A Stockton man accused of evading a California Highway Patrol officer moments earlier in the day, was finally arrested in Ceres Saturday evening after he attempted to flee police at a high rate of speed and crashed.

Arrested was Victor Maldonado, 31, of Stockton.

Ceres Police Officer Charles Lord-Huff was patrolling the area of Service and Mitchell roads at 9:40 p.m. when he located a Chevrolet Equinox whose driver was wanted in connection with a prior evading case with CHP. Lord-Huff attempted to stop Maldonado in the intersection, but he sped off and a pursuit was initiated. The pursuit ended when Maldonado failed to negotiate the northbound Highway 99 onramp and went down the embankment. Maldonado fled on foot and was later captured.

Officers located a female passenger in the car and learned Maldonado refused to let her out of the vehicle after multiple pleas so he was arrested for false imprisonment, in addition to evading police in a vehicle and resisting arrest.

Maldonado was booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center.