February 3, 2020 - The Mariposa County Sheriff's Office reports on Wednesday, January 29th at almost 9:00 P.M., a Deputy initiated a traffic stop on a black Honda Civic near the 5200 block of Highway 49 for the rear license plate not being illuminated properly. The Honda turned left onto Smith Road where it pulled off the roadway and stopped. Before the Deputy could exit his patrol vehicle, he saw what appeared to be an object wrapped in clear plastic cellophane thrown out of the front passenger window onto the ground.

Then the vehicle suddenly accelerated heading up Smith Road at a high rate of speed. The Honda was travelling approximately 60 miles per hour in the residential area with a posted speed limit of 25 miles per hour. The Honda then turned left on Highway 140 towards Midpines. Deputies continued to pursue the suspects. The two occupants later identified as Michael Murray, 38,  of Fresno and Ricky Gonzales, 64, of Merced then turned onto Slaughterhouse Road which is a single lane dirt road with potholes and mud puddles. The driver, Michael Murry, continued driving at a high rate of speed for the conditions of the road, turning down multiple unmarked spur road/trails. Deputies eventually were able to stop the Honda Civic on a steep dirt utility pole access trail. Murry and Gonzales were taken into custody without incident.