By Donna Beth Weilenman
Staff Reporter

A 17-year-old Benicia driver who ran a stop sign late Thursday was arrested on weapons and drug charges and was taken to Solano County Juvenile Hall in Fairfield, Lt. Frank Hartig said Friday.

The incident began when Officer Kirk Keffer, one of Benicia Police Department’s two K-9 handlers, and his police dog partner, Bak, were on patrol about 11:48 p.m. Thursday. Keffer saw a 1996 Honda Civic fail to stop at the sign, Hartig said.

Keffer stopped the vehicle and spoke with the motorist, whom he described as a 17-year-old Benicia boy.

“Officer Keffer smelled an odor of marijuana,” Hartig said.

Keffer used Bak to search the car, and the dog found a small amount of marijuana packaged as if for sale, Hartig said.

In addition, Keffer found a loaded .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol wrapped in a shirt in the Honda’s back seat, Hartig said.

“The gun was later found to be reported stolen from the city of San Leandro,” Hartig said.

Keffer arrested the boy, who was accused of possession of marijuana for sale, possession of stolen property and being armed in the commission of a felony crime, all felony charges, and possession of a concealed firearm and possession of a loaded firearm, both misdemeanors.

The boy was transported to juvenile hall, Hartig said.

“Although this was a ‘routine traffic stop’ that police officers make every day, it clearly illustrates the potential danger this officer could have faced under different circumstances,” Hartig said.

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