How to resolve AdBlock issue? Clearlake Police seek suspect in case involving stolen vehicle, money
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Police Department is looking for a Fort Bragg man identified as the suspect in a Tuesday morning theft of a vehicle and cash.
Alan Crow, 46, was reported to have taken a woman's minivan and money from the Burns Valley Shopping Center on Olympic Drive on Tuesday, according to Sgt. Rodd Joseph of the Clearlake Police Department.
Crow is considered armed and dangerous, Joseph said.
Joseph said that shortly before 9:30 a.m. Tuesday Clearlake Police officers responded to the area of Safeway, located at 14922 Olympic Drive, on a secondhand report of a theft of money and a vehicle at gunpoint.
Dispatch advised the suspect had just fled the shopping center in a blue van, Joseph said.
As officers were arriving to the shopping center, dispatch received a second call regarding the incident stating that the victim was now at the Mendo Lake Credit Union, located at 14866 Olympic Drive, awaiting contact by police. Joseph said officers checked the area but did not locate the van.
Officers arrived at the credit union and spoke with a 60-year-old Clearlake woman who claimed that she had a male acquaintance named Alan Crow drive her to the Mendo Lake Credit Union in her blue 1996 Ford Aerostar van so she could make a significant cash deposit, Joseph said.
As the woman and Crow were about to enter the credit union together, Crow made mention that he had a gun and could not enter the credit union, according to Joseph's report.
Joseph said Crow asked the woman to find a place in the rear of her van to secure his firearm and offered to hold the woman’s cash while she returned to her vehicle.
Crow did not brandish or show her the firearm and the woman is not even sure if he actually had one, Joseph said.
The woman opened the back of her vehicle to try and locate a place to secure Crow’s firearm and while doing so, Crow got into the driver’s seat of the van and fled with the woman’s cash and vehicle, according to Joseph.
Alan Crow is described as a white male adult, about 5 feet 10 inches tall and 200 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.
The license plate on the stolen van is California 5CHT780, Joseph said.
Joseph said Crow currently is on Post Release Community Supervision out of Mendocino County Probation Department and has an active warrant for his arrest for violating the terms of his probation.
Anyone with information on this crime or the whereabouts of Crow or the stolen vehicle is urged to contact the Clearlake Police Department or the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction.
Clearlake Police Officer Joseph Myers is the investigating officer. He can be reached at 707-994-8251, Extension 505.
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
Lakeport Unified, Lakeport Police to host Jan. 22 community meeting regarding bomb hoax
LAKEPORT, Calif. – In an effort to address community concerns about a bomb hoax that occurred last week at the Lakeport Unified School District, school officials and the Lakeport Police Department are co-hosting a community meeting on Thursday.
The meeting will take place beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, in the Lakeport Elementary School multipurpose room, 250 Lange St.
Official said they wanted to use the forum to provide an overview of the district’s safety plan and to answer questions about the bomb threat hoax that occurred on the campus last week.
Police said the district received threatening phone calls on the afternoon of Jan. 14, with three suspicious packages found later that night near the Marge Alakszay Center.
The Napa County Bomb Squad responded and used controlled explosions on the packages early Jan. 15, with officials concluding the packages did not actually contain bombs.
The investigation led to a search warrant service on the morning of Jan. 15 at a north Lakeport home, where two 17-year-old brothers subsequently were arrested, according to police.
Some parents of children who attend district schools faulted both school and police officials following the incidents for not notifying the public sooner.
However, police have explained that when the operation was under way – much of it occurring at night and early in the morning – children were not in danger, the district was kept informed at every step and they had to protect the investigation process.
Police and district officials said the Thursday meeting is an opportunity for parents and community members to become informed and to give input about school safety.
For more information, call the Lakeport Unified School District Office at 707-262-3000.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Sheriff honors five new deputies at swearing-in ceremony
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A week after he took his own oath of office before the Board of Supervisors, Lake County's new sheriff introduced five new deputies and held a swearing-in at Tuesday's board meeting.
Sheriff Brian Martin introduced the new ceremony on Tuesday morning.
Taking their oaths on Tuesday were deputies Jason Koran, Jason Pisaro, Victor Rico, Shamus Stafford and Stephen Tong.
The sheriff noted that all of the men previously had taken their oaths before starting work, but that this was a ceremonial occasion.
Martin presented the five men to the board and explained the efforts each of them had made to become deputies, emphasizing the challenging aspects of making it into law enforcement.
“It's a long road,” Martin said, explaining that less than 5 percent of those who submit a job application actually make it through the process.
Between application and hire there is written testing, an oral interview, a thorough background check, psychological screening and a medical evaluation, Martin said.
Even after hiring, Martin said some new deputies wash out due to on-the-job training.
“We have a pretty intensive training program,” which Martin said includes four months on the street with a field training officer, along with additional firearms and Taser training.
“It's a long way to go and it's a big part of these guys' lives. And this to me is a very important part of the process of getting involved in law enforcement, is to be sworn in publicly and recognized, and that's why I'm doing this,” Martin said.
He thanked the many people who showed up that morning to show their support for the deputies. Family members, friends and fellow law enforcement officers filled the supervisors' chambers.
Martin also thanked the group for being a support network for the new deputies, noting they have a lot of long hours and learning still ahead.
“There's some sentiment in parts of our country that people are unhappy with law enforcement,” Martin said. “But I see here in Lake County that we appreciate our law enforcement. Our local law enforcement does a very good job of serving our community and I expect these guys to continue that tradition.”
Martin said professionalism, competence and leadership would be expected of the new deputies, just as it is from all of the deputies in the agency.
“In exchange for that we're going to provide them a supportive work environment and make sure that they develop to their fullest potential,” said Martin, who then administered the oath of office to the five men.
