A 33-year-old man suspected of driving under the influence was booked for attempted murder after authorities claimed he pushed a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputy into active lanes of traffic during an enforcement stop.
The March 21 incident, according to a SBSD news release, occurred just before 2 a.m. near 5 Mile Road and Interstate 40 in Needles, a town in Southern California’s Mojave Desert along the Colorado River.
Authorities said deputies from the sheriff’s Colorado River Station asked the suspect, Riverside resident Nathan Martinez, to do a field sobriety test after they observed signs of impairment.
“As Martinez exited the vehicle, he became uncooperative and combative,” investigators allege. “During the encounter, Martinez turned towards the deputy and forcefully pushed him into active lanes of traffic on Interstate 40. While the altercation was ongoing, two semi-trucks passed in close proximity, creating a significant safety hazard for both the deputy and Martinez.”…