Wednesday, June 9th

Man stuck for days inside giant fan at California vineyard

This photo provided by the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office shows a man who was found Tuesday, June 8, 2021 at a vineyard in Santa Rosa by a sheriff's deputy responding to a call about a suspicious vehicle parked in the area. Officials in Northern California rescued the man who said he had been trapped inside a large fan at a vineyard for two days. (Sonoma County Sheriff's Office via AP)

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (AP) - Authorities rescued a man who said he had been trapped for two days inside a large fan at a Northern California vineyard.

The man was discovered Tuesday by a deputy responding to a call about a suspicious vehicle parked near the winery in Santa Rosa, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

The deputy saw a hat on a piece of farming equipment and then found the man stuck inside the shaft of a vineyard fan. Firefighters rescued him.

This photo provided by the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office shows a fan at a vineyard in Santa Rosa, Calif. where a man was found Tuesday, June 8, 2021 by a sheriff's deputy responding to a call about a suspicious vehicle parked in the area. Officials in Northern California rescued the man who said he had been trapped inside a large fan at a vineyard for two days. (Sonoma County Sheriff's Office via AP)

"The man indicated he liked to take pictures of the engines of old farm equipment," the statement said. "After a thorough investigation, which revealed the farm equipment wasn't antique and the man had far more methamphetamine than camera equipment, the motivation to climb into the fan shaft remains a total mystery."

The 38-year-old man required medical treatment but is expected to make a full recovery, the office said.

The man will be charged with trespassing and drug possession, as well as violations of a probation case, the statement said.

Vineyard fans are used to circulate air across vines to keep grapes from freezing during colder months.

This photo provided by the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office shows a man who was found Tuesday, June 8, 2021 at a vineyard in Santa Rosa by a sheriff's deputy responding to a call about a suspicious vehicle parked in the area. Officials in Northern California rescued the man who said he had been trapped inside a large fan at a vineyard for two days. (Sonoma County Sheriff's Office via AP)