Board Chair Anthony Farrington thanked the sheriff for the ceremony, saying it was good to take time out to recognize the deputies. He added there always will be time on the agenda for such recognition.
“I don't remember us ever doing this,” said Supervisor Rob Brown, who called it “a big deal.”
He welcomed and congratulated the men for making the commitment, and thanked their families as well, noting, “It's definitely a family undertaking.”
Supervisor Jim Comstock told the group, “You're taken a major step,” adding his support and respect for law enforcement.
Supervisor Jeff Smith thanked the new deputies, and also thanked Martin for conducting the swearing-in, noting that law enforcement officers don't get enough thanks for what they do.
“You guys are going to go out there and you're hear from a lot of people who don't appreciate you and it's really nice you hear from someone who does,” said Supervisor Jim Steele. “This whole county really appreciates you being here.”
Steele added that Lake County is the best in the state. “You're going to hear from folks that don't appreciate the fact that you're trying to keep it that way.”
To point out how important the ceremony was, Martin said Deputy Tong's family came from Virginia – 3,000 miles away – to see him take his oath.
Martin tried to sneak Tong's family in the back door, but he said Tong is such a good deputy that he spotted them.
Martin told Lake County News on Wednesday that the ceremonial swearing-in ceremony before the Board of Supervisors will be a continuing practice under his administration.
“Taking the oath of office is a legal requirement as well as a symbolic commitment to the values, duties and obligations assumed by peace officers,” he said. “It is one of the most important things that happens in any law enforcement officer's career, and for me, it is important to introduce our new deputies and correctional officers to the community they will be serving.”
He added, “As well as being important to me, I feel that it is important for our community, our staff, and the friends and family of these new employees.”
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Police investigate Sunday crash involving vehicle, mini-bike
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Police are continuing to investigate a Sunday afternoon crash that sent one man to a regional trauma center with serious injuries.
Sgt. Rodd Joseph of the Clearlake Police Department said officers responded to a report of a possible injury traffic collision near the intersections of Morgan and Manakee avenues in the city of Clearlake at around 12:15 p.m.
He said initial reports indicated the crash involved a gray-colored sedan and a motorcycle.
When officers arrived, a black Mercedes sedan and a small off-road mini-bike were located at the scene, Joseph said.
The mini-bike rider was suffering from major injuries to his head and leg. Joseph said Lake County Fire personnel arrived and began treating the mini-bike rider, identified as 39-year-old Clearlake resident James West.
West later was flown by air ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, where he remained in critical condition late Monday afternoon, according to hospital spokeswoman, Katy Hillenmeyer.
The driver of the Mercedes, identified as 46-year-old Clearlake resident David Ford, was uninjured, Joseph said.
During the investigation it was discovered that the vehicle registration on Ford's Mercedes was expired. Joseph said Ford admitted that, prior to police arriving on scene, he had switched the license plates on his Mercedes with current license plates which belong to a different vehicle.
Joseph said the expired Mercedes license plates were located in some nearby bushes. Both vehicles later were towed from the scene.
The collision is still under investigation, Joseph said, but preliminary results indicate Ford was driving his Mercedes eastbound on Manakee Avenue at about the speed limit, when West – driving the off-road mini-bike – pulled out of a vacant lot onto Manakee Avenue directly in the path of the Mercedes.
The collision threw West from the mini-bike into the windshield of the Mercedes, causing him to suffer major injuries, Joseph said.
Joseph said West initially tried to convince Ford to drive him away before police arrived, and even tried to get into Ford’s vehicle.
West was found to have a suspended driver's license, Joseph said.
Once completed, the crash investigation will be referred to the Lake County District Attorney’s Office for charges on West for driving on a suspended license and Ford for false vehicle registration, according to Joseph.
Anyone who may have witnessed this collision is asked to contact investigating Officer Travis Lenz at the Clearlake Police Department, 707-994-8251, Extension 511.
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
Volunteers donate thousands of hours to Lakeport Police Department
LAKEPORT, Calif. – In 2014 a group of dedicated police volunteers gave thousands of hours of free support to the Lakeport Police Department, a contribution which officials said last week has helped the agency carry on even when short-staffed.
Lakeport Police Lt. Jason Ferguson presented to the Lakeport City Council at its first meeting of the year on Jan. 6 the annual report on the volunteers' contributions.
“This very dedicated group of volunteers work year round for us,” he said.
They carry out a wide variety of projects – from traffic control during parades and other community events, to handling evidence in-house, transporting evidence to agencies outside of the county and patrol vehicle maintenance.
One volunteer is assigned to the Lakeport Unified School District's schools in the morning and afternoon, and Ferguson said school officials have expressed their appreciation for having him there.
He called the contributions of the police department's volunteers “phenomenal.”
“They are hugely beneficial to us and we just couldn't function without them,” he said.
By taking on the jobs they do – especially when the agency is short-staffed – it allows officers and paid personnel to focus on their duties, Ferguson said.
In 2014, Lakeport Police's seven volunteers and two reserve officers donated approximately 2,473.5 hours of volunteer time. Ferguson said that penciled out to a savings to the department of $49,470.
That 2,400 hours of time last year is up from the 1,360 hours put in by volunteers in 2013 and the 1,950 hours for 2012, based on previous Lakeport Police Department reports.
Also in 2014, the department hired Tyler Trouette as a level one reserve officer, Ferguson said.
Trouette, without financial backing, went through police training and at the same time provided the agency with 720 volunteer hours of policing at a time when they weren't at full staff, according to Ferguson.
Trouette has since been hired as a regular officer by the department.
Ferguson said reserve Officer Michael Williams also has taken on patrol shifts, and gave 100 hours of volunteer time to the city in 2014.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
