- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
REGIONAL: Man arrested for DUI found with thousands of dollars in stolen gold coins, illegal weapons
NORTH COAST, Calif. – A Ukiah man arrested on New Year’s Day for driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs was found with illegal weapons as well as thousands of dollars in minted gold and silver coins that authorities said he stole from clients he served as an In-Home Supportive Services worker.
Van Allen Hubbard, 56, was arrested following a traffic stop shortly after 5 a.m. Monday in Redwood Valley, according to the Ukiah Area office of the California Highway Patrol.
The CHP said two officers responded to assist the Coyote Valley Tribal Police Department with a possible DUI driver stopped at Coyote Valley Boulevard just east of Highway 101.
One of the officers conducted a DUI investigation and Hubbard, the driver, was arrested on suspicion of driving a vehicle under the combined influence of alcohol and drugs, the CHP said.
During a vehicle inventory, the CHP said the officers discovered several dangerous and illegal weapons in the vehicle as well as a large amount of rare minted sealed gold and silver coins, the value of which is estimated between $15,000 and $20,000, the CHP said. A locked safe not belonging to Hubbard also was found in the vehicle.
The CHP said Hubbard couldn’t account for the items the officers found in his vehicle at that time, which led to further investigation.
On Tuesday, search warrants were obtained for Hubbard’s storage unit and vehicle, which resulted in the seizure of an additional quantity of rare minted sealed gold and silver coins with an estimated value of $10,000 to $15,000, according to the CHP.
Evidence developed in this case indicated that these items belonged to clients of Hubbard’s when Hubbard was working as an In-Home Supportive Services provider, the CHP said.
The CHP said Hubbard was booked into the Mendocino County Jail for driving under the combined influence of alcohol and drugs as well as being in possession of stolen property, possession of dangerous weapons including a sap or baton, elder abuse and additional lesser charges. His bail was set at $25,000.
Authorities said the exact value of the coins is under investigation.
The case has been submitted to the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution, the CHP said.
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