Update:
The victim in the homicide has been identified as 47 year old, Jessica Jane Hare from Phillipsville. The victim and suspect knew each other prior to the shooting. An autopsy has been scheduled for Saturday, May 02, 2015.
Previously:
On 04-25-2015, at about 8:30 P.M., the Sheriff’s Office received a call from a citizen reporting there was a gunshot victim at a residence on the 400 block of Phillipsville (Loop) Rd., in Phillipsville, Ca.
Deputies responded to the scene, along with Officers from the California Highway Patrol. Deputies located the Victim, who was pronounced deceased at the scene.
After speaking with witnesses, Deputies learned the suspect, Earl C. Orr, 59, of Phillipsville, Ca., had been in possession of a firearm , and was present with the Victim just prior to the shooting. After the shooting, Orr abruptly left the scene.
On 04-26-2015, at about 7:30 A.M., Deputies served a search warrant at Orr’s residence in Phillipsville. Deputies located Orr at his residence and he was taken into custody. Deputies also seized several firearms from Orr’s residence. Orr was later taken to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility and booked for the charge of Homicide. Orr’s bail was set at $1,000,000.00.
The name of the Victim is not being released at this time.
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.
On 4/17/2015 at about 6:00am, the Arcata Police Department was notified by the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office in Maine, that a subject wanted for an extraditable burglary warrant, Drew James Bibber (age 23), was in the Arcata area and associated with a converted yellow school bus.
At about 1:00pm, officers located the associated vehicle in the 1000 block of 5th Street and began surveillance of the area. As officers entered a business in the area to check for the warrant suspect, Bibber exited at the same time and fled from officers when his name was called.
Without shoes, the suspect led officers on an approximate nine block foot pursuit, during which time officers traversed through the Arcata Marsh, across streets with heavy traffic, through a creek and several residential backyards. Towards the end of the pursuit, the suspect managed to find an unaccompanied bicycle and fled on that as well.
Officers were able to box in Bibber, who then jumped off the bike and fled on foot into another residential backyard where he was taken into custody at gun point. The Lincoln County Sheriff's department was notified and they have begun the extradition process of Bibber back to Maine.
The Arcata Police Department would like to thank the Humboldt State University Police Department for their assistance in the capture. Additionally, a hearty thanks to the residents of Arcata who greatly assisted their police department by continuously updating officers with the location of the suspect as he fled.
More than 60 percent of the marijuana grown in the nation comes from counties along California’s North Coast.
As the North Coast’s State Senator, Mike McGuire has introduced comprehensive medical marijuana legislation to oversee the industry including environmental protection and water regulations, law enforcement, licensing, public health related to edibles and product testing, marketing, taxing, transporting, zoning, local control and re-sale. This bill is only focused on Medical Marijuana, not on taking a stand related to recreational use.
Senator McGuire’s legislation, SB 643 – the Medical Marijuana Public Safety and Environmental Protection Act – cleared its first hurdle on April 20 when it received approval from the Senate Business and Professions Committee.
“Since the voters of California passed Prop 215 in 1996, medical marijuana cultivation and consumption has exploded, both in California and around the country. Aside from local zoning regulations, this legal, multi-billion dollar industry is completely unregulated. With multiple propositions coming forward attempting to legalize recreational use, we need to work to create a regulatory framework now,” Senator McGuire said. “And the current drought has only made the urgency of this legislation more necessary.”
Without regulation, the North Coast is seeing entire rivers and streams run dry and watersheds polluted with sediment and poisons. Rogue operators have cut down thousands of acres of trees illegally without regard for the environment, neighboring landowners, downstream farms, or endangered species, and have dumped tens of thousands of pounds of illegal pesticides, rodenticides and fertilizers into rural communities. Illegal diversions are sucking water from rivers and streams, and the added impact of the state’s fourth drought year means rivers and streams are running dry.
“We are all well aware of all the regulations, permits, certificates and other processes that farmers and ranchers have to go through when growing wine grapes, row crops, grapes, raising cattle and sheep. But, right now there is NO regulation or permits for marijuana farmers, and that isn’t fair to anyone and Northern California communities and our pristine environment are paying the ultimate price,” McGuire said. “Of particular concern is the devastation of our watersheds, forest lands and the growing ‘edibles’ market that is estimated to take up to 30 percent of the current medical marijuana market.”
On the North Coast, many of the medical marijuana growers are running small family farm operations. SB 643 would provide a legal framework for those farmers who want to comply with state and local regulations.
SB 643 would create a statewide comprehensive regulatory program for medical marijuana, preserving local control of licenses and applications, and protecting the environment from illegal trespass grows that dump pesticides and illegally divert millions of gallons of water from rivers and streams. After approval by the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development, SB 643 will be heard by a second Senate Committee next week before going to the Senate floor.
