Denny’s evacuated after man’s fight with mom leads to gunfire, California police say
Officers evacuated a Chico restaurant Wednesday evening after a fight between a woman and her adult son escalated to gunfire just outside a nearby motel, police said.
Michael Austin Sans Cartier-Ward was taken into custody inside the Denny’s after Chico police officers evacuated the restaurant in the 600 block of Manzanita Court, just south of Cohasset Road and west of Highway 99.
Sans Cartier-Ward was arrested on suspicion of negligent discharge of a gun and being a drug addict in possession of a gun, the Chico Police Department announced Thursday morning in a Facebook post.
Shortly after 6 p.m. Wednesday, Butte County sheriff’s officials notified Chico police that deputies had just received a report of a loaded gun that had been stolen, and Sans Cartier-Ward had been identified as the suspect. Sheriff’s officials also received reports of several shots fired in the area of the theft.
About 30 minutes later, Chico police received a 911 call from staff at the Motel 6 on Manzanita Court, which is next to the Denny’s. The 911 caller told police that there was a fight between a woman and her adult son, who was later identified as Sans Cartier-Ward.
Sans Cartier-Ward’s mother had driven him to the Motel 6 to book him a room for the night. They arrived at the motel and Sans Cartier-Ward tried to steal his mother’s car keys, police officials said. She went into the motel lobby, and her son followed her there.
Police said Sans Cartier-Ward was seen with a handgun and fired four gunshots after he left the motel lobby.
Officers arrived and found Sans Cartier-Ward inside the Denny’s. The officers evacuated the restaurant and took Sans Cartier-Ward into custody. Police did not find the gun.
Investigators asked anyone with information about this incident or the whereabouts of the stolen gun to call the Chico Police Department at 530-897-4900.
This story was originally published March 5, 2020 at 8:30 PM.
