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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A man alleged to have shot his estranged wife's companion before severely beating the woman has had a bail enhancement placed on him, while doctors are working to prepare the shooting victim for surgery.
The Lake County Sheriff's Office reported on Monday that detectives succeeded in having the bail for 38-year-old Andrew James Serrano raised to $1 million.
Andrew Serrano is accused of shooting 41-year-old Kelseyville resident William Turner and assaulting his estranged wife Lesa Serrano during a confrontation on the afternoon of Saturday, Sept. 10, as Lake County News has reported.
A sheriff's office report on the shooting released Monday said that the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch received a 911 call just before 12:30 p.m. Saturday from Turner, who told the dispatcher he had been shot in the chest.
Information that law enforcement received in the initial calls to 911 indicated that Andrew Serrano allegedly had beaten Lesa Serrano, and had her by the hair, holding a gun to her head.
Sheriff's deputies and a Lakeport Police officer immediately responded to the Serranos' residence at 3050 Big Valley Road in Kelseyville, where they encountered Andrew Serrano with a gun in his hand, the sheriff's office reported.
At the deputies' order Serrano dropped the gun and was detained on site, the sheriff's office reported.
Turner was located just inside the garage with an apparent gunshot wound to his chest, according to the sheriff's report. A REACH helicopter was called in and arrived within minutes, landing in a field near the home and transporting Turner to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.
The sheriff's report said deputies found Lesa Serrano bruised and bleeding, but able to speak to deputies.
She told deputies that she had come to the residence with Turner to pick up some personal items when Andrew Serrano showed up at the residence and an argument ensued, according to the report.
Sheriff's detectives obtained a search warrant for the Big Valley Road property and arrived on site to secure the area, the report stated.
Serrano is being held at the Lake County Jail on felony charges of attempted murder, inflicting corporal punishment, assault with a firearm, committing a felony while armed, terrorizing and battery with serious bodily injury, and misdemeanor counts of violation of a domestic violence restraining order and false imprisonment.
Serrano was arrested in July after ramming his pickup into Lesa Serrano's SUV in an incident that occurred in Lakeport, as Lake County News has reported. At that point he also violated a domestic violence restraining order.
On Monday Turner was reported to be in stable condition and slowly recovering after having spent a day in Santa Rosa Memorial's intensive care unit, according to a Facebook page his family set up on Sunday in his honor, “Pray for Willy Turner,” https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pray-for-Willy-Turner/274420952585517?sk=wall.
By Monday evening nearly 650 people had “liked” the new page.
Doctors have been working to stop internal bleeding in Turner's chest before conducting surgery to remove the bullet. Family members reported that Sunday was particularly difficult for Turner due to the pain.
According to the page, on Monday Turner was doing better. He was awake, talking and joking.
Turner could possibly undergo surgery on Tuesday, the Facebook page said.
The sheriff's office asks that anyone with information on the case contact Det. Mike Curran at 707-262- 4232.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Santa Cruz man has been arrested for the murder of a former Lake County woman.
Gerald W. Galaway Jr., 38, was arrested on Friday, Sept. 9, for the murder of 35-year-old Santa Cruz attorney Celestial Summer Dove Cassman, according to Maui Police Lt. Wayne Ibarra.
Cassman, who grew up in Lake County and graduated in 1994 from Clear Lake High School, was found dead near Maui's Nakalele Point on the night of Thursday, Sept. 1, as Lake County News has reported.
Ibarra said Galaway – who has been hospitalized since the day after the murder because he was injured while jumping from a cliff to escape police – was transported on Monday afternoon from the Maui Memorial Medical Center to the Wailuku Police Station for processing without incident.
Cassman and Galaway had arrived in Maui for a visit on Wednesday, Aug. 31. The following night police said witnesses saw Cassman and Galaway arguing before he allegedly threw her body on the ground repeatedly and then drug her by the head into some bushes. Her body was found later that evening.
When police arrived on the scene in response to a report of a domestic dispute, they spotted a man, later identified as Galaway, who was wearing a t-shirt and nude from the waist down, according to a police statement.
