Man accused of punching officer after pursuit, Melbourne police say

Cops: Suspect attempted to escape custody while being transferred from hospital

MELBOURNE, Fla. – A man faces multiple charges after Melbourne police said he led officers on a pursuit, punched one of them and then tried to escape custody while being discharged from a hospital.

Devin Martinez, 28, was in police custody after fleeing from officers both in a vehicle and on foot during the early-morning hours Saturday.

Police said officers observed around 2:15 a.m. what they believed to be an impaired driver in the area of U.S. 1 and W.H. Jackson Street.

When officers positioned their vehicle behind the suspect vehicle to conduct a traffic stop, Martinez accelerated and drove in a reckless manner in an attempt to elude officers, police said.

Officers found Martinez on Horne Street and when they tried to stop the vehicle, Martinez drove directly at the officers in their lane of traffic. Police said the officers, who feared they were going to be struck, stopped their vehicle to prevent a crash.

Martinez led officers in a vehicle pursuit that covered areas of South Melbourne and northeast Palm Bay, police said. Martinez's vehicle was damaged during the pursuit, and it eventually stalled out near the intersection of Robert J. Conlan Boulevard NE and U.S. 1.

Police said Martinez got out and fled on foot, running eastbound toward the Indian River. He fled down the river embankment and eventually entered the river in an attempt to elude officers.

Officers pursued Martinez into the water, where he then engaged the officers with physical violence, punching one officer, police said. Martinez was subdued and arrested.

Police said Martinez was taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center for medical evaluation and treatment due to being involved in the motor vehicle crash, tumbling down the river embankment while fleeing from police and fighting with police.

Further investigation revealed Martinez did not have a valid driver's license and is currently on probation, police said.

Martinez was medically cleared from the hospital at 1:38 p.m. and was being escorted from the hospital to an awaiting police vehicle to be taken to the Brevard County Jail. Police said Martinez, who was handcuffed and in police custody, used this opportunity to jump out of the wheelchair he was being transported in and run from officers on foot.

Martinez was detained after a brief foot pursuit and secured in a police vehicle, where he was eventually taken to jail, police said.

Martinez faces multiple charges from both incidents, which police said include aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, aggravated fleeing and eluding, battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer without violence (x2), resisting an officer with violence, leaving the scene of a crash, driving while license suspended with knowledge, attempted escape and violation of probation.


Recommended Videos