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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Two local men were injured on Thursday when they were involved in a vehicle collision.
The crash occurred just before 12:30 p.m. on Highway 29 at Highway 175/Bottle Rock Road, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Kory Reynolds.
Reynolds said Juan Lopez, 20, of Lower Lake was driving southbound on Highway 29 in a 1984 BMW when, for unknown reasons, Lopez allowed his vehicle to cross the double yellow lines and travel into the path of a 2003 Ford F-350, driven by William Sauer, 76, of Kelseyville.
Lopez was flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital and treated for a low back contusion and Sauer was treated for minor injuries at the scene and released, Reynolds said.
Officer Nick Powell is investigating the crash.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Proactive enforcement efforts by the Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Detail have resulted in two arrests and the seizure of methamphetamine.
Arrested were Raymond Carl Mills, 49, of Nice, and Vince Edward Mussat, 31, who deputies had sought during a search warrant service earlier this week, according to Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
On Thursday, June 23, at approximately 7:30 p.m., a sheriff’s deputy assigned to the Special Enforcement Detail stopped a 1998 Ford van on S. Main Street near Armstrong Street in Lakeport for displaying false registration tabs, Bauman said.
The driver, later identified as Mills of Nice, was determined to be on searchable probation and his driver’s license was suspended. Bauman said one of the passengers was Mussat of Lakeport, was also on formal probation for a prior narcotics conviction.
He said both men are alleged to have displayed symptoms of being under the influence of a controlled substance and were detained.
The van was searched pursuant to both men’s probation terms. During that search, a baggie of methamphetamine was found tucked between two seat cushions in the back of the van where Mussat had been seated, Bauman said. After conducting tests on both men, they were arrested for being under the influence of a controlled ssubstance.
Mills and Mussat were both transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility for booking, Bauman reported.
He said Mills was charged with being under the influence of a controlled substance, driving on a suspended license, and displaying false registration tabs on the van. Mussat was charged with possession of a controlled substance and being under the influence of a controlled substance.
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CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A fire destroyed a Clearlake Oaks home on Thursday, but firefighters were able to keep the blaze from destroying nearby outbuildings and other homes.
The fire, reported late Thursday afternoon according to radio reports, initially involved both wildland and the structure.
Northshore Fire Battalion Chief Steve Hart said the incident occurred at a vineyard property at 500 Old Long Valley Road.
When firefighters arrived on scene they found a fully involved two-story stucco structure that was being whipped up by the wind, Hart said.
“We had a very tough time even keeping it to the structure of origin,” said Hart.
Hart said Cal Fire sent resources including air tankers and helicopters, Northshore Fire sent three engines and a water tender, and Lake County Fire Protection District sent a water tender.
Firefighters were able to prevent the fire from burning up the vineyard, and protected three large outbuildings within 150 feet of the home and two other residences 300 feet away, Hart said.
Altogether, Hart said it took firefighters an hour to contain the vegetation fire and two hours to contain the house fire, with personnel clearing the scene at 7 p.m.
He said the fire was attributed to a spontaneous ignition due to a chemical reaction of organic compounds. Specifically, he said laundry had been taken from the home's dryer, and some remaining moisture in the clothes is believed to have helped cause the chemical reaction that ignited the blaze.
Hart said the 2,500-square-foot home was a total loss, with damage estimated between $600,000 and $800,000.
The home was located on a 21.5-acre property that was listed for sale on local real estate Web sites for $990,000.
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MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – A woman died Thursday afternoon as the result of a crash near Middletown.
The California Highway Patrol reported that the collision occurred just after 3 p.m. on Highway 29 near Hartmann Road.
A witness said the woman, driving a newer model Ford Mustang, collided with a semi truck delivering groceries to local businesses.
The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, while the semi truck driver was flown out of county via REACH air ambulance, according to reports from the scene.
The CHP did not issue additional details on Thursday as to the cause.
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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – A man was flown to medical care on Thursday following a traffic collision.
The collision occurred on Highway 29 at Highway 175/Bottle Rock Road shortly before 1 p.m., according to reports from the scene.
Two vehicles were reported to have been involved, with both going off the road.
Lakeport Fire Protection District transported the man via ambulance to a landing zone where he was picked up by a Cal Star air ambulance.
The man's name and details of the crash have not yet been released by the California Highway Patrol.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – A probation search conducted by the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force in Lakeport Tuesday resulted in four arrests and the seizure of narcotic medications and narcotics paraphernalia.
On Tuesday, June 21, at approximately 6:30 p.m., narcotics detectives conducted a probation search at the Polk Street home of 31-year-old Vince Edward Mussat, according to Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Bauman said Mussat was on formal probation for a prior narcotics conviction. Uniformed sheriff’s patrol deputies and officers with the Lakeport Police Department assisted with the probation search.
As deputies approached the home, a woman started to open the front door and then slammed it shut when she saw law enforcement approaching. Bauman said that woman was later identified as 30-year-old Tasha Lorraine Cattani of Lucerne.
The deputies immediately announced their presence and demanded entry to the home, Bauman said. After getting no response, deputies began attempting to force entry until Cattani eventually opened the door. Cattani was detained in the living room while the rest of the home was searched for additional occupants.
While checking one of the bedrooms, deputies located a concealed door leading to the sub-floor crawl space of the home. When deputies searched the crawl space, they located 31-year-old Richard Brendon Hinds and 27-year-old Michael Sean Shaffer, both of Lucerne, hiding beneath the house, Bauman said.
Both Hinds and Shaffer were on California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation parole and Shaffer was wanted for being a parolee at large. Bauman said both were placed under arrest.
A fourth subject, 29-year-old Michael Joseph Santos Lakeport was located near the back of the home. Santos was later determined to be under the influence of a controlled substance and arrested, Bauman said.
A search of the home revealed several glass “meth” pipes and hypodermic syringes located in one of the bedrooms. Bauman said more narcotics paraphernalia was located inside of a backpack in the living room.
Cattani admitted to slamming the door on deputies because she knew Shaffer was in the home and that he was a wanted parolee at large, Bauman said. After she was arrested for being an accessory to a crime, she divulged to detectives that she had Vicodin pills concealed in her bra. She was allowed to remove a small pouch which contained several of the narcotic medications.
All four subjects were transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility for booking, Bauman said.
Hinds and Shaffer were both booked for parole violations and resisting or obstructing a peace officer, according to Bauman. Cattani was booked for accessory to a crime, possession of a narcotic controlled substance, and resisting or obstructing a peace officer. Santos was booked for being under the influence of a controlled substance. Vince Mussat was not located at the home during the search.
The Lake County Sheriff's Narcotics Task Force encourages anyone with information on illegal drug activities to call its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.
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