Wanted murder suspect arrested in Loleta
A man wanted for murder in Washington state was arrested early this morning in Loleta after fleeing law enforcement, crashing his car on Lundblade Mill Road and rushing into a wooded area he was able to avoid to be captured for a while.
According to a press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, William Lee Rickman was apprehended after a nearby resident called law enforcement to report a man had approached their house and asked a taxi.
“The deputies responded to the residence, located Rickman and took him into custody without further incident,” the statement said. Rickman was jailed on a fugitive warrant and is being held without bail pending his extradition.
The HCSO statement said the department received reports on Thursday that Rickman may be in the Loleta area and that officers from the Bear River Tribal Police Department first located him in a vehicle just after midnight in the 600 block of Singley Hill Road.
As MPs responded, the statement said Rickman fled in the vehicle, which was later found crashed on Lundblade Mill Road.
“Sheriff’s Deputies HCSO K9 Yahtzee and officers from the California Highway Patrol searched the wooded area near the abandoned vehicle in an attempt to locate Rickman,” the statement said. “Despite extensive search efforts, the teams were unable to locate Rickman.”
Shortly thereafter, a call came from a nearby resident that a stranger was asking to take him away and Rickman was then taken into custody.
Read the HCSO press release below:
On January 6, 2022, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office received reports that a wanted homicide suspect in Washington state may have been in the Loleta area.
At around 12:01 am on January 7, officers from the Bear River Tribal Police Department located the suspect, William Lee Rickman, 46, inside a vehicle in the 600 block of Singley Hill Road. As MPs drove to the scene, Rickman fled in the law enforcement vehicle. While searching for Rickman in the Loleta area, MPs learned that the vehicle associated with Rickman had crashed into Lundblade Mill Road and Rickman allegedly fled on foot from the vehicle.
Sheriff’s Deputies HCSO K9 Yahtzee and officers from the California Highway Patrol searched the wooded area near the abandoned vehicle in an attempt to locate Rickman. Despite extensive search efforts, teams were unable to locate Rickman.
Shortly thereafter, a local resident contacted law enforcement, reporting that a male subject unknown to the resident had arrived at his home to request a ride. MPs responded to the residence, located Rickman and took him into custody without further incident.
Rickman was incarcerated in the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on a fugitive from justice warrant (PC 1551 (a)). He is being held without bail, pending his extradition to Washington.
Anyone with information about this matter or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Information Line at (707) 268 -2539.
