South Lake Tahoe, CA- SLTPD were alerted to a possible wanted fugitive in our city this afternoon. Police were told the suspect said if they were stopped, they had explosive devices and would set them off.
The vehicle was located near Emerald Bay on Highway 89 by California State Parks Officers and El Dorado County Sheriff’s Deputies. Due to the nature of the threat, SLTPD responded to assist. The vehicle stopped just north of the Vikingsholm parking lot.
The female driver, 21-year-old Alana Blakemore, was arrested at the scene and transported to Barton Hospital for drug ingestion and possible overdose. The male passenger, later identified as 24-year-old Hobie Gregory, took off running toward the lake.
When Blakemore was arrested, she dropped a large backpack in the middle of the roadway, prompting the highway closure. Tahoe Douglas Explosive Ordinance Disposal Team (EOD) and El Dorado County EOD responded. There was still concern that Hobie Gregory also had an explosive device so SLTPD SWAT team was activated.
During this investigation, an alert driver saw a suspicious subject, who turned out to be Gregory, hitchhiking near Camp Richardson. That driver said they saw the suspicious subject get picked up and followed as he was dropped off at Raley’s at the Y.
SLTPD patrol officers and SWAT team responded to Raley’s. With the help of store staff, SLTPD were able to locate and arrest Gregory. The store was searched and no explosive device was found. Gregory was booked into the El Dorado County Jail on charges of resisting arrest.
At the time of this release, Alana Blakemore was still being treated at Barton Hospital. Her charges are pending further investigation by California State Parks Police. The backpack and Blakemore’s vehicle were cleared by EOD teams and no explosive devices were located. This investigation is ongoing.