Video Reveals Who Fired Shots In Cold Springs

Michael Williams Rodriguez -- TCSO booking photo

Cold Springs, CA – After several gunshots rang out in Cold Springs, pitting neighbor against neighbor over who fired the shots, video solved the mystery.

A caller recently reported to Tuolumne County Sheriff’s dispatch hearing twelve shots and a male screaming in the area of 29600 West Mono Road, south of Highway 108, near Long Barn. Once on the scene, deputies spoke to the caller, who believed the shooting and yelling he heard were coming from his next-door neighbor, 58-year-old, Michael Williams Rodriguez.

While further investigating, deputies located several spent shell casings and live ammunition on Rodriguez’s property and more spent shell casings in the roadway. A records check on Rodriguez revealed that he is a convicted felon and is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms and ammunition. When deputies questioned Rodriguez, he gave conflicting statements regarding firing a gun, having the live ammunition, and the spent shell casings that turned up on his property. They also noticed a pistol in plain sight just inside his open front door.

What eventually got Rodriguez handcuffed was when deputies got their hands on surveillance video from another neighbor that “showed Rodriquez with the firearm and discharging it,” according to sheriff’s officials. Rodriguez was arrested for felony charges of felon/addict in possession of a firearm, prohibited person in possession of ammunition, and willful discharge of a firearm with gross negligence.