Unconscious Driver Found With Loaded Gun in Lap at Busy Portland Intersection

PORTLAND, Ore. — A 20-year-old driver, Leonardo A. Gomez-Hernandez of Vancouver, Washington, was arrested early Saturday morning after Portland Police Bureau (PPB) members stopped his car from rolling away in an intersection. PPB found a loaded semiautomatic handgun with an extended magazine in his lap.

Responding to a report that an unconscious driver was slowly rolling into the intersection of Northeast Sandy Boulevard and Northeast 82nd Avenue on Saturday at 4:48 a.m., PPB Officers assigned to North Precinct positioned their vehicles in front and behind the driver’s vehicle, a 2017 Honda Civic to stop it from rolling and to try to assess the medical status of the driver.

As officers approached the Honda, they saw the firearm and requested additional resources, then closed the intersection as a precaution to reduce the potential risk to the public.

Officers used a public address system to call out to the driver in an attempt to deescalate the situation and minimize the risk to everyone involved.

About 10 minutes later, Gomez-Hernandez woke up and cooperated with police commands. The oaded firearm with a 26-round extended magazine inserted was recovered from the vehicle.

As it was unlawfully possessed, it was seized as evidence. The car was a hazard and was towed.

Gomez-Hernandez was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of Unlawful Possession of Firearms (ORS 166.250) and Unlawful Possession of a Loaded Firearm in Public (City Code 14A.60.010).