Man with meth arrested after high-speed chase in Merced County, deputies say

A man who allegedly led a sheriff’s sergeant on a pursuit was found to have a half-ounce of methamphetamine, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office said Monday.

Sgt. Kevin Blake attempted to stop a 1995 Chevrolet Silverado about 12:30 p.m. Thursday following a moving violation near SP Avenue and Franklin Road in Merced County, deputies said.

The driver did not stop and led the sergeant on a chase reaching speeds of 80 mph while running through stop signs, deputies said.

The pursuit ended when the driver, who the Sheriff’s Office identified as 36-year-old Gene Faust, jumped out of the still moving truck.

The truck rolled into a tree on Meadowbrook Avenue in the Beachwood area, according to deputies. The sergeant pursued Faust on foot through a neighborhood near Balboa and Meadowbrook avenues as the man jumped several fences, the office said.

He was ultimately arrested with the assistance of Detective Ralph Zyskowski, according to a news release. Faust had about a half-ounce of crystal meth in his pocket and two felony warrants for his arrest, according to deputies.

Faust was booked into the Merced County Jail and is held without bond, according to jail records.

This story was originally published September 10, 2018 at 5:37 PM.