June 1, 2002 Posted: 06:15:07 AM PDT

By DARYL FARNSWORTH
BEE STAFF WRITER

A reported threat by a man armed with a shotgun turned into a weapons investigation Friday, with Modesto police saying the suspect's house held an illegal submachine gun and assault rifles, and a 16-inch rocket-propelled grenade.
[b][/b]

Police said they arrested Darrell Wayne Wright, 60, after a brief standoff outside his home at 2906 Roselle Avenue, just north of Floyd Avenue, amid Village I in northeast Modesto.

No shots were fired and no one was injured. The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department bomb squad safely detonated the grenade in the front yard of Wright's home late in the afternoon. It turned out that the device was inactive.[b][/b]

Officers said Wright, who lives alone, appears to be a survivalist. They reported seeing survivalist materials and Solider of Fortune magazines in his house.[b][/b]

Police took Wright into custody for investigation of brandishing a firearm [b]at officers and assault on a motorist,[/b] and possession of illegal assault rifles and a fully automatic submachine gun.

Detective Doug Ridenour said police responded after getting a call from a Sacramento motorist who reported that he went down a driveway by mistake while looking for another residence and was confronted by a shotgun-wielding man.

The motorist pulled into Wright's driveway at about 10:45 a.m., [b]driving past "private drive" and "keep out" signs posted at the entrance.[/b]

Police said Wright walked outside, pointed the shotgun at the man and racked a shell in the chamber.

The motorist, who was not identified, quickly backed down the driveway and called 911.
[b][/b]

Sgt. Ed Steele and officer Kelly Scott responded to the call. Steele said they made several attempts to reach Wright by telephone, to no avail.

At about noon, Steele and Scott climbed over a fence and cautiously walked up to some bushes near the front of Wright's two-story home.

"He came out of his house and he was holding a shotgun and we were standing about 10 feet apart," Steele said. "We identified ourselves as police officers and ordered him to drop the shotgun, but he wouldn't."

[b]Wright did not point the weapon at officers, but Steele said he and Scott pointed their guns at Wright, who then put down the shotgun. He was taken into custody without further incident.[/b]

"He told us that he didn't see our uniforms because we were behind some bushes," Steele said.

Police said Wright gave his permission for a search of his house, and officers discovered the arms cache: the rocket-propelled grenade, submachine gun and assault rifles, numerous other guns, and a large amount of ammunition.

Idiot.  What part of "the right to remain silent" didn't he understand?

Anyone that stupid....

He consented to a search knowing he had illegal stuff???

Seems to me that he could have just explained the situation to the officers, and it might have ended differently.

That guy is not too bright.

What a moron

THEY CALL THAT AN ARSENAL[}:D]?

If he would have said no to the search, they just would have made the call to get a search warrent anyway. At least thats how they do it around here, refusing a police search in their eyes is reason enough to get a warrent, what
bullshit.

He is a dumbass for brandishing

When did "gun collection" become "arms cache"?

shouldn't have been waving his shotgun around.

Well, assuming he was very helpful and polite to the officers, they probably would have been satisfied that there were no crimes being comitted.  Even [b]IF[/b] they had requested a warrent, it might not be granted, but most importantly it would have to be [b]SPECIFIC[/b].  What are they hoping to find?  Did they have a reasonable suspicion that the geezer had anything other than a shotgun?  

Just some reasons why you should never consent to a search.

BTW - having an illegal Machine Gun is a bad idea.  You might not get caught, but what if you do?

media key words:  survivalist, arms cache, survivalist materials.  
covers everything from a .32 kel tec to a weapon of mass destruction and a package of mre's and 2 liter bottled water.  wonder if he had a tv guide with the SoF magazine?

he might have been a dumb ass, but the media reporting is a sick joke.

It happened when gun owners became gutter scum criminals for owning them!

What do you want to bet that "illegal submachinegun" is a semi-auto Thompson or some such?

But you can bet this guy didn't register his "assault weapons" - and that's all it will take.

Anouther member of AssaultWeb goes to his just reward, does Belloc live in Modesto?

Officers said Wright, who lives alone, appears to be a survivalist. They reported seeing survivalist materials and Solider of Fortune magazines in his house.

[i]How about this...  They find a Playboy and some photographs of your nieces and nephews.  Bingo!  Pornography and photos of young children... eeeew!  Gotta love the media![/i]

Detective Doug Ridenour said police responded after getting a call from a Sacramento motorist who reported that he went down a driveway by mistake while looking for another residence and was confronted by a shotgun-wielding man.

The motorist pulled into Wright's driveway at about 10:45 a.m., [b]driving past "private drive" and "keep out" signs posted at the entrance.[/b]

Police said Wright walked outside, pointed the shotgun at the man and racked a shell in the chamber.

