Clearlake Oaks assault victim dies; homicide investigation underway

By Elizabeth Larson | Mar 11, 2021
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Authorities said a man who was found seriously injured in Clearlake Oaks on Wednesday has died.

The man, whose name has so far not been released pending notification of next of kin, was found by sheriff’s deputies shortly after 2 p.m. Wednesday near Clark’s Island and E. State Highway 20, as Lake County News has reported.

Lt. Rich Ward of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said the man, described as a middle-aged Caucasian, was found unconscious with visible head injuries and a puncture wound to his stomach.

The assault victim was transported to Adventist Health Clear Lake Hospital. Ward said the man succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 4:42 p.m. Wednesday.

Ward said the man’s death is being treated as a homicide and is under investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit.

A cause of death will be determined at the conclusion of an autopsy, Ward said.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone with information pertaining to this investigation and/or surveillance footage in the area to contact Det. Richard Kreutzer at the Central Dispatch nonemergency line at 707-263-2690 or richard.kreutzer@lakecountyca.gov.

Email Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.