Stolen car, drugs, high-speed chase leads to arrest in Atwater

A 36-year-old wanted man from Merced was arrested after leading police on a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle, according to Atwater Police Department officials. After officers caught the driver they found more than a 100 grams of drugs in the car.

At about 10:28 p.m. on Friday, officers tried to pull over a white 1986 Toyota 4 Runner that was traveling at high speeds near Fay Drive and Briarwood Street in Atwater, police said in a statement. The driver, Adam Lee Fryburger, continued driving fast on Canal Drive and ran the stop sign on Mitchell Avenue.

Fryburger drove down Vine Circle and Vine Street toward Olive Avenue, police said. Officers used a spike strip to try and stop Fryburger and he lost control of the vehicle near Bellevue Road and Olive Avenue after getting three flat tires.

Fryburger led officers on a foot chase, police said, and after a "short struggle" and getting Tased was taken to Mercy Medical Center where he received six stitches on his head.

The car Fryburger was driving was reported stolen to the Merced Police Department on Sept. 30, according to officials.

Police said they found 125 grams of marijuana and two grams of methamphetamine in Fryburgers possession. He was also wanted on a no bail probation violation warrant.

Fryburger was booked into John Latoracca Corrections Center, according to booking records, and charged with a felony for evading a police officer, felony for vehicle obtained by theft or extortion and felony for possessing a controlled substance.

Fryburger was also charged with a misdemeanor for driving with a suspended or revoked license, resisting a public, police or emergency medical technician and possessing marijuana.

Monica Velez: 209-385-2486, @monicavelez21

This story was originally published October 15, 2017 at 7:22 PM with the headline "Stolen car, drugs, high-speed chase leads to arrest in Atwater."