A routine traffic stop on westbound I-80 quickly escalated when Hercules Police discovered an intoxicated driver with a loaded gun in his vehicle last week. The Hercules Police Department reported on its Facebook page that the incident occurred at approximately 9:35 P.M. on January 21, as an officer pulled over a 2005 Chevy Silverado.
Upon contact, the driver, hailing from Rodeo, exhibited signs of alcohol impairment. The officer administered Standardized sobriety tests, in which the driver performed poorly. Alongside the field sobriety evaluations, a preliminary alcohol screening was conducted, sealing the driver's fate with the law. He was placed under arrest following these results. Hercules PD detailed that during the vehicle search, they uncovered a backpack with unopened alcoholic beverages - still cold to the touch.
The police search also revealed a more sinister cargo: a loaded black/tan pistol labeled "P80,” which was housed in a black holster. Adding a layer of concern, the firearm was privately manufactured and lacked serial numbers, thereby sliding off the radar of conventional firearms tracking and regulation measures. In light of finding the weapon and the alcoholic beverages, followed by the failed sobriety tests, the Chevy Silverado was towed, and the driver faced a new reality behind bars, booked into jail.
