Posted on 07/27/2024 4:51:19 AM PDT by marktwain
On 07/22/2024 at approximately 3:11 P.M., Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Deputies were dispatched to a property in the 24000 block of Shady Lane in Covelo for a report of an in-progress burglary. It was reported that residents interrupted multiple subjects stealing marijuana, who subsequently fled the location in a red pickup and a U-Haul box truck.
Law enforcement from numerous agencies throughout Mendocino County responded to include representatives from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, CalFire Prevention Officers, California State Parks, and Round Valley Tribal Police Department.
A short time later, the caller to Mendocino County Sheriff's Office Dispatch provided updated information that a U-Haul box truck had returned to the property on Shady Lane and the residents confronted two of the suspects in their driveway. Sheriff’s Office Dispatchers then heard what they believed to be firearms being discharged over the phone line and the resident reported there was an exchange of gunfire between the residents and the suspects. The residents physically subdued two of the suspects until law enforcement arrived, while several other suspects fled the area.
Law Enforcement personnel arrived and detained 34-year-old Gary Casdell Fite from San Francisco, CA and 28-year-old Marcel Jamarie Earl Patterson from Richmond, CA. Fite and Patterson both had significant injuries to their faces, heads, and extremities which were reportedly caused by the residents prior to law enforcement arrival at the scene.
Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Detectives were summoned to the scene to assist with the investigation. Fite and Patterson were transported to Howard Memorial Hospital to be treated for injuries sustained during this incident. Fite was arrested for violations of 213 PC (robbery), 29800 PC (prohibited person in possession of a firearm), and 12022.53 PC (armed with a firearm during the commission of a felony). Fite was booked into the Mendocino County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail.
Patterson was unable to be incarcerated due to the significance of his injuries and was subsequently airlifted to an out-of-county hospital for further medical treatment. Charges against Patterson are pending while he is hospitalized for his injuries.
At this stage of the investigation, law enforcement does not believe the suspects or victims were shot during the exchange of gunfire while law enforcement personnel were responding. This case is actively being investigated by the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office and additional information will be released as it becomes available.
Anyone with information related to this investigation is encouraged to call the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center at 707-463-4086. Information can also be provided anonymously by utilizing the non-emergency tip-line at 707-234-2100.
There's always a song.
I thought theft was no longer a crime in Cauliphonya.
During the mid-1980s there was a shootout at the parking lot of one of our local Italian restaurants. Five shooters were involved, including the owner of the restaurant.
All involved emptied their pistols.
No one was injured.
Participants in gun fights who empty their guns without hitting anyone is more common than many realize.
Maybe FBI Director Wray could add that their injuries could have come from a fist or foot, or perhaps pieces of glass or shrapnel.
Marijuana is a very important agricultural export of the north coast. I reckon the would-be thieves were “checked” with vigor!
Just a guess on my part, but the response would probably not been as enthusiastic if it had been a home invasion or domestic burglary.
I was thinking lf that song, too, but my 45 is by someone else. Bravo, residents!
Or theft of say depends undergarments lol
There have been several comments about shoot out where no one got hit not understanding how this happens.
For those that have actually been in combat this fact is not surprising. It is one thing to be a firing range and shooting a paper target and another to be in a gunfight shooting at someone shooting back.
Here is a report on the subject
For a non-combat situation a firefight can be very scary and unless trained for the situation it is more likely the combatants would take out innocent by standers then their opponents.
I'm guessing the term "resident" in this case refers to illegal alien pot growers since that's who grows the pot in Mendo CO.
Really bad idea to try to rip off guys who grew up protecting their pot.
“it appears everybody missed their targets during the gunfight” reeks of marijuana being involved.
Fite. Reminds me of Barney Fife, whose name was always misspelled in the local paper. Apparently this guy was about as effective.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.