Alta woman gives false ID when arrested on drugs charges
Childhood friend’s reputation damaged
An Alta woman’s decision to give false identification when she was arrested Monday is wreaking havoc on the life an innocent woman. Heather Michelle Jones is “being actively sought” on a felony charge of giving false information to a peace officer and obstructing a police investigation after identifying herself as one of her childhood friends, according to Dena Erwin, Placer County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman. Jones is also wanted on an outstanding $20,000 warrant for driving under the influence charges. On Monday, Sheriff’s officials said Jones verbally identified herself as Jamie Susan Owens when deputies pulled her over for false registration tags on the vehicle she was driving. Upon searching and further investigation, deputies also reportedly located prescription narcotic drugs in Jones’ possession. However, Jones did not have a prescription for them. Authorities also reportedly found presumptive cocaine in the vehicle alone with other drug paraphernalia. Jones verbally identified herself as Owens and had enough information to pass herself off as a woman she had known since childhood, Erwin said. Jeff Ausnow, Placer Sheriff’s spokesman, said Jones had Owens’ middle name, birth date, address and a similar hair and eye color, and weight listed in a database that officers check. Jones was booked into Placer County Jail as Owens, but was bailed out before her fingerprints were returned from the Department of Justice. Ausnow said normally fingerprints are returned within hours, however, Jones was bailed “very quickly.” When the fingerprints were returned, authorities were able to identify the actual suspect as Jones, a 34-year-old Alta woman. On Wednesday, Owens said she spent the day fielding calls from friends, co-workers and family members asking her what had happened after reading a report in Wednesday’s Auburn Journal. The Journal’s Wednesday report identified Owens as being arrested on drug-related charges, based on a report included in the Sheriff’s log. The report was available for public viewing Tuesday. It has since been removed from the log, Ausnow said. Owens said Jones was a childhood friend and had known her for about 28 years. She said she did not have contact with Jones for the past six to eight months and does not know why she would use her name. “Our families were close and her parents were like my second parents,” Owens said. “We did grow up together but I haven’t been close to her in years.” Owens, a single mother of two, said she felt “totally violated” when her name was reported to have been in possession of drugs and arrested on those charges. “It just seems like, how can this happen?” Owens said. “It’s a huge injustice.” The Journal's Jenifer Gee can be reached at jeniferg@goldcountrymedia.com or post a comment.
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Pulled over for "false registration tags" and drunk... and the cops believe her fake name when she does not have ID on her? Are we hiring mentally challenged Police Officers now?
For those of us who grew up with and around PJ, can't help but feel sad for the promise she once had. It is very unfortunate that she envolved an inocent party. I am puzzled at how she was able to "pull one over" on our law enforcement agency. If PJ can make bail before the authorities figured out who she really was, what else is getting thru our system?
Apparently she didn't "pull one over" on anyone because they know who she is. If she didn't have ID and matched the description of the name she gave what would you have the Police do....they can't just arrested someone for no ID. If they could there wouldn't be anyone left to rent in the Auburn Greens.
She was driving a vehicle, not walking in a park. You are required by law to have your driver's license (ID) with you when driving. The cops did not have their act together, no doubt.
I wonder how she's enjoying her last few days of freedom?
Its an infraction to drive a vehicle without your license. Police can't arrest on an infraction. I guess by your reasoning they should have given her a ticket under the wrong name, but instead they were able to find a way to take her in custody for another crime by using good police work. If they were "mentally challenged" as you would like to believe they would have just gave her a ticket under the false name and not further investigate, leading to an arrest. 2049er is just another cop hater who watches to much CSI on TV. I bet he thinks the cops can commander a private car in hot pursuit to! To all you Police out there guess what...2049er says you can just arrests people because they don't have there license with them! Forget about the Constitution and Laws. If you don't have your ID off to jail with you.
Unfortunate, but not a surprise.......I was an acquaintance of Heather (PJ) in high school, and although not someone that I felt a strong affection for, I knew her to be a decent person who could have done something with herself. We crossed paths several times about ten years ago and it was evident at that time that she was headed the wrong way, but not so much so to cause significant worry. My oh my, what a decade will do! PJ looks as though she has lived through two rough decades over the course of one! Too bad
By the way, those "mentally challenged" cops had Mrs Jones back in custody before this article was even published....just check there in-custody page on-line. http://www.placer.ca.gov/jail/jailreports/incustbookingdetails_J.htm#P00076279
Catdady, you come to the wrong conclusions. All I was saying is that they knew she's a liar if she had false registration tags. If someone is committing a crime, it does not take a lot of brain power to conclude that they are probably providing a false name if they do not have ID. Suddenly she's going to be honest and give a real name? The conclusions you come to like "commander (sic) a private car" is an interesting conclusion since I never even said anything about that. However, you can not see the conclusion that the cops SHOULD have made. Perhaps, you and the arresting cop have the same mental challenges.
2049er- Let me get this straight... You want the cops to assume everyone is a liar? Forget being polite, having manners, or treating people with respect? Before you question some else's brain power, maybe you should take stock of your own?
2049er....You are right! I guess because she had false tabs she was automatically a liar. They shouldn't take into consideration she just purchased the car or she was driving someone else car or another explanation.....just automatic guilt, no investigation. By that reasoning if someone was stopped for speeding and said they were not speeding they must be a criminal. I bet she killed someone to....after all, she lied about her name so the cops must assume she's a murder. Perhaps I am on the same mental status of the cops. Its obvious they did they investigated further and got the arrest! Good job Law Enforcement! Keep up the good work. Don't listen to cop haters like 2049er.
Amazing conclusions. Do you know what "false registration tags" means? Let me guess Catdaddy, your 16 years old at most?
Its a Citable Misdemeanor (4462.5 of the California Vehicle Code). Which automatically makes you guilty of telling the cops your wrong name....even if the name given matches your description.
"If you commit an infraction, they may ask you to sign a citation or notice instead of taking you into custody. An infraction is a minor offense, such as a moving violation, for which the punishment is usually a fine. If you sign the citation, you are not admitting guilt. You are only promising to appear in court. If you have no identification or refuse to sign, however, an officer may take you into custody."
Source: http://calbar.ca.gov/state/calbar/calbar_generic.jsp?cid=10581&id=2173 California Bar Association
Try typing: "can you be arrested in california if you have no ID?" into your browser there are 280,000 websites that say you can be arrested if you have no ID.
Catdady you owe 2049er an appology. It's obvious that you are a wannabe and a poser.
2049er, chill out! What's with all the hate?
As I've said several times....how clear can I be....she did not refuse to give her ID info. (which later was discovered false) She gave info which returned matching her description. There was no reason to believe she was anybody but who she said but the cops continued to investigate anyway and found additional more serious crimes. They then arrested her for those crimes. Before the fingerprints were returned she made bail, which is everyone right (excluding certain circs) when the fingerprints returned they noticed the false name and went and got her back in custody. All before this article was published. So, regardless of all the bickering (mine included) or what you think of me, my question is how does this make the cops "mentally challenged" as alleged by 2049er? They did a GREAT job as I see it. If you don't agree, fine, but don't spew hate by calling the good people who try and protect us names. That's all I'm saying. Good bye.
Catlady... sorrry that you are getting such a such a hard time, I see where everyone is coming from. It does appear that the Sheriffs Dept. made it all good as far as picking this poor mislead woman up again. Hopefully she can get some help egh? Peace!