Traffic stop yields two pistols, 12 magazines of ammo
A local felon on probation was arrested Sunday night following a routine traffic stop after he was allegedly found with two pistols in holsters on his person and
12 magazines of ammunition for the pistols in his possession.
Bryan Wesley Cook, 43, who lists an Alcorn Street address, was taken into custody shortly before
8:30 p.m. and charged with two felony counts of possession of a firearm by certain persons, punishable by up to six years in prison.
Cook, who also had warrants for failure to appear, failure to pay and a probation violation, was being held on zero bond and was set to appear Monday in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday, Garland County sheriff’s Deputy Darrell Harmon was patrolling in the 4900 block of Central Avenue when he saw a maroon Mitsubishi Galant headed outbound and a check of the license plate showed the vehicle did not have valid insurance.
He made a traffic stop at the intersection of Central and Catalina Circle and made contact with the driver, identified as Cook, who handed him his driver’s license and stated the vehicle did not belong to him and he didn’t know it wasn’t insured.
A computer check on Cook revealed he had warrants for failure to pay out of Garland County, failure to appear out of Saline County and for a probation violation out of Pulaski County so he was asked to exit the vehicle and complied.
Harmon asked Cook if he had “anything that could harm me on him,” and Cook reportedly admitted he had two pistols on him, a Glock 17 in a holster on his right hip and a Glock 48 in a holster on his back. The deputy removed both pistols and also located three magazines of ammunition in his right back pocket.
A criminal history check showed Cook was convicted in 2005 of possession of a controlled substance and most recently on May 10, 2018, on two counts of possession of a firearm by certain persons in Pulaski County where he was sentenced to four years’ probation.
Cook was taken into custody and in searching the vehicle, a backpack was located in the passenger seat which allegedly contained nine more full magazines of ammunition for the two pistols.
In addition to the felony charges and warrants, Cook was cited for driving on a suspended license and having no proof of insurance. Holds were later placed on him by Saline and Pulaski counties.