Man Arrested in Sonoma County For Having Loaded Gun in Car

Sheriff’s officials arrested a man Sunday in unincorporated Sonoma County after a witness reported seeing the man sitting in his car with a gun.

At 10:47 p.m., a motorist flagged down a deputy who was on patrol in the area of Calle Del Monte and state Highway 12 in the community of Boyes Hot Springs, according to sheriff’s officials.

The motorist told police they had seen the suspect inside his car with a gun on his lap. The motorist gave police a description of the suspect, the suspect vehicle and a license plate number, sheriff’s officials said.

Shortly after, another deputy spotted a vehicle matching the suspect vehicle’s description in the 18000 block of state Highway 12. Deputies carefully contacted the man, identified as 24-year-old Santa Rosa resident Michael Avila. Avila was the only person in the car. Inside the vehicle, deputies found a loaded pistol under the driver’s seat, according to sheriff’s officials.

Deputies booked Avila into the Sonoma County Jail and he has since posted bail, according to sheriff’s officials.

--Bay City News