All signs point to Smokey Drive home in weapons, hit-and-run arrests

A call of suspicious circumstances at a Smokey Drive home led to three arrests last Thursday for a wide range of allegations, including resisting arrest, a hit-and-run and weapons violations, Los Banos police said.

“It’s a strange story,” Cmdr. Ray Reyna said.

Los Banos residents Gabriel Chavez, 29; Alvaro Negrete, 39; and Andrew May, 21, were arrested.

Chavez is being accused of violation of probation conditions and resisting arrest. Negrete was arrested on an outstanding arrest warrant and for a hit-and-run accident that occurred during the investigation. May is a felon who was found in possession of ammunition and firearms, according to police.

Reyna said officers responded to a call just before noon last Thursday for suspicious circumstances at a residence on the 2000 block of Smokey Drive.

A man at the home told police there had been some type of disturbance and there was someone inside the home, possibly armed with a gun.

Police surrounded the home and ordered everyone to move outside.

The six people who went outside weren’t cooperative when asked what happened, Reyna said. But after interviewing everyone, police determined that there was a dispute about some of the tenants of the home being evicted.

They also learned that some people slipped out the back of the home.

Chavez, who was one of the people at the home, was arrested after police said he was found hiding underneath a tarp in the back yard, despite repeated requests for everyone inside to exit.

Chavez was on probation.

As police were investigating the incident, a call came in regarding a hit-and-run car collision in downtown Los Banos.

When police wrapped up the investigation at the Smokey Drive residence, police spoke to a woman involved in the crash. Reyna said that according to the victim, Negrete got out of his car and spoke with her. But then he got back in his vehicle and drove away.

However, the victim noted the vehicle’s license plate number and police traced it to Negrete and the Smokey Drive home. Police said they believe he was fleeing the home when police came.

Officers went back to the home and saw the suspect’s vehicle, which hadn’t been there earlier in the day, parked outside with damage consistent with the collision. Negrete was found inside and arrested.

But while officers were in the home, they also located May, who wasn’t present when police first came to the home.

May, a felon who was sitting on a couch at the time, was arrested on suspicion of possession of ammunition, police said.

Officers said they also found a shotgun and handgun underneath a couch cushion near his feet.

This story was originally published August 3, 2016 at 3:38 PM with the headline "All signs point to Smokey Drive home in weapons, hit-and-run arrests."