Lake Elsinore News Archives

“It was designed to be confusing, but (jurors) stayed with the evidence and took a dangerous person off the street”

By: JOHN HALL - Staff Writer Convicted four previous times of DUI, defendant was driving pickup that slammed into car CORONA -- On this, her fifth drunken driving conviction, Michelle Lynne Coplen was found ... via North County Times

A Riverside County sheriff's deputy suffered minor injuries Monday after he lost control of his patrol car on a slick road and hit a tree, authorities said. via The Californian

A man found shot to death in Lake Elsinore over the weekend was identified Tuesday as a Hemet resident, 49.

Kevin J. Lane was found late Friday in a vehicle in the 15000 block of Grand Avenue, according to sheriff's Investigator Jerry Franchville.

Jeffrey Scott Klinefelter, 42, of Lakeland Village, and Shari Lynn Stokes, 46, of Corona, were arrested Saturday and booked on suspicion of murder.

Stokes was being held at the Robert Presley Detention Center on $1 million bail, and Klinefelter was booked into the Southwest Detention Center with no bail. Read more

“The council told us to take care of this huge problem. It needs to go away”

Parking at schools, vicious dogs next up for safety commission LAKE ELSINORE - The parking situation at area schools and problems with vicious dogs are next up for the city's Public Safety Advisory Commission, ... via The Californian

Recently released documents show that a rapist who was the focus of a statewide debate about sex-offender monitoring died of lung and brain cancer. via Press-Enterprise

Four people were under arrest on Sunday in connection with two separate murders in the Lake Elsinore area of west Riverside County, according to the Sheriff's Department.

Jeffery Scott Klinefelter, 42, of Lakeland Village, was arrested Saturday on suspicion of murder and a weapons violation in connection with a male found shot to death late Friday in a vehicle in the 15000 block of Grand Avenue, sheriff's officials said.

Shari Lynn Stokes, 46, of Corona, was arrested in the same incident on suspicion of conspiracy. Read more

Order a copy of this photo Visit our Photo Gallery Homicide investigators called to Lakeland Village parcel LAKELAND VILLAGE ---- Homicide investigators converged on an undeveloped parcel along Grand Avenue in ... via The Californian

“When you have to make up a $10 (million) to $12 million gap, you've got to look at all the options that give you heartburn”

Murrieta schools start to feel belt-tightening By: NICOLE SACK - Staff Writer Official says layoffs ---- including teachers ---- a possibility MURRIETA ---- In anticipation of less money flowing in from the ... via The Californian

“Having grown up playing Martin guitars, this is quite an honor.”

After years of hearing how amazing NAMM is from music journalist colleagues, I finally got to experience it myself last week. via Whittier Daily News

“In my opinion, he can do the rest of his life in prison ... without being a threat to either staff or other inmates”

Defense expert: Yonko would be good inmate if life spared By: JOHN HALL - Staff Writer Jurors also hear from convicted murder's son as a character witness FRENCH VALLEY -- Should jurors ultimately decide ... via North County Times

New city regulations counter crime, news-rack clutter By: AARON CLAVERIE - Staff Writer More safety-advisory commission recommendations in the pipeline LAKE ELSINORE -- Measures approved by the City Council on ... via North County Times

“There is still several million dollars we have to find.”

Deep cuts proposed for Lake Elsinore School District By: AARON CLAVERIE - Staff Writer Educational officials forced to act early on governor's proposed budget LAKE ELSINORE -- Reacting to the governor's ... via The Californian

“Its one of the ways they have kept their culture together”

Video: Expert testimony on the gypsy culture A Gypsy being convicted of murder is uncommon because of the American Gypsy culture's distain for violence, an expert testified Friday in the penalty phase of a ... via The Press-Enterprise

Machado Elementary scores grant funding By: The Californian - Teachers will be making house calls LAKE ELSINORE ---- Machado Elementary School will be receiving $15,000 in state grant money for each of the next ... via The Californian

“We'd have to identify the funding, and it may just be that it helps defray some of the costs, or it could cover the entire renovation”

Video: Expansion delayed at Lake Elsinore Senior Center Some Lake Elsinore seniors say they are disappointed by the city's proposed delay of the expansion and repair of the Senior Citizens Center, a popular ... via The Press-Enterprise

“I don't want you to substitute evidence with emotion ... whether it be anger toward Ms. Coplen or sympathy for Sierra and her family”

