An early morning fuel stop led to an unexpected discovery for Rio Vista police officers when they stumbled upon a sleeping man with a loaded pistol in his car. According to the Rio Vista Police Department, the officers, identified as Lopez & Tramble, were refueling their patrol vehicles before 5 AM when they spotted an older Lexus sedan parked at the Commercial Fueling Network pumps.
The situation escalated when the officers, growing concerned about the vehicle that had been idling for some time, decided to approach and found the driver asleep with a pistol in plain view. They swiftly and safely secured the man, who complied with their orders while toting a backpack, an unusual sight that warranted further caution. The backpack contained a loaded AR15-style pistol ghost gun, complete with a high-capacity drum magazine loaded with armor-piercing ammunition.
A records check revealed the 34-year-old Benicia man was a convicted felon, prohibited from possession of firearms and ammunition. The man's rap sheet included a prior conviction for a home-invasion robbery and an outstanding warrant for burglary out of Stockton. Rio Vista Police Department described the find as a man suffering a "flare-up" of "chronic felony syndrome," a turn of phrase illustrating the man's extensive criminal background.
Officers Lopez and Tramble arrested the suspect on 11 felony charges and transported him to Solano County Jail for booking. The Rio Vista Police Department's post on the incident concluded with the man being sent to a "treatment facility," a euphemism for the jail where he would await the consequences of his alleged continued disregard for the law.
