A disagreement in rural California escalated in a way few people would expect after deputies say a man climbed into a piece of heavy construction equipment and used it to crush an occupied car.
According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded around 12:03 a.m. Saturday to the 1700 block of Sinton Road in Santa Maria after receiving a 911 call about someone driving a front loader into a vehicle.
When deputies arrived, they found a severely damaged car. Investigators say 38-year-old Levi Gaze of Paso Robles rammed the occupied vehicle several times before using the machine’s bucket to further destroy it.
A woman riding in the car managed to escape without suffering serious injuries, deputies said. Authorities have not disclosed what sparked the argument that preceded the incident.
There Was Nothing Small About This Loader
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a Paso Robles man after he used a front loader tractor to crush a vehicle following an argument. Read more here: https://t.co/cr8RgYeiMe
— SB Sheriff’s Office (@sbsheriff) August 3, 2026
Although the sheriff’s office described the machine as a “front loader tractor,” photos released by investigators show what appears to be a Caterpillar 938 wheel loader.
Caterpillar classifies the 938 as a “small wheel loader,” but that description is relative. According to the manufacturer’s specifications, the machine has an operating weight of 35,528 pounds, or nearly 18 tons.
To put that into perspective, the loader weighs roughly as much as six or seven full-size pickup trucks combined. It also produces 191 horsepower and can be fitted with a bucket capable of holding up to 6.5 cubic yards of material.
There is also nothing small about the price. A new 938 can cost around $328,000 before additional equipment and options. That’s enough to buy a Porsche 911 GT3, assuming you can find one without an ADM, and a new Chevrolet Corvette with money left over. It’s also enough to buy roughly 40 used Hyundai Tiburons, suggesting that logic and economics have gone out the window and leaving us curious about the motive.
Unfortunately, the sheriff’s office did not disclose what the argument was about, which is entirely understandable if not still a bit disappointing. Whatever it was, deputies say it eventually involved a nearly 18-ton wheel loader and what appears to be a 2006-2008 Hyundai Tiburon.
That leaves us with several questions, including how the dispute escalated this far, how the loader became involved, and why anyone thought repeatedly ramming a passenger car with a six-figure piece of construction equipment was the next logical step.
Deputies Found Gaze Still Inside the Loader
Deputies determined that Gaze used the wheel loader to destroy the vehicle following the dispute, according to the sheriff’s office. They contacted him while he was still inside the machine and took him into custody without incident.
Photos released by the agency show extensive damage to the sedan, including a crushed hood, shattered glass, damage along the roofline, and heavy damage to the rear of the vehicle.
Gaze was booked into the Northern Branch Jail on felony charges of assault with a deadly weapon and vandalism. Authorities said he was also booked on an outstanding no-bail warrant from San Luis Obispo County and remains held without bail.
Gaze is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.