4-YEAR-OLD GIRL SUBJECT OF NATIONAL SEARCH, FOUND IN VC

4-YEAR-OLD OHIO GIRL SOUGHT NATIONALLY FOUND AT LOCAL FARM:
MORNING STAR RANCH FOLKS ARE “HEROES” SAYS SHERIFF’S SGT BISHOP
EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT
After her picture was broadcast nationally across America’s airwaves and police were stumped as to where a 4-year old little girl, her mother, and her mother’s sex offender boyfriend—both federal fugitives—were hiding—she turned up in Valley Center late on Tuesday.
Sheriff’s Sgt. Bob Bishop Wednesday was calling the residents of Morning Star Ranch “heroes” in the case, for alerting the authorities that the little girl was staying there—and for helping the authorities to bag the fugitives.
Four-year-old Haylee Dona-than was found on Valley Center’s Morning Star Ranch Tuesday evening, where her mother, Candace Watson, 24 and boyfriend, Robbie Potter, 27 were arrested.
Potter was being sought by the The U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force, which had offered a $10,000 reward for him. He recently escaped from a halfway house on the same day that the mother and her child disappeared from Mansfield, Ohio.
They had been sought in a much publicized manhunt that had included TV shows such as Nancy Grace’s cable show. It is likely that someone at Morning Star Ranch alerted the authorities.
According to Sgt. Bishop, “Some people who had been living at Morning Star Ranch were in the process of moving back east. As they passed through Las Vegas yesterday, they saw a billboard with the photos of Robbie Potter, 27 and Haylee Donathan, 4.”
The billboard said that Potter was wanted by the U.S. Marshal's Office in Ohio. He had fled from a half-way house he was in after being paroled for a bank robbery charge. Potter had a prior conviction for sexually attacking minors.
The people who recognized the man on the billboard, called back to the ranch and got a hold of the owner as he recognized the billboard photos as people who came the ranch about a week ago and were now living there.
According to Bishop, the owner of the ranch had one of his people call 911 and he came out to the end of Key's Creek and met with deputies.
“We showed him the photos from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Website.
Wade Skinner, farm manager, was the man who met with Sgt. Bishop of the VC Sheriff’s Substation, Sgt. Hank Ramelli, his two deputies DeLocht and Wilson, and Bishop’s three detectives, Anderson, DiBene and Blackmon, as well as CHP Officer Lowery.
Wade drew a lay out for the ranch house and grounds for the police
With the Sheriff’s ASTREA helicopter nearby, Wade kept in touch via cell phone with the people still at the ranch.
“They kept and eye on Potter, so we knew right where he was. When Potter entered his room with Haylee, we moved in. The patrol guys went to the front of the house, the detectives and I covered the back of the house. We were able to get right up on Potter,” said Bishop.
Potter offered no resistance.
Haylee’s mother, Candace Watson was in the room with Haylee. She was also taken into custody.
Reportedly Watson met Potter through her brother and helped Potter escape from the half-way house. Also she paid the bills for their trip across country. After picking Potter up from the half-way house, they went by Watson's mother’s house and grabbed Haylee. Watson's mother is the legal guardian of Haylee.
Crestline Police Department (Ohio) and U.S. Marshals for northern Ohio tracked the trip to about Denver before they lost them.
According to Bishop, “They are screamingly happy with Valley Center sheriff's as they had put in hundreds of man hours into this chase. We got U.S. Marshal's San Diego involved. Deputy Paul Beal took the lead and obtained confessions from both adults.”
Potter was booked into federal custody on a federal fugitive warrant (No bail). Watson was booked into Vista Detention Facility on an Ohio state warrant (her bail was set at $500,000).
“Haylee was unharmed, cute as a bug and happy. We took her to Poliniski Children's Center after feeding her pizza and giving her a Teddy Bear.
“U.S. Marshal's are taking it from here. The heroes in this are the folks out at the ranch. They could not have been more helpful to us,” said Bishop.

OH THOSE CARS!

About 80 Pace Arrows, a classic car from the 1930s, will visit Palomar Mountain Tuesday, (tomorrow) as part of a National Car Club Tour. For more information visit www.pierce-arrow.org/ There will be nearly 200 people in the group. So many that they will take the Observatory tour in two shifts. The ladies will be attired in vintage clothing. The group will visit the Round House Ranch around noon for lunch.

LIGHTNING STRIKES/FIRE FEARS

Lightning strikes are occurring throughout North County, with hail falling in Valley Center.

While many fires have been reported, no fires have been located. Cal Fire's Air Tactics Plane is doing a lightning recon in the northern part of the county.

HELLHOLE FRIENDS WANT YOU TO JOIN THE PARADE

The Friends of Hellhole Canyon are inviting you to join them aboard their western horse-drawn carriage for Valley Center's annual Western Days parade this coming Saturday, May 23.

Or, if you are a rider you are invited to bring your horse and march in their horse riding contingent.

Call 751-1443 for directions or more info.

Collecting Food

Scout Troop 4220 will be collecting canned food items for the local food pantry Thursday, May 21 at the VC Farmers Market, 3:30–5:30 p.m. Items will be donated to St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry. Contact Annie Brown at 742-2006 or 522-3046.

GET READY FOR BARBECUE!

As Western Days approaches (May 22-24) I want to remind you about one of the best good eating deals you will find on that Saturday, the Homesteaders 4-H barbecue, which is held in VC Community Hall.

Fat Ivor's is making the beans for the 4-H'rs this year, and we know how good their beans are! You will see their meat smoker right at the top of the hill by the Community Center.

As usual the barbecue will begin immediately after the parade and will end at 6 p.m. or when they run out. This is a very good, sit-down barbecue meal indoors. It feels great in the cool downstairs dining area especially after being at the parade or out around the carnival.

The Homesteaders will be your servers and the meal includes beef or pork, beans, potato salad or coleslaw, a roll and a drink. The ticket prices for the entire meal are $9 for adults and $6 for children 11 and under. I've had this barbecue and can attest to how good it is.

NO "SWINE FLU" AT HIGH SCHOOL

I contacted school Supt. Lou Obermeyer to follow up on an anonymous report I had gotten today about there being two "Swine" flu cases at Valley Center High School.

The answer was "no."

"No, we thought we had one, but the mom took the child to the doctor, did a swab, and it was not the swine flu," Dr. Obermeyer told me.