Ceres man arrested, marijuana seized after high-speed chase in Atwater

A high-speed chase ended Wednesday in Merced County with a Ceres man in custody and authorities seizing about 10 pounds of marijuana, the California Highway Patrol reported.

Eddi Pimentel, 28, was arrested, but another man eluded capture during the pursuit and subsequent foot chase near Atwater, Officer Moises Onsurez confirmed.

A description of the second man was not available Thursday.

No injuries were reported.

Onsurez said CHP officers attempted a traffic stop about 7:37 p.m. in the area of Shaffer Road and Atwater Boulevard. The vehicle, a silver Jaguar XF, did not stop, but instead accelerated east onto Broadway Avenue and crossed over the double-yellow lines, into oncoming traffic.

The vehicle turned south on Broadway and reached nearly 120 mph before it hit a pole at Broadway and Buhach Road. The driver and passenger ran away, the CHP said.

Onsurez said an officer captured Pimentel as he climbed over a chain-link fence.

Inside the vehicle, officers found about 10 pounds of marijuana, Onsurez said.

The Merced County Multi-Agency Narcotics Task Force was called to assist investigators.

Pimentel was booked into the Merced County Jail just after midnight Thursday on suspicion of recklessly evading police, a felony; hit-and-run, a misdemeanor; and numerous drug-related charges, the CHP said.

He posted bail a short time later and was released, according to jail records.

This story was originally published February 5, 2015 at 1:36 PM with the headline "Ceres man arrested, marijuana seized after high-speed chase in Atwater."