Just one day after police said a truck intentionally drove into a group of youth baseball players outside a Safeway in Truckee, members of the 12U Tahoe Titans spoke about the terrifying experience and their determination to move forward.
“I looked behind me and then the next thing I remember was getting pulled out of rubble,” said Gavin DeWit, a first baseman for the team.
The incident happened as the Tahoe Titans were fundraising outside the grocery store, selling jerky to help pay for an upcoming trip to the Cooperstown All-Star Village in New York. Truckee police say a driver deliberately plowed into the group, eventually crashing into the side of the store.
“I remember hearing the truck a half second before I got hit,” said catcher Royan Grant. “When I got hit, I just felt a little tingle and then the pain came on. I got flung away.”
Three players, three parents, and one sibling were injured in the crash. All survived.
The driver, identified as 49-year-old Jonathan Maurer, has been arrested and faces multiple charges, including assault with a deadly weapon likely to cause great bodily injury.
According to court records, Maurer has a lengthy criminal history in Nevada County, including a felony assault conviction from 2015 involving great bodily injury.
Parents say the moments leading up to the crash still feel unreal.
“He put a cigarette out on one of our signs, then came back out, gave us a weird look, mumbled something under his breath and walked away,” said Jamie DeWit, a parent of one of the players. “The next thing I knew, myself and our boys were being pulled out of rubble.”
Video from the scene shows the aftermath of the crash, with damage to the storefront and the area now boarded up.
Despite the trauma, the team reunited the very next day, focusing on healing and supporting one another.
“It was very scary,” Gavin said.
For parents, the hope now is accountability and safety.
“If I could just say anything — just get this person off the street, off the road, out of our community so we do feel safe again,” Jamie said.
And for the players, the focus remains on baseball and the summer ahead.
“It’s going to be a fun summer,” Grant said. “I’m just going to put this behind me and do my best to not think about it, but at the same time remember the people who got hurt.”
The Tahoe Titans say they are grateful for the outpouring of community support and are now looking ahead to their upcoming tournament in New York.
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