Marijuana Grow Where Shooting Occured Valued at $10M

on a $10 million marijuana garden in the Santa Cruz Mountains on Thursday was a 24-year-old Morgan Hill man, authorities reported.

Alvaro Sanchez was shot in the arm when a sheriff's deputy and a state Fish and Game warden opened fire in the pot grow off Highway 152 near the Santa Clara-Santa Cruz county line, according to Sgt. Jose Cardoza of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office.

Sanchez and a second man fled into the woods after the confrontation with the sheriff's Marijuana Enforcement Team and state Fish and Game Department wardens around 11:45 a.m. Thursday, Cardoza said.

The MET team and game wardens had hiked into the 3,4000-plant marijuana grow near Mount Madonna County Park to count and remove the plants. Cardoza said the grow is worth $10.4 million on the street.

Sanchez later surrendered to Santa Cruz County Sheriff SWAT Team members who were searching the area for him. His accomplice was not located and the manhunt for him has been called off, according to Cardoza.

Sanchez was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, committing a felony while armed with a gun, cultivating marijuana and possessing marijuana for sale. He is being treated at a hospital and will be booked into Santa Clara County Jail after he recovers from his injury, according to Cardoza.

Two officers fired shots during the incident. One was Deputy Justin Harper, a 6-year veteran with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office. A California State Fish and Game warden was also involved in the shooting incident. His name was not released. 

The case remains under investigation.

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