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- Written by: Lake County News reports
MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif. – A Lake County man was arrested by a Mendocino County Sheriff’s deputy on Wednesday after he allegedly was found in possession of a number of prescription drugs for which he allegedly did not have prescriptions.
Michael Dean Calas, 28, of Clearlake, was arrested following a traffic stop, according to a report from Lt. Greg Van Patten of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.
At about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday a deputy observed Calas allegedly engaging in an exhibition of speed violation while driving near the intersection of North State Street and Empire Drive in Ukiah, Van Patten said.
The deputy pulled Calas over in the 900 block of North State Street and obtained permission to search the vehicle, according to Van Patten.
Van Patten said the deputy found a backpack which contained numerous prescription pharmaceuticals. The deputy discovered some of the pharmaceuticals were controlled substances.
Calas allegedly did not have a prescription for any of the pharmaceuticals and was subsequently arrested for the listed violations, Van Patten said.
Calas was transported and incarcerated at the Mendocino County Jail where he was to be held in lieu of $10,000 bail, according to Van Patten.
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – One person was reported to have died in a crash early Saturday morning near Lower Lake.
The solo vehicle wreck occurred on Highway 29 north of Bell Avenue, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The CHP’s Ukiah Dispatch Center said the first report came in at approximately 12:09 a.m. Saturday.
The CHP confirmed that one person had died in the crash, which involved a white Chevrolet Malibu.
Reports from the scene indicated that the car flipped several times and had only one occupant.
The CHP said one-way traffic control was in effect around the crash site.
Additional details will be posted as they become available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED.
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – A man was shot Friday night during a reported armed robbery at a Kelseyville convenience store and gas station.
The incident happened at around 11 p.m. at Mt. Konocti Gas & Mart, known to locals as Store 24, located at 5475 Main St.
Based on reports from the scene a male store clerk was shot in the chest and in the hand by a male suspect wearing a dark hoodie and dark clothing, with a bandanna around his face.
The male suspect asked for money and when the clerk tried to stop him, the suspect pulled out a handgun and shot him.
The suspect allegedly took a small amount of money and ran across a nearby field, according to witnesses.
There was no official confirmation on the identity of the victim, but reports from the scene indicated it was store clerk Forrest Seagrave of Kelseyville.
Kelseyville Fire Protection District ambulances responded to the scene to transport the shooting victim to Lampson Field, where a REACH air ambulance originally was to have taken him to a regional trauma center, radio reports indicated.
Paramedics reported the shooting victim was complaining of shortness of breath, but he was said to be reported to be alert and oriented.
A short time later, the Kelseyville Fire ambulance was reported leaving the airport and heading to Sutter Lakeside Hospital, according to Tyler Elsa and Rodney Gard, who were in the area. They said no air ambulance came to the airport.
Sheriff’s deputies and California Highway Patrol officers were at the gas station, which Elsa said was cordoned off with crime tape. A nearby road also was closed off.
Elsa said it appeared that there had been a struggle in front of the counter and doorway, with items all over the floor.
The gas station was the same location that a man who had been stabbed about a dozen times was found nearly two weeks ago, as Lake County News has reported. The stabbing victim was reportedly transported and left at the station.
Additional details about the shooting will be posted as they become available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Dennis Fordham
On Jan. 1, 2013, important amendments to California’s law governing “Multiple Party Accounts,” including Joint Tenancy Accounts, took effect.
Let us examine how the amendments protect joint tenants from excessive withdrawals by their other joint tenants.
Generally, while all original parties to a multiple account are alive, each party’s ownership is based on that party’s own net contributions (deposits less withdrawals).
Also, on a party’s death, any life insurance deposited to the account due to that party’s death increases his net contributions.
For example, consider a joint tenancy account opened by an adult college student with his parents to pay college related expenses.
The parents contribute $10,000 of their own community property earnings and the child contributes his $5,000 student loan.
The parents own two-thirds of the account and the student owns one-third. As the student withdraws money, his ownership decreases until he withdraws all of his $5,000 contribution.
Subsequent withdrawals are presumed to involve the parents’ contribution, except where there is clear and convincing evidence to the contrary.
Here the parents gave $10,000 to help son pay his college related expenses. Provided he used the money for such expenses it is consistent with the parents’ intentions, and they would not have any right to reimbursement.
What, however, if the college student used some of the parents’ $10,000 for any of a multitude of unintended reasons?
Then the parents might arguably be entitled to reimbursement of any of their misspent monies. Further examination is required.
If son paid emergency medical expenses for which the parents would otherwise be held responsible then a court at its discretion might reduce or eliminate the parents’ claim.
Next, consider a co-habiting unmarried couple who open a joint tenancy account to pay shared living expenses.
Later, if they separate and one withdraws more than his/her net contributions then the other is entitled to reimbursement. This is new. Previously, one joint tenant could lawfully empty the entire joint account to the detriment of the others.
Next consider what happens when a party to a multiple party account dies. Each surviving party retains his proportionate share in the account and also inherits an equal share of the deceased party’s proportionate share, all as computed at the party’s death. That is longstanding law.
With a joint account with right of survivorship, any money withdrawn while still alive by a now deceased joint tenant is not subject to the surviving joint tenants’ right of survivorship; thus, the deceased tenant while alive can withdraw and transfer his net contributions into a separate account in his name alone and defeat the surviving joint tenant’s expectation of inheritance.
Now, under the amended law, the surviving joint tenant receives some protection. That is, if the deceased tenant’s lifetime withdrawals exceeds his net contributions then the surviving joint tenant has a right for reimbursement of the excess withdrawal (which depleted the surviving joint tenants’ contributions). Previously the survivor would simply be out of luck.
Returning to the unmarried couple example, hypothetically speaking if one party withdrew $6,000 from say his/her $10,000 in net contributions and died, the survivor would receive the remaining $4,000 in the account contributed by the deceased tenant – in addition of course to the surviving party’s own net contributions on deposit – but has no rights to the withdrawn $6,000.
If instead the deceased tenant withdrew more than his $10,000 net contribution, however, then under amended law the survivor has a right to the excess amount against the decedent’s estate.
Lastly, California’s community property laws also come into play here when married joint tenants are concerned. In all cases, persons should consult an attorney before reaching any conclusions regarding their legal rights discussed herein.
Dennis A. Fordham, attorney (LL.M. tax studies), is a State Bar Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Law. His office is at 55 First St., Lakeport, California. Dennis can be reached by e-mail at