UKIAH, 1/4/18 — The California Highway Patrol found more than bad breath and some empty beer cans when they pulled over one Mr. Van Allen Hubbard early on New Years day, near the Coyote Valley Casino. When the CHP pulled over the suspect at about 5am on New Year’s day, after the Coyote Valley Tribal Police Dept. asked for an assist, they found him to be allegedly under the influence of drugs and alcohol — and they also found upwards of $20,000 in rare gold and silver coins, and a locked safe. After pulling a warrant officers found an additional quantity of rare coins in Hubbard’s storage space. Likely due to the fact that the exact price of such rare coins depends on condition and auctions, the value of the goods could be anywhere between $25,000 and $35,000 and is still being determined.
Law enforcement suspect that Hubbard stole the coins from elderly clients when he was working as an in-home care assistant.
He was booked on DUI charges, being in possession of stolen property, possession of dangerous weapons, and elder abuse.
Here is the text of the CHP report:
On January 1, 2018, at approximately 0512 hours, Ukiah CHP Officer J. Irwin and his partner Officer T. Ogden responded to assist the Coyote Valley Tribal Police Department with a possible DUI driver stopped on Coyote Valley Blvd., just east of US 101. Officer Irwin conducted a DUI investigation and the driver, Van Allen Hubbard, was arrested on suspicion of driving a vehicle under the combined influence of alcohol and drugs. During a vehicle inventory officers discovered several dangerous and illegal weapons in the vehicle as well as a large amount of rare minted sealed gold and silver coins. The estimated value of the coins is believed to between $15,000 and $20,000, A locked safe not belonging to Hubbard was also located in the vehicle, Hubbard could not account for the items located in his vehicle at that time resulting in further investigation by the officers. The following day, search warrants were obtained to search Hubbard’s storage unit and vehicle which resulted in the seizure of an additional quantity of rare minted sealed gold and silver coins with an estimated value of $10,000 to $15,000 dollars. Evidence developed in this case indicated that these items belonged to clients of Hubbard’s when Hubbard was working as an In Home Support Service Provider. Hubbard was booked into the Mendocino County Jail for Driving under the combined influence of an alcohol and drugs as well as being in possession of stolen property, possession of dangerous weapons, elder abuse, and additional lesser charges. The exact value of the coins is still under investigation. The case has been submitted to the Mendocino County District Attorney’s office for prosecution.
