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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a Clearlake man Monday night following a high-speed chase in which he attempted to flee from law enforcement in a stolen vehicle.

Samuel William Rhea, 49, was arrested following the chase that led deputies into Lower Lake.

The sheriff’s office reported that on Monday at approximately 8:06 p.m., the Lakeport Police Department responded to the Power Market in Lakeport for a reported vehicle theft.

The Lakeport Police Department was told by the victim of the theft they had picked up a white male adult walking on Highway 29 and gave him a ride to the Power Market.

The male had asked for a ride to Clearlake, which the victim refused as it was out of their way.

The victim entered the store and when they returned their vehicle was missing. A review of the store surveillance video by the victim and store staff showed the male taking the victim’s vehicle.

At approximately 8:13 p.m., Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Joe Lyons observed the stolen vehicle traveling southbound on Highway 29 at Highway 175, at a high rate of speed.

Deputy Lyons activated his emergency lights and attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle refused to stop, and a pursuit was initiated.

Deputy Lyons pursued the vehicle at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour and observed the vehicle passing other vehicles in opposing lanes of traffic.

As the vehicle neared the intersection of Highway 29 and Lee Bar Road in Lower Lake, Deputy Avina deployed his department issued spike strips, which the vehicle struck deflating all four tires.

The vehicle continued through the red light at Highway 29 and Highway 53 onto Main Street in Lower Lake.

While on Main Street, the vehicle attempted to pass a South Lake County Fire Protection District rescue utility truck, striking the utility truck and further disabling the vehicle. The vehicle traveled a short distance and came to a stop in the westbound lane.

The driver exited the vehicle and began to flee on foot. Deputy Lyons and his K9 partner Rex, began to chase the suspect.

Deputy Lyons advised the suspect to stop running or he would be bit by his K9. The suspect continued to flee from Deputy Lyons into the creek located behind the Foster Freeze in Lower Lake.

Deputy Lyons deployed Rex and he quickly apprehended the suspect in the creek bed. Deputy Lyons was able to handcuff the suspect without further incident. The suspect sustained minor injuries from the apprehension.

Deputy Lyons identified the suspect as Rhea who, after medical clearance, was booked into the Lake County Correctional Facility for felonies including vehicle theft, evading with wanton disregard and evading as a wrong way driver, and a misdemeanor violation for obstructive, delaying or resisting a peace officer.

It was later determined Rhea was previously booked into the Lake County Correctional Facility on June 18 on several bench warrants.

Rhea was released from custody after credit for time served on July 10 at 7:15 p.m., less than an hour before the incident involving the stolen vehicle.

Rhea remained in custody on Wednesday with bail set at $35,000.

Jail records show he is scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday.

California’s tribal law enforcement agencies and tribal courts are closer to gaining access to a national computer network that provides local and state law enforcement agencies with information used to investigate crimes and a message system maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Motor Vehicles and other agencies.

On Tuesday, the Senate Public Safety Committee gave unanimous approval to AB 44 — introduced earlier this year by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) — which would give tribal entities that access.

“Passage of AB 44 is critical to assisting tribes keep their communities safe and investigate crimes, especially crimes involving missing and murdered Native Americans. It will also help protect neighboring communities and create stronger communication and partnerships between the tribes and other law enforcement agencies,” said Ramos.

AB 44 grants tribal governments and tribal courts access to the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System — known as CLETS — which contains databases with information about an individual’s criminal history and criminal record.

Through CLETS, tribal governments and tribal courts also gain access to the International Justice and Public Safety Network, the Criminal Justice Information Services and the National Crime Information Center and Department of Motor Vehicles records such as driver’s license and vehicle registration information.

Ramos said California has the fifth largest caseload of missing and murdered Indigenous women and people.

He added that nearly one-half of all Indigenous women have been sexually assaulted, beaten or stalked by an intimate partner.

“Without CLETS access, tribal courts and tribal law enforcement cannot enter domestic violence protective orders or share and update criminal and missing record information. Lack of CLETS access puts tribal communities at a disadvantage and allows criminal perpetrators to escape justice,” Ramos said.

Current entities with CLETS access include sheriffs, city police departments, district attorneys, courts, probation departments, the California Highway Patrol, the Department of Justice, the Department of Insurance, the Employment Development Department, university, college and school district police departments, fire department arson investigation units and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Tribal governments and courts will be granted CLETS access by the Attorney General under AB 44.

The governing body of a tribe will need to adopt a law or resolution to declare the tribe will comply with procedural laws, inspections, audits and other measures with CLETS operating policies.

The Department of General Services will determine setup and access charges to the tribes for CLETS access.

AB 44 is sponsored by the Yurok Tribe. A partial list of supporters includes the Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians, California Consortium for Urban Indian Health, Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake, Hoopa Valley Tribe, Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians, Resighini Rancheria Tribal Council, California Indian Legal Services, California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, California Tribal Police Chiefs Association, Northern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association, California Tribal Families Coalition and Friendship House Association of American Indians.

