Deputies speaking through window to DeGough.
By Gary Meyer
Kern County Sheriff’s deputies were again called to the house of James DeGough of Frazier Park on Saturday, Jan. 26 to investigate threats he allegedly made against local businessman Mike Ruff, whose store is across the street from DeGough’s home.
Ruff said that just before noon DeGough threw phones at his truck and his building and said: "I’m going to shoot you."
Last summer DeGough held a dozen deputies and California Highway Patrol officers at bay, refusing to come out of his house for more than two hours while over 100 people watched the incident from the other side of yellow crime scene tape on Mt. Pinos Way.
That drama began when DeGough allegedly threatened to shoot a neighbor’s teenage child and ended after he finally walked from his home, hands in the air, and surrendered to officers.
This past week, on Saturday, deputies Ramos and Gonzalez arrived just after noon, knocked, and asked DeGough to come to the door.
When he refused to open the door or come outside, the deputies asked him to come to the window so they could speak with him.
Last year, after DeGough was taken into custody, all weapons were removed from his home, according to the deputies.
"He would have no legal way to obtain firearms," said Deputy Ramos.
Ruff said he would feel better if the house was searched to make sure there were no weapons there.
According to California Superior Court records, DeGough served 12 days of a 90-day jail sentence for the standoff with officers last year, and he received three years of probation.
The deputies gave DeGough a warning on Saturday, then conducted another interview with Ruff on Monday morning.
Kern County Sheriff’s Sgt. Mark Brown said his deputies returned and arrested DeGough on Monday, Jan. 28 at 12:15 p.m. for making criminal threats and for a probation violation due to a non-operable firearm which was found in his residence during the arrest.
This is part of the February 01, 2013 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.
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