South Lake Tahoe Police Department

Citing a lack of bear boxes and contractors to install them, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department has extended the July 31, 2018 deadline their installation at vacation home rentals (VHRs) for two months.

The new ordinance that went into effect December 22, 2017 gave homeowners of the VHRs until this month to have them installed. While hundreds have been installed, there are still many waiting to get them in the ground and they are on waiting lists.

South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) had their hands full on Tuesday before, during and after the first of two Phish concerts at the outdoor arena at Harveys Lake Tahoe.

Trash including empty alcohol bottles and beer boxes littered much of the open space surrounding Stateline and Cedar Avenues where hundreds of fans lined the streets. In addition to the trash, pop-up tents with vendors starting selling clothing and other items illegally.

The owner of the corner property, chateau at the Village, sent out crews to help clean, according to SLTPD Lt. David Stevenson.

Road rage over a parking spot in South Lake Tahoe led to the stabbing of a 51-year-old man from San Jose on Thursday, July 12.

At about 10:30 a.m., the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) received numerous 911 calls about a stabbing in front of the CVS Pharmacy located at 3471 Lake Tahoe Blvd.

Upon arrival they found Scott Nevin bleeding from a stab wound. Witnesses identified 71-year-old Paul Ivanovsky from Sparks as the person who allegedly stabbed Nevin, and he was sitting in his car nearby, awaiting the arrival of police.

The annual 4th of July Parade in South Lake Tahoe will go from Ski Run Boulevard to Bijou Community Park starting at 10:00 a.m Wednesday, and motorists need to be aware of some changes and possible delays.

UPDATE 7/2 8:15AM: The victim in Saturday's shooting has been identified as 44-year-old Christopher Kitchen of South Lake Tahoe. The suspect, 62-year-old Roy Figaro of South Lake Tahoe, is in the El Dorado County Jail and is facing murder charges.

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One person has died after being shot Saturday near the Y in South Lake Tahoe.

Just before 5:30 p.m. on June 30, 2018, officers from the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) responded to the 1000 block of Julie lane after several calls were made into dispatch about shots fired.

11:15 p.m. update: According to El Dorado County Jail logs, the suspect who turned themself into law enforcement is Joseph Matthew Chesler, 33, of South Lake Tahoe. His bail has been set at $125,000, $75,000 for Hit and Run Causing Injury/Death and $50,000 for Involuntary Manslaughter.

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An arrest has been made in Tuesday night's fatal hit-and-run crash in South Lake Tahoe.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Additional victims from the Pequenos Rascals Learning Center have come forward in the child sexual assault case against one of the licensees, David Rodriguez-Flores. Sr.

The South Lake Tahoe Police Department, (SLTPD) received information on June 15 of an on-going possible child sexual assault that had occurred at the child care center located at 3336 Sandy Way. Multiple victims came forward and reported a pattern of abuse dating back at least two years.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - After an investigation into an allegation of ongoing child sexual assault at a South Lake Tahoe daycare center, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) have arrested the father of the operator of Pequeños Rascals Daycare.

On June 15, SLTPD first received information about the possible assault occurring at the center located at 3336 Sandy Way. Multiple victims came forward and reported a pattern of abuse dating back at least two years.

The South Lake Tahoe Police Department was kept busy with a couple of different alcohol-related incidents Thursday evening.

The first one occurred when a 22-year-old South Lake Tahoe woman crashed her Chevy Suburban into a Volkswagon Jetta driven by a local man. The woman, who had two children in her vehicle, a 3-year-old and 1 1/2-year-old, was headed northbound on Ski Run Boulevard when she attempted to make a turn onto Tamarack Avenue. She hit the Jetta which was heading eastbound and slowing to stop at the intersection.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office (DCSO) is joining the South Lake Tahoe Fire and Lake Valley Fire medics in having their personnel carrying medication used to block the effects of opioids. Narcan (commercial name for Naloxone) can be given to persons suffering from suspected or accidental opioid overdoses at the earliest possible time to minimize overdosing.

The El Dorado County District Attorney's Office has announced that South Lake Tahoe resident Shannon Patrick Johnson, 33, has been sentenced to four years in state prison after being convicted of felony domestic violence.

On April 17, 2018, Johnson was waiting outside his ex-wife's home so that he could confront her, despite being restrained from contacting her due to a 2017 domestic violence conviction. When the ex-wife exited her home to go to work, he began yelling at her. Hoping to calm him down, she got into his car to talk to him.

Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra’s Elegant Evening 2018 at Harrah’s Tahoe was a huge success and that was due to the generosity of businesses and friends both near and far.

