Arraignment Postponed for Alleged Gang Member Shot by Deputy

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By Lara Cooper, Noozhawk Staff Writer | @laraanncooper

Investigators gather evidence Oct. 6 from the scene of a shooting in which a suspect was critically wounded by a Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputy. The confrontation with officers followed a melee in the neighborhood near San Marcos High School. (Tom Bolton / Noozhawk file photo)

Gerardo Martinez faces felony charges after allegedly confronting deputies responding to a neighborhood melee

A Goleta man who was shot and critically wounded during an officer-involved shooting earlier this month appeared in Santa Barbara County Superior Court on Tuesday for arraignment, but the hearing was postponed until Thursday.

Gerardo Martinez, 25, is facing felony charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, assault on a peace officer with a semiautomatic firearm, and street terrorism, because he is allegedly associated with a criminal street gang, G-13, according to the criminal complaint against him.

Sheriff’s officials say Martinez was shot when he threatened deputies with a handgun around 3 a.m. Oct. 6 in the 4700 block of Andrita Street, a block off Turnpike Road south of Hollister Avenue.

The confrontation followed a melee in the neighborhood of single-family homes, with multiple 9-1-1 callers reporting that they had heard gunshots and saw people fighting and running from the scene at Andrita and Rosemead streets. Responding deputies found a man with a handgun standing in the front yard of a house, according to sheriff’s Sgt. Mark Williams.

Martinez confronted the deputies, at which point several shots were fired and the suspect was struck, Williams said.

On Tuesday, Martinez appeared in a blue jumpsuit behind the glass separating inmates from the court, was able to stand and appeared healthy.

Martinez’s attorney, Luis Esparza, and prosecutor Hans Almgren were also in court.

Martinez was initially in custody while recovering at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, but has since been transferred to the jail and is receiving care from Prison Health Services, the health-care provider for inmates in custody.

He is scheduled to be back in court for arraignment on Oct. 25 in Department 3.

— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.

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