Railroad Avenue motorist faces multiple felonies

Reportedly had gun, tear gas in truck|

An ex-con found himself facing a numerous felony charges when he was arrested as the result of a late-night traffic stop.

A little after midnight on Nov. 22, a deputy on patrol near the 7-Eleven on Railroad Avenue watched as a silver GMC pickup truck stopped for a stop sign – but the motorist was a good 10 feet past the line where he was supposed to stop. The deputy also noticed a problem with the truck’s registration, so he made a stop.

While the deputy was talking with the motorist, he noticed the man was sweating profusely, blinking his eyes rapidly and showing other signs of being under the influence of a controlled substance. The deputy also noticed that the man had a black tactical vest in the truck, and asked the motorist if he had a gun in the truck.

The man didn’t answer the question.

The deputy asked again and the motorist said he was sure he didn’t have a gun.

So the deputy got the motorist out of the truck for a search, but the man didn’t have a gun on his person. After conducting some field tests, the deputy arrested the man on charges of being under the influence of a controlled substance.

The deputy then started searching the man’s truck and found, among other things, a loaded firearm, a holster, a police scanner, the tactical vest, and tear gas in the console.

The deputy also found the man has a criminal history in several states.

The motorist, Christopher L. Harris, 50, of Boyes Hot Springs, was arrested on multiple charges including felony carrying a loaded firearm with a prior criminal conviction; felony carrying a concealed weapon with a previous felony conviction; felony felon/addict possession a firearm; felony prohibited person owning ammunition; felony prohibited use of tear gas by a convicted person; felony being under the influence of a controlled substance while armed; and misdemeanor charges of carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle and being under the influence of a controlled substance.

Harris was transported to the county jail.

Email Bill at bill.hoban@sonomanews.com

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