Two people were arrested Thursday after a police pursuit through Merced in which officers discovered a 1-year-old girl and a loaded handgun inside the vehicle, police said.

The incident began about 9:25 a.m. when a Merced police officer saw a white 2016 Dodge Ram being driven recklessly in the 600 block of West Olive Avenue, according to the Merced Police Department.

The officer attempted a traffic stop, but the driver initially failed to yield before eventually stopping in the 3100 block of R Street. As additional officers arrived, the driver fled, and officers began a pursuit.

Police said the driver reached excessive speeds and ran several red lights, endangering motorists and others. The pursuit left the city before returning to Merced and ending in a residential area near West Yosemite Avenue and El Redondo Drive.

The driver, Juan Alcantar, 35, was taken into custody after a brief physical altercation with officers. His passenger, Justina Sosa, 32, was also arrested.

Officers found a 1-year-old girl in the back seat of the pickup and a loaded 9 mm handgun concealed inside Sosa’s purse, police said. The firearm was registered to Alcantar.

Alcantar was arrested on suspicion of felony evading, child endangerment, and weapons-related charges. Sosa was arrested on weapons-related charges. Both were booked into the Merced County Jail.

The child was taken into protective custody and turned over to Child Protective Services.

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