TULARE CUNTY, Calif. — Firefighters battling a small fire encountered something unexpected Friday afternoon — a naked man with a machete and a rifle.
Visalia Times-Delta reported that the firefighters, who were called to fight a grass fire in a rural area, noticed a naked man, who appeared to be in his mid-20s, approaching them with a machete.
Concerned that the man may attack, an engine operator on their rig asked him to drop the weapon, according to the report.
When the man dropped the gun, he also dropped a 9mm rifle that the operator didn’t notice earlier, according to the report.
The firefighter picked up the weapons, secured him in the fire truck and contacted the Sheriff’s Department, which sent out deputies to take the man into custody, according to the report.
The man, identified as Alberto Lopez Ramos, 42, was arrested on suspicion of being under the influence.
“The engine operator did say the guy was kind of scared I guess,” Battalion Chief Mike Green said. “He was unsure what was going on. There was some kind of puzzlement. The guy, luckily, obeyed the commands of the fireman and stayed there. We’re just lucky he didn’t escalate the incident.”