Man Arrested After Firing Gun in Residential Area
March 21, 2024 - Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office officials report that on March 11, 2024, at approximately 7:23 P.M. in 
the evening, TCSO Dispatch received a 911 call from a resident in Long Barn who reported hearing approximately 12 gunshots and a man outside screaming at a residence next door to him.
Deputies responded to the area of West Mono Road near Lassen Drive and determined the reported residence belonged to 58-year-old Michael Williams Rodriguez. The deputies located several spent shell casings and live ammunition on Rodriguez’ property and more spent shell casings in the roadway. A records check on Rodriguez found that Rodriguez is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms and ammunition. Deputies contacted Rodriguez, who gave conflicting statements about firing a gun, as well as the live ammunition and spent shell casings located on his property. The deputies detained Rodriguez. While deputies were conducting their investigation, they noticed a pistol in plain sight just inside of Rodriguez’ open front door.
Rodriguez was placed under arrest and booked at the Dambacher Detention Center on the following charges: 29800(A) (1) PC- Felon/ Addict in possession of a firearm (felony), 30305(A) PC- Prohibited Person in possession of ammunition (felony) and 246.3(A) PC- Willful discharge of a firearm with gross negligence (felony).
After Rodriguez was booked at the DDC, deputies continued their investigation. Deputies conducted interviews and obtained video surveillance footage which showed Rodriquez discharging a firearm outside of his residence. The following day deputies obtained a search warrant for Rodriguez’s residence. During the execution of the search warrant deputies seized 10 additional firearms, hundreds of rounds of various caliber ammunition, firearm magazines, electronic devices and two glass pipes used to ingest controlled substances. Additional charges of 11370.1(a) H&S – Possession of a controlled substance while armed with a loaded firearm and 33410 PC – Possession of a silencer, were recommended to the District Attorney.
Source: Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office
