I-80 lanes shutdown in Placer County as deputies arrest driver with loaded gun, drugs
Deputies arrested a Reno man who was reportedly uncooperative and had a loaded gun and drugs in his car Wednesday morning along Interstate 80 near Auburn, according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.
Marshall Ashley McMain, 38, was taken into custody along the westbound lanes of the freeway, just east of the Highway 193 exit. Auburn police and the California Highway Patrol closed some of freeway lanes as deputies conducted the high-risk traffic stop.
Placer County sheriff’s officials posted a video of the arrest to Facebook on Wednesday afternoon. The video shows deputies searching the red car and leading McMain away in handcuffs, along with a glimpse of the handgun, methamphetamine and heroin.
A deputy spotted the red car speeding west on Interstate 80 near the Foresthill Road exit ramp, sheriff’s officials said in the Facebook post. The deputy followed and pulled over the car just before reaching the Highway 193 exit.
Sheriff’s officials said the driver, later identified as McMain, was uncooperative with the deputy and refused to comply with the deputy’s commands. Other deputies arrived at the scene to help. Together, the deputies took McMain into custody without further incident.
The deputies said they found the loaded handgun under the car’s driver’s seat. Sheriff’s officials said meth, heroin and drug paraphernalia also were found in the car.
McMain was arrested on suspicion of carrying a concealed gun, possession of drugs while armed with weapon, being a felon in possession of a gun and illegal possession of ammunition; all felonies, according to Placer County jail records. He also was booked at the jail on misdemeanor charges of obstructing police and drug possession.
There were no reports of shots fired or injuries, but sheriff’s officials wrote in the Facebook post that McMain’s arrest “is a reminder of just how quickly a situation can escalate and become deadly.”
This story was originally published February 19, 2020 at 3:37 PM.
