Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help for information regarding a homicide occurring last night in Samoa.
On Nov. 15, 2020, at about 11:55 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the area of New Navy Base Road near the Milwaukee Memorial in Samoa for the report of a gunshot victim.
Deputies arrived on scene and located a male victim with multiple gunshot wounds. The victim, later identified as 34-year-old Perry Zebulon Bailey of McKinleyville, succumbed to his injuries on scene.
Upon further investigation, deputies learned that Bailey had reportedly approached an occupied parked vehicle when someone inside of the vehicle fired multiple gunshots at him. The vehicle then fled the scene.
The suspect vehicle is described as a matte, dark-colored, older model two-door coupe possibly with tinted rear windows. The vehicle may have damage to the driver side window and door.
The suspects are described only as a white male adult wearing glasses and possibly a female adult. No further suspect information is available at this time.
This case is being investigated as a homicide.
Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.
Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:
Dressed in all brown, three men fill their coffee cups, take a seat on the couch and talk about life. It’s more relaxed here than in other places of the facility, with flowers and inspirational quotes spread across the walls. And if it weren’t for the jumpsuits and cell doors, one might forget that this is actually a county jail.
On Thursday, November 12, 2020, the Humboldt County Correctional Facility (HHCF) and Wellpath held a ribbon-cutting for the county’s newest initiative to address mental illness within the justice system, a Jail-Based Competency Treatment (JBCT) Program for offenders deemed incompetent to stand trial.
“A couple of years ago, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and the Correctional Facility had 20 people who were deemed incompetent to stand trial that were waiting for a place in the state hospital system to go and restore competency,” Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal said. “We had these people languishing in our county jail for up to six months before they could get a space in the state hospital.”
Seeing the overwhelming need for change, Sheriff Honsal brought together representatives from the County’s Department of Health and Human Services and the Correctional Facility in order to brainstorm solutions. The result, a petition to the California Department of State Hospitals for a Jail-Based Competency Treatment Program in Humboldt County.
The HCCF Jail-Based Competency Treatment (JBCT) Program is a satellite state hospital, paid for by the State of California, within the Correctional Facility. The program currently can facilitate six patients, who live within the JBCT unit of the facility and spend their days working with counselors and psychologists in order to restore competency.
Donna Bullard, the program director and clinician for the HCCF JBCT Program, says the treatment is intensive and tailored to the individual. “I spend a lot of time with them each day. We do group therapy twice a day, they see a psychiatrist once a week and they meet with me one-on-one every week. So, we really get to know them.”
A Different Setting
While the unit is housed within the Correctional Facility, it is in stark contrast of what you may see in any other dorm.
“A typical dorm, the inmates are in quads where they sleep in bunks very close to each other. Our [JBCT] inmates have their own cells that were completely remodeled,” said Lauren Elkin, the Correctional Deputy overseeing the JBCT unit. “We remodeled the unit to paint it more calming colors. Instead of your typical plastic chairs, they have couches with pillows. We have music, flowers on the wall and just try to make it seem like a therapeutic environment versus a traditional custodial environment.”
Facility staff have worked hard to make the unit feel more comfortable, with hopes of alleviating some of the mental stress of living in a jail environment, creating a space that is conducive to effective therapy. Deputy Elkin, who has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, has played a significant role in helping to create the space and carrying out it’s mission. Elkin works with the patients daily, assisting clinicians with their work and helping patients work toward wellness.
“It’s just really inspiring that we are able to work with our Sheriff partners and really transform the jails into a treatment environment for people who need us,” said Emily Mann, JBCT Regional Specialist for Wellpath. “This program does the right thing for all of the people involved and it works. The outcomes are there, we have the data. The program is successful in every county that we have.”
And the patients agree. During Thursday’s ribbon cutting one patient in the program, whose name is being kept confidential for privacy purposes, said, “without JBCT I would be completely lost in the justice system and I have no idea where I’d be at this moment.”
Hope and Healing
While restoring competency may sound clinical, it’s about a lot more that. “At Wellpath, our call to action is to hope and healing,” Justin Searle, Executive Vice President of Wellpath said. “I can’t think of a better embodiment of hope and healing than these programs.”
Clinician Bullard says though the ribbon cutting was held this week, the program has actually been open just over two months. During that time, the program has restored almost six patients to competency.
“Generally, it takes two months or longer just for them to get on a waiting list for a state hospital,” Bullard said. “So being able to treat them in house and have them restored is really rewarding. This represents hope that things can get better. You can treat people who are mentally ill and incarcerated effectively.”
Not only is this a win for the patients to be able to get treatment fast, Sheriff Honsal says it’s a win for the North Coast as the JBCT unit has the ability to accept patients from neighboring Del Norte county should space become available. Sheriff Honsal says the unit has the ability to expand if needed and approved by the state. For now, Sheriff Honsal says, it’s a “start” and stressed the importance of more mental health resources needed for Humboldt County.
“We struggle to find resources to steer people to and our whole social services system is overwhelmed. They need more help. They need more support.” Sheriff Honsal said. “So, this is just one way we can help out with the issue of mental illness in our community.”
Sheriff Honsal says in addition to the JBCT Program the facility will continue working with Wellpath and Humboldt County Behavioral Health to address mental illness and provide more mental health services for all inmates.
On 11/15/2020, at approximately 6:45 p.m., the Humboldt Area CHP received a report of a head-on collision on Sutter Road at Weirup Lane in McKinleyville.
William Cromwell. | Photo provided by the HCSO.
