MOUNTAIN LION SPOTTED NEAR GRACE HUDSON SCHOOL JKB 11/15/11
- A MOUNTAIN LION WAS SPOTTED NEAR GRACE HUDSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YESTERDAY.
SHERIFFS DEPUTIES AND OFFICERS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME WERE CALLED TO THE 2000 BLOCK OF SOUTH DORA STREET AT AROUND 12:20 PM. THEY NOTIFIED SCHOOL OFFICIALS AND RESIDENTS IN THE AREA THAT A MOUNTAIN LION HAD BEEN SPOTTED AND THEN PROCEEDED TO SEARCH THE WESTERN HILLS ABOVE THE SCHOOL IN AN ATTEMPT TO LOCATE THE BIG CAT, BUT WITH NO SUCCESS. RESIDENTS IN THE ARE ENCOURAGED TO USE CAUTION, AND TO CONTACT LAW ENFORCEMENT IMMEDIATELY IF THEY SEE A MOUNTAIN LION.
FOUR MEN ARRESTED DURING BAR FIGHT JKB 11/15/11
- FOUR MEN WERE ARRESTED AFTER ALLEGEDLY STARTING A BRAWL AT TJS DOWNTOWN BAR AND GRILL IN LAKEPORT ON SATURDAY.
POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE BAR AT AROUND 11 PM. WHEN THEY ARRIVED THEY FOUND APPROXIMATELY 25 PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE BAR INVOLVED IN THREE SEPARATE FIGHTS. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE FOUR MEN WERE HARASSING FEMALE CUSTOMERS AND BATTERED BAR EMPLOYEES WHO TRIED TO INTERVENE. 29 YEAR OLD PAUBLO ARRENDONDO, 31 YEAR OLD ANTONIO RICO, 25 YEAR OLD FRANCISCO RICO, AND 24 YEAR OLD GERARDO MARTINEZ WERE ARRESTED AFTER A BRIEF STRUGGLE WITH POLICE. ANYONE WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS INCIDENT IS ASKED TO CONTACT THE LAKEPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT.
TWO INJURED IN COLLISION JKB 11/15/11
- TWO PEOPLE INCLUDING A CHILD WERE INJURED IN A TWO CAR COLLISION AT THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 29 AND ARGONAUT ROAD IN LAKEPORT LATE SUNDAY MORNING.
ACCORDING TO THE CHP, 52 YEAR OLD WILLIAM PIMENTEL PULLED IN FRONT OF A CAR TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND ON HIGHWAY 29 FROM ARGONAUT ROAD JUST BEFORE NOON. THE DRIVER OF THE CAR, 45 YEAR OLD DEREK TAANING OF VALLEJO, TRIED TO BRAKE BUT COULD NOT AVOID COLLIDING WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE OF PIMENTELS CAR. PIMENTELS VEHICLE OVERTURNED ONCE COMING TO REST ON ITS WHEELS. HE WAS AIRLIFTED TO SANTA ROSA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL WITH MAJOR INJURIES. A CHILD IN HIS CAR SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES AND WAS TAKEN TO SUTTER LAKESIDE HOSPITAL. TAANING AND A FEMALE PASSENGER IN HIS CAR WERE NOT INJURED.
NEW CHARITY TO RAISE FUNDS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT JKB 11/15/11
- A NEW NON PROFIT CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION THAT IS SEEKING TO RAISE FUNDS FOR MENDOCINO COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS LAUNCHED YESTERDAY.
THE MENDOCINO PUBLIC SAFETY FOUNDATION WILL ACTIVELY RAISE PRIVATE DONATIONS TO SUPPORT THE SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS OF UKIAH, WILLITS, AND FORT BRAGG. 100% OF ALL DONATIONS WILL BE PASSED ON AS GRANTS, INSURING THAT THEY WILL BE USED FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ARE PROTECTED FROM BEING UTILIZED BY ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY. ADMINISTRATIVE AND OTHER ASSOCIATED COSTS ARE BEING PAID FOR BY SOME OF THE FOUNDATIONS BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES. MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOUNDATION CAN BE FOUND ON THEIR WEBSITE AT PROTECTMENDOCINO.ORG.
INSANITY PLEA IN MURDER CASE JKB 11/15/11
- A CLOVEDRDALE MAN CHARGED WITH MURDERING HIS SISTERS BOYFRIEND ENTERED DUAL PLEAS OF NOT GUILTY AND NOT GUILTY BY REASON OF INSANITY YESTERDAY.
29 YEAR OLD JARROD MILLER IS ACCUSED OF SHOOTING 29 YEAR OLD TIM NEUER IN HIS ALEXANDER VALLEY HOME ON MARCH 8TH OF THIS YEAR. ACCORDING TO REPORTS, MILLER LIVED WITH HIS SISTER AND NEUER, BUT WAS ASKED TO MOVE OUT SHORTLY BEFORE THE SLAYING. MILLERS SISTER TRIED TO STOP HIM DURING THE MURDER, BUT WAS PUSHED ASIDE JUST BEFORE NEUER WAS SHOT. NO MOTIVE HAS EVER BEEN GIVEN FOR THE MURDER. ACCORDING TO MILLERS MOTHER, SHE SOUGHT HELP FORM MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AFTER MILLERS BEHAVIOR BEGAN TO SPIRAL OUT OF CONTROL AFTER A CAR CRASH AND THE DEATH OF AN UNCLE. LAST YEAR. IF CONVICTED OF ALL CHARGES HE COULD FACE 25 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON.
FIREFIGHTER PLEADS GUILTY TO EMBEZZLEMENT JKB 11/15/11
- A RANCHO ADOBE FIREFIGHTER HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO EMBEZZLING MORE THAN $63,000 FROM THE FIREFIGHTERS UNION.
39 YEAR OLD MICHAEL BECHTOLD ADMITTED TO WRITING 45 UNAUTHORIZED CHECKS FROM THE RANCHO ADOBE PAID FIRE FIGHTERS ASSOCIATION CHECKING ACCOUNT BETWEEN 2006 AND OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR WHILE HE SERVED AS TREASURER OF THE UNION. PROSECUTORS SAY HE USED THE MONEY TO PAY FOR A DIVORCE ATTORNEY AND CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS. ALTHOUGH HIS ATTORNEY IS EXPECTED TO REQUEST PROBATION, BECHTOLD IS EXPECTED TO RECEIVE TO MORE THAN 3 YEARS IN THE SONOMA COUNTY JAIL WHEN HE IS SENTENCED IN JANUARY.
OCCUPY EUREKA DEMONSTRATORS ARRESTED JKB 11/15/11
- 31 PEOPLE INCLUDING A JUVENILE WERE ARRESTED DURING AN EARLY MORNING SWEEP OF THE OCCUPY EUREKA ENCAMPMENT ON THE COURTHOUSE LAWN YESTERDAY MORNING.
MOST OF THE PROTESTORS WERE ARRESTED WITHOUT INCIDENT FOR ILLEGAL CAMPING DURING THE SWEEP AT AROUND 5 AM. THREE PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED FOR OBSTRUCTING OR RESISTING PEACE OFFICERS AND A FOURTH SUSPECT WAS ARRESTED FOR ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON ON A PEACE OFFICER. THE OCCUPY EUREKA GROUP HAD RE-ESTABLISHED THE ILLEGAL CAMP IN FRONT OF THE COURTHOUSE ON FRIDAY, FOUR DAYS AFTER POLICE RAIDED THE SITE FOR THE FIRST TIME, ARRESTING 13 PEOPLE.
