$100,000 DIVIDED THREE WAYS
Riverside County Supervisors have divided their $100,000 Christopher Dorner reward three ways. (Photo by CasperNews)
By Michael P. Neufeld
Riverside, CA – The Riverside County Board of Supervisors have voted to approve the payout of the county’s $100,000 Christopher Dorner reward.
The vote directed the payout be made to the three individuals who were chosen by a trio of retired judges, which excluded Rick Heltebrake, despite the fact the Boy Scout camp caretaker told supervisors he deserved a share of the money. Heltebrake explained his 9-1-1 call after his pickup was hijacked led law enforcement officials to Dorner.
The 33-year-old Dorner, who died February 13 from a single gunshot wound in a Big Bear mountain cabin, allegedly killed four people, including Detective Jeremiah MacKay and wounded two others, including Big Bear Deputy Alex Collins.
THE DISTRIBUTION
The three retired judges reviewed claims submitted by 12 parties and determined the distribution of roughly $1 million in reward funds in Los Angeles. Riverside County’s $100,000 was not part of that reward.
James and Karen Reynolds will receive $80,000 of the Riverside funds. The Reynolds’ will receive 80 percent of the Los Angeles fund, paid in installments. Dorner tied up the Reynolds’ at gunpoint and they called 9-1-1, after the former police officer stole their purple Nissan SUV and tried to flee the Big Bear area. The judges determined that call led to his eventual location and the deadly exchange of gunfire in the mountain cabin.
Corona tow truck driver R. Lee McDaniel, who spotted Dorner’s vehicle at an AM/PM Market and reported it to authorities, will get $5,000 from Riverside County. He was previously awarded five percent of the Los Angeles reward.
Snow Summit Ski Resort employee Daniel McGowan is entitled to 15 percent, according to the resolution passed by Riverside County. That amounts to $15,000. McGowan is the individual who spotted Dorner’s burning truck on a Forest Service fire road and notified the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. He was reportedly the only person who notified authorities about the burning Nissan truck. (469)