CHP RESPONDS TO A EUREKA POLICE DEPARTMENT VEHICLE VERSUS PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC COLLISIONFrom EPD:
The afternoon of Tuesday, April 21, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Humboldt Area responded to a Eureka Police Department (EPD) police vehicle versus pedestrian traffic collision that resulted in minor injuries to the pedestrian.
At approximately 12:00 p.m., a Eureka Police Officer driving an unmarked Crown Victoria was traveling at a speed of less than five miles per hour along a grassy access path within private property off Commercial Street and First Street in Eureka, commonly known as the Balloon Track. A transient, later identified as 30 year old Shane Bowling, was lying under a blanket within tall grass and his legs partially extending into the access path in the path of the police vehicle. The officer did not see Mr. Bowling’s legs and subsequently drove over his legs. Mr. Bowling was transported by ground ambulance with minor injuries to St. Joseph Hospital, where he was treated and released.
This is an ongoing investigation by the California Highway Patrol Humboldt Area at the request of the Eureka Police Department. The CHP Humboldt Area is committed to conducting a thorough and impartial investigation into this traffic collision.
On 04/21/15 at about 11:56 a.m., a Detective with the Eureka Police Department’s Problem Oriented Policing Unit (POP) was driving through the Balloon Track while investigating complaints of trespassing and illegal camping on the property. The detective was accompanied by a representative of the property owner.
Preliminary reports indicate the detective unknowingly ran over the lower legs of a transient male who was trespassing on the fully fenced, private property and sleeping under a grass covered blanket. The detective immediately called for medical aid and the male was subsequently transported to the hospital by ambulance as a precaution. The male later left the hospital on foot after being evaluated for the apparent minor injuries he sustained.
At EPD’s request, an independent and objective investigation of this incident was conducted by the California Highway Patrol.
On Saturday, April 18, a small group of hikers and dozens of emergency personnel including two helicopters worked against an incoming tide, darkness, and heavy fog to save a man critically injured in a fall. The rescue took place on the remote and rugged Lost Coast Trail between the mouth of the Mattole River and Shelter Cove.
At 7:12 P.M. emergency personnel responded to a call from hikers who had discovered a fall victim with major injuries along the Lost Coast Trail near the beach at Miller Flat, about 8 miles north of the small coastal town of Shelter Cove. With the description of the injuries the man had sustained, we knew we needed to move quickly to get him to a high level of care. The Lost Coast is very rugged and nighttime was coming as well as a high tide at 12:26am.
The Emergency Command Center continued to maintain contact with the people that were with the victim by cell phone. A small group of hikers had discovered the victim towards evening. With the incoming tide, they knew the victim couldn't stay where he was. The hikers built a makeshift litter and packed the victim to higher ground. There they stabilized his injuries as best they could with items they had on hand.
Rescuers quickly developed and put into place several rescue plans so that if one was unable to be carried out another would already be in motion.
The first plan was that a Coast Guard helicopter would fly in to the area to pick up the victim. Upon arrival, the Coast Guard helicopter found the area to be under heavy fog and they were unable to affect a rescue.
Simultaneously, a plan to reach the victim by ground was being implemented. Rescuers responded to the Smith-Etter Road to gain access to the beach at Spanish Flat.
Once the crew members reached the beach, they began hiking about 5 miles south to the victim. By this time it was dark, foggy, and high tide pushed the ocean up against the cliffs. In addition, the crews needed to hike in all required rescue equipment and medical supplies.
The rescuers reached the victim around 2am and started medical care. A new landing zone (LZ) was established on Big Flat where the fog had receded. This was a mile north of the victim’s location and the crew started moving in that direction.
The Coast Guard helicopter as well as the Reach medical helicopter were called in to attempt another rescue. The Reach helicopter got to the Big Flat LZ first but by the time they got there the fog had rolled back in and they were unable to land. The Coast Guard arrived shortly after and made several attempts but were also unable to land due to the fog.
At this time the only option was to pack the victim several miles north to where Shelter Cove Fire could meet the rescuers with their specialized all-terrain vehicle (atv) equipped with advanced life support personnel.
At 6am rescue crews reached Big Creek and transferred the victim to the advanced medical personnel on the atv. They then transported to the medical helicopter where the victim was flown to an out of area trauma center.
This rescue was one of the most complex rescues to date for all the crews involved. The rescue took several agencies and many personnel and could not have been successful without the dedication and team work of all involved. The agencies involved included, Cal Fire ECC, US Coast Guard, Reach Air Medical Services, City Ambulance, and volunteer firefighters from, Shelter Cove Fire dept., Southern Humboldt Technical Rescue Team, Telegraph Ridge Fire dept., Honeydew Fire dept. and Petrolia Fire dept. We would also like to acknowledge the civilian hikers who’s quick thinking and heroic actions helped save a life.