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At around noon on Tuesday, radio reports indicated Lake County Sheriff’s deputies were pursuing a Honda Accord on Highway 29, with the subject in the Accord alleged to be armed.
Near Lakeport the subject in the vehicle eventually pulled over and fled on foot in a field, according to radio reports. A sheriff’s K9 was reportedly deployed to assist with the effort.
Sheriff’s office personnel were involved in the search and unavailable to respond to requests for information about the incident or offer confirmation of whether or not the suspect was possibly linked to an early morning home invasion robbery that reportedly occurred in Loch Lomond.
Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen said his agency was asked to assist with looking for the suspect in the chase after noon on Tuesday.
He said the information his agency received was that robbery suspects had been the focus of the chase.
Lakeport Police sent one unit to assist in the search, which was taking place west of the city, in the area of Scotts Valley and Riggs Road, Rasmussen said.
The search also was getting assistance from the air.
Officer Kory Reynolds of the California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office said the CHP was bringing in a fixed-wing aircraft from Napa.
Reynolds said CHP had received information that one armed suspect was being sought.
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Michael Wright, 50, of Hidden Valley Lake; Steven Beyer, 53, of Clearlake and his wife, 54-year-old Lezley Beyer, were all flown by air ambulances to out-of-county trauma centers following the crash, which occurred just before 8 p.m. Saturday on Highway 29 just south of Spruce Grove Road North.
Wright’s girlfriend Kari Marks, 53, and her 24-year-old daughter Jena Marks, both of Hidden Valley Lake, and Jena Marks’ boyfriend, Santa Rosan Patrick Campbell, 27, all died at the scene, as Lake County News has reported.
Wright was driving a 2001 BMW 740 northbound when his vehicle slid sideways into the path of Steven Beyer’s Ford SUV, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Wright and the Beyers all were initially flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with major injuries, the CHP said.
The initial CHP report said Wright had pelvic and chest trauma, Steven Beyer had fractures and contusions, and Lezley Beyer had head trauma and fractures.
On Monday, Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital spokesperson Katy Hillenmeyer said Wright was in critical condition and Steven Beyer was in serious condition.
Lezley Beyer had been transferred to another facility, and Hillenmeyer was unable to offer further information due to privacy laws.
Lake County News was able to confirm with UC Davis Medical Center that Lezley Beyer was in that hospital’s care on Monday, and that she was in critical condition.
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Glenn Neasham of Hidden Valley Lake is asking for the new trial, with the motion set to be heard on Wednesday, Feb. 1.
In 2008 Neasham allegedly sold a $175,000 annuity to a then-83-year-old woman, receiving a commission on the sale. It was alleged that the woman did not have the mental capacity to enter into the contract.
In the motion for a new trial, Neasham’s attorney, Mitchell Hauptman, cites prosecutorial error regarding a recorded interview with the alleged victim and states that he received reports alleging juror misconduct.
Specifically, one of the jurors contacted Hauptman and told him that other jurors considered information from newspaper reports in making up their minds, and failed to disclose having relatives with dementia.
Deputy District Attorney Rachel Abelson said she is planning to have a motion in response to Hauptman’s motion for a new trial completed this week.
Regarding the tape recording, Abelson said the recording was found in a computer file.
“The quality of the recording was so poor that you couldn’t hear what was said,” she explained.
A discussion was held in open court about the recording and she said Judge Richard Martin commented that the sound quality wasn’t good enough to present it.
She said the biggest issue she needs to address in her response is the juror misconduct allegation.
“That gives me my biggest concern,” she said.
Neasham’s sentencing in the case also is scheduled on the court calendar for Feb. 1.
The District Attorney’s Office previously reported that Neasham could receive up to four years in prison, which would be served in the Lake County Jail under state correctional realignment.
Abelson said it’s possible that the motions and responses could delay the Feb. 1 hearing.
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Sen. Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa), who represents Lake County in the state Senate, isn’t pleased with the Department of Finance, State Public Works Board and State Department of Parks and Recreation’s plans to solicit concession agreements from private organizations, including for-profits that will undermine efforts by local nonprofits to keep parks open.
In a letter dated Jan. 5, the Department of Finance started the clock on a 20-day notification letter outlining a plan by the Department of Parks and Recreation to the State Public Works Board to consider seeking and approving agreements to operate 11 state parks currently slated for closure.
The State Public Works Board is scheduled to hear the matter at a meeting at 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 19, in State Capitol Room 3191 in Sacramento. The agenda released for the meeting does not say which 11 state parks it will discuss regarding concessions.
Evans is a non-voting legislative appointee to the Board but received no notification of the plan or agenda.
