Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

White.

On Aug. 12, 2022, at about 6:20 pm, Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to assist the California Highway Patrol with the report of a burglary within Trinity County’s mandatory fire evacuation zone. According to the CHP, two adult male suspects were seen swimming across the Trinity River into Humboldt County to evade law enforcement. Deputies pursued the two men around the Willow Creek area, but ultimately were unable to apprehend them. 

On August 13, at about 2:35 p.m. fire personnel in the area of Seely McIntosh Road and Raccoon Lane contacted Sheriff’s deputies to report a suspicious man, possibly related to the previous day’s search, seen within the evacuation zone. Peace officers from the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office, United States Forest Service (USFS) and the California Highway Patrol assisted deputies in searching the area. Officers with the USFS located and detained the man, 38-year-old Winkle Edward White. 

White as taken into custody and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of interfering with fire personnel (PC 148.2) and entering a closed disaster area (PC 409.5(c)). 

This case is still under investigation. Inquiries regarding the burglary investigation and any outstanding suspects should be directed to the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank all our law enforcement partners, in addition to numerous community members, for their assistance with this investigation. If you see a suspicious person or activity in your community, contact law enforcement right away.

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.