In a recent incident, the Santa Rosa Police Department's K9 Ghost, an expert in detecting firearms, played a crucial role during a routine traffic stop yesterday. Officer Gonzales-Campos and K9 Ghost were conducting a regular check on the 300 block of Dutton Avenue in Santa Rosa when they noticed something suspicious, per the Santa Rosa Police report.
Initially, it seemed like a routine traffic violation, but Officer Gonzales-Campos spotted what looked like the handle of a knife beneath the driver's leg. Upon further investigation, it turned out to be a simple screwdriver. However, the driver, identified as Jose Torrestepuri, a previously convicted felon, was not allowed to have anything more dangerous than his criminal history.
Following proper procedure, K9 Ghost conducted an "open-air search," indicating the presence of something suspicious near the driver's door. When informed that the dog detected a firearm scent, Torrestepuri consented to a search of his truck. The search revealed a loaded rifle hidden inside a toolbox in the bed of the truck.
Torrestepuri, aged 27 and a resident of Boyes Hot Springs, was subsequently arrested and booked into the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility. He faced multiple charges, including possession of a firearm by a felon, carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle, being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition, carrying a loaded firearm in a public place, and a probation violation.