Murder trial in child's death begins By: JOHN HALL - Staff Writer Prosecution says four-time drunken driver is to blame; defense says someone else was driving CORONA -- A little more than a year ago, a ... via The Californian

Four people taking part in the armed robbery of an AM/PM store in Wildomar, early this morning, were apprehended in Menifee, at the corner of Murietta Rd and Bundy Canyon Rd. via Menifee 24

“A lot of them get interested in it and want to come back and volunteer”

Resolutions for the institutions Everyone always asks "So what's your New Year's resolution?" And so often it's something that we half-heartedly vow to follow and we do ... until about Jan. via North County Times

“She agreed to have sex with us. We didn't force her.”

Jurors hear rape testimony in death penalty trial FRENCH VALLEY -- As the prosecution continues to tell jurors why convicted murderer Tony Ricky Yonko should die, a woman testified Monday about being raped at ... via North County Times

The remaining two men wanted in connection with a Murrieta "fight club" that investigators said evolved over the past couple of years into a criminal street gang are in custody, police said Sunday. via The Press-Enterprise

“Business has just dried up here”

When houses are selling, the furniture business booms. Folks moving from apartments into houses need new furniture, as do those moving from small houses into larger ones. via San Bernardino County Sun

“Then we went to his office and it was all folded up”

Jury finds former investment brokers guilty of 250 theft-related counts By: CATHY REDFERN - Staff Writer Verdict reading to continue today in county's largest elder fraud case CORONA ---- In what prosecutors ... via The Californian

“At the end of this trial I will ask you to be beacons of light, of hope and of life, and to find that the value of human life wins over death.”

A Lake Elsinore man recently convicted of murder should not be condemned to death because of one choice he made in a lifetime, his defense attorney told jurors Thursday. via Press-Enterprise

“This is going to be the most difficult time of this trial because you will have the most difficult task”

Death penalty phase of murder trial under way By: JOHN HALL - Staff Writer Jurors must decide fate of Lake Elsinore man FRENCH VALLEY ---- Having already decided that Tony Ricky Yonko murdered a Lake Elsinore ... via North County Times

“Ultimately, everything will go to downloads. It's just a matter of time”

With the recent announcements that Warner Home Video, New Line Home Entertainment and HBO have decided to distribute future titles exclusively with the Blu-ray Disc format, do we now have a winner in the ... via Press-Enterprise

“Conveniently for him, we had taken out one of the back seats for our dog”

Order a copy of this photo Visit our Photo Gallery Murrieta police officers searched houses and yards in a concentrated area near Morningstar Drive and Hollyleaf Lane where suspect Robert Eugene Anderson was ... via North County Times

“The news racks are an obstruction to getting from the car to the front door”

Lake Elsinore adopts rules for racks LAKE ELSINORE -- This city now has rules for racks. via The Californian

“The next thing she remembers was being somewhere in Mexico”

Three men to stand trial in kidnapping By: JOHN HALL - Staff Writer Alleged victim was the girlfriend of one of the men and says she was left in Mexico FRENCH VALLEY -- Three Lake Elsinore-area men must stand ... via North County Times

NORTH COUNTY ---- At least five sandbag centers have been set up to help North County residents prepare for this weekend's predicted rains. via The Californian

“It was like something picked me up off my feet and swept me away”

Order a copy of this photo Visit our Photo Gallery Hard work pays off for Lake Elsinore native By: JENNIFER KABBANY - For The Californian Jesus 'HalfAnimal' Villa makes name for himself LAKE ELSINORE ---- A ... via North County Times

Fifteen graduates of Crafton Hills College's School of Public Safety received their emergency medical technician-paramedic certificates at the 68th paramedic graduation ceremony in December. via San Bernardino County Sun

“We've had to chase people off that think they're 'king of the world.' They don't realize how high it is”

Robbie Maddison landed there. The 26-year-old Australian daredevil, who broke the world motorcycle jumping record on New Year's Eve in Las Vegas, tuned up his motorcycle during practice runs at the park, ... via The Californian

A kayaker who apparently drowned during a Lake Elsinore outing was identified Wednesday as a 31-year-old Los Angeles man. via KNBC Los Angeles Channel 4

“We're excited about getting the property because it's difficult to find such a large piece”

Resolutions for the institutions Everyone always asks "So what's your New Year's resolution?" And so often it's something that we half-heartedly vow to follow and we do ... until about Jan. via North County Times