Atwater Man Found with Drugs in His Undies Following Dangerous Pursuit

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MERCED, Calif. – An Atwater man was found with heroin and crystal methamphetamine in his underwear, CHP officials said.

At around 11:37 p.m. on Thursday, March 14, 2019, Huriel Cervantes was noticed driving without a seatbelt near Vine and Myrtle Avenues. This made officers run the plates, which is how they learned the vehicle was stolen. Police attempted to conduct a felony traffic stop but the vehicle did not yield. Cervantes led police on a chase in the stolen black Honda Civic. During the pursuit, two patrol vehicles were damaged.

The pursuit reached high speeds of up to 100 mph, with Cervantes backing up on a patrol car and striking another patrol vehicle head-on. Officers eventually removed Cervantes from the vehicle at gunpoint.

Officers searched the vehicle and Cervantes’ body, but did not find any weapons, drugs, etc. When Cervantes was being booked into the Merced County Jail he was found to have a pipe with white residue and a sock with a string tied to the front of his underwear. The sock contained tar heroin and crystal meth authorities said.

Cervantes is being held without bail for driving without a license, possession of drugs, possession of a stolen vehicle and assault with a deadly weapon.