Berkeley Police Arrest Trio After Allegedly Finding Gun, Drugs Inside Truck

BERKELEY, CA — Three people were arrested Wednesday near the University of California at Berkeley campus with a loaded gun and drugs in their truck, police said Thursday. The arrests were made shortly before 2 p.m. on Wednesday by a team of officers who were on patrol near the University of California at Berkeley campus "to support potential protests" that were scheduled to occur at the university that day, Berkeley police said in a statement.

A police spokesman said it doesn't appear the suspects were on their way to the protests. Police said the officers stopped a black Ford truck for vehicle code violations near Durant and Piedmont avenues.

Police said in a statement, "As one of the officers contacted the driver and passengers he was struck by the strong odor of fresh marijuana coming from inside the truck."

The officers then searched the vehicle and its three occupants and found "a loaded firearm, a quantity of Alprazolam pills, packaging materials, over $100 in cash, suspected Promethazine Codeine Syrup, and suspected marijuana," police wrote.

Police identified the driver as David Maginniss 21, of El Sobrante, and the passengers as Sidney Barnum, a 19-year-old El Sobrante woman, and Silas Times, 21, of San Pablo. Police said they obtained "additional evidence" after getting a search warrant but didn't disclose what that evidence was.

All three suspects were booked into the Berkeley Jail. Police said Barnum was arrested on suspicion of carrying a concealed firearm, carrying a loaded firearm in public, and possession for sale and transportation of controlled substances.

Maginniss and Times were arrested on suspicion of possession for sale and transportation of controlled substances. Berkeley police said their department "takes great pride in taking dangerous narcotics and weapons off its streets."

By Bay City News

Photo courtesy Renee Schiavone/ Patch