July 16, 2026 – Monterey County Sheriff's Office officials report that deputies were able to safely arrest a subject after multiple calls were made to the California Highway Patrol Communication Center reporting a person running through the area of San Miguel Canyon Road and Hall Road with a rifle on his back.

On July 10, 2026, at about 10:33 p.m., Monterey County Sheriff's deputies responded to the area. The first deputy to arrive located, 33-year-old Dylan Carls of Aromas, walking westbound on Hall Road while carrying a camouflage rifle bag on his back. The deputy activated emergency lights and issued multiple commands for Carls to stop. Carls initially failed to comply with the deputy's commands and continued walking before eventually dropping the rifle bag after repeated orders. Deputies safely detained Carls without further incident.

After being detained, Carls voluntarily informed deputies that he was carrying a handgun. Deputies recovered a loaded pistol from his waistband and took him into custody. Carls was booked into the Monterey County Jail on charges of 148(a)(1) PC, Delaying/Resisting; 25400(a)(2) PC, Concealed Firearm on Person; PC 25850 (a), Carry Loaded Firearm on Person/Public place and 25100(c)(6) Possession of a Non-Registered Firearm. Bail was set at $65,000.

Sheriff Tina Nieto stated, “The Monterey County Sheriff's Office appreciates the community members who promptly reported the suspicious activity. Timely reporting allowed our deputies to respond quickly and safely to assess a potentially dangerous situation. The actions of our community members and deputies helped protect the public.”

During the investigation, deputies seized the following firearms:

- A fully loaded Remington Model 870 pump-action 12-gauge shotgun. Deputies also recovered 45 additional unspent 12-gauge slug cartridges and one spent shotgun shell.

- A Glock Model 23 semi-automatic .40 caliber pistol. The pistol was fully loaded with 10 rounds in the magazine. Deputies also recovered a second loaded magazine containing an additional 10 rounds from Carls' person.

No members of the public or law enforcement personnel were injured during this incident.

This investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the Monterey County Sheriff's Office at (831) 755-3722.

Source & photos: Monterey County Sheriff's Office