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CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said it has arrested a Clearlake Oaks man for a late Thursday night shooting that left another man dead, with the agency continuing to seek witnesses.
Christian Ian Michael Meiler, 23, was arrested early Friday morning in the case, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities believe it was Meiler who fatally shot another Clearlake Oaks resident, 31-year-old Brian Thomas Hultman, late Thursday night.
At approximately 10 p.m. Thursday Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the area of Highway 20 and Oakgrove Avenue in Clearlake Oaks for a report of shots fired, according to Sgt. Corey Paulich.
Paulich said that while the deputies were en route they received updated information that there was a male lying in the street with a gunshot wound to the chest.
When deputies arrived they located the male victim – later identified as Hultman – with an apparent gunshot wound, according to Paulich.
Hultman was transported to Adventist Health Clear Lake Hospital in Clearlake where he succumbed to his injuries, Paulich said.
Paulich said the scene was secured and Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit detectives responded to the scene.
Deputies received information from witnesses that a male subject by the name of Chris, who lived in the area, may have been responsible for the shooting. Paulich said deputies subsequently contacted and detained Meiler.
After searching the scene, interviewing witnesses as well as Meiler, detectives placed Meiler under arrest for the shooting death of Hultman, Paulich said.
Paulich told Lake County News that it was Meiler’s Ford Explorer that was parked next to the Red and White Market, its lights still on and driver’s side door open, just down Highway 20 from where Hultman had been found. Deputies had originally contacted Meiler in that vehicle.
Detectives secured and photographed the vehicle at the scene early Friday morning, as Lake County News has reported.
Meiler was transported to the Lake County Jail where he was booked for murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, Paulich said.
Meiler’s booking sheet showed he is being held on $1 million bail, and is scheduled to appear in court for arraignment on Tuesday.
Paulich said detectives believe there may be other witnesses to this incident who haven’t come forward.
The sheriff’s office urges anyone with information regarding this investigation to contact Det. Richard Kreutzer at 707-262-4233 or
CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – Authorities are investigating what led to a fatal shooting in Clearlake Oaks on Thursday night.
Brian Thomas Hultman, 31, of Clearlake Oaks died from his injuries in the late-night incident, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Sgt. Corey Paulich.
Paulich said that at around 10 p.m. Thursday deputies were dispatched to Clearlake Oaks for a report of shots fired.
While en route, they were advised by Central Dispatch that there was a shooting victim, Paulich said.
When deputies arrived, Paulich said they found Hultman on a small frontage road off Highway 20 and Oakgrove Avenue.
Paulich said Northshore Fire transported Hultman to Adventist Health Clear Lake.
Hultman later was declared dead, Paulich said.
Deputies were joined at the scene by several California Highway Patrol units, which were parked along the highway near where Hultman was found.
Shortly before 1 a.m. Friday, Paulich arrived to work with other detectives and deputies on scene, where the investigation was under way.
At that point, Paulich said they still did not know a motive or what led to the shooting, and he did not report if they knew who was responsible.
He said detectives were interviewing witnesses. Deputies also appeared to be searching with their flashlights along the frontage road where Hultman was found.
One of the detectives was photographing and documenting a dark-colored Ford Explorer that had been left parked next to the Red and White Market, facing east, its lights on and driver side door open.
A deputy was stationed near the Ford with his patrol vehicle’s spotlight trained on it.
Paulich said they did not know how, or if, the Ford Explorer was connected to the incident.
Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Brian Thomas Hultman, 31, of Clearlake Oaks died from his injuries in the late-night incident, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Sgt. Corey Paulich.
Paulich said that at around 10 p.m. Thursday deputies were dispatched to Clearlake Oaks for a report of shots fired.
While en route, they were advised by Central Dispatch that there was a shooting victim, Paulich said.
When deputies arrived, Paulich said they found Hultman on a small frontage road off Highway 20 and Oakgrove Avenue.
