Anthony Mehlhaff (Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office).
In a Central California county named after the prevalence of migratory Monarch butterflies, the lead singer of a Los Angeles-based shock rock band made himself into a one-man font of terror for residents and visitors alike last week, authorities in the Golden State say.
Anthony Mehlhaff, 40, is the frontman for Cancer Christ, whose music can variously be described as hardcore punk, thrash, or speed metal. The defendant now stands accused of a litany of crimes including kidnapping, reckless driving on a highway, vehicle theft, burglary, robbery, theft, battery, resisting arrest, and vandalism, according to Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office records.
On Aug. 21, the alleged spree of mayhem began at a restaurant on California State Route 120. There, according to a press release issued by the sheriff’s office, Mehlhaff touched a pregnant server’s stomach and told her: “The spirits led me to you and your baby belongs to me, and what time is your break because I will be waiting for you.”
Right around 1:45 p.m., the unwanted man left the restaurant, assaulting another worker on his way out — and stealing “several drinks,” according to the sheriff’s office. Then, he allegedly got into his vehicle and headed toward Yosemite National Park.
By 3 p.m. that day, the 911 dispatch center for the sparsely populated county was buzzing with complaints about potential emergencies including “a possible car chase,” according to the sheriff’s office — as well as a would-be kidnapping, yet another assault, multiple stolen vehicles, and still other “suspicious circumstances.”
Mariposa County does not have any cities, but rather a handful of smallish to smaller census-designated places — tiny communities.
Most of those 911 calls came from exceedingly small Fish Camp, with a population that might stretch beyond four dozen depending on who’s home for the holidays. A former logging town, the area is now largely a tourist destination centered around the hospitality industry — and it forms the major southern entrance to Yosemite.
Park rangers allegedly tried and failed to intercept Mehlhaff as he made his way inside their jurisdiction on California State Route 41.
Instead, the singer of songs like “God Made Me Do It” allegedly crashed his vehicle at Fish Camp and then stole a bicycle.
“You’ll want to keep this, I’m going to be famous,” Mehlhaff told a bystander — as he removed his shirt and handed it to them before pedaling away on the purloined bike, according to the sheriff’s office.
He did not go far.
Next, Mehlhaff allegedly entered the kitchen of Fish Camp’s sprawling grand hotel, Tenaya Lodge, through a back door — where he used a refrigerator to store his hat and other personal items. Then, he allegedly grabbed a kitchen knife and began threatening workers.
After leaving the kitchen, Cancer Christ’s frontman walked to a “creek area” near the hotel’s clubhouse, where he allegedly unburdened himself of still more possessions — like his pants, wallet, and car keys.
Clad only in gray boxer-briefs, Mehlhaff allegedly entered the clubhouse — a common space where small food items are sold — and told customers to leave for their own safety, then began vandalizing.
After that rite of wreckage, the defendant allegedly assaulted and attempted to kidnap the store manager, according to the sheriff’s office. The store manager, however, was able to escape unharmed, but Mehlhaff allegedly grabbed their car keys and then stole their Kia Optima.
The dedicated scofflaw behavior continued apace and southbound on Highway 41 and into neighboring Madera County, through the census-designated place of Oakhurst, where Mehlhaff “encountered a Tesla and began extreme road rage behavior,” according to the sheriff’s office. After driving slowly on the shoulder and then being passed, he allegedly tailgated the electric car, made “aggressive hand gestures” at the other driver, and repeatedly rammed them, according to the sheriff’s office and statements from the California Highway Patrol reported by Visalia-based Fox affiliate KMPH.
Mariposa County sheriff’s deputies finally came across Mehlhaff during the Tesla incident, authorities say, and a short chase ensued.
It is unclear whether he crashed on his own or through the efforts of law enforcement, but crash he did. What began in Mariposa County ended just south of Oakhurst. The stolen Optima careened into a fence along a wooded area on Mattie Fhy Road in Coarsegold, where Mehlhaff was taken into custody — apparently not without incident.
While being medically cleared at a nearby hospital, the defendant allegedly assaulted sheriff’s deputies, who eventually took him to jail.
“This man drove all around our county terrorizing our visitors and community members,” Mariposa County Sheriff Jeremy Briese said in a statement. “I am extremely happy that no one was seriously injured, this man’s behavior was erratic and dangerous. This is just a glimpse of what we encounter at any given time. I am proud of the work done by our staff and partnerships built that give us the ability to apprehend criminals who continue to harm our communities.”
The defendant is currently being detained on $100,000 bail.
Law&Crime reached out to the sheriff’s office and state troopers for additional details on this story but no responses were immediately forthcoming at the time of publication.
Cancer Christ, Mehlhaff’s band, released their latest album, “God is Violence,” in January, on Seeing Red Records. Over the weekend, after the arrest, the record label posted on Instagram that they were “finally shipping” a limited number of the band’s box sets.
In a February interview with New Noise Magazine, the since-accused spree criminal said: “The world is violent; everybody’s violent but we don’t have to be like that. We can all show some f–––––– love, get the anger out at shows, and try to enjoy life. Easier said than done, especially in the last three years. But it’s kind of what we believe in. Spread love.”
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
