A 46-year-old Arnold man was arrested after he reportedly was found with a gun at the St. Louis West Historic Route 66 KOA Holiday campground, 18475 Old Hwy. 66, in Eureka. The man, who appeared intoxicated, allegedly broke the campground’s rule prohibiting firearms at the site, Eureka Police reported.
Another camper called Eureka Police at about 2:15 p.m. May 29 and said the Arnold man was talking about strange conspiracies and put a gun in the trunk of a car. The campsite manager told police that numerous other guests had complained about the man’s odd behavior, and she said she wanted the suspect removed from the facility, the report said.
Officers also were shown a video of the man apparently pointing the gun at objects while looking down the gun’s sight. At one point, it looked like the man pointed the gun at a tent, according to the report.
Police found the man sitting at a picnic table with numerous open beer bottles on it. He initially told officers he did not have a gun but later said he always had one in his car. He also told police he did not show the gun to anyone, the report said.
When officers asked him where the gun was, he reportedly said it didn’t matter but eventually told them the loaded gun was in the trunk of his car. Officers allegedly found a .45-caliber Springfield Armory pistol in a backpack inside the 2016 Nissan Altima, according to the report.
They arrested the man and took him to the Police Station, where he was booked and released pending application for charges. Eureka Police will seek a charge against the man through the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for unlawful use of a weapon, Lt. Michael Werges said.