BRIEFLY LAPD MOTORCYCLE OFFICER CRASHES.

SIMI VALLEY - An LAPD officer crashed his motorcycle Saturday night after he swerved to avoid a dog, authorities said.

The officer, whose name was not released, suffered a broken leg in the 9:10 p.m. crash at Royal Avenue and First Street, Simi Valley police Sgt. Gary Collins said.

The officer was driving his police motorcycle home from work when the crash happened, Collins said.

- Daily News

Deputy chasing suspect is injured

COMPTON - A deputy sheriff chasing a suspect who was in a possibly stolen car was injured Saturday when his squad car collided with a third vehicle in Compton, a sheriff's sergeant said.

The crash occurred about 9:10 p.m. at Tajauta Avenue and Compton Boulevard, said Sgt. Don Manumaleuna of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The deputy was airlifted to St. Francis Medical Center, where his condition was not immediately available. The driver of the other vehicle was uninjured, Manumaleuna said.

The driver of the reportedly stolen vehicle was later caught and taken into custody, Manumaleuna said.

- City News Service

Man surrenders in sex case

SANTA CLARITA - A 40-year-old Valencia man suspected of molesting a 56-year-old woman in a locker room at College of the Canyons was being held on $100,000 bail Saturday after he turned himself in, a sheriff's lieutenant said.

The man surrendered to deputies at the Santa Clarita sheriff's station about 11:30 Friday night, after seeing security camera images of himself on TV, said Lt. Brenda Cambra of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

``He saw himself on TV and realized it was best if he turned himself in,'' Cambra said.

He was booked on suspicion of sexual battery and will probably be formally charged early next week, Cambra said.

The man's name was withheld until the victim could positively identify him, Cambra said.

- Associated Press

Murder suspect caught by police

LONG BEACH - Police arrested a man they believe killed a 79-year-old local man, then dumped his body in a field in Irvine, a department spokeswoman said Saturday.

James Doherty, 54, of Long Beach was arrested near 56th Street and Atlantic Boulevard about 1 p.m. Friday, said Nancy Pratt of the Long Beach Police Department.

Kaj Hansen disappeared around 4:30 p.m. Thursday from an apartment complex he and his wife owned in the 6100 block of Linden Avenue.

- Associated Press

Voice man Dark has died at age 65

Voice-over artist Daniel Croskery, who under the name Danny Dark was the voice of the NBC television network for several years and was heard on radio and in countless commercials, has died. He was 65 years old.

Croskery died in Los Angeles, according to a representative of his church, who did not know the cause of death.

Croskery, who used the professional name Danny Dark, provided the voice in commercials for Budweiser, RCA, Chevrolet, Kmart, AT&T, Texaco, Whitman's Candies, Keebler Cookies and other products.

- Associated Press