Police evacuate homes in Turlock neighborhood after explosive found

Police officers on Tuesday morning evacuated homes near Summerfaire Park after investigators serving a search warrant found what appeared to be an explosive.

The Stanislaus County sheriff's Bomb Squad arrived at the scene and retrieved the explosive, which turned out to be an inert 60 mm mortar round. There were no explosions or injuries reported.

The incident began about 10 a.m. Tuesday, when Turlock police investigators served a search warrant at a home in the 1000 block of Carrousel Court, said Turlock police Sgt. Russ Holeman. The search was part of a narcotics investigation.

The Carrousel Court home is near the southern end of the park, which is just south of Fulkerth Road. As a precaution, police also closed a portion of the park as authorities retrieved the mortar round.

After investigators spotted the mortar, police evacuated the nearby homes and closed off the area, Holeman said. About three hours later, the bomb squad removed the device for safe disposal. Then, the police investigators went back to conducting their search of the home.

Holeman said the investigators found more than 300 marijuana plants being grown inside the house. They also found in the house seven guns, including an illegal assault rifle.

The investigators arrested Daniel Arce Sandoval, 42, who was at the home when the search warrant was served. Sandoval was arrested on suspicion of possession of an illegal assault rifle and cultivation and sales of marijuana.

Officials ask anyone with information about this case to call Detective Nate Urban (209) 668-5550 ext. 6771 or the Turlock Police Department’s Tip Line at (209) 668-5550 ext. 6780. Tipsters also can send an e-mail to tpdtipline@turlock.ca.us.

This story was originally published March 6, 2018 at 12:02 PM with the headline "Police evacuate homes in Turlock neighborhood after explosive found."