LUCERNE, Calif. – A well-known local businessman said his business is facing a devastating blow as the result of a federal agency’s unilateral action to bar him from participating in the food stamp program.

Kenny Parlet, whose family has owned and operated Lakeview Supermarket & Deli since 1970, was notified by letter last week that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service was permanently disqualifying the store from accepting food stamps.

The reason: The store was accused of “trafficking,” or exchanging Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – or SNAP – benefits for cash. SNAP is now the official name for the federal food stamp program.

Parlet said he expected a $5,000 fine and a one-week suspension from using the program. Instead, he was hit with one of the program’s most stringent sanctions.

The USDA Food and Nutrition Service confirmed to Lake County News on Monday that Lakeview Market was permanently disqualified on Nov. 16 for trafficking, but would divulge no further details about the case.

Parlet said one of his employees made several inappropriate transactions totaling $132.50, mistakes which he said could end up costing him half a million in lost sales annually – or about 25 percent of his business – and which may, ultimately, cause him to close his business’ doors.

During the USDA’s sting operation, Parlet said the one employee was approached four times and, as a result, accumulated multiple violations. He said that employee had been trained, but he said the SNAP system can be very complicated.

One sale included a box of forks and matches that the cashier – who admitted to making mistakes – wrongly ran as food items, he said. A few weeks later, a $3 sale that included a box of forks and a scouring sponge also violated the rules.

In two other instances, the same cashier allowed the undercover agent to treat their SNAP card like a debit card and receive cash back rather than using the funds only on food, Parlet said.

While the Food and Nutrition Service can choose to impose a civil penalty in lieu of permanent disqualification, Parlet said he was not given that option and, after no warnings or contact, was notified of the final action.

Parlet now has a 10-day period from the receipt of the letter in which to begin a lengthy appeal process that he said a USDA agent already has told him he’s likely to lose.

In the meantime, he’s been ordered to return the electronic benefit transfer equipment used for SNAP transactions within five days or else face fines.

For Parlet, the most incomprehensible part of what he called a “nightmare” for his business is that his store never had a previous violation or warning.

“If we make a mistake, we’re done,” he said.

While he said the employee who was responsible for the transactions was terminated, the store’s entire staff, management team and all of the the local SNAP customers are being punished to “the ultimate degree.”

Parlet said he’s now starting to look at employee cutbacks in order to keep his business afloat.

Caught in a federal crackdown

The action against Parlet comes months after the USDA began a nationwide crackdown on abuses of SNAP, which is now serving 46 million Americans every month, a program record.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 4,784 Lake County households were estimated to have received food stamp assistance during 2011.

“The Extent of Trafficking in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: 2006-2008,” a March 2011 report by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service’s Office of Research and Analysis, estimated that trafficking diverted an estimated $330 million annually from SNAP benefits between 2006 and 2008.

Agriculture Under Secretary Kevin Concannon said the USDA has a “zero tolerance policy” for SNAP fraud.

The agency in August unveiled what it said were aggressive new tactics meant to address misuse of SNAP benefits, including tougher financial sanctions for retailers found in violation.

The new sanctions also allow USDA to permanently disqualify a retailer who traffics and, and at the same time, to assess a monetary penalty in addition to the disqualification. Such financial penalties would be proportional to the amount of SNAP business the store is conducting, which the USDA said will help ensure that the financial punishment more closely fits the crime.

Before the changes, the USDA could disqualify a retailer or issue a financial penalty, not both.

Also in August, Concannon released a report for fiscal year 2012’s third quarter showing that 574 stores across the nation had sanctions placed against them that included fines or temporary disqualifications, while another 1,016 stores were permanently disqualified for trafficking or falsifying applications.

A reading of the federal regulations that govern business sanctions and disqualification suggest that the ruling against Parlet is particularly heavy handed.

The regulations state that the Food and Nutrition Service regional office making a disqualification or penalty determination “shall” consider the following: the nature and scope of the violations committed by personnel of the firm; any prior action taken by the service to warn the firm about the possibility that violations are occurring; and any other evidence that shows the firm's intent to violate the regulations.

