A man was arrested after authorities found a human skull and methamphetamines in a car that had been pulled over in a traffic stop in Northern California.

Joshua Davis, 41, was a passenger in a car that Angels Camp police pulled over about 11:30 p.m. Thursday.

The officer had stopped the driver for rolling through a stop sign, but recognized Davis from an earlier encounter when Davis was driving the car, Angels Camp police said. When the officer asked Davis for identification, he initially refused, police said.

When Davis did reveal his identity, the officer learned that he had a suspended driver’s license, triggering a search of the car, officials said. During the search, police found methamphetamines hidden behind the gas tank door and a human skull in a bag in the trunk.


“Davis invoked his Miranda rights and refused to explain how he came to be in possession of the human skull,” police said in a statement.

Davis was booked on suspicion of violating his probation, driving with a suspended license, possessing methamphetamines and disturbing human remains.

The Calaveras County coroner will examine the skull and try to determine an identity.

Police did not disclose the disposition of the driver.


joseph.serna@latimes.com

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