Bar Fight Turns Ugly

What started as a bar fight in Murphys, ended with guns drawn in a neighborhood in Vallecito.

The Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office reports that Steven Scharf, 25 of Douglas Flat, got into a fight over the weekend at the Nugget bar near downtown Murphys. The fight was with an unidentified man from Angels Camp.

The Sheriff’s Department says Scharf and wife, 24-year-old Jana Scharf, later exited the bar and waited outside for the unidentified man, and three females with him, to leave. The Scharfs then drove and followed the group to a residence in the 10 block of Rufe Lane in Vallecito.

At that point, the Scharfs turned around and drove to their home in Douglas Flat to pick up a handgun and shotgun. When the Scharfs returned to the Vallecito residence, Mr. Scharf got out of the car and got into a verbal argument with the group. He then allegedly pointed a handgun at a female. She reportedly pushed it away, and it fired. She was not injured. The Scharfs then took off and fled the area. During the incident, Mrs. Scharf had been standing next to their vehicle while holding the shotgun.

Hours later, while Sheriff’s Deputies were conducting the investigation, the Scharfs vehicle was spotted driving near their home in Douglas Flat. They were approached by Angels Camp Police Officers that were in the area. The couple was arrested and booked into Calaveras County Jail. The Sheriff’s Office reports that Mrs. Scharf confirmed the above incidents during an interview. A spent shell casing from a Glock .40 caliber handgun was later found in the Vallecito neighborhood.

All of the parties involved were found to be under the influence of alcohol. Details surrounding what led to the fight are not immediately known.