FOLSOM, Calif. — Two men were arrested early Sunday after allegedly stealing a forklift and casually sipping wine from the bottle while operating the vehicle, police said.
Around 2 a.m., officers with the Auburn Police Department worked to locate a forklift reported stolen near Lincoln Way and High Street, according to a department social media post. Police allege officers later found the forklift cruising down Lincoln Way toward Harrison Avenue with two men inside.
“In a bizarre turn of events, officers found the forklift cruising down Lincoln Way towards Harrison (Avenue), with Steven Mockel at the controls and Eric Temple alongside, casually sipping from a wine bottle,” the Auburn Police Department said in a statement.
After attempting a stop, police said both suspects ran away. The abandoned forklift rolled back and smashed into a business' fence, police said. The forklift was originally linked to a local endurance race event.
Both suspects were arrested and booked into Placer County Jail. Mockel faces charges including DUI, possession of a stolen vehicle and resisting arrest, authorities said. Temple reportedly faces stolen vehicle and resisting arrest charges.
