By Cathy Locke
The Sacramento Bee
PLACER COUNTY, Calif. — A 17-year-old boy from Citrus Heights was booked into Placer County Juvenile Hall after a Wednesday night clown-hunting escapade.
Five juveniles responding to media reports about creepy clowns decided to go looking for them and were prepared to throw bottles at the clowns. Instead, one of the group ended up assaulting a Placer County sheriff’s deputy when a bottle was thrown through the window of the deputy’s patrol unit, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release.
The incident occurred about 11:35 p.m. on PFE Road outside of Roseville. After failing to locate any clowns, one youth decided to throw a bottle at a passing car. It struck the window of a passing sheriff’s patrol car, startling the deputy and shattering his window.
Although the deputy was cut and bleeding, he immediately turned around and pursued the car while relaying information to fellow deputies.
The youths’ vehicle was stopped and it was determined that one of the group threw the bottle. The youth told authorities that he didn’t realize the bottle was heading toward a patrol car until just after he threw it. He was booked on suspicion of felony assault with a deadly weapon.
Sheriff’s officials said the the deputy’s injuries might have been worse if the window of the patrol car had been open, because the bottle struck the window right next to his head.
Anyone whose car window was recently broken by a thrown bottle is asked to call the Placer County Sheriff’s Office at 530-889-7800. Sheriff’s officials said the damage likely would have occurred during nighttime hours.