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David Williams, 61, was arrested at his Grass Valley home Wednesday morning during the sheriff's county-wide warrant sweep. He was on the sheriff's 10 most-wanted list.
The Union photo by John Hart
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Nevada County Sheriff and Probation officers arrest Kathryn Heffington, 46, at her Rollins Park Drive home Wednesday morning during the warrant sweep.
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From wanted to busted
More than 20 arrested in countywide warrant sweep
By Robyn Moormeister, robynm@theunion.com
» More from Robyn Moormeister
12:01 a.m. PT May 8, 2008
Most of the people arrested in Wednesday's county-wide warrant sweep said they had been planning to surrender to authorities, but they were just trying to get their affairs in order, police said.
One of those people with such unfortunate timing was David Williams, 61, of Grass Valley, one of the sheriff's 10 most wanted.
Williams was wanted for failing to appear in court for two counts of stalking and violation of a protective order, said Nevada County Sheriff's Lt. Frank Koehler.
"This is ridiculous," Williams said as he sat handcuffed on his couch, surrounded by police at about 9 a.m., while a probation officer collected a bagful of medications Williams takes for a heart condition and other medical conditions.
"He didn't know he had a warrant until we read the newspaper this morning," said Williams' ex-wife and caretaker Yong Slape. "He was going to turn himself in this morning, but it was too late. The medication makes him sleep in."
Police told Slape a judge would decide what would happen to her ex-husband.
The caravan of officers headed over to Rollins Park Drive, where they were looking for Kathryn Heffington, 46, wanted for failing to appear for a charge of driving on a suspended license.
"Last time I was here, we got into a fight," said narcotics officer Alicia Milhous. She predicted Heffington would not cooperate.
"Don't come in my bedroom," Heffington yelled at officers as they forced their way into the back of her house.
"We can do this two ways," one officer said before a struggle ensued.
"Let me go," the distraught woman screamed as five officers surrounded her, pinned her to her bed and handcuffed her. A bong was knocked over in the process.
Old scabs on Heffington's arms opened up during the scuffle, getting blood on the officers' gloved hands.
Heffington's boyfriend Martin Dalmau accused officers of "roughing her up," while they reassured him the bed where Heffington was arrested was "nice and soft."
A total of 24 people were arrested in the sweep, including three people who surrendered themselves on the courthouse steps and two people arrested during the sweep for fresh charges not connected to warrants.
One of those was Alexander Forige, 45, who was allegedly growing marijuana without a recommendation at his rented home on Winding Way in Grass Valley.
Officers went to the home looking for someone else with a warrant, who had moved away several months ago, police said.
The entire property on Winding Way smelled of marijuana, which was growing in the basement under light and fans, with an air vent that led outside. Forige allowed the officers to search the home, and they reportedly found a total of 90 plants, Koehler said.
Everyone arrested in the sweep would be arraigned in Nevada County Superior Court either today or Friday, Koehler said.
To contact Staff writer Robyn Moormeister, e-mail rmoormeister@theunion.com or call 477-4236.
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