Two persons were arrested after a Dec. 29 police pursuit of an ex-felon who was in possession of a large quantity of drugs and a handgun.

At 9:19 p.m. Ceres Police Officer Kiashira Ruiz stopped a white Chevy Caviler on Woodworth Avenue at Winepress Lane for a broken taillight lens. The driver eventually stopped but when Officer Ruiz approached the car, the suspect car accelerated away with Ruiz in pursuit. Joining in was Officer Charles Rushing. The Sheriff's Department helicopter was in the area and on scene within seconds to watch the suspect in the air.

The suspects' car ran several stop signs trying to elude police. At Central Avenue and River Road the car was unable to make the turn and drove off the roadway into soft dirt causing the car to be stuck momentarily. Officer Ruiz pulled behind the car several feet away and exited. Officer Rushing and Sgt. Trenton Johnson pulled up to the left of Officer Ruiz while the other officers pulled up to the right. The suspect put the car in reverse and hit the accelerator, causing the car to ram into Ruiz's front bumper. Officers were already approaching the suspect who then put his hands up.

It took officers a while to open the locked driver's door while other officers were dealing with uncooperative female passenger Shania Croney, 21, of Ceres, who was pulled out first. Officers then pulled out driver Robert Harris, 35, of Modesto and handcuffed him.

A search of the car produced a loaded .357 Magnum as well as a large amount of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin. All together there was approximately half-pound of illegal drugs found.

Harris is a felon who was released from state prison under the Post Release Community Supervision (PRCS) program. He was charged with felony evasion of an officer and assault with a deadly weapon. Croney faces two drug possession charges.