A Chimayó man was arrested Sunday for allegedly ramming a car and trying to strike three people, including a pregnant woman, with his vehicle, according to court documents.
Gilbert Martinez, 37, had an encounter with a man named Jose Olivas shortly after 4 p.m., when Martinez was parked in a car-wash bay at Española Car Wash on Riverside Drive, court documents state. In Martinez’s account to police, Olivas approached Martinez and asked about money he said he owed him.
Martinez told police he didn’t know what money Olivas was referring to. Martinez also told him he couldn’t pay until the end of the month, had his elderly mother Olga in the car and didn’t want any trouble. Also in Martinez’s car was James Martinez, who told Martinez he thought Olivas had a gun hidden in his waistband.
“Apparently Mr. Olivas threw fingers at Gilbert Martinez leading to Mr. Martinez hitting Mr. Olivas with the wand for the car wash,” Española Police officer Justin Apodaca wrote in his report. “Furthermore Gilbert Martinez claimed that Mr. Olivas pulled out a black in color gun and pointed it at him leading James Martinez to pull out a knife attempting to stab Mr. Olivas but failed to do so.”
Olivas told police that after the exchange, he ran back to his car, a Ford Focus, and retrieved a bat to protect himself from being stabbed, documents state. Martinez allegedly got back in his SUV and, in his version of events, attempted to leave the scene but was blocked in by a blue car. Instead he backed up, hitting Olivas’ car with passengers Raelyne Martinez and Melinda Trujillo inside. Martinez allegedly then drove through the car wash and struck Olivas’ car head-on.
The car sustained major damage and its airbags deployed, and Trujillo and Raelyne Martinez, who is pregnant, ran from the vehicle but were nearly struck when Martinez allegedly rammed the car again. Documents state Raelyne Martinez might have been hit had Trujillo not pulled her out of the way.
“The vehicle looked to be in very bad shape at the time of our arrival,” Apodaca wrote in his report.
Martinez then allegedly fled the scene. One witness reported seeing the SUV speeding east on State Road 76, leading to Martinez being apprehended behind the Santa Cruz Post Office.
Martinez was booked at Española Jail on three counts of aggravated assault, three counts of aggravated battery and criminal damage over $1,000.
Martinez also had an outstanding warrant for probation violation on 2004 charges of larceny and forgery, according to court documents. His bond was set at $30,000.
Olivas was not charged with any crime.