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Man rescued after being stuck in farm equipment for two days

Individual told officers he liked taking pictures of old engines

Graeme Massie
Los Angeles
Wednesday 09 June 2021 19:43 BST
Man rescued after being stuck in farm equipment for 2 days
Man rescued after being stuck in farm equipment for 2 days (Sonoma County Sheriff)

A California man was rescued after getting stuck for two days inside a piece of vineyard machinery.

Sonoma County Sheriff’s deputies discovered the man wedged inside after getting a complaint about a car parked on private property.

When they found the vehicle parked in an unusual location they also spotted a hat sitting on a piece of farm equipment.

And when they investigated they found the man jammed inside the vineyard fan.

“The occupant of the vehicle had, inexplicably, decided to climb into the shaft of the vineyard fan and became completely stuck inside the shaft,” the Sonoma Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

“He had been stuck there for two days before we found him.”

Firefighters were called to the scene and managed to rescue the man, who required medical treatment.

When officers questioned him about the bizarre incident the man, who has not been named, told them his hobby was taking pictures of the engines of old farm equipment.

(Sonoma County Sheriff)

But officials suspect that there was an alternative explanation.

“After a thorough investigation which revealed the farm equipment wasn’t antique and the man had far more methamphetamine than camera equipment, the motivation to climb into the fan shaft remains a total mystery,” said Sonoma Sheriff’s Office.

The man was not arrested but the sheriff’s office says it will recommend charges of trespassing and drug possession, as well as violations of an outstanding probation case and a pending case.

“Lucky for this guy the citizen called in to report his vehicle, otherwise this story ends with a far more tragic outcome,” authorities added.

“Instead he should make a full recovery and hopefully be wiser for the experience.”

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