Traffic stop leads arrest of driver of stolen vehicle

A traffic stop for a seat-belt violation in Gustine ended this week with a 30-year-old man in custody after officers found the SUV he was driving had been reported stolen, the Police Department reported.

Arnulfo Salazar Gonzalez was arrested about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at Fourth Street and Sixth Avenue. He was driving a white GMC Envoy that had been reported stolen a week earlier in Florida, Police Chief Doug Dunford said in a statement.

“Gonzalez has multiple addresses, including two addresses in and around Gustine,” Dunford said.

Gonzalez was booked into the Merced County Jail on suspicion of possession of stolen property, a felony, and possession of cockfighting implements, a misdemeanor. He posted a $10,000 bail bond and was released later the same night.

Police did not elaborate on the items found.

Gonzalez was last arrested in Merced County on April 24 on numerous allegations, including mistreating a child, assault with a deadly weapon – both felonies – and misdemeanor counts of exhibiting a deadly weapon, petty theft and vandalism, according to Merced County Jail records.

He posted bail in that case as well and was released. An update on that investigation was not immediately available Thursday.

This story was originally published May 21, 2015 at 7:24 AM with the headline "Traffic stop leads arrest of driver of stolen vehicle."