Merced County man arrested after deputies find rifle in car, authorities say

A Dos Palos man was arrested after someone reported a person shooting from a vehicle, according to a Merced County Sheriff’s Office Facebook post..

According to authorities, 22-year-old Jesus Armenta-Arellanes, of Dos Palos, was arrested after deputies found weapons in the car he was driving.

Deputies responded to a call of shooting coming from a white Mercedes sedan occupied by two individuals, in the area of Sandy Mush Road and Highway 59 around 1:20 a.m. Thursday morning, according to Deputy Daryl Allen.

Deputies located the suspect vehicle and conducted a vehicle stop in the 1000 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Way.

During a search of the vehicle, authorities said they located an AR-15 style rifle, high capacity magazines, a Colt 1911 handgun and several rounds of ammunition.

Armenta-Arellanes was booked into the Merced County Jail on suspicion of willful discharge of a firearm, possession of a short-barreled rifle, possession of high capacity magazine, carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle and possession of an assault weapon.