Gustavo Garcia Martinez, 35, of Modesto was arrested for auto theft during a Saturday evening stop of a stolen Toyota Corolla.
At 8:35 p.m., Ceres Police Officer Eric Souza was patrolling the Burger King parking lot at 1421 Hatch Road when he spotted the stolen car and followed it until it turned into the Chevron gas station at 1230 Crows Landing Road. Officer Souza conducted a high-risk stop after additional officers arrived and removed Garcia Martinez at gunpoint. During the arrest and search of Martinez, Officer Souza found that he was carrying a clear baggy containing a white crystalline substance believed to be methamphetamine.
Martinez was booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on charges of auto theft, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of a controlled substance and vehicle tampering.