PREVIOUSLY: Man Tased, Pepper-Sprayed, Tackled and Eventually Arrested After Attempted Carjacking at Courthouse Market Last Night, Eureka Police Say

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A Hoopa man arrested after a bloody scuffle with police in October was held to answer today for attempted carjacking and several related charges, including an attack on a Eureka police officer who is still recovering from his injuries.

Judge Larry Killoran, after listening to EPD officers testify during a brief preliminary hearing, ruled there was enough evidence for 28-year-old Daniel Raymond Aubrey to stand trial. He has been in custody since the night of Oct. 8, after he allegedly tried to steal a woman’s van as she was parked in front of Courthouse Market. Then, unfazed by pepper spray and being Tased and battered in the face, Aubrey allegedly fought wildly until officers were finally able to get him under control.

The entire episode took place on Fourth Street, as traffic backed up and a crowd gathered.

It all began when Officer Matthew White was driving near Courthouse Market and spotted a jaywalker. White, testifying under questioning by Deputy District Attorney Steven Steward, said he rolled down the window and said “Please stop jaywalking.” Then the jaywalker, Daniel Aubrey’s brother Paul Aubrey, said there was something going on in a van parked about 20 feet away.

Both of the van’s sliding doors were open, and White saw a woman in the driver’s seat. She was calling for help.

“I could see in the back, an African American male on his back with a Native American man assaulting him,” White recalled. “A second African American male was trying to pull him off.”

Given the circumstances, the officer parked his patrol car in the middle of Fourth Street and turned on his “Code Three” lights.

“As I walked toward the van, Mr. Aubrey was being dragged out of the van … he started walking west on Fourth Street. I told him to stop but he kept walking away.”

Because Aubrey wasn’t acting aggressively at that point, White started to reholster his Taser.

“He stopped, immediately did a 180,” the officer testified. White dropped the Taser, and by the time he retrieved it and got back to the van, Aubrey “was now in another altercation with one of the African American males.”

He heard the van driver yelling “He was trying to steal my van! He was trying to steal my van!”

“I grabbed my Taser again and I did Tase him,” White said, “but it had no effect.”

Then the officer got his pepper spray and “had a direct hit in (Aubrey’s) face.”

Aubrey’s response was to lunge toward the driver and begin slugging her.

“After the first hit or two she opens the door and runs away,” White said. Aubrey also took off, and the officer briefly lost sight of him. When he spotted Aubrey again, he saw two other officers fighting with Aubrey on the ground, in the right lane of Fourth Street.

“Mr. Aubrey was able to get back up,” White said, “and I saw him elbow Officer (Spencer) Barrett in the chest.”

“I approached and I punched Mr. Aubrey a couple of times in the face, which had no effect.” Then, White pulled out his can of pepper spay and used the bottom of the can to slam Aubrey repeatedly in the face. Another officer tased him again. No effect. By this time Aubrey was bleeding profusely.

With some effort Aubrey was handcuffed to a gurney and placed in the back of an ambulance. White went to talk to the van’s driver, but that was interrupted when he heard Officer Barrett screaming “He’s grabbing onto my gun!”

White ran to the ambulance and saw Aubrey sitting upright in the gurney, blood pouring from his face. While he was attempting to pin Aubrey down, his finger slipped in the blood and went into Aubrey’s mouth. Aubrey bit him hard twice on his right index finger, leaving him in so much pain he had to get out of the ambulance and lie down on Fourth Street.

More than three months later, White is still only able to work half-time on patrol. He was told he has nerve damage in the bitten finger.

Barrett, the officer who fought with Aubrey as he was trying to flee, testified that he “tackled him in the middle of Fourth Street.” As they struggled on the ground, Aubrey overpowered the officer and stood up.

“I deployed my department-issued Taser,” Barrett said.

“And did that have any effect?” prosecutor Steward asked.

“No it did not.”

Barrett was assigned to ride in the ambulance with the EMT’s who were taking Aubrey to the hospital. Unfortunately, Aubrey “was still kind of in fight mode.”

