How to resolve AdBlock issue? Sheriff-elect helps find bike theft suspect
Editor's note: The Lakeport Police Department said Sunday that information they had originally had reported regarding Harding's arrest – that he had been cited for previous cases – is incorrect. The story has been updated accordingly.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Lakeport man was arrested and booked for stealing an expensive bicycle after the county's sheriff-elect spotted him riding the bike through town.
Eugene Harding, 41, a transient, was arrested early Saturday evening on felony charges including grand theft totaling more than $950, receiving stolen property, a felony probation violation and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, according to acting Lakeport Police Sgt. Mike Sobieraj.
On Saturday afternoon, Sobieraj was dispatched to Main Street Bicycles, located at 125 N. Main St., on the report of a bicycle stolen from the curbside bike rack.
Sobieraj said that when he arrived he got the description of the Specialized Venge Pro racing bike, and also obtained an estimate of its value – more than $5,000 – from Main Street Bicycle.
The bike belonged to a young local cyclist, Jeffrey Morton, according to a post by his coach, Dave Garzoli, on Lake County News' Facebook page shortly after the theft occurred.
Garzoli said he and Morton – who is on the high school mountain bike team that Garzoli coaches – had just finished a 50-mile ride and stopped in at the bike shop for a few minutes to warm up when the bike was stolen.
Morton had saved up and purchased the $5,600 bike, and has only had it two weeks, said Garzoli.
During a lengthy search of the area of Lakeport, another Lakeport Police officer, Joe Eastham, joined in to search for stolen bicycle, Sobieraj said.
Garzoli, meanwhile, made other posts on Facebook in an effort to find the bike.
Shortly after 5:15 p.m., according to Sobieraj, Sheriff-elect Brian Martin and his wife, Crystal – who had seen Garzoli's Facebook posts – spotted the bicycle at the Regency Inn in Lakeport.
Brian Martin saw the suspect park the bicycle near the stairs leading to the second story of the motel, Sobieraj said.
Sobieraj said he and Eastham arrived at the motel about four minutes later and began knocking on doors and speaking with motel guests. Martin remained on scene to identify the suspect.
The officers found Harding – who is on local probation – in one of the motel rooms, Sobieraj said.
Harding told officers that he took the bicycle with the intention of returning it because his knee hurt and he needed a ride to the motel, according to Sobieraj.
Sobieraj arrested Harding and during a search found Harding had one gram of suspected methamphetamine on him.
In a video of Harding's arrest that Garzoli posted online, Harding claimed that he “borrowed” the bike, adding that God gave him permission to it.
Harding was taken to the Lake County Jail and booked.
The bike was returned to Morton with no reported damage. Garzoli posted a picture of the grateful young cyclist – along with his bike and the new sheriff – on Facebook.
Harding, whose occupation on his booking sheet is listed as “home care,” remained in the Lake County Jail without bail from the felony probation violation, Sobieraj said.
The Lakeport Police Department thanked the Lake County Sheriff's Office, Sheriff-elect Martin and Garzoli for their attention to detail and their assistance in all stages of the investigation.
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Sheriff, supervisors, other elected officials to take oaths of office Tuesday
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lake County's new sheriff, along with the new District 3 supervisor and other officials who were reelected in the June and November elections will take their oaths of office next week.
The swearing-in ceremony will take place during the Board of Supervisors' meeting, which begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6.
The ceremony will be held shortly after the beginning of the meeting, at which time outgoing District 3 Supervisor will offer farewell remarks and county officials will make presentations to her.
Those taking their oaths on Tuesday will include Sheriff-elect Brian Martin, who won election in a field of three in June; Jim Steele, who succeeds Rushing and won a runoff election in November; Jeff Smith, reelected in a November runoff to represent District 2; District Attorney Don Anderson, reelected to a second term in June; new Assessor-Recorder Richard Ford; and Auditor Controller-County Clerk Cathy Saderlund and Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara Ringen, board appointees who both ran unopposed and were elected for the first time in June.
Following the oaths of office, the Board of Supervisors will elect the board chair and vice chair for the coming year.
They also will elect the representative and alternate to the Regional Council of Rural Counties and to the RCRC affiliate joint powers authority California Home Finance Authority Board of Directors; the chair and vice chair of the Lake County Local Board of Equalization; the chair and vice chair of the Lake County In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority Board of Directors; and make other board appointments.
Also on Tuesday, the supervisors will appoint or reappoint their respective members to the Lake County Planning Commission.
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Clearlake courthouse damaged by graffiti; gang believed responsible
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Superior Court's Southlake Division courthouse was damaged by graffiti vandalism last week.
The damage at the Clearlake courthouse, located at 7000 A South Center Drive, was discovered by an employee on the morning of Dec. 23, according to officials.
Lake County Superior Court Chief Executive Officer Krista LeVier said the graffiti was located on the front of the building and on both sides of the front entrance.
“We reported the tagging to Clearlake Police and will be turning over the security video footage we have of the incident,” LeVier said.
Clearlake Police Sgt. Nick Bennett said the building had last been secured at 5 p.m. Dec. 22, and an employee arriving at the building at 7:30 a.m. Dec. 23 discovered the vandalism.
Bennett said the graffiti included a picture of a Christmas tree spray painted in blue, spray painting on the parking lot, gang symbols and some profanity.
He said that the graffiti appears to be the work of members of the Nortenos street gang.
Since September 2008, the courthouse has been owned by the state. As such, LeVier received estimates back from Judicial Council facilities staff for repairs.
She said the estimated cost to remove all the graffiti is approximately $3,300.
The Southlake Division handles cases including child support, traffic infractions, non-traffic infractions, small claims and unlawful detainer cases, according to the Lake County Superior Court Web site.
