DUI suspected in Ice House side-by-side rollover

Isaac Streeter

Staff writer

The Georgetown Fire Department along with automatic and mutual aid resources from the U.S. Forest Service, California Highway Patrol and CALSTAR air ambulance responded to an off-road vehicle roll over on Ice House Road near Loon Lake July 1 at 4:29 p.m.

The driver of the Can-Am Maverick off-road, side-by-side vehicle was identified by CHP public

Speedway Continued from A6 crossed the line in fourth with Bubba Decaires having a fantastic run from 14th to fifth.

The 30-lap U.S. Auto Club Western States midget feature saw former series champion Blake Bower take the early lead, before two-time champ Michael Faccinto passed him on lap four. Some of the best entertainment in the main event came from Cade Lewis, who ran the high side like a young Jac Haudenschild.

After bringing out an early caution Lewis blasted through the field and got back up third with 16 laps complete. As he rapidly closed on Faccinto and runner up Brody Fuson, Lewis got into the cushion a bit too hard and stalled the car, ending his stellar run.

After the restart, Fuson made the information officer Andrew Brown as 27-year-old Brandon E. Pierce of Yuba City and his passenger as 26-year-old Oscar Vargas-Cervantes of Sacramento. Pierce was suspected of being intoxicated while driving the vehicle and was arrested for charges related to DUI causing injury. He was taken into custody by CHP officers at the scene. VargasCervantes was transported via CALSTAR air ambulance to Renown Medical Center in Reno, Nev., due to possible serious head injuries. pass of Faccinto in impressive fashion and went on to accept the checkered flag. Faccinto, Randi Pankratz, Danika Jo Faccinto and Ron Hazleton completed the top five.

The 20-lap Tracy Taylor Memorial for the Bay Cities Racing Association wingless lightning sprints saw Dakota Albright lead up front for the duration, but several others did not make it easy on him. Youngster David Gasper, winged sprint car regular Shane Hopkins and others raced high and low on the bullring.

Early on it looked like lightning sprint legend Scott Kinney may have a shot at the win but he encountered issues with 11 laps down. Hopkins then appeared to have a car to beat but hopped over a right rear just past the halfway point, which sent him for a set

Two Georgetown Fire Department volunteers arrived quickly at the scene and began providing advanced life support care. They reported the vehicle had rolled over approximately 50 feet off the roadway. Both Pierce and Vargas-Cervantes sustained injuries but were not trapped when first responders arrived.

Brown also noted off-highway vehicles such as side-by-sides are not permitted on Ice House Road and DUI is “always prohibited everywhere.” of barrel rolls. He luckily emerged OK but was done for the race.

After that Gasper ran the ragged edge in his attempt to get by the leader, but Albright never wavered en route to the victory. Gasper ended up second, with Greg Dennett, Cody Meyers and Zack Schmidt rounding out the top five.

The pure stocks displayed several thrills of their own. The 20-lap finale saw Oakley’s Nick Baldwin and Dan Jinkerson battle it out with the duo racing inches apart from each other. Fourth of July winner Thomas Arbogast then joined the party and made it a three car fight up front. At one point in heavy duty lapped traffic the trio zigged and zagged their way down the front stretch, as the crowd came to their feet. Jinkerson ultimately withstood every challenge from Arbogast as the race wound down to pick up his 38th career pure stock win at Placerville Speedway. Arbogast capped a solid week by finishing in the runner up spot, followed by Baldwin, Kevin Jinkerson and Bill O’Neal. region, giving locals a hometown team and fast-paced entertainment, with a commitment to giving back and growing the game of hockey in the community.” The ECHL has been active since 1988 and holds affiliations with 28 of the 32 National Hockey League teams on a minor league basis. The Tahoe expansion franchise will be the furthest west franchise in the league when play begins late next year.

The Placerville Speedway returns to racing this coming Saturday, July 15, with Red Hawk Casino Night.

The Tahoe team will have an NHL affiliate that is expected to be announced in February 2024.

Tebow is a minority partner in two ECHL teams, the Jacksonville Icemen and Savannah Ghost Pirates, and this will be the first franchise he owns himself as he goes into business with David Hodges, CEO of a firm based in Jacksonville, Fla., which manages several real estate companies and car dealerships.

Tebow, who lives in Florida, told the Tahoe Daily Tribune he does not plan to move to the Tahoe region.

The unnamed expansion team is taking suggestions for a team name through Friday, Aug. 4. Submitting a name enters participants into a drawing for an in-game experience as well as a signed jersey. Suggest a name at laketahoeprohockey.com/nameyour-team. Future fans can also place a $100 deposit for the season tickets waiting list.

When Tebow’s squad takes to the ice, it won’t be the first time Lake Tahoe has hosted a professional hockey team. The Tahoe Icemen played on the California side of the border at the South Lake Tahoe Ice Arena as members of the Western States Hockey League 2013-18. The Tahoe Blue Event Center in Stateline, Nev., is located at the center of the busy Lake Tahoe area that attracts more than 15 million visitors annually, spurred by skiing and casinos.

“As a recreation and sports-passionate destination that has hosted numerous high-caliber sports over the years, we welcome the ECHL to Lake Tahoe and the Tahoe Blue Event Center,” said Carol Chaplin, president and CEO of Visit Lake Tahoe. “The addition of an ECHL team will greatly complement our year-round venue programming, not to mention delighting both visitors and residents alike for years to come.”

The multipurpose arena is managed by OVG360, a division of Oak View Group, which owns and operates two NHL properties Seattle, Wash., and Belmont Park, N.Y., and manages two additional NHL arenas in Pittsburgh, Penn., and Phoenix, Ariz., as well as multiple AHL, ECHL and college hockey arenas across North America.

“We are excited to welcome the newest ECHL franchise to Tahoe and the Tahoe Blue Event Center,” said Kevin Boryczki, general manager of the Tahoe Blue Events Center. “The atmosphere inside the arena is going to be electric for both the fans and players.”

Outside of professional sports Tebow has become best known around the world for his work with the Tim Tebow Foundation, a nonprofit organization with a mission is to “bring faith, hope and love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need.” The foundation fights for people who can’t fight for themselves in more than 80 countries and counting.

Tebow is also an entrepreneur, fivetime New York Times best-selling author, sports broadcaster and investor. Tahoe Daily Tribune staff writer Ashleigh Goodwin contributed to this report.