“He made numerous attempts to grab my gun,” Barrett said. At one point he actually touched the weapon. Barrett was swatting Aubrey’s hands away and yelling at him to stop reaching for the gun.

Barrett said he witnessed his fellow officer grabbing Aubrey’s head, and he witnessed the results.

“I saw the muscles of his jaw clench, and I saw blood coming from Officer White’s finger.”

The van driver and her two passengers told police they had never seen Aubrey before. They had purchased lottery tickets at Courthouse Market and were parked in front, they said, when Aubrey climbed into the passenger door and over the passenger, then tried to push the driver out of her seat. Aubrey reportedly said something like “I’m going with the bitches.”

After testimony concluded today, Deputy Public Defender Adrian Kamada argued there was insufficient evidence that Aubrey was intending to carjack the van. The judge rejected that argument, noting that when Aubrey climbed into the vehicle he went straight for the driver.

Paul Aubrey told officers he had come to pick up his brother Daniel, who had been released from jail after an arrest for public drunkenness. The jail is across Fourth Street from Courthouse Market.

Paul Aubrey is also the brother of Antone Richard Aubrey, who shot their sister Angel Louise Aubrey to death during an altercation in Hoopa. It was Paul who took the gun away from Antone after the shooting.

Daniel Aubrey is scheduled for arraignment on Feb. 10.

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Jan. 26, 2021, at about 10:45 a.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the area of Bell Springs Road near Island Mountain Road for the report of a gunshot victim.

Upon arrival, deputies located an elderly male gunshot victim inside a vehicle parked along the roadway. Deputies performed lifesaving efforts on the victim, however, the man succumbed to his injuries on scene.

The victim was later identified as 85-year-old Richard Grayson Drewry of Garberville. Drewry’s autopsy is scheduled for later this week.

Drewry’s manner of death has not been determined at this time and the case is still under investigation.  

Drewry’s vehicle is described as a blue 2010 Ford Explorer with California License Plate Number PHOODIS. Sheriff’s Investigators ask that anyone who may have seen Drewry or his vehicle in the hours prior to his death to contact our office at (707) 445-7251 and reference case number 202100446.

Anyone with information about this case can also contact the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip Line at (707) 268-2539.

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Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Jan. 26, 2021, at about 11 p.m., the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office received a request for assistance from CAL FIRE with a search and rescue of three motorists stranded along Mattole Road near Bull Creek due to severe weather conditions and several roadblocks.

The Sheriff’s Office’s Special Services Division was dispatched to assist. Utilizing specialized snow equipment, deputies navigated several miles of snow in treacherous conditions, clearing dozens of downed trees and power lines as they worked their way towards the stranded motorists. At approximately 3 a.m., January 27, deputies reached the motorists, who were found to be uninjured and in good health. The motorists were transported to safety.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the agencies who assisted and collaborated in this search and rescue, including CAL FIRE, the United States Coast Guard, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and Humboldt County Roads Division.

Mattole Road at Bull Creek is currently closed due to fallen trees and power lines across the roadway. [UPDATE: As of 1/27/21 at 2:30 p.m. Mattole Road has been re-opened.]

For current road conditions, visit:

• Humboldt County Road Conditions
• Caltrans Quick Map

According to the National Weather Service, additional snow and rain are expected today with winds of up to 45 miles per hour this evening. Residents are asked to avoid unnecessary travel while these winter weather conditions persist. If you must travel, be sure to bring an emergency kit containing food, water, extra warm clothes, blankets and a flashlight with extra batteries. Additionally, if you have a cell phone, make sure it is charged and consider bringing a portable battery pack with you. In case of emergency, call 9-1-1.

Eureka Police Department press release: 

The Eureka Police Department is reinstating regular parking enforcement activity beginning Monday, February 1, 2021.

Two recently hired Parking Enforcement Officers are completing their in-house training program and will begin with foot patrols of the downtown/Old Town area, issuing warnings and advisory information that enforcement will resume.