A preliminary investigation by CHP determined that a 2000 Nissan Frontier, being driven by 29-year-old William Cromwell of Santa Barbara, CA, was traveling westbound on Sutter Road, approaching Weirup Lane. A 2007 Jeep Wrangler, being driven by 29-year-old Samantha Blount of McKinleyville, was traveling eastbound on Sutter Rd., approaching Weirup Lane. Mr. Cromwell allowed his truck to travel into the eastbound lane of Sutter Rd. and collided head-on with the Jeep.
It was initially believed that an 8-year-old female passenger in the Jeep suffered minor injuries and medical treatment was declined at the scene. However, the passenger was later taken to the hospital where it was determined she suffered a serious internal injury as a result of the collision and was transported out of the area for further treatment.
Impairment is considered a factor in this collision. Mr. Cromwell was arrested for Felony DUI and, after being medically cleared at the hospital, he was booked into the Humboldt County Jail.
The CHP Humboldt Area Office is continuing to investigate this collision and asks anyone who may have information to contact the office at 707-822-5981 or send an email to humboldt_area.humboldt_area@chp.ca.gov.
From the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services:
Community members are invited to participate in a free drive-thru flu vaccine clinic
scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 18, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot of the
Humboldt County Library’s main branch at 1313 Third St. in Eureka.
This year with COVID-19 already in the community, health officials say it is more
important than ever to get a vaccine.
Deputy Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Josh Ennis said, “Having flu and COVID19 circulating this winter will make diagnosis more challenging and could threaten
our health care system capacity. Getting a flu vaccination can prevent medical
visits, hospitalizations and deaths, so getting your flu shot helps us protect not only
our community, but also the health care system.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 6
months of age and older be vaccinated every year to maintain existing immunity
because flu viruses are constantly changing. The flu vaccine is formulated annually
to keep up with the flu viruses.
It is especially important to protect those who are more likely to experience severe
complications from flu illness including pregnant women, people who live with
diabetes, heart disease, asthma, or other chronic health conditions, and people age
65 and older.
It takes up to two weeks after receiving the flu vaccine to achieve the best
protection.
Common symptoms include a fever or feeling feverish, a cough, sore throat, runny
or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headache and fatigue. Some people may
have vomiting and diarrhea, although this is more common in children than adults.
Flu shots are also available through medical providers and at some area grocery
stores and pharmacies, and another community clinic is expected to be scheduled
this winter.
For more information, call your health care provider, local pharmacy or the Public
Health Clinic at 707-268-2108 or visit https://vaccinefinder.org/find-vaccine.
Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:
On Nov. 14, 2020, at about 8 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the 1600 block of Peninsula Drive near Manila for the report of a missing person.
According to the reporting party, 30-year-old Travis Privat was spending time at the beach with friends when he returned to the parking area to walk a friend back to their car. When Privat began to return to the beach, he reportedly became lost in the dunes and never re-joined his friends.
Privat’s friends contacted law enforcement, who immediately began a search and rescue operation. Sheriff’s Deputies searched the trail system on foot and by UTV, while the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Sector Humboldt Bay assisted in searching by helicopter for Privat.
After several hours of searching in darkness with no results, the search was suspended until daylight the next morning.
On November 15, at about 8 a.m., Sheriff’s deputies, the Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Posse and the USCG resumed search operations for Privat. During this time, Privat contacted the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Emergency Operations Center and notified dispatchers that he had safely walked out of the dunes and was calling from a residence nearby.
Deputies contacted Privat, who was uninjured and in good spirits. Privat told deputies that he had taken an alternate trail which he had believed led back to the beach. The trail instead took him into the area of the Ma-le’l Dunes. During this time, Privat’s phone died. Privat reportedly saw the helicopter looking for him but was unable to get to an area where he would be visible. Privat decided to stop near some trees and wait until daylight to hike out.
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the USCG and the Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Posse for their assistance with this search.
With sunset now happening earlier in the evening, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind the public to take caution and be prepared when hiking or accessing the beach.
Even if you are just planning a short day hike, be sure to:
Carry a flashlight.
Bring extra water and high-energy foods.
Pack a small first aid kit.
Dress properly for a hike and prepare for changes in the weather by bringing rain gear or a jacket.
Tell somewhere where you are going and when you plan to return.
Stay on an established trail and if in an unfamiliar area, bring a map.
Be sure to charge your cell phone prior to leaving home.
If you do become lost while hiking and are unable to find your way out, the best thing to do is to stay where you are and call 9-1-1.
60 years! Humboldt’s President of Positivity begins her week with a visit to Leon’s Car Care Center in Eureka to boogie down with the Warmuth clan as they celebrate six decades of servicing North Coast vehicles.
On 11/15/2020 at 1:26 A.M. Humboldt Bay Fire was dispatched to a reported structure fire
on the 3200 Block of Q Street.
The first arriving engine company found moderate smoke
coming from the front and rear of the a single family residence. Fire personnel entered the
structure and located fire in a water heater utility room.
Additional personnel searched the
structure and surrounding area and found that the occupant had self-evacuated with her pet
prior to the fire department’s arrival. Humboldt Bay Fire personnel had the fire controlled within 15 minutes. The damage was
limited to the water heater utility room and the laundry room that the fire had burned into.
The investigation determined that the fire was accidental and originated in the water heater
utility room. Fire officials could not determine if the water heater malfunctioned, had been
installed improperly, or if combustibles had been stored too close to the water heater.
Damage was estimated at $5,000.
There were no injuries to civilians, fire personnel, or animals. Humboldt Bay Fire wants to
remind everyone to maintain adequate clearance around heating appliances and electrical
service rooms.
