Bulldozer vandalism leads to arrests on TV Tower Road on Cuesta Ridge
A man and woman were arrested for breaking into bulldozers on TV Tower Road on Cuesta Ridge on Dec. 12.
A witness, Matthew Berdyck, who was camping on the peak, called 911 after reporting suspicious activity, he told The Tribune.
“They were trying to steal gas or they were they trying to steal the bulldozers,” Berdyck said. “It was a weird situation.”
Sheriff’s Office spokesman Tony Cipolla said that at 1:30 a.m. that night, deputies responded to the suspicious suspect call, and found “two people breaking into bulldozers parked at that location.”
When they arrived, they encountered a man and a woman, Audrey Gingg and Nicklos Saunders, who were in a sedan near the location.
They searched their vehicle and allegedly found “methamphetamine on the floorboard of the vehicle.”
“Saunders was on probation with search terms,” Cipolla said. “Because of that, deputies began searching the vehicle which was registered to Saunders.”
During the search, deputies discovered several suspected stolen items including backpacks, skateboards, and tools.
“Deputies checked the area where the heavy equipment was parked,” Cipolla said. “They determined the lock attached to the gas cap was cut and the engine compartment was open with broken parts of the engine discovered nearby.”
Saunders and Gingg were both arrested for vehicle burglary and possession of burglary tools. In addition, Saunders was arrested for possession of methamphetamine. Gingg was arrested for committing a felony while out on bail or own recognizance release.
Berdyck, of Sunnyvale, said he often camps at the site and is aware of crews upgrading the road there.
“We are thankful for the effort to repair the road and crews that did the job,” Berdyck said. “I camp up there a lot. I often clean up trash that’s left behind and think it’s one of the most beautiful and peaceful camping sites in the state.”
This story was originally published December 18, 2021 at 9:12 PM.
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