all indications, will remain at right guard against Texas A&M. Beyond that, the depth on USC’s front is remarkably thin. None of the Trojans’ other offensive linemen has started a game of college football. None of them have played as much as 100 snaps of college football.

Backup Kilian O’Connor, a former walk-on from Santa Margarita High, figures to start at center. Redshirt freshman Tobias Raymond, who struggled when inserted amid an offensive line shakeup at Michigan, will likely get a crack at right tackle; freshman Justin Tauanuu, a Huntington Beach High product who Paige said has gotten better “every single week,” could slide inside at guard to take Pregnon’s spot. Redshirt freshman Micah Banuelos, Loyola High product Jack Susnjar and freshman Kaylon Miller (Calabasas High) could all earn looks, as well.

“Each and every one of ’em, they’ve stood out … obviously, the past week, we’ve been throwing those guys in there,” quarterback Jayden Maiava said of USC’s young linemen Thursday. “They’ve been doing a really good job.”

USC, beyond a doubt, will need to add significant help via the transfer portal, even after signing two four-star tackles (Utah’s Aaron Dunn and Georgia’s Alex Payne) in the class of 2025. But the Las Vegas Bowl will serve as a true litmus test of USC’s offensive line trajectory under coach Josh Henson, preferring in the past year to eschew transfer portal fixes in favor of youth development.

“We’ve just gotten better,” head coach Lincoln Riley said in late November, of USC’s gradual offensive line improvement. “We’ve stuck with it. The leadership from Coach Henson, from Jonah, from Emmanuel, seeing some of these young guys grow up and get better and kind of take some of these challenges and really rise up to them, I think it’s a combination of all that.”

QUICK HITS

Riley confirmed Thursday that quarterback Jake Jensen will serve as USC’s backup to Maiava in the Las Vegas Bowl, despite Jensen having entered the transfer portal. … Defensive graduate assistant Bryson Allen-Williams has been named USC’s linebackers coach against Texas A&M in the wake of Matt Entz’s departure for Fresno State. … Riley said USC is “moving along pretty heavily” in the search for a new LBs coach.

​ Orange County Register 

Kings’ 6-game winning streak ends against Jack Hughes, Devils

• December 13, 2024

By ALLAN KREDA The Associated Press

NEWARK, N.J. — The Kings didn’t threaten much on offense Thursday night, and that left the door ajar for their opponent.

Jack Hughes scored the go-ahead goal in the third period and added two assists, as the New Jersey Devils ended the Kings’ six-game winning streak with a 3-1 victory at the Prudential Center.

Hughes snapped his 12th goal of the season past Kings goaltender David Rittich with 7:02 left in the third period to give the Devils their first lead. Ondrej Palat and Brett Pesce (short-handed) also scored for New Jersey, which won for the 14th win in its past 21 games (14-6-1).

Defenseman Jordan Spence scored a goal and David Rittich turned aside 23 shots for the Kings, who fell short in their bid to record their first seven-game winning streak since Oct. 30-Nov. 11, 2021.

In a scoreless game late in the second period, Spence forced a turnover off a two-on-one rush in the defensive end, skated up the ice and wired a one-timer from the point off of New Jersey native Alex Laferriere’s cross-ice feed to beat Markstrom at 16:41.

The Kings’ lead was short-lived, however.

Hughes bolted out of the corner, skated across the slot and used a makeshift pick in front of the net before wristing a shot that Palat deflected home at 18:56 of the middle period.

Palat’s nifty backhanded centering feed from deep in the right circle found Hughes for an easy conversion to give New Jersey a 2-1 lead in the third. The goal was Hughes’ fourth in his past seven games.

Pesce’s goal was his first as a Devil and came with 2:43 left to cement the win as Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom improved to 14-6-2 this season.

The Kings hadn’t allowed more than two goals during their winning streak.

The Kings received a penalty shot when Alex Turcotte was hooked by Brenden Dillon during a partial breakaway at 11:01 of the second period. Turcotte, however, missed the net high and wide as he attempted to beat Markstrom over his blocker.

Markstrom stopped 12 shots for New Jersey.

New Jersey’s Paul Cotter fell over the Kings’ Kevin Fiala and hit the ice during the second period. Cotter struggled to get to the bench and remained hunched over for several moments before returning to the game shortly thereafter.

