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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A vehicle stop conducted Tuesday afternoon by the Lake County Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force has resulted in two arrests and the seizure of methamphetamine, prescription medication and drug paraphernalia.
Erik Neal Mezori, 34, of Las Vegas and 32-year-old Tasha Lorraine Cattani of Lucerne were arrested following the vehicle stop, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.
On Tuesday at approximately 4:30 p.m., a narcotics detective noticed a vehicle traveling in front if him on northbound Highway 29 with an expired registration tab. Brooks said the detective confirmed the expired registration through Central Dispatch.
The narcotics detective conducted the enforcement stop on Highway 29 near the intersection of Highway 175 Hopland. He contacted the driver, Mezori, and explained the reason why he was being stopped, Brooks said.
He said the narcotics detective recognized the passenger seated in the front seat as Cattani, who he knew from previous law enforcement contacts was a prior narcotics offender.
The narcotics detective noticed that both Mezori and Cattani exhibited signs of being under the influence of a controlled substance. Brooks said Cattani admitted she had “slipped” and last used the day before, on Monday.
Cattani was asked if she had anything illegal in her possession and she admitted that she did. The narcotics detective asked her to give him all the illegal items she possessed. Brooks said Cattani reached down the front of her pants and removed a clear plastic bag containing a white crystalline substance, which the detective recognized to be methamphetamine.
Brooks said the narcotics detective asked Cattani if she had anything else illegal in her possession and she reached down the front of her pants and removed a glass “meth” pipe. She then reached down the front of her pants again and removed a pink and blue bag.
The detective opened the bag and found two small bags containing a white crystalline substance and some prescription medication, Brooks said. The detective recognized the white crystalline substance to be methamphetamine and the prescription medication to be Vicodin.
The detective arrested Mezori being under the influence of a controlled substance. He arrested Cattani for possession of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance for sales, transportation of a controlled substance and possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, Brooks said. Both were transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked.
The narcotics detective later tested the crystalline substance using a narcotics identification kit. The test flashed blue, indicating a presumptive positive for methamphetamine. The approximate weight of all three bags of methamphetamine was 9 grams, Brooks said.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be contacted through is anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A vehicle stop conducted Tuesday afternoon by the Lake County Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force has resulted in two arrests and the seizure of methamphetamine, prescription medication and drug paraphernalia.
Erik Neal Mezori, 34, of Las Vegas and 32-year-old Tasha Lorraine Cattani of Lucerne were arrested following the vehicle stop, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.
On Tuesday at approximately 4:30 p.m., a narcotics detective noticed a vehicle traveling in front if him on northbound Highway 29 with an expired registration tab. Brooks said the detective confirmed the expired registration through Central Dispatch.
The narcotics detective conducted the enforcement stop on Highway 29 near the intersection of Highway 175 Hopland. He contacted the driver, Mezori, and explained the reason why he was being stopped, Brooks said.
He said the narcotics detective recognized the passenger seated in the front seat as Cattani, who he knew from previous law enforcement contacts was a prior narcotics offender.
The narcotics detective noticed that both Mezori and Cattani exhibited signs of being under the influence of a controlled substance. Brooks said Cattani admitted she had “slipped” and last used the day before, on Monday.
Cattani was asked if she had anything illegal in her possession and she admitted that she did. The narcotics detective asked her to give him all the illegal items she possessed. Brooks said Cattani reached down the front of her pants and removed a clear plastic bag containing a white crystalline substance, which the detective recognized to be methamphetamine.
Brooks said the narcotics detective asked Cattani if she had anything else illegal in her possession and she reached down the front of her pants and removed a glass “meth” pipe. She then reached down the front of her pants again and removed a pink and blue bag.
The detective opened the bag and found two small bags containing a white crystalline substance and some prescription medication, Brooks said. The detective recognized the white crystalline substance to be methamphetamine and the prescription medication to be Vicodin.
The detective arrested Mezori being under the influence of a controlled substance. He arrested Cattani for possession of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance for sales, transportation of a controlled substance and possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, Brooks said. Both were transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked.
