August 7, 2026 – Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office officials report that on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at about 11:04 p.m., a Stanislaus County Sheriff’s deputy observed a black sedan illegally parked in a no-parking area at 651 Norseman Drive (Peter Johansen High School) in Modesto. As the deputy attempted to position behind the vehicle, it drove away at a high rate of speed. A traffic stop was attempted, but the driver, later identified as Ricardo Villalvazo, a 21-year-old male from Oakland, refused to stop.

During the vehicle pursuit, Villalvazo reached speeds around 85 mph, ran red lights, and drove into oncoming traffic in an effort to evade arrest. Due to the extremely dangerous driving, visual contact was lost, and the pursuit was terminated. The Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) deputies and Air Support responded to assist with the search.

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Deputies later received information from a concerned family member who contacted law enforcement and identified Villalvazo as the driver responsible for the pursuit. This same family member ultimately located Villalvazo and allowed him to get into her vehicle. This was seen by the UAS deputy using a drone. Another traffic stop was attempted near the 300 block of Locust Street in Modesto. The vehicle did not yield, resulting in the successful deployment of spike strips that struck the tires, immobilizing the vehicle.

Villalvazo exited the vehicle and fled on foot. The drone followed him into the backyard of a residence in the 100 block of Emerald Avenue, where he attempted to hide. K9 Dante was deployed and successfully located and apprehended Villalvazo. He was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment and clearance. After treatment, he was booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center for evading, evading while driving into oncoming traffic, and obstruction.

Anyone with information related to this investigation is encouraged to contact the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office at (209) 525-7117. Those wishing to remain anonymous may contact Stanislaus Area Crime Stoppers at 1-866-60-CRIME or submit a tip through stancrimetips.org.

Source: Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office