Berkeley Police officers arrested a 42-year-old Oakland man sitting in a vehicle with a loaded gun Thursday morning just south of UC Berkeley’s Clark Kerr Campus.
An “alert community member” called police to report what appeared to be a suspicious vehicle parked in a driveway in the 2700 block of Belrose Avenue, near Derby Street, around 6:40 a.m., said Officer Jennifer Coats, Berkeley Police spokeswoman.
The caller told police the SUV, which had its lights on, did not belong to the homeowner on Belrose where it was parked.
Police responded and found a man identified as Eliexer Rodriguez sitting in the SUV, which was running.
“As officers approached the vehicle, they could see a gun inside,” Coats said. “The officers called for additional assistance, and detained the occupant.”
During their investigation, police found a loaded firearm, a replica firearm and evidence of methamphetamine for sale, she said.
Rodriguez was arrested in connection with the loaded firearm, being a felon in possession of a loaded firearm, possession of methamphetamine for sale and probation violation. He taken to Santa Rita Jail, where he was booked.
He is being held with a bail of $81,305, and is scheduled for arraignment Monday at 2 p.m. at the Wiley Manuel Courthouse in downtown Oakland.
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