Ceres cop was at the right place and time, witnessed shots from car. Here’s what happened next
A recent incident reported to the Ceres Police Department would normally have sounded improbable or the product of someone’s imagination run wild.
Just before 2 a.m. Saturday, someone witnessed the “muzzle flash” of a firearm from inside a black Mercedes E300 traveling east on Hatch and heard gunshots from the vehicle.
But the witness wasn’t a member of the public. He was a member of the Ceres Police Department, a department spokesman told The Bee.
Just before 2 a.m. Saturday, Officer J. Valenzuela was patrolling the commercial area of East Hatch Road and Herndon Avenue when he heard and saw the gunshots, according to a news release.
Valenzuela caught up to the Mercedes less than a mile east, in the residential area of Manny and Darby lanes. Additional units were called to the scene and a high-risk traffic stop was conducted CPD spokesman Sgt. Dirk Nieuwenhuis said.
Four occupants were removed from the vehicle: Vincent Contreras, 26, George Keene, 27, and Cesar Valencia, 21, all of Ceres, and Richard Bargas, 27, of Modesto.
A search of the vehicle turned up a short-barrel assault rifle, live rounds of ammunition and extended ammunition magazines — one that held more than 30 rounds, Nieuwenhuis said.
He said there is no evidence that the gunfire was directed at anyone or at anything in particular. The area was canvassed and no victims or damage were found, Nieuwenhuis said.
Had Valenzuela not witnessed what happened, it might have gone unreported, the sergeant said. “It’s fortunate that our officer was right there.”
All four men face felony charges, Nieuwenhuis said.
Bargas was booked at the Public Safety Center on charges of willful discharge of a firearm, possession of an assault weapon, smuggling a controlled substance into the jail (during booking process, a hidden bag of cocaine found on him) and possession of a controlled substance while armed with a firearm.
Contreras was booked for being a felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of live ammunition, willful discharge of a firearm, possession of an assault weapon and carrying a loaded firearm with a prior felony charge.
Keene was booked for willful discharge of a firearm and possession of an assault weapon.
Valencia was booked for willful discharge of a firearm and possession of an assault weapon.
This story was originally published March 14, 2023 at 12:51 PM.
