A 30-year-old man who attacked a Santa Ana school police officer pleaded guilty to an assault charge and was immediately sentenced to eight years in prison, according to court records obtained Tuesday.
Enrique Martinez of Santa Ana pleaded guilty Friday to assault with a weapon on a peace officer and admitted a sentencing enhancement for inflicting great bodily injury.
As part of the plea deal, felony charges of attempted murder on a police officer, attempted mayhem, resisting arrest, assault on a school police department member, battery on a peace officer and leading police on a chase, as well as misdemeanor counts of vandalism and unlawful entry of a noncommercial dwelling, were dismissed.
Martinez was given credit for serving 1,154 days in jail awaiting trial, according to the court records.
About 3 p.m. Sept. 29, 2016, Martinez asked a school district employee, who was in a parked work vehicle outside an elementary school, for the time of day, a prosecutor said when charges were filed in October 2016.
For unknown reasons, Martinez then slammed a piece of PVC pipe against the passenger side of the vehicle, prosecutors said. Martinez walked away but quickly returned and again struck the vehicle and spit on it, according to prosecutors.
A police officer for the school district ordered Martinez to drop the pipe, which he did, but he then got into his vehicle and drove away, running a stop sign while students were gathered nearby, prosecutors said.
With the officer following him, Martinez eventually parked the vehicle, hopped over a fence and kicked open the door of a house occupied by people he did not know, prosecutors said. The officer waited outside, but Martinez eventually came out and initially tried to run away, but then turned and charged the officer, according to prosecutors.
Martinez tried to choke the officer during the ensuing struggle and also tried to poke the officer’s eye, prosecutors said.
Two police detectives working undercover nearby intervened and arrested Martinez, Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said. The officer was treated at a hospital for a cut to an eye inflicted by the suspect, officials said.