NORTH COAST, Calif. – A Lucerne man has been arrested after law enforcement officials said he shot two Eureka residents to death on Wednesday.
Jason Michael Arreaga, 29, was arrested early Thursday morning on two counts of homicide, according to a report from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office.
Just after 5 p.m. Wednesday the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call regarding shots fired and a deceased female at a residence in the 4400 block of Fieldbrook Road in Fieldbrook, the report said.
Deputies and medical personnel were dispatched to the scene. While deputies were en route the sheriff’s office received additional calls with the callers saying the female was deceased near a trailer on the property and there was a male yelling for help in the driveway, officials said.
The sheriff's report said the first deputy, who arrived on scene at 5:17 p.m., immediately learned there were two victims – Harley Wayne Hammers Jr., 37, and an adult female, later identified as Angel Robin Tully, also 37 – both of whom had been shot.
Hammers was located by the deputy across the street from where the shooting had occurred. Medical personnel treated Hammers for gunshot wound injuries and transported him to Mad River Community Hospital where he was pronounced deceased, the report said.
Tully was declared deceased at the scene, according to the report.
The sheriff’s office said its detectives responded to the scene, and the California Highway Patrol and Humboldt County Public Works assisted with closing Fieldbrook Road, from Anker Lane to Wagle Lane, which had become part of the crime scene.
Sheriff’s deputies and detectives searched the area for a shooting suspect and spoke with witnesses, the report said. Detectives learned during their investigation that Arreaga had been in an argument with the victims.
Officials said witnesses also reported that Arreaga was driving a Gold 2001 Buick four door sedan.
A be-on-the-lookout subsequently was broadcast for the vehicle to law enforcement agencies.
At approximately 12:30 a.m. Thursday, a Eureka Police Officer spotted the Buick driving southbound on US 101 as it was passing through south Eureka, the report explained.
The Eureka Police Officer followed the vehicle until sheriff’s deputies arrived and assisted in the traffic stop. The vehicle was stopped on US 101 at Singly Hill off ramp, Loleta, according to the report.
Arreaga, who was driving the vehicle, was arrested and transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where he was booked into jail, officials said.
The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office said Arreaga is being held on $1 million bail.
Arreaga was the suspect in an October 2013 assault with a deadly weapon case in Lake County.
In that case, he was charged with stabbing another man during a fight at the Driftwood Lounge in Lucerne, as Lake County News has reported: http://bit.ly/GSbdgF .
In Lake County he also was the suspect in an August 2012 willful cruelty to a child case and an April 2013 resisting arrest case, according to law enforcement records.
Detectives are still on scene in Fieldbrook and still actively working on the case. Sheriff's officials said the detectives have requested that Arreaga’s photograph be withheld at this time while they continue interviewing eye witnesses.
The Humboldt County Coroner’s Office has scheduled the autopsies to be conducted for Saturday.
Officials said additional information may be released at a later time as it becomes available, this is still an active investigation.
Anyone with information for the Sheriff’s Office regarding this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office at 707-445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at 707-268-2539.
Lucerne man arrested for Humboldt County double homicide
- Lake County News reports
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