1 year ago
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MARIPOSA COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - A Los Angeles man's "terrorizing" travel that took him done Mariposa County, Yosemite National Park, and Madera County has ended with his apprehension aft deputies accidental helium threatened a large woman, stole a bicycle, attempted to kidnap a store manager, and crashed a stolen vehicle.
Deputies accidental a fume grenade was besides recovered wrong the suspect's vehicle, requiring a effect from the Merced's weaponry squad.
According to the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office, astatine astir 1:45 p.m., a antheral was reported to person walked up to a large unit subordinate astatine a Mariposa County edifice and touched her tummy telling her "The spirits led maine to you and your babe belongs to me, and what clip is your interruption due to the fact that I volition beryllium waiting for you."
The man, who was aboriginal identified arsenic 40-year-old Anthony Mehlhaff from Los Angeles, past stole respective drinks and assaulted different unit subordinate astatine the edifice earlier speeding distant successful his conveyance towards Yosemite National Park, deputies say.
At astir 3 p.m., the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office was told astir a imaginable car chase, kidnapping, assault, vehicles stolen, and different incidents successful the Fish Camp country - which is conscionable extracurricular the southbound entranceway to Yosemite National Park connected Highway 41. Deputies accidental helium crashed his conveyance successful the Fish Camp country and stole a bicycle - but not earlier handing his garment to a bystander with the words "You'll privation to support this, I'm going to beryllium famous."
Rangers wrong Yosemite accidental they attempted to halt Mehlhaff connected Highway 41 wrong the nationalist parkland but helium continued to thrust and yet arrived astatine Tenaya Lodge - which is extracurricular the boundaries of Yosemite National Park. Deputies with the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office accidental Mehlhaff entered the Tenaya Lodge kitchen, enactment his chapeau and different items wrong a refrigerator, grabbed a weapon from the kitchen, and threatened workers there.
Deputies accidental helium past went retired of the room and walked to a creek adjacent the Tenaya Lodge clubhouse - wherever helium took disconnected his pants and entered the clubhouse wearing lone his underwear. He past started vandalizing the clubhouse, took the store manager's car keys, and attempted to kidnap the store manager - but the manager was capable to escape.
Deputies accidental Mehlhaff stole the manager's conveyance and continued to thrust on Highway 41 southbound toward Oakhurst. While connected Highway 41, deputies accidental Mehlhaff started ramming different conveyance connected the road, yet crashing the stolen conveyance extracurricular Oakhurst.
According to the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office, helium was taken into custody but assaulted a lawman portion helium was being medically cleared astatine a section hospital. He was yet booked into the Mariposa County Jail.
Officials adhd that a hunt of Mehlhaff's conveyance recovered a fume grenade inside, requiring the Merced weaponry squad.
"This antheral drove each astir our region terrorizing our visitors and assemblage members. I americium highly blessed that nary 1 was earnestly injured, this man’s behaviour was erratic and dangerous," said Mariposa County Sheriff Jeremy Briese.
As of Friday morning, jailhouse records amusement 40-year-old Anthony Mehlhaff remains wrong Mariposa County Jail.
