Frightened dog taken on pursuit in Ripon; owner arrested

Ripon police cared for a frightened Labrador retriever over the weekend after its owner led them on a high-speed pursuit.

At about 2:30 a.m. Saturday, officers ran a license plate on a black Honda Accord and found that it belonged on a Ford pickup, according to Ripon police Lt. Steve Merchant. They made a traffic stop near the intersection of Jack Tone Road and Clinton South Avenue.

The suspect at first pulled to the side of the road, then sped away north on Jack Tone, reaching speeds of about 90 mph.

The Honda quickly began to experience mechanical issues, so the suspect pulled over and ran into an orchard near Van Wyk Lane.

Officers Raul Hernandez and Richard Francis pursued the suspect through the orchard, where they caught up to him. The suspect surrendered when he saw the officers behind him, Merchant said.

The officers located methamphetamine and marijuana when they searched the suspect, Anthony Richard Tostado, 30, of Manteca. He had an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in court and is on probation in San Joaquin County for possession of stolen property.

Officers located a frightened Labrador abandoned in the garbage-strewn Honda, according to Merchant. The officers gave the dog food and water and took it to the Ripon animal shelter where he will be cared for until Tostado retrieves him or forfeits his right to him, in which case he will be put up for adoption.

Tostado was booked into the San Joaquin County Jail on suspicion of evading a peace officer, resisting arrest, possession of a controlled substance, driving on a suspended license and possession of marijuana.

Merchant said the owner of the Ford the license plate is associated with told officers all the plates were accounted for. Officers are researching the origin of the plate and looking into the Honda, which has changed ownership four times in the past few weeks, Merchant said.

This story was originally published November 7, 2016 at 4:30 PM with the headline "Frightened dog taken on pursuit in Ripon; owner arrested."