CLEARLAKE OAKS — Local authorities continue to try to untangle the circumstances that led to a Colusa County man threatening a California Highway Patrol officer and being shot by another on Saturday.
Lamar Peters of Colusa led authorities on a two-county, high-speed chase after CHP officers observed Peters driving in a reckless manner on Highway 45 near the Colusa Casino & Bingo Resort.
Once Lake County CHP officers joined in the pursuit on Highway 20 they decided to stop his vehicle before it reached Clearlake Oaks in order to prevent injuries or deaths of other drivers or pedestrians, according to CHP Officer Kevin Domby.
A CHP officer shot Peters who later died of his injuries after Peters allegedly rammed CHP vehicles and accelerated toward another officer on foot.
The destination Peters a member of the Elem Indian Colony of Pomo Indians of the Sulphur Bank Rancheria was trying to reach when he was shot Saturday is still not known.
The Lake County District Attorney”s office is investigating the incident. District Attorney Gary Luck said John Flynn is the lead investigator.
“This investigation will take approximately a month to complete,” said Luck. “We need to analyze the decedent”s conduct up to and including his final moments.”
Luck said his office is in the process of writing a search warrant for the vehicle Peters was driving, which Luck said has been impounded.
The investigation will be meticulous, said Luck. “We need to have the forensics technicians from the Department of Justice reconstruct the shooting.”
Domby said CHP”s lead investigator is Officer Mike Clemens and that the internal investigation, which is standard protocol, will be conducted by the Northern Division Critical Incident Team.
Contact Cynthia Davis at cdavis@record-bee.com.
