A
Southern Humboldt man who led police on a bullet-riddled chase
through downtown Eureka has been found mentally incompetent to stand
trial.
This
morning visiting Judge David Herrick suspended criminal proceedings
against Clayton Lee Lasinski after his attorney, Deputy Conflict
Counsel David Lee, said a psychiatrist who examined Lasinski
determined he “is incompetent to proceed.”
Lasinski.
Herrick,
at the request of Deputy District Attorney Luke Bernthal, appointed
another doctor to evaluate Lasinski and offer a second opinion.
Bernthal said Lasinski has a history of criminal behavior and was
found competent in the past.
Lasinski
has been in jail for about 10 months, and this is the first time the
issue of mental competence has been raised. But at the time of his
arrest, Lasinski reportedly explained he thought pursuing officers
were some gang members who had recently robbed him.
During
the pursuit Lasinski allegedly stole a car, pointed a gun at
witnesses and officers and attempted to carjack a second vehicle on
Sixth Street. Eureka police fired about 40 rounds at him but he was
hit only once in the chest. The chase ended when he finally collapsed
in the street.
Lasinski’s
gun was lying next to him, with eight rounds in the magazine but none
in the chamber. It was determined he never fired the weapon, though
the safety was off and the hammer cocked. The gun had been stolen
from a Trinity County home a couple of months earlier.
If
convicted of all charges, Lasinski could be sent to prison for more
than 50 years.
Herrick
set a date of Nov. 2 for review of the second doctor’s report.
Lasinski’s jury trial had been set to begin next month.
Click video to play. Problems on iPhone? Turn your phone sideways.
The Betty Kwan Chinn Foundation operates a homeless day center, a homeless family shelter, and the Blue Angel Village on Washington Street — an emergency shelter with case management for up to 40 chronically homeless individuals at a time. Chinn’s programs have proven successful, and the city of Eureka wants to see them continue and expand. That expansion will be discussed at the city council meeting tonight.
First: City staff has proposed that council could appropriate $75,000 in Housing Successor Funds for Chinn to continue operating the Blue Angel Village for another year.
Secondly, the city will discuss the establishment of a property to put the trailers that PG&E has recently said they’ll donate to Chinn for the use of low-income transitional housing.
Eureka City Manager Gregg Sparks says after much deliberation they’ve narrowed down a potential site for the project to a city owned property known as the Crowley property. It’s off of Hilfiker Lane between Humboldt Bay Fire’s training facility and the city’s wastewater treatment plant, parallel to the Elk River Hikshari’ Trail.
In this LoCO Video Report we visit the Blue Angel Village, finding out more about it’s operations and how it’s helped 318 homeless individuals since May 2016. Plus we check out the potential site for “Betty’s PG&E Village,” a project that Sparks says could be there for five to 10 years.
Margaret
Marie Sloan Wright Born Dec.
12 1955 in Michigan Passed
away Sep. 29, 2017 in Arcata
Margaret
graduated from McKinleyville High. She was born to Junior and Louise
Sloan of McKinleyville. She leaves behind a daughter and a son and
five grandkids — Tammy Amen Wright (Ken) granddaughter Bella,
grandson John; Scott Wright (Amy), grandsons Donald, Tylor, Trystin.
She leaves be hind her loving Mother Louise Sloan (Gene). She also
leaves behind her loving brother, James Sloan, and sister-in-law, Pam
Sloan and two nephews, two nieces, four beautiful great-nieces and a
handsome little nephew. She dearly loved you all.
She
leaves behind three best friends through grade school and high
school. They meant the world to her: Patricia Hendershot Stevens,
Maryland Wright, Tammy Johnson.
Margaret
Wright was preceded in her passing by her father, Junior Sloan, and
brother, Roger Sloan.
RIP, Mom.
I’m on my way home to set you free, to be the beautiful angel you
were meant to be. You left this world too soon. You got your dream
come true — you are the proud grandma of a beautiful boy and girl.
Please watch over them as they grow. We love you. So know you have
four handsome grandsons and one beautiful granddaughter. Fly high,
Mom. Scott, Amy, me and Ken love you. I’m coming home.
In
regards to Margaret Wright, we have set up an account at Coast
Central Credit Union to help out with funeral and burial cost.
Account number is 21836157.
###
The obituary above was submitted by Margaret Wright’s family.The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.
The City of Eureka has some ideas for ways it would like to improve the park. Before they move on those plans, though, they’d like to tap into whatever community brilliance might maybe be out there amongst the citizenry, specifically during a couple of community workshops. (Free refreshments!) The first of which is this Saturday, Oct. 21:
Details in the City of Eureka press release below:
Sequoia Park has been a Eureka treasure for over 100 years. Covered in tall-standing redwood trees, this park has something for everyone: trails, playgrounds, picnic areas, a duck pond, and the opportunity to connect with 67 acres of old growth forest in the middle of the city. With a landscape as exquisite as this one, it’s no wonder it holds such a special place in our community’s heart. That’s why we want to hear from you! With your help, the City wants to:
Make the park more inclusive (create a safe play environment for people of all ages and abilities)
Diversify the park’s experiences
Enhance the play area
Expand recreational opportunities
Upgrade the trail system
Add more gathering space
Preserve natural and cultural resources
Promote sustainability
This groundbreaking project will engage the ideas and support of our entire community. We will leverage our love affair with this piece of land, celebrate its spirit, maintain its remarkable history, and we will envision new ways to discover, learn, and play for generations to come.
