Key West police arrested two local men after police found two loaded guns hidden in a pickup truck they stopped downtown early Thursday morning. Just after midnight, a white pickup truck caught the attention of two police officers as it peeled out and took off on Duval Street. It sped around several corners before Sgt. Donie Lee and Officer Pablo Rodriguez caught up with it at a lane off Fleming Street. The truck's two occupants were moving around inside the truck, apparently reaching back, arousing the officers' suspicians.
Then the passenger, later identified as Michael Estevez, 24, of Key Wst, got out and quickly walked away. He stopped on command and joined the driver, Orlando Rioesco, 31, at the rear of the truck, both with their hands on the turck's bed. When Officer Eric Biskup, who arrived as backup, asked if they had any weapons, Rioseco said his gun was behind the seat. There, Biscup found two loaded handguns.
Rioseco said the other gun belonged to Estevez, who denied it, adding he did not know the gun was there. Reoseco then said someone else gave him the gun to fix because it had been jamming. Rodriguez got in touch with the second gun's owner, who told him he let Estevez use it whenever he needed it and that it did not need any repairs.
Estevez was arrested for possession of a concealed weapon and Rioseco was arrested for driving with a suspended license.
With 327 entries, this year's Yachting Key West Race Week will be the biggest ever. Sixty-six more boats will be here than last year. The previous record was 271 boats in 1999. The event is set for Jan. 15-19. There are 50 foreign entries from 20 countries, said Premiere Racing's Peter Craig. Thirty-two states will be represented, led by New York, Maryland and California. Some of the biggest names in sailing are expected to be on the island for the event.