Police: Man hides behind toddler
Officers shoot pit bull they say was sent after them
SAN JUAN — A man running from police sicced dogs on officers, rammed a police car and
shielded himself with his small nephew on Thursday, police said.
A patrol officer noticed a vehicle swerve and nearly hit a pedestrian shortly after midnight Thursday on Farm-to-Market Road 495, said San Juan police Sgt. Joe Robles. The car sped off when police tried to pull it over.
Police said the driver, David Martinez, 21, then drove to his residence on the 1500 block of Chula Vista Drive.
Officers attempted to enter the house and they say he released several dogs on them.
Police backed off then returned after dawn break with a warrant for Martinez’s arrest on seven felony charges of aggravated assault of a peace officer and evading arrest. A surveillance team, which had been watching the house, spotted Martinez drive away from his home shortly before noon.
He rammed an officer’s vehicle about a block from his house, jumped out of his car and ran back home. As police chased him, a pit bull attacked one of the officers, officials said.
An officer shot the pit bull, which was taken to the Humane Society. Police said the dog later died.
After Martinez ran into his home, police said he shielded himself with his toddler-aged nephew and a short stand off ensued. Robles said police had to warn, then push the man’s sister, Maria Elena Martinez, out of their way.
Martinez’s brother-in-law Jose Tamez said Maria Elena was only acting out of concern for her child.
The child suffered no injuries and she was taken away in an ambulance for treatment of minor injuries.
Police said theyfound a small amount of cocaine on him when they arrested the 21-year-old man. He also has outstanding warrants with the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office for possession of marijuana and failure to appear in court.
Martinez remained in custody of the San Juan Police Department on Thursday, and he will likely be arraigned at 9 a.m. today in city court on charges from the first chase, child endangerment and drug possession, Robles said.
San Juan police Investigator Rolando Garcia said Martinez was too drunk and high to face the judge Thursday.
Tamez said the pit bull was chained when the police shot it.
San Juan police Chief Tony Garza defended his officers’ actions, saying this situation placed them in danger.
“We did what we needed to do,” Garza said. “We didn’t use excessive force. We used what was necessary to arrest him.”
This is the second time in days a law enforcement officer has been accused of shooting a dog that tried to attack him in the line of duty. Earlier this week, a U.S. Border Patrol agent working near Expressway 281 in Edinburg reportedly shot at another aggressive animal.
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La Frontera staff writer Martha Leticia Hernandez contributed to this report. Monitor staff writer Sean Gaffney contributed to this report.
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Zack Quaintance covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4447.
