NICE — On Saturday at approximately 5 p.m. sheriff”s deputies responded to reports of shots fired near East Butte Street. One of the callers residing on Sherman Street reported their home had been struck by one of the bullets, according to Capt. James Bauman, Lake County Sheriff”s Office (LCSO) public information officer.
When deputies arrived in the area, they were led to a dirt road leading into the hills where an expended shotgun shell was found. As deputies were investigating, they heard more shots fired nearby in the hills and began searching the area on foot.
As deputies were hiking toward the area where the shots were heard, they encountered a white Honda occupied by several young adults driving toward them. The occupants were detained and identified as Donald Beets, 18, of Nice; Jason Harlan, 18, of Lucerne and a 17-year-old from Nice. Beets was in possession of several un-expended shotgun rounds.
During the detention, deputies located a 9mm handgun and a “sawed off” 12-gauge shotgun in the trunk of the car. As a result of the investigation, deputies determined all three suspects had been shooting the guns in dangerous proximity to nearby homes and all three were arrested.
Subsequent to the arrests, deputies contacted the residents of the home on Sherman Street. The investigation revealed that one of the bullets fired from the handgun had penetrated the home near a sliding glass door and lodged into the living room. The home was occupied by two people at the time.
Beets and Harlan were booked at the Lake County Jail and the juvenile was booked at the Lake County Juvenile Hall.
All three were charged with discharging a firearm in a negligent manner. Beets was also charged with felony possession of a “sawed-off” shotgun.
