Known gang members arrested after routine traffic stop
October 11, 2013
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula Times
Two known area gang members and a teenager were arrested early Tuesday evening on weapons and other charges following a routine traffic stop, according to a Santa Paula Police spokesman.
According to Sgt. Jeremy Watson the incident occurred October 8 at about 5 p.m. when the SPPD Gang Enforcement Officers “attempted to make a traffic enforcement stop on a vehicle for speed and window tint violations.... “
When officers tried to initiate the traffic stop the vehicle, a white Ford Explorer, “pulled into a driveway in the 400 block of North Oak Street,” and when the SUV stopped, “The right front passenger exited the vehicle and fled on foot.”
Watson said officers observed the fleeing subject “concealing an item in his waistband as he fled,” and believed the item could possibly be a weapon.
An officer stayed with the subjects that remained in the vehicle while others’ chased the fleeing subject through the neighborhood as he fled over fences.
When the man jumped over a chain link fence, “an officer observed a chrome object,” later found to be a loaded 9 mm pistol magazine, fall from fleeing man’s waist band.
Other officers responded to the area and established a perimeter and the subject was eventually located.
Watson said the subject was identified as Robert Resendez, 20, a “documented Santa Paula ‘Crimies’ gang member.... “
Once Resendez was in custody officers searched the area and found a 9 mm handgun, which matched the type of pistol magazine officers saw fall from the suspect’s waist band.
He was arrested and charged with suspicion of possession of a concealed weapon in a vehicle, possession of a concealed weapon on a person, street terrorism and resisting, obstructing or delaying a peace officer.
The two additional subjects that were detained with the SUV when it pulled into the driveway were also arrested.
Two additional subjects were detained with the vehicle at the location of the stop. The driver of the vehicle, German Renteria, 23, also a documented Santa Paula “Crimies” gang member and an unidentified 17-year-old passenger were arrested for possession of a concealed weapon in a vehicle and street terrorism.
Renteria, noted Watson, “Was also charged with being an unlicensed driver.”
