A Los Angeles man pleaded not guilty Monday to charges that he attacked his wife and led officers on a chase that ended more than two hours later when he was shot by police.
Raul Martinez, 34, is accused of leaving home in his wife’s Toyota van about 1 a.m. June 19 as officers arrived to investigate a domestic violence call. Officers chasedg him for more than two hours.
Bail was set at $250,000 for Martinez, who pleaded not guilty to one felony count each of injuring a spouse, fleeing a pursuing peace officer’s motor vehicle while driving recklessly and resisting an executive officer and one misdemeanor count of brandishing a replica gun.
He was ordered to return to court on Aug. 3 for a preliminary hearing to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial.
During the chase, Martinez called 911 and advised the California Highway Patrol that he had a gun in his lap and was suicidal, according to authorities.
Martinez got out of the vehicle about 3:40 a.m. on Valley Boulevard just north of Mountain View Road in El Monte. Officers, who were told that he might be under the influence of methamphetamine, first fired multiple “beanbag” rounds at Martinez. He was shot when he pointed what police described as a handgun at officers, according to an LAPD statement.
Officers said they recovered a replica black semi-automatic pistol from the ground near where Martinez fell.
Martinez, who was convicted in 2012 of second-degree robbery, could face up to 12 years in state prison if convicted as charged.
— City News Service