The following is a press release from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office. The information has not been proven in a court of law and any individuals described should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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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.
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