5 arrested after suspected shooting at pot grow near Bear Fire

Five people were arrested Thursday after an alleged shooting within the closed fire area of the Santa Cruz Mountains.

According to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, Thursday around 5:25 p.m. Cal Fire requested emergency law enforcement assistance with a group of people who may have been involved in a shooting near Deer Creek Road, and Hartman Creek Road in Boulder Creek.

Sheriff’s Deputies who were patrolling the evacuated area responded and spoke with Boulder Creek resident, 55-year-old Bernard Haagenson, Felton resident 52-year-old Michael Carter, and 28-year-old Boulder Creek resident, Drake Geithner who said a suspicious car was parked near Geithner’s marijuana grow. The grow site is in the 100 block of Hartman Creek Road. The three men thought the two people in the car were involved in another previous theft at the grow site.

The three men confronted 34-year-old Jason Dixon of San Jose and 24-year-old Nicole Papineau of Santa Cruz. Dixon and Papineau told the men they were looking for their missing dog.

The Sheriff’s Office said Geithner grabbed a shotgun and handed it to Haagenson.

“During the confrontation Haagenson was suspected of shooting both front tires of Dixon and Papineau’s vehicle, the front bumper and the hood of the vehicle which caused the shotgun blast to skip off the hood onto the windshield in front of Papineau,” said Sgt. Chris Clark.

Carter was suspected of grabbing a baseball bat and threatening Dixon and Papineau with it. The two walked down Deer Creek Road and met with Cal Fire.

Deputies found a 12 gauge shotgun on the property however did not find evidence Dixon and Papineau were involved in a theft.

Haagenson, Carter, Geithner, Dixon and Papineau were arrested and booked into the Santa Cruz Main Jail. Charges in this case include,assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a firearm, conspiracy, exhibit a firearm, and entering a closed disaster area.