How to resolve AdBlock issue? Police led on two chases; one suspect captured, another escapes
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Police captured one suspect and are continuing to search for a second as the result of two separate pursuits that occurred on New Year’s night and the following morning.
Arrested was 34-year-old Santa Rosa resident James Evan Morgan, while officers are continuing to try to locate 27-year-old John August Schroiff of Dos Palos, located in Merced County, according to Sgt. Rodd Joseph of the Clearlake Police Department.
Joseph said that on Tuesday at 7:45 p.m. he attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a red GMC pickup for vehicle code violations near the intersections of Phillips and 39th avenues. However, the truck fled west down 39th Avenue.
Joseph reported that he pursued the truck for approximately three-tenths of a mile at speeds of approximately 45 to 50 miles per hour until the truck became disabled in the mud at the western dead end of 39th Avenue.
The driver immediately fled on foot toward Highway 53 through the heavy brush and escaped, Joseph said.
A female passenger, identified as 25-year-old Clearlake resident Ashley Martinez, was found in the vehicle and was arrested on an out-of-county misdemeanor warrant. Joseph said she later was released on a citation.
While conducting a search of the vehicle, a .22 cal semi-automatic pistol was found on the driver’s side floorboard and drug paraphernalia also was located in the vehicle, Joseph said.
During the course of the investigation, the driver was identified as Schroiff, who Joseph said is a convicted felon and a documented gang member. Schroiff also has a suspended driver’s license.
Officers currently are trying to locate Schroiff and the case is being forwarded to the Lake County District Attorney’s Office for felony and misdemeanor charges, Joseph said.
A second incident occurred at about 1:38 a.m. on Wednesday during the same patrol shift, Joseph said.
At about that time, Officer Tom Riley conducted a traffic stop on a white and wood paneled Jeep Wagoneer for vehicle code violations near the intersection of Phillips and 45th avenues. Joseph said the Jeep pulled over but the driver immediately fled on foot.
Riley chased the suspect – later identified as Morgan – for a short distance before Morgan fell and Riley was able to take him into custody, Joseph reported.
Joseph said a loaded .32 caliber semi-automatic pistol was found next to Morgan when taken into custody.
He said Morgan is a convicted felon and also a documented gang member. The investigation revealed that Morgan had discarded the pistol just prior to being taken into custody. Additionally, drug paraphernalia was also located near Morgan during the arrest.
Morgan was charged with several felony violations, including possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, carrying a loaded firearm, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and a misdemeanor charge of obstruction, Joseph said. Bail was set at $15,000, according to jail records.
Morgan obtained minor injuries during the foot pursuit. Joseph said Morgan was medically cleared at St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake and booked into the Lake County Jail.
Though there are some similarities in these two incidents, they are separate and do not appear to be related, Joseph said.
Anyone with information on either of these incidents or any other crime occurring in the city of Clearlake is urged to contact the Clearlake Police Department at 707-994-8251 at any hour of the day or night.
Callers may remain anonymous.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
Lakeport courthouse project faces cost cuts
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As the state’s judicial branch continues to grapple with budget cuts, a working group subcommittee has continued to trim costs on courthouse projects across the state, including the proposed new building for Lake County.
The Administrative Office of the Courts intends to build a 50,000 square foot courthouse at 675 Lakeport Blvd. in Lakeport.
The Lake County Superior Court currently is headquartered on the fourth floor of the Lake County Courthouse at 255 N. Forbes St., where about 15,000 square feet are used by the courts, according to court officials.
The current courthouse building, which dates from the late 1960s, has a number of shortcomings, and the increasingly crowded conditions have made a new Lake County courthouse a state priority.
While a number of projects have been cut or delayed – in late October the Administrative Office of the Courts said it would pause seven courthouse projects, with another four proposed for delay earlier this month – Lake County’s proposed new courthouse has continued to survive rounds of cuts to the courthouse construction program.
The most recent projected cost for Lake County’s new courthouse is $55.9 million, however that number is being reduced.
Earlier this month, the Administrative Office of the Courts’ Court Facilities Working Group subcommittee charged with reducing courthouse construction costs met for two days to consider ways to trim the budget for Lake’s project, as well as three others in Glenn, San Joaquin and Fresno counties.
That subcommittee reported that it has so far been able to identify $45.2 million in budget reductions for more than the dozen projects it has reviewed.
When it met Dec. 13 and 14, the subcommittee found more than $3.1 million in savings for the four projects. The specifics of the cuts for the four projects weren’t stated in the Administrative Office of the Courts’ report on the meeting.
The Administrative Office of the Courts said those savings are expected to increase as each of the projects undergo further review.
“All courts are expected to make cuts to their budgets without compromising safety, security, quality, and the public’s access to justice,” Justice Jeffrey Johnson, chair of the subcommittee and Associate Justice of the Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, in Los Angeles, said in a written statement issued after the meeting. “It’s a difficult process, but the courts have willingly stepped up to the challenge, attending these meetings well-prepared with thoughtful, constructive suggestions on how to responsibly reduce costs.
