How to resolve AdBlock issue? Lakeport Safeway reopened, police investigate release of aerosol substance
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department said it is seeking leads regarding an incident at the Safeway store on Sunday afternoon in which customers and employees alike had difficulty breathing due to the release of an aerosol substance.
The store reopened early Sunday evening after a nearly two-hour closure, according to Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen.
He said his department is investigating the Sunday incident as a felony crime and officers are currently following up on leads in order to identify who was responsible.
Police and firefighters initially were dispatched to the store on 11th Street at around 3:30 p.m., after numerous people reported choking and shortness of breath at the front of the store, as Lake County News has reported.
Lakeport Fire, Kelseyville Fire, Northshore Fire, the Lakeport Police Department and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Lake County Environmental Health all were reported to have responded to the scene.
Based on the investigation so far, Rasmussen said it’s believed that pepper was the substance that was released by an unknown individual.
Store courtesy clerk Brittany Faustino told Lake County News that the substance had no smell, and that numerous people – including herself – had suddenly started to choke and cough.
Once the store was evacuated, Rasmussen said his officers began a criminal investigation while the fire department set up positive pressure ventilation to rid the store of contaminants.
At 5:20 p.m., police, fire and Environmental Health staff believed the store was safe for customers and store management was advised they could repopulate the store, Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen said numerous people were treated at the scene by fire medical staff and one subject was transported to a local hospital for treatment. No further details on the conditions of victims was known at the time of Rasmussen’s Sunday night report.
“We also believe that numerous other victims left the store without being treated by medical staff. We would like to identify and talk with those persons as well and any person who may have seen anything suspicious in the store this afternoon,” Rasmussen said.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Lakeport Police Department by sending a private message on its Facebook page @LakeportPolice, emailing investigating Police Officer Mark Steele at
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Police arrest mother in case of child found in street; additional leads sought
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lakeport Police officers have taken a woman into custody after her young child was found Thursday night wandering in a city street.
Sophia Maria Pulido, 39, address unknown, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail late Thursday night, Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen reported.
At 7:15 p.m. Thursday Lakeport Police Department Sgt. Joe Eastham, who was off-duty at the time, and a citizen who were both traveling on Martin Street near Brush Street at the same time located a 2-year-old boy in the middle of the road, Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen said Eastham immediately took protective custody of the child and notified on-duty patrol officers.
Officers responded to the scene and began a neighborhood search while also putting out an online community alert at about 8 p.m., Rasmussen said.
In the police department’s online alert, they asked for leads to help locate the parents of the child, who they described as an Indian male with shoulder-length black hair, brown eyes, and wearing a camo shirt, black pants and white socks.
Within minutes of that alert being issued, community members started sending in leads, Rasmussen said.
He said within an hour officers tracked down the mother, identified as Pulido, at a metal shop on Brush Street between Martin Street and Armstrong Street.
Pulido was determined to be under the influence of methamphetamine and placed under arrest for that as well as felony child endangerment, Rasmussen said.
During the search the child was kept under care by Sgt. Mike Sobieraj at the police station. Rasmussen said Lake County Child Protective Services later responded and took custody of the child.
Rasmussen thanked his officers and the community for bringing a quick resolution to this case.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact the Lakeport Police Department by calling 707-263-5491 and asking to speak with an officer, sending the agency a private Facebook message to @LakeportPolice or sending an anonymous text message from your cellular phone by texting the words TIP LAKEPORT followed by your message to 888777.
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Lakeport Police Department seeks leads on fight that seriously injured two; one man in custody for attempted murder
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department is seeking leads in an effort to identify individuals involved in an early Saturday morning fight that left two people with life-threatening injuries.
So far, police have arrested one man, Enrique Ivan Tovar, 27, of Lakeport, in connection to the incident, according to a report from Chief Brad Rasmussen.
