Sign stealing spree sweeps area

LAKE COUNTY — Last week, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office received reports of more than 50 road signs missing from around the county.

Sheriff’s reports generically describe most of the stolen signs as “road signs,” but specific signs missing include a double arrow sign, a T-intersection sign, an eight-ton limit sign, a 45 mph speed sign and a bus stop ahead sign.

Undersheriff Jay Doyle said that stealing road signs “is not just a prank.”

Emergency response personnel rely on road signs when answering medical or fire emergencies, he said. When the signs are missing “it could potentially be a life-threatening event.”

At this time, LCSO does not have any suspects in this case.

Doyle encourages anyone who may have information to call Crime Stoppers.

During the weekend, the sheriff’s office also responded to the Longhouse bar in St. Ignatius, which was broken into, said  Doyle.

The tribally-owned building’s back door was broken, although there was nothing missing from the building.

“We aren’t sure why the building was broken into,” Doyle said.

At this time, the LCSO does not have any suspects in the case.

On the roads, Francisca Hedoesit, 19, was arrested Sunday morning on charges of criminal endangerment and motor vehicle theft after allegedly stealing an SUV and attempting to run down police officers in pursuit of her.

In the early morning hours on Sunday, Polson Police received a call of a disturbance in the parking lot of the South Shore Lounge.

According to police reports, police approached the scene with lights on, when officers observed a black Land Rover driving erratically at high speeds, driving across lanes of traffic and through the plastic median.

As police approached the vehicle, the driver of the vehicle allegedly did not stop and attempted to ram Polson Police Officer Juan Maso’s patrol car.

In his report, Maso wrote, “In order to avoid a head on collision with the vehicle I moved to the right. However, the vehicle was still coming at me and the headlights were getting brighter. I was afraid the vehicle was going to hit me and I pulled further to the right, forcing me to drive over the median and off the road.”

The SUV continued past Maso at a high rate of speed.

Officers later located the Land Rover in the parking lot of nearby Lambros Reality, but officers did not find the alleged driver.

Lake County Deputy Tony Buff and his K9, Kilo, located Hedoesit behind the building.

Hedoesit was arrested on-site and transported to the Lake County Detention facility, where she awaits arraignment.