Hayward Couple Arrested For Loaded Gun, Unsecured Children In Car: Police

HAYWARD, CA — A routine traffic stop in San Mateo led to the arrest of a Hayward couple on Saturday evening after police reportedly found a loaded firearm and discovered two small children unrestrained in the back seat of their SUV, police said.

According to the San Mateo Police Department, an officer pulled over a compact SUV near the intersection of S. Norfolk Street and Royal Avenue at approximately 5:20 p.m. on Saturday.

The driver, identified as 28-year-old Antonio Aguilar Barrios, told the officer that his license was suspended and that he was on probation, police said.

Police said they found a box of ammunition inside a satchel Aguilar Barrios was wearing. While the two adults initially denied there was a gun in the car, a loaded firearm was eventually located in a backpack on the front passenger floor, the SMPD reported.

Police said that the gun was registered to someone who has been dead since 2007, and it is currently unknown how the firearm came into possession of the couple.

The car was occupied by Aguilar Barrios, a passenger, identified as 32-year-old Mirna Penate, and two young children who, police confirmed, were unsecured in the back seat.

The children were later released to a family member, police said.

Aguilar Barrios and Penate were arrested and booked into the San Mateo County Jail, police said.

Aguilar Barrios faces multiple charges, including being a felon in possession of a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle, possessing ammunition as a prohibited person, carrying a loaded weapon in a vehicle, driving with a suspended license due to a DUI and child endangerment, police said.

Penate was charged with carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle, carrying a loaded weapon in a vehicle and child endangerment, police said.