Yesterday at approximately 3pm Camino Dispatch received reports of multiple vegetation fires in the area between of Stony Creek Road about a half a mile after Argonaut High school and Pardee Lake. A short time later at least 2 more fires that we know of were reported- one on Hurricane Hill and another at the Martell Y in front of the Panda House Restaurant. Those two fires were extinguished quickly. Crews from all across the county and even neighboring Calaveras responded to the Stony Creek and Pardee area. Jackson Valley crews, Cal Fire, the US Forest Service, Amador Fire Protection District, Ione Fire Departments, Jackson City Crews, Sutter Creek Fire, Pine Grove, hand crews from Pine Grove Camp and Growlersburg, MCSP crews, Tuolumne-Calaveras Units, and EB MUD, all responded in force. Helicopters and dozers were quickly called to the scene. Even local residents were doing their part with their sprinklers running and shovels in hand. As of the last report from Camino dispatch there were a total of 7 fires between Jackson and Pardee Lake.

Yesterday afternoon around 5:15 pm a collision that occurred on Hwy 88 on Hurricane Hill near Sunset drive took the life of one person, injuring 4 others. The collision occurred between a pickup truck and a van after a third vehicle caused the wreck and then fled the scene. Jennet Mumphrey of Stockton was eastbound on Hwy 88 east of Eggiman Lane in the passing lane when the unknown driver passed Mumphrey on the right cutting her off as the lanes merged together. In order to avoid hitting the unknown driver, Mumphrey swerved left and in the process lost control of her vehicle. Mumphrey’s 1993 Ford then slid across the roadway into the westbound lane and was struck broadside by Corby Wallace of Jackson. The impact of the collision sent both vehicles onto the right hand shoulder of west bound 88 with Mumphrey colliding into a barbed wire fence. The unknown driver then fled the scene.

The San Andreas Unit of the California Highway Patrol is reporting a fatal accident involving a Jackson man. According to the CHP report the accident occurred when 24 year old Jared Allen of Sutter Creek was traveling through Mokelumne Hill on Hwy 49 in a 1989 Jeep. As Allen proceeded through town a car driven by 48 year old Julie Henderson of Moke Hill stopped to make a left hand turn off the roadway.  Allen, according to the CHP report, due to his level of intoxication, suddenly realized that  Henderson was stopped in front of him and attempted to steer around the rear of Henderson’s car, a 2000 Toyota Corolla. The maneuver was unsuccessful and the Jeep hit the rear of the Toyota causing the Jeep to run off of the west side of Hwy 49. Allen then overcorrected and the Jeep rolled ejecting the passenger, 23 year old Jeremy Brown of Jackson. Brown was declared dead at the scene. Allen was subsequently arrested for DUI and Vehicular Manslaughter.

The Amador-El Dorado Unit of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection CAL FIRE is reminding residents that burning permits are required as of May 1 every year and that they are free at local fire stations. Keep in mind if the fire were to escape your control and/or burn the property of someone else, you could face civil liability and/or criminal charges. As in past years, the public should expect that burn permits will be suspended in the near future as weather and fuel conditions change.

Accidents occurring over the last three days are a reminder to local drivers that inattention to the roadway causes accidents. Another accident was caused on Wednesday due to a driver not paying attention to the road. According to Officer Craig Zaragoza’s report Glenn Pitts, 39 and of Ione was driving west bound on Ridge Road and stopped his vehicle for a west bound vehicle waiting to make a left turn into a driveway. 19 year old Derrick Phang of Sacramento was driving a 2001 Toyota west bound as well approaching the rear of Pitts’ 2003 Dodge. According to the CHP report Phang looked at his cell phone for the time and did not notice that Pitts had stopped and subsequently rear ended the dodge. Neither driver was injured.

Tuesday afternoon on Latrobe road an accident occurred when 44 year old Lisa Lewis of Sacramento was driving southbound and redirected her attention from the roadway to look down and get a cigarette and coffee. According to Investigating Officer Jeremy Dobler Lewis’ 2000 Honda traveled off of the west side of the road and she in an attempt to avoid an accident over corrected back to her left causing her vehicle to run off of the east side of the roadway and collide into a tree. Lewis was transported to Mercy Folsom Hospital with minor injuries. Later that evening at almost 9pm another accident occurred on Hwy. 49 at Sutter Ione Road.

An employee of the Rite of Passage school and group home in Fricot City outside of Angel’s Camp was arrested on a disorderly conduct charge last week after a co-worker discovered that he had been secretly videotaping female staffers as they took showers, according to the Calaveras County Sheriff's Department. Ross Estabrooks, 32, of Jenny Lind was taken into custody at the San Andreas Fire Department, where he is a volunteer, the Sheriff's Department reported to the Stockton Record. He is being held in the County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.The Sheriff's Department said the secret video recording came to light after a female co-worker decided to make use of Estabrooks dorm room while he was away from work. She put what she thought was a movie cassette into a VCR and instead saw images of a number of female co-workers undressing, stepping into and then out of the shower. Investigators said they have identified eight different women in the videos. They say they believe the taping took place over a five-month period and ended in December. They reported seizing a variety of evidence from Estabrook's room, including pornographic videos and a camera.

Amador County Superior Court Judge David Richmond upheld a stay Tuesday that allows three abused horses owned by an Amador County man to remain in the care of El Dorado County's Grace Foundation. According to District Attorney Todd Riebe, “Richmond ordered that both the order signed by Judge Wagner in El Dorado County preventing return of the 3 horses in possession of the Grace Foundation to defendants and the order signed by Judge Cadle preventing sale or transfer of the 2 horses in defendant John O'Sullivan's possession are to remain in effect pending further order of the court.”  The court hearing stems back from a citizens call on January 4, 2006 claiming that their neighbor’s horses appeared emaciated. Amador County Animal Control responded to the neighbor's complaint of the emaciated horses on a ranch in Fiddletown, which is owned by John O’Sullivan.

The first 4 months of 2007 have proven fatal on Amador County roadways with the number of fatal accidents on our local roads rising to 7 fatal accidents with 9 victims. The accident that killed a local Pioneer man occurred yesterday afternoon on Hwy. 88 at Buckhorn Ridge Road at 12:35pm. According to Officer Pat Ong’s report 49 year old George McNees was traveling on Hwy. 88 west bound at 50 mph on his 2007 Harley Davidson Motorcycle in the Buckhorn area. 74 year old James Marquis of Pioneer was traveling southbound on Buckhorn Ridge Rd. and was stopped at the intersection of Hwy. 88 in his 1994 Dodge Caravan. As McNees approached the intersection of Buckhorn Ridge Road Marquis entered the intersection directly in front of McNees path. McNees applied his brakes and attempted to stop. Marquis upon seeing McNees applied his brakes and stopped directly in front of him. McNees at that point was unable to avoid Marquis who was stopped and laid his Motorcycle onto its side. He subsequently collided with the left side of Marquis’ van and sustained major head trauma. McNees was pronounced deceased at 1:52pm at Sutter Amador Hospital.

Jackson Chief of Police Scott Morrison announces that it’s official. “I am honored and pleased to announce the promotion of Christy Stidger from Police Sergeant to Police Captain,” he said. This is history in the making for the as Stidger is the first Police Captain in the history of the Jackson Police Dept., the highest ranking female in the history of the Dept., and the highest ranking female for general/municipal law enforcement in the history of Amador County. Stidger is a veteran law enforcement officer with twenty-five years of experience.