Idyllwild News
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Car crashes into power pole on South Circle
Yoichi Christopher Kido Jr., 32 of Idyllwild crashed his white Ford Focus into a power pole on South Circle near Scenic Dr. around 1 a.m. Thursday morning, completely severing the pole causing power lines to arch into both lanes of traffic. South Circle was closed in both directions. Kido was transported by Idyllwild Fire to Desert Regional Medical Center. According to CHP Officer Ron Esparza, Kido was arrested for driving under the influence.
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Banning arsonist pleads guilty
Steven Taylor Rutherford, 49, of Banning, pleaded guilty July 31 to 10 counts of arson. His sentencing hearing is Friday, Sept. 5. At the pleading, a sentence of 45 years was recommended, according to Riverside County Superior Court records. In June, Rutherford had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to 13 counts. The court…
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Plott charged with hit and run
Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Daniel Plott, 45, of Idyllwild, for assault with a deadly weapon, and the district attorney filed a felony hit-and-run charge in Superior Court on July 27, to which Plott has pleaded not guilty. A felony settlement conference is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 14. He currently is still in custody. On…
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Fire abatement ordinance under review
At the recent Town Hall meeting of fire chiefs and at the last Mountain Area Safety Taskforce meeting, important questions were raised about local fire abatement, particularly of vacant properties. Cal Fire and Riverside County Fire Chief John Hawkins established a private-public committee to investigate and recommend improvements to facilitate fire abatement here. The Mountain…
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Convicted embezzler to be sentenced
It was recently learned that on Dec. 1, 2013, Karen Lynne Epperly-Sundsten, 49, of Fern Valley was arrested on charges of embezzlement. Charges filed were grand theft and forgery, with statutory sentencing enhancements of (1) fraud and embezzlement and (2) taking, damaging or destroying property of more than $65,000 in value. The victim was Community…
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Bakkom to retire from Hemet School board; all other incumbents unopposed
By J.P. Crumrine News Editor Current Hemet Unified School District Board President Paul Bakkom, who represents the Anza area, has chosen to retire after one term. The other three directors — Vic Scavarda, Area 1 (Idyllwild) and “Ross” Valenzuela and Joe Wojcik, Area 3 (Hemet) — whose terms expire this December have all filed…
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Motorcycle crash on Highway 243
According to CHP Officer Mike Murawski, Peter Jackson, 72, of Rancho Mirage crashed his rented red Ducati motorcycle at about 11:10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 8, on Highway 243 near Black Mountain Trail. Jackson was traveling southbound when he hit gravel and lost control. Jackson skid across the highway coming to rest in the northbound…
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Pine Cove Water postpones board meeting
Pine Cove Water District has rescheduled its Wednesday, Aug. 13 meeting to 10 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 20, according to General Manager Jerry Holldber.
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Pinyon murder suspects’ trials separate or combined?
A hearing last Friday to combine the trial of Robert Pape and Cristin Smith for a triple homicide in Pinyon in 2006 was rescheduled for Friday, Aug. 22. According to other media accounts, at the request of Smith’s attorney, John Patrick Dolan, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Charles Stafford ordered medical tests for Smith because…
