A 26-year-old Modesto man with a record of domestic violence was arrested early Saturday, Sept. 26 on drug charges after he recklessly led Ceres Police on a chase.

Officer Adam Hall was driving northbound on Mitchell Road at 12:05 a.m. when he spotted expired registration tags on a silver Dodge sedan. Officer Hall followed the vehicle as it made an abrupt turn onto eastbound Colleen Way to Della Drive. Driver Davit Jaime Martinez, 26, of drove north on Della and then westbound on Whitmore Avenue and then back onto northbound Mitchell Road. He made a sudden sweeping turn onto westbound Fowler Road. Martinez pulled over on Acorn Lane just west of Moffett Road but when Officer Hall approached the car the suspect gunned it and a chase was on with Martinez blowing through a stop sign and traveling 60 mph on residential streets of Myrtlewood, Mauna Loa and Glasgow drives. The chase went westbound on Glasgow Drive to northbound Central Avenue. Martinez ran the red light at the Hatch Road at approximately 60 mph. At one-point Martinez lost control of the car and drove into the southbound lane Central Avenue and onto the curb where his tire popped before continuing back in the northbound lane. 

The chase went on eastbound Millcreek Drive where the tire rim was throwing sparks and then northbound on River Raft Court, eastbound Whitewater Way and southbound Rolling Oak Court where the chase ended with his arrest.

During a search of Martinez’s car, Officer Eric Gallegos located a black/ green semi-automatic Polymer 80 firearm on the front passenger’s seat as well as a live 9mm round in the chamber and 15 additional rounds loaded into the magazine. The Polymer 80 pistol is a handgun the replicates a Glock, but do not have to have a serial number. These types of guns are known as “ghost” guns because they are untraceable which attracts people that cannot own or possess firearms. A function check revealed this firearm to be a full functioning weapon.

Martinez previously had his driver’s license suspended for DUI and was on parole for domestic violence which forbids him from possessing firearms or ammunition. Martinez’s parole agent was notified and authorized a parole hold for the parole violation. Martinez’s vehicle was towed, and he was booked into the Public Safety Center on charges of felony evading a police officer, unlawful possession of a firearm, ex-felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, parole violation, and driving on a suspended license.