Small El Dorado County community left with questions after homicide investigation off Highway 50
CAMINO – A small community in the foothills is left with questions after a homicide investigation shut down a part of Highway 50 for several hours on Saturday morning.
"My initial reaction is, what's going on with our country?" Daniel Scaggs, a long-time Camino resident, said.
Just after 6:30 a.m. Saturday, California Highway Patrol said they responded to a call of a disabled vehicle on Highway 50 eastbound near Snows Road in Camino.
They found a Chevrolet truck on the shoulder, with a female who had a fatal gunshot wound inside. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
"I've lived here since the mid-70s and grew up about a quarter mile from here on one of the apple ranches and that was kind of a shock to find out what was happening," Gary Ritz, partner and brewer at Highway 50 Brewery in Camino, said.
Where officers found the truck was just less than a mile away from several breweries and wineries, along with Apple Hill farms.
Ritz said he couldn't remember the last time he'd heard of something like this happening.
"[You can count] on one hand over the last 15 years that maybe something like this has happened," Ritz said.
Eric Hays, owner of Chateau Davell Winery in Camino also said it was very scary to hear something like that happened that close to his livelihood.
"It's usually not so close to home but it's almost like an everyday occurrence, you hear about somewhere there's some kind of violence," Hays said.
CHP said they arrested a 38-year-old Sacramento man in connection to the homicide. His identification has yet to be released.
Ritz said he hopes this situation doesn't make tourists think this is a regular occurrence in their small town.
"This is a safe community. Apple Hill and Camino are very safe communities. People out here look out for each other, watch our neighbors, make sure they're OK," Ritz said.
CHP said the investigation is ongoing. If you have any information, you are asked to call 530-748-2450.