New Jersey improved to 8-6-3 at home. The Devils are 11-4-0 on the road.

UP NEXT

The Kings visit the Rangers on Saturday at 10 a.m. PT.

​ Orange County Register 

Rested, LeBron-less Lakers ready to return against Timberwolves

• December 13, 2024

EL SEGUNDO — The Lakers missed out on again earning the $500,000 plus reward for winning the NBA Cup – and the smaller monetary prizes for making the tournament’s knockout rounds this season.

But they received another much-needed reward in return: time.

Time to refresh their bodies and minds.

Time to spend 5½ days in Southern California, including four without playing a game and three before traveling on Thursday ahead of Friday’s road game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis.

The Lakers were coming off a 13-day stretch from Nov. 26-Dec. 6 in which they played eight games – including six on the road – and no consecutive games in Los Angeles.

Coach JJ Redick gave the entire team Monday off and Tuesday was a voluntary “get what you need” day after Sunday night’s home win against the Portland Trail Blazers.

“It’s super valuable,” guard Max Christie said of the time to recharge. “A lot of this game is mental. Even though there’s a lot of travel, it takes a mental toll on your brain when you’re traveling and you’re on the plane all the time. You’re in hotels. You’re not in your own bed. So it’s tough.

“But we’ve been at home for a few days now. The past few weeks has been the toughest stretch for us throughout the season.”

And time to tighten up their strategies after dropping seven of their previous 10 games, including the win over the Blazers that led into the mini-break in the schedule.

“Guys were gassed at the end,” first-year coach JJ Redick said about the team’s practice on Wednesday. “We haven’t had a practice like that in two months. We got a lot done defensively, trying to create just a little bit more clarity on some very nuanced things with the guys. We did that in small groups against coaches and live. And we worked also on some end-of-quarter, end-of-game stuff. Live. Simulated.”

The Lakers might have a key player return against the Timberwolves, but they remain without LeBron James.

Austin Reaves was upgraded to probable for Friday after missing the previous five games because of a bruised left pelvis.

Reaves averaged a career-high 16.7 points (44% shooting, 35.5% from 3-point range), 4.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds in the Lakers’ first 19 games.

The fourth-year guard played in 129 consecutive regular-season games from Feb. 7, 2023-Dec. 1, including playing all 82 regular-season games last season. He also played in 21 playoff games, two Play-In Tournament games and the 2023-24 NBA Cup title game during that stretch.

James has been ruled out for Friday because of left foot soreness, the second consecutive game he’ll miss because of the ailment after sitting out against Portland, which was his first absence of the season.

Redick said on Wednesday that James had been away from the team the previous couple of days because of personal reasons. ESPN reported that James didn’t travel with the team to Minneapolis on Thursday.

James, who turns 40 in 2½ weeks, is averaging 23 points (49.5% shooting overall, 35.9% from 3-point range), 9.1 assists and 8 rebounds in 35 minutes per game (23 games).

Redick addressed the importance of communication with James and his longtime trainer, Mike Mancias, to help manage James’ workload.

“He communicates to us,” Redick said. “In game, he’s asked for a sub a couple times [because] he’s gassed. For us, we have to be cognizant as we play more and more games, just the cumulative effect of playing a lot minutes and Sunday, being banged up with the foot thing, it felt like a good opportunity for him to get some rest.”

If James returns to the court for Sunday’s home game against the Memphis Grizzlies, it will have been eight days between games for him.

LAKERS AT TIMBERWOLVES

When: Friday, 5 p.m. PT

Where: Target Center, Minneapolis

TV/radio: Spectrum SportsNet, 710 AM

​ Orange County Register 

End of an era for Water Ski Capital of the World

• December 13, 2024

The high-flying stunts and human pyramids that turned Winter Haven, Florida, into the Water Ski Capital of the World will come to an end when the final Legoland Florida water ski show bids farewell to Lake Eloise at the end of the year.

The final performance of “Brickbeard’s Watersport Stunt Show” will be held Dec. 30 at Legoland Florida.

“‘Brickbeard’s Watersport Stunt Show’ has been a beloved part of our history, creating lasting memories for families over the years,” Legoland Florida officials said via email. “While we cherish this legacy, we are listening to our guests and our focus is on introducing new and dynamic experiences to continue creating family memories.”