The narcotics detective later tested the crystalline substance using a narcotics identification kit. The test flashed blue, indicating a presumptive positive for methamphetamine. The approximate weight of all three bags of methamphetamine was 9 grams, Brooks said.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force is contacted through is anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.
NICE, Calif. – Damaged power equipment is believed to have caused a wildland fire that burned close to Highway 20 and several homes on Thursday night.
Firefighters were dispatched to the area of E. Highway 20 at Carson Street in Nice shortly after 9:30 p.m. on the report of a blown transformer, downed power lines and a resulting wildland fire that was threatening several structures, according to radio reports.
The fire personnel from Northshore Fire and Cal Fire who arrived on scene minutes later found the fire running uphill, reports from the scene indicated.
Northshore Fire Deputy Chief Pat Brown said the fire burned about a half an acre total, but it came extremely close to nearby residences.
“It ran up between four different homes,” he said, adding that none of the homes were damaged.
Shortly after the fire was reported, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. said there were almost 1,600 customers without power in and around the Nice area due to damaged power equipment on a pole.
Brown said he did not know if there had been a blown transformer in the area as had been indicated in the multiple 911 calls reporting the fire, but firefighters found a separated primary line down on the ground.
A Northshore Fire engine responding to the fire was involved in a traffic collision, according to the California Highway Patrol, radio and witness reports.
The CHP said the fire truck was out of commission as a result of the crash.
Brown said there were no injuries related to the collision.
By 2 a.m. 627 customers remained without power, with PG&E estimating power would be restored to all of its customers by 4:30 a.m.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – An early Thursday morning fire left a local family homeless, and an effort now is under way to raise funds to help them get back on their feet.
The home of the Leary family, located on Fairway Drive in Kelseyville, was reported on fire at around 2:15 a.m. Thursday, as Lake County News has reported.
Erik and Jessica Leary and their four children – 9-year-old twin boys Kyle and Tyler, 6-year-old son Ryder and 1-year-old daughter Allyson – were able to get out safely, but the home burned to the ground, and all but the clothes they were wearing and their vehicles were destroyed, said Erik Leary's brother-in-law, Django Dexter.
“They've lost absolutely everything,” said Dexter.
The family of six was renting the home from Erik Leary's parents, according to Dexter.
Kelseyville Fire Battalion Chief Joe Huggins confirmed the home was a total loss.
He said Kelseyville Fire and Cal Fire each sent two engines, Lakeport Fire sent one engine, with a medic unit, chiefs from Lakeport and Kelseyville, and battalion chiefs from Kelseyville and Cal Fire also responding.
In addition to destroying the Leary home, “A neighboring house did suffer some damage to the exterior wall,” said Huggins.
Huggins said the cause of the fire is still under investigation. “The guys have been out there the majority of the day,” he said on Thursday.
Dexter reported that the Red Cross gave the family some temporary lodging and cash, which was important since their identification cards and credit cards were burned up in the fire.
On Thursday the family's friends and relatives got to work trying to get them some additional help.
Dexter set up an account at http://www.gofundme.com/3myu8o where people can make donations to help the Leary family.
Erik Leary is a water treatment operator for Riviera West Mutual Water Co. and his wife is a preschool teacher at Learning House Infant Toddler Center in Kelseyville, Dexter said.
The fundraising goal has been set at $50,000, with about $7,200 raised in the first 15 hours, according to the GoFundMe Web site.
For additional information on how to help the family, go to http://www.gofundme.com/3myu8o and click on “contact” next to Dexter's picture.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Congressmen Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) and Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) on Thursday introduced bipartisan legislation to address the environmental damage caused by rampant trespass marijuana cultivation.
The Protecting Lands Against Narcotics Trafficking Act (PLANT Act) would establish new penalties for causing environmental damage while cultivating marijuana on federal public lands or while trespassing on private property.
Thompson and Huffman introduced the bill with bipartisan cosponsors Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), and Doug Lamborn (R-CO).
“These illegal grow sites are threatening lives, destroying public lands and devastating wildlife,” said Thompson. “There should be stiff penalties for the people whose reckless and illegal actions are causing this environmental damage. Our legislation will make sure these criminals are held fully responsible for the harm they cause.”
