People v. Ramsey

94 Cal. Rptr. 2d 301, 79 Cal. App. 4th 621, 2000 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 2548, 2000 Daily Journal DAR 3373, 2000 Cal. App. LEXIS 242
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 30, 2000
DocketB128065
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 94 Cal. Rptr. 2d 301 (People v. Ramsey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Ramsey, 94 Cal. Rptr. 2d 301, 79 Cal. App. 4th 621, 2000 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 2548, 2000 Daily Journal DAR 3373, 2000 Cal. App. LEXIS 242 (Cal. Ct. App. 2000).

Opinion

Opinion

CURRY, J.

Procedural Background

On or about November 13, 1997, an information was filed against appellant James Allen Ramsey, alleging that between December 16, 1996, and January 28, 1997, appellant discharged concrete and other materials into and near the Santa Clara River, and altered the banks of this river. Count 1 charged appellant with discharge of pollutants into navigable waters, which is a felony (Wat. Code, § 13387, subd. (c)). Counts 2 and 3 charged appellant with two misdemeanors, namely, illegal alteration of a streambed (Fish & G. Code, § 1603, subd. (a)), and littering of a stream bank (Pen. Code, § 374.7, subd. (a)). Appellant pleaded not guilty.

Trial by jury began on August 21, 1998. On August 31, 1998, the jury found appellant guilty on all three counts. The trial court placed’ appellant on formal felony probation for three years, provided that appellant serve the first 180 days in county jail, and suspended 150 days of this period in jail on the condition that appellant complete a 15-week weekend custody program and comply with the conditions of probation. In addition, the trial court imposed a fine of $5,000 plus a penalty assessment (Wat. Code, § 13387).

*627 Facts

A. Prosecution Evidence

On December 16, 1996, State Game Warden Michael Conley, responding to a complaint from Metrolink, 1 drove along a road on Metrolink property north of the Santa Clara River in Soledad Canyon. He observed that a large amount of broken concrete with rebar, together with tires and pieces of pipe, had been deposited along approximately 200 yards of the river’s south bank on appellant’s property. The debris lined a bend in the river and “butt[ed] right up against the water.”

On January 28, 1997, Conley returned to the location with another state employee and found that the debris had been covered with sediment from the riverbed. He spoke with appellant, who took him on a tour of the property and explained the work that appellant had done. He told Conley that he was trying to reclaim property that he had lost and to stabilize the riverbank. Appellant further said that in mid-January, he had used a tractor to widen the stream and to push gravel from the riverbed onto the face of the bank. Conley told appellant that his conduct was unlawful, and that to make such changes he needed a streambed alteration agreement and he had to notify the Department of Fish and Game. Appellant stated that he was unaware that he needed an agreement.

In March 1998, Conley revisited the property and observed PVC pipe, barrels, paper, and other debris around trees near the riverbank. Conley had previously seen this debris in January 1997. During his inspections, Conley saw chunks of concrete lying in the streambed.

Steve Burger, a civil engineer for Los Angeles County, testified that appellant had made changes within the Santa Clara River floodplain. Property owners are generally notified by certified mail of the floodway boundaries on their property. Appellant had created a levee within the floodplain using debris, rocks, and trash. This levee had moved the riverbank approximately 225 feet and had narrowed the river channel, forcing the river to flow faster. The result was greater erosion of appellant’s property and of Metrolink’s property across the riverbed. The river’s flow would easily carry away the broken concrete and other materials appellant had used.

Michael Giusti, a state biologist, testified that appellant’s work had impaired the habitat of the three-spine unarmored stickleback, an endangered *628 species of fish found only in the Santa Clara River. Among other things, calcium carbonate from eroding pieces of concrete posed a hazard to the stickleback.

B. Defense Evidence

Appellant testified on his own behalf. He stated that after Metrolink made changes to its property in 1993, his riverbank suffered increased erosion. In 1995, he decided to prevent this erosion by bringing large chunks of concrete and rock and burying them on his property. He placed the concrete approximately 20 to 25 feet away from the riverbank, and thus it had no immediate effect on the erosion. In January 1997, he pushed sand from the riverbed onto the concrete to widen the river and improve its flow. He denied extending his property, changing the river’s course, littering the riverbank, or discharging concrete or other debris into the river.

Appellant conceded that he had once planned to build a campground on the property that extended to the riverbank, and that a construction company had paid him between $50,000 and $60,000 to dump debris on his property. He also conceded that in September 1996, Metrolink sent him a letter asking him whether he had a permit to change the riverbank and demanding that he restore the river channel.

C. Rebuttal

In September or October 1997, Burger responded to a complaint that someone was dumping debris in Soledad Canyon, and saw a large truck dumping debris on appellant’s property. Burger then told appellant that he needed a number of permits, including a streambed. alteration agreement. Appellant said at first that he did not need any permits, and then agreed to submit plans for approval. Appellant never did so.

In March 1998, Conley observed tractor tire marks going into the river on appellant’s property and-saw appellant driving a tractor towards the river. Appellant got out of the tractor and stood behind it, occasionally coming out to the front of it, until Conley left.

Discussion

Appellant contends that (1) the trial court erred in failing to give an instruction on an element of discharging of pollutants into navigable waters, (2) the trial court erroneously failed to instruct the jury on an affirmative defense, and (3) appellant received ineffective assistance of counsel. Respondent contends that (4) the trial court improperly failed to impose mandatory penalty assessments.

*629 A. Instruction on “Point Source”

Appellant contends that the trial court failed to instruct the jury fully on the elements of discharging pollutants into navigable waters. We disagree.

Sections 13370 through 13389 of the Water Code were enacted to implement provisions of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq.; hereafter the federal Act). (Wat. Code, § 13370.) Water Code section 13376 requires anyone who discharges, or proposes to discharge, a pollutant, dredged material, or fill into the navigable waters of the United States must file an appropriate report, unless the discharges are not subject to the federal Act. In certain situations, violations of this requirement are subject to criminal penalties. (People v. Buena Vista Mines, Inc. (1996) 48 Cal.App.4th 1030, 1034-1036 [56 Cal.Rptr.2d 21]; Wat. Code, § 13387, subd. (a).)

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Bluebook (online)
94 Cal. Rptr. 2d 301, 79 Cal. App. 4th 621, 2000 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 2548, 2000 Daily Journal DAR 3373, 2000 Cal. App. LEXIS 242, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-ramsey-calctapp-2000.