On 7/11/2017 around 3:43 PM the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office received a call from the 23700 Block of Hopper Lane in Covelo related to an assault with a deadly weapon. Deputies responded to that location and contacted the reporting party, an adult female who said she was a care taker of the property. The care taker related that the property was owned by Monelle Riley, who was out of state caring for a sick relative. The reporting party said around 2:00 AM that morning Weston Riley, Monelle’s 22 year old son, arrived at the property demanding the caretaker turn over a vehicle he felt belonged to him. The caretaker refused to give him the keys to the vehicle and after a brief argument Weston left the property.
Between 3:00 and 3:30 PM Weston returned to the property and again demanded the caretaker turn over the keys to the vehicle. She again refused and Weston began cursing at her while banging a fist on the door to the residence. The caretaker became concerned for her safety and telephoned two adult male friends, ages 65 and 53 years of age. These two men came to the caretaker’s assistance and attempted to convince Weston he needed to leave the property.
The two men later told Deputies that Weston became angry with them and produced a small handgun and fired two shots at them. He then ran into a nearby shed on the property and came out carrying a long rifle. The two men informed deputies that as they were running to their vehicle to leave, Weston fired two rounds from the rifle at them before the gun malfunctioned. They were able to leave the property, as was the caretaker, with no one being injured. They told Deputies they thought Weston was still at the property.
The Mendocino County SWAT Team responded to the location as Weston was believed to still be on the property, perhaps barricaded in one of the structures there. Numerous attempts to made to contact Weston at the property with negative results. After a search warrant was obtained the residence and outbuildings were searched but Weston was not located. It is believed he must have left the property just before the first responding Deputies arrived.
Weston is currently wanted for felony assault with a deadly weapon (firearm). He is described as a white male adult, 5‘05” tall, weighing approximately 110 pounds. He was last seen with no shirt, a red hat, and wearing “cut off” blue jean shorts. His whereabouts are currently unknown. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office is requesting anyone who might know where Weston is to contact the Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center at (707) 463-4086 or by calling the Sheriff’s Tip Line at (707) 234-2100.
On July 12, 2017, at about 1:36 a.m., an officer with the Eureka Police Department was patrolling his beat when he noticed a male carrying a box of merchandise out of a shattered glass door of a business on the 100 block of West Third Street. The officer contacted and detained the male who was identified as 44 year old Kevin Simpson.
Additional officers responded and K-9 Vex assisted in an interior search of the business. No other suspects were located. Simpson was arrested and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility for burglary and parole violation.
From time to time, officers find business doors unlocked, windows open, or evidence of a break in, and it becomes necessary to contact the business owner or manager after hours. In order to expedite the notification process, we ask that Eureka business owners keep this Merchant Contact Form up to date and on file with EPD. Call (707) 441-4388 if you have questions.
On 07/11/17, at approximately 5:15 in the morning, Fortuna Fire Dept.
along with Loleta and Rio Dell Fire Depts. responded to reports of a
structure fire in the Royal Crest Mobile Estates at the residential address,
1589 Imperial Lane.
The Sheriff’s Office, Coroner Division, became
involved when Fire located the single occupant of the mobile home, 76 year
old Martha Ann Robertson (DOB 01/20/1941), deceased inside her
residence. The cause of death is inhalation of the products of combustion.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
On Tuesday 07/11/2017, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office’s Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU)
served a search warrant to investigate an allegation of illegal cultivation of marijuana. The parcel in
question had no application on file with Humboldt County Building and Planning and no permits issued
for the cultivation of commercial marijuana. The search warrant was served in the area of Hyampom just
west of the Trinity County line. The following agencies assisted DEU with this investigation: Wardens
from California Fish and Wildlife, Biologist from California Fish and Wildlife, CAL Fire officers,
specialist from the Humboldt County Environmental Health and HAZMAT Unit, Humboldt County Code
Enforcement officers, and personnel from the California Army National Guard Counter Drug Unit.
Upon responding to the parcel, several Hispanic subjects were observed running from the
greenhouses and into the brush. No subjects were detained by law enforcement. DEU documented fifteen
(15) greenhouses on the property containing growing marijuana plants. Seven (7) outdoor marijuana
grows were also documented on this parcel. A total of 5,491 marijuana plants were eradicated on the
property. The property was registered to an LLC. The LLC involved with the property is still under
investigation.
