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California Highway Patrol Officer Adam Garcia reported that 48-year-old Robert Faulknor was the victim of the collision, which Lake County News first reported over the weekend.
Faulknor was driving westbound on Point Lakeview Road near Lower Lake Friday at about 7:30 p.m. when 18-year-old William Jeffrey Shephard of Kelseyville crossed the double-yellow lines in his Jeep, hitting Faulknor in his Toyota head on.
The CHP reported that Faulknor had veered to the right in an attempt to avoid the collision. He died at the scene, despite having worn his seat belt.
Shephard, who also wore a seat belt, sustained major injuries including a chest contusion and facial injuries. He was transported by REACH helicopter to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment.
Garcia said Shephard remains in the hospital due to the severity of his injuries.
As Lake County News previously reported, CHP determined Shephard was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The crash was the Labor Day weekend's only fatality, according to Garcia.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST – Work continues on the 270-acre Yolla Bolly Complex located 20 air miles northeast of Covelo.
There are three remaining uncontrolled fires in the complex: Butte (40 acres), Sugarloaf (95 acres) and Lazy (170 acres), according to a report from forest spokesperson Punky Moore.
Moore said the Lazy Fire is established in an area of the Yolla Bolly Wilderness on the Shasta Trinity National Forest with limited access, rugged terrain and extremely steep ridges that are contributing to constant rolling material and uphill runs. Fire activity has increased significantly on the east, south and west flanks.
About 100 personnel are working on the Lazy Fire with two helicopters dropping water on hot spots, delivering supplies and transporting crews, Moore said. Due to the complex nature involved in containing this fire, it has been elevated to a Type 2 incident and Kent Swartzlander’s NorCal Type 2 Incident Management will assume command of this incident Monday evening.
Meanwhile, firefighters continue the process of controlling the other fires in the complex, according to Moore. Some of the most difficult work remains: reinforcing existing line, suppressing smoldering debris and patrolling burned areas to ensure no fire is lingering that may flare up again. More than 100 personnel are working to contain the Yolla Bolly Complex.
Deer rifle season begins in B-Zone in the Yolla Bolly Wilderness on Sept. 15, Moore reported. Hunters are encouraged to call ahead to one of our offices to check on current conditions in case areas are still affected by fire activity. A temporary flight restriction is in place for a 10-mile radius around the fire area.
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LAKE COUNTY – Attention motorists: Be on the lookout for several very large, bright yellow vehicles once again crisscrossing our city streets and country roads starting this week.
On Tuesday, all of Lake County's schools will be open for business and dozens of school buses will be back to work.
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The buses will roll out of bus barns early in the morning from every school district and for the next 180 school days the drivers, transportation managers and the California Highway Patrol want to remind motorists of the hazards as well as the consequences of failing to abide by the laws regarding school bus safety.
The most common traffic violation relating to school buses is the failure to stop for a school bus while it is stopped for loading or unloading passengers, according to CHP Officer Mike Humble, who oversees the local CHP school bus driver program.
In order to put greater focus on traffic laws relating to school bus safety, Humble said new regulations have been implemented for both school bus drivers and the general driving public.
In the past, bus operators were required to begin flashing the red lights on the bus only when the bus was not in motion, said David Norris, director of transportation for Lakeport Unified School District.
These days state law requires each driver to activate a set of amber lights at least 200 feet from the next intended bus stop, thereby warning motorists of the bus's intention to stop, Norris added.
Once stopped, and before the doors open, the flashing red lights will indicate that all vehicles traveling in all directions must come to a full and complete stop, Norris explained.
Failure to stop puts the children as well as the bus driver in danger of injury, said Humble.
Though the numbers vary by district, roughly 35 percent of the county's students and their parents rely on these buses to get to and from school safely, according to information provided by local school districts.
The drivers are well trained and continually tested, said Humble.
The buses are likewise inspected frequently and must be maintained to very high standards, with safety equipments updated regularly, according to Norris. At a district level, he added, buses also go through annual safety checks.
That leaves the average motorist the one uncontrollable variable in the school bus safety equation. As a result CHP and county transportation officials ask that motorists familiarize themselves with bus stop locations whenever possible.
Officials indicate the while the problem occurs throughout the county the most active locations for bus stop violations occur in areas such as downtown Lakeport, where the roadway offers a middle two-way turn lane. Many drivers believe this allows them an opportunity to pass the bus safely.
Drivers also should be on the lookout for students approaching the bus stops as well as those actually loading and unloading, said Humble.
Other factors that every driver should consider are tailgating, stopping short and trying to beat the flashing lights by accelerating around a bus before it comes to a full stop, said Humble.
