A man from California has been arrested this week, accused of deliberately driving his vehicle into a group of children and parents who were participating in a youth baseball fundraiser outside a grocery store in Truckee.
Jonathan Maurer, age 49, is facing eight charges of attempted murder as well as multiple charges of assault with a deadly weapon. These charges come with several sentencing enhancements, as announced by the Nevada County District Attorney’s Office.
District Attorney Jesse Wilson expressed the gravity of the incident, stating, “It is difficult to grasp the allegations that this act was intentional and targeted at children. Our office is committed to navigating the criminal justice process, and if the evidence substantiates the charges, we will pursue full accountability under the law. Our goal is to send a clear message that such behavior is unacceptable and to safeguard the public from further harm.”
The incident occurred when the 12U Tahoe Titans were outside a Safeway store, fundraising for a trip to the Cooperstown All Star Village in New York, as reported by KOVR. It was at this location that Maurer allegedly drove into the group.
“I remember hearing the truck just a moment before being struck,” shared Rowan Grant, a catcher for the team, with the news outlet. “After being hit, I initially felt a slight tingle, followed by significant pain. I was thrown aside.”
The incident resulted in injuries to three players, three parents, and a sibling of one of the players.
Jamie DeWit, a parent of one of the players, said the moments leading up to the attack were odd.
“He put a cigarette out on one of our signs, then came back out, gave us a weird look, mumbled something under his breath and walked away,” DeWit said. “The next thing I knew, myself and our boys were being pulled out of rubble.”
Court records show that Maurer has a lengthy criminal history.
