A man arrested for multiple gun crime charges Friday also wore a bullet-resistant vest.
“There was a warrant out for him – he was located when one of our officers who pulled him over also found he was in possession of a firearm by a felon. So, he was arrested for multiple (charges),” said Woody Spencer, spokesman for the Kinston Department of Public Safety.
Eric Jamal Rodriguez, 25, is charged with felony possession of a firearm by a felon, misdemeanor failure to store a firearm to protect a minor, misdemeanor resisting a public officer and two misdemeanor traffic violations.
“One of the things that was definitely of interest to us is the fact that he was wearing a bullet-resistant vest,” KDPS Director Bill Johnson said. “And, it’s just one of those things that officers do have to face out there on the street.”
Johnson said it’s not an incident officers often face in town, but it’s a concern whenever there’s a case like the one alleged.
Police seized a Glock 23 .40-caliber handgun – noted by its manufacturer as a favorite of police – which had an estimated value of $200, the $150 bullet-resistant vest and a $300 iPhone.
Rodriguez received a $500,900 bond and was booked into the Lenoir County Detention Center.
The arrest occurred at 4:48 p.m. Friday in the 200 block of East Capitola Avenue – the same area as the triple shooting and homicide on Nov. 5 – but the cases are considered coincidental.
Rodriguez made his first appearance in Lenoir County District Court on Monday for the Friday incident. He already was scheduled to appear in Lenoir County Superior Court on Tuesday to face charges of felony possession of a stolen firearm and felony possession of a firearm by a felon from another case.
Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 and Wes.Wolfe@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter @WolfeReports.
