A 56-year-old Modesto man will serve nine years and four months in state prison for running from Ceres Police and Sheriff’s deputies in two incidences during 2017.

Michael Wells, a career criminal with prior “strike” convictions under California law and already served time in prison on cases from San Francisco, Alameda and San Joaquin counties, was convicted Thursday of evading arrest and forcibly resisting a peace officer. 

Deputy District Attorney Patrick Hogan prosecuted the case and said Wells fled from Ceres Police on Aug. 5, 2017 after committing a traffic violation. During the pursuit he reached speeds of over 90 mph on city streets and ran red lights and stop signs. When finally caught, he resisted arrest. Afterwards, he told the officers he didn’t stop because he thought there was a warrant out for his arrest.

Eight days later, on August 13, 2017, Wells ran away on foot from Sheriff’s deputies who tried to stop him for a suspected drug transaction. When caught, Wells fought with the deputies before being subdued. He later told them that he ran because he still believed there was a warrant out for his arrest.

Wells pled to both felony cases and admitted one prior strike conviction for residential burglary and that he had been to prison twice before. Judge Thomas Zeff then sentenced Wells to serve nine years and four months in state prison.