Sonoma County

Man Rescued After Being Stuck in North Bay Fan Shaft for 2 Days

'The motivation to climb into the fan shaft remains a total mystery,' the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office wrote on Facebook

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A man who was stuck for two days inside the shaft of a vineyard fan outside Santa Rosa was rescued Tuesday morning, officials said.

The man, who is expected to make a full recovery, told authorities he liked to take pictures of the engines used in old farming equipment, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said.

"After a thorough investigation which revealed the farm equipment wasn’t antique and the man had far more methamphetamine than camera equipment, the motivation to climb into the fan shaft remains a total mystery," the sheriff's office wrote on Facebook.

Before the bizarre discovery, the sheriff's office received a complaint regarding a suspicious vehicle that was parked on private property along the 2800 block of Piner Road.

A responding deputy spotted the car, but they couldn't find the driver. The deputy did see a hat resting on a piece of farming equipment nearby. When they went to get a closer look, the deputy found the man trapped inside the fan shaft.

The man did need medical treatment, though the sheriff's office did not elaborate on his condition other than to say he should be OK.

He was not arrested, but the sheriff's office will be recommending charges for trespassing, drug possession, and violations for a probation case and a pending case, according to the sheriff's office.

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