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- Written by: Lake County News reports
CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A Clearlake Oaks man was arrested Wednesday night after he allegedly used brick to assault another man during a late night fight.
Howard Darnell Reed, 20, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, according to Sgt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Brooks said patrol deputies responded to the 100 block of Hoover Street in Clearlake Oaks at 11 p.m. Wednesday on the report of a physical fight involving multiple subjects.
When the deputies arrived they noticed several people in the middle of Hoover Street engaging in a physical fight, Brooks said.
The deputies contacted the alleged victim, who said he was inside his residence and could hear what sounded like several people yelling, Brooks said. The victim said he looked outside and saw three male subjects start to attack one of his neighbors.
Brooks said the man told deputies he went outside and told everyone involved not to fight in front of his residence and attempted to pull the subjects off of his neighbor.
The man said the number of people involved in the fight started to grow and they became hostile towards him and threatened to kill him, Brooks reported.
The victim said he looked up and saw Reed pick up a cinder block-style brick and hit him with it. Brooks said the brick struck the victim on the left arm and shoulder.
Reed was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked.
Reed’s bail was set at $25,000. Jail records indicated he later posted the required percentage of bail and was released.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Thursday morning, following a day of deliberations, a jury returned a guilty verdict in the trial of a Lakeport man who was accused of stabbing his neighbor to death because he wrongly believed the man was a child molester.
Ivan Garcia Oliver, 34, was found guilty of first-degree murder, burglary and several special allegations for the stabbing death of Michael Dodele.
The jury found him not guilty of a charge of elder abuse.
“They came to the exact same decision that I would have sitting on the jury, knowing what I know,” said Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff, who prosecuted the case.
Oliver’s sentencing is scheduled for 8:15 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 29, in Lake County Superior Court Department 2.
Hinchcliff said Oliver faces 32 years to life in prison when he’s sentenced.
“Mr. Oliver has asked to file a notice of appeal and I will do that at sentencing,” said defense attorney Stephen Carter, who declined further comment on trial’s outcome.
On Nov. 20, 2007, Oliver had allegedly stabbed the 67-year-old Dodele to death in his trailer at Western Hills Mobile Home Park on Lakeshore Boulevard in Lakeport.
Days earlier, the park manager had told Oliver that Dodele was a child molester after they used the Megan’s Law sex offender registration Web site to look for sex offenders in the area.
Dodele was registered as a sex offender for a 1980s conviction for raping an adult female. He also had several previous convictions for rape and attempted rape. He had lived in the trailer park just a short time after being released from state prison.
Hinchcliff had argued that Oliver stabbed Dodele more than 65 times in a rage. He played a jail interview during the trial in which Oliver told sheriff’s detectives that he had gone to Dodele’s trailer with “murder on my mind.”
Pathologist Dr. Thomas Gill, who testified at trial, had detailed each of the wounds inflicted on Dodele. They had covered Dodele’s face, chest, arms and abdomen.
Carter had argued that Oliver was a concerned father who had gotten into a deadly fight with Dodele after asking him if he had touched Oliver’s young son.
Oliver also took the stand during the trial and told the jury that he was the victim, claiming Dodele had attacked him with a knife.
The jury had begun deliberations on Wednesday morning.
The trial began late last month before retired Lake County Superior Court Judge Arthur Mann.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The 16th annual food and wine event, A Taste of Lakeport, will once again pair premium Lake County wines with gourmet food from local purveyors this Friday, Aug. 17.
The event will take place along three blocks of Main Street in downtown Lakeport from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., with a street dance following until 10 p.m.
An expected 20 wineries will offer tastes from fine wines either produced in Lake County or made from grapes grown in the county. Twenty local restaurateurs and caterers will provide tasty bites matched to the wine being poured.
To keep the fun going, live music will play throughout the tasting by Polecat Rodeo and The Hip Replacements.
A great antique car collection will be on view as well. After 8 pm, the party turns into a lively street dance under the stars with music by the Jimmy Z band.
Event tickets are $30 in advance, $35 at the door, and include all activities and a souvenir wine glass. A $15 ticket is available for food tasting only.
Tickets are on sale now at these outlets:
- Soper Reese Community Theatre online at www.soperreesetheatre.com , or at the box office on Fridays from 10:30-5:30, 375 S. Main, Lakeport, 707-263-0577;
- The Travel Center, 1265 S. Main, Lakeport, 707-263-3095;
- Lake County Chamber of Commerce, 875 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport, 707-263-5092;
- Hillside Honda, 460 S. Main, Lakeport, 707-263-9000;
- Clearlake Chamber of Commerce, 3425 Bowers Road, Clearlake (cash or check only);
- Doni’s Occasion Station, 6140 E. Hwy 20, Lucerne (cash or check only).
Proceeds from The Taste of Lakeport benefit the Lakeport Main Street Association and its work toward the continuing revitalization and renovation of downtown Lakeport.
For more information contact LMSA at 707-243-8843,
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
California’s increased fire activity, coupled with the current weather forecast for continued heightened fire danger, has prompted Cal Fire to suspend all burning permits and open fire within the State Responsibility Area of California.
The burn ban suspends all residential burn permits, forest management, hazard abatement, and other industrial-type permitted burning within the 31 million acres of State Responsibility Area.
“Over 8,000 Cal Fire, local and federal firefighters are on the front lines of nearly a dozen major wildfires that are burning across California,”said Chief Ken Pimlott, Cal Fire director. “With conditions being so dry, we need to take every step possible to prevent new wildfires from starting.”
Campfires within organized campgrounds or on private property are allowed if they are in a designated campfire site that prevents fire from spreading outside the site.
The burning suspension will remain in effect until there is a significant change in weather conditions or until the end of fire season.
The last two years have been relatively light for wildfires due in part to favorable weather patterns,but this year California has experienced an increase in fires statewide.
Historically, the fall months are when the largest and most damaging wildfires occur, so Cal Fire is urging residents to do their part to be fire safe during this critical time and to make sure they have prepared an emergency plan in case a fire threatens their home or family.
Here are some tips all citizens can use to prevent wildfires:
- Do: Defensible space clearing before 10 a.m. and never on a hot and windy day.
- Don’t: Toss cigarettes out your car window.
- Don’t: Pull off into dry grass or brush. Hot exhaust pipes and mufflers can start fires that can’t be seen easily by the driver.
- Check with local officials for additional fire restrictions. Check with local officials for additional fire restrictions
- In wildland areas, spark arresters are required on all portable gasoline powered equipment. This includes tractors, chainsaws, weedeaters, mowers, motorcycles and All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs)
- Report any suspicious activity. Call the Cal Fire Arson Hotline: 1-800-468-4408.
Nearly 95 percent of all wildland fires within Cal Fire’s jurisdiction are human-caused and Cal Fire is asking the public to do their part in preventing wildfires.
For more fire safety tips visit www.ReadyForWildfire.org or the Cal Fire Web site at www.fire.ca.gov .