Driver arrested, two others cited for allegedly having counterfeit money, violating Shelter in Place

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) One man was arrested and two more people were cited after a traffic stop where police said they found a loaded gun, drugs and counterfeit bills.

On Monday at around 7 p.m., officers were called to the 100 block of Sun Street when an employee at a business reported an occupied suspicious vehicle. They employee said they thought the people in the vehicle were going to rob the business and described the vehicle as a silver Nissan Maxima with two men and a woman inside.

Police said the vehicle left on East Market Street before officers got there, but they saw it on East Market and Sherwood and stopped it.

The driver of the vehicle, 49-year-old Gregory Smith, was on Post Release Community Supervision and had a felony warrant for drug sales. The passenger in the front seat, 39-year-old Michael Davis, was also on PRCS. The woman in the back, 50-year-old Maria Jones, was detained.

Officers searched the vehicle and said they found 17 $100 bills on the driver's floorboard. They also said they found a loaded revolver, methand marijuana in a backpack.

Police said Smith refused to speak, Jones' story did not make sense and Davis told officers they met up in Chinatown and were driving around. Jones also said Smith told her that he had a gun and drugs, according to police.

Jones and Davis were cited and released, but Smith was booked into the Monterey County Jail.