In addition, the regulations suggest there are a number of lesser sanctions for firms that have a first-time offense.

Parlet, who said he has never had a previous violation, qualifies for a warning letter or a disqualification period of six months, which can be applied “if it is to be the first sanction for the firm and the evidence shows that personnel of the firm have committed violations such as but not limited to the sale of common nonfood items due to carelessness or poor supervision by the firm's ownership or management.”

Parlet has asked for a review of the action against him by the USDA office in Virginia, but he said the USDA’s Sacramento office told him the chances are 99 percent against a ruling in his favor.

Sting operation targets store

Parlet doesn’t know why federal officials focused in on his store, although he suggested it may be because of the market’s large amount of SNAP transactions, which make up 25 percent of its sales. He said total SNAP transactions average between 10 and 15 percent in most stores.

“We cater to them,” he said of SNAP recipients. “That’s what I think prompted the investigation.”

Lakeview Supermarket also fits the USDA’s profile of a high risk store. Among large stores, supermarkets have higher trafficking rates, the USDA’s trafficking report found.

The report said trafficking also was likely to happen in the most impoverished areas, which it defined as being where more than 30 percent of households live in poverty. Based on the most recent figures available from the U.S. Census Bureau, Lake County’s poverty rate for all age groups is 24.6 percent, just shy of fitting the definition.

However, Lake County fits the definition of being rural, and trafficking rates, according to the agency’s report, are highest in the most urban and the most rural areas.

An uncertain future

Parlet said the SNAP program is a significant portion of his business. “We do about $40,000 a month in food stamp sales on average.”

He estimated he will lose as much as $40,000 starting in December, when he usually expects to be filling holiday orders for his popular meat packs.

If customers can’t use their food stamps at his store, he believes he will lose additional sales for other items that aren’t covered by the SNAP program and which those customers purchase with cash.

Parlet said the appeal process will require him to get an attorney, as the case likely will be transferred to a federal court, where a USDA official told him he will have to sue the government, and win, in order to get his SNAP privileges reinstated.

He said he’s spoken to Congressman Mike Thompson’s office, which is trying to work with the USDA to find a less damaging outcome for the business.

“Meanwhile, we’re just bleeding every single minute we’re without this,” Parlet said.

He’s also concerned that if he wanted to sell his business, the USDA could go after him with fines.

Parlet said he’s survived an increasingly difficult business climate, put in tens of thousands of dollars to upgrade his store and worked to build a lasting business. All of that now hangs in the balance.

“I’ve lost all faith in pretty much everything at this point,” Parlet said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake woman was injured Sunday evening when she was hit by a vehicle while crossing Olympic Drive.

Amber Byrne, 48, sustained moderate injuries in the incident, which the Clearlake Police Department said occurred near the intersection of Olympic Drive and Uhl Avenue.

Officers were dispatched to the scene at approximately 5:37 p.m., finding Byrne lying on the side of the road when they arrived, according to a report from the Clearlake Police Department.

Police identified the driver of the vehicle involved in the crash as 41-year-old Wendy Newsome of Clearlake.

The Clearlake Police Department’s preliminary investigation indicated that Byrne was crossing Olympic Drive traveling north when she was hit by Newsome’s 2007 Dodge Caliber, which was traveling west on Olympic Drive.

Byrne was flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital via air ambulance, police said. Newsome and the passengers inside her vehicle were uninjured.

Olympic Drive was closed to traffic for approximately one hour. Police said Newsome was released on scene.

Police said the cause of the collision is still under investigation, adding that drugs and alcohol do not appear to be a factor.

Anyone who may have witnessed the collision is urged to contact Officer Mike Carpenter at 707-994-8251.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – State officials said the recently released results of physical fitness testing for elementary school students showed that, for the second year in a row, 31 percent of students posted healthy scores in all six of the tested areas.

The California Department of Education reported that the 2012 Physical Fitness Test was administered to approximately 1.3 million fifth-, seventh- and ninth-graders, representing more than 93 percent of the total number of students enrolled in those grades in California public schools.

