A military vehicle that was involved in a pursuit through Los Osos on Wednesday was stolen, according to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office.
Sheriff's officials say the M1070 Heavy Equipment Transport vehicle was manufactured earlier this year for the U.S. military and was stolen while in transit to Southern California.
The suspected thief, identified as 63-year-old Patrick Kevin VanNess of Los Angeles, was arrested Wednesday evening.
Sheriff's officials say deputies had received a report of a suspicious vehicle and tried to conduct a traffic stop but VanNess fled, leading deputies on a pursuit into Montaña de Oro State Park where he reportedly broke through a gate and drove onto Sandspit Beach.
The sheriff's office says VanNess refused to come out of the vehicle but was eventually taken into custody after authorities deployed tear gas into the vehicle.
Several Los Osos residents reported having interactions with VanNess before the pursuit.
“He said, 'I'm an ex-military, ex-Navy and if anyone gets in my way I'm going to kill them,'” said Dan, a Los Osos resident who did not want to share his last name.
Dan says he was driving home from work when he pulled over to offer help to an unfamiliar vehicle. He says VanNess told him his vehicle broke down and needed gas.
“I asked where he was staying and he said, 'I'm living in my car.' I told him you can't just stay in your car around here, it's against the law. I said we do have campgrounds down by the south bay and at that point, he started to act crazy,” he said.
Erika Esparza, a clerk at the Los Osos Valley Liquor Store, also says she had a weird interaction with VanNess when he tried to get gas.
“He came in with a leather vest without a shirt. I couldn't believe that guy was driving. I expected to see soldiers or something else but not him,” Esparza said.
After trying to pay for gas with a card that kept getting declined, Esparza says VanNess started pacing the floors back and forth.
The pursuit and heavy law enforcement presence in town on Wednesday caught the attention of many Los Osos residents.
“We saw a batch of cop cars driving by, which cop cars drive by sometimes but they're not usually in a batch like that,” said Jack Bargatze, Los Osos resident.
On Thursday, the military transport vehicle was removed from the beach after getting stuck in the sand.
Sheriff's officials say VanNess faces charges of vehicle theft, felony evasion, and destruction of public property. He is currently in custody at the San Luis Obispo County Jail with bail set at $80,000.
According to the sheriff's office, the M1070 Transport vehicle is specifically used to transport the M1 Abrams tank and is valued at more than $500,000.
