How to resolve AdBlock issue? Police investigate Saturday shooting in Clearlake marijuana grow
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Police are investigating an early Saturday morning incident in which a Clearlake man was shot by suspects attempting to steal his marijuana.
The 45-year-old Hispanic male victim, whose name has not been released by police, was shot in the chest by suspects he confronted in his marijuana grow in the 3800 block of Mullen Avenue between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. Saturday, according to Clearlake Police Sgt. Nick Bennett.
At approximately 7:11 a.m. Clearlake Police responded to the Mullen Avenue location after the man called for help, Bennett said.
Bennett said officers on the scene learned that the person calling for help had a gunshot wound in his upper body. Medical assistance was requested from Lake County Fire Protection District.
Prior to being transported the victim stated he had confronted four masked and armed male suspects around 3 to 4 a.m., Bennett said.
Bennett said the victim told police he was shot by one of the suspects and they left with an unknown amount marijuana from the residence.
Clearlake Police detectives were notified and responded to take over the investigation, Bennett said.
The victim was taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital and at last report was being prepared for surgery, according to Bennett.
Bennett said police are now preparing search warrants for the Mullen Avenue property.
The Clearlake Police Department advised citizens who have a legal Proposition 215 card for possessing marijuana for medical purposes to be especially vigilant for any suspicious persons or vehicles around their property, and to call their local law enforcement agency should they feel threatened.
Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to contact Detective Ryan Peterson at 707-994-8251, Extension 320.
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Lakeport Police Department welcomes 'Officer Ronnie'
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A special young man joined the ranks of the Lakeport Police Department this week.
On Wednesday, the department welcomed Ronnie Dekeyser III, who was sworn in as an honorary police officer.
Ronnie is an 11-year-old boy who has been battling brain cancer since the age of 4.
His dream of someday being a police officer was granted when he was sworn in by Chief Brad Rasmussen with members of the police department, city management and city council on hand to welcome him.
Ronnie was given a full police uniform and duty gear, and hit the street to patrol the city and protect the citizens of Lakeport.
As part of his official duties, Ronnie rode along with Lt. Jason Ferguson and assisted with handling a few minor police activities.
Ronnie was so excited to enjoy a cup of decaffeinated coffee with other members of the department as they sat down for lunch at Rene’s Café.
He also will be assisting the police department on Friday, Oct. 11, with the Lakeport Homecoming Parade. Ronnie will lead the parade down Main Street.
The entire Lakeport Police Department staff was honored to participate in this special day for Ronnie, Ferguson said.
Video courtesy of Andrew Britton.
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Sheriff's office reports on home invasion robbery and pursuit that led to fatal crash; two arrested
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Authorities have arrested two people and are seeking two others they say were involved in an early Thursday morning home invasion robbery that resulted in a fatal crash while deputies were responding to the scene.
James Robert Conaster, 38, of Clearlake and 20-year-old Lauren Astor Faumuina of Middletown were arrested for the home invasion robbery, with two more people being sought, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.
It was while pursuing the suspects that a sheriff's deputy was involved in a crash on Highway 29 that killed 26-year-old Gabriela Rivas Garcia of Clearlake, Brooks said.
Brooks said that at approximately 6:05 a.m. Thursday deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 9800 block of Rocky Creek Road in Lower Lake for a reported home invasion robbery.
He said it was the same address where the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force had served a search warrant on Sept. 13, seizing 950 marijuana plants and four grams of methamphetamine, and arresting four people.
On Thursday morning it was reported that four suspects with firearms entered the residence, where they beat, robbed and shot at the victim several times, Brooks said. As deputies were responding, Central Dispatch relayed information that the armed suspects had left the residence and were driving a brown pickup towards Morgan Valley Road.
One of the responding deputies located the suspect vehicle in the area of Oak Haven and Morgan Valley Road and initiated a pursuit, Brooks said.
The deputy reported that the suspect vehicle was traveling northbound on Morgan Valley Road at a high rate of speed, towards Lower Lake. The suspect vehicle turned northbound on Highway 53 towards Clearlake, nearly causing a traffic collision at the intersection, according to Brooks.
