Richard Oscar Martinez
RIDGECREST — A 26-year-old active felony parolee with a known history of violence was arrested on Monday after trying to stab a man to death in the north Mojave desert community of Ridgecrest.
Richard Oscar Martinez of Ridgecrest, was booked into the Kern County Jail in Bakersfield on one count of attempted murder, one count of assault with a deadly weapon, resist/delay/obstruct a peace officer and felony parole violation. He is being held without bail.
According to the Ridgecrest Police Department, the incident began around 2 p.m. on February 15, when officers were dispatched to a 9-1-1 call in the 200 block of West French Avenue, regarding a person being stabbed.
“Upon their arrival, officers discovered a 22-year-old-male victim suffering from a stab wound on his neck,” said Chief of Police Ronald Strand. “The victim was transported to Ridgecrest Regional Hospital , where he underwent emergency surgery and is currently listed in critical condition.”
Detectives arrived on scene and began an investigation, which quickly led them to believe that Martinez was the primary suspect responsible for the stabbing.
Later at around 5:30 p.m. detectives located Martinez at the Clarion Inn in Ridgecrest. “The suspect attempted to evade arrest, leading officers on a short foot pursuit, before he was taken into custody without further incident,” Strand said.
Martinez, who was a 19-year-old at the time, was one of two suspects in the Upjohn Park shooting in 2008, where he was arrested and booked before being cited on a misdemeanor charge and released to a parent.
Since then he has been arrested several times, pleading nolo contendere to an attempted robbery charge in 2010, and sentenced to over two years in prison.
He also plead nolo contendere to a resist/delay/obstruct a peace officer later in 2010, and received three years of summary probation.
