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Police arrested a man in an unusual stop: he was driving a stolen car and carrying a gun, a snake and nuclear material.
In July 2019, an unusual case caught the attention of the public in the United States. Police in Guthrie, Oklahoma, conducted a routine stop on a vehicle with expired license plates and ended up discovering a series of unexpected items: a live Timber rattlesnake, a firearm, an open bottle of whiskey and a quantity of powdered uranium.
The driver, identified as Stephen Jennings, was arrested along with his passenger Rachel Rivera. The case quickly went viral due to the circumstances surreal.
The police approach
The stop occurred when local police spotted a black Ford Explorer with expired license plates. Upon pulling the vehicle's registration information, officers discovered that it had been reported stolen. During the stop, Jennings promptly revealed that there was a firearm in the car.
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Upon closer inspection, officers found the revolver in the glove compartment and an open bottle of whiskey near the driver's seat.
Jennings did not have a valid driver's license and was charged with driving while license suspended, illegal transportation of an alcoholic beverage and possession of a stolen vehicle. Rivera, who was also in the car, was a convicted felon and was arrested on a firearms charge after a felony conviction.
The surprise factor
During the seizure of the vehicle, officers found a terrarium containing a live Timber rattlesnake. This venomous snake is commonly found in the area and, surprisingly, Jennings had a valid permit to capture it.
Since it was rattlesnake hunting season in Oklahoma, possession of the snake was not a criminal offense.
However, the most intriguing discovery was a small amount of powdered uranium stored near the rattlesnake's terrarium. Given this unusual situation, a team specializing in hazardous materials was called in to investigate the radioactive substance.
The analysis revealed that radiation levels were low and within legal limits, which prevented Jennings from receiving an additional charge related to possession of nuclear material.
Jennings' explanation
When asked why he carried a live rattlesnake and a small amount of uranium, Jennings initially stated that he intended to create a “super snake” with the radioactive material.
However, he quickly claimed he was joking and that the uranium had been taken from radiation detection equipment he had collected while scavenging for scrap metal.
Despite the unusual justification, authorities maintained the charges related to the stolen vehicle and traffic violations.
The repercussions of the case
The story quickly spread across social media and media outlets, generating a combination of disbelief and humor.
Many comments highlighted the eccentricity of the situation and questioned how such different elements were found together in the same vehicle. The case also raised questions about the safety of radioactive materials and the law regarding wild animals.
Although there was no evidence of criminal intent related to the uranium, the unusual situation put authorities on alert to the possibility of others storing potentially dangerous materials without proper knowledge.
With information from ABC.
