Police are searching for the man who robbed Ceres Drug Store Tuesday evening, June 4 and made off with an undisclosed amount of cash.
The suspect, described as a Latino man in his 30s and wearing a Raiders cap and blue jeans, came into the store at around 5:43 p.m. to "shop" for cold medicine. He called the clerk over and spoke and said he would return with the money to buy a product. When he did he threatened the clerk and demanded cash. The clerk saw what was believed to be the butt of a handgun in his right front pocket. He was given cash and he fled.
In other noteworthy Ceres area crimes the following incidents were reported:
• ALLEGED CAR BURGLARS APPREHENDED: CERES - Two men were arrested during Thursday evening's Ceres High School graduation after they were seen trying to break into cars and later stopped and found with items taken from a car.
The suspects were seen walking along Fifth Street near Thomas tugging of car door handles. They werea reported at 8:19 p.m. The suspects were spotted and detained near Foster Freeze on Whitmore Avenue.
Isaac Bazan, 31, of Modesto, and Jose Ochoa, 32, of Ceres, were both found with stolen items taken from an unlocked Saturn. Items included a key, credit car and a driver's license belonging to the Saturn's owner.
Bazan and Ochoa were each charged with possession of stolen property and second-degree burglary. Ochoa was also charged with violating the terms of his parole.
• ALLEGED DUI DRIVER CRASHES INTO HOUSE: CERES - A Keyes man was arrested Thursday, June 6 after he crashed into a house while being in a state of alleged intoxication.
Police Lt. Brent Smith said Patrick Wilson, 46, of Keyes, was driving a 1972 Chevy pickup northbound on Poppy Lane at 2 p.m. when he lost control and ran over the eastern curb and into a 2003 Volvo parked in the driveway at 1901 Poppy Lane. The pickup then struck the front bricked corner of the garage.
When Officer Michael Vierra arrived the suspect was gone on foot. But a he was talking to a witness, Wilson came back to the scene of the crash. He was arrested after the breathalyzer registered that he had a 0.22 blood alcohol content level. Vierra also found a hypodermic syringe in Wilson's possession. He faces a charge of DUI.
• RACING DRIVERS STOPPED, ARRESTED: CERES - Reports of three cars racing southbound on Moffet Road from Hatch Road ended when all three were stopped and two arrested.
A call came in at 8:18 p.m. on Saturday to report the unsafe drivers. Officers stopped all three cars when they were spotted crossing Whitmore Avenue, two stopped at Magnolia and Ninth streets.
Danny DeWitt, 24, of Ceres, was arrested for driving under the influence. His 1999 Kia Sofia was impounded.
Joseph Young, 35, of Modesto, was arrested for driving on a suspended license and DUI. His 1998 Ford Mustang was stopped at Ninth and Standford.
• SUSPICIONS LEAD TO TWO ARRESTS: CERES - Officer James Riley's suspicions about a man and woman near the 99 Cents Only store on Hatch Road led to their arrests on Saturday morning.
Riley was on patrol at 8:53 a.m. when he spotted the pair east of the store. The man started running westbound with Riley giving chase. At one point, the suspect, Hector Carrera, 39, of Ceres, threw a shopping cart in Riley's path. Riley pulled out his Taser and fired it at Carrera, who let out a yelp and kept running. The Taser had no effect. Riley dropped the gun as the suspect pulled a B-B handgun from his waistband and yelling that it was only a B-B gun but refused to drop it. Riley closed in and tackled Carrera after he finally dropped the gun. The suspect then concealed his hands under his waistband and the officer gave him knee kicks in the ribs in an effort to get his hands to where they could be cuffed.
Carrera was arrested on charges of possession of a replica gun, violation of probation, possession of methamphetamine and for a no-bail warrant.
Anna Marie Garcia, 28, of Ceres, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine.