California Fish and Wildlife conducted a parallel investigation this parcel and discovered 1
stream bed alteration, 3 separate water diversions, and 1 violation of beneficial storage of water. This is a
State Water Board violation and will be forwarded for further follow up.
Humboldt County Environmental Health and HAZMAT conducted a parallel investigation and
discovered 1 count of failure to submit a HAZAMAT plan for the storage of kerosene.
CAL Fire officers conducted a parallel investigation and discovered the following violations:
Timber slash violation and 9 violations of operating without a timber conversion permit.
Humboldt County Code Enforcement officers conducted a parallel investigation and discovered
the following violations: Grading without a permit, Construction without a permit, solid waste disposal
violations, unapproved sewage disposal, junk vehicle violations, and commercial marijuana cultivation
ordinance violations.
All criminal violations stemming from the marijuana cultivation investigation will be forwarded
to the District Attorney’s office for review. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office maintains a
cooperative relationship with all agencies that participated in this investigation. All future investigations
into non-compliant marijuana operations will continue to be investigated in this manner.
Anyone with information for the Sheriff’s Office regarding this case or related criminal activity is
encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office at 707-445- 7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at 707-268-
2539.
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Hallelujah! The Veterans Memorial Building of Eureka will no longer be a cracked and crumbling H Street eyesore, but instead, a stunning structure that veterans and the community can once again be proud of.
Built in the early 1930s, the building was once a hot spot for local veterans to socialize and a great place for events, but over the years its vitality has dwindled.
Twenty-one year army vet Bill Long has managed the building the past eight years and says, sadly, it’s been plagued with various issues for decades, leaving it run-down and in need of a major makeover.
“33 to 34 years ago the rains came, the roof started leaking, and so on, but mainly the damage has been from the earthquakes,” he says.
But now that’s all turning around. The historic building is covered in scaffolding, it’s been cleared out, crews have brought their tools in, and it’s being gutted almost to the studs, because over the next 18 to 24 months it’s getting completely renovated.
We’re talking a seismic retrofit, new plumbing, upgraded restrooms, new electrical, heating and air conditioning, a remodeled kitchen and bar, a fresh paint job, and a medical room for beds and wheelchairs. Plus it will be fully ADA compliant, complete with an elevator.
Humboldt County Public Works is in charge of the $6.8 million project which became a top priority when the building suffered substantial damage from a 2010 earthquake. The state Office of Emergency Services is contributing 75 percent of the costs and 25 percent will come from the county’s general fund. Adams Commercial General Contracting is leading renovations with help from a number of sub-contractors and county employees.
Long says it’s a blessing the building is finally getting this makeover because there’s no shortage of veterans in need of help.
“When soldiers come back from war or wherever, they need a place to have comradery with people, they need a place to look for jobs and housing, they need a hand up, not a hand out,” he said.
In this LoCO Video Report we take a tour through the old building and learn more about plans for its future.
July 5-10, 2017, the Trinity County Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force, United States Forest Service Law Enforcement Officers and Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) conducted marijuana raids and eradication operations in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and Six Rivers National Forest.
Officers eradicated over 30,400 marijuana plants and collected and removed 1,450 pounds of garbage, half a mile of black piping, firearms and hazardous pesticides.
Trinity County Sheriff K-9 Johnny apprehended one male suspect identified as Marco Antonio Cabrera-Sabrero, DOB: 11/23/83 out of Mexico. Two other suspects were arrested: one male suspect identified as Carlos Enrique Martinez-Duarte, DOB: 12/28/95 and the second was a male suspect identified as Emanuel Diaz-Escaveno, DOB: 06/11/92, both out of Mexico.
All three suspects were arrested and booked into Trinity County Jail on the below charges. Escaveno is being held on $250,000 bail. Sabers and Duarte are being held on $75,000 bail.
Humboldt Bay Fire is battling a vegetation fire in a greenbelt area at the foot of T Street in Eureka. Large smoke plumes and flames were visible from the roadway upon arrival.
A fire engine is currently dousing the area with water and the fire should be out shortly.
The area has been the site of numerous fires associated with transient camps in the past. We will update if a cause is determined.