Whether you're traveling on busy Highway 20 or in the hills of Nice, downtown Lakeport or the main drag of Middletown, patience and awareness of your surroundings is paramount, said Humble.
The penalties for failing to stop can be steep. If convicted of violating section 22454 of the California Vehicle Code, a motorist can count on a fine of $150 for the first offense. A second offense will bring a fine of between $500 and $1000. Further violations can result in a suspension of driving privileges for one year.
It's the average motorist's responsibility to adhere to regulations and the common sense rules of the road. Bus-related injuries are rare in Lake County, thanks to the diligent work of all the transportation professionals responsible for so many lives.
E-mail Harold LaBonte at
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The California Highway Patrol reported that the collision took place at 7:30 p.m. on Point Lakeview Road east of Highway 29.
William Jeffrey Shephard, 18, of Kelseyville was driving his 1991 Jeep eastbound on Point Lakeview Road at an undetermined speed, according to the report. Coming from the opposite direction was a 1986 Toyota driven by a 48-year-old Kelseyville man whose identity has not yet been released.
The CHP reported that, for an unknown reason, Shephard turned his Jeep to the left and crossed the double yellow lines into the oncoming, westbound lane of Point Lakeview.
The other driver turned to the right in an attempt to avoid being struck by Shephard, but couldn't avoid the resulting head-on collision, the CHP reported.
Despite the fact that he was wearing his seat belt, the second driver died as a result of the injuries he sustained in the collision, according to the CHP.
Shephard, who also was wearing his seat belt, sustained severe injuries, including facial fractures and a chest contusion, the CHP reported. He was transported to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital via REACH helicopter.
The CHP reported that it was determined that Shephard was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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A report from Captain Kurt Smallcomb of the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office explained that deputies arrested Ben Brooks, 25, of Redwood Valley and Brent Harding, 32, of Ukiah on burglary charges for incidents that occurred between April and June.
Beginning in April, Smallcomb reported that a series of commercial burglaries began taking place in Mendocino County. Businesses hit included the Hopland Subway and the Superette, Lemons Market in Philo, storage sheds in Ukiah and the Buckhorn Bar in Covelo.
In Lake County, the Fast and Easy Market in Upper Lake also was burglarized, Smallcomb reported.
Items taken from the stories included cash, safes, an ATM machine, liquor and cigarettes, according to Smallcomb's report.
Mendocino County Sheriff's deputies, led by Deputy Derek Hendry, investigated all of the burglaries, said Smallcomb.
Those investigations, Smallcomb reported, led to Hendry's arrests of Brooks and Harding on Aug. 31.
Brooks already was in custody on unrelated charges and booked for burglary, said Smallcomb.
Harding, Smallcomb added, was booked into the Mendocino County Jail for the burglaries along with a
probation violation. Because of the probation violation, Harding remains in jail on a no-bail hold.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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Forest spokesperson Punky Moore reported Sunday that after days of battling the many fires in the main Yolla Bolly Complex, firefighters have contained all but one, the Lazy Fire.
The complex is located 20 air miles northeast of Covelo. It has grown to 190 acres and is 50 percent contained, Moore reported.
Over the weekend, the 40-acre Lazy Fire picked up momentum and posed significant problems for firefighters because of rolling burning debris and very steep terrain, according to Moore's report. Air tankers and additional firefighters were ordered to help prevent this fire from getting established in areas that are extremely difficult to manage. Fire activity has been decreasing as evening approaches.
It was determined Saturday that the Lazy Fire is located on the Shasta Trinity National Forest and not the Mendocino National Forest as initially reported, Moore noted. Both forests decided to continue to manage this fire within the Yolla Bolly Complex.
The contained fires (Butte, Hammerhorn, French, Fern, Stockton, Sugarloaf, Rock, Long and Spring) range in size from one acre to 95 acres, according to Moore. Even though these fires are contained, some of the most difficult work remains: reinforcing existing line, suppressing smoldering debris and patrolling burned areas to ensure no fire is lingering that may flare up again.
More than 250 personnel are working to contain the Yolla Bolly Complex, Moore said. In addition, three helicopters are assisting firefighters dropping water on areas of fire that have potential to grow and are difficult to reach, transporting personnel and delivering supplies.
Deer rifle season begins in B-Zone in the Yolla Bolly Wilderness on Sept. 15, Moore reported. Hunters are encouraged to call ahead to one of our offices to check on current conditions in case areas are still affected by fire activity. A temporary flight restriction is in place for a 10-mile radius around the fire area.
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