Expired Tags Lead To Arrest For Gun, Warrants

A man was arrested in Watsonville when a traffic stop led to the discovery of a loaded firearm in the man’s vehicle, sheriff’s officials said.

Omar Diaz, 39, of Watsonville, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a loaded firearm in a vehicle by a suspected active criminal street gang member, providing false information to an officer, driving unlicensed and on three felony warrants, including two assault with a deadly weapon and one for domestic battery, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.

Officers with the Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team Gang Task Force were on patrol around 4 p.m. when they stopped a vehicle at Riverside Drive and Walker Street for expired registration.

Sheriff’s officials said the driver, identified as Diaz, disobeyed the officers’ commands to stay in his vehicle and provided officers with a false name and identification card.

The officers were able to identify Diaz through fingerprinting and learned he had three outstanding warrants issued 10 years ago.

A loaded .38-caliber handgun was also located in the vehicle, and Diaz had a loaded .38-caliber magazine in his pocket, sheriff’s officials said.

The gun seizure marked the third firearm seizure by the task force this year. The task force seized 26 firearms in 2014 and has seized 79 since 2012.

--Bay City News

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