SOUTHLAND: BRIEFLY : WORK FURLOUGH TURNS DOWN DUI APPLICANT.

VENTURA - Court records show that former state Energy Commission chairman Charles Imbrecht was drunk when he showed up to apply for a work furlough program to serve out a drunk-driving sentence.

Imbrecht was deemed ``unacceptable'' for entry to the work furlough program, division manager Donald Krause said in a memo to jail officials.

The incident occurred May 1.

Ventura County sheriff's deputies arrested Imbrecht Dec. 7, and the next month he resigned the commission post he held for nearly 14 years.

In March he pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol and was sentenced to 40 days in jail, with credit for time served.

After the failed alcohol test, Imbrecht, 48, was taken to jail.

He subsequently admitted probation violations in court and, on Wednesday, Judge Barry Klopfer sentenced him to 30 days in jail.

Prosecutors asked that he begin serving his sentence immediately, but defense attorney William Tomasi asked for time so that Imbrecht could voluntarily check into a rehabilitation program. He was given until July 7.

Imbrecht was released from custody Thursday, after serving 28 days of his original sentence. He can apply again for work furlough in July.

?13Associated Press

Crews douse blaze at storage center

BURBANK - A fire broke out in a storage facility in Burbank on Saturday, but firefighters, assisted by a hazardous materials team, put it out in half an hour.

Firefighters from Burbank, Glendale and the Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to the blaze at 3111 N. San Fernando Blvd., said Burbank Fire Department spokeswoman Lori Fitch.

Because of the possible presence of toxic materials in the building, officials ordered sand to absorb the runoff water used to fight the blaze, she said.

One civilian was treated for smoke inhalation and was released at the scene.

?13City News Service

Man gets 25 years to life in '96 murder

SANTA ANA - A judge who said he believed the defendant lied to the court sentenced the man to 25 years to life for his role in the 1996 robbery and murder of an in-line skater.

``A jury did not have a problem finding you guilty,'' Orange County Judge Robert B. Huston told the 18-year-old defendant. ``I heard the evidence and I agree with them. I do not believe your account of the events, and I believe you are guilty.''

Domenic M. Christopher was convicted in April of first-degree murder even though he was not the one who did the killing. The jury reasoned that Christopher did nothing to stop the murder of Thien Minh Ly, 24, of Tustin.

Christopher admitted he was at the scene but denied participating in the fatal knife attack.

Another defendant, Gunner J. Lindberg, 24, is charged with murder during commission of a hate crime and attempted robbery, allegations that could make him eligible for the death penalty. He goes to trial in July.

?13Associated Press

One killed, 7 injured in Westwood crash

One person was killed and seven injured in a two-car crash Saturday in Westwood, a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman said.

The crash occurred at 7:46 p.m. at Wilshire and Westwood boulevards, LAFD spokesman Jim Wells said. Wells had no information on the cause of the collision.

All injured people were taken to UCLA Medical Center for treatment, Wells said. One was critically injured, two were seriously injured, and the rest had minor injuries.

?13City News Service