On June 14, 2021, at about 6:05 p.m., a Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputy on patrol in in the Hoopa area observed a reported stolen vehicle traveling on Highway 96 near Milepost Marker 19.

The deputy conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and detained the driver, 63-year-old Frank Owen Surber Jr., without incident. During a search of Surber, law enforcement located approximately 4 grams of Methampetamine and drug paraphernalia. During a search of the vehicle, law enforcement located a loaded firearm.

Surber was arrested and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of possession of a stolen vehicle (PC 496d(a)), convicted felon in possession of a firearm (PC 29800(a)), carrying a loaded firearm in a public place (PC 25850(a)), possession of a controlled substance while armed (HS 11370.1(a)), possession of a controlled substance (HS 11377(a)) and possession of a deadly weapon (PC 12020(a)).

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the California Highway Patrol and the Hoopa Valley Tribal Police Department for their assistance with this investigation.

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.

 Frank Owen Surber Jr. Booking Photo | HCCF