Photos courtesy Chanc Lopez

This afternoon Outpost readers alerted us to the presence of emergency response vehicles near the gate to the Mike Thompson Wildlife Area, better known as the South Spit. There, we are shown in reader-submitted photos, a white Ford pickup could be seen having descended the rather steep, brushy terrain adjacent the road leading down to the beach.

The Outpost phoned up California Highway Patrol Sergeant Martin Oliveros who told us the truck was reported by a passerby. 

“Not a crash,” Oliveros said also noting that no one is believed to have been hurt. When CHP and Loleta Fire arrived on scene they found the truck with the license plates removed. 

“It looked like someone dumped it there,” he said. 

Officers collected other evidence which allowed them to determine that the truck was a known stolen vehicle. While Oliveros said the truck did roll down the hill — “It looks like it was pushed” — he said the vehicle did not sustain serious damage. How about that?

CHP’s investigation continues.  

—Andrew Goff