Vehicle pursuit in Dos Palos ends with police finding suspect in garbage can

A vehicle pursuit on Merced County’s west side ended with a suspect being taken into custody — after officers found him hiding in a garbage can.

At about 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, a Dos Palos police officer observed suspicious activity in the area of Palm Avenue and Ida Street involving a male and female near a red Toyota truck, according to Cliff Battles, Dos Palos Police interim chief.

According to police, the male entered the driver side of the vehicle and the female entered the passenger side. After finding the vehicle’s registration to be expired, the officer tried to conduct an enforcement stop.

The driver of the vehicle, later identified as Jacob Reid Ramsey of Dos Palos, pulled the vehicle over and came to a stop. The female passenger exited the vehicle and Ramsey failed to yield for the officer, fleeing north on Palm Avenue as the officer initiated a vehicle pursuit, according to police.

The pursuit lasted about 10 minutes as Ramsey led the officer through the area unincorporated Merced County before entering back into Dos Palos city limits and stopping the vehicle in the area of Thomas Street and Palm Avenue.

After coming to a stop, Ramsey exited the vehicle and ran into the backyard of a residence.

Dos Palos police officers chased after Ramsey as other officers set up a perimeter, according to Battles.

Merced County Sheriff’s Office deputies as well as California Highway Patrol officers responded to assist Dos Palos police with the search for the suspect. As officer conducted a yard-by-yard search, Ramsey reportedly ran from a vehicle located in a backyard and jumped several fences, according to police.

Ramsey was eventually located by a sheriff’s deputy hiding inside a trash can in the backyard of a residence. He was taken into custody without further incident on suspicion of felony evading and drug possession, according to Battles.

The female passenger fled the area and has not been identified, according to police.