Guns found in Quincy man's vehicle after traffic stop

QUINCY — A immigrant is facing charges after he was reportedly found to be driving with guns is his vehicle as he was intoxicated.

Grant County prosecutors charged Ernesto Sanchez Aguirre, 25, of Quincy, in Grant County Superior Court with possession of an unlawful firearm-short barreled shotgun, alien in possession of a firearm without an alien firearm license, DUI and third-degree driving with a suspended or revoked license.

On Dec. 17 a Quincy Police Department officer was on patrol and reportedly spotted a white passenger vehicle overcorrect on First Avenue Southwest. The driver ended up losing control of the vehicle, which completed a 360-degree turn, according to court documents.

The officer contacted the driver, Sanchez Aguirre, and “immediately” noticed an odor of beer coming from Sanchez Aguirre and the vehicle. In addition, an 18-pack of beer was spotted in the back of the vehicle and Sanchez Aguirre claimed he drank two beers earlier in the evening.

The officer gave Sanchez Aguirre a series of voluntary field sobriety tests, but he refused to submit to a breath test. Because he showed signs of intoxication and he was driving with a suspended license, Sanchez Aguirre was arrested and taken into custody. As he was being searched, police reportedly found a shotgun shell and a 9mm round in Sanchez Aguirre’s front left jean pocket. Sanchez Aguirre admitted he had weapons in his car and police located a Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun and an altered Winchester shotgun inside the vehicle.

Sanchez Aguirre claimed the shotgun was a gift from his grandfather and he purchased the handgun from a friend who moved to Mexico. He admitted he does not have a license to carry the guns because he is not a United States resident. Sanchez Aguirre later agreed to submit a breath sample and police records indicate he blew over the legal limit of .08 percent.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.