JOLON — A soldier who left base in a Humvee without permission last Tuesday at Fort Hunter Liggett in Jolon was apprehended later that evening by law enforcement in San Mateo.
Fort Hunter Liggett spokeswoman Amy Phillips said the soldier, whose name was not released, was participating in the Combat Support Training Exercise when he went AWOL at about 10 a.m. on July 24.
According to emergency dispatchers, the soldier was upset over a recent demotion when he took the military vehicle. Phone records at 1 p.m. showed the soldier was on Highway 35 near Skyline Boulevard. Then, at 3:10 p.m., the records showed him at Castle Rock State Park in Los Gatos before California Highway Patrol located him a few hours later near San Mateo.
Phillips said the soldier “will be returned to the custody of military authorities while they complete an investigation on the incident.”