Bradford City Police have charged the man discovered Nov. 14 slumped over the wheel of a vehicle on West Corydon Street.
Daniel Rafael Vargas, 33, is charged with possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor; and use/possession of drug paraphernalia.
Police responded to a call at 7:16 a.m. that day to check on the welfare of a man in the driver’s seat of a running vehicle. Upon arrival, police report, officers observed the man sleeping with what appeared to be a firearm in his right hand.
Out of caution, police closed the road and set up a perimeter around the vehicle. Officers moved in and woke the man, later identified as Vargas, and removed him from the car without incident, according to the police report.
Officers determined he was under the influence of controlled substances and observed drugs and paraphernalia in plain view. The items were secured as evidence and the firearm was identified as a .177-caliber pellet pistol that resembled an actual firearm.
Police said Vargas was taken into custody and the evidence sent to the Pennsylvania State Police lab for testing, which confirmed the substance was methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
Vargas was arraigned April 10 by District Judge Richard Luther, who set bail at $2,500 unsecured. Preliminary hearings are scheduled.
