Man’s Startling Intrusion Frightens Salmon Creek Resident

Emergency vehicle. Cop car light bar

Stock photo by Oliver Cory

About 3 a.m on Saturday, Salmon Creek resident Patrick Keller heard someone or something slamming into the front of his home. “I hear banging on the door like with a shoulder, he explained. “It was slow and loud.” Keller was worried. Two men had invaded the home of an elderly woman in his neighborhood two months earlier, tied her up and ransacked her residence.

He could see a man through one of his windows. “He was totally trying to get in my house through the locked door,” Keller said.

Keller looked to see that his three-year-old who had fallen asleep on the couch was still safe. The thudding stopped and Keller could see a man walking off his front porch. He ran to put on his pants. Then looked out the window.

“I noticed that the car door was open,” he said. “I started calling for my dog.” The man came back out of the car.

According to Keller, “That’s when he approached me with his right hand behind his back saying, “Help me…Please just help me.”

Keller said the man looked odd. He explained, “Seemed like he was on drugs. His eyes were as big as saucers.”

Worried the man had a weapon concealed in his right hand, Keller told the man to leave or he would get his gun. He then closed his door.

The intruder ran around to the back of the Tahoe that he had previously been in. “The goat must have startled him and he fell,” Keller said. “He climbed the gate and then he ran away.” Keller said the gate had been closed and locked and the man must have climbed it to get into his yard. “There were neighborhood watch and no trespassing signs,” Keller said, “[and] barbed wire at the top.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office arrived about 45 minutes after his call, Keller said. He lives in a rural area about 30 minutes from Garberville.

“When the sheriffs pulled up, [the man] started yelling,” Keller said. “He told them that [people in a neighboring home] were keeping some girl named Angelica captive and they were hunting him.”

According to Lt. Ken Swithenbank of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, deputies went to the neighbor’s home, discovered several intoxicated people, including a woman with a warrant for her arrest. However, Swithenbank said, no one was being held against their will at the home.

The man, Christopher Gould, and the woman with the warrant were both arrested. Gould was arrested for public intoxication.

According to Keller, “[Gould] opened the ashtray, the center console, and the glove box [on the Tahoe] but there wasn’t really anything for him to take.” But, said Keller, “Around 10:45 [in the morning,] I found a knife beside the vehicle. It was like a pocket knife…It was open not closed.”

A deputy returned and bagged for the knife for evidence.

 

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36 Comments
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field mouse
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field mouse
7 years ago

Zombie invasion?

Gazoo
Guest
Gazoo
7 years ago

I would have filed a missing persons report…

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
7 years ago
Reply to  Gazoo

You are SO funny!

John
Guest
John
7 years ago

Tweekers can do whatever they want with no repercussions.If the homeowner had shot the man he would be in jail. From the sounds of it the homeowner had the right to shoot the invader .Trying to break into someones home with children in the home we should be able to protect ourselves and our property without having to worry about going to jail.

10 toes
Guest
10 toes
7 years ago
Reply to  John

I would have let the whole clip ride on his a-s with my baby laying sleep on the couch !!!! And went back to bed …woke up….and put my nice equipment to work in the morning…nuff said !!!!

hmm
Guest
hmm
7 years ago
Reply to  10 toes

You would shit yourself in fear.

Roy
Guest
Roy
7 years ago

Support the right to arm bare goats!

Sparklemahn
Guest
Sparklemahn
7 years ago
Reply to  Roy

Certainly.

G-MAS
Guest
G-MAS
7 years ago

No matter what they’re safe. How scary.im glad everyone is alright.Geeze

Michelle Steele
Guest
Michelle Steele
7 years ago

I agree with John everyone who is sane should have the right to bare arm and protect what we worked so hard for and to protect our family

Liz
Guest
Liz
7 years ago

You know with the legalization of weed it is against the law to have a gun, even to protect yourself.

Gazoo
Guest
Gazoo
7 years ago
Reply to  Liz

As of Jan 1, if you are a 215 card holder you will no longer be able to purchase a firearm legally…

field mouse
Guest
field mouse
7 years ago
Reply to  Gazoo

Sounds good to me. drugs and guns together no bueno.

hmm
Guest
hmm
7 years ago
Reply to  Gazoo

This is not new. It has been the case since prop 215 was passed. 215 patients were being denied more than 5 years ago.

americafirst!
Guest
americafirst!
7 years ago
Reply to  Gazoo

You dont know what your talking about!
And as for the future anyone (except felons) will be able to own a gun especially legal business owners. It sounds pretty unconstitutional to me that a legal grower would be stripped of his right to protect his or her own life or families. Let alone the business or property especially in rural areas thats riddled with meth addicts and criminals.
The liberal way is apparently not working besides it being a right and not a priviledge.
Trump will straighten this out.
And you convicted felon hippies are going to be crying for your law abiding neighbors help.

Dennis lewis
Guest
Dennis lewis
7 years ago

Whare can i get one of thoes attack goats i iave plenty of blackberrys to keep him busy when he’s not pn duty

Sparklemahn
Guest
Sparklemahn
7 years ago
Reply to  Dennis lewis

Sears.

Passerby
Guest
Passerby
7 years ago

I’m sure his buddies appreciated the house call from the sheriff. Brain dead unpredictable fucktards. Super glad the guy and his kid are safe. And the goat!

Christine Rogers
Guest
Christine Rogers
7 years ago

Here’s the law. But it does have a similar law called the Castle Doctrine (CA Penal Code Section 198.5) which allows the use of deadly force by a homeowner if someone forces or breaks their way into their house unlawfully. The homeowner must fear imminent death or great bodily injury towards themselves or their family in order to justify deadly force.

