Female teens are twice as likely as male teens to use cell phones and other electronic devices while driving, according to a new in-car video study from the AAA Foundation of Traffic Safety.

The study also shows that many other potential driving distractions are common and problematic among teenage drivers.

The AAA Foundation study is the first study using in-car video footage to focus on teen distracted driving.

Researchers identified the prevalence and consequences of various distracted driver behaviors among teens.

They also identified the prevalence and consequences of distracting conditions that teens face.

These behaviors and conditions vary based on the presence of passengers, the time of day, the sex of the driver, and other potentially important factors.

“Cell phones, texting, personal grooming, and reaching for items in the car were among the most common distracting activities that the cameras caught inside the cars of new teen drivers,” says Cynthia Harris, AAA Northern California spokesperson. “This new study provides the best view we’ve had about how and when teens engage in distracted driving behaviors, which are believed to contribute to making car crashes the leading cause of teenage deaths.”

The main findings from the report show that gender played a role in some of the observed distractions.

Females were nearly twice as likely as males to use an electronic device while driving, and overall, were nearly 10 percent more likely to be seen engaging in other distracted behaviors, like reaching for an object in the vehicle (nearly 50 percent more likely than males) or eating or drinking (nearly 25 percent  more likely than males).

On the other hand, males were roughly twice as likely to turn around in their seats while driving and were also more likely to communicate with people outside of their vehicle.

“Drivers are three times as likely to take their eyes off the road when using electronic devices. They were also two and a half times more likely to look away from the road when engaged in other behaviors.” says Harris. “A second may not seem like much, but at 65 miles per hour a car travels the length of a basketball court in a single second. That extra second can mean the difference between life and death.”

AAA Foundation data analysis also found that potentially distracting activities significantly decreased when parents or other adults were present in the car.

In contrast, loud conversations and horseplay were more than twice as likely to occur when multiple teen peers, instead of just one, were present.

These distractions are particularly concerning, as they are associated with the occurrence of crashes, other serious incidents, and high g-force events.

Drivers were six times as likely to have a serious incident when there was loud conversation in the vehicle, and they were more than twice as likely to have a high g-force event when there was horseplay.

Parents can improve teen drivers’ safety as they start to drive on their own by following these tips:

• Practice, practice, practice. Once teens have their actual license, continue to ensure that basic skills are mastered and to introduce varied driving conditions such as snow and heavy traffic rural roads with an experienced driver in the passenger seat.
• Keep passengers out. Teen drivers’ crash risks multiply with teenage passengers in the vehicle. Set limits and enforce them consistently.
• Limit night driving. Reduced visibility makes night driving riskier for drivers of all ages. For inexperienced teens it’s even harder. Allow new teen drivers to drive at night only if it’s truly necessary for them to practice driving in the dark with a parent.
• Keep setting rules. Establish and enforce rules above and beyond state laws. In addition to night and passenger limits, set rules for inclement weather, highways, cities, or other driving conditions in which a teen has not gained enough experience. Find a parent-teen agreement on www.teendriving.aaa.com that can help.

The data for this report came from an analysis of video clips collected as part of a three-phase naturalistic study of 50 North Carolina families with novice teen drivers.

The first study looked at how parents supervise their teens during the learner’s stage, and the second examined how teen behaviors and driving conditions shift during the transition to unsupervised driving.

For the current study, 7,858 clips from the first six months of unsupervised driving were re-analyzed to investigate distraction specifically.

LUCERNE, Calif. – An early morning wind-driven structure fire displaced a couple from their home on Hendricks in Lucerne on Tuesday.

Northshore Fire Protection District Deputy Chief Pat Brown said Lake County Central Dispatch received multiple 911 calls about the fire, which was first reported at approximately 5:19 a.m.

In response to the calls the dispatch was increased to include equipment from Northshore Fire's Lucerne, Nice and Clearlake Oaks fire stations, according to Brown.  

Five minutes into the call, based on reports from the first arriving engine from Lucerne, Brown said the duty chief called a second alarm, with additional equipment from Upper Lake and Clearlake Oaks Stations dispatched.

Northshore units that responded included four engines, two medic ambulances, two chief officers and two support units, he said.

A very aggressive fire attack by first arriving units included roof ventilation on the multi level roof, and ceilings pulled in the garage area, living room and the cathedral ceiling in the master bedroom, Brown said.

