San Luis Obispo man arrested on gun, drug charges at Chumash Casino Resort
Jul. 16—A San Luis Obispo man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of several drug and gun charges after he was found passed out in his vehicle at the Chumash Casino Resort.
Santa Barbara County sheriff's deputies responded at 2:45 p.m. to a report of a man, identified as 27-year-old Jacob Southard, who was unconscious in a vehicle with drug paraphernalia in his lap, according to sheriff's spokeswoman Raquel Zick.
Southard's vehicle was parked inside a parking garage at the resort, located in the 3400 block of Highway 246 in Santa Ynez.
When deputies arrived on scene, Southard was awake and had been detained by casino security staff.
Upon searching Southard's vehicle, deputies found a handgun, an illegally modified high-powered rifle, loaded high-capacity magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, prescription medication, heroin, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, according to Zick.
In addition, deputies allegedly located a loaded pistol reported stolen out of Humboldt County that was under the driver's seat of the vehicle.
Southard was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on suspicion of multiple felonies, including possession of narcotics and a firearm, manufacturing an assault weapon and a felon in possession of ammunition; and several misdemeanors, including possession of an assault weapon, methamphetamine, heroin, drug paraphernalia and a concealed and loaded firearm, and being under the influence of a controlled substance. Southard was released on $35,000 bail.
Deputies have requested additional charges, including two additional weapons and one drug charge, according to Zick.
