On December 2, 2015, at about 9:10 AM, El Dorado County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the area of Minniconjou Dr. and Susquehana Dr. in South Lake Tahoe for an aggressive 700-800 pound bear. Deputies located and identified the bear as one that had been disrupting the neighborhood for several weeks by breaking into multiple residences. Deputies attempted to get the bear to move away from the residential area, using loud noises and less lethal bean bag rounds. In most cases these types of tactics are very successful and result in the bear leaving the area.

However on this occasion the bear was very persistent and would not leave the area and moved aggressively towards the deputies’ location. The aggressive actions of the bear towards deputies endangered their personal safety as well as the resident’s safety. Based on the present circumstances deputies unfortunately had no choice, but to use lethal force on the bear when other non-lethal measures failed to have an effect.

Deputies were in contact with the Fish and Wildlife agency and updated them on the incident.

The Sheriff’s Office attempts to take every measure possible to resolve bear incident cases at the lowest level, however when personal safety is in jeopardy, deputies must protect life and maintain safety.

The Sheriff’s Office has trained deputies for the past 15 years on how to effectively handle bear related calls. Deputies are and given tools of a less lethal nature to divert bears from the inside of homes and from neighborhoods back to the forest lands.

In the past year, the Sheriff’s Office responded to 177 bear related calls, of which 23 were located in the same neighborhood as yesterday’s incident. Of the 177 bear related calls, all were resolved with the use of non-lethal measures.

Lt. Bryan Golmitz

The Sheriff’s Office has received about 50 reports of an IRS phone scam that was circulating El Dorado County yesterday. The caller, usually a male, tells the person they owe the IRS money and if they don’t pay right now, a warrant will be issued for their arrest. The male caller has been reported as aggressive and threatening. Two women who received phone calls said the scammer threatened to “rape” them.

This scam is not uncommon however 50 calls in one day is excessive. If you receive a call from a scammer, please hang-up the phone and if possible, block the incoming phone number.

So far, there are no reports of anyone providing the scammer with a credit card number or bank account number.

The Sheriff’s Office reminds people to be aware of this scam and many others. If the IRS wanted to contact someone, they would send an official notice by mail.

Lt. Tom Murdoch

On 11/28/15 at about 1:15 AM, sheriff’s deputies responded to a home invasion robbery in the 3000 block of Winter Creek Road in Mount Aukum. The male caller stated his wife was the victim and she was home alone.

At the residence, deputies met with the home owners. The female victim told deputies she was home in bed when a man walked into her bedroom, pointed a handgun at her,  demanding pot and money. When the gunman found the marijuana, he had the female go into the living room where she was bound by the gunman and a male accomplice. While tied up, the victim noticed a third male in her house.

Once the suspects left, the victim got loose and called her husband.

The suspects were described as:

The gunman: Hispanic male adult, clean shaven in his late 20’s, wearing a grey beanie, a plain grey sweatshirt and blue jeans.

The accomplice: A male with a small build wearing a red ski mask, black sweatshirt, blue jeans, black tennis shoes with a silver stripe on the side.

The third male: A male with a small build wearing a black ski mask, black sweatshirt, and blue jeans.

The victim was unharmed. If anyone has any information regarding this crime, please contact the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office Detective Bureau at (530) 642-4703.

Lt. Tom Murdoch