Sonoma County Traffic Stop Leads To Drugs, Weapons Arrest

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — A Sacramento-area man was arrested for allegedly possessing drugs and weapons in his vehicle after he was stopped for speeding Wednesday morning on U.S. Highway 101 near Cloverdale, according to the California Highway Patrol.

CHP Officer Mike Phennicie stopped a Nissan van that was traveling 82 mph on the highway north of Asti Road around 6:50 a.m., CHP Officer Jonathan Sloat said.

The driver, identified as Oneill Fernandez, 38, of Elk Grove, seemed nervous and evasive when contacted, and Phennicie noticed the stock of a Crosman BB gun sticking out of the rear passenger seat of the Nissan, Sloat
said.

Fernandez allegedly did not have his driver's license and the CHP officer allegedly smelled marijuana in the vehicle. When Fernandez opened a backpack, Phennicie allegedly saw two baggies containing marijuana and
another bag containing methamphetamine.

Phennicie also noticed what appeared to be the barrel of another gun near the center console of the vehicle, but it was a handle of a car jack allegedly intended as a weapon, Sloat said.

Fernandez was arrested and booked into Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine, a billy club, brass knuckles, having an open container of marijuana and driving without a license, Sloat said.

By Bay City News Service

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