State Superintendent of Schools Tom Torlakson didn’t consider the results encouraging.

“When we can call fewer than one out of three of our kids physically fit, we know we have a tremendous public health challenge on our hands,” Torlakson said.

Torlakson, a longtime teacher and coach, said that study after study has demonstrated the very clear link between physical fitness and academic achievement.

“While I am glad their fitness levels improve as they make their way through school, we owe it to California’s kids to give them more opportunities for exercise, along with better access to healthy foods and clean, fresh water,” Torlakson said.

In Lake County, 563 fifth graders, 613 seventh graders and 695 ninth graders participated in the testing, according to the testing data.

The FITNESSGRAM testing, designed in 1996, looks at six key fitness areas: aerobic capacity, body composition, abdominal strength, trunk extensor strength, upper body strength and flexibility.

For aerobic capacity and body composition, students may be classified in the “Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ),” “Needs Improvement” or “Needs Improvement-High Risk.”

In the other four areas, students are classified more generally as either being in the HFZ or needing improvement, according to the report.

The 2012 Physical Fitness Test results show that, statewide, 25 percent of the students in grade five, 32 percent in grade seven, and 37 percent in grade nine scored within the HFZ for all six areas of the test.

While aerobic capacity is an indicator of physical fitness, body composition is perhaps the most important indicator of who will develop future health problems, the state reported. This year’s results show that almost a third, or 30 percent, of all students from grades five, seven and nine are in the high-risk category for body composition.

State education officials said the same groups, or cohorts, of students were tracked through the fitness tests in the three selected grade levels, with the testing noting improvements in physical fitness over the years.

The same was true in the case of Lake County’s children, for whom physical fitness appeared to have improved as students advanced through the grade levels.

Among local fifth graders, 25 percent were in the Healthy Fitness Zone for all six testing categories, compared to 24.3 percent among seventh graders and 38.3 percent for ninth graders. That’s compared to 24.8 percent, 25.5 percent and 37.6 percent, respectively, in the 2010-11 report.

The visualization above shows how Lake County students tested in each of the six physical fitness areas in the 2012 testing.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Department of Water Resources on Monday announced a seasonal closure of all off-road trails in the Highland Springs Recreation Area to bicycles and horses, in an effort to prevent trail deterioration and soil erosion during the rainy months.

While this closure prohibits equestrian and bicycle uses of the off-road trails; the trails remain open to hiking.

Throughout the closure, equestrians and bicyclists still will have access to and use of the main roads within the park.

In previous years, heavy wet-season trail use damaged some of the trails. This seasonal closure to horses and bicycles is designed to prevent further damage to and deterioration of the trails and to minimize soil erosion throughout the park.

A recent grant application made by the Lake County Horse Council, in cooperation with the Department of Water Resources and Highland Springs Trails Volunteers, will provide grant funding to help repair sections of damaged trails; it is anticipated the trail repair work will begin in the spring.

Managed by the Department of Water Resources, the Highland Springs Recreation Area comprises more than 3,200 acres of watershed area with approximately 30 miles of single-track trails.

For more information about the closure and repair work, contact the Lake County Department of Water Resources at 707-263-2344.

For information about the Lake County Horse Council, visit www.lakecountyhorsecouncil.com .

For more information about trails, maps, closures, as well as volunteering opportunities with the Highland Springs Trails Volunteers, visit www.highlandspringstrailsvolunteers.com .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The National Weather Service in Sacramento on Monday issued a flood watch to be effective from Wednesday morning through late Saturday night for portions of Northern California including the Clear Lake area.

A flood watch means there is a potential for flooding based on current forecasts.

The flood watch indicates that prolonged periods of precipitation will begin midweek through the weekend throughout Northern California and will bring wet and windy weather, likelihood of urban and small stream flooding, and the possibility of debris flows especially near areas burned in recent forest fires.

More than 7 inches of rainfall has been forecasted for Lake County during the four-day period.

According to Lake County Department of Water Resources staff, flooding from Clear Lake is not anticipated; however, flooding from local creeks is likely.