He said the suspect vehicle continued northbound on Highway 53 and ran the signal light at Dam Road before turning onto 18th Avenue and intentionally driving off the road, where the deputy could not follow in his vehicle.
Brooks said the suspects reportedly ran from the vehicle as deputies and officers from the Clearlake Police Department set up a perimeter. A short time later Conaster and Faumuina were taken into custody.
An extensive ground search was conducted by personnel from the Clearlake Police Department and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Brooks said two additional suspects are still outstanding and actively being sought by the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit and narcotics detectives.
He said sheriff’s detectives are currently in the process of collecting evidence and conducting follow up on all leads.
As the deputy was pursuing the suspect vehicle on Morgan Valley Road, a second deputy was responding to assist, Brooks said.
The second deputy was traveling southbound on Highway 29 in the area of Manning Flat, which Brooks said is located between Kits Corner and Diener Drive.
As the deputy approached a curve in the highway approximately half a mile north of Diener Drive, he was involved in a head on collision that killed Garcia, who was the solo occupant of the vehicle, Brooks said.
Brooks said the deputy suffered from multiple serious injuries and was transported by air ambulance to a trauma center outside Lake County.
The vehicle crash is being investigated by the California Highway Patrol Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team and the Lake County District Attorney's Office, Brooks said.
Caltrans reported that Highway 29 near the crash scene was still closed shortly after 6:30 p.m. The highway was closed while the investigation was under way.
Conaster was arrested for robbery, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, evading a peace officer with disregard for the safety of others, evading a peace officer and causing serious injury, committing a felony while armed with a firearm, criminal threats and possession of a controlled substance, according to Brooks.
He said Faumuina was arrested for robbery, evading a peace officer with disregard for the safety of others, evading a peace officer and causing serious injury, committing a felony while armed with a firearm and criminal threats.
They were both transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked.
This investigation is ongoing and anyone who may have information regarding this case or the identity of the two outstanding suspects is encouraged to contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 707-263-2690.
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Clearlake man arrested after leading police on Wednesday chase
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Police have arrested a Clearlake man after he led officers on a high speed chase through the city on Wednesday afternoon, with the suspect allegedly hitting several vehicles along the way.
John Garoutte, 31, was arrested for felony evading, driving under the influence of a controlled substance, vehicle hit and run, obstruction and felony probation violation, according to Sgt. Rodd Joseph.
Just after 2:30 p.m. Wednesday Clearlake Police Officer Aaron Winslow responded to a report of an erratic suspicious subject at Ray’s Food Place, located at 15930 Dam Road, Joseph said.
The caller reported that a male subject was banging on the window of a parked light-colored SUV and also was seen lying in the parking lot, Joseph said.
Joseph said the caller believed that the subject was possibly under the influence of alcohol or drugs. When the officer arrived in the parking lot, several pedestrians pointed to a light green Ford Escape which was beginning to drive away. The officer believed that the driver of the Ford Escape was the subject the caller had reported at Ray's Food Place.
The officer watched the vehicle speed out of the parking lot in a dangerous and high speed manner. Because of the driving observations witnessed by the officer coupled with the details in the initial call, Winslow followed behind the Ford and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, Joseph said.
As soon as Winslow activated his overhead emergency lights, the vehicle fled at a high rate of speed away from Ray’s Food Place and ran a stop sign, Joseph said.
The vehicle struck another vehicle being driven near the intersection of Dam Road and Dam Road Extension before crossing over Highway 53 onto northbound Old Highway 53, running a red light and almost causing a collision, according to Joseph.
Winslow continued to pursue the fleeing vehicle north on Old Highway 53. Joseph said the suspect vehicle began crossing over the double yellow lines on Old Highway 53 and into the oncoming lane to pass slower moving vehicles and to try and maintain control due to the high speeds.
Several times during the pursuit, the suspect vehicle side-swiped other vehicles being driven on the roadway. Joseph said Garoutte was driving in a willful and wanton disregard for the safety of persons and other vehicles on the roadway.
Garoutte's vehicle finally came to a stop and pulled over in the 6000 block of Old Highway 53, Joseph said. As Winslow pulled up to the now-stopped suspect vehicle, Garoutte got out and began running east through residential yards towards Crawford Avenue.
