AHOSKIE – What started as a routine traffic stop turned into an arrest on stolen gun charges here Saturday night.

Ahoskie Police Chief Troy Fitzhugh reported that Horace James White, 22, of 316 Commerce Street in Aulander was incarcerated in the Hertford County Jail under a $7,000 secured bond following the arrest.

White was charged with possession of a stolen handgun, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, driving while license were revoked and displaying a fictitious vehicle tag.

Fitzhugh said that APD Sgt. J. Cooper, accompanied by an off-duty Bertie County Sheriff’s Deputy, was on routine patrol on Memorial Drive. The deputy recognized White behind the wheel of a 2002 Mitsubishi passenger vehicle and knew, based upon information he had while working in Bertie County, that White’s driver’s license were revoked.

Sgt. Cooper initiated a traffic stop of the vehicle at which time he asked the APD dispatcher to check the plate number on the car. That tag number did not match the vehicle.

When asked to produce his driver’s license, White informed Sgt. Cooper he did not have one.

Subsequent to the arrest, a search was conducted of the vehicle. In the trunk, a book bag was searched in which two loaded handguns were found. White advised Sgt. Cooper that both handguns were his.

At that time, Sgt. Cooper ran a registration check on the handguns, discovering one was reported stolen in Lewiston-Woodville.

Two passengers were riding with White. Neither was charged.

&uot;I would like to commend both my officer and the Bertie County deputy for being so observant,&uot; said Chief Fitzhugh. &uot;They were able to, without incident, take two handguns off the street, one of which was stolen.&uot;