UPDATE, THURSDAY 11:36 a.m.: From the DA’s office:
On July 16, 2020 at approximately 8:30 a.m., Nathan LaCount was arrested by Eureka Police Officers at the Clarion Motel in Eureka. LaCount was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on the “no bail” felony warrants for his arrest.
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Press release from the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office:
The District Attorney’s Office seeks assistance from the community
with the apprehension of Nathan Michael LaCount (age
40), who has outstanding “no-bail” arrest warrants for: causing
injury while driving under the
combined influence of drugs and alcohol, hit and run causing injury,
child endangerment, and
conspiracy.
LaCount
Since 1999, LaCount
has been convicted of DUI 8 times in addition to multiple convictions
for evading law enforcement and
hit and run. He has been offered many programs and been given many opportunities to
alter his behavior. He presents an ongoing threat to public safety.
In February of this
year, LaCount pled guilty to charges linked to incidents in 2016 and
2019. In the 2016 incident,
LaCount crashed a vehicle causing injury to a passenger, whom he left
on the side of the road and fled
the scene. In the 2019 incident, LaCount drove while
methamphetamine-impaired and crashed again,
this time causing injury to his 3-year-old child.
At his sentencing on
March 11, 2020, Judge Cockrum gave LaCount the opportunity to attend
the Delancey Street
Foundation, an in-patient residential drug/alcohol treatment facility
in San Francisco, to be followed by a
term of probation. The judge also gave LaCount an 8-year prison
sentence recommended by the
District Attorney’s Office, but suspended that sentence pending
successful completion of the
Delancey Street program and probation.
On April 10, 2020,
the District Attorney’s Office learned that LaCount had walked away
from the Delancey Street
Foundation. Judge Cockrum issued arrest warrants for LaCount that
same day and set bail at $100,000
if law enforcement captured LaCount.
On April 18, 2020,
Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies arrested LaCount for the
outstanding warrants and booked him into
the Humboldt County Correctional Facility. Prior to being arraigned
in court, LaCount bailed out
of custody and was given a court date of July 13, 2020. LaCount
failed to appear at that court date
and Judge Cockrum issued “no bail” warrants for his arrest.
Historically,
LaCount frequents the Garberville/Redway area, possibly in the company of his wife Melissa LaCount.
If you have
information regarding LaCount’s whereabouts, please contact your
local law enforcement agency immediately.