Burbank Man Charged with Attempted Murder Of Ten Sheriff's Deputies

A Burbank man was charged today with the attempted murder of 10 Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies followed by an eight-hour standoff in Bellflower late Thursday night, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced.

Juan Manuel Martinez (dob 7/19/76) is scheduled to be arraigned today in Department 2 of the Los Angeles County Superior Court in Bellflower. Prosecutors will ask that his bail be set at $11 million in case VA142260.

Deputy District Attorney Garrett Dameron with the Crimes Against Peace Officers Section is prosecuting the case.

Martinez is suspected of shooting and wounding a motorcycle deputy who pulled him over during a DUI checkpoint on Lakewood Boulevard. After abandoning his vehicle, Martinez allegedly fired on four other deputies who arrived to assist the downed deputy.

Martinez then allegedly wounded a second deputy as he fled the scene, firing at a second set of deputies before hiding in a small structure for nearly eight hours. He was arrested after a SWAT team fired tear gas into the structure.

Martinez is charged with a total of 13 felony counts, including 10 counts of attempted murder of a peace officer, and one felony count each of false imprisonment of a hostage, dissuading a witness by threat of force and possession of a firearm by a felon. The complaint alleges he discharged a firearm causing great bodily injury to two deputies.

If convicted, Martinez faces up to life in state prison.