Suspect arrested with drugs, gun after fleeing officers in stolen vehicle, Merced CHP says

A Merced County man was arrested on a wide range of charges after authorities said he led officers on a short vehicle pursuit that ended just south of Merced.

California Highway Patrol officers responded to a report of a vehicle that was stolen out of the Romero Visitor Center near Los Banos at about 12:34 a.m. Sunday, according to Officer Eric Zuniga.

Zuniga said a tracking system inside the vehicle notified authorities of its location and officers located the Lexus GS430 on West Dickenson Ferry Road about one quarter mile west of Highway 59.

As officers attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver took off traveling eastbound on West Dickenson Ferry Road toward Highway 59, authorities said.

Officers pursued the vehicle as it turned and drove southbound on Highway 59, before turning off the highway onto a dirt road, where it crashed into an industrial lawn mower near a residence in the 1000 block of Highway 59, according to Zuniga.

Following the crash, the suspect, identified as Lee Thao, 34, of Merced, ran from officers on foot and was located a short time later along a canal bank in the area of West Dickenson Ferry Road and Highway 59, just south of Merced, Zuniga said.

Officers located a baggie containing crystal methamphetamine near Thao in the area of the canal as well as a loaded handgun and extra magazine inside the vehicle, according to Zuniga.

Thao was arrested and booked into the Merced County Jail on suspicion of felony possession of a stolen vehicle, being a felon in possession of a firearm, carry loaded firearm, violation of probation, misdemeanor evading law enforcement, possession of a controlled substance, driving without a license, carrying concealed weapon and hit-and-run with property damage, according to jail records.

This story was originally published February 4, 2020 at 11:39 AM.