Area law enforcement officials cleared out an exhibition of unlawful donut spinning on the freeway and at another location in Ceres early Saturday and later arrested one of the involved drivers.

At about 1:18 a.m. Ceres Police Sgt. Travis Hudson was on patrol and heard a call about street racers blocking off Highway 99 south of Ceres near the Keyes Road off-ramp to allow other vehicles to spin donuts without having to worry about traffic. Sgt. Hudson responded along with several other law enforcement units which saturated the area and cleared out the congested traffic. Sgt. Hudson activated his lights and assisted moving vehicles down the road and continued northbound to make sure cars did not stop in Ceres to spin donuts. As he approached the Hatch Road off-ramp he saw traffic backed up yet again due to vehicles blocking the roadway for a car to spin donuts. Hudson weaved through traffic and saw a black BMW convertible spinning donuts on the freeway with other individuals out of their cars watching. Hudson pulled behind the car and the driver fled northbound on highway 99. It then made an abrupt U-turn heading southbound in the northbound lanes of traffic. As it drove against traffic it drove right past Sgt. Hudson who got a good look at the driver. He chased the BMW as it weaved through oncoming traffic to take the east Hatch Road exit. Those watching the exhibition tried to block Sgt. Hudson with their cars but he drove around them through the dirt shoulder to continue in the pursuit. The BMW driver through the intersection of Hatch and Herndon roads against a red light and fled northbound on Herndon Road where Sgt. Hudson lost sight of the vehicle.

A short time later the Sheriff's deputies snagged the car and detained passenger. The driver evaded police but was identified by Sgt. Hudson as Modesto resident Jonathan Samperio, 27, who was the registered owner. Hudson put out a warrant for Samperio and impounded his car.

Samperio turned himself in at the Ceres Police Department at about 10:30 a.m. on Monday. He was booked into the Public Safety Center for evading police.

Officer Fredrico Ortiz sought a warrant for Samperio's vehicle authorizing the vehicle to be impounded for 30 days before it can be released.