Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On July 17, 2023, at about 12:20 a.m., a Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputy on patrol in the area of U.S. Highway 101 south of Trinidad conducted a traffic stop on a speeding vehicle unable to maintain its lane.  

The deputy contacted one occupant of the vehicle, 50-year-old Aaron Joseph Thuney of Redding. Inside the vehicle deputies observed a firearm and an open box of alcohol in plain view. Thuney was detained and the California Highway Patrol was requested to conduct a DUI evaluation.

Deputies recovered the firearm and found it to be loaded. During a search of Thuney’s vehicle deputies located drug paraphernalia.

Thuney was arrested and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of felon in possession of a firearm (PC 29800(a)(1)), person prohibited in possession of ammunition (PC 30305), carrying a loaded firearm in a public place (PC 25850(a)), possession of a controlled substance paraphernalia (HS 11364(a)) and driving under the influence of alcohol (VC 23152(a)).

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.