BALCONES HEIGHTS, Texas – A 19-year-old man has been arrested by Balcones Heights police after he was found breaking into cars in a hotel parking lot and then led officers on a short vehicle chase early Wednesday morning.
Jonathan Martinez has been taken into police custody.
According to Balcones Heights Police Chief John Jahanara, officers were patrolling the parking lot of the Springhill Suites by Marriott hotel on Loop 410 near Fredericksburg Road around 2:30 a.m. because there had been an ongoing problem with cars being broken into. That’s when, Jahanara said, officers noticed Martinez attempting to break into a car.
Jahanara said officers confronted him but he didn’t comply with their commands, and instead got into his car and acted like he was going to strike the officers with the vehicle.
Police said one of the officers, a 13-year veteran, fired his weapon once at the car, hitting the driver’s side door. No one was hurt.
The suspect swerved around police and sped off, leading them and San Antonio police on a short chase that ended when he crashed near Loma Linda Drive and Williamsburg Place about a mile away from the hotel, Jahanara said.
The chief said Martinez did try to run, but was taken into custody by officers in a backyard down the street. No officers were injured in the incident.
Martinez now faces multiple charges, since officers also found guns and narcotics inside his vehicle, police said.
This is a developing story. Stay with KSAT12 both online and on-air for more information.