Seaside man arrested for evading, possessing drugs for sale sentenced to prison

SEASIDE, Calif. (KION) The Monterey County District Attorney's Office says 28-year-old Seaside resident Jose Alberto Garcia has been sentenced to prison for evading police and possessing drugs for sale.

The DA's Office said he was sentenced to ten years in prison after he pleaded no contest to three felony charges of possessing drugs for sales and one felony charge of evading a peace officer.

The investigation started in March 2020 when officers tried to stop a vehicle for a suspected hit and run crash, but police said it led them on a chase through residential streets in Seaside. Police said the driver got up to 45 miles per hour and ran stop signs. At some point, the driver, identified as Jose Alberto Garcia, and a passenger ran away and escaped.

Inside the vehicle, police said they found Garcia's wallet and ID, a camera with photos of him, marijuana and cocaine. Police towed the vehicle.

Five days later, police responded to a landlord-tenant dispute at a home on Harding Street. When Garcia came out, officers recognized him as the driver in the pursuit.

They searched his room as part of his probation conditions and found key fobs, which were taken to the tow yard and used to unlock the vehicle from the chase. Officers said they also found marijuana, cocaine, meth, LSD, $3,240 in cash, three digital scales, coin-sized baggies and a list of drugs with prices next to them.