Lost Coast Outpost has received multiple accounts of some sort of law enforcement action happening near Miranda or Myers Flat area. We do not know the cause but there are helicopter(s) reported in both the Miranda and Myers Flat area. 

CHP dispatch has confirmed that their agency is involved in some sort of pursuit but no one is available to comment on the situation. We’ll update as information comes in. Please remember this is news coming in very raw at this point. We’ll try and make sense of it for you. 

UPDATE 6:55 p.m.: Scanner traffic is indicating that a male and female drove off in a black BMW in the Myers Flat area. 

UPDATE 7:15 p.m.: As of 7:15 p.m., one CHP and one sheriff deputy are watching the area near the Log Chapel. “They told me to just say inside,” explained the manager of the Log Chapel Apartments. 

UPDATE 7:24 p.m.: One CHP has his rifle out. More officers are there at the apartments now. There are six total in the area. 

UPDATE 7:33 p.m.: Scanner traffic is saying a Hispanic male wearing a t-shirt and black shorts is being searched for. 

UPDATE 8:19 p.m.: The manager of the Log Chapel Apartments says that the law enforcement has dispersed. People are being allowed to drive their cars back into the driveway of the apartment buildings.

UPDATE 8:40 p.m.: CHP just issued a BOLO for a Black BMW325 license plate #6UPK595   Dispatch said that law enforcement originally attempted to pull the vehicle over for a broken taillight. The car sped off reaching speeds of up to 100 miles per hour on Hwy 101. Law enforcement last saw the vehicle somewhere north of Garberville at 6:30 p.m. 

UPDATE 8:58 p.m.: CHP dispatch says that no one is in custody and law enforcement is still looking for the vehicle.

UPDATE 10:15 p.m.: According to a resident of the Log Chapel apartments, who prefers to be anonymous, “a bunch of us in the apartments were sitting having a BBQ” around 6:30-7 p.m. this evening. The group saw a helicopter circling and law enforcement driving by. They continued enjoying the party with their kids running around underfoot. Then a young couple came out of the bushes, through a gate towards the back of the buildings and joined their party.

“This guy and a girl were sweaty and out breath,” the resident explained. The man, a Hispanic, introduced himself to the group as Thomas. He said he was lost and asked if one of the party-goers could give the two of them a ride up to McKinleyville. No one wanted to leave the party and by this time they noticed that the two newcomers were acting strangely. “The girl was acting really weird,” the Myers Flat resident said. “She wouldn’t stop looking at the road. They asked if they can go in to the apartment. They offered us money if they could come into the apartments.” The two claimed to have a lot of money and would give it to someone willing to drive them to McKinleyville.

The party-goers refused and were increasingly suspicious. They were uncomfortable and didn’t want the couple going into their apartments with their kids. Eventually, a neighbor called the police. Two officers, one CHP and one Sheriff’s Deputy showed up within three to four minutes. According to the resident, “As soon as [the couple] saw the sheriff, they bolted back into the bushes.”

The officers started coming down into the courtyard and telling everyone to return to their homes and stay inside. The officers though were told not to pursue the suspects until the K9 unit showed up. They later asked the party-goers if the man had a gun. Apparently, they believed he had one, the resident said.

When the Fortuna police K9 unit showed up, the helicopter also arrived and began shining a spotlight around. Loud speakers, the resident said, crackled out “K9 unit, come out or we’ll release the dog. Come out now or you’ll get bit.”

The resident said he wasn’t able to see if the dog was ever released. Eventually, the officers left the area apparently without making any arrests.

The resident described the individuals as a Hispanic man wearing black and white plaid shorts, a black Raiders sweater with a hood and a Raiders emblem on the chest. Underneath that he was wearing a white t-shirt with “punch stains” on it. He was wearing a black baseball cap also. He was about 5‘6” and 190 pounds with acne on his face. The woman was about 5‘9” and around 135 pounds with shoulder length dark brown hair. She was wearing blue jeans and a black shirt with a thin blue jacket unbuttoned over it.

“They were here for about 15 minutes,” the resident explained, “before they ran off.”

He added, “It was a nice day with all the kids running around and then—helicopters and machine guns.”