Water Skiing and Winter Haven have been synonymous since the birth of Cypress Gardens in 1936. The botanical gardens and theme park closed in 2009 to make way for Legoland Florida.

Cypress Gardens founder and water skier Dick Pope Sr. used his Florida tourist destination to promote the sport and turn Winter Haven into the Water Ski Capital of the World.

ALSO SEE: 1,000-foot-tall roller coaster about to become a reality

World record attempts drew massive crowds to Cypress Gardens and attracted celebrities like Johnny Carson, Elvis Presley, Carol Burnett and Esther Williams. Hollywood followed the stars and filmed TV shows and movies around Cypress Gardens’ famed Florida-shaped swimming pool.

The Cypress Gardens ski shows attracted water daredevils to Winter Haven looking to showcase their innovative skills and set water ski records. The semi-annual Chain of Records event ensured that Winter Haven would be home to more water ski records than anywhere else in the world.

The Cypress Gardens water ski stars became instructors and attracted students from around the globe — making Winter Haven home to more water ski schools per square mile than any place in the United States, according to Visit Central Florida.

ALSO SEE: Everything happening at Disneyland in 2025

Dick Pope Jr. — who popularized barefoot water skiing — followed in his father’s footsteps and continued the water skiing tradition at Cypress Gardens. The father and son duo are both members of the Water Ski Hall of Fame — about 20 miles away in nearby Davenport, Florida.

Legoland Florida opened in 2011 and kept the water ski history of Cypress Gardens alive with a Lego pirate-themed show starring a lifesize version of the Captain Blackbeard minifigure.

A FlyBoard stunt performer is the highlight of the latest version of the Legoland water sports stunt show that debuted in 2021.

ALSO SEE: Knott’s Scary Farm sets dates for 2025 plus the full festival lineup

Mark Voisard worked at Cypress Gardens for 30 years, half of that time as the water ski show director.

“I helped develop the first five-tier pyramid,” Voisard told WFLA.

Legoland learned over the past decade that running a water ski show can be very expensive, Voisard told the NBC affiliate in Tampa.

“It wasn’t one of the top attractions at Legoland, so they ultimately had to make a business decision,” Voisard told WFLA. “It’s pretty sad for the area because people would go there and go ‘I remember coming here as a kid.’”

ALSO SEE: Disney’s Lunar New Year festival returns with food, music and snakes — Eek!

Voisard and his son, a stunt man in the current Legoland show, will keep the Water Skiing Capital tradition alive in Winter Haven with the Cypress Gardens Water Ski Team that performs monthly on nearby Lake Silver.

​ Orange County Register 

SoCal family shines sharing adventures online

• December 13, 2024

With twin 7-year-old daughters, dual careers and a thriving business as content creators, life is a constant adventure for Erik and Adam McEwen – and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Married since 2015, the McEwens have built the family they always dreamed of when they started documenting their journey to parenthood on YouTube eight years ago as @McHusbands. Their daughters Everest and Addisen were born via surrogate in 2017 and the family’s adventures are now followed by more than 400,000 people on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.

A typical week includes work, school, the girls’ favorite activities (soccer for Everest, art for Addisen) and fun family outings, like a recent day trip with their bikes to Victory Trailhead in Los Angeles in a 2025 Kia Carnival MPV Hybrid.

“We love to roller skate and bike everywhere, and we get to do some really cool things through our business that not everybody gets to do, so we try to take advantage of that,” Adam said. “We want our girls to experience the world.”

The couple said the Carnival MPV Hybrid checked all the boxes they look for in a family vehicle — space for all their gear, amazing safety features and the money-saving benefits of driving a hybrid. Everest and Addisen were especially excited by the dual-screen 14.6-inch rear seat entertainment system available in the SX Prestige trim package.

“The girls absolutely loved the touch screens,” Erik said. “It was fun to hear them get so excited about it, like ‘‘oh my gosh, there are TVs back here!’”

To the McEwens, sharing fun moments with each other and their online followers is more than just business as usual. They want their online presence to be an encouraging resource for people in the LGBTQ+ community looking for stories of families like theirs.

