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Drugs found in car of man asleep at wheel
Ceres Cop Car

Falling asleep behind the wheel of an idling car on Sept. 2 caused a 35-year-old Ceres man to draw the attention of police who also found drugs and evidence of sales activity in his car.

Police were called at 3:22 a.m. about a male driver passed out or asleep at the wheel as his car was idling at Hatch Road and Richland Avenue. Officers saw the car was running and that driver Bernabe Orejel, 35, of Ceres, had his foot on the brake.

Officer Kiashira Ruiz roused Orejel in his black Cadillac Escalade with a rap on the window.

Orejel told her he had not been drinking but was tired after helping out a friend. Ruiz determined Orejel he was not under the influence but his car was impounded because he was driving on a suspended license.

During an inventory check of the vehicle, officers located a clear bag containing a small amount of crystal methamphetamine, a second large bag of a similar substance, a pocket-sized digital scale and over $5,000 cash. Orejel was placed under arrest for possession and possession for sale of a controlled substance. He told police that the narcotics were for his personal use.