Contributed Photo/Courtesy GCSO: Adan Martinez was arrested and booked into the Graham County Adult Detention Facility on multiple charges after allegedly fleeing from deputies while intoxicated and striking multiple vehicles before crashing his own truck in the desert.
By Jon Johnson
GRAHAM COUNTY – A man who fled from a desert bonfire party was arrested and booked into the Graham County Adult Detention Facility on Friday after allegedly nearly striking deputies while fleeing from the scene.
Adan Martinez, 22, of Pima, was booked on charges of three counts of aggravated assault, three counts of endangerment, two counts of criminal damage, DUI, leaving the scene of an accident, and failure to comply with an officer’s lawful order.
According to Graham County Sheriff’s Office reports, deputies were dispatched to an area across from 4815 N. Watson Ln. in regard to a party in the desert. Upon arrival, deputies located several vehicles up a dirt hill. While approaching the group, a tan-colored 2012 Ford F-150 pickup truck – allegedly driven by Martinez – fled from the area at a high speed and nearly struck a deputy who attempted to stop him. The deputy advised that he had parked his vehicle to stop people from leaving and he then got out and approached the group.
While the deputy was speaking to some party goers, the Ford F-150 sped toward the deputy. The deputy advised he shined his light on the driver, identified as Martinez, and that Martinez then stopped abruptly. As the deputy approached the truck, Martinez then rapidly accelerated and the deputy had to quickly dodge out of the way to avoid being struck, according to his report. In the process of fleeing, Martinez’s truck struck both the deputy’s vehicle and another truck that was at the party.
Martinez continued to flee, however, and nearly hit another deputy’s patrol vehicle. Another deputy then reported nearly being struck as Martinez sped off the road and down the hill through the brush. Martinez then wrecked as he went down a steep hill, according to police reports.
Deputies arrived at the wrecked truck and found all doors closed and Martinez as the sole occupant. Martinez claimed he was just the passenger and that the driver was a “white, 19-year-old kid”, however, the truck was registered to him and there was no evidence of anyone else having exited the truck at the crash site. Additionally, the first deputy who was almost struck positively identified Martinez as the driver as well as several other party goers.
Inside the truck, deputies located a box of Keystone Light beer that was nearly empty and two open cans of beer in the center console. Martinez allegedly advised that he had consumed eight beers that night.
Martinez was found guilty of an underage alcohol violation in 2018 and a separate case of underage DUI as well, In 2019, he was found guilty of having an open container of alcohol in his vehicle, and, more recently, in February he was charged with DUI again.
Martinez was arrested on his above-listed charges and a blood sample was taken for testing purposes prior to booking him into the jail. His truck was removed from the desert by Nutcracker Towing and was impounded into the Graham County Highway Yard.
The damage to the deputy’s vehicle was given a quote of $1,630 to fix from a local body shop.
