Merced County sheriff’s dog sniffs out theft suspect

With the help of a sheriff’s canine, deputies caught a man attempting to steal a utility vehicle in the unincorporated area near Livingston, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office reported this week.

Deputies got a call about 8:45 a.m. Tuesday that someone had stolen a John Deere Gator utility vehicle from a property near Peach Avenue and Sultana Drive.

Sheriff’s officials said Ricardo Sanchez Partida, 29, ran from deputies as soon as they arrived. The deputies used a dog to follow the man’s scent, deputies said, and found him lying in tall grass.

The man attempted to run again, deputies said, and was taken down by the dog, Rocky. Partida tried to throw the dog off, deputies said, but was captured.

He was booked into Merced County jail on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of stolen property, resisting arrest and for an outstanding felony warrant issued by the task force for narcotics and weapons charges.

He remained in custody Wednesday on $71,500 bail, according to jail records.

The stolen Gator was returned to its owner, deputies said.

This story was originally published March 16, 2016 at 1:38 PM with the headline "Merced County sheriff’s dog sniffs out theft suspect."