This morning, an officer from the Santa Rosa Police Department stopped a vehicle on 4th Street and Leland Street due to a lighting equipment violation, whereupon the smell of marijuana led to a deeper investigation. The officer observed open containers of marijuana, prompting a search that resulted in the discovery of two loaded firearms. At the helm of the vehicle was 20-year-old Daniel Hernandez Lara, with 19-year-old Alvaro Bernal accompanying him as a passenger. Both Santa Rosa residents were detained over the incident, as reported by the Santa Rosa Police Department.
The vehicle search was justified by the fact that both occupants were underage for legal possession of marijuana, leading to the officer's decision to not only search the car but also to execute a probable cause search on both individuals. Resulting from this decision, Daniel Hernandez Lara was found to be carrying a stolen .40 caliber Springfield XD-40 semi-automatic handgun in his satchel, reported missing since 2013 from Livermore. On the other hand, Alvaro Bernal had an unregistered 9mm P80 privately made firearm, also loaded, in his possession.
Lara is facing multiple charges, including possession of a concealed firearm in a vehicle and on person, along with possession of a stolen firearm. Bernal's charges mirror Lara's, but with the addition of possession of an unregistered firearm.