The fire started on the exterior of the home near the recycle plastic container and the investigation continues, Brown said.

Red Cross was called to the scene and provided aid to the couple, including temporary housing, Brown said.

Fire loss to the home is estimated at around $80,000, Brown said.

Salvage covers were placed throughout the house, and Brown said high priority items of the residence were recovered.

A local contractor was contacted to provide board up and plastic covering for the home before the heavy rain fall started, he said.

CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – Thanks to help from the community, local officials were able to locate two dogs responsible for attacking a man and his small dog earlier this month.

Jim Young and his small Pomeranian, Brandy, were attacked early on March 12 as they walked on Island Drive in Clearlake Oaks, as Lake County News has reported.

Young was bitten and knocked to the ground, his dog was mauled and left with serious injuries, and the dogs' owner reportedly gave a false name before leaving the scene in a Mitsubishi Montero with the California license plate 5BGV640.

Lake County Animal Care and Control Director Bill Davidson told Lake County News on Monday that his agency received an anonymous call over the weekend giving the location of the vehicle and the two dogs alleged to have been involved in the March 12 attack.

An Animal Care and Control Officer went to Plaza Drive in Clearlake Oaks to investigate, confirmed that they were the same dogs and impounded them pursuant to a vicious animal investigation, Davidson said.

Davidson said the officer also had Young positively identify the dogs.

One of the dogs was a neutered male boxer mix, while the second was an unaltered female pit bull mix, Davidson said.

The quarantine is already over and both dogs appear healthy, so Davidson said there is no further need or concern regarding rabies.

He said the dogs' owner was very apologetic about his “lack of clarity” regarding what happened.  

The man indicated to the Animal Care and Control officer that the female pit bull mix – which Davidson said was the more aggressive of the two – was a stray that adopted the man several months ago. The man identified the male boxer mix as his dog.

“We will be examining the matter further to ensure a vicious abatement order is warranted and may even pursue other legal action regarding his lack of compliance with quarantine,” Davidson said in an email.

Leah Young, Jim Young's granddaughter, said he's doing well.

She said he's taking care of Brandy, who recently came home from Wasson Memorial Veterinary Clinic in Lakeport.

Brandy suffered a broken leg, broken law, punctured lung and multiple bite wounds all over her body in the attack. Young said Brandy came home with casts on her leg and jaw.

“She's gonna pull through,” she said. “We didn't expect it.”

To help the family with the veterinarian bill, contact Jim Young at 707-350-4867 or Leah Young at 707-245-3049.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif. – A Willits woman was remanded Wednesday afternoon to serve 13 years in prison for torching her Brooktrails home with her quadriplegic son inside, and endangering the lives of local firefighters by using propane and oxygen tanks as accelerants.

Nancy Jo McGinty, 52, was sentenced to state prison by Judge Richard Henderson in Mendocino County Superior Court.

Last November, McGinty entered guilty pleas to felony charges of arson of an inhabitated building, and attempted voluntary manslaughter. Judge Henderson sentenced McGinty after a 10-day review of recommendations from the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office, the probation department and her attorney.

Eyster said after Wednesday's court hearing that he believes justice has been served in the high-profile case.

“While I won’t downplay the attempted taking of her son’s life, the defendant’s misconduct placed the entire community and its firefighters at great risk,” said Eyster.

As part of McGinty’s sentencing, she was ordered to reimburse the Brooktrails Fire Department for its costs incurred in the firefighting effort.

Henderson on Wednesday denied McGinty’s request for probation, citing the potentially fatal dangers her disabled son and firefighters faced because of her actions.

McGinty claimed she too was in the house when the fire broke out but firefighters said they scoured the home and didn’t find her until the next morning.

She was found the next morning unharmed in a master bedroom bathtub that had been checked the night before.

Addressing the court at the first half of the sentencing hearing that took place on March 16, 2012, McGinty tearfully asked for probation, citing the mental and physical exhaustion she claimed to have suffered being a sole care provider for her quadriplegic son.

Judge Henderson on Wednesday said he empathized with McGinty’s plight, but he said McGinty was deluding herself by thinking her actions were rationale.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department is investigating a weekend burglary to a downtown business.

Sgt. Kevin Odom said the Clearlake Club Bar, located at 210 N. Main St., was burglarized some time after 2 a.m. Sunday, March 25.

