By Dennis J. Carroll
The Santa Fe New Mexican
SANTA FE, N.M. — A 21-year-old man killed early Sunday morning in a brief police pursuit near Santa Fe High School faced reckless driving and evading-police charges in Santa Fe County Magistrate Court later this week, according to court records.
Juan Pablo Martinez of Santa Fe died about 2:30 a.m. when his car crashed into a wall along Siringo Road near Rancho Siringo Road after attempting to flee Santa Fe police Officer Ryan Alira Maez, who was attempting to pull him over for speeding, said New Mexico State Police Lt. Robert McDonald.
“This was not the first time he had run from [Santa Fe police],” McDonald said.
Martinez was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from his 2005 Dodge Neon SRT 4, McDonald said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. State police took over the investigation because of the involvement of a Santa Fe officer. McDonald said Maez’s patrol car was not involved in the crash, other than that he had been pursuing Martinez for a few blocks.
Martinez was scheduled for a pre-trial hearing before Magistrate Court Judge George Anaya Jr. on Thursday. He had pleaded not guilty to the reckless driving and evasion charges after being arrested by Santa Fe police Feb. 3.
Online court records also show Martinez pleaded no contest in Bernalillo County Magistrate Court on Jan. 17 to speeding 21 to 25 miles over the limit, and that a charge of failing to carry proof of insurance was dismissed because Martinez was able to produce proof of coverage.
McDonald said it was too early to determine whether drugs or alcohol was involved in Sunday’s crash, but there was no evidence at the scene or in the vehicle that Martinez had been drinking. The state Office of the Medical Investigator will conduct toxicology tests, but it will likely be several months before the results are known.
The impact with the wall tore Martinez’s vehicle into two pieces, and police cordoned off several blocks around the crash site. Santa Fe police Lt. Dean Norris said authorities had not determined how fast Martinez was traveling at the time of the crash.
Copyright 2012 The Santa Fe New Mexican