‘Car thieves had radioactive uranium in car when pulled over by police’
Stephen Jennings and Rachael Rivera were found to be transporting the powdered radioactive uranium, a rattlesnake, a open bottle of whiskey, and a gun.
A pair of alleged car thieves were found to be transporting radioactive uranium when cops pulled them over, police say.
Stephen Jennings and Rachael Rivera were arrested on June 25 in Guthrie, Oklahoma after authorities arrested them for driving a car that was reportedly stolen.
Police stopped the car because the tag was expired. They then found the canister of radioactive powdered uranium in the vehicle, as well as a rattlesnake, an bottle of Kentucky Deluxe blended whiskey, and a handgun.
Guthrie Police Sargent Anthony Gibbs told KFOR: ‘So now he’s got a rattlesnake, a stolen vehicle, firearm, and somebody under arrest.’
Gibbs said police are still working to determine why the couple had the radioactive element in the car, although they have not been charged in connection with the uranium.
He said: ‘When this happens of course, we call in a company that deals with (the uranium) specifically and it’s taken into possession.’
‘The uranium is the wild card in that situation.’
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Body cam footage from the arrest captures moment police discovered the Timber rattlesnake in the car as the officer exclaims ‘That sucker is huge.’
Timber rattlesnakes are highly venomous snakes and their fangs are long enough to penetrate clothing and boots, according to the Ohio Public Library Information Network.
Gibbs said the pair faces no charges related to the rattlesnake because ‘It happens to be rattlesnake season at the time, so he can be in possession of this rattlesnake because he has a valid lifetime hunting and fishing license,’ he said.
Rivera was charged with possession of a firearm after a former felony conviction.
Jennings, who was driving at the time of the arrest, was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, transporting an open container of liquor, operating a vehicle with a suspended license, and failure to carry a security verification form.
Both Rivera and Jennings were booked at Logan County Jail where they remained Thursday morning on unspecified bail.