Cottonwood felon found with stolen truck and gun arrested

COTTONWOOD — A felon with multiple warrants was arrested in the unincorporated city of Cottonwood after authorities found him in possession of a stolen pickup truck as well as a loaded firearm during a traffic stop, Saturday afternoon, July 13.

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Shasta County sheriff’s deputies were on routine patrol when they spotted Travis Eugene Banghart, 35, of Cottonwood, driving a Ford F-350 pickup around 2:40 p.m., Shasta County Sheriff’s Sgt. Fernandez later reported. The truck was pulling a large, flatbed gooseneck trailer at the time of the stop.

Deputies immediately recognized Banghart from prior contacts with the man and a wants/ warrant check revealed he had two outstanding warrants for his arrest.

Based on his warrants, deputies conducted a traffic stop in the area of High and Main streets.

Travis Banghart was arrested Saturday afternoon after deputies found he was in possession of a pickup truck stolen from Yreka, as well as a loaded handgun. Authorities are still trying to determine if a gooseneck trailer and other items the felon was in possession of were stolen. SCSO photos

While speaking with Banghart, deputies conducted a records check on the Ford he was driving and learned the truck had been reported stolen from the Yreka area; at which time they detained him without incident.

“Upon completing an inventory search of the vehicle, deputies located a loaded revolver in the vehicle,” Fernandez explained.

Deputies ultimately arrested Banghart for his outstanding warrants, driving on a suspended license, possession of a stolen vehicle, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of a loaded firearm in a vehicle. He was later booked into Shasta County Jail in Redding.

During their investigation, deputies were unable to confirm if the flatbed trailer and property attached to the trailer were stolen. Officials are now asking for the public’s help identifying the rightful owner of the trailer and/or the property found loaded on the trailer.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office at (530) 245-6540. Callers can refer to incident file number 19S025921 and can remain anonymous.

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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 47, moved last year to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 15 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.