ALBERT LEA — An Austin man is facing serious drug charges after police arrested him twice in the same week last month for having a combined total of about 265 grams of methamphetamine.

Alex Patrick Hernandez, 27, is facing one count of first-degree methamphetamine possession, two counts of second-degree meth possession and one count of fleeing police tied to separate incidents on May 21 and 26.

On May 21, police were alerted to Hernandez after seeing him allegedly roll through a stop sign at the intersection of Ninth Street and Southeast Broadway, according to Freeborn County District Court documents.

He reportedly accelerated when he saw an officer turn around to catch up to him and then made a quick turn into the driveway of 1412 S.E. Broadway.

Officers ultimately found two butane torches and a glass pipe on the front passenger seat of the vehicle, along with hemp rolling paper, a butane lighter, $5,953 in cash and a plastic bag under the front seat with 9.82 grams of methamphetamine.

In a subsequent search of the car on May 26, an officer found about 252 grams of meth in nine plastic baggies in a sock in the door panel.

In the second instance — at 2:53 a.m. May 26 — officers were dispatched to 110 McArthur Drive on a report of a suspicious person.

The report indicated a man — later identified as Hernandez — had parked his vehicle and was wandering around the neighborhood.

Hernandez was out of the Freeborn County jail on conditional release from charges tied to the earlier arrest.

The person who made the report was concerned for a woman who lived in the neighborhood who was Hernandez’s former girlfriend.

East of the residence where officers detained him, police found a backpack that contained marijuana and rolling papers, a lighter, $484 cash and a plastic bag with 6.9 grams of meth.

Hernandez was convicted in September 2013 of fifth-degree meth possession. First-degree possession carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $1 million fine.