Couple With Warrants Nearly Run Over Officers In Escape Attempt
They're no Bonnie And Clyde, but Abel Martinez, 24, and Deanna Faris, 25, proved again they are reckless and dangerous.
Just before 6 p.m. Thursday evening, Grove City Division of Police officer Kyle Coffey spotted a man he recognized sitting behind the wheel of a Mercedes on Home Road near Gantz Park.
His name is Abel Martinez, a 24-year-old Columbus man with a long criminal history. Martinez has outstanding warrants for theft, violation of a protection order, and domestic violence.
Officer Coffey would later discover that the woman sitting next to Martinez in the front passenger's seat was 25-year-old Deanna Faris. Faris has outstanding warrants for OVI, endangering children while OVI, and an unrelated hit-skip incident.
When officer Coffey and his partner, officer Dylan Eason approached Martinez's vehicle, Martinez told them that he didn't have his wallet, couldn't recall his social security number, and tossed out a phony name. Officer Coffey had previous encounters with Martinez, so he knew he was lying.
About a minute into the conversation, Martinez tried to start his car but officer Eason quickly snatched them and tossed the keys on the floorboard.
A struggle ensued between officer Coffey and Martinez, who refused to exit the vehicle. Faris grabbed the keys from the floorboard and handed them to Martinez, who fired up the engine and recklessly drove off while officers Coffey and Eason were wedged between the car and door. The officers suffered minor injuries and were treated and released from Mt. Carmel Grove City.
The Grove City Division of Police provided us with a copy of body cam video that shows the brazen escape attempt.
Reynoldsburg police officers caught the daring couple and turned them over to the Grove City Division of Police, who hauled them off to Franklin County's Jackson Pike jail.
Both Martinez and Faris are charged with felonious assault and felony fleeing and eluding an officer. They'll be arraigned Saturday morning at the Franklin County Municipal Court.
If you have a tip, you can leave me a message at 614 779-1885 or drop me an email at tom@thesussireport.com.
Please support the local businesses that support Free Press and The Sussi Report.