A small plane piloted by a couple who divided their time between Laguna Beach and Lake Tahoe crashed Monday, March 3, near Truckee, Placer County sheriff’s authorities said.
Killed in the crash was Darla Farnell, 55, of Carnelian Bay, said Debby Smith, a coroner’s assistant in Auburn, Calif., adding that the crash site was near Truckee’s Murphy’s Meadow and Juniper Creek, north of Lake Tahoe.
Injured was Farnell’s husband, Ray Richard Farnell, 70, who was the plane’s pilot, Capt. Jeff Ausnow told the Reno Gazette Journal. Ray Richard Farnell was being treated in a Reno hospital Monday.
The Farnells were traveling from Santa Ana to Truckee, said FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer, who said the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.
Hit and Run Victim Remains in Coma
A homeless man remains in an induced coma in Mission Viejo’s Mission Hospital after he was critically injured a week ago in an early morning hit and run collision in Laguna Canyon.
An appeal by police for the public’s help in tracking down the fleeing driver has yielded little, Sgt. Louis Callus said Monday. “Some video shows a black car but not much else pass the crosswalk at LCAD right before the call came into dispatch,” she said.
Police identified the victim as Shahram Mokarami-Tehrani, 51, a native of Iran who had lived in Los Angeles, but recently was staying overnight at the homeless shelter in Laguna Canyon.
Mokarami-Tehrani was on foot when injured near Big Bend by a vehicle that fled the scene and was discovered by another motorist about 3:21 a.m. Monday, Feb. 24, Callus said.
Anyone with information should contact Callus at 949 497-0701.
Monday, Feb. 24
Fraud. 1100 block of Laguna Canyon Rd. 8:28 a.m. A resident received a phone call from Kohl’s about the victim’s personal information being used to buy $1,000 in furniture, which was to be delivered to San Bernardino. The delivery was halted.
Vandalism. 200 block of Grandview St. 4:58 p.m. A car was keyed.
Tuesday, Feb. 26
Vehicle burglary. Cliff Dr. 2:23 p.m. Someone smashed a window sometime in the previous three hours and took a bag valued at $250.
Friday, Feb. 28
Vehicle burglary. 14-00596. 500 block of S. Coast Hwy. 7 a.m. A window in a vehicle parked in an underground parking structure was smashed and a purse was stolen containing valuables pegged at $1,800.
Road closure. Seventh Avenue. 3 p.m. Lanes submerged with rainwater were closed and traffic diverted briefly around the hospital until maintenance workers extracted a drain-blocking parade sign that had tumbled from the sidewalk.
Traffic stop. Cleo St. 8:15 p.m. A 24-yer-old Mission Viejo man was arrested for DUI and held for $10,000 due to a prior offense.
Saturday, March 1
Traffic stop. Crown Valley. 1:45 a.m. A 28-year-old Mission Veijo man was cited for DUI and held for $2500 bail.
Drunk driving. City limits north. 8:38 p.m. A 43-year-old Costa Mesa man was cited for DUI and held for $2500 bail.
Pedestrian stop. 600 block of N. Coast Hwy. 10:09 p.m. Joshua Michael Lee Miles, 27, of San Juan Capistrano was arrested for three drug paraphernalia warrants and a DUI warrant.
Sunday, March 2
Traffic stop. Ocean Ave. 12:09 a.m. A 23-year-old Lake Forest woman was cited for DUI and held for $2500 bail.
Speed race. Upland Rd. 12:44 a.m. An officer who observed a vehicle speeding arrested a 31-year-old Laguna Beach man for suspicion of DUI and was held for $10,000 bail due to a prior offense eight years ago.
Occupied vehicle. 200 block of Ocean Ave. 1:51 a.m. A 24-year-old Aliso Viejo man was cited for DUI and held for $2,500 bail.
Suspicious vehicle. 3200 block of Alta Laguna Blvd. 6 a.m. Aimee Dawn Hart, 43, who appeared to be living out of her car, was arrested for suspicion of a felony, evading police with wanton disregard for the safety of others. She ran stop signs and drove on the wrong side of the road in attempting to flee police. Ultimately, she stopped at the fire road gate at Summit Dumond near Alta Laguna Park after throwing $1,100 in cash out the window. Bail was set at $20,000.
Traffic stop. Ledroint. 7:39 p.m. A 33-year-old Ohio man was cited for DUI and held for $2500 bail.
