Bangor City Council Candidate Arrested for Concealed Carry

[MI_XD]

Can't find an electronic version of this story to post, but in the Sunday May 4, 2014 edition of the South Haven Tribune is a story mainly about one of the candidates. Seems he was stopped for illegally carrying a pistol in a vehicle he was driving at the time.
Lucas Koenig (26) stated, "Looks can be deceiving. I exercise my right to open-carry my firearm. They (the sheriff's department) say the way it was locked up (was incorrect). I had the gun unloaded and (locked) in a separate box."
Koenig states he was set up by the Bangor Chief of Police and the Sheriff's Department. Chief Baker denies the allegation.
Chief Baker became aware of Koenig carrying when Bangor City Council members expressed concern that he was coming to council meetings wearing a pistol.

The BIGGEST part of this story that grinds me is one more uninformed Editor and General Manager (reporter) from the SH Tribune who wrongly states:
"Michigan's open-carry law states that anyone 21 or older may obtain a license to carry a concealed pistol, so long as the person is not prohibited from owning a firearm, has not been found guilty of any felonies or certain misdemeanors within a time period of either three or eight years dependent upon the charge, and has completed state-approved firearms training. In addition, laws regulate how firearms may be transported in motor vehicles" - Becky Kark, Editor and General Manager - South Haven Tribune

I want to ask that reporter to cite "The Open-Carry Law". None of her statement has ANYTHING to do with this.

I do not know if he has a CPL or not.

Mosnar or autosurgeon... know anything about this? He was stopped March 10th in Lawrence.


Bob
MI_XD

[gryphon]

I'm guessing no CPL since it looks like he was arrested for gun in car with an easy access by driver.

[TucTom]

Here is an article: http://www.heraldpalladium.com/news/local/bangor-council-hopeful-faces-gun-charge/article_9763e219-4af2-5615-9afe-b8f763c272e8.html

[autosurgeon]

He is a local Gadfly who likes to come out and stir the pot. He has OCed in Lawrence at Planning Commission meetings I was chairing. No big deal other than he is not a resident and likes to try and take up all the speaking time. He is friends with other business owners in Lawrence and speaks for them sometimes when they want to remain incognito.

As for why he got popped I have it from a good source that his firearm wasn't properly stored and that this was observed and reported to the SD. They then stopped him and he name dropped and that was why the Bangor Police got involved.

But that is hearsay and second hand so take it for what its worth... Not much.

Sent from my LG-E970 using Tapatalk

[CV67PAT]

From the article:

The chief said that prior to one council meeting he saw Koenig get out of his car with his pistol in hand and talked to him about it.

"I could have arrested him then, but I could not tell whether he had had it locked up or not," Baker said, explaining that when guns are transported in vehicles they need to be in a locked container.

Baker is wrong.

Would I get a pass like that? No.

And if he got out of car before with gun in hand, he was committing a 5 year felony then.

[linux203]

From the article:

Baker is wrong.

Would I get a pass like that? No.

And if he got out of car before with gun in hand, he was committing a 5 year felony then.

Or they gave him just enough rope to hang himself.  His initial exit from the vehicle may have been a arguable case with circumstantial evidence.  The article implies that he was pulled over while driving.  I assume a subsequent search showed an improperly transported firearm clearly violating MCL 750.227.

[autosurgeon]

He seems to have dropped off the radar...


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[SD40VE]

"I could have arrested him then, but I could not tell whether he had had it locked up or not," Baker said, explaining that when guns are transported in vehicles they need to be in a locked container."

must be a locked container now? lol what happened to a case designed for storing firearms? now they have to be locked?

[autosurgeon]

Bangor chief is not too good with the laws. I have corrected him several times in the past. He doesn't like it but he leaves me alone now.


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[TheQ]

His trial commences on 7/16 in circuit court.

[CV67PAT]

"I could have arrested him then, but I could not tell whether he had had it locked up or not," Baker said, explaining that when guns are transported in vehicles they need to be in a locked container."

must be a locked container now? lol what happened to a case designed for storing firearms? now they have to be locked?

I suppose that since the statute specifies that the firearm has to be in the trunk, it isn't too much of a stretch to say "locked" when discussing it a conversation.

(d) To a person while transporting a pistol for a lawful purpose that is licensed by the owner or occupant of the motor vehicle in compliance with section 2 of 1927 PA 372, MCL 28.422, and the pistol is unloaded in a closed case designed for the storage of firearms in the trunk of the vehicle.

[Jeff]

Subsection(69R) If no truck is available it may me mounted on a rotary turret over the cab of the vehicle