December 2007 - Police Complaint regarding Ed Black
I was forced to move to my cabin in Cedar Slope due to financial problems in October of 2005. I had previously paid Ed Black, recommended by the Cedar Slope Mutual Water Company, to watch my cabin. (See police report, 02-6094 on burglary, 2002). Black had a key to my cabin as part of the services offered for security.
I am the full time caretaker for my son, who suffered two major brain injuries. He is entirely blind in one eye, partially blind in the other, has cognitive issues and walked only with the aid of a walker or cane.
I work on line and especially when on deadline will work through the night. In early 2006, in April, I was sleeping in having worked late when Black used the key provided to him and entered my home without knocking. I screamed and he left. My car was parked out front. There could have been no doubt that I was in residence. I demanded the return of the key. Black brought it to my door. We did not speak.
Soon thereafter Black began lingering in his truck near my lot. I tried to avoid and ignore him.
During the winter of 2007, Black changed his manner of plowing the snow. Until the winter of 2007, Black cleared all snow from the road so I could access the road and my driveway.
In early spring, 2007 Black began to stop in the road below my cabin and park, staying in his truck. I could see him staring up into my windows.
I have on three occasions seen him masturbating while sitting in his truck and staring up into my windows. These incidents are frightening. He knew I could see him and this did not alter his behavior. I became afraid to walk by myself.
In the summer of 2007 Arthur, without telling me his intention, decided to walk down to Pierpoint. Discovering he had not returned from what was to be a walk to the store at the top of the hill I started looking for him. I called the sheriff. A short time later the sheriff drove up with Arthur in the car.
Arthur told me while walking back from Pierpoint he became exhausted and stopped to rest. Black drove by and paused when Arthur asked for a ride. Black gunned his engine and left him at the side of the road to be found by the Sheriff a few minutes later. A few minutes after Arthur was returned by the Sheriff, Black called me to tell me he had not seen Arthur.
This lie, which placed my son at risk, caused me to feel threatened by Black's pattern of devious behavior.
In December of 2007, while I was taking a walk, Black told me I was not permitted to park my car on the flat area above the house though the area is used in just that way by multiple owners. He was abrupt and hostile. I parked there anyway because it made it easier for my son to get into the car. The next time I used my car, just as I got to the top of the hill onto Highway 190 the next day, my brakes failed. The pedal went all the way to the floor and the brakes failed.. I had the car towed into my repairman in Porterville, Kevin at 360 Degree Auto on Olive, and he said the brakes could have been cut. A deputy went by to take pictures and agreed it looked intentional. I filed a police report (Case No. 08-0091 )
Subsequently Deputy Sheriff Winters arranged to come to my house and was unable to get down the road because of the build up of ice there. I mentioned some part of what is here to him but made no formal report at that time. I found that I was having trouble sleeping for fear of what might happen next.
A few months later, June of 2008, my car had an electrical problem and I borrowed another car for transportation. My car remained in my driveway. In January I decided to get my car fixed and renew the registration. A friend of mine, Courtney Gillespie, a tow truck driver, towed my car to the top of the hill, around 4 yards off the road so AAA will not pick up in the subdivision. The car was parked well off the road on private property.
Milborn Ellis, a member of my church said he would come by while it was there to look it over and let me know if he could fix it. Milborn is a master mechanic. Milborn identified the problem as one he could not fix and I began arrangements to have it towed.
The day AAA was to be moved a tow truck came and, without my knowledge, impounded. I believe Black was responsible for complaining and having my car impounded.
Due to the severity of the snow fall in late February I went to stay with friends in Springville for a few days. When I returned my satellite dish receiver had been vandalized, the coaxial lines connected to my satellite dish receiver had been ripped out. Deputy Winters came out, took photographs, and filed it as vandalism. There was no damage to the roof, which there would have been if it had been caused by falling branches. The repairman, Jakob Phillips from Porterville, cut out the damaged lines and repaired them. He is prepared to testify it was done by a big man with a lot of muscle power. Because of the damage on the line he also believed the individual had nearly fallen and off the roof also bent the staff. Few owners are here when it is storming and to get at the satellite the individual had to climb up on a two story roof. (See Case No. 09-2374 )
I am now frightened to take walks on the roads around my own home even when that is possible, due to the none clearing of snow.
Recently I contacted the Attorney General's Office regarding Black's license to provide security services. They had no record of an issued license for those services to anyone named Ed Black I was told to contact the licensing office in Tulare and am so doing. I have been unable to obtain from Black his bonding information, though he would have been required to have bonding to hold such a license. I am asking that this matter be followed up by authorities in Tulare County.
