West Ripon Road rancher Gary Aksland voiced his anger about a drive by shooting that injured a worker Saturday at 11 a.m. on his ranch that he said could easily have been fatal.

Aksland said his 57-year-old ranch hand was working on a broken sprinkler adjacent to the roadway when he was shot through the bicep, the bullet narrowly missing the bone with it penetrating through the leg.  Aksland said three black and white sheriff’s units responded to the scene along with a fire engine and an ambulance.

He said his worker had been with him for nearly 10 years and always reported for work on time and didn’t frequent area bars in the community adding that he is a very stable guy.  There was no reason anyone would want to shoot him, Aksland added. 

“He wasn’t able to see the car well enough to make it out as it was moving in a westerly direction,” he said.    

The injured worker was treated and went home from the hospital Saturday night.

Aksland chided the fact that too many people in and around the community have too much time on their hands with nothing to do but run around shooting people.  

To contact Glenn Kahl, email gkahl@mantecabulletin.com.