Maui Police reported that when they tried to apprehend Galaway, he jumped down a 100-foot cliff and into the ocean.
Galaway was rescued the following morning and had been hospitalized, under armed guard, until Monday, delaying his formal arrest and booking, officials reported.
Last week the Maui County Prosecutor's Office charged Galaway with second-degree murder and kidnapping, Maui County Prosecuting Attorney John Kim said.
Ibarra reported on Monday that Galaway also was arrested on a charge of first-degree attempted sexual assault. The charging documents had indicated that Cassman's clothing had been torn and her body's orientation suggested she had been sexually assaulted.
Galaway is being held without bail. Ibarra said Galaway is scheduled to appear in court at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
Lodi resident Vincente Munoz, 19; and Stockton residents Daniel Charco Molina, 30; Jose Luis Suarez, 25; Eloy Perez Echeverria, 33; Lorenzo Diaz Juarez, 26; and Hector Ocampo, 29 all were charged with misdemeanor poaching violations, according to Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff.
Hinchcliff, who is the county's fish and game poaching prosecutor, charged the men with spotlighting violations and use of an illegal weapon for deer hunting.
He said they were convicted last Thursday, Sept. 8, following their acceptance of a plea deal.
Hinchcliff said the convictions resulted from an investigation by Lake County Game Warden John Holley and Mendocino County Game Warden Matt Manes.
Wardens had recently received reports from concerned citizens who lived on Hendricks Road in Scotts Valley that people were killing deer at night with the use of spotlights, and that several deer had recently been killed illegally at night in the area, Hinchcliff said.
The area residents also had given the wardens descriptions of vehicles being used by the poachers, including a white- or tan-colored van, according to Hinchcliff.
He said witnesses reported groups of people engaged in organized poaching activity, with a person driving the vehicle, a person shining a spotlight, a person shooting and several people quickly running from the vehicle, grabbing the poached animal, dragging it back to the vehicle, and speeding off.
Residents also were concerned with their safety because the poaching and shooting was reportedly close to houses, Hinchcliff said.
At least one of the residents found butchered carcasses of deer around pear orchards in the area with garbage used in butchering the deer left behind on the ground. Hinchcliff said the deer reportedly being killed included bucks, does and fawns.
Wardens had also received reports that last year poachers in the area were herding deer into fences and when fawns got stuck in fences the poachers were clubbing the deer to death, he said.
As a result of the reports, Holley and Manes set up surveillance in the Hendricks road area on Monday, Sept. 5, Hinchcliff said.
At approximately 9:30 p.m. Sept. 5, well after dark, the wardens observed a tan and white passenger van driving slowly on Hendricks Road with a spotlight being shined out of the passenger side of the van and onto private property on the south side of Hendricks road, according to Hinchcliff.
The wardens then detained the vehicle and the seven occupants of the vehicle. In addition to the driver and the front seat passenger, Hinchcliff said there were five individuals in the rear seats.
On the front seat of the vehicle wardens found a small amount of methamphetamine, a meth pipe, a box of .22 caliber ammunition and a spotlight that was still warm. Hinchcliff said that underneath the rear seat wardens found a loaded Marlin .22 caliber rifle.
All seven of the vehicle's occupants were arrested. Hinchcliff said it was discovered that all seven individuals did not speak English and were staying at an immigrant labor camp located in Scotts Valley with a large number of other agricultural workers.
Hinchcliff charged Munoz, Molina, Suarez, Juarez, Ocampo and Echeverria, and also charged the seventh man, 23-year-old Eugenio Munoz Gomez of Lodi was additional counts for being a felon in possession of a firearm, providing false identification to a peace officer, and four misdemeanor poaching violations including spotlighting and hunting deer with an illegal weapon.
Gomez is scheduled to appear in court with his attorney on Tuesday, Sept. 13, Hinchcliff said.
At their arraignment on Sept. 8, Munoz, Molina, Suarez, Juarez, Ocampo and Echeverria were represented by defense counsel and assisted by a Spanish interpreter, Hinchcliff said.
In an effort to get an early disposition and prevent significant costs to the court later for the cost of interpreters, Hinchcliff offered a plea that was agreed to by all six defendants, their attorney and Judge Andrew Blum.