The division had previously handled criminal cases as well, until those cases were moved to the Lakeport courthouse in August 2012 as a cost-saving measure, as Lake County News has reported.
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Clearlake man arrested following police pursuit
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A parolee was arrested Monday after leading police officers on a pursuit.
Berret J. Brown, 29, was arrested for evading, evading-wrong way driver, driving on a suspended license, possession of a controlled substance and a violation of his Post Release Community Supervision terms, according to Sgt. Rodd Joseph of the Clearlake Police Department.
Just before 4:30 p.m. Monday Clearlake Police Officer Travis Parson attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a red motorcycle near the intersections of Eighth and Bush streets in Clearlake Park. Joseph said the traffic stop was for a minor traffic violation.
The driver – later identified as Brown – fled and led Clearlake Police officers on a vehicle pursuit through city streets and wooded areas, Joseph said.
Joseph said speeds topped out at around 60 miles per hour a few times during the several-mile-long pursuit.
Brown crashed the motorcycle into a culvert at the intersections of Evans and Alvita avenues, and was taken into custody without further incident, Joseph said.
During a search incident to arrest more than 12 grams of suspected methamphetamine, more than a gram and a half of suspected cocaine, several hypodermic syringes and marijuana were located on Brown, according to Joseph.
Brown was found to have a suspended driver license and is on Post Release Community Supervision through the Lake County Probation Department, Joseph said.
Joseph said Brown was medically cleared and later booked into the Lake County Jail.
Brown was being held without bail due to the parole violation, according to booking records.
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Getting his shot: Teen with cerebral palsy takes to the basketball court
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Life is made up of many little stitched-together miracles, moments of capability that some may take for granted, but which others – who face personal challenges – dream of having.
For many teens, dribbling a basketball down a court and participating in a game would be one of those taken-for-granted moments, but for one local youngster, getting the chance to go out on the court and make a basket was, well, a pretty big deal.
Jaden Bussard, 13, is an eighth grader at Terrace Middle School. His parents are Jared and Tiffany Bussard, and he has a little sister, Presley.
This year he's student body president and team manager for the eighth grade boys' basketball team. He's an “A” student who is a member of California Junior Scholarship Federation, 4-H and Junior Interact.
Next year he'll be entering high school. His favorite subjects in schools are math and history. He likes to draw and wants to be a graphic designer.
“The kids love him,” said Mike Damiata, now in his fourth year of coaching eighth grade basketball for the school.
Jaden has a great personality, and jokes and laughs with his fellow students and teammates. “He’s just one of the guys,” said Damiata.
“He has always wanted to play sports,” said Tiffany Bussard.
But that desire has come with one big obstacle – cerebral palsy. Jaden was born with it.
Cerebral palsy is a neurological condition that impairs motor and muscle function. Those who have it have a number of physical challenges includes balance, muscle control and coordination, control of motor skills and speech.
Tiffany Bussard said her son had major surgery at Shriner's Hospital last January to straighten his legs.
Specifically, surgeons cut his femurs in half and rotated them, she said.
The teen still carries the hardware around in his legs, with screws in his ankles and rods and crews in his femurs.
Jaden also has worked at the Sutter Lakeside Mobility Park to improve his strength and coordination.
“I've been able to be a little bit more flexible and I can jump,” he said, noting his body is straightening and he's continuing to work on his physical therapy at home.
“It's gotten better,” he said.
However, his mom, added, “It's been a long, long road.”
When Jaden was younger, he played in a youth soccer league for five years – and has the five trophies to prove it – but recently, “I've been getting into basketball.”
It's not that he enjoys being a spectator or watching professional players. “I just enjoyed playing it,” he said.
So he went out for the Terrace Middle School basketball team, the season for which runs from the end of November until the first week of March, Damiata said.
Damiata said there is competition for spots on the team, with tryouts and cuts.
Jaden gave his all during the tryouts, according to his mom – running until he was nauseous from the effort.
So while Jaden didn't make it onto the team as a player, he was made the manager, and took on a set of duties including keeping statistics at games and helping with equipment.
Jaden is at most practices, and works out along with the team, although he doesn't have a uniform, Damiata said.
“He is part of the team. There is no doubt about it,” Damiata said.
Tiffany Bussard and Mike Damiata's wife, Rachelle, are friends, and had talked about Jaden having the chance to play at some point.
Then, the chance came in a game against Cloverdale on Dec. 1, Tiffany Bussard said.
Mike Damiata said the Cloverdale team's coach asked if they could have an extra three minutes of play at the end of the game, as he had a player with autism who he wanted to give the chance to play.
Damiata replied that he also had a player he wanted to get some court time – Jaden.
“I was sitting on the bench and I was keeping stats when one of my friends came up that was on the team and he asked if I want to play, and I'm all, 'Sure,'” Jaden recounted.
His friend gave him his jersey, which Jaden slipped on. He didn't have time to change the rest of his clothes, so he headed out onto the court wearing jeans and sneakers.
Jaden can be seen in the video above, running to the right and heading toward the basket.
A teammate passed him the ball and he took a shot. He missed.
Another teammate got the rebound and passed the ball back to Jaden, who set up and took another shot.
This time, it was almost all net.
“It felt awesome,” Jaden said.
“Everyone was cheering,” Tiffany Bussard said.
“It was great. He was so excited,” said Damiata.
Damiata said Jaden got a wonderful reaction from the crowd.
As he's looking at the rest of the season ahead, and even high school beyond, Jaden is realistic about the fact that he likely won't pursue other sports.
“I can’t do a whole bunch,” he said.
However, the experience on the court earlier this month meant a great deal to him, and has been an inspiration.
Even with challenges – especially the big ones that are hard to see around – it's important not to give up.
“Just follow what you would like to do,” he said.
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