A vehicle code violation led to the arrest of a known gang member on suspicion of illegally possessing weapons in Redwood Valley late last month.
Just before 3 AM on Friday, November 22, a Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputy noticed a Honda pulling out of Eagle Peak Middle School and pulled the driver over for a vehicle code violation.
The deputy recognized the driver as 18-year-old Daniel Audel Ayala of Ukiah, a known gang member who had recently been given probation for a prior weapons charge and, as such, is legally prohibited from owning firearms.
The deputy noticed the grip of a gun under the front driver’s seat, which turned out to be a loaded Smith & Wesson semi-automatic 9mm.
Ayala was taken into custody on suspicion of being a criminal street gang member carrying a loaded firearm, carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle, possession of a loaded handgun not registered to the owner, and violation of probation.
He was booked on $55,000 bail.
