Alert Deputy Spots Stolen Car, One Arrested

Sonora, CA – A stolen vehicle backing out of a parking spot at a Sonora business caught the eye of a deputy on patrol and ended with a woman’s arrest.

A quick registration check on the 2017 Hyundai Elantra showed it was stolen out of Tracy. The Tuolumne Sheriff’s Deputy trailed the sedan and pulled it over on Mono Way near Greenely Road around 10:30 p.m. last Tuesday.

As it was a stolen car, the deputy called for backup. Sheriff’s spokesperson Jacob Ostoich relayed that “due to the vehicle being reported stolen and for officer safety reasons, a high-risk traffic enforcement stop was conducted.” He explained that means deputies had their guns drawn when approaching the vehicle and ordering the driver out of the vehicle. The woman driver inside was 43-year-old Carrie Lynn Mahenski.

A search of the sedan turned up a small amount of methamphetamine, heroin, and drug paraphernalia. Mahenski was taken into custody without incident for possession of a stolen vehicle and drugs. Her bail was set at $10,000.