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The nomadic man known as “Mule,” who passed through the Tri-Valley this week, was arrested Wednesday night in Castro Valley on suspicion of trespassing and obstructing law enforcement.
The man, whose given name is John Sears, remains in custody at the Santa Rita Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail and awaits arraignment Friday morning, authorities said Thursday afternoon.
According to California Highway Patrol officials, one of their officers was out on patrol around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday when the officer saw 69-year-old Mule and his traveling companion, an actual mule, on the other side of a chain-link fence near the intersection of Castro Valley Boulevard and Center Street.
The fence separates the two roads from an embankment that leads direct to Interstate 580. Citing safety concerns for the mule and the fact they were on state-owned property, the officer asked Mule to come to the other side of the fence, according to CHP officials. When Mule refused to do so, the officer contacted his supervisor and other officers, and at 6:50 p.m. they placed Mule under arrest.
The charges are trespassing and obstructing a peace officer, and shortly thereafter he was taken to Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, according to the CHP.
Mule remains at the jail, with a bail set at $10,000. His arraignment is scheduled for Friday at 9 a.m. at the courthouse in Dublin.
Mule has been roaming the West for decades now, full-time for the past 14 years. It’s his chosen way of life, he said, and part of his mission to oppose urbanization and to ask lawmakers for a country-wide interstate trail system.
He travels with animal mules as well (giving him his self-dubbed name), presently with a dappled 27-year-old named Little Girl.
But he’s had a fair share of run-ins with police as well over the years, as his chosen lifestyle and habit of sleeping in public spaces and walking mules down the highways often don’t always sit well with authorities and legal restrictions. According to his website, Mule has received at least eight citations and been arrested at least one other time since embarking on his nomadic ways.
After being arrested in Castro Valley, three members of the nonprofit Horses Healing Hearts, Inc., picked up Little Girl in their trailer and brought her to a ranch. They would not specify the specific location, citing privacy concerns for the animal.
Mule has a detailed blog and a Facebook page that has over 38,000 followers. Both have been maintained by an anonymous supporter since 2014.
The recent arrest has been updated on the Facebook page, receiving much attention from Mule followers.
“Mule would not like seeing Three Mules followers disparaging officers doing their jobs of enforcing the law,” the page reads in one update. “Any comments that (are) violent or threatening towards law enforcement on this Facebook page is not tolerated and will be deleted. Mule has strong principles that he stands by and is willing to be arrested for these beliefs. When he gets out, he’ll share and post what happened.”
Sad that the police feel the need to arrest this man.
Also sad when a scared 1000 pound mule steps in front of your Prius while you’re traveling 55 mph in the #3 lane of westbound I-580.
Anyone who wants to hear John Sears explain his nomadic lifestyle with his mule, may view this video, which is almost 14 minutes long:
https://youtu.be/Yvs3VP-3AW0
Sorry but the link posted previously is wrong. This is the correct link for Monk and his Mule:
https://youtu.be/3Rj4WtA6JL8
Agree with Rick. Kind of sad that the police had to arrest him. Doesn’t seem like a bad man, just a nail that sticks out. Sort of like a Kwai Chang Caine living in a modern world.
All he had to do was come to the other side of the fence like requested and probably be on his way but he had to be a jackass instead of a mule and now he’s in jail. Boohoo
I agree – sad he made his own choice to ignore instructions from police officers that resulted in his arrest. He made a choice with a known consequence. I’d be willing to bet if he had listened to officers they would have asked him to move along without incident.
What’s more sad, is that this one individual is sucking down resources that really are needed elsewhere.
Interesting discussion on freedom. We live in the land of the free provided you are born with land and/or money. If you have no land or money, well then you are just trespassing and need to be locked up.
Rider,
Not true, there is this dying middle ground called “working for it”.
Where we have failed is that people think equal opportunity means equal wealth/etc.
You have the same opportunity to succeed, your situation may dictate the ease at which you do, but its not out of the grasp