State Police Office of Media Relations
Daytime (508) 820-2623
Nights & Weekends (508) 820-2121
Car Stop Leads to Two Arrests as State Police Find Guns, Knife and Drugs
At 7:00 p.m. on August 19, Troopers Stephen Burgess and Matthew Donah, who are assigned to the Troop B Community Action Team, observed a 1992 Honda Accord on Main Street in Holyoke without a proper inspection sticker. Troopers activated their emergency lights and stopped the car.
Inside the car were 20-year-old ERIK HERNANDEZ, the driver, and his 21-year-old passenger, JOSE ALLENDE. After approaching the car, Troopers saw a large diving knife and small plastic bags believed to contain cocaine between the driver’s seat the center console. Troopers also observed several other plastic bags, containing a substance believed to be marijuana, in the map pocket on the side of the driver’s door.
As Troopers continued to investigate, they found a Ruger P-94 semi-automatic handgun, with an inserted magazine that held multiple rounds of ammunition, under the front passenger seat. Under the driver’s seat, they found a Smith & Wesson .357 revolver containing six hollow-point rounds.
Both subjects were placed under arrest at the scene. HERNANDEZ was charged with possession of a firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without an FID card, possession of a dangerous weapon, carrying a firearm with ammunition, possession of a Class B narcotic in regard to the alleged cocaine, operating a motor vehicle with a revoked license as a habitual traffic offender, and having no inspection sticker.
ALLENDE was charged with possession of a firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without a FID card, possession of a firearm with ammunition, possession of a large capacity firearm, and possession of a Class B narcotic, subsequent offense.
The marijuana found was determined to be less than one ounce in weight, thus the suspects were given civil citations for its possession. They were also cited for failure to wear seatbelts.
Both men were denied bail and held at the Hampshire County House of Correction pending their arraignment today at the Holyoke District Court.
No further information is available at this time. Please do not call the barracks directly.