A routine coffee stop in downtown Salinas turned into a rescue operation when two officers overheard faint cries for help and found a man trapped inside a narrow wall space between a coffee shop and the Maya Cinemas. Firefighters spent hours cutting through the wall to reach him, and the man was later taken into custody on suspicion of burglary.
How Officers Discovered Him
Two Salinas police officers were grabbing coffee at Brewjee on Main Street when they heard muffled shouts and strange noises coming from the neighboring building. They checked the surrounding area and the Maya Cinemas offices, then tried knocking on an exterior wall. When someone knocked back, they called in firefighters to help, according to CBS News.
Rescue And Scene Details
Initial information from the Salinas Fire Department indicates the man may have fallen from the roof of the Maya Cinemas building and slid about 22 feet down into a tight gap between the structures. Rescuers then spent roughly two and a half hours working to get him out. Local reporting by KSBW says the man told first responders he had been stuck there since about 9 PM the night before and that his bail was later set at $10,000.
What Police And Firefighters Said
Fire crews first cut into the wall inside the coffee shop, only to uncover an additional layer of cinderblock and cement. They ultimately had to remove a large section of the adjoining wall to free the trapped man. The Salinas Police Department shared video of the rescue on its Facebook page and publicly praised the overnight “graveyard Officers” for trusting their instincts, CBS News reported.
Aftermath And Legal Status
Rescuers transported the man to Natividad Medical Center with a minor back injury, according to SFGATE and he was later booked into the Monterey County Jail on suspicion of burglary. Local outlets report that authorities have not yet said how he ended up in the wall and that the case remains under investigation, per KSBW.
