Novato police find gun, drugs in traffic incident

Novato police arrested a driver Monday after discovering allegedly illegal items in his vehicle.

Police received a report of a suspicious vehicle near the corner of Santolina and San Marin drives at about 4 a.m. Officers saw the car blocking a lane and contacted the driver, who had mechanical problems.

Officers saw drug paraphernalia in a passenger compartment, and the suspect refused to exit his vehicle, said Novato police Lt. Winter said. Police detained the driver and found a loaded and unregistered firearm, suspected burglary tools and controlled substances in his vehicle, Winter said.

Rafael Antonio Lara, 23, of Vallejo was booked into the Marin County Jail, where his bail was set at $50,000, according to jail records.