Cop Shop
Jenny Smith pleads guilty
On Tuesday, January 6, Jennifer Smith pled guilty to the charges of discharging a firearm within town limits. Her case was set to start trial on January 7 at the California Superior Court in Mammoth.
On June 28, Smith used her roommate’s BB gun to scare away a bear that had previously been on her porch and around her dumpster. Mammoth Lakes Wildlife Specialist Steve Searles responded to the scene and cited Smith, who was unaware that shooting a BB gun within town limits was illegal. In later discussions with the Sheet and on social media websites, Smith questioned Searles’ qualifications.
Searles was subpoenaed to the court on Wednesday. “I’m disappointed that I didn’t get the chance to clear my name,” he said. “I was really looking forward to everybody hearing the truth.”
Smith became aware of the possibility to settle with the DA on Monday. “The deal that the District Attorney and I made kind of fit for the situation,” Smith said. “They dropped the misdemeanor and I had admitted to firing the BB gun.”
Smith was fined $400 and sentenced to 20 hours of community service. She told the Sheet she would like to pick up trash around dumpsters throughout town to fulfill her community service obligation. “It’s kind of righting the wrong or trying to help out with the whole bear problem instead of doing something unrelated,” Smith said.
“Mammoth Lakes’ Town ordinance states that an air compressed gun is illegal to shoot. Ignorance of law is no defense,” she continued. “I think after this whole incident a good number of people, including myself, have found out that BB guns and Air Soft guns are illegal for the first time.”
Picnic Grounds crash
On January 2, at approximately 11:23 p.m., a California Highway Patrol (CHP) Bridgeport Area officer responded to a reported traffic collision which occurred on Picnic Grounds Road east of US-395. Upon arrival, the CHP officer discovered a Chevrolet 2500HD on its side approximately 20 feet off the roadway. The roof of the Chevrolet was collapsed, indicating the vehicle had overturned at a high rate of speed. A child passenger was trapped inside the vehicle.
Lee Vining Fire Department personnel cut structural members of the vehicle to facilitate extraction of the child, who was not injured.
The officer contacted the driver of the Chevrolet and identified him as Mr. Kyle C. Pinizzotto, age 34, of Lee Vining, California. While conducting the traffic collision investigation, the CHP officer noted Mr. Pinizzotto displayed signs and symptoms of alcohol impairment. Mr. Pinizzotto was arrested on misdemeanor driving under the influence (DUI) charges and felony child endangerment charges. Mr. Pinizzotto was released from custody to medical personnel and transported via air ambulance to Renown Medical Center in Reno, Nevada for evaluation and medical treatment. The Chevrolet was towed for safe keeping.
