FORMER LAYTONVILLE MAN KILLED NEAR SUSANVILLE JKB 12/15/11
- A FORMER LAYTONVILLE MAN WHO HAD MOVED TO SANTA ROSA, WAS KILLED IN AN UNUSUAL TRAFFIC COLLISION NEAR SUSANVILLE LAST THURSDAY.
ACCORDING TO THE CHP, 58 YEAR OLD PHILIP FESLER, WAS STANDING NEXT TO HIS DISABLED CAR WITH ANOTHER MOTORIST WHO HAD STOPPED TO HELP AFTER HE STRUCK A DEER ON HIGHWAY 395 AT AROUND 6 PM. HIS CAR WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING AT FREEWAY SPEED THAT HAD FAILED TO SEE FESLERS CAR IN THE DARK. BOTH FESLER AND 50 YEAR OLD MICHAEL NYE OF SUSANVILLE WERE THROWN BETWEEN 50 AND 100 FEET FROM THE POINT OF IMPACT. BOTH WERE AIRLIFTED TO A MEDICAL CENTER IN RENO NEVADA, WHERE FESLER DIED OF HIS INJURIES. NYE REMAINS IN HOSPITALIZED WITH MAJOR INJURIES. THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER CAR AND HIS PASSENGER SUFFERED ONLY MINOR TO MODERATE INJURIES.
ASSAULT ARREST JKB 12/15/11
- A COVELO MAN WAS ARRESTED AFTER ASSAULTING HIS BOYFRIEND AND USING A FORK AS A WEAPON EARLY YESTERDAY MORNING.
DEPUTIES WERE CALLED TO THE COVELO MOBILE HOME PARK JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT AND LEARNED FROM THE 50 YEAR OLD VICTIM THAT HE AND HIS PARTNER HAD GOTTEN INTO AN ARGUMENT. DURING THE ALTERCATION 25 YEAR OLD MICHAEL CARLSON ALLEGEDLY STRUCK THE VICTIM SEVERAL TIMES IN THE FACE AND TOOK AWAY A FORK THE VICTIM WAS TRYING TO USE TO DEFEND HIMSELF AND STABBED HIM WITH IT. THE VICTIM WAS TREATED FOR ABRASIONS TO HIS FACE AND PUNCTURE WOUNDS TO HIS TORSO. CARLSON WAS LOCATED AT THE COUPLES HOME A SHORT TIME LATER AND ARRESTED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ASSAULT.
SINGLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT JKB 12/15/11
- A CLEARLAKE WOMAN WAS INJURED IN A SOLO VEHICLE ACCIDENT ON BOTTLE ROCK ROAD YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.
ACCORDING TO THE CHP, 23 YEAR OLD NOVA WILSONFOX WAS TRAVELING NORTHBOUND NEAR THE SPRING HILL ROAD INTERSECTION WHEN FOR UNKNOWN REASONS, HER CAR LEFT THE ROADWAY AND STRUCK A TREE AT AROUND 12:30 PM. WILSONFOX WAS FOUND UNCONSCIOUS WITH AN APPARENT HEAD INJURY AND AIRLIFTED TO SANTA ROSA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL. NO WORD YET ON HER CONDITION. THE ACCIDENT REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION. ALCOHOL IS NOT BELIEVED TO BE A FACTOR IN THE CRASH.
MAN ACQUITTED OF CHILD MOLESTATION JKB 12/15/11
- A LAKE COUNTY JURY YESTERDAY, TOOK ONLY ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE ACQUITTING A MIDDLETOWN MAN ACCUSED OF MOLESTING HIS GIRLFRIENDS 15 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER.
THE JURY UNANIMOUSLY FOUND REASONABLE DOUBT IN THE CASE AGAINST 52 YEAR OLD MARK KNAUP, WHO HAD BEEN CHARGED WITH FOUR COUNTS OF COMMITTING LEWD ACTS ON THE VICTIM IN LATE 2008 AND EARLY 2009. THE DEFENSE CONTENDED THE GIRL WAS ANGRY OVER BEING DISCIPLINED BY KNAUP, AND WANTED HIM OUT OF THE DATING RELATIONSHIP WITH HER MOTHER, AND SO CONCOCTED THE MOLESTATION STORY. ACCORDING TO THE DEFENSE THE JURY COULD SEE THE GIRLS CREDIBILITY WAS IN QUESTION AND THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE.