Odom said forced entry was made to a door at the rear of the business and cash was taken.

The break in was discovered at 10 a.m. Sunday, he said.

An unknown type pry tool appeared to have been used to gain entry, according to Odom.

He said the suspect, or suspects, cut power and phone lines to the business in an apparent attempt to defeat the alarm system.

A surveillance system for the business captured images of a suspicious subject who appeared to be lurking around the front doors of the business around 5:30 a.m. The image is shown above.

Anyone with information about this crime is encouraged to contact Lakeport Police Officer Destry Henderson at 707-263-5491.

California State Controller John Chiang updated his Web site on Monday with new figures showing the salary, pension benefits and other compensation for land reclamation and levee maintenance, health, hospital, and water districts in calendar year 2010.

The Web site can be found at http://sco.ca.gov/compensation_search.html .

The new posting includes 42,000 positions across 544 districts, with wages totaling $1.94 billion.   

The new posting is the latest in a series of wage updates for all of California’s 2,379 special districts.  Police, fire transit operators and transportation planning districts were added last month.  The remaining districts will be added throughout the Spring of 2012.  

For Monday's posting, 56 districts across California did not file in time or filed incomplete records.

Lake County has approximately 33 special districts listed. Of those, 21 provided data that has been published, with data from seven others expected to be published in May and data from three more set to be released in June.

No data was available for two districts, Konocti County Water District and Scotts Valley Water Conservation District. Both districts have been added to the list of noncomplying districts.

The site originally was created by Controller Chiang in late 2010, after he ordered local governments to provide salary and other wage information for their employees to his office.

The controller already has collected and posted wage information from 2009 and 2010 for more than 600,000 city and county employees.

In addition, the site includes wage data for state civil service and California State University employees.

The Web site covers elected officials as well as public employees. It includes the following information for each position:

• Minimum and maximum salary ranges;
• Actual wages paid;
• The applicable retirement formula;
• Any contributions by the employer to the employee’s share of pension costs;
• Any contributions by the employer to the employee’s deferred compensation plan; and
• Any employer payments for the employee’s health, vision and dental premium benefits.

A list of agencies that failed to file payroll records with the state can also be found on the Controller's Web site.

Each noncomplying agency could face a penalty of $5,000.

The Controller’s Office will continue to review and post the relevant data from these local governments as it is reported to the state.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Lakeport man has been arrested for burglarizing a vehicle as well as for numerous outstanding warrants.

Michael Santos, 30, was taken into custody on Wednesday, March 28, according to a report from Sgt. Kevin Odom of the Lakeport Police Department.

Shortly before 8 a.m. Wednesday Lakeport Police officers responded to a call from a resident in the 800 block of Jerry Drive, with the resident reporting a male suspect rummaging through the interior of her unlocked vehicle parked at the residence, Odom said.

He said the suspect fled after being confronted by the victim.

An off-duty Lake County Sheriff's deputy saw Santos in the area of Boggs Lane and Oakcrest Drive

a few blocks away. Odom said the deputy knew Santos and also knew he had outstanding warrants for his arrest.

The deputy notified Lake County Central Dispatch and provided a description of Santos which matched that of the suspect seen rummaging through the vehicle on Jerry Drive, Odom said.

Lakeport Police units did an area check for Santos but he was not located, Odom said.

At approximately 2 p.m., a deputy located Santos in the 2900 block of Lakeshore Boulevard and arrested him for his outstanding warrants, Odom said.

LPD Officer Norm Taylor responded and ultimately recovered stolen property in Santos’ possession taken from the victim vehicle, according to Odom.

Santos was booked at the Lake County Jail for various warrants and theft from a vehicle.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contacted Lakeport Police Officer Norm Taylor at 707-263-5491.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The National Weather Service has issued a flood advisory for parts of Lake County following several hours of steady rainfall.

The agency issued the urban and small stream flood advisory shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday for areas including Upper Lake, Middletown and Lakeport.

Just before the advisory was issued National Weather Service radar, spotter and gauge reports indicated that between one and three inches of rainfall had fallen over parts of the county in the previous six hours.

Clear Lake was reported to be at 4.08 feet Rumsey shortly before 3 p.m. – a full lake is 7.56 feet Rumsey – and U.S. Geological Survey stream gauges showed the flow in local creeks have spiked over the past day.

