Tanker

...no closer to a resolution with the teachers' union, and a strike looks increasingly likely. But as the sun begins to set, and with city hall closed on Monday, it looks like it'll be one long weekend for everyone involved before we get an answer. Ted?

Thanks, Connie.

We turn now to last night's accident in Palo Alto. Emergency responders continue the cleanup efforts after Frank Kearns, 37, of San Francisco County, crashed a tanker car full of chemicals into a BMW belonging to ad executive Lionel Gould. Both drivers were killed in the collision and the road was coated with thousands of gallons of liquefied wax, spilled from the tanker car, which immediately began to solidify. Sections of US-101 North remain closed due to dangerous conditions caused by the wax, making travel for the three-day weekend a little more difficult.

Kearns -- a man with no prior criminal record and no history of mental illness -- stole the tanker car from a factory owned by Miralus Healthcare, a pharmaceutical concern based out of Wyoming. Miralus has assured the public that the chemicals spilled in last night's accident are benign, and pose no danger of toxicity. Nonetheless, city officials have questioned how someone could enter the factory grounds and escape with a tanker car apparently undetected. Said a spokesperson for Miralus, "we are looking at revamping our security measures."

Autopsy results show that Kearns was not drunk or medicated at the time of the collision, so police believe it may have been intentional. And tonight, more details have emerged regarding a possible motive for the fatal joyride. Gould, the driver of the BMW who was also killed, was the primary creator for several advertisements that promoted Miralus Healthcare's product lines. Though Kearns himself was in no way associated with Miralus Healthcare, investigators have called the link between Gould and the company quote, "significant."

Moreover, witnesses from the scene recall that Kearns drove with a singular focus, weaving in and out of traffic to overtake and eventually ram Gould's BMW in particular. One driver reported: "[Kearns] was right on top of him. He could have passed him or run him down if he wanted. But it seemed way more personal than that. [Kearns] swung around on purpose so that he could ram the car head-on."

Investigators have ruled out terrorism, but believe a personal vendetta against either Gould or Miralus may have played a role.

Kearns is survived by a wife and two young daughters. Gould is survived by a grown son.

And now for your Memorial Day Forecast. Tyrone?