“It’s like they’re offering our State Parks up for sale to the highest bidder,” said Evans, who has six of the 11 parks in her district.
“To learn that Parks is soliciting bids from for-profit private entities for concessions while they negotiate with local nonprofits to keep parks as a community treasures is horrifying,” Evans said. “Local nonprofits will not be able to manage parks if their largest source of revenue is given away to concessionaires.”
According to the Department of Finance’s 20 Day Notification Letter, concessionaires would pay the state up to 3 percent of their revenues, which Evans called “a pittance.”
She said those revenues should be the best source of revenues to keep all State Parks open.
“If this is all the state would receive, it’s a gift of public resources to private entities,” Evans said.
As a result, Evans said local nonprofits, in many cases, could not compete with well-funded private organizations. Further, some of these agreements would be “bundled” to include multiple parks. The process would size-out locals who could operate one or two parks, but not several, effectively eliminating them from competing for contracts.
Currently, locals would be required to put 100 percent of their revenues back into the parks they operate, Evans said.
“It’s a big step toward privatization of a public resource that has taken California 147 years to build,” said Evans. “Any proposal that would undercut local nonprofits and favor private businesses is not acceptable. What’s the next proposal, the Walmart State Park and Recreation System? How does this plan make our parks self-sustaining?”
Evans has been an ardent critic of the park closures, particularly the lack of a legally defensible process used to create the list of 70 parks due to close July 1, 2012.
Recently, she called upon the governor for stronger park leadership, including park protections, stemming from a December 2011 poll by park managers that found most believed the system lacked leadership to protect parks.
She has announced that she will be introducing legislation to review the current closure criteria and examine opportunities for alternative funding.
Based on the board agenda for this week, Evans has requested the item removed to deter further damage to public confidence in park management.
If the item remains, she will be present at the meeting and invites all interested parties to join her in opposing the concession item.
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CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – Amidst the winter’s dry conditions a fire broke out on a hillside above Clearlake Oaks late Monday morning.
The fire, first dispatched shortly before noon, occurred near Mountain View Drive, according to Northshore Fire Deputy Chief Pat Brown.
He said firefighters had the fire contained at between three to four acres within 45 minutes of arrival.
Brown said a large contingent of resources were brought in because of the potential threat to four nearby homes.
“It ran the hill pretty fast,” he said, noting the dry conditions.
Northshore Fire sent in four engines and a water tender; Lake County Fire sent a mutual aid engine; and Cal Fire sent a bulldozer, a helicopter, an engine, a hand crew and a battalion chief, Brown said.
Firefighters put down 2,000 feet of hose in order to get the fire contained, according to Brown.
Shortly after 2 p.m. Brown estimated mop up on the hillside would continue for several more hours.
He said the fire’s cause is under investigation, but he was able to pinpoint its origin to an area on the hillside, off of the roadway.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A beautiful variety of personable cats are in the county’s animal shelter and available for adoption immediately.
Flame point Siamese, a “torbie” and tabbies in a variety of colors are awaiting a chance for a new place to call home.
Cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed and microchipped before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake .
If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.
The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption.
Masked lady
This gold-eyed lady with the partial mask is 2 years old.
She is a domestic long hair mix with calico and white coloring.
She is in cat room kennel No. 3b, ID No. 31400.
Gray lad
This gray male tabby is 3 years old.
He is a domestic long hair with green eyes.
Shelter staff said he is neutered.
Find him in cat room kennel No. 45, ID No. 31398.
Black and white girl
This female domestic short hair has a black and white coat.
She has brown eyes. Her age was not available.
Find her in cat room kennel No. 34, ID No. 31405.
Male flame point Siamese
This male Siamese mix has flame point coloring.
He has a short coat. His age was not available.
He is in cat room kennel No. 6a, ID No. 31370.
Flame point male Siamese
Also available is this second male flame point Siamese mix.
He is a domestic short hair mix.
Find him in cat room kennel No. 6b, ID No. 31371.
Lynx point Siamese and pal
The male lynx point Siamese (at left) and his all-black friend are estimated to be 7 months old.
Both are domestic short hair mixes. The Siamese cat has blue eyes. Neither are neutered.
Shelter staff said the Siamese is very sweet with other cats and dogs.
Look for them in kennel No. 12 in the cat room, reference No. 31306.
Mittens
Mittens is a 7-month-old gray tabby.
He is a domestic short hair mix with green eyes. He is not neutered.
Shelter staff said Mittens is a surrendered kitty. He is very sweet and playful and would do great in any type of home.
He is in cat room kennel No. 16, ID No. 31121.
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