For Lake’s project, as for others still in the running, the main challenge now is moving on to the next stage in what is a lengthy and complex process.
Lake County’s project is next to move to the working drawings phase, but it must wait until funding is authorized, based on the Court Facilities Working Group’s latest recommendations.
Courthouse construction projects such as Lake County’s are funded by SB 1407, legislation which is meant to collect up to $5 billion in court user fees to fund courthouse projects.
However, in recent years the state has continued to borrow the money for other uses.
The state judicial branch estimates that by the 2013-14 fiscal year, the Legislature will have diverted nearly $1.5 billion in SB 1407 funds to purposes other than courthouse construction.
Those fund diversions, as well as overall cuts to the judicial branch, guarantee continued delays for courthouse projects statewide.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Police arrest Clearlake Oaks man for impersonating officer
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Police on Friday arrested a Clearlake Oaks man who they said was pulling motorists over using lights and other police-style equipment.
David Scott Killen, 28, was arrested early Friday on a felony charge of impersonating a peace officer, and misdemeanor charges of false imprisonment, driving with a suspended driver’s license and intercepting police radio communications, according to Sgt. Tim Hobbs of the Clearlake Police Department.
At about 1 a.m. Friday Clearlake Police Officers were dispatched to the area of Highway 53 and Olympic Dive for a report of a person being pulled over by a suspicious unmarked vehicle, which had red and blue lights mounted above the rear view mirror, Hobbs said.
Hobbs said Sgt. Rodd Joseph located a similar vehicle – a dark purple 2000 Chevrolet Malibu – parked on Old Highway 53 at Denman Road.
As Joseph approached the vehicle it quickly backed down Denman Road and pulled into a driveway. Hobbs said the driver was identified as Killen, with one of the female passengers identified as 33-year-old Clearlake resident Holly Michelle Harvey.
From the driver’s door of the vehicle, Sgt. Joseph was able to see a red and blue light above the rear view mirror, a portable scanner attached to the dashboard, a megaphone with built-in siren near the center console and a siren control box mounted to the dash, according to Hobbs.
Hobbs said several other officers responded to the location and the occupants were removed from the vehicle and detained.
During the course of the investigation it was reveled Killen had attempted to pull one vehicle over then a short time later did in fact pull the same vehicle over. Hobbs said officers discovered the vehicle driven by Killen also had been used to unlawfully pull another citizen over in November of this year on Highway 20 near Clearlake Oaks.
In addition, Hobbs said Harvey was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Hobbs said Killen was arrested and transported to the Lake County Jail, where he was booked. Killen’s bail was set at $15,000, and he remained in custody Friday evening, according to jail records.
Harvey was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for felony possession of a controlled substance, in this case methamphetamine, and misdemeanor possession of controlled substance paraphernalia. She also remained in custody on Friday evening, with bail set at $15,000, jail records indicated.
Anyone with information regarding similar incidents is asked to contact the Clearlake Police Department at 707-994-8251.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
Police arrest third suspect in August kidnapping, assault case
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Clearlake Police officer on Thursday arrested a San Francisco woman wanted in connection with an August kidnapping case.
Michelle Lynn Harris, 42, was arrested Thursday afternoon, according to Sgt. Tim Hobbs of the Clearlake Police Department.
At about 1 p.m. Thursday Officer Travis Lenz observed a 2008 BMW traveling north on Highway 53 approaching Lakeshore Drive, Hobbs said.
He said that Lenz recognized the vehicle as being involved in a kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon and burglary case from August.
Lenz also recognized the driver as Harris, who he knew to have an outstanding $1 million warrant for her arrest for the August kidnapping case, Hobbs said.
Hobbs said Lenz conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and arrested Harris without incident. Harris later was transported to the Lake County Jail, where she was booked.
The two other suspects in the case, Derrick Earl Thompson, 40, and Ike Frederick Mitchell, 43, were previously arrested by Clearlake Police in August and September and are currently in the Lake County Jail, Hobbs said.
Anyone with information regarding the location of wanted persons is asked to contact the Clearlake Police Department at 707-994-8251. Callers may remain anonymous.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
Lakeport Police Department administrative office to be closed for holidays
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department reported that its administrative office will be closed due to the holiday season and staff work furloughs from Friday, Dec. 21, through Tuesday, Jan. 1.
The office will be open for regular business on Wednesday, Jan. 3, according to a report from Lt. Jason Ferguson.
Ferguson said Lakeport Police officers will be available to handle calls for service throughout the office closure and can be reached at the police department.
For any questions or information regarding the release of towed and stored vehicles and sex offender registrations, contact the on duty watch supervisor.
For further information contact the Lakeport Police Department at 707-263-5491.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