Be aware, be prepared: Important flood safety tips

Lake County residents are asked to be informed, alert and prepared.

To be prepared for possible flooding, residents are encouraged to assemble a family emergency kit, create a family emergency plan and be aware of flood risks.

Following are a few important flood safety tips:

• Know your risk and take action to reduce your risk.
• Be prepared with an emergency kit. Include flashlight, battery-operated radio, extra batteries, candles, matches, first-aid kit, medications, blankets, food, and water. The American Red Cross ( http://www.redcross.org/prepare/location/home-family ) offers simple checklists to create an emergency preparedness kit.
• Be aware of your surroundings and know your evacuation routes. Relocate to a safe area before access is cut off by rising floodwaters. Don’t forget to take an emergency kit and copies of important documents with you.
• Choose a family meeting place and have a plan for how to communicate during an emergency.
• Tune to local radio or television stations. Listen for emergency information, flood watch and warning bulletins, and instructions from authorities.
• Stay away from rising creeks, streams, and rivers.
• Do not attempt to cross flowing water that may be more than six inches deep. When in doubt, don’t cross.
• Don’t drive through water on the roadway; during floods, more people are trapped and die in their vehicles than anywhere else. Don’t drive around road barriers as floodwaters may have washed out a road or bridge.
• Look out for small animals, especially snakes, which have been flooded out of their homes and may be seeking shelter. Use a pole or stick to poke and turn things over and scare away small animals.
• Look before stepping. After a flood, the ground and floors may be covered with debris, including broken bottles and nails. Floors and stairs covered with mud can be very slippery.
• Be alert for gas leaks. Use a flashlight to inspect for damage. Do not smoke or use candles, lanterns, or open flames unless the gas has been turned off and the area ventilated.
• Stay away from power lines and electrical wires. Electric current can travel through water. The second major cause of flood-related death is electrocution. Report downed power lines to PG&E at 800-743-5000.
• Have the electricity turned off by PG&E. Some appliances, such as televisions, maintain electrical charges even after being unplugged. Do not use appliances or motors that have been exposed to water until they have been taken apart, cleaned, and dried.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The county’s animal shelter continues to feature great cats and kittens every week that need good homes.

Cat lovers looking for new companions are welcome to come in and meet the cats, make a new friend and take one – or two – home.

Cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed and microchipped before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.

The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (other cats pictured on the animal control Web site that are not listed here are still “on hold”).

Female torbie kitten

This female kitten is 5 months old.

She has a short torbie-colored coat and gold eyes, weighs 3.6 pounds and has been spayed.

Find her in cat room kennel No. 20a, ID No. 34743.

Buff-colored female kitten

This female buff-colored kitten is 5 months old.

She has a long coat, weighs 2.6 pounds and has been spayed.

Find her in cat room kennel No. 20c, ID No. 34792.

Gray tabby kitten

This gray tabby kitten is 5 months old.

He has green eyes, a short coat, weighs 3.6 pounds and has been neutered.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 20d, ID No. 34746.

Domestic long hair mix

This black and white female domestic long hair mix cat is 3 years old.

She has green eyes, is of medium size and has been spayed.

She’s in cat room kennel No. 52, ID No. 34632.

Gray and white domestic long hair

This male domestic long hair mix is 1 year old.

He has green eyes and is a smaller-sized cat. He has been neutered.

Find him in cat room kennel No. 54, ID No. 34655.

‘Joesi’

“Joesi” is a 5-year-old domestic long hair mix.

She has green eyes, floppy ears and has been spayed.

She is in cat room kennel No. 80, ID No. 34765.

Male gray tabby

This male gray tabby is 1 year old.

He has a short coat and green eyes, and has been neutered.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 100, ID No. 34479.

Female torbie

This female torbie is 3 years old.

She has gold eyes, a short coat and weighs 5 pounds. She has been spayed.

Find her in cat room kennel No. 105, ID No. 34742.

Adoptable cats also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Cats_and_Kittens.htm or at www.petfinder.com .

