How to resolve AdBlock issue? REGIONAL: Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office requests help in identifying woman found in ocean
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office is seeking the public's assistance in identifying a woman whose body was found in the ocean over the weekend.
Just before 2 p.m. Saturday the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a human body in the surf in Jenner, at an area locally known as Driftwood Beach on the north side of the mouth of the Russian River.
Sonoma County Sheriff’s deputies, Henry 1, State Park rangers and local fire department personnel responded.
With the assistance of numerous first responders on scene, the deceased was removed from the flotsam. Because of the steep and lengthy trail to extract the body to the awaiting transportation vehicle on Highway 1, the helicopter crew elected to use the long-line to remove the deceased.
The deceased had been in the water for an undetermined amount of time, and officials said identification is proving extremely difficult.
As a result, they are asking for the public’s help in making positive identification of the deceased so they can notify her family.
The deceased was a Caucasian female adult. Her age is estimated to be between 20 to 35 years old. She was approximately 5 feet, 2 inches tall, and weighed about 100 pounds.
She had a one-inch circular scar on the side of her upper chest and she had undergone an appendectomy.
There were no tattoos, jewelry or other adornments visible, but they might have been lost at sea.
When she was found, she was clothed in MPG brand multi-colored yoga capris, size extra small. She wore brown Teva boots, size eight, with hiking socks.
The results of the autopsy regarding the cause and manner of death are pending, but the initial report indicates she did not appear to be the victim of foul play.
Anyone with any information about the identity of this woman is encouraged to contact the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Tip Line at 707-565-2185. You can leave a message – day or night.
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Sheriff thanks tribe for assistance in investigating case
UPPER LAKE, Calif. – On Friday, Sheriff Brian Martin presented the Habematolel Band of Pomo Indians and Running Creek Casino with a certificate of appreciation for their assistance in providing information that led to the arrest of a man who had brandished a firearm at another man at the casino last month.
Lakeport resident Robert Doane was arrested on Jan. 21 as a result of a sheriff's office investigation aided by the tribe, as Lake County News has reported: www.bit.ly/1E3UQbG .
Sheriff Martin said he values the cooperation and collaboration between the sheriff's office and communities in Lake County. The certificate symbolizes that appreciation.
“It is very encouraging to know that we have partners in our community that provide us with assistance in keeping our neighborhoods and businesses safe,” Martin said.
Sherry Treppa, chair of the board of directors of TLE Corp., which operates Running Creek Casino, accepted the certificate on behalf of the executive council.
“The executive council was honored to receive this acknowledgment from the sheriff’s office,” Treppa said. “The staff of Running Creek Casino's Tribal Gaming Commission is to be commended for their exemplary performance in assisting the sheriff’s office in this matter. The tribe values our relationships with local county agencies including law enforcement, and is committed to the protection of our people, patrons and the community at large.”
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Basor, Sobieraj sworn in as Lakeport Police's new sergeants
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Two law enforcement veterans took the next step in their careers on Tuesday when they were sworn in as the newest sergeants at the Lakeport Police Department.
The Lakeport City Council, along with a group of friends and colleagues looked on as Gary Basor and Michael Sobieraj took their oaths at the start of the council meeting.
Basor and Sobieraj had served in the capacity of acting sergeants for 14 months and eight months, respectively, before their permanent appointments, according to Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen.
Rasmussen said both men did an excellent job on a detailed testing process that included a topic on improving and expanding community police programs.
“Both are very dedicated to the community and I look forward to working with them in our service to the community,” Rasmussen said.
Basor, 60, has 19 years' experience in law enforcement. He joined the Lakeport Police Department in May 2011, having previously worked for the Lake County Sheriff's Office, where he had been a sergeant.
Rasmussen said Basor already possessed the required sergeant training through the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, or POST. He also holds the POST basic, intermediate, advanced and supervisory certificates.
In addition, Rasmussen said Basor has extensive training in emergency management and search and rescue training, and is the department's emergency expert and trainer for the city.
He has an associate's degree in engineering technology and many hours of POST law enforcement training including tactical communications, terrorism, hostage negotiations, emotional survival and post traumatic stress, training manager, internal affairs and explosive device recognition, Rasmussen said.
Many of those skills were put to use last month when the Lakeport Police Department dealt with a bomb hoax at the Lakeport Unified School District campus.