Recognizing the economic impact of COVID-19, parking enforcement had been largely suspended since mid-February 2020. During that time, all parking late fees were also suspended as a way to assist those with outstanding fees due.

In addition to the routine enforcement in the downtown/Old Town area, the parking enforcement program will now assist with abandoned automobiles, patrol checking parking lots for disabled placard/plate violations and general parking issues throughout the City of Eureka.

Answers to most parking related questions can be found on the Department website. Payments can be made at www.paymycite.com/eureka or in person at Eureka Police Department, Monday-Friday 9:00am – 5:00pm.

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California State University students will not see their tuition rise for the upcoming 2021-22 academic year, promising rare good news for the system’s nearly 500,000 students battered by a year like no other.

“I want to make sure all of our students hear that, and all the students that are thinking about the CSU hear that: No increase in tuition for 2021-22,” said new Chancellor Joseph Castro during the bimonthly CSU Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday afternoon.

It’s the first time the CSU has committed itself to such a goal for 2021-22, continuing a decade-long trend in which the system raised tuition only once, most recently a $270 hike in 2017-18.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s January budget proposal includes a 3% increase in ongoing funding to the CSU, but with conditions, including keeping tuition flat. The proposed increase — about $145 million — is still about half of the amount that state lawmakers and the governors lopped off from the CSU in the current state budget they approved last year.

Though CSU’s finances took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, federal aid partially shored up CSU losses. The system reported losses and increased costs of more than $758 million in Spring and Fall 2020. Federal relief, known as the CARES Act, sent the system $262 million and an equal amount to its students for emergency aid. The most recent federal relief package is expected to mete out even more aid to the system, about $854 million, according to a CalMatters review of federal data. At least $262 million of that is supposed to go to students as emergency aid grants.

Castro also vowed to protect CSU employees and faculty, saying that “if our assumptions for state and federal support hold,” he will not support a systemwide furlough program and “do everything we can to avoid additional layoffs of permanent CSU staff or faculty due to a lack of state funds.” About 130 workers were laid off this month belonging to the system’s largest employee union, a spokesperson for CSU Employees Union confirmed.

The pause on spiking tuition is a far cry from the last time California endured a recession, when tuition doubled in a few short years after state funding plunged as a result of the 2007 Great Recession.

But student tuition is only one portion of the total cost of attending the CSU. While current tuition stands at $5,742, each campus is free to raise mandatory campus fees, which range from $901 at Fresno State to $4,329 at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Unlike systemwide tuition, mandatory campus fees have been rising annually, sometimes by hundreds of dollars at a time, since 2011-12. While the CSU Board of Trustees has the authority to raise systemwide tuition, campus presidents set campus fee rates. At two Cal States, mandatory campus fees more than doubled in the past decade. Some campuses were faulted for not following protocol in setting campus fees, a state auditor found last year. In several cases, campuses failed to consult with key groups or explain why they needed the fee increases.

That Castro promised to hold systemwide tuition steady matches his reputation for minding costs as former campus president of Fresno State, where mandatory fees are the lowest in the system and have risen only $110 in the past decade.

At least one campus, Humboldt State, plans to keep their mandatory campus fees flat, spokesperson Grant Scott-Goforth said over email. The campus releases its fee updates in March or April.

Castro also doubled down on the CSU reopening most of its classes in the fall for in-person learning, which may sweeten the pot for students to continue to enroll at CSU. While nationally enrollment at four-year universities cratered, Cal State and the University of California have maintained their enrollments during the pandemic.

The president of the CSU faculty union sounded less thrilled about in-person instruction. During public comment at the Trustees meeting, California Faculty Association President Charles Toombs said the system must address matters such as vaccines, sanitation protocols, the ability to continue teaching remotely, and more.

Public health will guide the CSU’s decisions about in-person learning in the fall, Castro said. “If the course of the virus, the data, vaccine availability and the medical and public health experts indicate that our planning approach is no longer feasible, we will adjust.”

