On Sept. 12, 2023, at about 8:08 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies in the area of the 1200 block of Hatchery Road near Blue Lake were contacted by an adult female victim reporting an assault.
The victim told deputies that over the weekend she had been physically assaulted and removed from her residence against her will by her partner, 54-year-old James Carlton Mason. Following this incident, Mason reportedly left the residence and then returned later in the day. Upon his return, Mason reportedly again assaulted the victim. The victim sustained serious injuries and was privately transported to a local hospital for medical care.
On September 15 at about 12:08 a.m., Sheriff’s deputies observed a vehicle associated with Mason parked outside a trailer at an RV Park in Orick. Deputies located Mason sleeping inside the vehicle. Mason was taken into custody without incident and was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of attempted murder (PC 664/187(a)), inflicting corporal injury on a spouse (PC 273.5(a)), criminal threats (PC 422) and kidnapping (PC 207(a)), in addition to warrant charges of false identification to a peace officer (PC 148.9(a)), driving with a suspended license (VC 14601.5) and driving without a license (VC 12500).
As of today’s date, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has investigated over 340 domestic violence cases in 2023. If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, harassment, or harm from your partner, or think that you might be, you are not alone. Help is available. To speak with someone immediately and find resources for help, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text “START” to “88788”. For local assistance, contact the Humboldt Domestic Violence Services 24-hour support line at (707) 443-6042, toll free at (866) 668-6543, or visit https://hdvs.org/.
Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.
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James Carlton Mason Booking Photo | Humboldt County Correctional Facility