Basor, who was on the scene of the incident, took part in a meeting with community members on Jan. 22 to explain the the department's approach to the situation.
Basor also took part in a mission to Haiti in January 2010 to assist with the recovery of victims killed in a devastating 7-magnitude earthquake, as Lake County News has reported: www.bit.ly/18MoOEy .
Sobieraj, 41, has been with the Lakeport Police Department since March 2013, and has a total of 10 years' experience in law enforcement, Rasmussen said.
He also previously had worked for the Lake County Sheriff's office, beginning as a correctional officer and eventually becoming a deputy sheriff.
His law enforcement experience also includes work in search and rescue operations, Rasmussen said.
Sobieraj holds a bachelor's degree in agricultural science from California State University, Chico.
Rasmussen said Sobieraj has basic and intermediate POST certificates, and has other POST training in emergency management and response.
Sobieraj is a POST-certified field training officer for new hires coming into the department, Rasmussen said.
City Clerk Janel Chapman administered the oaths of office to both men, who then received a standing ovation from the audience and council.
Mayor Martin Scheel congratulated the new sergeants, noting he had worked with both men, most recently with Basor at the community forum on the Lakeport Unified bomb hoax and school safety.
Scheel said the information Basor provided at that meeting helped answer the community's questions.
Basor and Sobieraj are “the kind of officers that Lakeport is definitely proud of,” said Scheel, who thanked them for their service.
Also on Tuesday, Lt. Jason Ferguson introduced to the council Lakeport Police's newest officer, Dustin Roderick.
Roderick, a Sonoma County native and motocross enthusiast, had first been introduced to the council last July as a reserve officer, along with Tyler Trouette. He's a 2009 police academy graduate.
Trouette also recently was hired as a full-time officer.
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New Lakeport Police sergeants to take oaths Tuesday
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department's two new sergeants will be sworn in at this week's Lakeport City Council meeting.
The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 3, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen will administer the oath to his two new sergeants, law enforcement veterans Gary Basor and Mike Sobieraj.
For several months prior to their appointments, both Basor and Sobieraj have been filling the jobs on an acting basis.
Also on Tuesday's agenda, Finance Director Dan Buffalo will present to the council for approval a resolution of intention to reimburse certain general fund expenses, specifically, those related to the city's plans to acquire a new police headquarters at 2025 S. Main St., as Lake County News has reported: bit.ly/1tSr1YG .
“It is likely that financing for the Project will include the issuance of bonds, notes, certificates of participation, revenue bonds or other form of tax-exempt debt,” according to Buffalo's written report to the council.
“The City plans to begin spending money on the Project and is projecting that it will spend additional moneys on the Project prior to the issuance of the Debt Obligations. By adoption of the attached
Resolution, and upon issuance of the Debt Obligations, the City will be legally permitted to reimburse itself for all qualified preliminary expenditures related to the Project,” Buffalo reported.
In other business, staff will propose the council adopt a resolution to reaffirm the necessity of AB 1600 development impact fees.
On the meeting's consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are ordinances; the Jan. 20 warrant registers; minutes of the council's Jan. 20 meeting; and approval of the application for the Norcal Aircooled Group's annual Camp and Shine Volkswagen Car Show from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 20, with requested street closures on Park Street between First and Third Streets and Second Street between Main and Park Streets; and approval of the application for Clearlake Performing Arts Annual Home Wine and Beer Makers Festival in Library Park from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 27.
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020315 Lakeport City Council agenda
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Police seek leads on missing teen
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department is working to locate a 15-year-old girl who did not return home Thursday afternoon.
Kirsten Layton, 15, was last seen Thursday afternoon in the 200 block of S. Main Street, where she was getting a drink at a gas station, according to reports from Lakeport Police and family members.
Family reported that the teen called her mother on her cell phone at around 5 p.m. to say she was returning home but didn't show up.
About 10 minutes after that call, her mother tried calling her cell, with the message going straight to voicemail, family members told Lake County News.
Kirsten Layton is a white female, 5 feet 1 inch in height and 130 pounds, with blue eyes and long reddish brown hair.
She has a freckle over her eyebrow and was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt with the word “Cali” on it and Levi's jeans.
Anyone with information about Layton's whereabout is asked to call the Lakeport Police Department at 707-263-5491.
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