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CALmatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

 

Fred Allen Moon Sr.
December 14, 1939-January 22, 2021

Fredrick Allen Moon Sr. was born in Hoopa to Charlie Moon Jr. and Myrtle Elizabeth Nixon Moon on December 14, 1939.

Fred Moon Sr. passed away peacefully at home on January 22, 2021 surrounded by family. He is proceeded in death by his Father Charlie Moon Jr, Mother Myrtle Elizabeth Nixon Moon, Son Fredrick Allen Moon Jr, Son Clyde Moon Jr. Siblings: Joseph Moon Sr., Idell Brock, Richard Moon, Delores Mercado, Leland Moon, and Dorothy Lincoln, Granddaughter Dee-Faye Moon, Grandson Billy Dee Carter, Granddaughter Serenity Hope.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years Carmen Louise Moon, his brothers and their wives Melvin and Kayo Moon, Clyde Moon Sr. and Donna, and sister-in law Syd Carroll, his children: Ronalda Jordan (Danny), Delores Moon, Richard Moon (Tamela), Marjorie Moon, Lila Lucero (Chris), Jimaica McLaughlin. Grandchildren: Carmeli Begay (Nolan), Leland Jordan, Christina Risling-Moon, Virgil McLaughlin, Medero Moon Sr., Analisa Cavil (Rashauna), Liles Cavil (Yvonne), Richard Moon, Meagen Baldy (Guy), Darrell Moon Sr. (Ernestine), Jasmine Booth (Elexis), Travis Moon (Chernabyl), Nena Macias, Shaleen Carlson, Damon Cross, and Aaron Cross (Rochelle). Great Grandkids: Raymond, Helena, Rylan, Melia, Eric, Raymond A., Dianna, Richard, Fredrick, Naschewen, Kayrich, Kaycen, Dolly, Medero, Mederiona, Emony, Prince, Diauni, London, Brookelyn, Liles Jr., Queenz, Robert, Emily, Raymond B., Riley, Anjelica, Issac, Antonio, Santiago, Jayceonrmen, Darrell Jr, Anthony, Malachi, Jordan Ch’inso:n, Michael, Chai, Faith, Woodsie, David, Kylie, Kalissa.

Fred was a proud member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe. Fred started his career as a logger in the logging industry at the age of 16 years old. He also met the love of his life, Carmen McCovey, along with her daughter, Ronalda, in Hoopa. Fred and Carmen married October 28, 1956 and welcomed their first-born son, Fredrick Allen Moon Jr., and he was followed by Delores Moon, Richard Moon and Marjorie Moon. The Moons soon took an adventure to Hawaii, where Fred worked in steel mill at Pearl Harbor. Fred often spoke of this time especially when he had to swim out in the ocean to save his sons Fred and Richard from being swept out to China. During this time Fred enjoyed living like the locals in Hawaii but decided to move his family back Hoopa. Once back in Hoopa, there was a lot of youth who came through that became family but the two who were biggest in their hearts were Fred and Carmen’s double niece and nephew Lil’ Clyde and Lila, who Fred considered his own.

Fred then went to barber college in the late ‘60s in Long Beach. This is where Fred began his lifelong career as a barber. Fred started his first job as an apprentice in Sacramento. He then moved back into Humboldt County and cut hair in Elgar’s Barber shop in Blue Lake, which led him to moving into McKinleyville, where he started Moon’s Barber Shop in the early ‘70s. This is when Fred found his lifetime career. Not only did he cut hair for numerous community members, he cut most of his grandchildren hair throughout the decades. Fred then moved into his family home on Moon Lane.

Fred served as a councilmember for the Hoopa Tribe during the ‘90s and served as Vice Chairman. Carmen ran the Natives Fire Crew, which enabled him to accompany his wife on for numerous years where he met a lot of young men and woman who considered him as their mentor and also as their praying Papa Fred. On this crew throughout the seasons, he always said that Carmen was in charge out there, but once we we’re home it’s all me!

