Driver Falls Asleep At Wheel, Arrested With Gun, Drugs, Cash: APD

AMERICAN CANYON, CA — A man who fell asleep behind the wheel Friday in American Canyon and almost caused a car crash was found with drugs and a loaded gun in his can, the American Canyon Police Department said.

A citizen called police around 10 a.m. Friday to report a person was asleep in a white Honda Accord near Flosden and American Canyon roads. As officers were en route to check on the sleepy driver, they were updated that he woke up and was driving westbound on American Canyon Road near state Highway 29.

"The white Honda had almost caused a traffic collision," American Canyon police Chief Rick Greenberg said in a news release. "Officers searched the area for the vehicle and located it parked near Northampton and Elliott Drive. The driver appeared to be asleep when officers approached the vehicle."

Officers woke up the driver, who was identified as Hazem Awad, 36, of American Canyon.

Awad had a no-bail felony warrant for his arrest out of Solano County and is a convicted felon on probation with terms that allow search and seizure, Greenberg said.

As officers searched the car, they found methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin packed for sale, Greenberg said.

Officers also found a loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun and a large sum of cash, the chief said.

Awad was arrested on suspicion of several felony drug sales charges, being a felon in possession of a firearm, driving under the influence of a controlled substance, and for his out-of-county arrest warrant.

He was booked into Napa County jail where he was remained without bail as of Friday afternoon.

The cash was seized as an asset forfeiture by the Napa Special Investigations Bureau.