What started as a road-rage scare and ended with a trunkload of marijuana last Thursday in Livermore, where police say they arrested two men in separate incidents in and around the city. In one case, a driver allegedly pointed a loaded handgun at another motorist near Junction Avenue. In the other, officers say a routine traffic stop on North Livermore Avenue uncovered more than 80 pounds of marijuana. No injuries were reported in either case, according to investigators.
How officers tracked the road-rage suspect
According to NBC Bay Area, officers responded to reports of a road-rage confrontation near Junction Avenue, where a driver allegedly made criminal threats and pointed a loaded firearm at another motorist. Using the reported vehicle description along with automatic license plate readers, investigators traced the car to an apartment complex in neighboring Pleasanton.
With help from the Pleasanton Police Department, officers arrested 22-year-old Angel Figueroa of Tracy and recovered a loaded handgun, according to the same report.
Later that day, Livermore police conducted a traffic stop on North Livermore Avenue that turned into a much bigger case. After the driver reportedly admitted to having marijuana in the vehicle, officers carried out a probable-cause search that they say turned up more than 80 pounds of marijuana. The driver was booked on suspicion of possession of marijuana for sale.
Legal context
Possessing marijuana with intent to sell remains unlawful under California law, specifically Health & Safety Code §11359, and can bring jail time, fines and other penalties that vary based on prior convictions and other circumstances. State law also allows seizure of property tied to certain controlled-substance offenses, so evidence and proceeds from large drug cases can be held for possible forfeiture, according to California Legislative Information.
Local enforcement and what comes next
The Livermore Police Department has in recent months highlighted a series of traffic stops and search warrants that turned up weapons and narcotics, describing the work as part of a broader effort to disrupt local distribution networks. The Livermore Police Department regularly posts case summaries and enforcement updates in its online newsroom, including earlier coverage of a Pine Street raid that turned up guns and drugs inside a home.
