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Volume 171 • Issue 149 | $1.00
mtdemocrat.com
Wednesday, December 21, 2022
Chambers charged in Visman death Odin Rasco Staff writer Erica Chambers, 35, was arrested Tuesday morning by California Highway Patrol officers, charged with vehicular manslaughter in connection to the Nov. 11 death of Mason Visman, according to the Placerville office of the CHP. Her bail has been set at $275,000. The body of the 34-year-old Camino man was found the afternoon of Nov. 12 in the bushes alongside Highway 50 at Mosquito Road, near the site of a car crash that had happened the night before in which Chambers was suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol. Chambers, also a
Camino resident, reportedly had attempted to flee the scene but was quickly apprehended by law enforcement and booked into the county jail. Chambers claimed at the time she was the vehicle’s sole occupant, according to CHP officials. “The investigating officer specifically asked Chambers if she was driving alone and she indicated she was,” states a CHP report. Following further examination of the crime scene and evidence, CHP investigators say they found Chambers had been driving with Visman as the sole passenger and that when the MercedesBenz Chambers was driving struck a Toyota Prius, Visman was ejected from the car, suffering fatal injuries as a result.
Charges against Chambers include vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and fleeing the scene after committing vehicular manslaughter with an enhancement for reportedly driving with a blood alcohol level greater than .14%, twice the legal limit, and refusing a chemical test. Mason Visman’s parents Brad and Kandi Visman own Boa Vista Orchards in Camino. Mason managed social media accounts and the website applehillca.com that promoted tourism in the Apple Hill area. The CHP continues to investigate the circumstances of the incident. Anyone with information regarding the crash is asked to call (530) 748-2450.
Mountain Democrat photo by Sel Richard
Mountain Democrat photo by Eric Jaramishian
El Dorado Hills firefighter/paramedic Brad Willock, Engineer Todd Bichel, Matthias Gross, Capt. Matt Belleci and Capt. Ryan Bennett, front row left to right, celebrate Matthias’ heroic act with the kindergartener’s proud parents Lisa Gross and Michael Gross and his grateful “Gaga” Becky Lee, back row left to right.
Tandra Heagy and her son Andrew cart a red, white and blue Douglas fir tree to be delivered to the Navy recruiting office in Placerville. Owners of Generation Ranch in Camino, the Heagy family hopes to donate at least 100 trees to various organizations and individuals in need by Christmas Eve.
Sel Richard Staff writer
Eric Jaramishian Staff writer
6-year-old a hero
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The El Dorado Hills Fire Department on Dec. 15 honored 6-year-old Matthias Gross with a civilian life-saving award and his own personalized set of firefighter turnouts for a life-saving act of courage. Around 8 p.m. Aug. 23, 2022, little Matthias snuggled on the couch next to his grandmother blissfully oblivious that within minutes he was to become someone’s hero. “I was gasping for air and it comes on really quick for me, no warning,
no nothing,” recounts Becky Lee, Matthias’ grandmother or “Gaga” as he affectionately calls her. Lee, who was suffering an asthma attack, was able to croak out a plea for Matthias to get his mother, napping in the next room. “I said, ‘I need help; I can’t breathe.’ I thought I was going to die.” Instead of getting his mother, Matthias went straight to the phone. “I called 911,” he said. “My Gaga wasn’t breathing so I ran and called 911.” As she was losing consciousness, n
See Hero, page A7
Gift of giving
G
eneration Ranch, a Christmas tree farm in Camino, is well into the spirit of the gifting this holiday season. The farm’s goal is to gift at least 100 trees this year to various organizations and individuals in need, according to owner Tandra Heagy. “I love Christmas and what better way to spread the Christmas cheer than donating trees,” Heagy said. Heagy and her husband Richard, owner of H.C.I. Inc. general
contracting company, acquired the 80-acre farm in spring 2022. So far, Heagy has donated around 30 trees, including 15 to housing-solution organization Mercy Housing and three to faith-based organization Sweet Dreams, among others. And Generation Ranch is not done. The family-run farm will donate trees until Christmas Eve. Heagy’s inspiration comes from her grandpa whom she lost to cancer in 1993. He had plans to run a farm of his own when he retired. His dream n
See Trees, page A7
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