Mid-Valley Briefs

Mid-Valley Briefs from Tuesday's paper.

Yuba City

Fine, probation for newspaper editor

Appeal-Democrat Editor Len La Barth, who was arrested July 24 on suspicion of driving under the influence, pleaded no contest Monday in Sutter County Superior Court to a reduced charge of reckless driving after consuming alcohol.

Visiting Judge Ann Rutherford fined La Barth $857 and ordered him to attend a driving under the influence school. He will be on informal probation for two years.

In a separate action, the Department of Motor Vehicles suspended La Barth's driver's license for 30 days.

The arrest, which did not involve an accident or injury, was La Barth's first on suspicion of driving under the influence. The DUI charge was dropped.

"I regret the uncharacteristic lack of judgment that resulted in this incident," La Barth said. "I apologize to those affected by my actions."

Yuba City

Father shoots son by accident

A Yuba City man accidentally shot his 13-year-old son, who had been mistaken for a prowler, with a shotgun, a Sutter County Sheriff's Department official said Monday.

The incident in the 3400 block of South Walton Avenue was reported at 10:28 p.m. Sunday.

The man's wife told deputies she woke her husband at 10:20 p.m. after hearing what she thought was a prowler outside. The man went outside with the shotgun, which accidentally discharged into the ground. Pellets ricocheted and hit the boy in the right shoulder, right leg, face and neck, said department spokeswoman Brenda Banker.

The father drove the son to Rideout Memorial Hospital.

Baker said the boy is believed to have undergone surgery. Information on his condition was not available Monday.

Baker did not comment on whether the man will be charged, saying the incident is being investigated. His name was not disclosed.

Olivehurst

Two arrested in alleged burglary

Two men were arrested on suspicion of burglary after they were found hiding under a quilt in a 76-year-old Olivehurst woman's garage, Yuba County Sheriff Steve Durfor said Monday.

The incident occurred shortly before midnight Saturday at the woman's home in the 5000 block of Canal Street.

The woman became suspicious when she noticed a light was on in her garage and called 9-1-1. Deputies found Jacob Alexander Malone, 25, of Olivehurst, and Ryan Michael Chittenden, 29, of Marysville, under the quilt, said Durfor.

"Deputies found a pile of items the men had made, which they intended to take with them" as well as several items hidden near the back of the woman's property, the sheriff said.

The suspects admitted breaking into the woman's vehicle and using the garage door opener inside to gain entry. Both were booked into Yuba County Jail and were being held Monday on $50,000 bail.