By Roger Lanse

On Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, a Santa Clara Police Department officer was dispatched at about 10:08 p.m. to 701 Aspen Street, in reference to an harassment complaint. According to a statement of probable cause, a Grant County Regional Dispatch Authority dispatcher told the officer a grey Chevy Silverado was just leaving the residence. The officer advised that he did see the vehicle leaving the address eastbound on Aspen Street then turning left onto Cleveland Street. When the officer activated his emergency equipment to attempt to make a traffic stop, the pickup accelerated through several intersections and a posted stop sign ending up at the eastern dead-end of Spring Street.

As the pickup came to a stop, a male with a bald head left the front passenger seat of the vehicle and ran eastward, refusing to comply with the officer's commands to stop. According to the statement, reaching the Chevy pickup, the officer saw a female in the driver's seat and ordered her out. Officers identified her as Samantha Martinez, 41, of Silver City. While officers were dealing with Martinez, the first responding officer left the scene on foot to look for the male but was unsuccessful in finding him.

According to the statement, Martinez said she did not know who the bald male was, he was just saying, "Go, go, go." Martinez said methamphetamine was in the vehicle. Martinez was booked into the Grant County Detention Center charged with aggravated fleeing, four counts of failing to stop at a posted stop sign, no registration, no insurance, no driver's license on demand, and possession of drug paraphernalia. The grey Chevy Silverado pickup was impounded pending a search warrant.

According to GCDC staff, Martinez was released under bond on Wednesday, Aug. 9, by Judge Grijalva.