TRUCKEE, CA – A 49-year-old California man faces eight counts of attempted murder after authorities say he intentionally drove his vehicle into a youth baseball team conducting a fundraiser outside a grocery store.
Jonathan Maurer was arrested following the incident at a Safeway store where the 12U Tahoe Titans were raising money for a trip to Cooperstown All Star Village in New York. The Nevada County District Attorney’s Office announced charges including multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon with sentencing enhancements.
“The allegations that this act was intentional and directed at kids is hard to comprehend,” said District Attorney Jesse Wilson. “Our office will work through the criminal justice process and, if the evidence supports the charges, do everything we can, to the fullest extent of the law, to hold this individual accountable.”
Seven people were injured in the attack, including three young players, three parents, and a player’s sibling. One of the victims, catcher Rowan Grant, described hearing the vehicle moments before impact and being thrown from the scene.
Witnesses reported unusual behavior from Maurer before the incident. Parent Jamie DeWit said the suspect had extinguished a cigarette on one of the team’s fundraising signs, then returned with what she described as “a weird look” before walking away.
“The next thing I knew, myself and our boys were being pulled out of rubble,” DeWit told local media.
Court records indicate Maurer has an extensive criminal history, though specific details of previous convictions were not immediately available. The case remains under investigation by local authorities.
The Tahoe Titans were fundraising for their planned trip to the renowned youth baseball facility in New York when the attack occurred. The team had been conducting the fundraiser outside the grocery store as part of their efforts to cover travel expenses.
District Attorney Wilson emphasized that the charges reflect the serious nature of the allegations and the office’s commitment to protecting the community from similar incidents.
