A man allegedly had a loaded, stolen firearm in his possession when he turned himself in for unknown reasons Wednesday night outside a Temecula grocery store, a sheriff's official said.
Temecula officers took Eduardo Jose Mata, 30, into custody outside Stater Bros., 31813 Temecula Pkwy., at about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. Lisa McConnell.
Despite a report from a Patch reader that the man may have allegedly attempted to rob someone at gunpoint in the store parking lot, McConnell said the man never brandished the gun.
"He called and turned himself in," McConnell said, in an email to Patch. "He was under the influence of a controlled substance and in possession of a stolen firearm. He never brandished the gun."
Mata was booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of, carrying and concealing the loaded, stolen firearm, as well as being under the influence of a controlled substance and receiving stolen property.
Jail records show Mata was posted $5,000 bail in order to be released Thursday from Southwest Detention Center.
