A Patterson man was arrested Sunday evening after he was pulled over for speeding and found to be in possession of a loaded gun and illegal drugs.

Officer Krandall Vandagriff was on patrol at 11:37 p.m. when he saw a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed northbound on Herndon Road from Central Avenue. Vandagriff paced the vehicle at over 75 mph. The suspect, Francisco Gonzalez-Vasquez, 22, of Patterson, noticed the patrol vehicle catching up to him and abruptly pulled into the south driveway of the Howard Johnson Inn. Vandagriff stopped behind the vehicle and activated his emergency lights. Gonzalez-Vasquez immediately got out of the car and began walking away from the car. Vandagriff ordered the driver to stop and he complied, walking back to the open driver's door of his car. Francisco then turned his body and took something out of his pocket and threw it in the car. The object was heavy and made a loud noise when it landed inside.

Vandagriff detained the driver and his passenger and noticed a firearm lying between the driver seat and the driver's door. Gonzalez-Vasquez was also found to be in possession of methamphetamine. He was arrested and booked into the County Jail for possession of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance while armed, possession of a loaded firearm and concealing a loaded firearm in a vehicle.

His passenger was released.