With the ground saturated and moderate to heavy rainfall expected to continue for several more hours – with snow in the higher elevations possible – the National Weather Service placed the advisory in effect until 7:45 p.m.

Winds also are possible into the evening, according to the agency.

The winter storm that's bringing the rain to Lake County is forecast to leave the region by Wednesday afternoon.

The National Weather Service said another, stronger storm system is predicted to arrive over Northern California on Saturday.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A Glenhaven man remained in custody on Monday after allegedly leading a Lake County Sheriff's deputy on a high speed chase while driving a stolen vehicle over the weekend.

Romondis Tyron Thompson, 25, was arrested following the chase, which occurred early on the morning of Saturday, March 24, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Early Saturday a deputy observed a green-colored Cadillac driving on Keys Boulevard near Venus Village in Clearlake Oaks. The agency reported that the deputy recognized the vehicle and knew that it was associated with Thompson.

The sheriff's office said the deputy observed the vehicle cross over the double yellow centerlines on Keys Boulevard while turning onto Konocti View Road, a violation of California Vehicle Code Section 21650, which requires that a vehicle be driven on the correct side of the road.

The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, and Thompson allegedly turned onto Lakeland Drive and accelerated to approximately 70 miles per hour on the residential street, the report said.

The deputy activated his emergency lights and siren and the pursuit continued on Second and Schindler streets at speeds of between 50 and 60 miles per hour, according to the sheriff's office.

Thompson allegedly turned off the vehicle’s lights while on Schindler Street and pulled into a vacant lot near Schindler and Lake streets. The sheriff's office report said the deputy saw Thompson exit the driver’s door and continue to flee on foot.  

The vehicle then rolled over a berm in the lot and collided with an oak tree, the report said.

The sheriff's office said the deputy and his K9 partner pursued Thompson, but were unable to apprehend him at the scene.  

During the investigation, deputies learned that the vehicle Thompson was driving was also reported as stolen, according to the report.

Thompson later was located by another deputy at a nearby residence. He was arrested for felony evading, auto theft, driving on a suspended license, resisting arrest and a probation violation, the sheriff's office reported.

When Thompson was arrested, deputies observed that he was displaying signs and symptoms of being under the influence of a controlled substance. Jail records show he was additionally charged with being under the influence of a controlled substance.

Thompson remained in custody at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Hill Road Correctional Facility.  He has a no-bail probation hold and a $100,000 bail on the other charges.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A hazmat call last week at the East Lake Landfill in Clearlake led to the discovery of four methamphetamine labs.

Sgt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office said that on Thursday, March 22, at approximately 12:30 p.m. the Lake County Narcotics Task Force responded to the landfill at the request of the Lake County Fire Protection District HAZMAT Team.

Brooks said the Lake County Fire HAZMAT team had responded to the landfill after the operator of a bulldozer had run over a black plastic garbage bag as he was moving garbage.

The contents of the bag began to off gas, which produced a large visible chemical cloud, Brooks said.

The narcotics detectives located several two liter bottles containing both solid and liquid materials, according to Brooks.

Based on the detectives’ training and experience it was determined that the bottles were used to manufacture methamphetamine, using what is referred to as the “Birch Reduction” method, Brooks said.

He said a search of the trash by both the Lake County HAZMAT Team and narcotics detectives didn't provide any leads as to who was responsible for the labs. 

They also did not locate any additional items associated with the manufacturing of methamphetamine, he said.

Anyone with information about this or any other drug-related case in the unincorporated county can contact the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force's anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Concerns over a new state fee to be assessed on properties in the State Responsibility Area has led to the introduction of a new bill to repeal the fee and its authorizing legislation.

ABX1 29, signed into law last year despite opposition from fire officials and rural communities around the state, is anticipated to raise almost $85 million annually for Cal Fire.

It implements an annual fee of $150 for each “habitable” structure within the State Responsibility Area, or SRA, which is covered by Cal Fire, as Lake County News has reported. For structures also covered by local responsibility areas, there will be a $35 reduction, for a total annual bill of $115.

The legislation requires that residents pay the fee beginning this fiscal year. The California Board of Equalization, which is in charge of collecting the fee, told Lake County News that the first bills are to go out this summer, with the 2012-13 fiscal year bill to go out early in 2013.

Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries (R-Riverside) has introduced AB 1506, which would repeal ABX1 29 and the resulting fire fee.

