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NICE, Calif. – Proactive enforcement efforts by a Lake County Sheriff’s patrol deputy last week resulted in one arrest and the seizure of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and a firearm.
Daniel Patrick Hard, 50, of Clearlake Oaks was taken into custody following a traffic stop, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.
At 2 a.m. Friday, Aug. 16, a deputy working patrol in the Nice area was traveling westbound on Highway 20 when he noticed a vehicle, traveling eastbound, which passed him with its high beam headlights activated, Brooks said.
Brooks said the deputy conducted an enforcement stop on the vehicle in the area of Highway 20 and Bartlett Springs Road.
The deputy contacted Hard, the vehicle's driver, who explained his high beam indicator light is not working properly and is constantly illuminated, Brooks said.
Hard told the deputy that he is unable to determine if his high beams are on or off. At the same time, Central Dispatch conducted a records check of Hard and advised he had two warrants for his arrest from Colusa County, Brooks said.
The deputy had Hard exit the vehicle and when he did, the deputy noticed a black plastic case on the floorboard near the gas pedal. Brooks said the deputy asked what was in the case and Hard replied, “A meth pipe.”
The deputy opened the case and located a glass pipe with a white residue throughout it. Brooks said the deputy also searched the vehicle and located a loaded 9 millimeter semi-automatic handgun, another glass meth pipe, a digital gram scale and a small amount of methamphetamine in the center console.
Hard was arrested for the two Colusa County warrants, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, armed while committing a drug offense, possession of a controlled substance while armed, possession of a controlled substance, possession of controlled substance paraphernalia and for being under the influence of a controlled substance, Brooks said.
Brooks said Hard was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked. He remained in custody on Wednesday, with bail set at $300,000.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be contacted through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The locally created and broadcast performance of “Lake County Live!” airs once again on Sunday, Aug. 25, at 6 p.m. at the Soper-Reese Community Theatre in Lakeport.
This month's show features the return of the a Capella group EarReverence, and the debut of a new performer for the show.
“We have always attempted to present the best entertainment Lake County has to offer, and have had a few visitors on the show in the past who were not from Lake County,” said program creator and host Doug Rhoades.
“My friend Barry Melton, who is a great performer in his own right, told me about his friend Cat Hill,” Rhoades said. “When he went on to tell me that this folksinger/songwriter had created a song about Mother Maybelle's Bountiful Brownies, having her on our show was a done deal.”
Mother Maybelle's, the fictious purveyor of “enhanced” brownies, is a regular feature of the show as sponsor for the continuing soap opera, “Ladies of the Lake.”
“I couldn't think of a better fit for our show than EarReverence, who have always pleased the crowd, and Cat Hill who has so captured the essence of at least one aspect of our show. It should be a fun night,” Rhoades said.
Lake County Live! airs on Lake County Community Radio KPFZ 88.1 FM and is performed live in the theater at 6 p.m. on the last Sunday of each month.
Tickets are available online at www.soperreesetheatre.com , at the theater box office and at the Travel Center, 1265 S. Main St. in Lakeport.
The show also is streamed live on the Internet at www.kpfz.org , and is repeated on KPFZ radio the Saturday following the live show at 7 a.m.
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – A young man was hurt when his dirt bike hit a parked car over the weekend.
The 19-year-old man, whose name was not available for release, was injured in a crash that occurred shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday at 5950 Terri Lane in Kelseyville, according to Kelseyville Fire Chief Mike Stone.
Stone said the man was riding a small dirt bike without a helmet, lost control and hit the parked car.
After hitting the car, the man flew over it and hit his head on an iron gate, Stone said.
The crash victim had a large laceration on the top of his head. Stone said the man was conscious and told firefighters he had severe head pain but did not have neck pain.
Kelseyville Fire ambulance took the man to a landing zone at Kelseyville High School. From there he was taken by REACH air ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, Stone said.
An update on the young man's condition was not available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The service of a search warrant by the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force last Friday resulted in one arrest and the seizure of 762 marijuana plants, 140 pounds of processed marijuana and two firearms.
Virginio Nunez Espinoza, 54, of Kelseyville was arrested as a result of the search warrant service, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
On Friday, Aug. 16, narcotics detectives secured a search warrant on a parcel of property located in the 9500 block of Adobe Creek Drive in Kelseyville. Brooks said the property was described as being a rural, vacant parcel located along the top of a mountain ridge.
At 3 p.m. that day, detectives served the search warrant, Brooks said.
