Earlier this year, 32-year-old Aaron Jose Martinez was sentenced to 5 years in prison, a result stemming from a 2024 incident at Sequoia Station in Redwood City, where he was convicted of assaulting a peace officer and resisting arrest, among other felonies. In an unexpected turn, the judge granted Martinez a Romero motion, allowing two prior strikes to be set aside despite the district attorney’s objection. However, his motion for a new trial was denied, leading to his current sentence and upcoming transfer to the custody of the CDCR, as stated in a social media post by the San Mateo County District Attorney.
The judge granted Aaron Jose Martinez (32) his Romero motion against our objection, putting aside his 2 prior strikes, but denied his motion for a new trial. He was sentenced to 5 years in prison and will be transferred to the custody of the CDCR. https://t.co/BmXqnFU3BM
— San Mateo County District Attorney (@SanMateoCoDA) August 21, 2025
Martinez’s confrontation with law enforcement began after police responded to a disturbance call at approximately 8:30 PM, involving a panhandler. The Redwood City Police Department reported witnessing Martinez striking one of the officers in the face with a stolen bottle of liquor, which kicked off a physical struggle that injured three officers. Following failed attempts to use Tasers, they eventually subdued Martinez, who was later assessed at a local hospital before being jailed.
The commotion drew a crowd whose behavior was antagonistic towards the police’s attempts to control the situation, necessitating backup from the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, reported Hoodline. The violent skirmish resulted in one officer receiving stitches for a head wound, another with a fractured ankle, and a third sustaining a minor hand injury. Following hospital treatment, all the officers were released…