A family outing at California’s largest corn maze took a frightening turn Friday night when a dispute inside the attraction escalated into a stabbing, leaving two people hospitalized.
The incident occurred at Cool Patch Pumpkins in Dixon at approximately 9:15 p.m., according to authorities.
The victims were identified as a 19-year-old Dixon man and a 20-year-old Vallejo man. Deputies arrested a 28-year-old man from Sacramento in connection with the attack.
The investigation remains active, and officials have not released an update on the victims’ conditions.
A spokesperson for the Solano County Sheriff’s Office characterized the violence as an “isolated incident,” saying it began with a disagreement that escalated “far beyond what it should have.”
“Clearing the corn maze at night was quite the challenge, but we did it — and we did recover some evidence,” the spokesperson told the San Francisco Chronicle. Investigators also located a weapon at the scene.
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Cool Patch Pumpkins reopened Saturday despite the previous night’s violence.
“There was an altercation between some people yesterday in the corn maze. Police were called. They responded really fast. We’re a family-oriented pumpkin patch. Always have been,” Seth Cooley, the founder’s son, told KCRA.
In a statement, Cool Patch Pumpkins said there was “no current public safety threat” and reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a safe, family-friendly setting for visitors.
Matt Cooley founded Cool Patch Pumpkins in 2001 after his daughters began selling pumpkins beside the road. The small family operation eventually expanded into a major attraction featuring a pumpkin patch and California’s largest corn maze.
The maze became large enough to earn Guinness World Records recognition in 2007 and again in 2014. It covered 63 acres at its peak in 2014 and now spans roughly 40 acres.
