A Los Angeles man pleaded no contest Wednesday to attacking his wife and leading police on a chase that ended more than two hours later with him being wounded in an officer-involved shooting.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael D. Abzug immediately sentenced Raul Martinez, 35, to four years in state prison following his plea to one felony count each of injuring a spouse and fleeing a pursuing police officer’s motor vehicle while driving, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Martinez left the couple’s Watts home in his wife’s Toyota van about 1 a.m. on June 19 as officers arrived to investigate a domestic violence call, with officers chasing him for more than two hours, authorities said after the chase.
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 Los Angeles police.
Martinez was shot and wounded after he got out of the vehicle at about 3:40 a.m. that morning on Valley Boulevard just north of Mountain View Road in El Monte.
Officers initially fired multiple “beanbag” rounds at Martinez, then shot him after he allegedly pointed what police described as a handgun at officers, according to a Los Angeles Police Department statement.
Officers said they recovered a replica black semi-automatic pistol from the ground near where Martinez fell.
–City News Service