Washington Township traffic stop leads to arrest for DUI, felony gun charges

Washington Township police accused a man who is not allowed to possess a gun with having a loaded pistol under the seat when he was pulled over for running a stop sign while intoxicated.

John David Gregor, 40, of the 500 block of Armstrong Avenue in Apollo was charged with felony counts of illegal possession of a firearm and carrying a gun without a license. He also faces two counts of driving under the influence and one count each of carrying a loaded weapon, having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle and running a stop sign.

Gregor was charged by summons in connection with the Feb. 10 traffic stop in the 4100 block of Route 66.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled before District Judge Jason Buczak on April 17, according to court records.

Police wrote in Gregor’s arrest papers that an officer was parked near the Route 380 off-ramp about 7:15 p.m. when a Hyundai sedan ran the stop sign and drove onto Route 66.

The officer wrote in a criminal complaint that he smelled alcohol and marijuana when Gregor handed over his driving documents.

Gregor told the officer that he and his female passenger were coming home from an anniversary dinner where they had “a few drinks.” He said he had a medical marijuana card and that he last used the drug about 6 p.m. before leaving for dinner, the complaint said.

Gregor told police he had a knife in his pocket, which was confiscated, but said he no other weapons, the complaint said.

Police said Gregor had to be ordered to keep his hands on the vehicle while being patted down after he tried to reach into a pocket, where the officer found a loaded magazine for a .380-caliber gun.

The magazine, Gregor said, was for a gun registered in his name, but he did not have the gun with him, the complaint said.

The officer said Gregor showed signs of being intoxicated and was unable to complete a series of field sobriety tests.

Gregor gave the officer permission to search the car where, according to the complaint, a loaded .380-caliber Smith & Wesson pistol was found under the driver’s seat.

On the floorboard in front of the seat was an empty 12-ounce can of Michelob Ultra that was “still cold” to the touch, police said.

The woman in the car told the officer that she, too, had a medical marijuana card but said the gun and empty beer can belonged to Gregor, according to the complaint.

Blood was drawn from Gregor to test for the presence of alcohol or drugs in his system, and he and the woman were released to a family member.

Results from the test show that in addition to alcohol and THC, Gregor had the prescription sedative clonazepam in his system as well as methadone, which is used to treat opioid addiction.

Gregor is not allowed to possess a gun because he pleaded guilty in 2002 to a felony drug charge, investigators said. He also does not have a permit to carry a concealed weapon.