Emilio Froilan Gomez (L) and Thomas Ray Martinez (R)
SEASIDE — Seaside police have arrested two 20-year-old men in connection to a series of armed robberies which occurred early Sunday morning. Arrested were Emilio Froilan Gomez and Thomas Ray Martinez, who had led police on a high-speed pursuit southbound on Highway 1.
Initial reports came in of a 211 robbery call at a 7-Eleven store on Fremont Boulevard in Seaside. The clerk reported that a masked man entered the store brandishing a pistol and made off in a gray Honda Accord with an undisclosed amount of cash.
During the investigation, a second robbery was reported at the Shell gas station on Canyon Del Rey Boulevard.
Police eventually located the Honda, which sped away and drove erratically through traffic on Del Monte Boulevard before entering Highway 1. The vehicle then led police southbound at speeds exceeding 100 MPH.
The driver soon lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a light pole while attempting to merge onto Highway 68. The two suspects jumped from the car, one of whom tossed a handgun into the bushes as they did so. Police managed to catch them, however, and the handgun was recovered.
Gomez and Martinez are also suspected in three other armed robberies earlier that day — two in Salinas and one in Toro Park.
The two were booked into Monterey County Jail on three counts of armed robbery, conspiracy, evading police, and brandishing a weapon.