Paulich said Northshore Fire transported Hultman to Adventist Health Clear Lake.
Hultman later was declared dead, Paulich said.
Deputies were joined at the scene by several California Highway Patrol units, which were parked along the highway near where Hultman was found.
Shortly before 1 a.m. Friday, Paulich arrived to work with other detectives and deputies on scene, where the investigation was under way.
At that point, Paulich said they still did not know a motive or what led to the shooting, and he did not report if they knew who was responsible.
He said detectives were interviewing witnesses. Deputies also appeared to be searching with their flashlights along the frontage road where Hultman was found.
One of the detectives was photographing and documenting a dark-colored Ford Explorer that had been left parked next to the Red and White Market, facing east, its lights on and driver side door open.
A deputy was stationed near the Ford with his patrol vehicle’s spotlight trained on it.
Paulich said they did not know how, or if, the Ford Explorer was connected to the incident.
Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Local law enforcement agencies are planning “Coffee with a Cop” events around Lake County on Wednesday, Oct. 4.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office invites the community to “Coffee with a Cop” from 7 to 9 a.m. at the Catfish Coffeehouse, located at 12595 State Highway 20 in Clearlake Oaks.
Members of the sheriff’s office and the California Highway Patrol will be on hand to meet with the public. There is no agenda or speeches, just a chance to ask questions, and get to know the men and women who protect and serve you every day.
The Lakeport Police Department and Susie Q's Donuts are hosting "Coffee with a Cop" from 9 to 11 a.m. at Susie Q's Donuts, 414 S. Main St.
All members of the public are invited to attend and have coffee with local officers.
Coffee with a Cop is an event where police and community members come together in an informal, neutral space to discuss community issues, build relationships and drink coffee.
It is a national initiative supported by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, and has been implemented by many cities and towns across the country.
The goal of the program is to increase community trust, police legitimacy and partnership building.
Coffee with a Cop removes the physical barriers and crisis situations that routinely define interactions between law enforcement officials and community members. Instead, it allows for relaxed, informal one-on-one interactions in a friendly atmosphere.
This informal contact increases trust in police officers as individuals which is the foundation to building partnerships and engaging in community problem-solving.
The program aims to advance the practice of Community Policing through improving relationships between police officers and the community, one cup at a time.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office invites the community to “Coffee with a Cop” from 7 to 9 a.m. at the Catfish Coffeehouse, located at 12595 State Highway 20 in Clearlake Oaks.
Members of the sheriff’s office and the California Highway Patrol will be on hand to meet with the public. There is no agenda or speeches, just a chance to ask questions, and get to know the men and women who protect and serve you every day.
The Lakeport Police Department and Susie Q's Donuts are hosting "Coffee with a Cop" from 9 to 11 a.m. at Susie Q's Donuts, 414 S. Main St.
All members of the public are invited to attend and have coffee with local officers.
Coffee with a Cop is an event where police and community members come together in an informal, neutral space to discuss community issues, build relationships and drink coffee.
It is a national initiative supported by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, and has been implemented by many cities and towns across the country.
The goal of the program is to increase community trust, police legitimacy and partnership building.
Coffee with a Cop removes the physical barriers and crisis situations that routinely define interactions between law enforcement officials and community members. Instead, it allows for relaxed, informal one-on-one interactions in a friendly atmosphere.
This informal contact increases trust in police officers as individuals which is the foundation to building partnerships and engaging in community problem-solving.
The program aims to advance the practice of Community Policing through improving relationships between police officers and the community, one cup at a time.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Sierra Club Lake Group is planning to host its Wild and Scenic Film Festival on Saturday, Oct. 28.
The event will take place at the Soper Reese Theatre, 275 Main St., Lakeport.
The festival will present environmental and adventure films created locally and from around the world illustrating and celebrating the earth's beauty, the challenges facing our planet, and the work people are doing to protect our communities and our planet.