Hinchcliff said all six of the misdemeanor defendants pleaded no contest to a violation of Fish and Game Code section 2005(b), use of an artificial light to assist in the taking or attempted taking of a game animal.
He said Judge Blum then sentenced them, placing each on three years of probation and revoking their hunting privileges for three years. Judge Blum also ordered the firearm, spotlight and ammunition to be forfeited and ordered each of the men to serve 45 days in jail.
Hinchcliff said all six individuals have Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) holds and could face deportation proceedings at the end of their jail term if federal officials pursue the cases.
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This action is being considered in the wake of confirmed reports of dead red abalone and other invertebrates on beaches and inside coves along the coast in Sonoma County.
The Department of Fish and Game is currently attempting to assess the impact of the situation and will provide the commission with information at this Thursday's meeting.
Based on the Department of Fish and Game report, the commission may take emergency action to close the abalone season along all or parts of the Sonoma coast.
There was an abalone die-off along the Sonoma coast beginning Aug. 27 as a result of a red tide-induced poisoning and/or lack of oxygen.
According to Fish and Game biologists, these abalone deaths coincided with a local red tide bloom and calm ocean conditions.
Although the exact reasons for the abalone deaths are not known, invertebrate die-offs have occurred in the past along the Northern California coast when similar weather and bloom conditions existed.
The number of dead and dying abalone is not known but Fish and Game divers are assessing the damage this week via underwater transect surveys.
Reports of dead abalone and a variety of invertebrates have come from Bodega Bay, Russian Gulch, Fort Ross, Timber Cove and Salt Point State Park.
Other Department of Fish and Game biologists and game wardens have collected abalone, mussels and water samples since the beginning and are continuing to document reports from the public.
Abalone fishermen are advised to contact a physician immediately if they feel sick, and to report symptoms to the local county health department (www.sonoma-county.org/health/about/publichealth.asp).
The latest red tide updates from the California Department of Public Health are also posted online at www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/Pages/DDWEM.aspx.
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This is the fourth year in a row violent crime has decreased in California, according to the report.
In total, the violent crime rate decreased 6.9 percent, reaching its lowest level since 1968, and homicide and forcible rape rates are the lowest since 1966.
For Lake County, from 2009 to 2010 there were increases in most crimes.
Violent crimes increased by 5.4 percent; aggravated assault, 15.4 percent; property crimes increased 3.3 percent overall, with burglaries increasing by 6.2 percent and larceny (theft over $400) by 12.9 percent, while motor vehicle thefts dropped by 16.7 percent. Total larcenies were up by 13 percent.
The rate of homicides, forcible rapes, arsons and robberies remained flat in Lake County, the report showed.
The Crime in California report is compiled by the California Department of Justice and is based on data reported by police and sheriff's departments in all of California's 58 counties. It presents an overview of the state's criminal justice system through statistics for reported crimes, arrests and dispositions of adult felony arrests, and law enforcement officers killed or assaulted.
Crime rates have dropped from last year in several category measures, including homicide (-7.8 percent), robbery (-10 percent) and motor vehicle theft (-7.6 percent). Since peaking in 1989, the motor vehicle theft rate has decreased 62 percent.
The total arrest rate is 6 percent lower than last year; both adult and juvenile total arrest rates declined from last year.
The number of juvenile felony arrests has decreased by 11.2 percent in the past year, indicating that efforts to prevent crime at a young age have been successful. Adolescents involved in crime are at a greater risk of becoming offenders and victims as adults.
Continuing with the downward trend statewide, there has also been a decrease in arrests for all types of property offenses across the board, including burglary, theft, and forgery for the third consecutive year.
The one area of increase came in the rate of dangerous drug arrests. Dangerous drugs are methamphetamine, phencyclidine and barbiturates. That number increased for the first time in five years by 12.2 percent over last year. Arrests for narcotics, marijuana and other drug offenses continued to decline.
The Crime in California 2010 report and data broken down by county can be found at www.oag.ca.gov or viewed below.
