A Umatilla man with outstanding warrants for alleged sex crimes was arrested on Monday after a high-speed chase from Hermiston into Washington state.
The incident began around 8:35 a.m. Monday when a Hermiston Police Department officer spotted a vehicle with Washington state plates in the area of W. Highland Avenue and S.W. 11th Street. A passenger inside the vehicle was visible and identified as Javier Noe Martinez, 29, of Umatilla.
When officers stopped the vehicle, according to Hermiston Police Chief Jason Edmiston, Martinez pushed the driver, Deanna Tinker, 29, of Hermiston, out of the car, got behind the wheel and took off at a high rate of speed.
Edmiston said the officers requested aid for Tinker and pursued Martinez. The pursuit left Hermiston and continued toward Umatilla. Edmiston said Umatilla Police Department officers deployed spike strips that Martinez drove over, but continued without stopping.
Martinez then continued onto Interstate 82, across the bridge into Washington and northbound toward the Tri-Cities. During the chase, HPD officers requested assistance from the Washington State Patrol (WSP).
Eventually, the vehicle Martinez was driving came to a stop in the middle of the freeway overpass of Coffin Road. Hermiston and Umatilla police officers took Martinez into custody without incident and later turned him over to WSP. In addition to the warrants, Martinez will be facing several charges including reckless driving, eluding, and possession of methamphetamine.
“We take pursuits very serious as the risk to the public and our officers is very high,” Edmiston said. “We will review this pursuit as we do all pursuits to ensure we were operating within policy. Though not common to pursue into another state, the significant person crimes Mr. Martinez is alleged to have committed necessitated a heightened response from our agency in hopes he does not get to victimize further. We are very grateful for the assistance rendered by the Umatilla Police Department and the Washington State Patrol.”