SCAM WARNINGS JKB 12/15/11
- TIS THE SEASON FOR ALL KINDS OF HOLIDAY SCAMS, AND THE SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT AND THE WILLITS POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE WARNING RESIDENTS OF TWO THAT HAVE POPPED UP RECENTLY.
THE SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT HAS REPORTED NUMEROUS CALLS ABOUT A PHONE SCAM THAT MOSTLY TARGETS THE ELDERLY. THE CALLER POSES AS A RELATIVE, USUALLY A GRANDCHILD, AND EMOTIONALLY CLAIMS TO HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY OR DISTANT STATE, AND NEED MONEY FOR BAIL TO BE SENT BY WESTERN UNION. THE SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT ADVISES TO ALWAYS CHECK THE VALIDITY OF SUCH CALLS BY CONTACTING OTHER RELATIVES OR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THE CALLER PURPORTS TO BE INCARCERATED BY, BEFORE EVER SENDING MONEY.
IN WILLITS, A CALLER WHO IDENTIFIED HERSELF AS BEING FROM THE CITY, CONTACTED A LOCAL CONSIGNMENT STORE, LOOKING TO CONFIRM INFORMATION ABOUT THE BUSINESS AND ACQUIRE A 10% ASSESSMENT FEE. CITY OFFICIALS SAY THERE IS NO 10% BUSINESS ASSESSMENT FEE AND ARE WARNING BUSINESS OWNERS TO NO GIVE OUT ANY BUSINESS RELATED INFORMATION OVER THE PHONE.
MENDO PUBLIC SAFETY FOUNDATION MAKES FIRST GRANTS JKB 12/15/11
- THE NEWLY FORMED MENDOCINO PUBLIC SAFETY FOUNDATION, A LOCAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT SEEKS TO HELP FUND THE EQUIPMENT NEEDS OF LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, HAS ANNOUNCED THEY ARE READY TO BEGIN DISTRIBUTING $10,000 IN GRANTS.
THE FOUNDATION HAS INVITED SHERIFF TOM ALLMAN, AND THE CHIEFS OF POLICE IN THE CITIES OF UKIAH, WILLITS, AND FORT BRAGG TO MAKE PROPOSALS FOR EQUIPMENT OR OTHER PROJECTS. THE FOUNDATION WILL ANNOUNCE THE GRANT AWARDS ON JANUARY 17TH. THE FOUNDATION IS ALSO INVITING INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES TO BECOME MEMBERS TO MAKE DONATIONS EVERY YEAR. INFORMATION ON MEMBERSHIPS AND ONE TIME DONATIONS CAN BE FOUND ON THE FOUNDATIONS WEBSITE AT PROTECTMENDOCINO.ORG.
FORMER LAKE CO SUPERVISOR WILCOX DIES JKB 12/15/11
- FORMER LONG TIME LAKE COUNTY SUPERVISOR WALTER WILCOX DIED OF COMPLICATIONS FROM PNEUMONIA ON TUESDAY. HE WAS 83.
WILCOX SERVED AS THE DISTRICT 3 SUPERVISOR FOR 16 YEARS FROM 1979 TO 1995. HE WAS HONORED FOR HIS YEARS OF SERVICE WITH A PROCLAMATION FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WHEN HE RETIRED IN JANUARY 1995.
FORMER WHS GRADUATE CHRIS BICKFORD 1ST TEAM ALL AMERICAN JKB 12/15/11
- FORMER WILLITS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE AND ATHLETIC STANDOUT CHRIS BICKFORD HAS BEEN AWARDED ONE OF THE HIGHEST HONORS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL.
THE AMERICAN FOOTBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION SELECTED HIM AS A FIRST TEAM ALL AMERICAN LAST WEEK. BICKFORD TURNED DOWN OPPORTUNITIES TO PLAY D1-AA SCHOOLS AND INSTEAD DECIDED TO PLAY FOR THE ROCHESTER YELLOW JACKETS, A D-3 SCHOOL BECAUSE IT WAS A BETTER FIT ACADEMICALLY. HE IS THE FIRST ROCHESTER PLAYER TO EARN FIRST TEAM ALL AMERICAN HONORS IN 18 YEARS.
