JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- After a registered sex offender wanted in the disappearance of a Southern California college student was arrested in Jacksonville, police said a tip led them to another clue in the case: the defendant's pickup truck.

John Steven Burgess was arrested Tuesday afternoon at a Westside strip mall on a drug charge and is awaiting extradition to California on a warrant for failing to register as a sexual predator.

Police said 19-year-old Donna Jou, a San Diego State University student, disappeared more than a month ago after leaving on a date with a man she met on the Internet. She remains missing.

"I want to tell John Steven Burgess, please, please bring my daughter back. You have your own daughter and know how much you love your daughter. I love my daughter, and I want my daughter back," Reza Jou, Donna Jou's father, said in a public appeal on Thursday.

Burgess, who until recently lived in Orange Park, was arrested at the Argyle Forest Shopping Center after he dropped a bag containing crack cocaine on the ground and rode a bicycle away from a officer, according to the arrest report.

Orange County Sheriff's Department investigators were in Jacksonville on Thursday to interview Burgess about the whereabouts of Jou, but they told Channel 4 that he refused to cooperate.

"Based on Mr. Burgess' reaction of fleeing the area and avoiding all contact, especially with law enforcement, we can only presume he has something to do with her disappearance," said Orange County Detective Dan Salcedo.

Friday morning, Jacksonville police said that a tip led them to Burgess' 1998 blue Ford Ranger pickup truck. They did not release details of where they found it or if it contained any evidence that would help in the search for Jou.

Orange County deputies said they are still looking for a second man, who is known as Kyle or Skinny Puppy. Investigators said they believe that Burgess used a photo of that man when he communicated via the Internet with Jou.

Jou was last seen June 23 getting on the back of a motorcycle with a man believed to be Burgess, deputies said. Burgess rented the house where Jou was last seen, according to authorities.

Jou, who was taking summer classes at Santiago Community College in Orange with a 4.0 grade-point average, met Burgess on Craig's List, Jim Amormino of the Orange County Sheriff's Department said.

Jou had indicated to her mother that the two might be going to a party but did not mention the location, Amormino said.

Jou had the man meet her on the corner near her home, Amormino said. The mother saw her daughter get on the motorcycle but he could not be sure because his face was obscured by a helmet.

The next day, the mother got a text-message indicating that Jou was coming home, but she did not arrive. Amormino said it was unusual for the young woman not to stay in touch with her mother.

The mother reported her daughter's absence the following day. But because she is an adult, investigators were legally barred from immediately beginning to gather certain information to aid in the search, Amormino said.

After that, investigators discovered she had not used her cellular phone or credit cards since her disappearance.

"As time goes on, the chances diminish that she is in a safe environment because it has been over a month now, and he is reacting the way he reacted, I can only assume something did happen to her," Salcedo said.

Burgess was ordered held on $1 million bond pending his extradition to California.

Anyone who has seen or has any information about Donna Jou or Burgess' blue truck is asked to call Crimestoppers at 866-845-TIPS or the Orange County Sheriff's Department at 714-647-7000.

• July 26, 2007: Police Search For Truck Belonging To Suspect In Girl's Disappearance