The Assembly Natural Resources Committee, chaired by Assemblyman Wes Chesbro (D-Arcata) – who represents Lake County – heard the bill Monday afternoon.

The bill passed the committee, although the precise vote will not be available until Tuesday. That’s due to a legislative rule that allows certain members not in attendance at a hearing to add their votes later as long as it doesn’t change the outcome, according to Paul Smith, senior legislative advocate for the Regional Council of Rural Counties, or RCRC.

Smith attended the hearing in Sacramento, along with Napa County Supervisor Diane Dillon – immediate past RCRC chair – and RCRC Legislative Advocate Cyndi Hillery, who is working on the SRA fire fee issue.

They said that all of the Assembly members present voted for the bill except for Assemblyman Roger Dickinson (D-Sacramento), who was concerned about the weakening of Cal Fire because of the $50 million that the state carved out of Cal Fire’s budget in response to the passage of ABX1 29. He was one of the only committee members who do not have the SRA in their area of representation.

RCRC has a longstanding policy of opposition against SRA fees, according to a letter Hillery sent Jeffries on March 16.

The organization also has taken the position that with rural counties already paying for fire service, the new SRA fire fee is inequitable, provides no additional benefit and results in double and sometimes triple taxation. RCRC also argues that the fee puts an unfair financial burden on the disproportionate number of people living in rural areas on fixed and low incomes.

“Moreover, it makes the likelihood of passage of any additional local assessments for fire protection services in the SRA very difficult,” Hillery wrote, echoing a critical concern of Lake County’s fire chiefs.

The organization also believes the fee will jeopardize fire and disaster management responses between the state, emergency responders and local governments.

Dillon, Smith and Hillery spoke to a small group of Northern California reporters via phone conference following the hearing.

“The good news is that the committee passed the bill out of committee,” Dillon said.

Chesbro spoke to the problems with the fire fee, Dillon said, adding, “He also identified the fact that there are issues with the state budget that need to be addressed.”

Chesbro is working on his own legislation to address Cal Fire’s budget and the SRA fees. His spokesman, Andrew Bird, said the bill already has been introduced, but the language is still being refined.

Hillery said there are many additional legislative steps before Jeffries’ bill could become law, and it’s likely headed to the Assembly Appropriations Committee next.

Cal Fire, Hillery pointed out, is the main responder in all California disasters, not just wildland fires in the SRA.

Dillon said the SRA was never intended or designed as a taxing area.

The SRA fire fee collected by ABX1 29 is going for fire prevention, not firefighting activities in the SRA, Dillon said.

“The bottom line is RCRC remains opposed to SRA fees,” she said.

The state is now working on implementing the bill. Dillon said the state Department of Finance has estimated it will cost $15.7 million to implement the fee.

That $15.7 million, Dillon added, is actually what it will cost to pay for 86 new positions for the Board of Equalization and Cal Fire to implement the new legislation.

“The money is not going to go to fire prevention, it’s going to go to this elaborate new bureaucracy,” Dillon said.

She added, “They’re spending money before it’s come in.”

In addition to the effort to repeal the fee, Smith said there are organizations planning to file suit to stop the Board of Equalization from collecting the fee from residents in the SRA.

“Whether or not you get a bill will greatly depend on the lawsuit and how it’s filed,” Smith said.

Jeffries’ bill, if it passes the Legislature, isn’t expected to reach Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk before next August, said Smith.

Even then, “It’s almost certain that he would veto it,” said Hillery, explaining that the idea for the SRA fee came from the California Department of Finance.

While Brown originally did not want to go down the SRA fee path, now that it’s done, “I think it would be extremely difficult for him to back out of it at this point,” Hillery said.

Dillon said RCRC is dedicated to pursuing the issue, which they believe is very important to all members counties.

“We are committed to fighting this fight,” she said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

COBB, Calif. – A weekend storm brought not just rain to Lake County but snow to its higher elevations, including Cobb.

An estimated foot of snow was to be found at Boggs Mountain on Sunday, which offered local residents the chance to have some fun.

Marni Johnson, Kathy Fitts and Samantha Edrich spent the afternoon building a proper “snowgal” and even did what Johnson called “super luging.”

The latest National Weather Service forecast predicts precipitation will taper off at the start of the week, but rain could return to the area toward week's end.