Diverse, entertaining and inspiring, the afternoon and evening festival begins with Dr. Harry Lyons sharing his delightful and informational presentation about Lake County's Middle Creek Restoration Project.
Doors open at 3 p.m. for visiting friends and local organizations' information booths.
The festival begins at 4 p.m.
There will be a dinner break from 6 to 7 p.m. Bring your own, go out, or enjoy autumn fare at the Soper Reese concession.
Tickets are $15 and available online at www.soperreesetheatre.com, The Travel Center, 707-263-3095, or Watershed Books, 305 N. Main St. in Lakeport, 707-263-5787.
The event will take place at the Soper Reese Theatre, 275 Main St., Lakeport.
The festival will present environmental and adventure films created locally and from around the world illustrating and celebrating the earth's beauty, the challenges facing our planet, and the work people are doing to protect our communities and our planet.
Diverse, entertaining and inspiring, the afternoon and evening festival begins with Dr. Harry Lyons sharing his delightful and informational presentation about Lake County's Middle Creek Restoration Project.
Doors open at 3 p.m. for visiting friends and local organizations' information booths.
The festival begins at 4 p.m.
There will be a dinner break from 6 to 7 p.m. Bring your own, go out, or enjoy autumn fare at the Soper Reese concession.
Tickets are $15 and available online at www.soperreesetheatre.com, The Travel Center, 707-263-3095, or Watershed Books, 305 N. Main St. in Lakeport, 707-263-5787.
NORTH COAST, Calif. – Sonoma County Sheriff’s deputies this week arrested a Santa Rosa sex registrant after he was found in a girls bathroom at a Santa Rosa elementary school.
Alan Brelsford, a 39-year-old sex registrant out of Santa Rosa, was arrested in the incident, which occurred just before 8:30 a.m. Tuesday at Redwood Adventist Academy Elementary School, according to Sgt. Spencer Crum of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office.
Crum said a parent and school staff at the school found a man later identified as Brelsford inside the girls’ bathroom.
They confronted the Brelsford, who Crum said had no business being on the campus of the elementary school. Brelsford claimed he was watching a helicopter when he felt he needed to use the restroom.
Crum said school staff escorted Brelsford off the property and took a picture of his truck as he left the school parking lot. The truck was described as a lifted Chevrolet pickup with black rims.
While deputies were on campus taking the report, Brelsford drove by the school slowly again, Crum said.
Crum said the deputies spotted Brelsford’s truck and were able to get in their patrol car and make a traffic stop on him in the area of the school.
Brelsford again couldn’t provide a good explanation as to why he was on the campus and why he was in the girls' bathroom, Crum said.
Deputies ascertained that Brelsford was a registered sex offender out of Sacramento County from a 2006 indecent exposure/unlawful entry case but is currently living in Santa Rosa, according to Crum.
Crum said Brelsford’s status as a sex offender precludes him from being at an elementary school without lawful business.
Brelsford was arrested and booked into the Sonoma County Jail on the misdemeanor charge and has since been released on bail, Crum said.
Further investigation found that in 2006, Brelsford was caught by school staff while exposing himself and masturbating behind a fence of an all-girls private high school in Sacramento. He was arrested and convicted of the sex crime which placed him into the sex registry, according to Crum.
Based on these incidents, Crum said the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office has concerns about his threat to public safety. As a result, they released information about his case along with his picture.
Crum said anyone who sees Brelsford on school grounds or acting suspiciously is encouraged to contact the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office or their local law enforcement agency.
LLOWER LAKE, Calif. – A possible explosive device found in Lower Lake on Thursday afternoon has been safely disposed of, according to authorities.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said the device was located shortly before 2 p.m. during a traffic stop near the 9000 block of Bronco Court.
The Napa County Bomb Unit responded to the area and subsequently destroyed the device in place, the sheriff’s office said.
The sheriff’s office said there were no injuries or property damage as a result of this incident.