Fred Moon was a die-hard San Francisco Forty-Niners fan. He enjoyed watching football with all his family. Fred also enjoyed his trips to the Lucky Bear aka Hungry Bear Casino throughout the years.

Fred has left a rich legacy for his family and an example on how to walk as a Hupa person with respect and keeping his family together.

Services will be as followed: Wake at the Hoopa Assembly of God Wednesday, Jan. 27, from 5 p.m to 10 p.m. (Mask required and limited family and community allowed). Graveside services Thursday, Jan. 28, 11 a.m. at Moon Family Cemetery (dress warm and COVID protocols in place)

Pall Bearers: Richard Moon, Darrell Moon Sr., Travis Moon, Damon Cross, Aaron Cross, Leland Jordan, Antonio Correa, Santiago Moon, Robert Baldy, Raymond Baldy, Riley Baldy and Michael Te’odecki.

Honorary Pall Bearers: Clyde Moon Sr., George Moon, Danny Jordan, Raymond Begay, Richard Barry Moon, Sonny Pratt, Paco Garcia, Robert “Kash” McCovey, Loren McCovey, Mike Orcutt, Kevin Orcutt, Nick Mercado, Liles Cavil, Medero Moon Sr., Medero Moon Jr., Price Richards, Walt Lara, Tim Casey, Blaze Carpenter.

 

Luther Earl ‘Pete’ Vaughn
November 3, 1944 - December 31, 2020

Luther Earl “Pete” Vaughn passed away on December 31st, 2020 in Eureka. He was born to James Cicero and Gertie Vaughn, on November 3rd 1944 in Pritcher, Oklahoma. He was the 4th and youngest son of eight children.

When Pete was six years old his family moved to Northern California. He attended Leggett School in Mendocino County before moving to Humboldt, where he met his wife Ella “Marie” Vaughn. Pete and Marie married in 1961, at age 17, and had five children. They remained dedicated and loving to each other through their 39 years of marriage, until Marie’s passing in 2000.

He lived in many of the small towns of Humboldt, before settling in Orick. Pete was a family man that loved his kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids.

All of his life Pete Vaughn made his living off of the land and sea. He was a commercial surf fisherman for most of his years. If you wanted to find out if fish were running, you’d see what Pete was doing. He was a skilled hunter and trapper, and woodsman. He had taught and handed these skills down to not only his kids but grandkids and great-grandkids. He kept bees and made sweet jars of honey, all while wearing a tank top. He had an excellent green thumb. He loved growing tomatoes and his grandkids say he grew the best strawberries they’d ever had. He liked to find gold, he would say, just as a hobby. Pete was a friendly and kind-hearted person that will be greatly missed by anyone that had the pleasure of knowing him.

Pete was preceded in death by his parents Gertie and Cicero Vaughn, brothers Gerald Vaughn and James Presley “J.P.” Vaughn, his loving wife Ella Marie Vaughn, grandsons Jason Bachus, and Facundo Gifford, and also his second wife Gail Grafflin. He is survived by sisters Leona Walker, Betty Stacy, Linda Overly, Sharron K Woods, Barbara Nalley, and Andrea. Children, Verna Fernheart, Kathy Gifford, Glenda Hall, Lawrence, and Ronnie Vaughn. His grandkids Robert and Raymond Dickerson, Tyrone Bachus, Jessica and Fannie Gifford, John and Michael Hall, Ronnie and Derek Vaughn, Tyler, Samantha, Lauren, Abby, Calvin and Bella Vaughn. And his many great-grandkids. He was also survived by his friend and love of his life Shirley Dixon.

Arrangements were made by Paul’s Chapel in Arcata. If you would like to join the family for a prayer there will be graveside services in Trinidad on Saturday January 30, 2021 at 2 p.m. Please note that COVID-19 restriction and social distancing will apply. A celebration of life will be announced later when COVID restrictions are lifted.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Pete Vaughn’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.