The suspicious behavior of a 29-year-old Denair man at a 7-Eleven in Ceres early Friday flagged the attention of a Ceres Police officer who in seconds was involved in a high-speed chase and ultimate arrest for a gun in the car.

Ceres Police Officer Matthew Myers was walking out of the Herndon Road store at 1:20 a.m. when he noticed Zachary Day, 29, of Denair, enter the store and quickly turn around and exit. Officer Myers kept an eye on Day and the store. Officer Myers got in his patrol car and saw Day climb into a gray Cadillac CTS with paper dealer plates. Officer Myers watched Day and the store as he drove across the street to an empty lot. When Day began to drive off, Myers pulled in behind the Cadillac onto northbound Herndon Road. Day immediately accelerated and made a sharp turn onto Eugene Avenue, accelerating to a high rate of speed. Myers activated his emergency lights and siren in an attempt to stop Day who continued fleeing.  

The pursuit went briefly through the street directly behind the 7-Eleven before coming back out onto Herndon then northbound 99. Myers saw Day moving around inside the Cadillac, reaching under the front passenger seat. Day exited at the Standiford exit traveling eastbound and running several red signal lights.

The pursuit ended when Day stopped on Standiford Avenue near Conant Avenue and surrendered. The Cadillac officers found a handgun holster, ammunition, ski masks and gloves.

Officers checked the neighborhood where the pursuit had initially started and found a loaded handgun lying in the 1300 block of Tyrus Street. Because the gun had scratch marks and damage, police believe Day threw it out the window during the chase. The gun caliber matched the ammunition found in Day’s car. 

Day was booked into jail on charges of evading an officer, numerous weapons violations, possession of burglary tools and probation violations.