A routine grocery run turned into a scene of panic Saturday afternoon when a car slammed into the front entrance of the Safeway on Donner Pass Road in Truckee, hitting multiple pedestrians and shattering the storefront. Four people, including children, were injured and rushed to local hospitals. Authorities said the injuries were considered non-life-threatening and the victims are expected to recover. The driver was detained on the spot and later arrested.
According to CBS Sacramento, officers arrived at the shopping center around 2:45 p.m. and reviewed security video that showed a vehicle colliding with the store’s front entrance. Investigators determined the crash was intentional and identified the driver as 49-year-old Jonathan Maurer of Coalinga. CBS reports that Maurer was arrested and booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon likely to produce great bodily injury, felony vandalism, and violating the terms of his post release community supervision.
The San Francisco Chronicle noted that the Safeway sits about a mile east of downtown Truckee in a busy shopping strip along Donner Pass Road, an area that draws both locals and visitors.
What police said
The Truckee Police Department said officers were dispatched on reports of a vehicle hitting several pedestrians near the front entrance of the store. Once on scene, officers found victims being treated by bystanders and emergency crews amid broken glass and debris. Police said their preliminary investigation indicates the collision appeared to be intentional and that the driver was taken into custody while detectives continued to gather evidence and interview witnesses. A possible motive has not been released, and officials say the investigation is still active.
Charges and what post-release community supervision means
After his arrest, authorities booked the suspect into the Wayne Brown Correctional Facility in Nevada City. The Nevada County Sheriff's Office identifies Wayne Brown as the main county jail serving Nevada County.
One of the alleged violations involves post-release community supervision, a county-level monitoring program created under California’s 2011 public safety realignment. As the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation explains, certain inmates released from state prison are placed under local supervision instead of state parole. According to state and county guidance, breaking those supervision terms can lead to sanctions at the local level or further court action.
Local context
The Safeway crash is not the first serious vehicle pedestrian incident in Truckee in recent years. In March 2025, a collision on Donner Pass Road left one person dead and another hospitalized in critical condition, the Sierra Sun reported. That earlier crash shut down parts of the roadway while officers and collision investigators worked the scene.
The investigation into the Safeway incident remains ongoing, and officials say they will release more details as they become available, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Police are asking anyone who witnessed the crash or has relevant video or information to contact the Truckee Police Department.