[i]So?  The motorist was TRESPASSING.  Did they file charges against the motorist?  Since when is carrying a legal firearm on your property brandishing?  I mow my yard with a pistol on my hip.  Pointing the shotgun might have been justified.  Afterall, we are dealing with a known trespasser who has demonstrated a disregard for the property rights of others.  Who is telling the truth here?[/i]

The motorist, who was not identified, quickly backed down the driveway and called 911.

[i]What a crock.  The motorist is a VICTIM or something?  He trespassed and the old guy came out to run him off![/i]

Sgt. Ed Steele and officer Kelly Scott responded to the call. Steele said they made several attempts to reach Wright by telephone, to no avail.

[i]Even my 64 year old father-in-law is unable to hear his own phone ring.  Wonder is they ever considered he might be veteran with hearing loss[/i]

At about noon, Steele and Scott climbed over a fence and cautiously walked up to some bushes near the front of Wright's two-story home.

[i]Now that is freaking stupid!  I don;t care if you are the cops or not.  You DO NOT climb across a fence and hide behind bushes!  I swear these two Barney Fife's are lucky [b]I[/b] did not see them crawling around in the bushes around my house.[/i]

"He came out of his house and he was holding a shotgun and we were standing about 10 feet apart," Steele said. "We identified ourselves as police officers and ordered him to drop the shotgun, but he wouldn't."

Wright did [b]not[/b] point the weapon at officers, but Steele said he and Scott pointed their guns at Wright, who then put down the shotgun. He was taken into custody without further incident

[i]Right... The two cops are justified in threatening deadly force after sneaking into a backyar of a 60 year old man and hiding in the bushes, BUT he is NOT justified in coming to the backdoor to confront two potential intruders/attackers![/i]

"He told us that he didn't see our uniforms because we were behind some bushes," Steele said.

[i]No kidding, Sherlock![/b]

Police said Wright gave his permission for a search of his house, and officers discovered the arms cache: the rocket-propelled grenade, submachine gun and assault rifles, numerous other guns, and a large amount of ammunition.



Stories like this make me hate the police and their 'tactics.'

TheRedGoat

Ya mean you guys in CA can't point a gun at a trespasser!!! WTF!? We can shoot 'em in the back for vandalism or stealing chickens,but that rule only applies at night).
If the 'grenade' isn't 'active'- wouldn't that make it just a 'metal pipe thingie'?

The cops are lucky, if they pulled guns on me I gurantee they would be dead. After all, they are tresspassing on MY property, at least thats what I undestood from the story.

O' course I would have got the telephone.

It is a good thing that the police were able to get more potential murder weapons off the street.

The correct course of action when encountering a tresspasser is to dial 911 and allow trained professionals to handle the situation.

What a goofy state!  Man...that lost soul does that on my land and continues to invade my territory, he would get the same thing...and I have no doubt that our local sheriff would NOT send his troops in to search and confiscate based on what the paper says happened in this case.

BS-BS-BS! [pissed]

Arsenal!  Automatic weapons!  Assaul rifles, Oh MY!!!  (Oh...I forgot...they are all illegal in CA!)

Troy, where did you find the info about the guy from Oakley?

So they're now using undercover motorists to bait people to come out of their house?  

First we have the robber running onto someone elses property in LA county.  The police just happened to see a "cache" of illegal weapons supposedly lying in plain view in some dude's house.  The police forget about chasing the robber and focus on this guy.  Was the robber armed?  Was there even a robber?

Now we have this guy who supposedly racked a shotgun at some unknown motorist?  BS!

You got to be a dumb mofo to consent to a search knowing you supposedly got illegal shit in your house.  But I have no doubt that his house would have been searched regardless, consent or no consent.  Do you think the cops would just leave and go on their merry way if he said hell no!...no search?  

Anyone care to disagree?  

Same as a car search.  Disagree to a consent to search and they'll just make up some shit.  If the cop wants to search your shit you're gonna get searched.  All they have to do is get the K9 to scratch at your car.  Oh!...must be drugs!  Tear the car apart and see what can be found.  Even if nothing is found, think you're gonna get an apology?  Fuck no!  Who's gonna put your car back together?  Who's gonna put your house back together?    

This country is a police state.

Another thing, I'm sure you can't shoot someone fucking with your property in KA.  Only if the guy/gal hacks at you with a machete or similar are you somewhat justified to shoot the perp.

CPC 602 "Tresspassing" has about 15 subsections to deal with different type of property, fenced & posted, Agricultural, ect. If your property doesnt fall under one of those classifications, it's not tresspassing.

Displaying a firearm with the intent to intimidate someone would be CPC417 Brandishing.

If he actually pointed the weapon it would be CPC245 ADW.

The responding officers should have set up a perimiter around the property and then telephoned the homeowner and asked him to step outside with his hands up.