November 16, 2025 – Merced CHP officials report that officers attempted to stop a Mustang on Mercedes Avenue near Santa Fe in Winton. The driver chose to flee and pushed speeds close to 120 miles per hour before the pursuit ended on 9th Street and Park Avenue in Livingston. When someone decides to run from law enforcement the danger reaches far beyond the driver. This could have ended much differently for our community.

Families at home late night workers and anyone on the roadway can all be put at risk in seconds.

Our graveyard shift handles situations like this every night. While most of Merced County sleeps they are recovering stolen vehicles responding to collisions assisting allied agencies and working to keep our highways and neighborhoods safe. Their work rarely gets seen publicly but it makes a difference for everyone who travels through this area.

We share incidents like this so the community understands the risks created when drivers refuse to stop. If you see emergency lights behind you the safest decision is to pull over. Your choice protects you and everyone around you.

If you appreciate the work our night shift puts in drop a comment or share this post. Let us know what city you live in or what you would like to see more of from the graveyard team.

Source & photo: Merced CHP