Suspect leads Snellville police on dangerous chase

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Snellville police say a man who's been charged repeatedly for driving with a suspended license was at it again over the weekend, but this time he led police on a dangerous chase.

Channel 2 Gwinnett bureau chief Tony Thomas obtained the dashcam video from several Snellville police cars, which showed the chase unfolding Saturday evening.
Police say the incident began at the intersection of Highway 78 and Highway 124 when an officer tried to stop 34-year-old Omar Martinez.

Witnesses say Martinez had backed into another car while leaving a shopping center and that driver followed Martinez while calling 911.

Police told Thomas that as soon as they turned on their blue lights; Martinez took off and did several U-turns along Highway 124 as he drove back and forth, dodging police cars trying to block him in.

"Alright he has jumped the curb and he's going back southbound, radio," one officer told dispatchers as the chase continued along Scenic Highway.

"Don't let him get to 78," one commander chimed in.

Police feared if Martinez drove back to the busy intersection of Highway 78, someone could be badly injured.

'It was very reckless and we are lucky no one was injured,” Snellville Police Chief Roy Whitehead said as he watched the videos with Thomas.

Whitehead said Martinez passed two utility workers along Highway 124 and yelled out his window, "I'll be back."

The video shows Martinez a few minutes later as he finally pulled into a driveway right next to the workers.

Police say Martinez refused to get out of his car and had to be Tasered twice.

"The doors are locked, he refused to cooperate. Even when they tried to grab him, he grabbed and held on to the steering wheel and did everything he could to stay in the vehicle," Whitehead said.

Records show Martinez is now in the Gwinnett County Detention Center.  Investigators told Thomas that Martinez has been charged with driving with a suspended license three times since 2012.

WSBTV