Please note: Cats listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LUCERNE, Calif. – A local man was arrested on Sunday after he was injured in a crash on Interstate 5.

Michael Rodriguez, 63, of Lucerne was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Bryan Konvalin of the CHP’s Woodland Area office.

At 8:35 a.m. Sunday James Dale Roberts, 39, of Modesto was driving a 2009 Freightliner tractor/trailer combination on northbound I-5 south of County Road 103 near Woodland with Rodriguez approaching the ear in a 2006 Ford Focus. Denise Bailey Green, 42, of Sacramento was following the other vehicles in a 2002 Kia Rio, Konvalin said.

As Rodriguez approached the rear of the Freightliner, he attempted to change lanes to pass, but collided with the rear of the Freightliner. Konvalin said the impacted caused the Ford to go out of control and collide with the Kia.
 
The traffic collision caused moderate damage to the involved vehicles and Rodriguez suffered complaints of pain, Konvalin said.

CHP officers responded to the scene to investigate the traffic collision. Konvalin said they contacted Rodriguez and observed that he was exhibiting signs of drug intoxication.  

Officers performed a DUI evaluation and determined that Rodriguez was driving while under the influence of drugs at the time of the traffic collision, Konvalin said.

Konvalin said Rodriguez subsequently was arrested for DUI, but released from custody to received medial treatment at Woodland Memorial Hospital.

CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol on Monday identified the two men who died last week in a two-vehicle collision near Clearlake Oaks.

Officer Kory Reynolds of the CHP’s Clear Lake Area Office said Dennis Glik, 58, and Zemmie Cedric Potter, 54, both of Clearlake Oaks, died in the crash, which occurred on the night of Wednesday, Nov. 21.

The crash occurred at 6 p.m. on Highway 20 west of Highway 53, as Lake County News has reported.

Glik was driving a 1974 Ford F350 box pickup truck eastbound on Highway 20 approaching Highway 53 with Potter as his passenger when he crossed the double-yellow dividing lines and traveled into the westbound lane, directly in the path of a 1964 Toyota FJ40 driven by 36-year-old Scott Flora of Ukiah.

The CHP said both Glik and Potter were declared dead at the scene.

Flora was flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital while his 12-year-old passenger, Emma Steele-Hunt of Santa Rosa, was taken by air ambulance to UC Davis Medical Center. She had been sitting in the Toyota’s backseat and was not wearing a seatbelt, and was thrown from the vehicle.

A third passenger, Zachary Roes, 30, of Santa Rosa, had minor injuries and was treated at the scene, the CHP said.

Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital spokesperson Katy Hillenmeyer said Monday that Flora remained in critical condition.

On Monday, UC Davis Medical Center said Steele-Hunt was not listed as a patient at that point, so no update on her condition was immediately available.

The investigation into the causes of the crash remain under investigation, the CHP said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

The California Household Travel Survey is currently under way, and urging those who have received invitations to take part.

The survey collects information about Californians’ daily travel and activity patterns with the resulting information used to help plan for future transportation in your community.

Surveying efforts are currently under way on a randomly selected list of household addresses from across the state in an effort to ensure equal participation for all communities.

Those who have received an invitation to participate as urged to visit www.californiatravelsurvey.com .

The survey effort is a partnership among Caltrans, the California Energy Commission, the California Air Resources Board and regional transportation planning agencies.

Every day, Californians move throughout our state – in cars, on bikes, or by foot, rail, ferry, bus, or plane. To plan for future projects, officials need to understand how you travel today.

“We need to look ahead to a time when California will add millions of new residents and vehicles to our state transportation system,” said acting Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “Based on this research, we can make decisions that will lead to a better place to call home.”

The travel information collected from households across the state will be combined to determine when, where, how and why people travel.

The results will help officials to better understand California’s travel needs in order to improve roads and bus/rail systems, traveler safety and daily commutes, and help grow local economies.

Accurate, up-to-date travel information and activity patterns are needed to make the best recommendations for transportation improvements for your community.

