Home invasion, shots fired, lead to Burney man’s arrest

BURNEY — An allegedly intoxicated man who officials say fired a handgun at several people while drunkenly searching for his estranged ex-girlfriend was eventually located and apprehended Tuesday evening, April 2. Last night’s shooting happened at a private residence in the 38000 block of Highway 299E, just outside the town of Burney and southwest of the unincorporated community of Johnson Park.

Dale Lee Connely, 38, now faces numerous felony charges and additional charges could be filed related to the incident, according to Shasta County Sheriff’s Department officials.

LEADING THE SCNS HEADLINES:

Man brings toddler to Anderson to sell ecstasy to girl, 15

Anderson Creek homeless camp cleanup nets 5 arrests

BES STEM Fair wows students, parents, teachers alike

Deputies assigned to the Burney Mountain Sub-Station were first alerted to the shooting around 9:20 p.m., after receiving reports that Connely had kicked his way into a Johnson Park home. 911 callers reported the irate and intoxicated man threatened to shoot and kill a woman, before firing his handgun at her and several of her friends.

According to deputies, one of the discharged rounds struck a wooden post just inches from where the victim and several of her friends had just been standing.

Deputies dispatched to investigate the shooting learned Connely had gone to the residence on Hwy 299 while searching for his ex-girlfriend, Danielle Doverspike.

After kicking open the front door of the home and forcing his way inside the residence, Connely allegedly confronted the 57-year-old homeowner, Kelley Reese and demanded to know where Doverspike was. Deputies allege that after gaining entry into the home, the “intoxicated and angry” man pointed his handgun at Reese’s head and reportedly said, “Tell me where she is or I’ll kill you.”

Reese and her four friends told Connely his ex-girlfriend was not at the residence and pleaded with him to leave the location, according to SCSO.

Although Connely agreed to leave, as Reese and her friends stood on the home’s porch watching him walk away he suddenly turned around and fired several shots at them before fleeing the area on foot.

With assistance from CHP, deputies eventually located Doverspike at the couple’s residence in the 21000 block of S. Vallejo St. in Johnson Park. She reportedly told them Connely was intoxicated and angry about their recent breakup and was armed with a handgun.

Doverspike also told deputies that Connely had previously made statements he would “shoot it out” with law enforcement officers, if ever confronted.

As their investigation was continuing, officials spotted Connely not far from his home and he was subsequently apprehended and detained without incident. Deputies who took Connely into custody discovered he was in possession of a loaded semi-automatic handgun.

Deputies found numerous additional firearms inside Connely’s residence, which were seized for safekeeping. They also discovered a backpack inside the home that contained a “suspicious device.”

Shasta County Sheriff’s Bomb Team was summoned to the home to investigate the device and determine if it posed a danger to the public. Officials did not specify the outcome of that suspicious device or if it was determined to be an explosive or other dangerous device, which is part of their ongoing investigation.

SEE RELATED: Johnson Park nerves rattled after “WWII bomb” detonated off Black Ranch

Based on their findings, deputies arrested Connely and he was booked into Shasta County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder, making criminal threats, assault with a firearm, discharge of a firearm at an inhabited residence, burglary, and brandishing a firearm.

Deputies said their investigation is ongoing and that additional charges against Connely could be filed.

---

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 47, moved last year to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 15 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.