A North Bay man was arrested Friday for assaulting a motorist during a DUI incident earlier this month and tracking down the victim to harass her online.
On August 7, at approximately 9:45 a.m., officers from the California Highway Patrol’s Santa Rosa branch were called to the area of Highway 101 near Steele Lane.
According to the investigation, the suspect followed the victim after changing lanes off the highway. When both drivers stopped at a traffic light, the suspect got out of his vehicle, according to officials.
The suspect then attacked the victim with a window opener and a folding knife.
CHP office in Santa Rosa
During the attack, the victim took photos of the suspect and his vehicle. In response, the suspect threw the phone into the bushes before leaving the scene.
According to officials, following the incident, the suspect found out who the victim was, found him online and began making threats on social media.
Investigators used photos taken of the victim to identify the suspect. Arrest warrants and search warrants were obtained.
On Friday morning, CHP officers along with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office arrested the suspect at his home. The suspect, identified as 24-year-old Armando Sanchez Martinez, was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on multiple felony charges, including assault with a deadly weapon, vandalism, damaging a digital device to prevent the reporting of a crime, and witness intimidation.
According to the CHP, Sanchez Martinez is being held on $300,000 bail. Authorities did not say when he would appear in court on the charges.
