Merced man arrested after chase in stolen car, police say

A suspected gang member was arrested Sunday after allegedly leading Merced police on a chase in a stolen car, the Police Department reported.

Police said Gilbert M. Ayala, 31, was wanted on an unrelated warrant when he was spotted just before 7 p.m. Sunday driving a green Honda Accord in the area of Cameron Lane and Bear Creek Drive. Officer John Pinnegar tried to stop the car, but the driver sped away, leading police on a pursuit through central Merced, according to a news release from the Police Department.

The brief pursuit ended in the 2800 block of Parsons Avenue where Ayala ran from the car, leaving the vehicle in gear. To stop the car, Pinnegar pulled his police vehicle in front of the still-moving abandoned vehicle, Capt. Matt Williams told the Sun-Star.

Both cars sustained minor damage, Williams said. No injuries were reported.

Ayala eventually was found at a home in the 2800 block of Hawthorne Avenue, police said.

The Honda had been reported stolen earlier Sunday in Merced, officers said.

Ayala was booked into the Merced County Jail on suspicion of vehicle theft and evading police, both felonies, along with misdemeanor allegations of resisting arrest and driving on a suspended license. He remained in custody Monday with bail set at more than $200,000, according to booking records.

Officers, in the statement, described Ayala as a known gang member.

Ayala has a history of allegedly leading police on car chases in stolen vehicles, according to jail records. He was arrested on Feb. 6, 2015, on suspicion of evading police. He also was arrested Dec. 21, 2012, and eventually convicted and sentenced to prison for vehicle theft and evading police, according to booking records.

This story was originally published June 13, 2016 at 12:51 PM with the headline "Merced man arrested after chase in stolen car, police say."