At approximately 1:42 a.m. Saturday, Lakeport Police Department officers, assisted by Lake County Sheriff’s deputies, were dispatched to Logan’s Bar in downtown Lakeport to investigate a fight involving upwards of 15 persons, Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen said the first two arriving Lakeport Police officers saw two known subjects, Enrique Tovar and Tedoulo Francisco Tovar Jr., 29, also of Lakeport, who appeared to be instigators in the fight.
As these two subjects were being arrested, all other involved parties fled the scene, Rasmussen said.
Officers took the two men to the Lake County Jail to be booked on misdemeanor disturbance charges. It was then determined that Tedoulo Tovar was in need of medical treatment and he was transported to a local hospital. Due to his need for medical care he was later released from custody, according to Rasmussen’s report.
While officers were at the hospital, a 32-year-old male checked himself into the emergency room with stab wounds and advised that he was injured during the fight at Logan’s. Rasmussen said the man later was transferred to an out-of-county hospital for treatment.
At approximately 4:15 a.m., Lakeport Police Sgt. Joe Eastham went back to the area of Logan’s and started following blood trails that led him several blocks away, Rasmussen said.
Eastham continued checking the area and heard the sounds of a person in distress. He followed the sounds and located a 29-year-old male inside an overturned trash container. The victim was bleeding profusely and had serious stab wounds, according to Rasmussen.
Fire/medical units were called and the victim was later transferred to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment. Rasmussen said Det. Dale Stoebe was dispatched to Santa Rosa to conduct followup.
Rasmussen said Eastham’s actions likely saved this stabbing victim’s life.
Enrique Tovar has been booked on additional charges of two counts of attempted murder and is being held on bond of $200,000, Rasmussen said.
Also arrested in this incident were Ivanna Allison Tovar, 23, of Lakeport on charges of battery and public intoxication and Daniel Perez, 31, of Point Arena, on charges of public intoxication and resisting arrest, according to Rasmussen.
Rasmussen said Saturday afternoon that Det. Stoebe is continuing to lead the investigation and being assisted by numerous other officers.
Police want to talk to anyone who may have any information on this incident as they know numerous other subjects may be involved, Rasmussen said.
Anyone with information can contact the Lakeport Police Department by calling 707-263-5491 and leaving a message for Det. Stoebe or any officer, emailing
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Sheriff’s office identifies man who died after being hit by vehicle
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Northshore man has been identified as the pedestrian who died last month after being struck by a vehicle near Robinson Rancheria.
Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office identified the man as John Kennedy Garoutte, 35, of Nice.
The California Highway Patrol said Garoutte was walking in or about the eastbound lane and south shoulder of Highway 20 near Pomo Way at Robinson Rancheria shortly after midnight on Feb. 17 when he was struck by a Toyota Tundra driven by 51-year-old Matthew Hochleutner of Upper Lake.
The CHP said Hochleutner had not been able to see Garoutte until just before he hit him.
Firefighters declared Garoutte dead at the scene shortly after the crash, the CHP said.
In an obituary issued by Garoutte’s family, it was explained that he was walking back from a late shift at work when he was hit.
CHP Officer Joe Wind said Wednesday that officers are still investigating the crash, with no updates on their findings available so far.
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Roads update: Numerous closures remain in effect; police warn about driving on closed roadways
The map has been updated.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Thanks to a sunny break in the rain, Clear Lake’s flood waters have begun to recede, but in many areas around the county conditions aren’t yet safe enough to lift road closures.
With closures of streets and four neighborhoods remaining in effect due to flooding, the Lakeport Police Department warned that motorists founds driving on closed roadways will be cited.
The agency said driving on closed roadways is prohibited to all motorists – including residents in flooded areas.
Police said the wakes created by motorists driving in flooded areas are damaging homes.
Additionally, the inundated roadways are in danger of failure and additional driving may lead to collapse, police said.
Elsewhere around the county, state highways in Lake County are open and clear, according to Caltrans.
However, this week there was the report of a sinkhole that’s developed on the east side of Highway 29 north of Hidden Valley Lake.