In addition, the California Criminal Jury Instructions (CALCRIM) allows a jury to acquit someone of homicide based on the Castle Doctrine under CALCRIM #505 & #506.

Both laws define justifiable homicide, but #505 refers to self-defense using deadly force outside the home, while #506 refers to use of deadly force in the case of an unlawful home entry.

In both cases, CALCRIM states a defendant doesn’t have to retreat from an assailant and can even chase them down until the danger has passed.

But defining a justifiable situation may get sticky.

CALCRIM clearly states a person must prove that they or their family were in immediate danger of death or great harm, not potential or future harm. A defendant must prove they felt a home intruder had the intent to harm in order to not get charged with manslaughter or homicide.

Under confusing or unexpected circumstances, a situation may be difficult to read.

CALCRIM, also states a defendant would need to react in a way a ‘reasonable’ person would under the circumstances with the belief of immediate danger. A person doesn’t necessarily have to be right about their belief, they just have to prove to a jury their belief was genuine.

carole
Guest
carole
7 years ago

What happened to the elderly woman? Between the dog and the goat he was pretty well protected. He should have shot him because everyone knows that he had a weapon in his hand.

Shak
Guest
Shak
7 years ago
Reply to  carole

That isn’t reason to shoot. If the man were attacking the man or goat, it would be defensive action to shoot. He wasn’t attacking, he was weirding. Big difference.

Poppins
Guest
Poppins
7 years ago

The incident stated in the article is the very reason it is prudent to take a Concealed Carry Class.

You don’t have to apply for the CCC at the end but you have a wealth of information taught to you regarding the law.

It behooves all citizens to carry the insurance various CCC organizations offer because of the legal advice given to you if you are charged with a crime when defending your family and home.

When you end up deciding to shoot you will faced legal woes, financial woes, possibly a civil court case and soul/heart/mind woes.

I am glad to read that the man did not break the door down and enter the home.

A wise course of action for home owners and tenants is to reinforce your door frame with extra long screws as well as to have exterior lighting that comes on when someone is on your door step or in your yard.

Very sad to read of the elderly lady who was victimized. I hope she gets all the support she needs to overcome such a horrific crime against her.

Seamus
Guest
Seamus
7 years ago
Reply to  Poppins

This should be a featured comment. Every word is great advice. There are always a bunch of keyboard warriors and lawyers spouting nonsense. It is refreshing to see a useful well thought out comment.

Lost Croat Outburst
Guest
Lost Croat Outburst
7 years ago
Reply to  Poppins

ccc does not apply in your own home. You can carry concealed on private property where you legally reside. The class is a good idea.

Emily
Guest
Emily
7 years ago

Sometimes weird things happen. It didn’t sound like he was threatening. I would be on guard but no need to waste the guy, geez. He probably ate too many mushrooms or something have some compassion people. These things happen.

hmm
Guest
hmm
7 years ago
Reply to  Emily

That’s too reasonable for the fear based gun nuts.

Guest
Guest
Guest
7 years ago
Reply to  Emily

It sounds lik he had a knife behind his back

Brian
Guest
Brian
7 years ago

Same fellow was arrested in 2015 at a drug house in Redway with two stolen pistols from the Pacific Outfitters robbery, a syringe and a stun gun. Also a previous weapons charge from 2011. One of So Hums finest.

hmm
Guest
hmm
7 years ago
Reply to  Brian

Thank you for the added info!

Patriot in Willits
Guest
Patriot in Willits
7 years ago

Lethal force may be legally justifiable, but may not be needed in a situation like this. I keep a can of bear spray handy, and a tweeker or a racoon will react similarly. Nobody dies, and nobody is likely to return.

THC
Guest
THC
7 years ago

Just make sure your bear canister holds no more than 2.5 ounces or it’ll be illegal under California law LOL.

River Rat
Guest
River Rat
7 years ago

Where did I put my Pit Bull?

THC
Guest
THC
7 years ago
Reply to  River Rat

Just make sure your dog bites the Invader inside your home, otherwise you’re potentially liable for a lawsuit. Another one of California’s find laws.

Red Woods
Guest
Red Woods
7 years ago

At 3 am when some criminal piece of Humboldt trash is trying to beat your door in the largest canister of bear spray you can find would be good enough response. No less a criminal armed with a knife & with a past of having guns. When they come to pick up this piece of trash maybe you won’t be able to find the canister or save a empty of one of the stupid CA approved sizes.

If its a choice of the dirt bag or me I know who I would choose. If this scum makes it into the house at 3am eight rounds of 12 gauge should be the only response!

Emily
Guest
Emily
7 years ago
Reply to  Red Woods

Hell yeah!!!! Woohoo! Shoot em!!

Trout
Guest
Trout
7 years ago

Back in 1975 my family and I homesteaded in Salmon cr, and along with other familes started the Salmon cr. school. Well it was a very peaceful place. Then a dude showed up from town that the cops in Garberville had crossed with a few days before when he lit a motel on fire. This guy was totaly strung out and had knocked his front teeth with a rock so as he could get painkillers. So he started sneakin around and was just showing up at homesteads scaring the dog crap out of alot of the young mothers around. So we had a community meeting. Everyone was so passive nobody would take any move to remove him. Well my friend and I, well known at the time roped him tied him and put him in the trunk and took him to town and bought him a bus ticket and dropped him off. He sold the bus ticket and went to the hospital for more drugs. Never did get on the bus. Then there were murders, Cathey Davis was murdered by a guy named Palamino. Then there was another murders in whitethorn. So much for fixin crap. If the cops won’t help, fix it yourself. We fixed it, by selling out and moving to the northern rockies, much better. We were one of the first homesteads, before the weed deal got to big . I could see the writing on the wall. Things changed forever cus of the weed.