Drug bust in Turlock leads to pursuit

A drug bust by local and federal drug agents in Turlock led to a vehicle pursuit on Highway 99 and country roads Thursday afternoon.

Members of the Stanislaus Drug Enforcement Agency, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Modesto Police Narcotics Enforcement Team, working on a tip, went to the Starbucks parking lot on West Main Street for a narcotics investigation.

“We observed what we thought was a narcotics transaction and moved in to apprehend the suspects that were involved in the transactions,” SDEA Lt. Clint Raymer said. “When we did, one of the suspects got in the car before we could stop him and he fled out of the parking lot.”

Officers chased the suspect to Ceres and back to Turlock on the highway and country roads. Ceres police and Stanislaus County sheriff’s deputies joined in the pursuit.

The suspect entered and exited the freeway several times and drove on the shoulder to pass cars, Raymer said.

During the pursuit a woman called police to say she saw the suspect throw a package from his window. Raymer said officers had lost site of the suspect for a short time when he is suspected to have thrown the package, which has not been recovered.

The suspect surrendered a short time later at West Linwood Avenue and South Walnut Road.

“After he gave up, he asked why we were chasing him,” Raymer said.

Guadalupe Salazar Cruz, 39, was arrested on suspicion of fleeing from police, sales of narcotics, possession of narcotics for sale and conspiracy, according to authorities.

Six other people were arrested in the Starbucks parking lot and three firearms and a pound of methamphetamine were seized, authorities reported. Arrested in the parking lot were:

▪ Fabian Ismael Aguirre, 18; sales of narcotics and conspiracy.

▪ Marcial Martinez-Ortega, 32; sales of narcotics, being armed in the commission of a felony and conspiracy.

▪ Ignacio Silva Mendez, 29; sales of narcotics, possession of narcotics for sale and conspiracy.

▪ Ricardo Ordaz, 24; sales of narcotics.

▪ Ulises Ruiz Ortiz, 31; sales of narcotics, possession of narcotics for sale, being armed in the commission of a felony and conspiracy.

▪ Juan Carlos Ramirez, 33; sales of narcotics and conspiracy.

This story was originally published November 14, 2014 at 8:26 PM with the headline "Drug bust in Turlock leads to pursuit."