Willow Creek Man Sought After Stabbing Near Highway 299
Humboldt County deputies are searching for 45-year-old Cody Benjamin Sides after a 40-year-old woman was reported stabbed while refueling along Highway 299 at Panther Road on the night of Jan. 8. The incident raises public safety concerns for motorists and rural communities along the corridor as the Sheriff’s Office continues its investigation.
Deputies responded late on Jan. 8 after an ambulance transported a stabbing victim to the Hoopa–Willow Creek Ambulance base at about 10:08 p.m. The 40-year-old female victim reported she had been stabbed while refueling her truck along Highway 299 at Panther Road, prompting a law enforcement search in the area.
Investigators identified 45-year-old Cody Benjamin Sides of Willow Creek as the suspect. Deputies conducted searches but did not locate Sides, and a Ramey arrest warrant was obtained as part of the ongoing investigation. Authorities have not released additional details about the motive or the nature of the injuries to the victim.
The late-evening incident underscores safety vulnerabilities along rural stretches of Highway 299, where limited lighting and distance between communities can complicate emergency response and witness availability. Panther Road and the surrounding area are frequented by local residents and drivers traveling between Willow Creek and other Humboldt County communities, making information about the suspect’s whereabouts a priority for deputies working to ensure public safety.
The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information about Sides’ location to contact HCSO. Deputies are continuing to follow investigative leads and coordinate with medical personnel who treated the victim after the ambulance transfer. No arrests have been reported as of Jan. 10, and the case remains active.
For residents, the incident highlights the importance of reporting suspicious activity and cooperating with law enforcement to improve safety on local roadways. Humboldt County agencies typically rely on tips from the community to locate suspects and secure scenes more quickly, particularly in dispersed rural areas where eyewitness accounts can be crucial.
As the investigation proceeds, deputies will likely maintain an increased presence along portions of Highway 299 while pursuing leads. Anyone with relevant information is urged to contact the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office. The office has requested public assistance in locating Cody Benjamin Sides so deputies can address immediate safety concerns and advance the ongoing investigation.
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