Five Men Run Off when Deputies find Panga Boat
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s deputies arrested two men who took off on foot after the discovery of a beached panga boat on Tuesday morning.
Typical Panga Boat
According to a press release form the sheriff’s department two deputies discovered an open gate to a field north of the Piedras Blancas lighthouse off Highway One while on patrol.
The deputies said when they arrived on scene, they discovered a beached panga boat along with five men.
Deputies say the men took off on foot and the deputies gave chase.
The deputies said they were able to capture one of the suspects in which a scuffle ensued which resulted in one deputy receiving minor injuries.
Deputies say the other suspects headed south on foot.
A second suspect was apprehended about a mile away from the scene.
Investigators say a search for the other suspects involved sheriff’s deputies, sheriff’s K9 units, a CHP plane and a Coast Guard helicopter.
No narcotics were discovered on the panga boat but investigators say it is consistent with narcotic smuggling operations.
According to the press release approximately 30 containers of fuel were floating in the water next to the boat and that the boat is about 28-feet long with a single engine. The boat has been turned over to the Coast Guard.
Read More:
KSBY: Panga Boats: the War on the Water
MSNBC: Another Panga Boat Found in the Same Area as Last Three
San Luis Obispo Tribune: Panga Boat Found North of Cambria; 2 Men Arrested
