LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department is seeking witnesses to an early morning hit-and-run collision involving drunk driving that that left two people seriously injured.
At 2 a.m. Wednesday Lakeport Police officers were dispatched to the area of N. Main and Ninth streets to investigate the report of a hit-and-run vehicle collision involving a sport utility vehicle and a 18-wheeled truck. Police said the reporting party advised that both vehicles were unoccupied.
While en route, officers were diverted to the report of an in-progress disturbance in front of the Anchorage Inn, less than a block away from the collision scene, police said.
Officers arrived at the Anchorage Inn and located two intoxicated male subjects, ages 23 and 24, who were both injured and had blood on their skin and clothing. Police said both men denied having any knowledge of the hit-and-run collision.
The Lakeport Fire Protection District was requested to respond to the scene to check both subjects' injuries while officers also responded to the collision scene to conduct an investigation, according to the Lakeport Police report.
Officers determined that the unoccupied 18-wheeled rock truck had been parked facing south along the west curb of N. Main Street just south of Ninth Street when a black 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer traveling north in the northbound lane of N. Main Street – at a speed estimated to be at least 40 miles per hour – left its lane and traveled northwest across all lanes of N. Main Street and hit the rock truck head on, police reported.
Officers determined that the subjects from the Anchorage Inn call were in fact involved in the collision and had fled the scene immediately after it happened.
Both subjects were transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital for treatment with the driver, identified as Kevin Cody Hermo, 23, of Kelseyville, arrested for felony drunk driving causing injury and felony hit-and-run with injury. Police said a blood sample was taken from Hermo for testing for drugs or alcohol.
Due to the severity of the injuries sustained by Hermo and the male passenger, Sutter Lakeside staff had them both flown by helicopter to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital where they currently remain for treatment, according to police.
During the investigation, officers also located approximately 2 pounds of suspected marijuana in the the Trailblazer which was impounded for further examination and processing for additional evidence, police said.
This investigation is currently ongoing and the Lakeport Police Department is asking that anyone with information on this incident contact Officer Tyler Trouette or Sgt. Gary Basor at 707-263-5491 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Police seek hit-and-run DUI crash witnesses
- Lake County News reports
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