A 29-year-old Fresno man was arrested after deputies said he led them on a pursuit that reached 110 mph and threw a rifle and bottle of alcohol from his vehicle, according to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.

Joseph Villareal Ramirez was booked into the Fresno County Jail on charges of evading police, driving under the influence and illegal possession of a firearm by a felon. His bail was set at $175,000.

The pursuit began around 4:15 a.m. Monday after a deputy saw an SUV run a stop sign at Olive and Hughes avenues in Fresno, the Sheriff’s Office said.

The deputy attempted to make a traffic stop, but the driver refused to pull over. During the pursuit on Highway 99, the SUV reached a top speed of 110 mph, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The deputy then saw a rifle being thrown from a window of the SUV. A bottle of alcohol was later thrown from the vehicle on Jensen Avenue, authorities said.

Ramirez eventually pulled over on Holly Avenue in a southwest Fresno neighborhood, where deputies took him into custody.

Other deputies searched the Highway 99 area and recovered a loaded rifle equipped with a large-capacity magazine, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Got a Tip?

The Sheriff’s Office asked anyone with additional information about Ramirez to call (559) 600-3111.

Anonymous tips can be submitted to Valley Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-7867. Tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward.

The Sheriff’s Office asked callers to reference case No. 26-9315.

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