LAKEPORT— Matthew Samuel Miravalle was in custody and present at the Lake County Superior Court for a master calendar call hearing.
During the recent hearing, Defense Attorney Angelina Potter declared a doubt as to the defendant’s mental competency.
Two doctors are needed to evaluate the defendant and provide doctors’ reports. The Court appointed Dr. Taylor Fithian and Dr.Kevin Kelly to evaluate the defendant.
The Court ordered criminal proceedings in this matter suspended as the Clearlake Oaks man accused of setting three recent wildfires remains in custody.
The preliminary hearing, which was set for Dec. 18 has been removed from the calendar.
The matter has been continued to Jan. 7, 2020 at 8:15 a.m. for Review of Doctors’ Report hearing in Department 3.
Miravalle was charged with two counts of property arson and one count of arson of structure/forest land.
During an arraignment hearing in September, Miravalle entered a plea of not guilty to all counts and any special allegations.
Matthew Samuel Miravalle, 35, was arrested in September following a Lake County Sheriff’s Office investigation that identified him as a suspect in three Clearlake Oaks fires dating back to June of this year.
After his arrest, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Corey Paulich, Miravalle had “admitted to starting” all three fires, and had “been seen in the area” of the most recent fire, which broke out on Sep. 23, “just prior to it starting.”
That fire, allegedly caused by Miravalle, was located near the Eskaton Clearlake Oaks Manor Senior Apartments at the intersection of Highway 20 and Lake Street in Clearlake Oaks, Paulich said. Northshore Fire Protection District units responded, controlling the flames after a small area of grass and part of a wooden fence had been burned near the apartments. Cal Fire investigators determined arson to be the cause, and identified Miravalle as a suspect.
According to Paulich, Miravalle has been registered with the state as an arsonist, meaning he has a previous arson conviction.
Jury trial set for felon
John William Brott, 30, of Santa Rosa, was in custody and recently appeared for a settlement conference at the Lake County Superior Court.
During this hearing it was announced that the master calendar call currently scheduled for Jan. 3, 2020 will remain on the calendar.
At the plea entry hearing in October, the defendant entered a plea of not guilty to all counts of the complaint and he denied the special allegations. The preliminary hearing had been continued to Nov. 4, 2020.
The defendant waived his rights to a preliminary hearing in November and it was ordered he be held to answer to the charges. An arraignment on an information hearing was set for later that month.
Bail was argued with consideration of safety to the public and/or victims along with Bott’s criminal history/violence. The defendant’s bail has been set at $135,000.
Brott has been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, a person prohibited in possession of ammunition, two counts of an occupant carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle and two counts of carrying a loaded firearm in a public place.
The charges stem from an incident in October when Clearlake Police Officer Shores was conducting routine patrol when she observed a 1998 Chevrolet pick-up driving on Arrowhead Road, according to the CPD. Officer Shores saw the Chevrolet fail to stop at two stop signs and conducted a traffic enforcement stop.
During the traffic stop, Office Shores contacted the driver, John Brott, and a single passenger.
Through a records check, it was determined that Brott is a convicted felon who is on active California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation parole. It was also determined the Chevrolet was registered to him. Due to Brott’s CDCR Parole status, he is subject to search of his person, vehicle and residence. During a search of the vehicle, Officer Shores located a loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun next to the driver seat where Brott was seated, the CPD said.
Brott was arrested on probable cause for numerous weapons charges to include felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, carrying a loaded and concealed firearm in a vehicle. CDCR Parole placed a parole hold on Brott and he was initially booked into the Lake County Jail with no bail set due to the parole hold.
The jury trial has been set for Jan. 8, 2020 at 8:15 a.m. in a department to be announced.
