LAKEPORT — The California Highway Patrol officer who shot a Colusa County man in an October confrontation following a two-county, high-speed chase will not face criminal charges, according to the Lake County District Attorney”s Office.
After a two-month investigation, the DA found that Clearlake Area CHP Officer Greg Baxter acted out of fear for his own safety and that of another CHP officer when he fired four shots into Lamar Peters” chest at the pursuit”s end on Highway 20 near Sulphur Bank Road in Clearlake Oaks.
Based on evidence provided in the investigation conducted together with the CHP, Baxter”s actions were lawful.
According to the DA”s final report released Thursday, Baxter had an “honest and reasonable belief” that he and CHP Sgt. Dave Stark were in danger of “death or the infliction of great bodily injury.”
Surrounded by Clearlake Area CHP and one unit from Williams, Peters reportedly accelerated at a high rate of speed toward Stark, who was out of his patrol car and on foot.
Baxter stated in the report that Peters” Suzuki was “pig ponging” off of the four CHP cars surrounding it as he accelerated.
Peters, 35 of Colusa County, was transported to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital where he died from the gunshot wounds.
The DA”s report confirmed the Sonoma County Coroner”s report and detailed the circumstances leading to the chase that ended in Peters” death.
Williams Area CHP had been alerted to be on the lookout for Peters” red Suzuki as a possible DUI. After an unsuccessful attempt to stop him on Highway 45 just north of the Colusa Casino & Bingo Resort, CHP initiated the chase that continued through Colusa.
Peters reportedly stopped twice and then took off when CHP officers directed him to turn off his engine and get out of his vehicle. He was also observed driving in a reckless manner, several times crossing the center dividing line and driving in the oncoming traffic lane.
Clearlake Area CHP officers joined in the pursuit when it crossed the Colusa-Lake county line on Highway 20. Baxter used a “pit” (pursuit intervention technique) to bring Peters” car to a stop. Believing the pursuit was over, Sgt. Stark got out of his patrol car and saw Peters” car backing rapidly toward him, said the report.
A blood sample analysis by Central Valley Toxicology Inc. found Peters” blood Ethyl Alcohol level at 0.14 percent; no other drugs were detected.
Peters was a member of the Elem Indian Colony of Pomo Indians of the Sulphur Bank Rancheria.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com.
