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Hit & run suspect captured
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A June 26 hit-and-run crash ended with the suspect leading police on a short high-speed chase and being arrested at the Burger King on Mitchell Road.

The crash took place at 5:57 p.m. in the area of Ninth and Lawrence Street with the victim following the fleeing driver eastbound on Roeding Road toward Mitchell Road. Officer Pat Dayton located the suspect’s car turning east onto Whitmore Avenue from northbound Mitchell Road and attempted to stop driver Ernesto Gonzalez, 22, of Modesto but the suspect accelerated southbound on Della Avenue at a high rate of speed. As he neared the back entrance to the Burger King Gonzalez locked up his tires and skid while attempting to turn into the lot, narrowly avoiding a collision with a second vehicle. Gonzalez hit the entrance of the parking lot so hard and fast that it his vehicle became slightly airborne.

Gonzalez quickly pulled into a parking space and tried to exit the car when Officer Dayton ran up and ordered Gonzalez onto the ground at gunpoint. Because Gonzalez ignored commands, Dayton used physical force to take Gonzalez into custody. After being positively identified as the driver who collided with the vehicle, Gonzalez was booked for evading police, hit-and-run, resisting arrest, driving on a suspended license, and probation violation.