As they entered the property, detectives noticed a large quantity of marijuana plants within a fenced enclosure. Brooks said they also saw two male subjects sitting outside of a travel trailer, located approximately 30 yards uphill from the outdoor cultivation site.
One of the subjects fled on foot into the brush. The other subject was detained and later identified by his Mexico identification card as Espinoza, according to Brooks.
During the search, detectives located 720 marijuana plants inside an elaborate light deprivation grow structure, according to Brooks.
Brooks said the structure was equipped with high-powered fans and a large black curtain that, when drawn, would cover the top and sides of the structure. This manipulates the amount of sunlight received by the plants and stimulates the plant to flower.
Narcotics detectives located 42 additional marijuana plants in an outdoor cultivation site, Brooks said.
Inside a structure located on the property, detectives found what appeared to be a large scale processing area. Brooks said they located six large plastic containers which contained a total of 140 pounds of processed marijuana.
Detectives also located two loaded shotguns during the search. All of the marijuana and the firearms were seized as evidence, Brooks said.
Espinoza told detectives he was being paid $10 per hour to cultivate and process the marijuana. Brooks said Espinoza stated that he was unable to provide any information as to who was paying him, or who he was working with in the operation.
He denied having a medical recommendation to grow or use marijuana and told detectives that he thought it was legal, because it is legal to grow it in Mexico, Brooks said.
Espinoza was arrested for possession of marijuana for sales, the cultivation of marijuana and being armed while committing a drug offense. Brooks said Espinoza was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked, with bail set at $65,000.
Jail records indicated Espinoza later posted the required portion of bail and was released.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be contacted through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Cal Fire reported that its Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit will remain under red flag warnings, due to possible dry lightning strikes, into the late evening Wednesday.
The red flag warning remains in effect for most of the foothills, mountains of Northern California and Bay Area, due to the possibility of dry lightning in combination with gusty winds, the agency said.
Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit Chief Eric Hoffmann asked the public to be cautious during the red flag warnings and to do their part in preventing wildfires.
Since Sunday evening, California has been pummeled with thousands of dry lightning strikes that have sparked over a hundred new wildfires, the agency reported.
While most of those fires have been contained to small spots, fire officials said strong winds and dry conditions have allowed several of the fires to grow rapidly.
Currently, the Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit is not experiencing lightning-caused fire activity. However, other Cal Fire units – including Butte and Shasta – are battling wildland fires and the federal lands have been hit hard with fire activity throughout the state, officials said.
Already this year, Cal Fire has responded to more than 4,500 wildfires that have charred over 92,000 acres. Compared to last year during this same time period Cal Fire had responded to 3,300 fires that burned 43,000 acres.
The public is urged to ensure they are prepared for wildfires by having a wildfire action plan that includes evacuation routes, as well as having an emergency supply kit. Learn more at www.ReadyForWildfire.org .
For more information regarding warning and tips to prevent fires visit http://calfire.ca.gov/communications/communications_firesafety_redflagwarning.php .
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Wildland fires around California are impacting air quality in Lake County, Lake County Air Quality Management District said Tuesday morning.
The American and Swedes fires burning in the Northern Sierras and the Corral Complex, Salmon River Complex and Butler fires in northwest California – coupled with a cutoff low sitting off the central California coast – are resulting in smoke, haze and degraded air quality in Lake County, according to Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart.
According to the National Interagency Coordination Center's Tuesday morning situation report, the listed fires have burned over 52,600 acres and are partially contained. The fires are burning in timber and brush with extreme fire behavior.
Weather forecasts indicate moderate to poor conditions which may result in continued smoke impacts for the Lake County air basin until the low moves inland.
Air quality conditions on Monday were in the good range, though there was noticeable smoke intrusion, Gearhart said.
He said Tuesday's ultrafine particulate levels are elevated, with localized areas experiencing air quality that is moderate to unhealthy for sensitive individuals.
The air quality forecast for Lake County on Tuesday and Wednesday is “good” to “moderate,” with localized higher concentrations, Gearhart said.
Some areas may experience air quality that is “unhealthy for sensitive individuals,” he said. All areas of Lake County may be significantly impacted should meteorological conditions worsen.
Meteorological forecasts indicate the smokey conditions should start to clear over the next two to three days, with healthy air quality forecast for the weekend, Gearhart said.
Smokey conditions can cause irritation of the eyes, nose and air passages. These conditions can be hazardous for sensitive individuals including young children, the elderly, and individuals with heart conditions, and those with chronic lung disease such as asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory conditions.
Contact your health care provider to discuss what you should do if smoke becomes worse in your area.
Remember to take precautions and plan ahead as smoke conditions can change quickly.