Friday, 20 September 2024

Police & Courts

THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH CONDITIONS OF FOUR SHOOTING VICTIMS.

 

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Police Department has identified the victims in a Saturday night shooting that killed a 4-year-old child and left five people wounded, with police also reporting that a second person of interest is sought in the case.

 

Police are seeking 29-year-old Kevin Ray Stone, previously identified by police over the weekend as a person of interest, as well as a second man, 23-year-old Orlando Lopez, in connection to the Saturday night shooting on Lakeshore Drive, according to interim Clearlake Police Chief Craig Clausen.

 

The shooting resulted in the death of 4-year-old Skyler Rapp, said Clausen. The child was pronounced dead at St. Helena Hospital Clearlake following the incident.

 

The other shooting victims identified by police are 22-year-old Desiree Kirby, the child's mother; her boyfriend, 25-year-old Ross Sparks; his brother, Andrew Sparks, 23; Ian Griffith, 19; and a 15-year-old juvenile.

 

All five were taken by air ambulance to out-of-county hospitals including Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital and UC Davis Medical Center, as Lake County News has reported.

 

UC Davis Medical Center public information officer Dorsey Griffith said Monday afternoon that Kirby remained in critical condition, Andrew Sparks was in fair condition and Griffith was in good condition.

 

Ross Sparks had been discharged, Griffith said.

 

Information on the juvenile transported to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital was not immediately available.

 

Stone is described as a white male adult, 6 feet, 1 inches tall, weighing approximately 165 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.

 

Police said Lopez is an American Indian male adult, 5 feet, 6 inches in height, weighing approximately 140 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

 

Clausen said police are actively searching for Stone and Lopez or any information of their whereabouts.

 

If anyone knows of the whereabouts of either man they are asked to contact the Clearlake Police Department at 707-994-8251. Callers may remain anonymous.

 

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Police Department has identified a person of interest in a late night shooting on Saturday that claimed the life of a 4-year-old boy and left several other people with gunshot wounds.


Based on his agency's ongoing investigation, interim Clearlake Police Chief Craig Clausen said Sunday afternoon that police are seeking 29-year-old Kevin Ray Stone of Clearlake.


The incident in which Stone is believed to have been involved occurred shortly before 11 p.m. Saturday in the 14000 block of Lakeshore Drive near Kabal Street, according to police.


Clearlake Police officers were dispatched to a “shots fired” call and, upon arriving, discovered six gunshot victims, Clausen said.


Among the wounded was a 4-year-old child, Clausen confirmed. The little boy later was pronounced dead from his injuries at St. Helena Hospital Clearlake.


The five remaining victims were transported to out-of-county hospitals for treatment of their injuries, Clausen said.


REACH and Cal Star air ambulances had come and gone through the night, landing both at St. Helena Hospital Clearlake's helipad and a landing zone set up at Ray's Food Place on Dam Road, in order to pick up the victims and take them to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital and UC Davis Medical Center.


Clausen said he could not yet release of the names of all of the victims.


Police, assisted by Lake County District Attorney's Office investigators, worked through the night and throughout the day Sunday on the investigation, serving search warrants and locating evidence, Clausen said.


Interviews and evidence collection led to the identification of Stone as a person of interest, he said.


Stone was arrested this past January on firearms and contempt of court charges following a foot chase with police, and within a one-week period in February 2009 was arrested twice for child endangerment, as Lake County News has reported.


Lake County Jail records also indicate he was arrested in April on two bench warrants, driving on a suspended license and spousal battery.


Stone is described as a white male, with brown eyes and brown hair, 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 170 pounds.


Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Sgt. Tom Clements at 707-994-8251. Callers may remain anonymous.


E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

Image
Lawrence Williams of Lakeport, Calif., was arrested on Thursday, June 16, 2011, for being an accessory in a felony after its commission in connection with the stabbings of two men on the morning of Sunday, June 12, 2011. The suspect in the stabbings, Ronald Blesio of Nice, is still at large. Lake County Jail photo.




 

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Lakeport man who police allege was an accessory to the stabbings of two men on Sunday has been taken into custody.


Lawrence Eugene Williams, 65, was arrested just before 3 p.m. Thursday, according to Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen.


Rasmussen said Williams is charged with being an accessory in a felony after its commission. He later posted $10,000 bail and was released.


Williams had been sought earlier this week after police identified him as an associate and possible accessory of Ronald James Blesio, 34, of Nice, the suspect in the stabbings.


Blesio is alleged to have stabbed two men during an early morning confrontation in the parking lot of a Main Street gas station.


Police said the stabbing victims, visiting from out of county, were riding in a vehicle that reportedly parked behind Blesio, leading to an argument in which he accused them of blocking him in. Blesio is then alleged to have stabbed one man in the chest and the other in the arm.


Rasmussen said his investigators developed information that Williams had allegedly assisted Blesio in fleeing the scene to avoid arrest.


Blesio is still at large, and is considered armed and dangerous, according to police.


He is described as a white male adult, 5 feet 11 inches tall, 190 pounds, with blue eyes and blond hair.


Police also are seeking Blesio's girlfriend, 44-year-old Cathi Larae Larson, to question her in connection with the incident. Larson is described as a white female adult, with green eyes and brown hair, 5 feet, 3 inches tall and weighing 120 pounds.


Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact Lakeport Police Department Investigations at 707-263-5491.