Caltrans spokesman Phil Frisbie said the sinkhole is caused by a failing culvert.
He said Caltrans has initiated an emergency contract for repairs with Epidendio Construction of Lower Lake.
The many county and city roadways that were closed on Friday remain closed on Saturday, with no new opening updates from county or city officials.
One of the major closures, of the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff, may remain in effect through the weekend, according to the Lake County Public Works Facebook page.
The full list of road closures and advisories for areas around the county follows. Information was compiled from reports from Caltrans, the California Highway Patrol, the Clearlake Police Department, Lake County Department of Public Works and the Lakeport Police Department.
In the map below, areas marked with the flooding symbol and the red triangle indicate closures; the rockslide icon indicates those areas where there are slides but which remain open.
CLEARLAKE
All city boat launches remain closed.
Lakeshore Drive between Lower Lakeshore Drive and Kings Lane is closed to traffic due to sewage spill and heavy equipment in the area. Use alternative routes.
Lakeshore Drive between Howard Avenue and Alvita Avenue has water partially blocking lanes. There is no traffic control in this area at this time. Use extreme caution and reduce speed.
CLEARLAKE OAKS
High Valley Road: Road conditions from Brassfield Winery to Bartlett Springs Road are unknown at this time.
Island Drive: Closed from Highway 20 to the bridge due to flooding.
Keys Boulevard: Closed due to flooding.
Lake Street: Closed due to flooding.
Old Long Valley Road: Open with slide activity.
Widgeon Way: Closed from the Plaza to Shady Lane due to tree across the roadway.
COBB
Maple Shadows: Closed at the south end from Highway 175 to Parnassus due to culvert failure.
Socrates Mine Road: Road slip out at MPM 3.8. Down to one lane in this area.
KELSEYVILLE
Park Drive: Closed to through traffic due to flooding.
LAKEPORT (CITY)
All city boat launches remain closed.
Library Park continues to be closed due to the extreme danger and flood conditions.
City parking lots at Third Street, Fourth Street and Fifth Street are closed.
– Esplanade Street.
– K Street.
– Konocti Avenue.
– Lupoyoma Avenue.
– Helena Avenue.
– Lily Cove Avenue.
– Oak Knoll Avenue.
– E Street.
Giselman Street from Lakeshore Boulevard to Sayre Street: Closed due to flooding. A detour has been set up: Northbound traffic will use Green Street to Sayer Street to Giselman Street, southbound traffic will use Giselman Street to Sayer Street to Green Street. Please drive with caution on these streets as there will be school children using them.
Lakeshore Boulevard: Closed to all traffic from Giselman to the north city limit boundary at Beach Lane. Lakeshore Boulevard across from Jones Street appears to be undermined and may be structurally unsafe. Avoid the area.
Royale Avenue: Closed to all vehicles at Pike Drive.
LAKEPORT
Hill Road: Closed between Sutter Lakeside Hospital entrance and Lakeshore Boulevard due to mudslides across the roadway.
Lakeshore Boulevard: Closed from Park Way to Alterra Drive due to flooding.
Lakeshore Boulevard: Closed from Park Way to 2,500 feet north due to flooding and a power pole leaning into the roadway.
Reeves Lane: Closed at Land’s End due to flooding.
LOWER LAKE
Morgan Valley Road: Closed at the Lake/Napa line due to numerous trees and mud slides on the Napa County side.
NICE
Lakeshore Boulevard: Closed from Stokes Avenue to Carson Street due to flooding.
Nice-Lucerne Cutoff: Closed due to flooding.
Stokes Avenue: Closed from Stokes Court to Nice-Lucerne Cutoff due to flooding.
UPPER LAKE
Bartlett Springs Road: Closed at MPM 18.0 due to mudslide.
Elk Mountain Road: Roadway closed at MPM 29.6 due to road washout. No estimate of when road will be reopened.
Laurel Dell Road: Currently open with closure pending due to flooding.
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