Officers find drugs inside vehicle following pursuit in Merced, police say

A driver and passenger were arrested Wednesday in Merced after officers located drugs in a vehicle following a pursuit, police said.

At about 2:46 a.m., an officer attempted to stop a white SUV for a vehicle code violation, according to a Merced Police Department news release.

The driver, later identified as a 15-year-old, failed to stop and led police on a pursuit through the east area of the city and into south Merced before the pursuit ended in the 300 block of East 15th Street, police said. Both the driver and the passenger, identified as 20-year-old Joe Samaniego, were taken into custody.

While searching the vehicle, officers located about 4.5 pounds of marijuana, according to the release. The juvenile driver was taken into custody on suspicion of possession of marijuana for sales, transportation of marijuana, hit-and-run, felony evading as well as gang enhancements, according to police.

Samaniego was booked into Merced County Jail on suspicion of felony participation in criminal street gang activity as well as misdemeanor possession of marijuana for sale and plant/cultivate/harvest marijuana, according to jail records.

Anyone with information regarding this alleged crime is asked to contact Officer Gaona at 209-388-7777 or by email at gaonaa@cityofmerced.org. Anonymous tips can be left for police by calling 209-385-4725.

Some crimes can be reported through the Merced Police Department website. Anonymous tips can be reported online through the Merced Area Crime Stoppers website.