What do you say? Let’s reimagine the next 100 years here, together!
Join us this Saturday, October 21st, the first part of a series of two community workshops to gather residents’ thoughts, ideas, and visions. With this public input, we will create a collaborative design and plan for the future of our beloved park.
To stay updated and to add your voice and ideas to the conversation, follow us on Facebook.com/eurekasequoiapark. We hope to see you at the park this Saturday, Oct. 21 at 12:30 p.m.!
Sheriff Honsal and the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services strongly urge all Humboldt residents to register today for Humboldt Alert by Everbridge, in order to receive critical emergency information like evacuation orders. Registering only takes a few minutes, at http://humboldtgov.org/alerts.
Humboldt Alert allows users to register whatever contact methods are best for them, including text messaging on cell phones, voice calls on cell and/or land lines, and email. Push notifications are also available when you install the Everbridge app on your smartphone. Most alerts are sent to a specific geographic area, based on addresses that users register. Not all registered users will receive all alerts. Registered information is confidential, and only used for emergency warning.
If you have not signed up for the new system in the last few months, then you are not currently registered to receive alerts on cell phones, unlisted land lines, or by email, even if you have received notification in the past. Information from the previous system could not be carried over, and only listed land lines were pre-loaded into the new system.
During the registration process, you will have the option to note any needs that first responders should be aware of in the event of an evacuation, like disabilities and medical conditions. Users can also register special skills and training that may be needed following a local disaster.
The events of the past week in neighboring counties are a terrible reminder that emergency conditions requiring immediate evacuations do not always allow time for door-to-door notifications. Having the ability to contact many people very quickly may be the most effective public safety tool available to first responders, to inform you of a rapidly developing emergency.
Humboldt County uses two evacuation warning levels, as follows:
Voluntary Evacuation Advisory – Evacuations may become necessary at any time. Please be prepared to leave, and await further instructions.
Mandatory Evacuation Order – Immediate evacuations are ordered for a designated area imminently threatened by a public safety hazard.
Please see the “Ready, Set, Go!” website from Cal Fire for more information about how to stay ready for evacuation, and the “Living With Wildfire in Northwestern California” publication, available in print locally and online.
On the night of Sunday, October 15, one involved party sustained fatal injuries after a Ford F150 traveling northbound on Country Club Road, near Seeley McIntosh Road, collided into a horse being ridden by a male.
At approximately 8:13 p.m., 50 year old Timothy Robert Ulrich of Hoopa, California, was driving a 2012 Ford F150 northbound on Country Club Road, approaching Seeley McIntosh Road. At the same time, 67 year old Kenneth Wayne Brock, of Willow Creek, California, was riding his horse southbound on the northbound side of Country Club Road along the east shoulder of the bridge.
An unrelated vehicle was driving southbound on Country Club Road and entered the bridge as the Ford F150 drove northbound onto the bridge. For reasons still under the investigation Ulrich observed the approaching vehicle but did not observe the white horse that was walking along the east side of the bridge. Ulrich suddenly observed the horse and turned his pickup to the left in an attempt to avoid a collision. This evasive action was unsuccessful and the front right of the pickup collided into the right shoulder and side of the horse. This resulted in the rider (Brock) being ejected from the horse. The horse was deceased immediately and Brock had sustained major injuries from the impact with the bridge. Brock was transported to Mad River Community Hospital for medical treatment where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Ulrich was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the collision and DUI is not believed to be a factor. The CHP Humboldt Area office is investigating this traffic collision.
Humboldt
Bay Fire responded to an investigation of a smoke near the Eureka Dog
Park, Units responding could see a large smoke column coming from the
area between the dog park and Zane Middle School. Additional
resources were requested. On arrival crews found approximately one
quarter of an acre of grass and brush burning. Crews deployed hose
lines, surrounded and extinguished the fire within 45 minutes. No
structures were threatened and there were no reports of injury.
Resources
used. 2 engines, 1 water tender, 1 squad and 1 Battalion Chief. 12
personnel in total. Eureka Police assisted with 3 officers that
responded to a verbal fight in the wooded area behind McFarland
Street.
Arcata
Fire Protection provided an engine to cover Humboldt Bay Stations.
During
the fire several 911 calls were received for smoke and ash in the
Eureka and Cutten areas. No additional fires were found.
Investigation
of the fire was conducted and electrical lines and lightning were
ruled out. No obvious cause was found.
Until
rain is received fires can easily start in dry grass or brush.
Humboldt Bay Fire reminds our citizens to be aware of current burning
restrictions and high fire danger in the state, as well as calling
911 if a fire is seen.
