By Andy Furillo
afurillo@sacbee.com
An apparent home-invasion marijuana ripoff in a remote corner of Nevada County today resulted in a mountain-road chase, gunfire and a fatal crash that left a robbery suspect dead, officials said.
No identities were available on either the suspects or victims in the 10:08 a.m. incident just outside the Nevada County hamlet of North San Juan on the 12000 block of Tobacco Road.
Sheriff Keith Royal said two gunmen who wore ski masks and claimed to be cops stormed into the residence, handcuffed four people. The robbers ran out with at least a couple pounds of already-packaged marijuana and took off in a Ford F250 pickup registered to an address in Elk Grove.
One resident freed himself and jumped into another vehicle to chase the invaders, Royal said.
During the pursuit, the driver who gave chase tried to ram the fleeing truck and was able to tap them a couple times, according to the sheriff. In return, the suspected pot robbers shot at their pursuer, Royal said.
About six miles into the chase, the fleeing truck crashed into a tree at Sauer Lane on southbound Highway 49, killing the driver, Royal said. The driver's passenger survived the crash and was taken into custody after being taken by a life flight to Sutter Roseville Hospital, authorities said.
"There is a large contingency of individuals who like to grow marijuana in that area," Royal said. "There's no doubt in my mind that this is why that home invasion robbery took place."
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