UTICA — A 43-year-old man has been charged with possessing nearly two pounds of cocaine in Utica, according to the Utica Police Department.

Police said they attempted to pull over Jose Ayuso, of Utica, for vehicle and traffic violations in the city in April, but Ayuso hit the gas and sped away from the officers. A vehicle pursuit ensued, and police said they watched as Ayuso tossed a bag of drugs from the vehicle.

The officers ended the chase due to the unsafe speeds and they retrieved the bag — which they said contained nearly one kilogram of cocaine.

The cocaine was sent to the state police forensic laboratory for testing and Ayuso was indicted by a grand jury on Feb. 9 on one count of first-degree possession of a controlled substance, a class A-1 felony, authorities stated.

An indictment is a formal charge made against a person by a grand jury. It does not establish guilt or remove the presumption of innocence.

Ayuso was located on Rutger Street in Utica on Thursday and he was taken into custody. He is scheduled to appear in Oneida County Court.