When the pair launched their YouTube channel in 2016 they had been searching social media for gay couples who had children through adoption or surrogacy, hoping to get some insights. “We knew we wanted to start a family, so we looked for other couples like us – but nobody was telling their story,” Erik said. “That’s when we decided to put our journey out there.”

In their early videos, the McEwens talked about what being parents would mean to them and shared each step of the process. Initially, adoption seemed the most likely route, but it wasn’t without risk. The agency they planned to use later went out of business, leaving some clients heartbroken and out thousands of dollars.

Erik and Adam might have been among them if not for family and friends who were also following their videos. In a huge surprise, Erik’s sister-in-law offered to be their surrogate and the couple’s best friend signed on as their egg donor.

Having that connection and being able to share it with their daughters has been an incredible gift, Erik said. “We always wanted our girls to be able to ask questions and get answers about where they came from and to know the amazing women who created them and helped build our family.”

In addition to creating online content as the McHusbands, the McEwens have separate careers. Adam is a musician and full-time dad and Erik is a product manager for a software company. Testing out the Carnival MPV Hybrid, both were impressed by its advanced infotainment and technology systems.

Adam loved the passenger-view camera, which allows people in the front seats to see what’s happening in the second and third rows from a screen on the vehicle’s panoramic dashboard. “To be able to check in on what the girls were doing without having to completely twist around was amazing,” he said. “I’ve never been in a car that had that before.”

The McEwens also appreciated the Safe Exit Assist feature, which prevents doors from opening if a vehicle or bicycle is approaching. “Our kids are at the age where, if they’re excited to be somewhere, they’ll jump right out of the car,” Erik said. “Having that safety feature is incredible. It not only protects the people inside the car from getting out at the wrong time, it makes it safer for everyone around you.”

The efficiency and gas savings that come with driving a hybrid is a priority, too, Erik said. “Honestly, the fact that the Carnival comes as a hybrid is a game changer,” he said. “To be able to go on long trips without worrying about how much we’re going to spend on gas is super important to us.”

As their girls grow, the McEwens are excited about each new adventure. You can follow them on Youtube, Instagram and TikTok and learn more about Kia’s 2025 Carnival MPV Hybrid at kia.com/us/en/carnival-mpv-hybrid.

This article was produced by Skyline Studio, the in-house creative agency for Southern California News Group and The San Diego Union-Tribune. The news and editorial staffs of SCNG and the U-T had no role in this post’s preparation.

​ Orange County Register 

Jessica Millan Patterson: California Republicans’ comeback continues

• December 13, 2024

Ballot counting isn’t a sprint in California; it’s a month-long marathon. Finally, after weeks of ballot curing and counting, the results are in, and California Republicans have much to be excited about. Six years ago, the Republican Party was the third largest political party in California, behind Democrats and No Party Preference. Today, voters increasingly show that they are with Republicans in support of commonsense solutions to California’s many problems.

President Donald Trump’s victory was not only a national mandate for his conservative agenda, but he moved the needle to the right even in deep-blue California. When all votes were counted, President Trump performed better in 78 percent of California counties than he did in 2020. At the same time, his opponent, California Democrat Kamala Harris, underperformed Joe Biden’s 2020 results in 57 of 58 counties.

Not only that, but President Trump flipped 10 counties entirely over Harris. Fresno, Merced, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties voted this year for a Republican presidential nominee for the first time since 2004. Imperial County backed a Republican for the first time since 1988.

Much has been made at the national level about President Trump’s success with Latino voters in the election. California Latinos make up around 40 percent of the state’s population, and early data suggests this critical demographic likely helped President Trump in California too. Among the counties that flipped to red, Imperial, Merced and Riverside counties have majority-Latino populations. 

At the state level, California Republicans found huge success. Not only did Republicans protect every incumbent in the state legislature, but we also picked up three seats – two in the Assembly and one in the Senate. This is the first time California Republicans picked up seats in both chambers during a presidential election since 1980, the same year Americans sent a California Republican to the White House. And it happened in districts where Democrats have voter registration advantages, including double-digit advantages in both Assembly pickups.

The party’s nine new legislative members also reflect the diversity of the Golden State. A majority of the new members are women, and two thirds are from either Hispanic or AAPI backgrounds. They also include the two youngest members of the California legislature from either party.