Participants’ information will help them make wise transportation investments, which will provide state residents with better access to jobs and housing, reduce traffic congestion, and increase mobility – all of which improve the economy, environment and quality of life.

If you have ever wondered what you can do to help improve transportation in your community, this is your chance.

Surveying activities will continue through February 2013.

For additional information concerning the survey or the survey process, visit www.californiatravelsurvey.com .

NORTH COAST, Calif. – A woman with numerous identity theft cases around the North Coast and Bay Area has reached a plea agreement with Sonoma County prosecutors.

Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch said Denise Hankins, 42, entered a plea to 20 different felony charges, all relating to identity theft involving numerous victims, on Nov. 16.

Ravitch said Hankins obtained her victims’ information mostly through stolen mail and by stealing wallets. Hankins then used that information to open bank accounts and store accounts.

Hankins was arrested in September of this year after a joint investigation by the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department and the Calistoga Police Department, according to Ravitch’s office.

Hankins’ victims and crimes range from Sonoma County to Calistoga and into the East Bay, where she is currently on probation for a forgery conviction out of Alameda County, Ravitch said.

As part of the agreement, Hankins stipulated to a prison term of 15 years and six months. Ravitch said the court indicated that it will likely impose that sentence as 10 years in custody with five years, six months to be served on mandatory supervision.

Hankins will be sentenced formally on Jan. 30, 2013, at 9 a.m. in Department 13 by the Honorable Robert LaForge.

Deputy District Attorney Amy Ariyoshi prosecuted the case.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A pedestrian who was hit by a car Sunday evening was flown to a regional trauma center.

The vehicle versus pedestrian crash was reported shortly after 5:30 p.m. Sunday at Olympic Drive and Lakeshore Drive, according to reports from the scene.

Lake County Fire Protection District firefighters and Clearlake Police responded to the crash, radio reports indicated.

Details about the crash victim were not immediately available, however posts on Lake County News’ Facebook page suggested it may have been a child or young teenager.

Shortly after arriving, fire officials requested an air ambulance, with REACH 6 responding.

Initially, the helicopter was to land at St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake, but firefighters later asked the landing zone to be moved to Austin Park, according to radio reports.

REACH 6 lifted off shortly after 6:15 p.m. en route to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

Lake County Fire Chief Willie Sapeta, who was on the scene, deferred comment about the specifics of the crash to the Clearlake Police Department.

A report from the agency was pending early Monday morning.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – An early Saturday morning crash at Indian Valley Reservoir sent two people to the hospital and resulted in an arrest for drunk driving.

The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office said driver Thomas Michael Rores, 35, of Castro Valley was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol following the crash.

Rores, who was driving a 2008 Toyota 4Runner, was injured along with his passenger, 38-year-old Brian Sperle of Hayward. Two other passengers, Roderick Kreiss, 36, of Concord and Robert Zimmerman, 32, of Colfax, were not injured, the CHP said.

The CHP reported that the solo-vehicle wreck occurred at 12:20 a.m. Saturday in a remote area near Indian Valley Reservoir. CHP dispatch received a call about the incident minutes later.

At 2 a.m. emergency personnel located the Toyota Rores had been driving north of Highway 20 and east of Bartlett Springs Road along the reservoir’s northern shoreline, the CHP said.

Based on the crash investigation so far, the CHP said it appeared that Rores was driving in a northernly direction on a dry portion of the lakebed.

For reasons that are yet to be determined, Rores lost control of the Toyota and it began to overturn, the CHP said.

Rores sustained moderate injuries and was transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital in Lakeport, while Sperle was flown by REACH air ambulance to Enloe Medical Center in Chico, according to the CHP.

Reports from the scene Saturday morning indicated that Sperle had broken vertebrae in his neck and had no feeling in his legs.

Lake County Jail records showed that Rores was booked on Saturday morning, with bail set at $50,000 for a charge of driving under the influence causing bodily injury. He later posted the required percentage of bail and was released.

Rores was not wearing his seat belt but all of his passengers were belted, the CHP said.

The CHP said the crash’s cause remains under investigation.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.