ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST : Ranger Shot at by Truck Thief

A U. S. Forest Service ranger at the Green Valley ranger station in the Angeles National Forest was shot at Tuesday morning by a man who tried to steal a truck.

The ranger first spotted the man, who remained at large Tuesday evening, as he hot-wired the ranger’s Forest Service truck, which was parked in front of the station. After the truck was driven about a quarter of a mile, it broke down, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.

When the ranger went to investigate, the man, whom Forest Service officials said they have tentatively identified, shot at him, missing, and then ran away.

“This is the first time this has ever happened to one of our employees,” said Officer Terry Molzhan, a Forest Service battalion chief. Molzhan said he believes that the gunman used a .45-caliber automatic weapon.