California Republicans’ victories continued with ballot initiatives – an area where the party’s track record has only gotten better in recent years. In 2020, voters sided with the California Republican Party on seven of the 11 ballot initiatives in which we took a position. In 2022, voters were with the CAGOP on two thirds of the ballot initiatives. This year, voters were with the CAGOP on eight out of nine ballot initiatives in which we took a position, or an astounding 89 percent. Voters are saying loudly and clearly that when they get a direct say on different policies, they are with Republicans instead of Democrats.

Much of this year’s success would not have been possible without the hard work of the California Republican Party, our candidates, our partner committees and our outstanding volunteers. Together, we prioritized voter registration across the state, adding more than 928,000 new Republicans to the voter rolls since 2019. We recruited nearly 95,000 volunteers who helped us contact voters and get out the vote for the Republican ticket, including harvesting nearly 35,000 ballots. 

After the election, we cured more than 3,500 ballots across our targeted districts to help voters whose ballots had been rejected. We built the largest Republican election integrity operation in state history made up of staff, volunteers and attorneys who monitored the election count to ensure it was safe and secure. The party’s efforts were sophisticated and robust, and we have many victories today to show for it.

Unfortunately, the election was not without its heartbreaking losses. Despite reelecting some of the most heavily targeted congressional Republicans in the entire country, we lost three seats. These were never going to be easy to defend, with massive sums of money being poured in by Democrats, and voter registration advantages that, though showing improvement for Republicans, still heavily favored Democrats. The three seats lost have shifted between Republican and Democrat control in recent election cycles, and while we came up short this year, they remain winnable for Republicans with hard work and strong candidates in the years ahead.

The 2024 election should not only serve as a wake-up call for national Democrats whose radical agenda was soundly rejected by voters, but for California Democrats specifically. Voters rejected their ideas at the ballot box. Voters chipped away at Democrats’ supermajorities in the state legislature. And voters across the country kept a far-left California Democrat out of the White House. Republicans’ California comeback continues, and Democrats should be on notice.

Jessica Millan Patterson is chairwoman of the California Republican Party.

​ Orange County Register 

Police say suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO killing wasn’t a client of the insurer

• December 13, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — The man charged with killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was not a client of the medical insurer and may have targeted it because of its size and influence, a senior police official said Thursday.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told NBC New York in an interview Thursday that investigators have uncovered evidence that Luigi Mangione had prior knowledge UnitedHealthcare was holding its annual investor conference in New York City.

Mangione also mentioned the company in a note found in his possession when he was detained by police in Pennsylvania.

“We have no indication that he was ever a client of United Healthcare, but he does make mention that it is the fifth largest corporation in America, which would make it the largest healthcare organization in America. So that’s possibly why he targeted that that company,” said Kenny.

UnitedHealthcare is in the top 20 largest U.S. companies by market capitalization but is not the fifth largest. It is the largest U.S. health insurer.

Mangione remains jailed without bail in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested Monday after being spotted at a McDonald’s in the city of Altoona, about 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) west of New York City. His lawyer there, Thomas Dickey, has said Mangione intends to plead not guilty. Dickey also said he has yet to see evidence decisively linking his client to the crime.

Mangione’s arrest came five days after the caught-on-camera killing of Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel.

Police say the shooter waited outside the hotel, where the health insurer was holding its investor conference, early on the morning of Dec. 4. He approached Thompson from behind and shot him before fleeing on a bicycle through Central Park.

Mangione is fighting attempts to extradite him back to New York so that he can face a murder charge in Thompson’s killing. A hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 30.

The 26-year-old, who police say was found with a “ ghost gun ” matching shell casings found at the site of the shooting, is charged in Pennsylvania with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police.

Mangione is an Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family. In posts on social media, Mangione wrote about experiencing severe chronic back pain before undergoing a spinal fusion surgery in 2023. Afterward, he posted that the operation had been a success and that his pain had improved and mobility returned. He urged others to consider the same type of surgery.

On Wednesday, police said investigators are looking at his writings about his health problems and his criticism of corporate America and the U.S. health care system.

Kenny said in the NBC interview that Mangione’s family reported him missing to San Francisco authorities in November.

