Man convicted of several charges related to 2022 Sacramento carjacking, Yolo Causeway crash
SACRAMENTO — A Sacramento County jury convicted a man of several charges related to a 2022 carjacking and major crash on the Yolo Causeway, prosecutors said Wednesday.
James Martin was convicted of one count of carjacking, five counts of attempted carjacking, one count of a hit-and-run, and reckless driving for the incident that happened on the afternoon of February 18, 2022.
A woman was parked at her apartment complex in the area of Silver Eagle Road in north Sacramento when Martin approached her at the driver's side door and told her to get out, the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office said.
Martin drove the stolen car westbound on Interstate 80 toward the causeway, reaching speeds higher than 100 miles per hour. He drove on the shoulder of the freeway to get around traffic. but he eventually lost control of the car and crashed into the back of a vehicle.
A Sacramento police helicopter had spotted the stolen vehicle and was following it. Footage captured from the chopper that day shows the crash and Martin hopping out of the vehicle and limping on one leg.
Martin tried stealing several other cars, even breaking the window of one of them to get inside. More law enforcement officials arrived to the scene and were able to detain Martin on the freeway.
Arresting officers located 18 hydrocodone pills, .63 grams of cocaine and $3,555 in cash in his pockets.
Martin is scheduled to be sentenced on April 12, 2024. He faces up to 31 years and four months behind bars.
On the day of the incident, Sacramento police responded to a ShotSpotter activation alert in the same area of the initial carjacking and around the same time. ShotSpotter is a gunshot detection system that alerts authorities to the location of a potential shooting when it happens.
Sacramento police that day said an armed suspect was seen running through the neighborhood before carjacking someone. Martin was never convicted of any charges related to a shooting.
