PICTURED ABOVE ARE WEAPONS SEIZED AFTER THE INCIDENT. A routine vehicle stop turned into a major incident on April 24. According to the Mariposa County Sheriff’s report, when the vehicle was pulled over, five people bailed out and were nearly run over by their own vehicle.

The deputy saw a Nissan Pathfinder driving erratically on Merced Falls Road at 2 a.m. and initiated the stop. When the car pulled to the right, three people jumped out and ran from the car, into the woods.

The vehicle continued to move forward and began to turn right toward a steep hillside. Two more people jumped from the driver’s side of the car. The vehicle went down the hillside, nearly striking at least two of the subjects, before crashing into the creek.

The deputy yelled at the subjects to stop, but they kept running. Because his closest back-up was at least 45 minutes away, he did not continue to chase them. He found the car empty as the subject climbed the opposite hill, headed toward Lake McClure.

Inside the car, the deputy found a large amount of camping gear, gardening equipment and food supplies. All of the items are consistent with illegal cultivation of marijuana. There were two socks containing a large

amount of marijuana

seeds and a Ruger air rifle in the back of the vehicle.

There was also a large

9mm handgun and silencer in the car, along with ammunition. The gun was loaded. The gun is banned in the State of California.

Once the vehicle was towed back up the hill, deputies found plant starting boxes and food, tents, sleeping bags, a propane stove and tank, net fencing, shovels, picks, hedge clippers and other items “used for extended stays in the back country while gardening.”

No arrests have been made.