E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lakeport's new police chief will take his oath of office at a swearing-in ceremony during this week's Lakeport City Council meeting, which also will include a hearing to adopt the city's final 2011-12 budget.


The council will convene on Tuesday, June 21, beginning with a 5 p.m. workshop to discuss policies and procedures for issuing requests for proposals on city projects before convening its regular meeting at 6 p.m.


The agenda and staff reports can be downloaded at http://www.cityoflakeport.com/departments/home.aspx?deptid=88.


Brad Rasmussen, 41, will mark 22 years with the department this fall. He has held the chief's position on an interim basis since the departure last October of Chief Kevin Burke, who was hired as chief at Healdsburg Police, as Lake County News has reported.


City Manager Margaret Silveira, who has the appointing authority for the police chief job, offered Rasmussen the post officially on May 18.


In other council business, a public hearing will be held for the purposes of adopting the final 2011-12 year budget for the city, the Lakeport Redevelopment Agency and City of Lakeport Municipal

Sewer District.


Rasmussen will present to the council an updated city emergency operations plan, and the council will continue a discussion on a proposal to consider allowing a vendor on the city's boat ramps in order to assist with monitoring for invasive mussels inspection stickers.


Also at the meeting, a proclamation will be offered to former Councilman Bill Knoll in honor of his contributions to the city, and new Lakeport Police volunteer Ed Moore and summer interns Todd Heppen and Vanessa Buendia will be introduced.


The council also will hold a closed session to conduct a performance evaluation of Silveira and discuss a case of pending litigation, Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3 and Lakeport Police Officers Association v. City of Lakeport, Lakeport City Council.


E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Police officers have apprehended a juvenile suspect who is believed to have been response for a dozen graffiti vandalism cases.


The juvenile was arrested at about 1 a.m. Friday, according to a report from Sgt. Martin Snyder

 

Snyder said he and Officer Michael Ray contacted the male juvenile walking on Phillips Avenue.


They identified the juvenile and determined that he was in violation of the Clearlake City Municipal Code for juvenile nighttime curfew, Snyder said.


Ray and Snyder subsequently detained the juvenile discovered that he was in possession of a spray paint can. Snyder said they arrested the boy for nighttime curfew and juvenile in possession of spray paint and transported him to the Clearlake Police Department for further questioning.


Based on the collected evidence and admissions from the juvenile, police allege that the boy was responsible for vandalizing 12 locations, which consisted of commercial buildings, walls, and street signs with graffiti, all within the city of Clearlake, Snyder said.


The juvenile was booked into the Lake County Juvenile Hall for felony vandalism, juvenile in possession of spray paint and nighttime curfew, according to Snyder.


Police advised citizens there are still several outstanding suspects for numerous vandalisms in the city of Clearlake.


Anyone with information regarding graffiti or gang-related activities are encouraged to contact the Clearlake Police Department at 707-994-8251.


Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews , on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The District Attorney's Office is investigating the claim of a jail inmate that he was assaulted by Lake County's sheriff while being transported to the jail.


District Attorney Don Anderson confirmed to Lake County News on Monday that an investigation was under way into the claim, made by a Calistoga man against Sheriff Frank Rivero.


Asked for comment via e-mail, Rivero maintained that no assault happened.


“Be assured that I have not assaulted any prisoner during an arrest or at any other time and it goes without saying I will cooperate fully with any investigation,” he said. “That said it is disappointing to, once again, be informed by the news media of a District Attorney's investigation targeting me rather than being notified by DA Anderson or anyone in his office.”


Donald Earl Bohan, 29, has alleged that Rivero assaulted him while he was handcuffed, Anderson said.


Bohan was taken into custody at approximately 8:48 p.m. Thursday, June 9, according to jail records.


Deputy Justin Newton arrested Bohan on a felony parole violation and three misdemeanor charges – being under the influence of a controlled substance, possession of a hypodermic syringe and obstructing or resisting a peace officer, based on information included in Bohan's booking record.


Sources close to the case said Rivero transported Bohan to the jail following the arrest, and it was during that period that Bohan alleged the assault took place.


Jail records show that Bohan wasn't actually booked into the jail until 6:35 a.m. Friday, June 10.


Anderson said that on Friday his office received a report from Bohan alleging the incident, which triggered the investigation.


“I have an investigator interviewing people now,” Anderson said.


The interviews began on Friday and continued on Monday, according to Anderson.


He said Bohan has given his version, which included being assaulted while being handcuffed.


Anderson said his staff hasn't interviewed Rivero yet.


“We're running into some interference with talking to people in the sheriff's department and inmates,” said Anderson.


Asked to elaborate, Anderson said some of the jail's inmates who were being interviewed in relation to the case had “already been talked to” by the time his investigator approached them.


He did not say specifically who talked to the inmates, although he indicated that the sheriff's office was doing its own separate investigation into the matter.


As soon as the interference is cleared up, “our investigation will go a lot quicker,” Anderson said.


In an e-mail exchange on Monday evening, Rivero told Lake County News that neither Anderson nor Anderson's staff had contacted him about the investigation.


Asked about the allegation of interference and whether or not his office was doing its own investigation, Rivero wrote, “Mr. Anderson has not communicated with me. I have no knowledge of any interference. It is protocol to investigate any complaints we receive and we are proceeding accordingly.”


Rivero did not respond to another question about whether Bohan complained directly to the sheriff's department or if a sheriff's investigation was triggered by a complaint to correctional staff.


E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews , on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf , on Tumblr at http://lakeconews.tumblr.com/ and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

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