“Throughout my district and increasingly throughout the United States, we’re seeing trespass marijuana grows threatening endangered wildlife, contaminating fragile salmon streams, and making forests unsafe for working and recreation,” said Congressman Huffman, who represents the “Emerald Triangle” of Mendocino, Humboldt and Trinity counties in northern California.
“As we move toward more rational marijuana policies, which I believe should be left to the states, it’s important that we address the immediate threat to our environment and public safety posed by trespass growing operations,” Huffman said. “Where it is lawful to grow marijuana, it must be done lawfully and responsibly.”
“The widespread illegal marijuana cultivation we’re facing in rural areas creates a strain on law enforcement, endangers our citizens and damages our public lands. Americans should never be concerned for their safety when visiting our National Forests, and the environmental damage these criminals cause places an increased burden on legal users of public lands,” said Congressman LaMalfa. “The PLANT Act gives law enforcement another tool to pursue and prosecute those who act as if our nation’s laws don’t apply in rural areas, creating a strong deterrent against these illegal operations.”
In 2012, nearly one million marijuana plants were eradicated from 471 sites on National Forest lands found in 20 states across the country.
The operators of these illegal grow operations frequently level hilltops, starting landslides on erosion-prone hillsides, divert and dam creeks and streams, and use excessive pesticides to protect their crop.
Individuals and private landholders, including ranchers, timber companies, and forest trusts, report that they are increasingly forced to confront criminals and eradicate drug operations from their own land, endangering lives and costing significant sums of money for eradication and reclamation.
Cultivation of illegal drugs on federal property is already a crime under the Controlled Substances Act, but prosecutions are rare and environmental damage is almost never fully accounted for. Under current law, environmental damages such as water diversions and vegetation removal are not considered as separate or aggravating offenses.
The PLANT Act, introduced today in the House, instructs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to establish penalties for the environmental damage caused by marijuana cultivation and other controlled substance production on “trespass grows” on private property or on federal public lands.
The new legislation specifically identifies three areas of concern:
- Unlawful use of poisons or hazardous chemicals such as pesticides, rodenticides or high grade fertilizers.
- Substantial impairment or taking of water from local aquifers, rivers, or bodies of water.
- Significant removal of vegetation or the clear cutting of timber.
The bipartisan legislation was referred to the House Judiciary Committee, where it awaits further consideration.
Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – A Thursday afternoon crash near Kelseyville resulted in the death of one of the drivers, injuries to three others – including two children – and an arrest.
The crash occurred at 12:14 p.m. on Highway 29 north of Highway 281, according to a Thursday evening report from the California Highway Patrol's Clear Lake Area office.
A 62-year-old woman driving a 1995 Mitsubishi Expo died following the crash, the CHP said. Her name and city of residence were not released pending notification of family.
The CHP said two children who were riding as passengers in the Toyota, a 7-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl, suffered major injuries.
The second driver, 60-year-old Janet Lee Mix of Clearlake, was arrested for driving under the influence and subsequently released to the hospital for treatment of her injuries, the CHP reported.
Mix, driving a 1999 Toyota Sienna, was headed southbound on Highway 29 at an unknown speed when she allowed her vehicle to drift off the road and onto the shoulder, according to the CHP.
She made an unsafe turning movement to return to the southbound lane, with the CHP report explaining that the turning movement caused Mix to cross the southbound lane and travel into the northbound lane and the path of the second driver, who also was traveling at an unknown rate of speed.
The two vehicles hit head-on, the CHP said.
Mix was transported with moderate injuries to Sutter Lakeside Hospital. The CHP said the second driver also was transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital, where she died.
The 7-year-old boy was flown by REACH air ambulance to UC Davis Medical Center, while the 10-year-old girl was taken to Sutter Lakeside Hospital, the CHP reported.
All four individuals were wearing safety equipment, the CHP said.
Drug use is believed to be a factor in the crash, which the CHP said remains under investigation.
Email Elizabeth Larson at