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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — On Wednesday the California Highway Patrol arrested a Nevada woman who is believed to have set a fire along Highway 29 near Kelseyville.
The CHP’s Clear Lake Area office said it took Nickelina Rose Williams, 38, of Fallon into custody on Wednesday afternoon.
Williams is the latest in a growing list of women over the past two years to be arrested in Lake County for arson.
At 3:06 p.m. Wednesday, the CHP said officers Brian Hanson and Jacob Hoberg were dispatched to a call of a possible wildland fire on Highway 29 near Bottle Rock Road.
Radio traffic indicated there were multiple callers reporting the roadside fire, which was spreading into a field.
When Hanson and Hoberg arrived in the area, the CHP said the officers located a group of motorists who had stopped and were attempting to extinguish a 10-foot by 10-foot fire just off Highway 29’s south shoulder.
The CHP said Officer Hoberg contacted Nickelina Williams, who was walking southbound on Highway 29 near the fire’s ignition point.
Williams denied any knowledge about the fire, however, the CHP said the investigation determined that Williams possessed a lighter and ignition materials matching materials found at the site of the fire ignition point.
Cal Fire Battalion Chief Arson Investigator Joe Baldwin also responded and assisted officers at the scene, the CHP said.
Officer Hanson placed Williams under arrest on suspicion of arson less than an hour after the incident was reported. She was later booked at the Lake County Jail, according to her booking sheet.
Williams remained in custody early Friday, with two felony charges of arson and two misdemeanor arrest warrants listed on her booking sheet. She is being held on no bail for the arson counts.
Booking records show that Williams, whose occupation is listed as “fast food,” is due to be arraigned in Lake County Superior Court on Friday.
The CHP said the case remains under investigation. Any witnesses to the incident are asked to call the Clear Lake CHP Office at 707-279-0103.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lakeport Police Department is welcoming another new officer to its ranks.
The agency introduced Officer Katie Hutchins as its newest officer on Thursday.
Hutchins is a local Lake County resident and a graduate of Middletown High School, Lakeport Police reported.
She graduated from the Santa Rosa Junior College Public Safety Training Center Police Academy and went on to work as an officer for the Calistoga Police Department before being hired by the Lakeport Police Department.
Hutchins’ hire makes her the fourth female officer now working for the department. That’s the most in its history.
In addition to a growing number of female officers, the department is becoming more diverse in other ways, adding more Spanish-speaking officers and announcing last week the hire of officer trainee, Nicholas Steward, who is black.
“We are excited to have Katie on our team serving the Lakeport community,” the department said in a Thursday statement.
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The City of Clearlake Animal Association also is seeking fosters for the animals waiting to be adopted.
Another way to help is through donations. A wish list has been posted at Amazon and on Chewy. For those who wish to shop local and drop off items, call 707-273-9440 to schedule a delivery or donate at the association’s Facebook page.
Call the Clearlake Animal Control shelter at 707-273-9440, or email
Visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or on the city’s website.
The newest dogs are listed at the top of the following list.
‘Charles’
“Charles” is a male American pit bull terrier with a short black coat.
He is dog No. 5190.
‘Luscious’
“Luscious” is a male Weimaraner with a short gray coat.
He has been neutered.
He is dog No. 5201.
‘Andy’
“Andy” is a male pit bull terrier mix with a short gray and white coat.
He is dog No. 5150.
‘Bear’
“Bear” is a male American Staffordshire terrier mix with a short brown coat.
He has been neutered.
He is dog No. 3476.
‘Bella’
“Bella” is a female pit bull mix with a short brindle coat.
She is dog No. 5080.
‘Edgar’
“Edgar” is a male American Staffordshire terrier mix with a short black and cream coat.
He is dog No. 5189.
‘Mitzy’
“Mitzy” is a female shepherd mix with a medium-length black and white coat.
She is dog No. 4648.
‘Sassy’
“Sassy” is a female American bully mix with a short black coat.
She has been spayed.
She is dog No. 4602.
‘Tanisha’
“Tanisha” is a female shepherd mix with a short orange and white coat.
She is dog No. 4647.
‘Terry’
“Terry” is a male Dutch shepherd mix with a smooth brindle coat.
He is dog No. 4880.
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The shut-off, or PSPS, had been set to start early Thursday and was expected to impact less than 100 Lake County customers, just days after another PSPS had cut power to more than 4,000 Lake County customers.
However, PG&E spokeswoman Deanna Contreras said later on Thursday that the company canceled the shut-off in the northern portion of its service area as offshore winds trend weaker.
Originally, as many as 29,000 customers across Northern California had been included in early notifications.
Contreras said the scope decreased to about 5,500 customers in 10 counties — Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Napa, Shasta, Solano, Sonoma, Tehama and Yolo — before it ultimately was canceled.
However, she said gusty winds in the company’s southern service area could potentially prompt a PSPS impacting about 670 Kern County customers in Kern County. Those customers were notified that a potential shut-off could begin early Friday.
She said customers no longer being considered for a PSPS should be aware that unexpected power outages are still possible for other reasons, including debris or wildlife coming into contact with power lines, Contreras said.
“In those cases, PG&E will work safely to restore power as quickly as possible once we determine the system is safe to re-energize, she added.
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