Officers tried pulling 21-year-old Rafael Francisco over near the intersection of M and Eleventh Street just before 6 PM Friday.
He sped off from police and led them on a short chase before he and his passenger, Cristian Venegas, were arrested.
When officers searched the car -- they found a pair of stolen handguns inside.
Both Francisco and Venegas are known gang members and have since been booked into the Merced County Jail.