News
CLEARLAKE – A head-on collision early Friday afternoon claimed the life of a Clearlake Oaks man and sent two other Oaks residents to the hospital with major injuries.
The California Highway Patrol's Clear Lake office reported that the accident took place along Highway 53 approximately one-half mile south of Highway 20 at 12:52 p.m.
Ronald Neville, 53, of Clearlake Oaks was driving his 1990 Mazda pickup southbound on Highway 53, the CHP reported. Coming from the opposite direction was 63-year-old Carla Sawyer of Clearlake Oaks in a 1993 Dodge minivan. Both drivers were traveling at between 50 and 55 miles per hour.
For an unknown reason, Neville's pickup drifted to the left and into the opposing lane, which was directly in Sawyer's path, the CHP reported.
Sawyer was unable to avoid the collision, and the two vehicles hit head-on in the Highway 53's northbound lane, according to the CHP report.
The CHP incident logs reported that there was “utter chaos” at the scene, with both cars blocking the roadway and emergency personnel on scene to help the three accident victims.
At just after 2 p.m., CHP confirmed that Neville had died of his injuries.
Sawyer and her passenger, 56-year-old Craig Sawyer of Clearlake Oaks, both sustained major injuries. Carla Sawyer suffered a fractured pelvis and a fractured upper arm. Craig Sawyer had a fractured neck, fractured leg, a broken sternum and broken ribs.
One of the injured was flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, but CHP did not specify which.
Highway 53 was completely shut down for about 15 minutes before one lane was reopened, CHP reported. Both lanes once again were clear by 2:16 p.m.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKEPORT – A local California Highway Patrol officer pleaded not guilty on Friday to allegations of fraud and elder abuse.
The Lake County District Attorney's Office filed the felony charges on Wednesday against 48-year-old Kelseyville resident Timothy Poindexter, a sergeant with the Clear Lake CHP office.
District Attorney Jon Hopkins said the charges arose out of an investigation his office conducted on a real estate transaction in which Poindexter was purchasing property from an elderly Finley couple.
Poindexter pleaded not guilty during his Friday morning appearance before visiting Superior Court Judge Galen Hathaway, Hopkins reported.
Hathaway released Poindexter on his own recognizance, Hopkins said, and ordered that Poindexter be booked the same day at the Lake County Jail.
Fran Clader, a spokesperson with the CHP's Sacramento headquarters, said Poindexter has served with the CHP for 26 years. He has worked at CHP offices around the state, including Napa, Alturas and Gilroy. He joined the Clear Lake CHP office in August 2001.
Hopkins told Lake County News on Thursday that after the charges were filed the CHP put Poindexter on administrative leave, pending completion of an internal affairs investigation.
Hopkins said Deputy District Attorney Joyce Campbell is prosecuting the case. Representing Poindexter is Judy Conard, an experienced defense attorney with Alvord & Conard law firm in Lakeport.
A call to Conard's office seeking comment on the case was not returned.
Poindexter is set to return to court for a preliminary hearing on July 13, Hopkins said.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
How to resolve AdBlock issue?