GILROY, Calif. — A Hollister man was arrested after allegedly stealing a truck in Gilroy and injuring two bystanders while fleeing from police, authorities said.
According to Gilroy Police, an officer spotted the stolen vehicle near Murray Avenue and Leavesley Road on Oct. 4. When the officer attempted a traffic stop, the driver—later identified as Danny Martinez—sped away southbound on U.S. 101.
Police briefly pursued the truck before calling off the chase for safety reasons. Moments later, the vehicle veered onto the highway shoulder, then off an embankment near Monterey Road, and toward a tent where several people were gathered. Two individuals inside the tent were struck by the speeding truck and later hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
The stolen vehicle was found abandoned on Obata Court, and witnesses provided a description of the suspect. With assistance from California Highway Patrol and the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, officers located Martinez hiding near a nearby truck stop.
Martinez was arrested and booked into the Santa Clara County Jail on charges including possession of a stolen vehicle, assault with a deadly weapon, fleeing police, and driving under the influence.
