Wednesday, April 9, 2014

VPD Officer Involved Shooting of Ever Ramon Martinez

Vallejo Police Department [link]

"Vallejo police identify suspect killed in officer-involved shooting as Ever Ramon Martinez, 29, of Alameda County"
2014-04-09 by Tony Burchyns from "Vallejo Times-Herald" [http://www.timesheraldonline.com/breaking_news/ci_25532939/vallejo-police-kill-man-following-vehicle-pursuit]:
Vallejo police secure the scene and wait for paramedics at an officer-involved shooting and crash in the Mi Pueblo Food Center parking lot near Taco Bell on Solano Avenue in Vallejo on Wednesday. (Chris Riley/Times-Herald)

Vallejo police identified the man killed in an officer-involved shooting Wednesday as Ever Ramon Martinez, 29, of Alameda County.
Martinez was shot and killed following a high-speed vehicle pursuit that started in North Vallejo and ended about five miles away in the Mi Pueblo Food Center parking lot on Solano Avenue. Police said two officers opened fire on Martinez after he collided with their patrol cars and became locked under the bumper of one of them.
As Martinez tried to speed away, police said he spun around in such an erratic fashion that he risked hitting a civilian vehicle which contained a father and his children. After Martinez failed to obey the officers' commands to stop, police said the officers used deadly force.
Martinez has multiple addresses in Alameda County with no known local contacts in Solano County, Vallejo police Lt. Sid DeJesus said. He had an outstanding warrant for reckless driving out of San Benito County and a history of traffic-related violations dating back to 2002.
Martinez was never issued a driver license, DeJesus said.
The vehicle Martinez was driving was registered to someone in Hayward who police believe may be related to Martinez.
Events began unfolding around 3 p.m. Wednesday when patrol officers pulled a gold sport utility vehicle over on Sonoma Boulevard near Meadows Drive because its registration had expired. After one of the officers got out and approached, the driver — Martinez — sped away, police said.
A high-speed chase ensued on eastbound Highway 37 during which the driver exceeded 90 miles per hour and at times drove in the shoulder. The officers lost sight of the SUV and terminated the pursuit, putting out a description of the suspect's vehicle.
Moments later, two other patrol officers picked up the vehicle on westbound Interstate 80. DeJesus said Martinez — who was the lone occupant — was driving erratically and was hitting call boxes.
The officers got behind the vehicle and tried to pull it over, but it failed to yield. The suspect eventually left the freeway and turned into the parking lot of the Mi Pueblo Food Center. He continued driving erratically, hitting cars in the parking lot, police said.
At some point, Martinez turned the vehicle around and came at the officers, ramming both patrol cars numerous times.
One officer fired through his own windshield at Martinez. Witnesses reported hearing several shots, but police have not confirmed how many rounds were fired or how many hit Martinez.
Martinez was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The officers weren't injured.
Police said they are still investigating the incident. They haven't commented on whether Martinez was armed. It's unclear if he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, DeJesus said, because toxicology tests are still pending.

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