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2010 Crime in California - Attorney General Report
The sponsoring Lake County Wine Alliance has announced that a limited number of tickets for the afternoon portion of the event will be sold at the door.
The Grand Tasting ticket, $75 per person, will include an afternoon of wine and food tasting, the silent auction, music, and escorted tours of the Ceago gardens by members of the host Fetzer family.
This part of the event will begin at 3 p.m. and conclude at 6 p.m.
Several Lake County growers will display their products and offer tastings, including Lake County Grown, the Lake County Community Co-op, Villa Barone, Moon Essence, and the LAVA Center Popular keyboard artist David Neft will provide music and his sparkling wit during the afternoon.
The Grand Tasting and Auction Reserve ticket for $150 per person will include all of the afternoon activities as well as a gift tote, reserved seating for the served, three-course dinner, the live auction, and dancing. These tickets must be purchased in advance at www.winealliance.org. This portion of the event will start at 3 p.m. and end at 9 p.m.
Preparing the dinner will be Park Place Restaurant, Saw Shop Gallery Bistro, Chef Nicholas, and Studebakers Coffeehouse and Delicatessen. This is the first year that a served dinner has been offered to Wine Auction attendees.
Twice as Good, the popular blues and rock and roll father-and-son duo of Richard and Paul Steward, well-known for their energetic beat, will provide danceable music to conclude the evening’s festivities. Awarded the “Best New Blues Band” in 2010 by the West Coast Blues Hall of Fame, their guitar and vocal talents are widely recognized.
The attire is Wine Country chic. Attendees must be 21 years and older.
All proceeds from the Wine Auction benefit nonprofit organizations and programs that meet local needs in Lake County. Beneficiaries are, by category: in the arts, the fine arts programs at five high schools; in health services, Any Positive Change, Catholic Charities-Rural Food Program, and Meals on Wheels nutrition programs at five senior centers; and in the community, Lake County Council of Church Women United, Lake County Literacy Coalition, Military Funeral Honors Team, Northshore Fire Protection District, Operation Tango Mike, and People Services, Inc.
The Lake County Wine Alliance, a nonprofit organization of Lake County wineries, wine grape growers, and allied businesses whose mission is to foster the arts, benefit health services, and support the community while promoting Lake County as a premier grape growing and fine wine region, has contributed over $831,700 to local agencies and programs in the past eleven years.
Major sponsors contributing to the 2011 Wine Auction include Alienor/Bella Vista Farming Company, Calpine, Konocti Vista Casino, Mendo Lake Credit Union, Six Sigma Ranch & Winery, and Sutter Lakeside Hospital.
Additional sponsors include American AgCredit, Beckstoffer Vineyards, Brassfield Estate Winery, Bruno’s Property Management, Ceago Vinegarden, Chacewater Wine Company, Kelseyville Pharmacy, Lake County Winegrape Commission, Shannon Ridge Vineyards & Winery, Specialty Care & Surgery Center, and Umpqua Bank.
Twenty-nine Lake County wineries will pour their award-winning wines. Participating will be Beaver Creek Vineyards, Bell Hill Vineyards, Big Valley Wine Company, Brassfield Estate Winery, Cache Creek Vineyards, Ceago Vinegarden, Chacewater Wine Company, Dusinberre Cellars, Gregory Graham, Hawk and Horse Vineyards, High Valley Vineyards, Langtry Estate & Vineyards, and Lavender Blue.
Also present will be Moore Family Winery, Mt. Konocti Growers Winery, Noggle Vineyards and Winery, Ployez Winery, Robinson Lake Vineyard, Robledo Family Winery, Rosa d’Oro Vineyards, Shannon Ridge Vineyards & Winery, Shed Horn Cellars, Six Sigma Ranch & Winery, Snows Lake Vineyard, Sol Rouge Vineyard, Steele Wines, Tulip Hill Winery, Vigilance Winery, and Wildhurst Vineyards.
