Teens arrested after concealed gun found in car near Santa Rosa school

Santa Rosa police arrested three suspected teenage gang members Thursday afternoon who were driving near Montgomery High School with a gun in their car, police said.

Resource officer Rick Boehm, who spotted the teens at about 1 p.m., recognized the driver of the vehicle as a former Montgomery student who he believed did not have a valid driver’s license. He saw there were two other male passengers in the vehicle.

Boehm got into his patrol car, caught up with the teens and made a traffic stop on Hahman Drive in front of the school. Police said Boehm also recognized the passengers in the car from previous encounters.

Police said the male passengers appeared to be wearing gang-affiliated clothing and were attempting to hide items within the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

Boehm asked the passengers to keep their hands where they could be seen but they did not comply, police said. Boehm, who was concerned for his safety, then asked the driver if he could speak to him away from the vehicle.

Police said Boehm expressed his concerns about the passengers and their lack of cooperation and asked if there was anything illegal in the car. The driver told Boehm that there was a gun in the car.

Boehm called for backup and the teens were arrested without incident. Police also confiscated another weapon from a separate vehicle whose occupants were related to the driver of the first vehicle. Police are investigating their involvement.

The driver was 16 and the passengers were 16 and 17. Their names are not being released because they are juveniles, and their only connection to the school was that they were either former students or knew current students at the school.

The occupants of the first vehicle were arrested and booked into the Juvenile Justice Center on suspicion of possession of a firearm in a school zone, possession of a concealed firearm, possession of a loaded firearm, participation in a gang and felony gang enhancement.

You can reach Staff Writer Martin Espinoza at (707) 521-5213 or martin.espinoza@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @renofish.