An early morning welfare check at Tuttle Park turned into a major weapons and narcotics bust last Thursday, after El Cajon officers say a call about a person asleep in a parked car revealed two guns, drugs and body armor.
Responding officers reported spotting a loaded handgun wedged between the driver’s seat and center console. A more extensive search followed, turning up a second firearm, a ballistic vest, narcotics, drug paraphernalia and multiple rounds of hollow-point ammunition, according to police. The person briefly struggled with officers before being taken into custody, booked on several felony counts and transported to the county jail. The El Cajon Police Department later shared details of the arrest in a public update.
Police account
According to a Facebook post by the El Cajon Police Department, several patrol officers were dispatched last Thursday for a report of a subject sleeping in a vehicle at Tuttle Park. When officers made contact, they say they immediately noticed a loaded handgun positioned between the center console and the driver’s seat. A search of the vehicle then uncovered an additional firearm, a ballistic vest, narcotics, drug paraphernalia and numerous hollow-point rounds. The individual briefly resisted before officers gained control and made the arrest, and the person was later booked on multiple felony charges.
Where it happened
Tuttle Park, at 379 West Chase Avenue, is a nine-acre neighborhood park that features ballfields, walking paths and other community recreation amenities, according to the city’s parks listing. The parking lots are open to the public and often fill up with families heading to youth sports and local events, which helps explain why a vehicle with someone sleeping inside drew enough concern to prompt a call to police. Facility details and reservation contacts for Tuttle Park are listed on the city’s parks page; see the City of El Cajon for information.
Charges and booking
Police say the arrested individual was transported to county custody following the incident, although the department’s social media post does not provide the person’s name or a full breakdown of the alleged offenses. Local arrestees from El Cajon are processed through San Diego County detention facilities, which are operated by the Sheriff’s Department. Details about those facilities and jail booking locations are listed by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, while the arrest recap appears on the El Cajon Police Department page.
Legal context
Under California law, having a loaded firearm in a vehicle or in a public place can be prosecuted under Penal Code section 25850, which allows for either misdemeanor or felony treatment depending on the circumstances and any prior record. Separately, Penal Code section 30305 makes it a crime for someone who is barred from owning or possessing firearms to have ammunition at all, which can also be charged as a serious offense. Background explanations of those statutes are available from ShouseLaw and the California Department of Justice…