Fifteen of Lake County’s finest restaurants and caterers will offer tasty food pairings to complement the fine wines. Participants include Aromas at Yuba College, Biggs 155 Diner, The Boathouse, Cache Creek Catering, Chic Le Chef, Ciao Thyme Catering, Konocti Vista Resort and Casino, Lindy’s Quality Catering at Lakeview Super Market and Deli, Lyndall’s Sports Stop Grill, Main Street Bakery, Molly Brennan, Richardson’s Ribs, Riviera Hills Restaurant and Lounge, Rob Roy Creekside Restaurant, and The Blue Wing Saloon at the Tallman Hotel.
Others offering products and support are Braito’s Riviera Foods, Bruno’s Shop Smart, Foods Etc., Hardester’s Market, North Shore Sentry Market, and Ray’s Food Place.
Bill Brunetti, Lakeport businessman and property manager, has been spearheading an all-volunteer committee for many months as this year’s honorary chair. While he was the owner of Bruno’s Foods, the buying, selling and displaying of wines became one of his passions.
After selling the market in 2006, Brunetti and his wife Patty have expanded their passion for wine and food by growing wine grapes and developing their homestead winery, Quattro Fratelli (Four Brothers), named in honor of his grandfather and grand-uncles. He is an active member of the Lake County Winegrape Commission and chairs its Industry Relations committee.
Congressman Mike Thompson represents Lake County in the U.S. Congress and has been an active contributor to the annual Wine Auction since its inception, believing that the wine industry is a major force in Lake County’s economy, providing employment and protecting agricultural lands. He and his wife Janet, a former member of the Wine Alliance board of directors, will be recognized for their support of the many nonprofit organizations that will receive proceeds from this year’s event.
Shaun Hornby, owner of Hornby’s Furniture Restoration in Lakeport and vocalist and guitarist of the popular band, the LC Diamonds, will be the auctioneer for the live auction. He has conducted auctions in England and in Upper Lake for Vintage Antiques, where his dynamic and enthusiastic banter energizes the bidders.
Stephanie Green, owner of Focused on Wine, a wine bar and tasting room in downtown Kelseyville, will assist with the auctioneering and provide detailed information about the wine lots in the live auction. She is a certified sommelier, wine educator, private wine consultant, and a noted cellar master of wines. Her engaging personality will encourage competition amongst the bidders.
Barney Fetzer, vineyard manager and winemaker for Ceago Vinegarden, is this year’s cuvee winemaker. A third generation grape grower and winemaker, he is following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Bernard Fetzer, who originated Fetzer Vineyards, and his father, Jim Fetzer, owner and developer of Ceago Vinegarden. He moved to Lake County in 2001 when Ceago planted its first vineyards on the north shore of Clear Lake.
The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon cuvee will be crafted of donations from Shannon Ridge Vineyards & Winery, Six Sigma Ranch & Winery, Steele Wines, and Wildhurst Vineyards. The 2010 Sauvignon Blanc cuvee will be composed of donations from Ceago Vinegarden, Langtry Estate & Vineyards, Shed Horn Cellars, Six Sigma Ranch & Winery, Steele Wines, and Vigilance Winery.
Bottles of the red and white cuvees will be served with the three-course dinner while additional fine wines from Lake County vintners will be available for purchase to accompany dinner.
The live and silent auctions will feature special wine packages, large format wine bottles, weekend and extended vacation getaways, fine art, and a variety of goods and services for wine and travel interests.
The original watercolor on silk painting by Lake County artist John R. Clarke, “Thankful in Lake County,” will be auctioned during the evening. Original art donated by Clarke has been reproduced every year by the sponsoring Wine Alliance as a fine art poster to promote the event.
A limited number of posters, at $20 each, are available for sale through the Saw Shop Gallery Bistro and Inspirations Gallery, and the tasting rooms of Wildhurst Vineyards, Steele Wines, Six Sigma Ranch & Winery, Ceago Vinegarden, and the Lake County Wine Studio.
Members of the Wine Alliance board of directors are Margaret Walker, president; Marie Beery, vice president; Sharron Zoller, secretary; Rob Roumiguiere, treasurer; and directors Kaj Ahlmann, Judy Luchsinger and Wilda Shock.
More information about the Wine Auction and ticket availability may be obtained by calling 1-866-279-WINE.
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