How to resolve AdBlock issue? NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — A Middletown man arrested last month on a host of charges including arson, assault, carjacking and kidnapping was in court on Thursday to enter a plea in the case.
William Ralph Harbour IV, 37, who was arrested in Napa County on Aug. 21, is being prosecuted there.
He appeared in Napa County Superior Court before Judge Scott Young on Thursday morning to enter his not guilty plea in the case.
He’s charged with kidnapping for carjacking, which upon conviction could carry a life sentence; kidnapping; carjacking with a special allegation of causing great bodily injury to the woman whose vehicle he took; evading an officer against traffic; evading an officer with willful disregard; two counts of assault on a peace officer for assaulting two California State Parks officers; attempted unlawful driving or taking of a vehicle; unlawful driving or taking of a vehicle; carjacking; elder or dependent adult abuse of his father, William Harbour III; grand theft of personal property, specifically, $1,000 from William Harbour III; arson of property of another for setting fire to his father’s Mercedes; and recklessly causing a fire of a structure or forest near the intersection of Highway 175 and McKinley Drive.
On Aug. 21, authorities said Harbour was involved in a fight with family members, leading to him running over his father and setting fire to his father’s car.
Later, he is believed to have set the McKinley fire near Middletown, then carjacked a woman, taking her car with her 7-year-old daughter inside of it, before he led authorities — including California Highway Patrol and State Parks officers — on a pursuit into Napa County, where he was finally arrested that afternoon.
This week, state officials issued a report in which they explained how the initial encounter between State Parks officers and Harbour near Robert Louis Stevenson State Park on Highway 29 came about.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said State Parks officers were taking part in a multiagency cannabis enforcement operation in Napa County as part of the Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce on Aug. 21.
The State Parks officers executed a search warrant and dismantled a water diversion that originated from within the Robert Louis Stevenson State Park.
While they were involved in that operation, Harbour attempted to steal a State Parks patrol vehicle before later carjacking the motorist, taking her vehicle with the child still inside. Authorities said he dropped off the child a short distance away.
“State Parks officers initiated a pursuit and safely recovered the child before arresting the suspect,” the report said.
"This was more than a simple enforcement action — it was a moment of heroism, a moment where State Park Rangers and lifeguards demonstrated their prowess as fully sworn peace officers,” said State Parks Law Enforcement and Emergency Services Division Chief Alex Luscutoff. “The officers’ swift response and coordinated pursuit resulted in a mother being reunited with her daughter and a very dangerous individual being safely taken into custody.”
During his Thursday court appearance, Harbour’s preliminary hearing was set for Oct. 17.
Harbour remains in custody in the Napa County Jail on a no bail hold.
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