Police arrest Clearlake man following vehicle pursuit involving stolen car

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Police last week arrested a Clearlake man who led officers on a high speed chase in a stolen vehicle and also took his passenger into custody on a warrant.

Sgt. Travis Lenz said police arrested 20-year-old Kashi Shiva Arbeeny on charges related to the pursuit and stolen vehicle.

Just after 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9, Officer Matthew Huot was on duty conducting routine patrol when he observed a gold in color Chevrolet Impala traveling southbound on Old Highway 53. The Impala’s passenger side rear tail light was not illuminated, a violation of the California Vehicle Code, Lenz said.

Lenz said Officer Huot initiated a traffic enforcement stop on the Impala in the 15000 block of Lakeshore Drive. The driver, later identified as Arbeeny, pulled his vehicle off the south roadway edge of Lakeshore Drive and briefly came to a complete stop.

Once stopped, Arbeeny then accelerated the vehicle back into the roadway and continued eastbound on Lakeshore Drive, reaching high rates of speed, Lenz said.

Officer Huot initiated a vehicle pursuit at that time, giving chase after Arbeeny. Lenz said Huot pursued Arbeeny for approximately three and a half miles before he again stopped at the intersection of Boyles Avenue and 37th Avenue.

At that time, officers from the Clearlake Police Department as well as deputies from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office who arrived to assist conducted a high risk traffic stop on the vehicle, Lenz said.

Lenz said Arbeeny was removed from the vehicle and placed under arrest at that time. The only other occupant in the vehicle, identified as 33-year-old Nice resident Don Louis Presler, was removed from the vehicle and detained at that time for questioning.

A records check of the Impala through the Department of Motor Vehicles revealed it had been previously reported to the California Highway Patrol as stolen out of Middletown on Sept. 8. Lenz said the victim of the vehicle theft was contacted, responded to the scene and took possession of their stolen vehicle.

A records check of Presler revealed he had an outstanding warrant out of Mendocino County for traffic violations, Lenz said.

Based on statements obtained during the investigation, it was determined Arbeeny stole the vehicle from Middletown the day prior, according to Lenz.

Arbeeny was later booked into the Lake County Jail on charges of evading a peace officer in a motor vehicle while driving in wanton and willful disregard for public safety, evading a peace officer in a motor vehicle while traveling in the opposing lane of traffic, possession of a controlled substance, vehicle theft, and driving on a suspended license.

His bail was set at $35,000 and he remained in custody early Wednesday, according to jail records.

Presler, who was determined not to have been involved in the vehicle theft, was booked into the Lake County Jail on his outstanding arrest warrant, Lenz said.

Anyone with information in regard to this investigation is asked to contact Officer Huot at the Clearlake Police Department at 707-994-8251 Ext. 501.

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Written by: Lake County News reports

Published: 14 September 2016

Police locate missing teenage boy

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A juvenile who went missing three days ago has been found safe.

The Lakeport Police Department said 15-year-old Christopher Vetter was located in Clearlake at around 6 p.m. Tuesday.

The teen had last been seen in Lakeport on Saturday, Sept. 10, according to police. He was believed to have run away and headed to Clearlake.

Police had put out a request to the community seeking information as to his whereabouts on Tuesday morning.

In its update on locating the boy, the Lakeport Police Department thanked the community members who had shared information with the agency in order to help locate him.

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Written by: Lake County News reports

Published: 13 September 2016

Lakeport Police Department seeks runaway juvenile

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department is asking for the community's help in locating a boy who is believed to have run away from home.

Christopher Vetter, 15, was last seen in Lakeport on Saturday, Sept. 10, police said.

Police said the teen may have gone to the city of Clearlake.

He is described by police as being 5 feet 4 inches tall and approximately 105 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair.

When he was last seen, he was wearing dark wash-faded jeans, a baby blue t-shirt and gray Converse shoes, according to police.

Anyone who has seen him is asked to contact their local law enforcement agency.

Information about the teen can be reported directly to the Lakeport Police Department by calling 707-263-5491, sending a private message on Facebook on the agency's page at @LakeportPolice, or by sending an anonymous message through Nixle on a cellular telephone by texting the words TIP LAKEPORT followed by your message to 888777.

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Written by: Lake County News reports

Published: 13 September 2016

Police issue reminder on traffic rules aimed at keeping schoolchildren safe

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – As Labor Day has passed it is time to remember that children are back to school, and the Clearlake Police Department is urging the community to take precautions to make sure schoolchildren remain safe.

Clearlake Police's traffic officer, Mike Perreault, said that in the mornings and afternoons there will be an increase of children walking, riding bicycles, and going to and from school.

There also will be an increase in the volume of traffic due to school buses and parents transporting children to and from school, Perreault said.

Perreault said the following are important things to remember as the new school year moves forward in order to help ensure the safety of the community's children:

• Give yourself some extra time: With the increase in traffic, cyclist and pedestrian traffic, as well as those who now need to add taking the children to school to their schedule, give yourself some extra time in the morning. That way you are not in a rush and tempted to speed or put safety aside to get where you are going.

• The school zone speed limit is 25 miles per hour: When driving within 500 feet before and after a school while children are outside or crossing the street, the speed limit is 25 miles per hour unless otherwise posted. Also, if the school grounds have no fence and children are outside, never drive faster than 25 miles per hour. Some school zones may have speed limits as low as 15 miles per hour.

• School buses: The driver of any vehicle upon meeting or overtaking from either direction of a school bus, that is stopped for the purpose of loading or unloading any schoolchildren and displays a flashing red light signal and stop signal arm, visible from front or rear, shall bring the vehicle to a stop immediately before passing the school bus and shall not proceed past the school bus until the flashing red light signal and stop signal arm, if equipped with a stop signal arm, cease operation.

Also, a vehicle driver approaching an intersection at which a school bus is stopped shall stop his/her vehicle at that intersection until the flashing red signals are no longer actuated.

• Pedestrians and crosswalks: Many of our schools have crosswalks and crossing guards in the roadways and intersections around our schools. The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right of way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk.

• Bicycle helmets: In California, anyone under the age of 18 must wear a helmet when riding a bicycle on a street, bikeway or public bicycle path or trail. The law also requires anyone under 18 to wear a helmet when riding a scooter, skateboard or when using inline skates. So parents, please, make sure your children have and are wearing a helmet.

“Keeping our children safe is all of our responsibility,” said Perreault. “So please let's keep these reminders, rules of the road, and safety tips on our minds so we can have a safe, successful and happy school year.”

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Written by: Lake County News reports

Published: 06 September 2016