Spotting a possible fight involving numerous persons and cars in the area of Hatch and Moffet on Saturday evening, Ceres Police Officer Eric Gallegos discovered one of the involved parties had a loaded firearm inside his car.

Gallegos was on patrol at 11:44 p.m. and with the aid of Officer Vince Hooper pulled over two vehicles. A Honda was pulled over on Riverview Court. Hooper ordered the four occupants to show their hands. Inside the car was driver Jose Altamirano, 18, of Modesto, rear passenger Jacob Maldonado, 18, also of Modesto, and 16- and 17-year-old juveniles. As the other occupants exited the vehicle, Officer Freddie Ortiz spotted a handgun inside the Honda.

Officer Hooper noticed an open bottle of liquor on the floor. Just under the rear passenger seat was the gun where Maldonado was seated. The firearm had a loaded magazine with seven live .40 caliber rounds.

Maldonado admitted taking the gun from his father without permission and placing it under the seat when he got in the car a few hours prior. He was booked for possession of a loaded concealed handgun in a vehicle and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Altamirano was issued a traffic citation for vehicle code infractions and for contributing to the delinquency of a minor and released.

The other occupants were also released.