Clearlake Police officers arrest Lucerne burglary suspect

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Police officers on Tuesday arrested a Lucerne man alleged to have stolen a car and taken other items during a Northshore burglary.

Raymon Narvaes, 30, was taken into custody in the case, according to a report from Clearlake Police Sgt. Nick Bennett.

Bennett said that on Tuesday Det. Ryan Peterson and Det. Travis Lenz were conducting followup investigations and were in the area of the 15000 block of Polk Street when they observed a suspicious vehicle.

A check of the vehicle license plate showed it had been recently reported stolen from Lucerne, Bennett said.

He said Peterson and Lenz pulled the vehicle over and the occupant – identified as Narvaes – was taken into custody.

The investigation by the detectives revealed that Narvaes had stolen the vehicle while burglarizing the home of the vehicle's owner, Bennett said.

In addition to the vehicle, several items stolen during the burglary were recovered, as well as items that Bennett said may link Narvaes to other thefts.

The suspect was booked into the Lake County Jail for vehicle theft, burglary and possession of stolen property, Bennett said.

Due to a felony parole violation added to the charges against Narvaes, he is being held without bail, according to jail records.

Bennett said the Clearlake Police report on Narvaes was forwarded to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office for additional investigation as the primary offense occurred in that agency's jurisdiction.

Police arrest suspect on suspicion of setting Monday fires in Clearlake

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Police have arrested a Clearlake man for allegedly having set three fires on Monday, including two wildland fires.

Johnny Johnson, 49, was arrested on three counts of arson, according to a report from Sgt. Rodd Joseph of the Clearlake Police Department.

Joseph said that just before 1 p.m. Monday, as Lake County Fire Protection and Cal Fire crews were battling two wildland fires between Olympic Drive and Burns Valley Road, the Clearlake Police Department received a call from a witness who reported a suspicious man behind Clearlake Dialysis Center, located at 14400 Olympic Drive.

The caller reported that the man had lit a small fire on the ground that had since been extinguished and was bragging to some children in the area about starting the larger and still burning fire, Joseph said.

Clearlake Police Officer Michael Carpenter arrived in the area and located the man described by the caller in the wooded area behind the dialysis center, Joseph said.

The man, identified as Johnson, admitted to starting a small fire in the wooded area but claimed he only did this to demonstrate to some children who were in the area how fires are easily started. Joseph said Johnson claimed that he had already extinguished the small fire with his hands.

At the time of contact, fire crews had already extinguished one of the larger fires but was still battling an even larger fire in the wooded field due north of the dialysis center, off of Burns Valley Road. Joseph said a Cal Fire helicopter with a water bucket was also being used to help fight this fire.

Johnson denied starting either of the two larger fires, only the small “demonstration fire” he had already extinguished with his hands. Joseph said Johnson’s pants were partially melted and his hair was partially singed. He also was in possession of a lighter.

Officers walked the area around where the two fires were located, Joseph said. The larger and still burning fire was located about 100 to 150 yards north of where Johnson was first located.

The smaller and already extinguished fire was located about a quarter-mile mile east of where Johnson had been located. Joseph said officers located Johnson’s unique shoe prints around both fire locations.

The larger and still burning fire had Johnson’s shoe prints leading up to and away from it, back towards the area where officers located him, Joseph said.

The original reporting party and an additional witness were interviewed and identified Johnson as the person seen starting a very small fire near where officers contacted him, according to Joseph.

Based on statements by the two witnesses and physical evidence located at the scenes of the three fires and on Johnson’s person, Joseph said Johnson was arrested and charged with three felony counts arson and later booked into the Lake County Jail.

The Clearlake Police Department thanked the witnesses for coming forward and getting involved. Joseph said these arson cases likely would have gone unsolved had it not been for the witnesses coming forward.

Anyone with information on these fires is asked to contact Officer Michael Carpenter at 707-994-8251, Extension 542. Callers may remain anonymous.

Police investigate stabbing cases involving juvenile suspects

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Police Department is investigating two assaults from the past week, one involving a possible attempted robbery, where the victims were stabbed by juvenile assailants.

The juveniles involved in the incidents so far have not been identified, and Sgt. Nick Bennett said Thursday that it's unknown if the two incidents are linked.

Bennett said the first incident occurred this past Sunday at approximately 6:20 p.m., when a victim was approached by three unknown male juveniles who demanded his money and jewelry.

When the man refused, one of the males brandished a knife and stabbed the victim in the back, according to Bennett.

The victim was treated by Lake County Fire Protection District medics and transported to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake, Bennett said.

The second incident occurred on Tuesday at approximately 1:20 a.m., when a victim was walking by the J&L Market on Old Highway 53 and contacted by two unknown male juveniles, Bennett said.

The second victim also was struck in the back by some type of sharp stabbing instrument. Bennett said the victim also was treated at the scene by Lake County Fire Protection District medics then transported to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake.

Bennett said the city of Clearlake has curfew in effect. The curfew rules state that juveniles are not to be out without parental supervision after 10 p.m. on weeknights.

Anyone with any information regarding the Sunday stabbing is encouraged to contact investigating Officer Mike Dietrick at 707-994-8251, Extension 502; information about the Tuesday case should be shared with Officer Aaron Winslow at 707-994-8251, Extension 503.

Clearlake Police Department encourages citizens to report any suspicious activities by calling 707-994-8251, then press 1.