Ramos is the first and only California Native American serving in the state’s legislature, and he chairs the Assembly Committees on Rules.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has completed its 2023 waterfowl breeding population survey.

The resulting data indicate the overall number of breeding ducks has increased by 30% with mallards as the most abundant duck in the survey.

“Survey estimates indicated a 13% increase in mallard abundance. Habitat conditions improved somewhat as there was more surface water encountered across the survey area than in previous years,” said CDFW’s Waterfowl Program Biologist Melanie Weaver.

The full Breeding Population Survey Report, available on the CDFW website, indicates the total number of ducks (all species combined) increased from 379,870 in 2022 to 495,438 this year. This estimate is 8% below the long-term average.

The estimated breeding population of mallards increased from 179,390 in 2022 to 202,108 this year, while also below their long-term average. The long-term declines are largely attributed to the loss of nesting habitat for ducks. Additionally, the impact of drought conditions have likely exacerbated these declines.

CDFW biologists and warden pilots have conducted this survey annually using fixed-wing aircraft since 1948.

The population estimates are for those areas where the vast majority of waterfowl nesting occurs in California, including wetland and agricultural areas in northeastern California, throughout the Central Valley, the Suisun Marsh and some coastal valleys.

The majority of California’s wintering duck population originates from breeding areas surveyed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or USFWS, in Alaska and Canada, and these results should be available by August. CDFW survey information, along with similar data from other Pacific Flyway states, is used by the USFWS and the Pacific Flyway Council when setting hunting regulations for the Pacific Flyway states, including California.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — With temperatures forecast to be well over the century mark later this week, the National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat watch for a large portion of California that includes Lake County.

The excessive heat watch, in effect from Friday morning through Sunday evening, warns of dangerously hot conditions with temperatures of up to 109 degrees Fahrenheit possible.

Climate Central reported that due to temperature anomalies, conditions are expected to be more than 15 degrees hotter than normal across most of California.

Temperatures this week are forecast to slowly climb from the high 80s into the mid 90s through Thursday, before temperatures jump past the century mark on Friday.

The high heat is expected through Sunday evening, with temperatures forecast to begin cooling down and dropping into the 90s beginning on Monday.

“This is a dangerous heat event that will impact tens of millions of people. Carbon emissions from burning coal, oil, and natural gas made this event more likely, longer, and more intense,” said Dr. Andrew Pershing, vice president of science at Climate Central, an independent group of scientists and communicators who research and report the facts about our changing climate and how it affects people’s lives.

Climate Central said populations most vulnerable to high temperatures include older adults, young children, pregnant people, individuals with chronic conditions, members of low income and historically marginalized communities, athletes and outdoor workers.

Exposure to risky heat can trigger heat-related illnesses, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke, a life-threatening condition, the organization said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lakeport Planning Commission will meet this week to discuss a project proposed by the Lake County Tribal Health Consortium.

The commission will meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 12, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

The council chambers will be open to the public for the meeting. Masks are highly encouraged where 6-foot distancing cannot be maintained.

The agenda is available here.

To speak on an agenda item, access the meeting remotely here; the meeting ID is 814 1135 4347, pass code is 847985.

To join by phone, dial 1-669-444-9171; for one tap mobile, +13462487799,,81411354347#,,,,*847985#.

Comments can be submitted by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To give the city clerk adequate time to print out comments for consideration at the meeting, please submit written comments before 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 12.

The main item on the agenda is an application for architectural and design review sought by Lake County Tribal Health for its property at 925 Bevins Court.

The staff report said approval of the application would allow the construction of a patio, shaded structure, bathrooms and outdoor kitchen at the site.

Total square footage of the improvements at the Bevins Court facility, Tribal Health’s main campus, would be just under 2,000 square feet, the staff report said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. — The Middletown Area Town Hall will meet this week to get updates on projects and fire season.

MATH will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 13, in the Middletown Community Meeting Room/Library at 21256 Washington St., Middletown. The meeting is open to the public.

To join the meeting via Zoom click on this link; the meeting ID is 832 1989 2440. Call in at 669-900-6833.

At 7:05 p.m., the group is tentatively scheduled to receive an update on fire season from Cal Fire and Callayomi County Water District.

Under business, which begins at 8 p.m., the group will discuss a cannabis project on Jerusalem Grade.

The MATH Board includes Chair Monica Rosenthal, Vice Chair Todd Fiora, Secretary Ken Gonzalez, Rosemary Córdova and Bill Waite, and alternates Julia Bono and Tom Darms.

MATH — established by resolution of the Lake County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 12, 2006 — is a municipal advisory council serving the residents of Anderson Springs, Cobb, Coyote Valley (including Hidden Valley Lake), Long Valley and Middletown.

For more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.