Joseph said Winslow pulled his patrol car into the yard to attempt to stop the fleeing suspect, however his patrol car became disabled due to the terrain.
Garoutte, meanwhile, managed to jump over a fence but then ran back onto Old Highway 53. Joseph said witnesses observed Garoutte run into the Cedar Village Apartment complex, located at the intersection of Ridgeview Drive and Old Highway 53.
As other officers were arriving to assist in Garoutte's capture, he fled back out onto Old Highway 53 and began running east towards Crawford Avenue. Joseph said other officers who had arrived in the area managed to corner Garoutte in a parking lot at the corner of Crawford Avenue and Old Highway 53, where he was safely taken into custody.
At that point they identified Garoutte, who had moved to Clearlake only days earlier from Lower Lake. Garoutte was found to be on formal felony probation out of Lake County, Joseph said.
Joseph said officers conducted an extensive search for the several vehicles and drivers who had been struck by Garoutte’s vehicle during the pursuit. All had since left the scene.
He said one driver later contacted the police department to report being one of the vehicles struck near the intersection of Dam Road and Dam Road Extension. The other vehicles which had been struck along Old Highway 53 have not been identified or located.
During his arrest, Garoutte was exhibiting symptoms of recent drug use and admitted to being under the influence of a central nervous system stimulant. Joseph said Garoutte was transported to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake for medical treatment and the vehicle he had been driving was towed from the scene.
Clearlake Police officers and Lake County Probation officers later conducted a probation search of Garoutte’s residence, Joseph said.
Inside they located a small amount of suspected methamphetamine and several suspected methamphetamine pipes.
Garoutte's booking at the Lake County Jail on the listed charges was pending on Wednesday evening.
The Clearlake Police Department thanked the witness who called police to report Garoutte’s suspicious activity.
Anyone with information on this incident is urged to contact Officer Aaron Winslow at 707-994-8251. Callers should press No. 1 when prompted and then the extension No. 503. Callers may remain anonymous.
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Sheriff's recall effort falls short on number of signatures
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The effort to recall Lake County's sheriff has failed to gather enough signatures to qualify for the ballot.
On Friday Registrar of Voters Diane Fridley released the results of the official signature count in the bid to recall Sheriff Frank Rivero.
Fridley and her staff took the full 30 business days allotted to go through the 7,778 signatures that the Committee to Recall Rivero and Restore Integrity submitted Aug. 15 after the 120-day collection period.
Approximately 7,026 valid signatures from registered Lake County voters were necessary to qualify the recall for a special election, Fridley said.
Of the signatures submitted, 5,715 were valid and 2,063 were invalid, said Fridley. That equates to 73.5 percent being valid and 26.5 percent being invalid.
She said her office always recommends that petitioners collect 25 to 30 percent more than the number required to cover invalid signatures.
The count was finalized just before 5 p.m.
“We had to check and recheck,” said Fridley, noting that her staff verified every single signature.
The recall proponents launched the effort in March following a unanimous no confidence vote the Board of Supervisors gave Rivero.
The supervisors also requested, in writing, that Rivero resign. Rivero refused and the circulation of the recall petitions began in April.
The recall effort resulted, in part, from District Attorney Don Anderson's determination earlier this year that Rivero had lied about his actions during a nonfatal shooting in February 2008 during which Rivero – then a deputy sheriff – shot at an unarmed man.
As a result, Rivero is now a “Brady” officer, a designation named for the 1963 US Supreme Court case Brady v. Maryland that requires prosecutors disclose to criminal defendants exculpatory information, including credibility issues relating to officers involved in their cases.
Ron Cottingham, president of the Peace Officers Research Association of California, or PORAC, told Lake County News earlier this year that Rivero's Brady determination was “a highly unprecedented event,” with the association not aware of any California sheriff or police chief ever having received one before.
In addition to the Brady issues, the recall committee had accused Rivero of unethical failure, failing to follow through on major campaign promises – including forming a citizens’ oversight committee – and alienating other law enforcement agencies in the county.
Rivero is now almost 33 months into his first term. The sheriff's job will be up for reelection next year.
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