LAKEPORT, Calif. – The city of Lakeport has a new police station.

Escrow for the city's new police headquarters building, located at 2025 S. Main St., closed on March 10, according to Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen.

The city reached an agreement late last year to purchase the building from Santa Rosa resident Jean Howe for $875,000, as Lake County News has reported.

Built in 2002, the 4,396-square-foot building – located on just over half an acre next to Kmart – is nearly 1,400 square feet larger than the police department's home since 1999, located at 916 N. Forbes St.

City officials said that, once the N. Forbes Street building is vacated by the police department, they will consider others uses for that building, including the possibility of renting it out for office space.

The new headquarters building has had only one previous occupant, the Social Security Administration.

Rasmussen said the city is now preparing to hire a local project manager to oversee the work of making some modifications to the building to suit the department.

The work will include adding some interior walls, handling the changeover of phone and computer network, and the addition of a fence behind the building to secure police vehicles, according to Rasmussen.

On April 8, the Lakeport Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the city's acquisition of the property and the station's relocation.

The hearing will be for the commission to consider approving a general plan consistency report, general plan amendment from major retail to public and civic uses, zone change from major retail C-2 zoning to public and civic uses zoning, and a negative declaration for the overall project based on an environmental review.

The proposed negative declaration is available for review at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St., and at www.cityoflakeport.com .

Rasmussen said that the goal is for the Lakeport Police Department to be in its new home by July 1.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A man who had brandished a gun at patrons at a bar and restaurant in Sonoma County and threatened to kill them died in a crash while attempting to flee from a sheriff's deputy.

The man, who as of Monday night had not yet been identified, was killed on Highway 1 just north of Bodega Highway, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office.

At 6:30 p.m. Monday, dispatchers received a 911 call of a subject in the Washoe House bar/restaurant in Petaluma with a handgun, the agency said.

It was reported that the subject was brandishing the gun and made statements that he was going to kill people. At times, authorities said the man made incoherent statements that people could not understand.

The subject left the bar in a vehicle as sheriff’s deputies were responding to the scene, according to the report.

The sheriff's office said a deputy responding to the scene located the man's vehicle on Walker Road near Pepper Road.

Authorities said the deputy initiated a traffic stop on the subject and he pulled over to the side of the road and opened the driver’s door. As the deputy exited his vehicle the subject then accelerated away in his vehicle and a pursuit ensued.

The fleeing man traveled on several rural roads at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. Sheriff's officials said the pursuit lasted approximately 10 minutes, ending when the man crashed his vehicle into a tree on Highway 1 just north of Bodega Highway.

The vehicle immediately burst into flames. The deputy attempted to get to the man but was unable to do so due to the fire and the severe damage of the vehicle, according to the sheriff's report.

The fire department and an ambulance were immediately requested to the scene, where the man died, officials said.

The California Highway Patrol took over the investigation per the Sonoma County protocol, officials said.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A police K9 caught a Clearlake man this week who was attempting to flee from officers after a burglary.

Patrick James Potter, 21, was arrested early Tuesday, according to Clearlake Police Lt. Tim Celli.

Just after 7 a.m. that day Clearlake Police were notified that a subject wearing dark-colored clothing had just smashed the window at Dr. Elizares' optometrist office, located at 3610 Old Highway 53, Celli said.

Celli said officers Travis Parson and Travis Lenz responded to the possible burglary in progress, with Lenz accompanied by his K9 partner “Dex.”

When officers arrived to the scene they observed a shattered window and additional evidence that a burglary had just occurred, Celli said. While officers checked the area, Parson observed a subject later identified as Potter running away from the scene.

Officers gave numerous commands for the subject to stop, however, Celli said Potter ignored their commands and continued to flee.

Potter led officers on a foot chase through residential yards and over fences, and continued to ignore commands to stop, which Celli said led to Lenz deploying Dex to apprehend Potter.

Celli said Potter jumped over a barbed wire fence – apparently to evade capture – which caused Dex to get tangled in the fence. Lenz untangled Dex from the fence while Potter continued to flee, ignoring commands to stop.

Once untangled from the barbed wire fence, Dex was again released to apprehend Potter, who was unable to avoid the dog, Celli said.

Potter was taken into custody without further incident after Dex bit him in the buttocks, according to Celli.

Celli said Dex suffered only minor scrapes from the fence.

During subsequent interviews with Potter he admitted that he committed the burglary and items stolen by him during the burglary were recovered, Celli said.

Celli said Potter stated he had run from police in Sonoma County before and had gotten away and believed he could do the same this time.

Potter also told police that although he heard the announcements regarding the release of the K9 he thought he could outrun the dog, Celli said.

After receiving treatment for his injuries suffered during his apprehension by Dex, Potter was transported and booked in the Lake County Jail for burglary and vandalism, and an outstanding Sonoma County warrant for theft and vandalism, Celli said.

Potter remained in custody on Friday, with a no-bail hold for the Sonoma County warrant, according to jail records.

Celli said the Clearlake Police Department thanked the reporting party for calling, which led to the apprehension of Potter – who otherwise may have gotten away with the crime.

“In partnership with the community we can make a difference,” Celli said.