33-year-old Jose Ramon Lopez Martinez faces charges under PC 460 (i) (1), fare evasion, PC 466 possession of burglary tools, VC 21650, riding a bicycle the wrong way, and PC 148 (a) (1), resisting, delaying and or obstruction of a police officer. The next court hearing has been set for August 11 in Dept. 35 at 1:30 pm.
The Santa Clara Sheriff’s Office received a call by Valley Transit Authority Inspectors requesting a Deputy respond to a make an I.D. check at the Ayer Light Rail Station in San Jose. Responding to the scene investigators reported that Martinez had boarded the train without paying the fare. Martinez refused to cooperate with authorities. When the deputy arrived at the scene Martinez, seeing the deputy, started to get on his bike and ride away. He started to ride his bike the wrong way on North First Street. He kept looking back at the pursuing deputy, who had grabbed the backpack he was carrying and the tire on his bike.
After being pulled several feet by the suspect, the deputy was able to gain ground and knock Martinez to the ground. The deputy then placed his weight on top of the suspect in order to subdue him. After a brief struggle with Martinez, who was arguing in Spanish, the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Deputy used a right wrist twist lock and was able to calm him down. The deputy was then able to handcuff Martinez and take him into custody.
Searching Martinez’s backpack the deputy located an eight inch Phillips screwdriver, a 17-inch machete knife, and crescent wrench. Not only did Martinez have these tools, but he was wearing a second back-pack with 60-pounds of copper cable estimated to be worth $240.
When asked to identify himself to the deputy, Martinez gave an alias Carlos Alonzo Lopez Martinez. A translator was called to the scene, who asked Martinez why he ran. The translator reported that Martinez said “he ran from Fare inspectors because he had no money”.
Martinez told them “All he had was his recycling which he intended to sell”. Martinez claimed that he hadn’t seen the deputy, and that’s why he climbed on his bike and tried to ride away. The deputy had identified himself by saying, “Sheriff’s Office, stop!” When asked where he got the copper wiring, Martinez said he found it in a dumpster by First Street and Karina Court behind a hotel in the area.
It is believed that a dull tool similar to the machete that he was carrying was used to cut the wiring. The wire was similar to wire used in a control box often found behind a locked gate or fence. Each wire had a metal tag from 2,4,5,6. The wiring and burglary tools were taken into evidence and Martinez was booked into the Santa Clara Main Jail for processing.
Matrinez pleaded “no contest” to the charges on June 11, and will be sentenced on August 11 in Dept 35 at 1:30 pm.
