IRWINDALE — Police arrested a man with more than 500 pounds of marijuana Thursday after a high-speed chase, officials said.
George Farias, 40, of San Bernardino was booked on suspicion of felony evasion of police, possession of marijuana for sales and transportation of marijuana for sales, Irwindale police Lt. Mario Camacho said.
An officer tried to pull over a Toyota Tundra pickup truck about 11:30 a.m. on Vincent Avenue near the 10 Freeway after it nearly struck a postal carrier on foot, the lieutenant said.
The truck initially pulled over at Vincent and Rowland avenues, Camacho said, but sped off once the officer got out of his patrol car and approached.
The Tundra led police on a chase onto the 10 Freeway, driving erratically and reaching speeds of around 100 mph, Camacho said. Officers backed off and saw the truck exit at Citrus Street.
Witnesses pointed police toward the truck at Citrus Street and Norma Avenue in West Covina, police said. The driver had jumped out, allowing the truck to continue rolling into a small brick wall and a parked SUV.
Inside the truck, officials found more than 500 pounds of marijuana packaged in 26 bundles, Camacho said.
The Foothill Special Enforcement Team, a SWAT team servicing several cities in the San Gabriel Valley, happened to be training in Irwindale and went to the scene to perform a yard-to-yard search, Camacho said.
Farias was found hiding in a garage not far from where the truck was ditched and arrested without a struggle, officials said.
According to sheriff’s booking records, Farias was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail and was due for arraignment Monday in West Covina Superior Court.