APD: Suspect carjacked 3 vehicles, ran over officer while fleeing

Police say they have arrested a carjacking suspect accused of running over an officer while fleeing during a chase through Albuquerque Wednesday morning.

APD has identified the suspect as Thomas Martinez, 26.

Police representative Tanner Tixier said Martinez was involved in three carjacking incidents Wednesday.

The first carjacking occurred near the Super 8 motel on University and Menaul around 9 a.m. A family on vacation were the victims.

Tixier said APD’s investigation then led them to another hotel near Eubank and Lomas, where the suspect took off with a gun in his hand around noon.

During the pursuit, police said Martinez ran south across I-40 and carjacked a victim near the Larry H. Miller car dealership on Eubank near I-40. A detective attempted to rescue the carjacking victim by jumping into the vehicle’s passenger-side window, from which he was thrown, run over and dragged for “several yards” while Martinez fled, Tixier confirmed.

The detective, who Tixier said was a 15-16 year veteran of APD, is listed in stable condition at the hospital.

Martinez fled down I-40 with the carjacking victim still in the car, then exited at Tramway. The victim was able to jump out of the car near Central and Tramway.

APD said Martinez then carjacked an 83-year-old woman in the Four Hills area near Juan Tabo and Singing Arrow Avenue. He crashed into a mailbox 40 yards away after a Good Samaritan drove his vehicle out into the street.

“It could’ve been dangerous, but had he not done this, we might still be chasing him now,” Tixier said at a press conference.

Police took Martinez into custody at the scene of the wreck after using their Tasers on him. The final carjacking victim was not hurt, but transported to the hospital as a precaution.

Tixier says Martinez will be booked into jail on three counts of armed robbery, two counts of kidnapping, aggravated eluding and “whatever charges we can get to get the judge to keep him in jail.”

Court documents show Martinez has been previously arrested on charges of aggravated battery and child abuse.

Tixier said officers had to use a K-9 officer to apprehend him on June 17. He bonded out the next day, according to Tixier.

Tixier also said Martinez was last arrested on July 6 for violating his conditions of release for the June 17 arrest. He bonded out a day later for that arrest as well.

A warrant was issued for his arrest on July 18 on charges of armed robbery, aggravated battery and tampering with evidence.

He also had prior charges for possessing more than eight ounces of marijuana dropped, as were charges for driving on a suspended license and trafficking a controlled substance.

-With Elizabeth Reed, originally published at KOB.com