​ Orange County Register 

3 men to face murder trial for killing tourist at Fashion Island, judge rules

• December 13, 2024

Three men accused of carrying out a brazen, mid-day robbery at Fashion Island in Newport Beach that ended with a 68-year-old New Zealand woman being run over and killed by a getaway driver will all face trial on special circumstances murder charges, an Orange County Superior Court Judge ruled on Thursday, Dec. 12.

The ruling following two days of testimony by law enforcement during a preliminary hearing held in a Santa Ana courtroom clears the way for a jury trial for Leroy McCrary, Malachi Darnell and Jaden Cunningham, three alleged members of a robbery crew from Los Angeles County who are accused of killing Patricia McKay during the commission of a robbery.

A defense attorney representing McCrary — the driver — denied that he intended to run over McKay, while attorneys for Cunningham — who prosecutors allege dragged McKay into the roadway in the midst of the robbery — and Darnell — who is accused of firing gunshots at a good Samaritan who tried to intervene — argued that the two other men were not directly responsible for McKay’s death.

Testimony from more than a half-dozen law enforcement officers — bolstered by several security videos from the shopping center — painted a chaotic scene for a robbery that lasted less than a minute and a half.

McKay and her husband, Douglas, were standing on a sidewalk in front of a Barnes & Noble around 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 2 waiting for family members to pick them up when a white Toyota Camry with no license plates pulled up to the curb.

Two masked men wearing hoodies — identified by prosecutors as Darnell and Cunningham — quickly exited the Camry and tried to force the husband to give them his Rolex watch. The husband later told officers and investigators that one of the robbers — prosecutors say Darnell — pressed a gun into his face and said, “I will shoot you!”

When the robbers couldn’t get the Rolex from the husband, they turned their attention to the wife. In the course of the robbers trying to get bags away from Patricia McKay, security footage showed her being knocked to the ground — in Senior Deputy District Attorney Mark Birney’s description like a “rag doll flung into the street” — and ending up in front of the Camry.

The husband told officers that he stood over his wife, trying to get the driver’s attention and hit the hood of the Camry while telling them to “Stop!” Prosecutors say McCrary ignored the husband and drove off, running over Patricia McKay and dragging her body for around 30 yards.

The Camry drove off so abruptly that one of the robbers — prosecutors say Cunningham — wasn’t able to jump inside. A good Samaritan tried to stop him from running after the Camry, but had to hit the ground when he heard bullets that prosecutors allege had been fired by Darnell “zing” past his head.

All three men were arrested after a police pursuit that stretched over multiple freeways and countless surface streets. At least one of the men made seemingly incriminating comments to investigators, according to testimony during the preliminary hearing,

“Did he describe himself as being the driver at the time Mrs. McCabe was run over?” the prosecutor asked in reference to McCrary.

“Yes,” Newport Beach Police Det. Michael Fletcher responded.

Birney, the prosecutor, argued that all three men were “major participants who acted with reckless disregard.” Darnell and Cunningham teamed up to attack much older victims, the prosecutor argued, while McCrary ignored the husband’s warnings and ran over the wife.

McCrary’s attorney, David Hammond, argued that McCrary didn’t know that the woman was on the ground in front of the Camry due to the chaotic scene and shadows on the roadway.

Darnell’s attorney, Joel Garson, told the judge that Darnell did not kill McKay and was firing gunshots to scare, not kill, the good Samaritan.

Cunningham’s attorney, Ray Chen, argued that Cunningham during the robbery used only enough force to take the McKays’ property. The struggle between the wife and Cunningham over her purse and shopping bags and the husband running up and grabbing Cunningham in order to protect his wife was what led to the confrontation ending up in the roadway in front of the Camry, the defense attorney added.

The standard of proof for a preliminary hearing — probable cause — is a lower burden for prosecutors than the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard for an actual criminal trial.

Judge Gregory Jones ruled that all three men can stand trial as charged. The men are also facing attempted robbery charges and a sentencing enhancement for causing the death of a person 65 or older, among other charges.

Due to the special circumstances murder charges, prosecutors will have to decide at some point prior to trial whether to pursue life without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. The county’s top prosecutor — DA Todd Spitzer — ultimately makes that decision, generally after internal discussions with his senior prosecutors and advisors and input from the defense attorneys.

​ Orange County Register