Thank you to all who attended this fun, entertaining and worthwhile event and those that donated to enable our support of the many programs and organizations we assist. As always, all money raised is invested into schools, scholarships, community projects, youth, and services both locally and globally. (www.sitahoesierra.org) .t

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - One man is behind bars and another at Renown Medical Center with life threatening injuries after an altercation Monday between roommates at a Stateline area motel.

At 12:30 p.m. on May 28, officers from the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) responded to a report of a stabbing at the Mark Twain Motel at 947 Park Avenue. Upon arrival they found a 23-year-old man who had recently moved to South Lake Tahoe with numerous life threatening wounds to his head and leg.

Murder charges have been filed against a South Lake Tahoe man, almost ten years after the death of his three-week old baby boy.

On November 14, 2008, officers from the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) arrived at a home after a call about a baby who was found unconscious. The South Lake Tahoe Fire Department arrived shortly after and transported the infant to the hospital where he was declared deceased. Both the baby's mother and father were present at the time police arrived.

Due to the chance of inclement weather on Thursday, May 17, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department Annual Awards Ceremony held in honor of Peace Officer Memorial Week has been moved to the City Council Chambers located at 1901 Airport Road.

The event starts at 4:00 p.m. and will include awards, the retirement of K9 Tara, and the swearing in ceremony of recently selected Sergeant, Jeffrey Roberson.

The 10-year-old Tara's handler is Sergeant Jason Cheney.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – On behalf of Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless (TCH), I would like to thank our community for its support during the third winter season of the South Lake Tahoe Warm Room project. Our organization received donations from over 150 different individuals and businesses and benefited from 64 volunteers who provided over 675 volunteer hours in the Warm Room.

In conjunction with Memorial Day, and the National Peace Officer’s Memorial Week, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department will hold its annual award ceremony on Thursday, May 17, at 4:00 p.m. in front of the station on Johnson Boulevard. The public and city family is invited to attend.

The employee’s and volunteers receiving recognition at this year’s award ceremony are as follows:

Officer Cory Wilson – Bravery
Officer Joseph Acker – Bravery
Officer Chris Webber – Bravery
Officer Anton Kushlan – Bravery
Officer Timothy Peterson – Bravery
Detective Justin Brock – Bravery

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) is looking for a silver Dodge Charger involved in a hit and run on Monday, April 30 at approximately 3:30 p.m.

In a busy Raley's parking lot at the Y in South Lake Tahoe, the charger collided with a white Cadillac SUV then left the scene. The driver was not identified.

SLTPD is seeking the assistance of the public to identify the driver in the silver Dodge Charger. At the time of the hit and run collision, the Raley’s parking lot was busy and likely contained witnesses to this collision.

The Lake Tahoe Humane Society and SPCA organization has elected a new board of directors and all members of the previous board will stepping down.

Michael Dalton will be the new president and is joined by VP of Governance and Compliance Sandra DeLeon, VP of Operations Chantale Hansen, Mariel Berei, secretary and Elizabeth Naylor, treasurer.

Lorna Lefler, Sue Pritchett, and Kim Stephenson, the board who tried to hold things together after the firing of their former executive director, will be stepping down effective immediately.

Connecting with victims and witnesses after a crime is not just the job of law enforcement, its also the job of composite sketch artists.

Imagine talking to a child who just witnessed a horrific crime, a woman who has just been raped, or a man who beaten up as another man murdered, and needing them to remember the face of the perpetrator.

If you had walked onto the LTCC campus on Tuesday, April 3, you would have never guessed that there were 325 6th grade youth and 220 agency and volunteer workers throughout the corridors, all learning information on how and why to keep themselves safe from drugs. “Choices, what are yours?” was the theme of our efforts in keeping our youth drug free. With the country’s attitudes and norms about drug use changing, times are even more difficult for our kids.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The cause of death of the Sacramento resident whose body was found in the Upper Truckee River in South Lake Tahoe on April 9, 2017 has been as accidental drowning by the El Dorado County Coroner.

Pamela Suswinsky, 62, was in town with her ex-husband and friend, Henry Suwinsky, and they were staying at the Motel 6 on Lake Tahoe Blvd. Henry said they came to town because she wanted her dog, Wilson, a 150-plus pound Newfoundland to experience snow for the first time.

Two houses on Bill Avenue in South Lake Tahoe had to deal with flooding Thursday, March 22.

One home had flooding inside while the second home had flooding occur in their driveway.

Public Works staff are trained to assess scenarios and prioritize disaster mitigation. In today’s instance, the home with the flooding inside of the home was given the highest priority. Once mitigation measures were contained, Public Works staff were able to then focus relief efforts on the residence with the flooding in the driveway.

While the public makes plans to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) and other law enforcement agencies are preparing to keep the roadways free of impaired drivers so that everyone can safely enjoy the festivities.

SLTPD is adding two patrols on Saturday to watch for drunk drivers on local roads, and CHP officers will be doing to the same.