Two stabbed in Dixon corn maze at Cool Patch Pumpkins; Sacramento man arrested

DIXON: Two people were stabbed Friday night inside the corn maze at Cool Patch Pumpkins in Dixon, and a 28-year-old Sacramento man was arrested, according to the Solano County Sheriff's Office. Deputies responded to the popular fall attraction around 9:15 p.m. after an altercation was reported in the maze, KCRA reported.

A 19-year-old from Dixon and a 20-year-old man from Vallejo were taken to a hospital, KCRA reported. Authorities have not released information about their conditions, and officials have not released the suspect's name or said what may have led to the violence. Deputies recovered a weapon at the scene, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Cool Patch Pumpkins · Source

A spokesperson for the Sheriff's Office described the violence as an isolated incident that began with a disagreement that escalated, in the spokesperson's words to the San Francisco Chronicle, "far beyond what it should have." The spokesperson said clearing the corn maze at night was "quite the challenge," and that investigators "did recover some evidence" inside the maze.

The patch reopened Saturday

Cool Patch Pumpkins posted an announcement saying there is "no current public safety threat" and that the maze is committed to providing a safe, family-friendly environment for everyone, the New York Post reported. The pumpkin patch reopened Saturday, with families returning to the grounds and entering the corn maze, KCRA reported.

"There was an altercation between some people yesterday in the corn maze," said Seth Cooley, whose family runs Cool Patch Pumpkins. "Police were called. They responded really fast." Cooley described the stabbing as an isolated incident and said the farm prioritizes visitors' safety. "We're a family-oriented pumpkin patch," Cooley said. "Always have been."

Cool Patch Pumpkins · Source

Security cameras are visible around the property, and a liability notice is posted at the entrance, KCRA reported. Cooley confirmed that security personnel are on site but declined to provide details about the farm's security measures. "I'm not going to go into detail on that right now," Cooley said. "I don't think it's relevant to what happened."

Visitors who arrived Saturday said they had not heard about the stabbing before reaching the farm. Natalie Murphy and Emily Gove traveled from San Francisco for a fall outing. "Joking aside, we felt completely safe, and nothing stood out," Gove told KCRA. "It really does seem like a family-type of place," Murphy said.

"This was an isolated incident," Cooley said. "It's a beautiful day. We hope to see you guys out here. We're not going to let one incident with one individual ruin a great day for thousands of people." The investigation remains active, according to the Sheriff's Office, and Cool Patch Pumpkins remains open.

A record-setting maze

Matt Cooley founded Cool Patch Pumpkins in 2001 after his daughters began selling pumpkins beside the road, and the family operation grew into a major fall attraction with a pumpkin patch and California's largest corn maze, the New York Post reported. The maze earned Guinness World Records recognition in 2007 and again in 2014, when it covered 63 acres at its peak. It now spans roughly 40 acres.