Wanted Felon Arrested After Car Chase In Gilroy, Police Say

SOUTH BAY, CA -- Police in Gilroy say a wanted felon was arrested after a car chase and foot pursuit.

At about 4 p.m. on May 6, members of the Gilroy Police Department say they were patrolling the city when they saw a male driving a vehicle and recognized him as a gang member and a wanted felon.

When they attempted to stop the driver -- later identified as 26-year-old Jose Martinez -- he allegedly fled in his vehicle and he led patrol officers on a vehicle pursuit.

Martinez, pictured above, allegedly drove into a parking lot in the 800 block of El Cerrito Way, crashed into an unoccupied vehicle, then ran from the vehicle while holding onto his front waistband. Police say he removed a handgun from his waistband, threw it over a fence, and that the handgun, seen in the second photo above, landed right where several small children were playing.

Martinez was arrested by responding officers, and the loaded handgun was recovered before any of the children were able to pick it up, police say. The handgun was determined to be stolen from a city in the Central Valley.

Martinez was booked for $155,000 in felony warrants, a no-bail warrant, felony evading, felon in possession of a handgun/ammunition, possession of a stolen handgun and several other charges. At the time of his arrest, Martinez was on probation for several felony convictions.

Images via Gilroy police