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Officials lift heightened security measures at courthouse
LAKEPORT, Calif. – After nearly a week of heightened security measures due to a bomb threat, officials on Tuesday decided to return to normal safety procedures at the Lake County Courthouse.
The building, located at 255 N. Forbes St. in Lakeport, was the focus of a threat – made via telephone to a local reporter and then relayed to the sheriff’s office – on Wednesday, Sept. 26.
That threat initially caused an evacuation of the building while law enforcement searched for an explosive device. None was found, and court and county staffers were allowed to go back to work that same afternoon.
Then, late last week, law enforcement and county administrative officials decided to close the courthouse for the weekend in order to conduct another precautionary security sweep before staff returned to work on Monday, as Lake County News has reported.
Most members of the public must pass through a screening checkpoint at the building’s main entrance.
Courthouse staff, who usually are allowed to pass through side doors with access cards, were temporarily required to go through the building’s main entrance as well, according to interim County Administrative Officer Matt Perry.
On Tuesday afternoon, following the Board of Supervisors meeting, Perry met with Capt. Chris Macedo of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Board of Supervisors Chair Rob Brown and Lake County Superior Court Executive Officer Mary Smith.
He told Lake County News that they decided to resume normal entrance practices on Wednesday morning, including allowing employees with access cards to once again enter through side doors rather than the busier main entrance.
Perry said an email was sent to county employees Tuesday afternoon advising them of the return to normal procedures, and reminding them of certain safety practices regarding entering and exiting the courthouse.
He said those practices include requiring that employees and others who are exiting the building through side doors not allow people to enter and circumvent security screening.
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Officials heighten courthouse security, conduct additional investigation following Sept. 26 bomb scare
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Following a bomb threat against the Lake County Courthouse last week, local officials have heightened security precautions and conducted another sweep of the building.
The threat against the building, located at 255 N. Forbes St. in Lakeport, occurred last Wednesday afternoon, as Lake County News has reported.
An anonymous male subject phoned a local newspaper reporter to make the threat. Undersheriff Pat Turturici told Lake County News that the subject made the threat in connection to the sheriff’s office’s ongoing marijuana eradications around the county.
While nothing was found during an initial sweep, concerns about the building’s safety have continued.
County Administrative Officer Matt Perry told Lake County News that, based on discussions with law enforcement, the decision was made to close the four-story courthouse completely at the end of the work day on Friday.
The building, which houses both court and county employees, remained secure over the weekend in advance of another precautionary security sweep, Perry said.
On Monday the courthouse reopened for business, but with county officials taking extra precautions, the details of which they have not released.
In order for the public to enter the courthouse, they must go through the main entrance on N. Forbes Street and pass through a security checkpoint. Courthouse employees with badges generally are not required to be screened.
Perry said county employees were reminded of existing security procedures, including directing all persons to enter the building through the main entrance and therefore pass through the security screening.
He said those security procedures prohibit anyone exiting through a side door from allowing entry through that door.
Perry said he was planning to meet on Tuesday with sheriff’s officials, Lake County Superior Court Executive Officer Mary Smith and Board of Supervisors Chair Rob Brown to discuss how long to continue the special security measures that have been in place following the threat.
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Lower Lake man wanted for leading police on high speed chase
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Police are looking for a Lower Lake man who led officers on a high speed chase through residential neighborhoods in Clearlake late Sunday night.
William Lefferts, 41, is the suspect in the case, according to Lt. Tim Celli of the Clearlake Police Department.
Shortly before 11 p.m. Sunday a Clearlake Police officer saw Lefferts, driving a black 1993 Ford Ranger. Celli said the officer knew Lefferts was wanted for a parole violation.
When the officer tried to pull Lefferts over, Lefferts fled in his pickup, leading officers through nearby residential neighborhoods, Celli said.
Due to concerns about safety for the public and the conditions on the dirt roads where the chase ended up, Celli said the officers ended the chase, last seeing Lefferts in the Vista Robles Way area.
Officers later tracked the pickup down at an address on 19th Avenue that was related to Lefferts’ girlfriend, but Celli said they didn’t find Lefferts himself.
While Lefferts remains at large, Celli said a case against Lefferts has been sent to the District Attorney’s Office.
Celli said the case alleges felony evading with disregard for safety, and misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and driving on a suspended license.
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REGIONAL: Sheriff’s office investigates fatal structure fire
MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif. – Mendocino County Sheriff’s officials are investigating a structure fire that claimed two lives Saturday morning.
Capt. Kurt Smallcomb said that at 8:10 a.m. Saturday Mendocino County Sheriff’s deputies and California Highway Officers were dispatched to 10580 Main St. in Potter Valley to assist Potter Valley Fire and Cal Fire with a fully engulfed residential structure fire.
On arrival deputies learned that family members had vacated the residence during the fire, but possibly two victims remained inside and were unaccounted for, Smallcomb said. Deputies then contacted detectives who responded to the location.
During the fire investigation, two victims were located inside the burnt structure, Smallcomb said.
Mendocino County Sheriff’s detectives along with Cal Fire investigators are continuing the investigation into the cause and origin of the fire along with identifying the two deceased victims, he said.
Smallcomb said additional information about the case will be released in the coming week.
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